Over the past two weeks our Year 9 students have put their STEAM skills to work across their Mathematics and Science classes. Students chose their own project, following their interests while developing skills in problem-solving, research, design, experimentation, mathematical thinking and communication.
Testing materials and fuels on the sky lantern project.
The projects
Communication device. Students designed and developed a device capable of sending a message across 100 metres, investigating how their design could effectively transmit information over distance.
Colour psychology. Students investigated colour psychology and applied their findings to the school environment, exploring how colour influences people’s perceptions and experiences of different spaces around the school.
DIY musical instrument. Students designed and constructed their own instruments, researching harmonics, frequency and sound to understand how their designs could produce different notes and tones.
DIY sky lantern. Students investigated the science behind sky lanterns, testing different materials and fuels to determine how design choices affect performance.
Research harmonics, frequency and sound — then build it.
Design, test, evaluate, improve
What made these projects work is that students had to design, test, evaluate and improve their ideas, rather than meet concepts in isolation. It was fantastic to see them embracing the challenge, working collaboratively and applying their Mathematics and Science knowledge to real-world problems.