Wyvern held it’s own STEM week for K-6 students this week. Activities were planned that linked directly with curriculum areas the boys are exploring this term. We hope this focus will continue to inspire a love of learning and a passion for Science.

Kindergarten enjoyed a visit from ‘Ranger Mick’ and some of his reptilian friends from the Australian Reptile Park as they explore what makes things ‘living’ this term.

Year 1 were very involved in a ‘Sound and Light Spectacular’ with 12 different investigations that were led by seven Year 11 students from the Senior School. The boys experienced how sounds are vibrations that travel in waves when they saw tuning forks magically displace water, hundreds and thousands bounced and vibrated to noise and Star Wars sounds were made with slinkies and cups. During the light segment, boys made Star Wars light sabres and observed a laser to see how light travels in a straight line. Fibre optic cabling and ultra violet light as well as colour mixing were explored. Investigating reflection and refraction with mirrors and lenses was particularly interesting to the boys.

Year 3 had a visit from ‘Fizzics Education’, they applied what we had learnt about design principles and teamwork to build highly complex Rube Goldberg machines that ended up ringing a bell. The boys had great fun constructing their machines.

On Friday, Year 4 will visit two Senior School Super Labs for a ‘RockFest’ with two Senior School teachers, Mr Ian Oosterhoff and Mr David Cameron. The boys will enjoy a rock demonstration with acid and limestone and then with powdered limestone (CaCO3) to show the release of carbon dioxide. This is to teach a bit about erosion, acid rain and the effects of CO2 in atmosphere. Mining and extraction as well as why we study rocks will be investigated. The boys will then look closely at the rock collection at Senior School after being clear about igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks types. These activities are linked to our work on soil and rock formation in Year 4 currently.

Year 5 boys attended the first of a series of ‘Telescope and Space ‘evenings at the Senior School this week. These workshops will run fortnightly for the rest of Term 2 and 3 and small groups of Year 5 boys will attend. The boys saw Jupiter’s striations and some of its moons and experienced amazing views of the moon. Mr Andrew Miller, Head of Science at Newington, showcased along with some Year 9 boys, our brand new Newington Telescope. This will be the start of a great partnership between Wyvern and the Senior School. Several Year 5 students at STEM Club built rockets from simple foam piping and once launched some of the rockets flew an amazing 4 to 5 metres across the playground.

Year 6 have started working on series and parallel circuits and have enthusiastically started to build circuits within our electricity unit to get lights, buzzers and motors going at various intensities.

These rich learning activities provide our learners with the opportunity to master the four essential skills required for a successful future, as it requires them to think critically and creatively, communicate and work collaboratively. The boys have been able to display a passion for ‘Everything Science’ which will continue to foster a confidence that we hope will have our boys taking up all types and levels of Science in the future.

Lindsay Bosch
STEM Teacher

Kindergarten Visit from Ranger Mick

Year 1 Sound and Light Show with Year 11

Year 3 Rube Goldberg Machines

Year 5 STEM Club Rockets                        

Astronomy Night Year 5