The Ignatian - December 2016 Vol 26 July Edition Vol 27 | Page 13

Regis STEM
This semester in Regis STEM, Year 5
and 6 boys have started their new STEM
topics. The Year 6 students have been
leaders for the Year 5 boys who are new to
STEM, helping them choose their topics,
participating in cross-year group projects
and working together well to produce some
amazing results.
Some new STEM topics have been
introduced this year, including:
⁄ ⁄ Bridge Building
⁄ ⁄ Mission to Mars
⁄ ⁄ Robotics (EV3)
⁄ ⁄ Code Academy (through Code Camp)
⁄ ⁄ LittleBits
⁄ ⁄ Animation Studio
⁄ ⁄ 21st Century Sport
⁄ ⁄ Transportation Challenge
Each topic involves a series of small
challenges that lead to a larger group
project that is completed throughout
the semester. Bridge Building is one of
the new topics, where the boys use their
understanding of different bridge designs
to build bridges in various scenarios,
like between two mountains or across
a river. All of the boys have shown great
engineering and problem solving skills to
build bridges that are structurally sound,
economically viable and aesthetically
pleasing.
In Mission to Mars, the boys have been
planning how they can travel to Mars!
But before we can go there, students
need to analyse Mars rock samples, test
their landing equipment, make Mars
biomes, drive Mars Rovers and plan the
requirements of a long-term stay. The
boys modelled their landing equipment
using a ‘Mars Rover’ drop challenge off the
Regis balcony - where the Mars Rover was
modelled using an egg. Every group was
successful in landing their rover without
any cracks or damages, great work from our
budding astronauts!
During week 6, Regis STEM students
presented their Semester One STEM
projects to guest judges. The guest judges
included students from Years 7-12 in Xavier
House, Senior School Science specialists,
NASA representatives and Engineering
University students. We were all amazed by
the innovation, creativity and enthusiasm
of all Regis boys!
VA N E S SA P E T E R S E N ,
T E AC H E R - S C I E N C E
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