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Issue 29 - 20 May 2016Issue 29 - 20 May 2016

CLASS STEMOur world continues to be transformed in an ever quickeningpace through Science and Technology. Many of the changes inour daily lives have their genesis in a Scientific or Technologicaldiscovery. Our CLASS schools are responding throughpositioning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM) at the forefront of our delivery, providing our studentswith the skills and mindsets to take full advantage of theopportunities on offer in an increasingly knowledge basedeconomy.

Whilst not diminishing the need for our students to have strongcore skills ie. literacy and numeracy, there is an imperativeto develop their problem solving and teamwork skills utilisingSTEM.

The STEM focus is transforming classrooms across our schoolsfrom Prep to Year 12. Students are exposed to technology asa learning tool from school entry, increasingly using devicescollaboratively as they progress through the schooling system.We are witnessing students engaged in activities such ascoding and robotics, often independently sourcing key learningonline in seeking a solution to an issue or scenario. This focusallows our students to develop a deeper understanding of theworld and a sense of the possibilities available to them uponschool exit.

This real life learning is building an enormous foundation for ourCLASS students.

Master Teacher Assists Mt OmmaneySpecial School in Achieving Success!

Staff at Mount Ommaney Special School are very pleased tohave Master Teacher, Bernie Ellis, across 2016 to supportstaff and students in their work around literacy and numeracy.Each year Master Teachers are required to carry out an ActionResearch Project in one of these learning areas to assist

schools in identifying effective teaching practices. In 2015, wecarried out a project which examined the Explicit Teaching ofEarly Numeration. This proved to be highly successful both forthe students who demonstrated tremendous outcomes, as wellas professional growth for the teachers involved in the process.The following graph represents the learning outcomes for oneclass which was participating in the project. You will be ableto identify the significant gains students demonstrated fromTerm 2 to Term 3. Most importantly the students were ableto maintain, or further improve their learning by the end of theschool year.

For 2016, Mount Ommaney Special School is focusing onintroducing all students to a balanced literacy program,therefore the school has decided that it would be beneficial forthe project to also centre around this learning.

Four classes will be working closely with Bernie to delivershared reading and writing opportunities, independent readingand writing, as well as working with letters, sounds and wordseach day of the school week. Within these lessons studentsdifferentiated learning needs will be carefully examined andall students will be encouraged to communicate using theirpreferred communication systems. There is considerableresearch which identifies students who are supported to readand write in unison make greater progress, therefore we haveidentified all areas of literacy needed to be embedded each day.

We have already started to collect writing samples fromstudents which will be used to make informed decisions aboutthe teachers' programs. These work samples also enable usto compare students’ work from the start of the year with theirwriting at the end of 2016. Teachers will be carrying out anintensive induction day around the project at the start of Term2 and all staff will receive ongoing professional developmentacross each term.

We look forward to seeing the results of everyone’s hard work– not least that of the students who continue to provide us withthe reason to arrive at work each day.

Susan Christensen

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Full STEAM aheadSTEAM Club began with an “eruption” this year at CentenaryState High School for Years 7 to 9. STEAM represents a uniqueand dynamic approach to teaching and learning wherestudents explore the disciplines of Science, Technology,Engineering/Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics in aninterdisciplinary and applied manner. Our Business Technologyfaculty uses technology curriculum to engage as many studentsas possible with STEAM activities. STEAM Club allows ourstudents to explore, investigate and discover STEAM in astimulating learning environment away from the constraints ofa timetabled class or a prescribed curriculum to engage andpromote higher order thinking.

To date students have been engaging and exploring:

Creating a Volcano – Students learnt all about volcanoesand chemical reactions. They built their own safe andnontoxic volcano with basic household items such asflour, baking soda and vinegar. Problem solving andcreativity erupted that afternoon!

Marshmallow Towers – Students learnt about theprinciples of Civil Engineering, including force andgeometry. They had to design and build their own tower(to a brief) using marshmallows and toothpicks.Competition was intense to ensure their tower fitted thedesign brief and a lot of problem solving skills were onobvious display.

