Protostorming

What a fantastic start to the year! My colleagues and I decided to try something new for our STEM/STEAM lessons. Our primary classrooms are grouped as double units; each pair of classrooms is joined by a large glass double door. We decided to join two classes at a time, so that means over 50 students all working together. 

I was a bit worried that it might be a bit ambitious at the start of the school year, but our students really stepped up and I was suprised by how calm it was despite the large numbers! 

To kick off the year, we had a quick recap on what STEM is, and then we were straight into creating. The learning intentions were to practice working as a team and using our resilience strategies when things didn't go as planned. 

As part of starting off the school year smoothly, students had already been tuned into what resilience looks, sounds and feels like with their class teachers:

By Year 3 Students

By Year 3 Students

Each table group had a different material and they had a short amount of time to brainstorm some words to describe the properties of their item. The items included straws, stockings, paper napkins, cotton balls, icy pole sticks, toothpicks, rubber bands and string. They then needed to quickly draw and write some ideas for what they could make using that item as the main (not sole) ingredient.

I then introduced the concept of protostorming (inspired and taken from Questacon's makerspace sessions during STEM X Academy). Students were instructed to use any available materials to rapidly build lots of rough, unfinished prototypes or models. The focus was on quantity not quality, and the goal was just to get them creating.  They loved it and came up with so many fantastic ideas!   

STEM X Academy

What a privilege it was to attend STEM X Academy 2018, a five-day residential program held in Canberra for primary and secondary teachers.  This inspiring program connects teachers with expert researchers, scientists, innovators and educators, and was developed by ASTA (Australian Science Teachers Association), Questacon and CSIRO. I was incredibly lucky to receive a generous scholarship from Stile Education; one of many highlights was the opportunity to meet Stile’s founder, Dr Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist.

STEM X Academy will be a game changer for me as a teacher. In 2017 I started my own passion project to create a sustainable STEM program in our school and my STEM X Academy experience is going to help to take it to the next level. It has given me the tools, the access to expertise advice, a network of passionate teachers and the confidence to step up as a leader.

When your professional development is kicked off with liquid nitrogen, exploding teddies and marshmallow bazookas, you can be fairly certain that you’re in for a ride. Dr Graham Walker’s demonstration was highly entertaining and educational; I’m still trying to figure out what the risk management would look like to do this with my students!

At CSIRO, we looked at sustainable futures and teachers worked in small groups along with scientists and STEM education experts to create an inquiry based project on a real-world future scenario. In my group we all had different perspectives and ways of looking at the problem. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and it was a valuable reminder that this is something we often ask of our students. Our group worked with Dr Jacqui Watt, a business innovation facilitator with an impressive list of qualifications. I was really inspired by her career narrative and I can’t wait to have my students connect with her. We also worked with Raghvendra Sharma, a PhD student working in CSIRO Agriculture and Food on breeding for wheat rust resistance in Australia. Five of us were lucky enough to be shown around the laboratory to have a closer look at his amazing work. Our school will be participating in the Futurist’s Fair this year, and I am looking forward to connecting my work from CSIRO with this event.

I was in my element during the two days of hands-on makerspace sessions at Questacon’s Ian Potter Foundation. We were guided through a process to plan STEM projects to take back to our schools, and also had the opportunity to be creative and to problem-solve. We warmed up with an engaging protostorming activity and worked in teams to complete challenges with a ‘fun factor’, including building trigger tracks using LED lights and a donation box that would encourage people to put more money in. A highlight for me was using Makey Makeys to redesign a controller for arcade games, and judging by the noise level and laughter in the room, others felt the same. I am excited to take back these ideas and opportunities for my students and colleagues. 

 

We also had a fabulous evening after hours at Questacon, exploring and playing with the interactive exhibits before being treated to the coolest dessert, using liquid nitrogen to freeze gin and tonics.  

