Today, Year 4 became materials scientists, testing the properties of different materials and deciding what they could be used for. Click here to find out what materials scientists do and for some fun activities you can do at home.
Today Year 5 became Antarctic explorers and found out what it would be like to visit the Princess Elizabeth Research Station at the South Pole. They found out how scientists use the secrets trapped inside ice cores to tell them what happened in the past and to predict what will happen in the future. Year 5 also read and analysed a poem written especially for this workshop by poet Katrina Porteus and discovered how we can use poetry to communicate scientific facts. Click here to find out more.
NUSTEM pop up shop half term tour!
Today we visited Outer West Library and had more families participating in activities based on STEM careers.
If you’d like to find out a bit more about the different featured careers and try some activities for yourself at home, click on the careers below.
Do you have the skills and attributes needed to do one of these jobs when you leave school?
The sound engineer (bagpipes) Attributes: passionate, collaborative, organised
The cryptographer (code breaking) Attributes: self-motivated, resilient, imaginative
The botanist (seeds) Attributes: curious, patient, observant
The structural engineer (bridges) Attributes: observant, committed, tenacious
Sunset bridge
This afternoon, families joined the NUSTEM team for a drop in structural engineering activity. We challenged you to design and build the strongest bridge possible, and to test this by hanging 100g weights from the centre of the bridge to see how much weight it would hold before it collapsed.
How did you do?
For more building activities to try at home using inexpensive, household resources, click here.
What is a structural engineer?
Structural engineers are focused on all aspects concerned with buildings and built structures, such as houses, hospitals, office blocks, bridges, oil rigs, ships and aircraft. They work to understand, predict and measure aspects such as the strength, stability and how rigid buildings are. They also work to develop new designs or modify the designs of buildings or structures which are to be constructed and are responsible for choosing the appropriate materials, such as concrete, steel, timber and masonry, to meet design specification.
Attributes: observant, committed, tenacious
There are many different kinds of engineers. We have lots more career information and activities related to different types of engineers for you to try at home. Click here to find out more about wind energy engineers, click here to learn about sound engineers, and click here to discover more about mechanical engineers.
This afternoon, Year 5 became astronomers and found out about the development of the telescope throughout history as well as about the role of women in astronomy. They discovered what stars are made from and how astronomers know this by analysing the light they produce. To find out more about astronomy and to try some activities at home, click here.
After school, KS2 families became wind turbine engineers, designing the blades for wind turbines and testing them to see which shape would turn the turbine the quickest. Click here for more information and activities.
After school today, KS2 families became wind turbine engineers, designing the blades for wind turbines and testing them to see which shape would turn the turbine the quickest. Click here for more information and activities.
Today Reception Class learned all about magnetic and non-magnetic materials by investigating magnets. To find out more, click here.
Nursery children had fun investigating dinosaurs and reading dinosaur stories.
Credit NASA Image
Today Year 6 found out how environmental modellers collect and use data to predict the future. To find out more about environmental modellers, how to help the environment and for modelling activities you can try at home, click here.
Year 5 became astronomers and found out about the development of the telescope throughout history as well as about the role of women in astronomy. They discovered what stars are made from and how astronomers know this by analysing the light they produce. To find out more about astronomy and to try some activities at home, click here.
The other children will participate in these workshops later in the month.
Today Panda Class became botanists and investigated Venus Fly Traps. To find out more about botany, click here.
Today, Year 4 became materials scientists, testing the properties of different materials and deciding what they could be used for. Click here to find out more about what materials scientists do and for fun activities to try at home.