Next term the club will be engaging with:

STEAM inspires our students to inquire and connect andcontinuously develop higher order thinking skills.

If you are interested in finding out more information regardingCentenary’s STEAM Club please contact Jack Dahms thecoordinator via email at jjdah0@eq.edu.au

Jack Dahms, STEAM Club Program Coordinator

Science is Alive and Well at JindaleeState School

In Year 2 Science this semester, students have been learningabout materials and their properties, in a unit of work called Mix,Make and Use.

Students predicted and then explored how the properties ofdifferent materials allow them to be used for a range ofpurposes. Students participated in many exciting hands-onactivities. During these lessons they developed a wide rangeof scientific terminology to accurately describe what theyobserved, and recorded their experiences using spoken andwritten answers as well as diagrams and tables.

Many of the materials students worked with have been familiarto them as they are often seen in playrooms, classrooms andeven our kitchens. Some materials used in Science have beentotally new, and it was interesting to test them out and learnabout their properties and uses. There were products madeof wood, plastic, paper and rubber which many students hadnever seen before. Students discovered corflute, particleboard,grip mat, packing foam and even the fabric chopped off a pairof Mr Baxter’s trousers!

The main assessment part in this unit was an experimentalinvestigation. The task was to construct an object, usingsuitable materials that perform to meet a particular purpose.Students were required to choose, modify and combine thesetwo materials in order to do something very, VERY important –safely carry cakes in rainy weather!

It has been an engaging and fun learning journey. When thecakes remained safe and dry, it was also a yummy andunforgettable experience.

Year 2 students, with Mr Baxter's guidance, are selecting theYear 2 students, with Mr Baxter's guidance, are selecting thematerials to fit the purpose - to keep the cake dry and safe.materials to fit the purpose - to keep the cake dry and safe.

• Creating Virtual Reality Glasses

• Interacting with Drones

• Video Editing

• Creating a Lava Lamp

• Dusting for fingerprints

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"Wow! It worked!""Wow! It worked!"

Jake and Greer areJake and Greer aresharingsharing

ideas about theideas about thematerialsmaterials

they will use to keepthey will use to keeptheirtheir

cakes safe and dry.cakes safe and dry.

Will it survive the rain?Will it survive the rain?

Bright Futures at Jamboree HeightsFor today’s students, many of tomorrow’s jobs will be foundin the STEM industries (Science, Mathematics, Engineering andTechnology) and will require the ability to be innovative andcreative. For us in the primary school context, the challengeis therefore not only equipping students with the key STEMknowledge, but help students develop a passion for thesesubjects, with the hope that it may lead to a career in thesefields someday.

At Jamboree Heights, STEM beyond the curriculum subjects ofScience, Maths and Technology is taking many forms. Studentsare coding, exploring basic robotics, constantly engaging innew technology platforms online, and using iPad apps inincreasingly innovative ways.

STEM is really taking off in Year 5R where they have begunexploring the flipped classroom concept. This involves studentsaccessing some key lessons online using the tool ‘Edmodo’where their teacher, Mr Robertson, has uploaded pre-recordedlessons (introductory lessons to topics). This has then allowedthe class time to be used to delve deeper into the topic.Students to date are extremely excited about this new mode

of learning and for them it is a bit like being able to take theirteacher home with them.

To continue to build the profile of STEM at Jamboree Heights,we will be running a series of STEM Challenge Days at theend of Term 2. These days will be an opportunity for studentsto apply STEM based knowledge in innovative and creativeways to solve problems or real world challenges, but mostimportantly have some fun! In Prep, as an example, studentswill be exploring how to blow up balloons without using anybreath, making boats out of aluminium foil, designing a marbleroller coaster, making sultanas dance and using static electricityto race soft drink cans. Prep children and their families will beinvited to spend a morning session exploring such a range ofhands-on Science experiments. Exciting!

STEM is definitely alive and well at Jamboree Heights and weare confident that this will lead to bright futures for our students.

