Great Scot September 2019 Great Scot 157_September 2019_ONLINE | Page 34

News
GREAT EXPERIENCES IN
i2LEARNING STEM CAMP
This year 53 Scotch boys from Years 6 and 7 participated in the i2Learning
STEM Camp, held in the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science at Scotch
during the first week of the June-July holidays. There were three courses on
offer: 3D Printing, Combating Cancer and Building a Lunar Base.
3D Printing
3D PRINTING DESIGN.
STUDENTS DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCT A LUNAR COLONY
This year’s 3D printing course was an
eye-opening experience for boys and staff.
The aim of the course was to equip the boys
with the knowledge and skills to use 3D
thinking, 3D modelling with TInkercad, and
3D printing, as tools to solve problems in our
everyday world.
The boys first learned about the current
uses of 3D printing and the future of this
cutting-edge technology. They were shown
the components of a 3D printer, and how
the printer works. Then the learning (and
fun) started in earnest, as the boys tinkered
with the software and the designing process
began. Pop-charms, spiders, racing cars,
chocolate moulds and bridges were just some
of the devices the boys designed and printed
over the course of the week.
For the boys, the greatest joy and sense
of achievement was to see their computer
design coming to life in the printers; a creation
developing from thought to reality.
So many doors are opened and so many
minds engaged, once the boys realise the
endless possibilities and applications of 3D
printing. Who knows where it will go in the
future?
Combating Cancer
In Combating Cancer, boys explored
current and potential methods for the
treatment of cancer through a range of
hands-on activities. They grew ‘tumours’,
modelled DNA, and took an in-depth look at
the immune system to discover how it might
be harnessed to destroy harmful cancer cells.
Boys researched and presented on their
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Great Scot Number 157 – September 2019
chosen cancer, and learned the side-effects
and efficacy rates of the treatments available
for the various cancers.
Building a Lunar Colony
The boys enjoyed this hands-on course,
with many STEM activities throughout the
week. The course included two engineering
challenges: one was to design and build a
model air filter, using simple materials similar
to the real life challenge experienced on the
Apollo 13 mission; and the second challenge
was to design and build a water filter to clean
contaminated water on the moon.
The students learned many facts
about the lunar environment (atmosphere,
temperature, light and gravity) and what
would be needed to survive on a lunar colony.
They conducted a scientific experiment to
help them understand the effects of the lunar
environment on plant growth.
The boys loved designing and building
model rockets that were then tested to
see if they could travel the distance to a
moon target. Finally, the boys designed and
constructed their own model of a lunar colony.
DR MARTA CASSIDY – HEAD OF SCIENCE