Gen-STEM Virtual Reality Experience with Professor Tech

Yesterday morning during the final Gen-STEM session of Term 1, Year 7, 8 & 9 students gathered in the Performing Arts Centre to participate in a virtual reality experience. Erin and Michael Cowling (Professor Tech) volunteered their time and resources, to support the students to develop their teamwork and communication skills. Students took it in turns to engage in the VR experience and attempt to diffuse a virtual bomb! To be successful students relied on effective communication between team members. Some groups were able to really perform as a team and this was impressive to see.

Looking ahead to Term 2, Year 7, 8 & 9 students will begin to work on their Wonder of Science (WoS) projects. In Week 1 of Term 2, classes will have their allocated Young Science Ambassador (YSA) visiting to introduce the program and the topic for their year level. Term 2 work will culminate in the WoS Regional Conference held on Wednesday June 21^st, where students will present their research findings.

Mrs Ramos

2023 STEM Ambassador Conference

On Wednesday 22nd March, four Year 8 Gen STEM students along with Miss Hezlett attended the 2023 STEM Ambassador Conference in Brisbane. Students listened to Bridie Schultz from SATIVUS discuss strategies for effective communication in STEM. Students also began to create a STEM Action Plan to produce change and promote STEM in the Foxwell SSC community. They finished the day by attending a show at QPAC called ‘Biology: The Fascinating Diversity of Life’. Scientists from three different fields of biology presented to students about their area of expertise, which ranged from creating greenscapes in urban areas to tagging and recording data about sharks. Students had a fun day out and are inspired to engage more students in STEM at Foxwell!

Miss Hezlett

Year 9 Gen-STEM primary school visit

On Tuesday, it was an exciting day for the Year 9 Gen-STEM students as they embarked on a journey to share their passion for STEM with the next generation of budding scientists. The students travelled to Picnic Creek State School and Coomera State School to conduct a series of captivating experiments with Year 5 and 6 students.

Over the term, the Year 9 students had been meticulously planning and developing science experiments with the goal of making a meaningful contribution to the world around them. The students were eager to share their passion for STEM and inspire young minds to explore the world of science.

The experiments that were conducted were nothing short of impressive, with a range of fascinating activities including layering liquids to explore density, floating teabags to explain the concept of convection, investigating chemical changes and reactions through elephants’ toothpaste, and discovering the unusual and exciting Oobleck - a non-Newtonian Fluid.

To ensure that the primary school students gained valuable scientific skills, the Gen-STEM students also created resources to help teach their young audiences how to develop hypotheses, identify variables, conduct fair tests, and assess risk.

The students' efforts were met with high praise from multiple staff members who were impressed by their ability to engage the primary students and communicate complex scientific theories in a way that was easy for their audience to understand. It was truly a fantastic day filled with learning, excitement, and inspiration for all involved.

We would like to extend a special thank you to our science lab technicians, Ms Cheryl Newton and Ms Morgan Lamb, for their invaluable support and guidance throughout this exciting journey. Their unwavering dedication and tireless efforts were instrumental in ensuring that the Year 9 Gen-STEM students were well-equipped and prepared to conduct their experiments with confidence and precision.

Miss Jones

Year 10 Gen-STEM upcoming H2GP Australian Finals

We are thrilled to share with you the exciting news that in April, our Year 10 Gen-STEM students will be attending the H2GP RC Car Racing Australian Finals in Gladstone!

RC racing involves using remote-controlled cars to race on a track. It requires precision, speed, and a passion for engineering and technology, which our Gen-STEM students have been learning all about.

They have shown SPIRIT Values as a team to design and build their own hydrogen-powered RC cars, focusing on elements such as speed, handling, and durability. They have also fine-tuned their cars by adjusting the gears, suspension, and weight distribution to achieve the best possible performance. With the ongoing support of our generous sponsors ABB Technologies, and Dr Bulmer from Griffith University, the students are well-prepared for an exciting experience.

Win or lose, we are incredibly proud of our Year 10 Gen-STEM students. All the best for the big race!

Mrs Moraes