5R students Raquel, Akuol, Seth and Rebecca using the online5R students Raquel, Akuol, Seth and Rebecca using the onlineplatform 'Edmodo' to watch a video on angles posted by theirplatform 'Edmodo' to watch a video on angles posted by their

teacher, Mr Robertson.teacher, Mr Robertson.

Prep R students road testing some of the experiments to bePrep R students road testing some of the experiments to beconducted later in the term as part of the STEM Challengeconducted later in the term as part of the STEM Challenge

Day.Day.

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Minecraft Club and STEMThe slogan for Minecraft club at Middle Park State Schoolis ‘Mining for Knowledge, Building Success’. The club allowsstudents in the junior (Year 2 and 3) and senior (Year 4 to 6)school to spend a lunch time every week exploring, learning,planning, building and solving problems together inside theworlds of Minecraft EDU. To be successful they must harnesstechnology, engineering and mathematical skills and use themtogether with their teamwork, problem solving and creativityto move through obstacles, create structures and completeworlds.

The purpose of the club is to encourage students to use thetechnological skills of planning, developing and evaluating inconjunction with building, construction and mathematic skills ofarea, quantities and proportion in an engaging and challenginggame space. Minecraft is a game space that is intenselyengaging to students of all ages and brings students of allbackgrounds, lifestyles and interests into a place where theycan positively collaborate and participate.

Some of the challenges both the junior and senior clubs havebeen faced with so far are completing a tutorial world full ofobstacle courses, building challenges, secret passages. Thisculminated in planning and building a community as a group.They have also had to plan and build a community inside ateleportation controlled space that could service the group ifthey had to live there and recreate the setting and plot eventsof a popular novel series. In the future they will complete waterscarcity challenges, have to save a town from an eruptingvolcano and plan a complete civilisation that can survive andaccess all the necessary resources.

It certainly is an exciting time to be a student at Middle ParkState School.

Completely engaged at Minecraft Club.Completely engaged at Minecraft Club.

STEM Horizons for High Achievers

for High Achievers

Four Year 7 students recently undertook the first of four days ofspecialist activities at a range of locations including the PrincessAlexandra Hospital, Griffith University and the waters ofMoreton Bay. These activities are designed to be ‘hands-on’and provide opportunities to actively engage in higher orderthinking and problem solving. Links to authentic ‘real world’science further enhance engagement and connection withpossible future careers.

The first of these was “The Water We Drink.” This activity atthe Brisbane Urban Environmental Education Centre exploredsome of the processes used to provide clean, safe drinkingwater at both the large scale utilities level and the smaller familyor personal water supply level.

"We had a great time collecting data and undertaking watersample checks. We also did some filtration activities and mygroup used very small glass balls and sand to filter dirty water."

Stirling Peters

The Moreton Bay destination provided the opportunity forstudents to develop their Science knowledge using some veryhi tech equipment in an extraordinary environment.

"In our first STEM horizons excursions at the bay, we werelooking at fish, seagrass and the light spectrum availableunderwater by doing a few really fintastic (fish pun) experiments.We boarded the boat and had the chance to preview a few ofthe creatures that other schools had found using the BRUV.BRUV stands for 'baited remote underwater video'. Wemeasured the environmental factors such as; wind speed, winddirection, Secchi distance (visibility), the depth and the solidityof the water. After that we prepared the BRUV, anchored it, andset sail to the next site.

This next experiment involved placing a GoPro facing a boardof colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet)and dropping it into the ocean to investigate colour spectrumavailable underwater. After this, our last experiment was aboutviewing the seagrass that lay beneath us. We went to threedifferent sites and dropped the GoPro that was attached to arope, and anchored while the boat was moving, to see whatplants were living there."

Jade Wong

And there are many more activities, experiments andexcursions to come including “Who Killed Stan the Strawberry",where students use chemistry to isolate the DNA from a sampleof each fruit. Also students will have the opportunity to workwith Freshwater CSI, Dr Adam Kerezsy, a fisheries ecologist.Adam will guide students through the collection of primary dataand sampling techniques from aquatic macroinvertebrates andfish species, both native and introduced.

