Students get immersed in STEM

Project Magnify is back for 2023. After last year’s success we couldn’t help but run more. We decided that given how much our Victorian schools enjoyed the program we would also offer it in New South Wales.

At the start of May Skye Primary School went to Moorabbin Airport. The students heard from Lisa an ex-flight attendant about their experiences helping people while flying. Using straws and paper the students made gliders, flying them as far as they can. At the end of the day, they go the chance to explore the museum featuring a range of Air Force memorabilia, including a range of aircraft. Thank you, Moorabbin Air Museum, for hosting us for the day, the kids had an incredible day.

At the end of May two schools in New South Wales headed to the Powerhouse Museum for Mysteries Uncovered. Our Education Partnership Co-Ordinator summarises the day well.

On the 30th of May, Guildford West Public School and Hilltop Road Public School joined us for Project Magnify, a thrilling day where they learnt how science can help us unravel mysteries!

We started by listening to two inspirational women, Priscilla, a forensic scientist, and Sally, a paleontologist. From solving crimes to uncovering the secrets of ancient creatures, Priscilla and Sally captivated our students’ imaginations and demonstrated how science can be a key to unlocking the truth. 

Afterwards, students showcased their creativity, teamwork and problem-solving abilities in a STEM task: engineering one of the biggest mysteries in history… the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids. Their enthusiasm and dedication were inspiring, with one group building a pyramid that soared to an impressive height of 18cm!

We finished the day by exploring the museum. A huge thanks to the Powerhouse Museum for being incredible hosts and providing the perfect backdrop for the event! 

There was lots of positive feedback including this gem “I think that the best part of our Ardoch excursion was when we were walking through the museum. That was so fun for me. I also liked it when Sally and Priscilla were talking about what they do. Sally’s a palaeontologist and an archaeologist and Priscilla’s a forensic scientist. I had so much fun and learnt a lot of new things.”

Project Magnify gives students a chance to explore STEM in a new way. The speakers can inspire students to think about STEM careers in a new way, while the challenges give students the chance to get hands on with different STEM concepts.