Just when I thought the STEM X Academy experience couldn’t possibly get any better, we spent an evening at Mt Stromlo Observatory handling tiny satellites worth about $2 million dollars. Dr Ben Greene’s work using lasers to deal with space junk was fascinating and I’m still finding it difficult to sleep after Dr Brad Tucker’s thought-provoking presentation on “everything”. 

Weeks after my STEM X Academy experience I am still buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm. The Alumni group provides a constant hum of ideas and inspiration; I have found my tribe and it has quickly become my most constantly checked Facebook group! Being able to connect with passionate teachers and experts who are leaders in their STEM fields and STEM education is an amazing opportunity. I would recommend to any teacher wanting to be challenged and enlightened that they attend the STEM X Academy next year.

Our kids deserve the very best that we can give; STEM X has given me a guide map and helped me to clarify the bigger picture. I have a vision of where I aspire our school to be and I am excited about the learning journey my students are about to embark on this school year. I can’t wait to see where this inspiration and experience takes us all; the best is yet to come.

Team Challenges

As we're wrapping up the school year we are tackling a few shorter team work challenges including parachutes in 20 minutes, stacking cups using rubber bands and no hands, and sleighs that can slide down ramps of varying angles.

Parachutes

Using the materials provided, can your team design a parachute that can help a 'passenger' land on the ground safely?

Which design elements contribute to a parachute taking longer to reach the ground?

We also had a few quick team-work challenge found on Pinterest:

Christmas Design Challenge:

Can you design a sleigh that will safely carry a bag of marbles down ramps of varying angles?

Stacking Cups

Can your team stack the cups into a pyramid using string tied to a rubber band?

Inquiry Unit: Bridge Design

At our school we have been working on delivering inquiry-based STEM units that are relevant to our students and involve them in designing solutions to real world problems. Our school community is built on flood plains and students have first-hand experience of the impact of floods.  With this context in mind, we implemented a STEM unit that culminated with students working in collaborative teams on an engineering design challenge: Can we create a bridge structure that allows access for public transport whilst withstanding flood conditions?


Our unit began with inquiry-based learning on the environmental impact of erosion, flooding and extreme weather in the local community as well as other parts of Australia and the world. We worked in partnership with the City Council and the Emergency Coordinator to deepen student’s understanding of the importance of our local government’s initiatives in the minimization of  flooding risk in our local area.  We examined aerial photographs of flooding and compared them with Google Earth and historical aerial photos of the same area.

Some key inquiry questions included, “How has the impacts of floods on human communities changed over time?’ and “What can we learn from past floods to minimise future damage? Should people be allowed to rebuild homes and other structures in areas prone to flooding?”  Some students chose to present their information as a recorded news report using a green screen, others created digital brochures or google slide presentations.

We then explored why communities need bridges and investigated different bridge structures around the world.  Students researched effective and ineffective bridge designs and the factors that impact on design decisions.  They were then guided through the Engineer Design Process with an emphasis on team work, problem solving and creativity. 

Students needed to budget the cost of materials for their bridge designs and make ‘purchases’ from the ‘STEM shop’.  We created a model river for students to test the strength and stability of their bridge structure in simulated flood conditions.  The testing process was recorded to support students in their learning reflections.

 

Providing students with the chance to enhance their 21st-century skills and solve hands-on real world problems has them excited about the possibilities STEM offers.  We have some students begging to keep working on their projects during lunch breaks, and other students coming up with their own ideas for problems they’d like to tackle next in STEM. Solving actual problems that are relevant to the world around them has helped students to see what it might be like to work in the STEM field and they are more engaged with those topics.

Our school is in the early stages of adopting a STEM approach and we are currently working on developing a whole-school scope and sequence with links to My Education and the General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum.  A future focus for us involves creating partnerships with local businesses and industry as another avenue for providing authentic and value-adding STEM experiences. 

10 Apples up on Top

Can you design and build the tallest apple tower? How will your apple balance up on top?

Another library design challenge for Prep (Foundation) students. After reading Dr. Seuss' 'Ten Apples up on Top', students worked in small teams to design and build the tallest apple tower. Their apple needed to balance on the top of their tower and they were not allowed to hold it during the 'testing' phase. We measured each tower using unifix cubes.

