STEM

​​​​​​​​Here at Tamrookum State School, we have a real passion for STEM. ​​​​

Tamrookum State School, in collaboration with Griffith University is running a program to determine “hot" and “cold" working spaces. This project is called Cooler Schools. With the help of Dr Harry Kanasta, students in Year 6 have developed theories and ideas to determine which spaces, at our school, may need to be “cooled down". The students are using heat monitors, computer technologies and heat sensing instruments (seen in the pictures provided) to determine areas of heat concern. Their findings will aid in the research being undertaken at the university, as well as other like schools and help determine how we can cool certain areas within our work environment. The results of these awesome researchers will be finalised this year.

One of the most important things we can do is prepare our students for jobs of the future. Our STEM curriculum lays the foundation for the skills students will need in a 21st Century, technology-rich workplace.

Our STEM curriculum starts early, with our Year 6s helping Prep students to learn how to log into a computer, how to use a keyboard and how to use a mouse. Both age groups enjoy interacting with each other. Our Preps love spending time with the older children and our Year 6s have a chance to practise leadership and mentoring. The Prep classroom, like all year levels, also has iPads installed with some fun learning apps.

In Years 1-2, the students are assisted by the Year 5s, who are starting their mentoring journey. The Year 1-2s are also introduced to an interactive TV, which makes lessons more fun and engaging. 

In Years 3-4 and 4-5, students work with Lego WeDo 2.0. Each kit comes with Lego bricks, sensors and motors, for students to create a fun robot. An electronic smart hub connects to the robot, and students learn to create code that directs the movement of the robot. 

Year 5-6 students move onto Lego Mindstorms EV3, a more advanced robotics kit. The EV3 module has many new and interesting working parts, compared to the WeDo 2.0. The EV3 has a variety of complex robots that need to be built by the older students. It is controlled by a central block which controls movement, has colour sensors and can be coded to perform specific tasks related to the robot being developed. Over a period of time, students are able to investigate the positive and negative attributes each robot has and answer questions related to these investigations. Being able to build, follow instructions and code accordingly are facets of the EV3 which develop individual confidence and foster team work​.

While students are busy having fun making and controlling their robots, they are also developing a wide range of skills and proficiencies. In the initial design phase, students must use their creativity, thinking outside the box to come up with their own design. During the construction phase, students develop their engineering and fine motor skills. The coding phase works on fluency with numbers and introduces them to the importance of order of operations. The robots must move within a set rectangle of ground, which involves understanding measurements and angles. Once the robots are built, students must work to test their creations, analysing the results.

Throughout the process, students work in pairs or small groups, learning to get along with others, to negotiate, to explain their ideas and to cooperate – all vital social skills that they will draw on in their future careers.