It’s no wonder students are loving these STEM programs andopportunities.

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Checking the water we drink!Checking the water we drink!

Technology at Jindalee State SchoolHow can I program a Bee Bot to move from point A to point B?What digital system would be useful to design a game? Howdoes a robot collect samples for analysis? These are some ofthe inquiries for which students at Jindalee State School arecurrently searching for solutions.

Students in Years 1, 3 and 5 have begun engaging with thedigital technologies curriculum this term, with a particular focuson coding and robotics. Emphasis has been placed on teachingproblem-solving and higher order thinking skills that encouragestudents to reflect, inquire, generate and analyse, synthesiseand evaluate across a range of curriculum areas.

Year 1 students are exploring the use of Bee Bots to developmathematical and literacy concepts. They are workingcollaboratively to create a simple program that allows the BeeBot to move from one point to another, identifying specificlearning concepts such as whole numbers and halves inmathematics, and a sequence of events in a retell in literacy.Students will move from the concrete use of the Bee Bot to theuse of the Bee Bot app on the iPad exposing them to the basicsof coding including sequencing of instructions.

Investigating algorithms to develop a visual representation of asimple path travelled on a maze has been the focus of our Year3 students. They record simple solutions to problems throughtext and diagrams. As their designing skills develop, studentswill describe their own algorithms that support branching anduser input to create a simple game using the visual languageprogram called Scratch.

Year 5 students are seamlessly integrating robotics into theScience and Technology curriculum, building a Mars Lander(robot) and programming it so the sensors detect rock andsoil samples required for analysis. This showcases Jindalee’sintention to integrate technology units within other learningareas.

To ensure we are providing opportunities for students at alllevels, Jindalee State School facilitates a Coding Club wherestudents have the opportunity to view, interact with others’games and programs and learn how to develop their owngame/program. The current focus during these sessions is todevelop basic coding skills through the use of Hopscotch andScratch, however as students progress, they will begin learningdifferent and in some cases more advanced coding programs,such as Small Basic and Touch Develop.

Year 1 students Ella McIntosh, William Waterfield and StefanosYear 1 students Ella McIntosh, William Waterfield and StefanosKarageozis program a Bee Bot to move from one sequence toKarageozis program a Bee Bot to move from one sequence to

anotheranother

Year 3 students Aditya Nghiem and Hayden WebbYear 3 students Aditya Nghiem and Hayden Webbinvestigating algorithms.investigating algorithms.

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Year 5Year 5Jett Waugh, Andrew Ha, Lilly Dekker, Simryn Gounder, MaxJett Waugh, Andrew Ha, Lilly Dekker, Simryn Gounder, MaxMapley and Steven Eustace build and program a robot toMapley and Steven Eustace build and program a robot to

detect rock and soil samples.detect rock and soil samples.

Coding ClubCoding ClubCreating simple programs using Scratch.Creating simple programs using Scratch.

HopscotchYes, the Year 4 students of Jamboree Heights State Schoolenjoy playing the old fashioned game of hopscotch, but nowthey can enjoy it in a completely new manner.

On Thursday lunch times, Coding Clubs have formed, fosteringand encouraging students to collaborate and communicate inmany different ways. Dash and Dot, two wonderful robots withtheir own unique coding system, encourage problem-solvingand sequencing in a fun and engaging way.

Hopscotch and Tynker allows students to interact withchallenging tasks that go beyond the walls of the classroomto a world outside where they can view other students' workand interact with programs that have been coded and theycan make their own. Students attending the Coding Clubshave shown great persistence in actively engaging and sharingprograms.

In the words of one of the Coding Club members:

"Hopscotch is an app where you can code games, notices,stories and lots, lots more!

When you first start Hopscotch, you create an account, so youcan save your projects. Firstly, you create a funny and catchyname, like Spaghetti Swirls. Then, you can make a passwordyou can remember, an email address and you’re in!