They were so engaged and it was great to hear their collaborative discussions:
"What if we use plasticine to make it more stable?"
"Oh yeah... that is a good idea. Also, we could put the plasticine on the top to sit the apple on."
"Would that be balancing though?"
"There wasn't a rule about that!"

So much fun with these little engineers!

Labelling Angles with Seesaw

We are using Seesaw to label the angles on our STEM bridge designs:

The Most Magnificent Thing

My Prep (Foundation) students loved this STEM themed library lesson! 

Lesson outcomes

·         Record ideas with a labelled drawing

·         Make a model using different materials

·        Share ideas and creations with others

Lesson Steps

1. Read The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spiers

2. Present Open Ended Challenge – to design and build your most magnificent thing.  If you could make or create anything, what would it be? What could it be used for?

3.  Discuss learning intentions: “We are learning to…”

4. Provide opportunity for students to explore materials available to them.  Brainstorm during whole group the kinds of things they might create.

5. Sketch and label a plan of their ‘most magnificent thing’ as well as a list or drawings of the materials they will need.

6. Choose from a variety of supplied materials to create and build their model.

7. Share their most magnificent things and reflect on learning. 

They were all so proud of their magnificent things!

“When we allow children to experiment, take risks, and play with their own ideas, we give them permission to trust themselves. They begin to see themselves as learners who have good ideas and can transform their own ideas into reality” (Martinez & Stager, 2013, p. 36). 

Australian Curriculum Links:

Design and Technologies: Foundation – Year 2: Generate, develop and record design ideas through describing, drawing and modelling (ACTDEP006)

Arts – Visual Arts: Foundation – Year 2: Create and display artworks to communicate ideas to an audience (ACAVAM108)

General Capabilities - Critical and Creative Thinking: Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

Egg Car Challenge

Can we design a vehicle which will keep a passenger (egg) safe under normal driving conditions and in the event of a crash?

We are learning to:

· Solve problems using engineering design process

· Explain how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of an object

· Create a simple budget and solve problems involving financial purchases

Design Brief: 
Follow the Engineering Design Process to design and create a vehicle.  The vehicle must transport cargo down a ramp in the fastest and safest way possible.  You will need to plan the best way to overcome friction and maintain enough speed to make it down the ramp. In addition, the vehicle will have to be stable enough to transport the precious cargo (egg) without damaging it.  Can you build a safe vehicle? How will you get the vehicle to slide or roll down the ramp?  Will the cargo arrive safely?  What will happen if the angle of the ramp is changed?  You will also need to stay within a budget and must “purchase” materials to use.

 

 

An unfortunate mishap

Australian Curriculum Links General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking – Generating ideas, possibilities and actions; Reflecting on thinking and processes Science Year 3: · Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately (ACSIS055) · Reflect on investigations, including whether a test was fair or not (ACSIS058) Year 4: · Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately (ACSIS066) · Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (ACSSU076) Year 5: · Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218) Maths Year 3: ·     Represent money values in multiple ways and count the change required for simple transactions to the nearest five cents (ACMNA059) ·     Measure, order and compare objects using familiar metric units of length, mass and capacity (ACMMG061) Year 4: ·Solve problems involving purchases and the calculation of change to the nearest five cents with and without digital technologies (ACMNA080) · Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and temperatures (ACMMG084) Year 5: · Create simple financial plans (including simple budget) (ACMNA106) · Choose appropriate units of measurement for length, area, volume, capacity and mass (ACMMG108) Design and Technologies Years 3 and 4:  · Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system (ACTDEK011) · Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (ACTDEP018) Years 5 and 6: · Critique needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to achieve intended designed solutions (ACTDEP024) · Develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (ACTDEP028)

Useful Links:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Teach-Engineering-Crash-Test-Racers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqI5H8d4r7M&feature=youtu.be

https://theardentteacher.com/2016/06/12/stem-car-crash-project/