At Thornhill Park Primary in STEM, students will be involved in a 1-hour weekly lesson. This will include a range of hands-on activities, devised to inspire, and challenge their thinking. They will have opportunities to conduct more traditional science experiments as well as explore the engineering design process to create new inventions. They will learn how to code simple programs and write sequential codes to control robots.
Prep
Prep students will investigate the way objects move based on shape and size. They will explore how objects are made from different materials for specific purposes. Students will observe the changes that occur in the sky and landscape due to seasonal patterns. They will also complete a unit on coding and will begin to learn how to code robots.
Year 1/2
Students in year 1/2 students will explore how everyday materials can be physically changed or combined with other materials to make new products. They will learn the importance of sequencing when writing code for a robot to follow. Students will investigate materials that enable objects to float and sink and begin to understand the engineering design process as they design and make simple machines/toys.
Year 3/4
Year 3/4 students will identify the type of forces that can be used to make things move, including the role friction can have on the distance an object can travel. They will explore that objects are made of materials which have properties such as colour, smell, texture, strength, and absorbency. Students will recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability, that impact on the design of solutions. They will also code robots to develop their understanding of algorithms, nested loops, while loops, conditionals, and events.
Year 5/6
Students in year 5/6 will investigate that substances can change in many ways by conducting a wide range of experiments including melting, dissolving, burning, and fizzing. They will learn how to make simple electrical circuits exploring key features such as, wires, switches, and light globes, and investigate different electrical conductors and insulators. Students will also learn how to design, modify and follow simple algorithms to animate animations and robots.