When coding, you have two choices: you can code a blankproject, which you can create using your imagination, or, aproject with a video, to help you create a certain game.

I think the most difficult part of Hopscotch is the drawing. Thedrawing is hard because putting it in the right position is like‘going in and out of a door’ every second, but instead, thecoding page.

This app is great for school and home, it helps me with myMaths’ skills and it is a lot of fun!"

Hayley Vassie

Dot and Dash Lighting UpDot and Dash Lighting Up(Tayla & Tahnee).(Tayla & Tahnee).

Dot and DashDot and Dashon the Moveon the Move(left Emily,(left Emily,Charlotte &Charlotte &Isabella).Isabella).

The Emoji Wave Excites! (Emma, Ms Crown, Mercy).The Emoji Wave Excites! (Emma, Ms Crown, Mercy).

STEM in the classroomSTEM is becoming a vital part of the curriculum here at MiddlePark State School. This semester the Year 4 children haveengaged in a unit of STEM work every Friday afternoon. Thechildren access Minecraft EDU to work through content andconcepts.

The students are working in a pre-made world, where oncethey are given their group number, they connect to the server,and navigate through their group number's door, and thisteleports them to their group’s building area.

The students’ task is to work in groups to create a two-storeybuilding. They were given a design brief for their building andhave to ensure that their building meets the specifications given.They need to consider their architecture and plan their designprior to commencing construction. In planning theirconstruction, students need to think about the logistics ofcreating their building. As it is a two storey building, how arethey going to build the top level?

As part of this task they are required to select appropriate toolsto use in the construction of their building. They also needto select appropriate resources, thinking about the differentproperties of each of the materials. For example, some studentsplanned ahead, and in the early construction phase, theyplanted lots of saplings. In subsequent lessons this enabledthem to have a large supply of wood that they could use for

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a variety of purposes. It is then expected that they would usethe appropriate tool (an axe) to cut down the trees and thenprocess (using the crafting table) into their desired material. Inselecting their tools, students are also learning about differentproperties of materials including the strengths of materials, asan iron axe will cut through a tree quicker than a wooden axe.It also takes a lot longer to cut through stone, compared todirt. Students are also learning about how some materials areprocessed, for example, to make glass, students mine sandand put it in the furnace, selecting an appropriate material touse as fuel (wood, saplings, coal), and then this becomes glass.

This task also incorporates many of their mathematics skills, inparticular location and transformation in following directions toa given point, using directional language to communicate withtheir group members in the construction phase and planningthe design and construction to appropriate dimensions.

Throughout the unit students are developing many technologybased skills including, but not limited to, connecting to a serverusing the keyboard to control their character andcommunicating with their team members using the textingfunction. As part of this they are also learning about ethical useof technology.

As students are working as part of a group, this is developingtheir teamwork skills, as well as project management andcollaborating to build bigger things than they could on theirown. Students are also developing their higher order thinkingskills, in particular creativity and evaluating.

Designing, creating, building, measuring, moving, changing,Designing, creating, building, measuring, moving, changing,and experimenting are just some of the things these studentsand experimenting are just some of the things these students

are doing within their ‘WORLDS’.are doing within their ‘WORLDS’.

Inaugural P.I.T. CrewThe P.I.T. (Performance In Technology) Crew is a new andinnovative STEAM project at Centenary State High SchoolsCenTech. The Crew is made up of a number of current Year9 and 10 students who have demonstrated appropriate priorknowledge of Robotics/Programing and being able to work in a

team. P.I.T. Crew members will be responsible for maintainingand updating our new fleet of eBot robots. This involves a greatdeal of higher order thinking and problem solving, as well asgaining valuable knowledge of all aspects of robotics.

P.I.T. crew members have each been given a kit containingan unassembled robot and are currently in the process ofassembling, testing and diagnosing different aspects of therobots. They have also been assigned the task of making surethe current fleet are in working order before making themavailable to be used within curriculum ICT classes. Along withthe robots, the crew will also be uploading and triallingappropriate software onto the schools' desktops in RoomBT09.

