STEM for Middle Years Science
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The document discusses the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) activities in promoting critical skills such as collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving for middle school students. It presents various low-tech and high-tech STEM challenges, such as building structures with everyday materials, conducting experiments like the marble maze, and exploring robotics and 3D printing. The aim is to engage students in hands-on, transdisciplinary learning experiences that enhance their understanding of scientific principles and technological applications.
STEM for Middle Years Science
- 1. “STEM activities in middle years Science” SASTA conference 18th and 19th April, 2015 Britt Gow, Hawkesdale P12 College
- 2. What is STEM? • The acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, but it is more than the sum of its parts • Not just a collection of content areas, but a transdisciplinary approach that provides authentic contexts for modern learning • The focus is on developing skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and effective communication
- 4. The STEM process • Ask – Research, define the problem, what’s the brief? • Imagine – Generate ideas, brainstorm • Plan – Choose a solution • Create – Construct and develop a prototype • Evaluate – test and troubleshoot • Improve – Refine and adjust • Communication - Results
- 5. STEM benefits • Planning is a key skill • Activities promote curiosity • Creativity and innovation is valued • Critical thinking and problem solving are necessary to construct and improve • Teamwork and collaboration are practised • Communication of results is required • Engagement in hands-on tasks • Sometimes a competitive element
- 6. STEM activities • STEM activities can range from very simple, low-cost, low tech (for example, cardboard, paper or plastic straw construction) to high- tech gadgetry such as 3D printing, robotics and drones. • You don’t need a state-of-the-art MakerSpace or expensive electronic equipment to start making!
- 7. Low-tech challenges • Inexpensive and easily available materials • No electrical power required • Individual or small group work • Encourage the research and planning stage by requiring a list of materials and a labelled drawing • Can be timed and competitive or unlimited • Sharing on completion with a reflection and evaluation is important
- 8. Geodesic sphere • A geodesic structure is strong, light and based on triangles. • Challenge students to create a dome or sphere using just plastic straws.
- 9. Geodesic Dome Create a frame that a person can fit inside, using newspaper.
- 11. Tallest structure from playing cards • Which team can construct the tallest structure using just playing cards and no tape, glue or other fixings? • The world record is 7.71 metres! • https://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=fgrJuW_u KgI
- 12. Spaghetti marshmallow challenge • How tall can you make a tower from just spaghetti and marshmallows? • Variations: Use spaghetti and string to support a marshmallow at the highest point or use skewers and playdough
- 13. Paper chair for teddy • Using only paper and tape can you build a chair that supports a stuffed toy?
- 14. Paper aeroplane • Using an A4 page, fold a paper plane • Decide what is the ‘best’ paper plane – is it the one that flies the furthest or the highest? • Test and improve
- 15. Bridge Challenge • How much weight can a bridge bear? • What is the span length? • There are four types of bridge – beam, arch, suspension and cantilever.
- 16. Bridge Challenge A bridge challenge can be suitable for a variety of ages and take from 15 minutes to many days! • Icy-pole sticks and glue (from 50 to unlimited) • Straws and skewers • Spaghetti and marshmallows • Playing cards and tape • Paper and string • Require a fixed width and length
- 17. Float a boat Construct vessels from tinfoil, straws, icy-pole sticks and a plastic bag - which can hold the most marbles?
- 18. Balloon car
- 19. Model Hovercraft A working hovercraft made from a CD, pop-top bottle lid and a balloon. http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/DIY-Hovercraft/
- 20. Cartesian Diver •Using a bottle of water, a soy sauce ‘fish’ and a metal washer, create this device to demonstrate buoyancy and pressure. https://www.profbunsen.com.au/uploads/3/9/9/8/39983841/sushi_diver.pdf
- 21. Car launch • How far can you get a model car to travel without pushing it or applying external force? • Use ramps and gravity to launch your vehicle. • Measurement, ordering decimals, angles, forces
- 22. Marble maze • Create a marble maze using lego, cardboard, straws, icy-pole sticks or on a pegboard with wool. • Measure the distance travelled.
- 23. Marble Drop • Design a maze for marble or table-tennis ball • Can be attached to the wall or free-standing (constructed in a cardboard box)
- 24. Pinball machine • Use cardboard, tubes, CD’s, plastic cups and tape to make a pinball machine
- 25. Catapult capers! Using icypole sticks, rubber bands and a hot glue gun, how can you create a catapult? Which catapult has the greatest accuracy? Which can launch an object the furthest distance?
- 26. Rube Goldberg Machines • Unnecessarily complex devices that achieve simple tasks, often involving domino falls, rolling balls, ramps, tubes, levers and wheels.
- 28. Level 3 and 4 Chemical Sciences: • A change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat • Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; these properties can influence their use Physical Sciences: • Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another; a change in the temperature of an object is related to the gain or loss of heat by the object Design and Technologies: • Technologies contexts • Creating Designed Solutions
- 29. Level 5 and 6 Chemical Sciences: • Solids, liquids and gases behave in different ways and have observable properties that help to classify them • Changes to materials can be reversible, including melting, freezing, evaporating, or irreversible, including burning and rusting Physical Sciences: • Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted Design and Technologies: • Technologies contexts • Creating Designed Solutions
- 30. Solar Cooker
- 31. Ice cube challenge • Design a container to keep an ice cube frozen for the longest time. • Temperature, conduction, insulation.
- 32. Medium tech • May include mobile electronic devices with apps • Simple circuits - Batteries, wires, globes • Constructing inventions from basic components
- 33. https://babbledabbledo.com/steam-project-tiny-dancers-homopolar-motor/ Tiny Dancers
- 36. 3D Google Glasses – Virtual Reality
- 37. Wearable Tech • Clothing and accessories with integrated circuits • FitBits, light-up shoes, GPS in AFL, smart watches • Smart helmets that monitor heart-rate etc • Boxing gloves that track performance • Backpacks with inbuilt solar panels • LEDs and sensors on your fingernails
- 38. Robotics • Kibo – early years • BeeBots and BlueBots - primary • Sphero – rolling robots • Ozobots – tiny light-sensing robots • Dash and Dot – programmable with drag-and- drop coding
- 39. Makey-Makey
- 46. High Tech • Requires more expensive investment in ready-made technology • Can be used to learn coding/programming • 3D printing • Robotics • Drones
- 47. 3D printing • Useful for custom design, such as prosthetics and prototypes. • Students can use programs such as Google SketchUp to create their designs and then 3D print them in plastic. • “Moat Boat” is a challenge to make your rubber-band powered boat travel the longest distance.
- 49. Moat Boats 3D printed paddle boats – how far can a boat powered by a rubber band travel?
- 56. Drones ● Can you controla drone? ● Direction, distance, cartesian co- ordinates.