More exciting and innovative projects are yet to come includingturning Room BT09 into Centenary State High Schoolstechnology lab. Stay Tuned.

David Foster

Business Technology Teacher

Inaugural P.I.T. Crew of Year 9 and 10 Centenary HighInaugural P.I.T. Crew of Year 9 and 10 Centenary Highstudents working on eBot robots.students working on eBot robots.

The Reality of Mathematical InquiryImagine students enthusiastically immersed in really challengingmaths problems, confidently sharing their mistakes with theclass, being prepared to take intellectual risks, acceptingfeedback and building on others’ ideas. Imagine studentsarriving early to continue trying to find solutions and not wantingto go out for lunch. Imagine students rushing up to the teacheras she walks to the classroom before school, showing thetape measures they have brought from home to measure theclassrooms. This is a reality in various classrooms at JindaleeState School.

Why does our classroom seem smaller than the other Year 5classrooms?

What is the biggest pyramid we can make from an A3 piece ofpaper?

How far can a Year 4 student jump?Can we accurately predict the sum of the interior angles of a

polygon?How many chairs do we need for graduation?

How big is 10 000?Can you answer these questions? But more importantly, what

processes would you use?

Take a moment to consider the mathematics and 21st centuryskills required to collaboratively reach a suitable response tothese questions.

These examples of ill-structured, open-ended questions,encompassing many different mathematical concepts, are

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presented to students at the beginning of a Guided MathsInquiry. The questions are intentionally ambiguous so a rangeof different plans of attack is possible. Students workcollaboratively to create what they consider to be the best wayto answer the question. Often they need to reconsider theirapproach as they hit roadblocks and make mistakes.

These mistakes are valued and shared with the class so othersmay learn and provide suggestions on how to move forward.If one student makes a conceptual mistake, there are probablymany others making the same mistake. We are developinga growth mindset in our students so that they are willing toshare and demonstrate where they have stumbled, in order tohelp others or have someone offer ideas on how they mightprogress.

Students are required to communicate their findings based onthe evidence they have collected. As student responses differ,they are called on to justify, argue and defend their findings.Sometimes, all paths may lead to a similar conclusion as thegroup starts forming the same understandings and begins towork towards a common goal.

Maths Inquiries work most effectively when students are giventhe environment and classroom culture which promote agrowth mathematical mindset. These environments don’t justhappen. There needs to be a common belief that everyonecan learn maths to the highest levels. Students are taught thatthe more efficiently they work, the smarter they become. Effort,persistence and resilience have more value than easy resultsachieved from non-challenging, repetitive tasks. When peoplemake mistakes, their brains are growing, so sharing mistakeshelps everyone. Mistakes are valuable when they are used tomake improvements. Questions and requests for explanationare really important. Maths is about learning, not performing.Mathematical thinking is about depth, not speed.

We explicitly teach our students how to collaborate, activelylisten and provide valuable feedback constructively andrespectfully. They need to know that the teacher and their peersvalue their small ideas as a platform on which to build. Theyneed to feel secure enough to take intellectual risks.

If this has piqued your interest, a valuable read is ‘MathematicalMindsets’ by Jo Boaler.

Captions from top left, clock wise.Captions from top left, clock wise.

A variety of tools were used to help measure chairs andA variety of tools were used to help measure chairs andavailable floor space to solve the Mathematical Inquiry.available floor space to solve the Mathematical Inquiry.Photo 1 - James and Kaeling developing their plan byPhoto 1 - James and Kaeling developing their plan by

recording measurements of the Hall. They used a trundlerecording measurements of the Hall. They used a trundlewheel for the longer lengths.wheel for the longer lengths.

Photo 2 - Lane and Declan needed precise measurements toPhoto 2 - Lane and Declan needed precise measurements tocalculate the number of chairs required. A tape measure wascalculate the number of chairs required. A tape measure was

their choice.their choice.Photo 3 - Caitlin and April used a metre ruler and startedPhoto 3 - Caitlin and April used a metre ruler and started

measuring the chairs that would be used.measuring the chairs that would be used.Photos 4 and 5 - Lots of discussions and measuring neededPhotos 4 and 5 - Lots of discussions and measuring neededso plans could be developed and evidence gathered to justifyso plans could be developed and evidence gathered to justify

their solutions.their solutions.

Jack and Ruby areJack and Ruby areready to measure!ready to measure!

Year 5 found they "Could accuratelyYear 5 found they "Could accuratelypredict the sum of the interiorpredict the sum of the interior

angles of a polygon" afterangles of a polygon" afterextensive measuring, collaboratingextensive measuring, collaborating

and communicating theirand communicating theirfindings. One student providedfindings. One student provided

us with an equation.us with an equation.

Move Over the Wiggles!The Wiggles may have invented the ‘Hot Potato’, but thestudents of Jamboree Heights are playing music with bananas,oranges, apples and even strawberries.

What is it? MaKey MaKey is an invention kit that consists of asimple circuitry board, which plugs into a USB port on a laptop.It is also compatible with the Arduino and multimedia softwaresuch as Scratch. It turns everyday objects into touchpads andcombines them with the internet. There are simple invention kitsfor beginners and experts doing art, engineering and everythingin between. All levels are catered for.

The creativity of the invention kit MaKey MaKey encouragesimagination and focusses on a hands-on process rather thanjust the end product. The beauty of the device is that thechildren need no prior experience to start tinkering. The deviceis limited only by one’s imagination and Jamboree HeightsState School children have no shortage of imagination orcuriosity.

At the MaKey MaKey lunch time club, led by a Year 4 teacher,the children have made an ice-cream keyboard by drawingseveral ice-creams on a plain piece of paper. Their next projectplanned is to incorporate the Scratch program.

Research by Lin and Chang (2014) suggests that the MaKeyMaKey is inclusive and accessible for all children, with a notedincrease in physical activity by using the MaKey MaKey withchildren with particular disabilities.

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Mrs Rosa Alexis, the teacher who leads the lunch time clubbelieves, ‘With the advent of ‘makerspaces’ where children cantinker and make content, MaKey MaKey is a valuable interactivetechnology tool that gets the creative juices flowing in children.As a teacher I have found the MaKey MaKey to be highlyengaging and collaborative. Be warned it is highly addictive!’

Makey Makey MegastarsMakey Makey Megastars(Madison, Sophie,(Madison, Sophie,Mikaela, Tahlia).Mikaela, Tahlia).

Circuit Challenges.Circuit Challenges.

Our STEM ClubAt Middle Park State School we offer children in Years 2 to 4to volunteer their time to be a part of our STEM Club. Thesechildren meet weekly to actively engage in hands-onexperiences. Our aim for STEM Club this term is for students todiscover the wonders of Chemistry. We will be looking closelyat the states of matter and how mixing various substancescan cause a chemical reaction that can cause a change ofstate, and from this change of state you may produce gases.Students will use everyday kitchen materials to investigate howmaterials interact. Some of the experiments will include makingsherbet, making a soft egg using vinegar, observing surfacetension when detergent is added to milk and food colouringdroplets. All experiments can be repeated at home to allowstudents to engage their families and hopefully use the scientificexplanations as to WHY IS IT SO???

Maggie enjoying theMaggie enjoying theSherbet at STEM club.Sherbet at STEM club.

It’s a little bit sweetIt’s a little bit sweetand sour.and sour.

CLASS NEWSLETTER PERSONNELEditor: Kim GreenBusiness ManagerEmail: kgr00100@bigpond.net.auPhone: 0423 437 443

Address:

c/o Jindalee State School114 Burrendah RoadJindalee Qld 4074

Subeditors:

Ann-Marie Price (Centenary SHS): apric20@eq.edu.auNatala Crawley (Jamboree Heights SS):ncraw12@eq.edu.auDiana Ghusn (Jindalee SS): dghus1@eq.edu.auInara Wesche (Middle Park SS): iwesc1@eq.edu.au

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