STEMworks Design Sprint for Catholic Schools
Test your STEM design skills in this inspiring all-day workshop.
In these all-day workshops, students will test their STEM skills in intriguing real-world challenges. Each workshop tackles a different topic, drawing on museum experts, exhibits, or equipment to immerse students in an atmosphere of creative engineering.
Through collaboration and user-focused design students will challenge themselves and bring home a physical prototype of their own invention.
Students will experience
- A facilitated step-by-step design process.
- Creatively brainstorming and designing solutions to a real-world challenge.
- Prototyping with a wide range of materials and tools.
- Relevant Scienceworks exhibitions and shows.
- Presentation and Q&A from museum or industry experts (depending on chosen theme).
Students will learn
- A multipurpose design process: discover, empathise, ideate, plan, prototype, test/share.
- Theme specific skills or concepts, such as circuit building or wildlife monitoring (see themes for details).
- Collaboration and communication skills.
- Fundamentals of user design and accessibility.
- Awareness of real-world STEM problems and solutions.
Students will be provided
- Design workbook and paper resources.
- Students are encouraged to take prototypes back to school.
Students will need
- Lunch and snacks for the whole day.
- A full water bottle.
- Clothing appropriate for Melbourne outdoor conditions.
Other key information
- This is a special full-day workshop and cannot be combined with other programs.
This program is presented by the Victorian Catholic Education Authority.
Availability
Terms 1–4
See program for dates
Duration: 10am-2pm
Student information
Years 5 to 6
Maximum 40 students
Bookings
Workshop
Presented by a museum educator
Program
18 & 19 March
Scienceworks is home to a thriving colony of native silver gulls. But it’s not a problem-free partnership: the gulls cause mess, noise, and damage to facilities. Can we find a way to help humans and birds live in harmony?
Students will hear from a wildlife expert and collect ecosystem data before designing their prototypes. This workshop has a focus on sustainability and ecosystem conscious design.
29 & 30 April, 10 & 11 June
Thousands of people travel to Scienceworks every day, by bus, train, bike, and boat. But traffic, weather, and long walks are just a few of the problems we face along the way. Can we find safe and sustainable ways to help Melbournians travel?
Students will explore exhibits on the past and future of transport before designing their prototypes. This workshop has a focus on accessibility, sustainability, and designed human systems.
22 & 23 July
Our modern world relies on electrical circuits, yet they can seem mysterious and intimidating. But with the right tools and a bit of help, we can use them to do fun and surprising things!
Students will experience a demonstration of electricity in the Lightning Theatre, before constructing a working electronic prototype. This workshop has a focus on electricity and engineering.
11 & 12 November
Victorian Curriculum Links
Design and Technologies: Levels 5 and 6
Technologies and society
- how people in design and technologies occupations consider competing ethical factors including sustainability in the design of products, services and environments VC2TDE6S01
Creating designed solutions
- generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, using manual and digital tools VC2TDE6D02
- select, explain and use suitable materials, components, tools and techniques to safely make designed solutions VC2TDE6D03
Science: Levels 5 and 6
The following science curriculum links are specific to each theme:
Seagulls
- Habitats can be described by their physical conditions; changing the physical conditions of a habitat, including by human activity, may affect the growth and survival of organisms VC2S6U01
- organisms have evolved over time, as seen in fossils and scientific records; the structural features and behaviours of living organisms enable them to thrive in their environments VC2S6U02
Transport
- scientific knowledge, skills and data can be used by individuals and communities to identify problems, consider responses and make decisions VC2S6H02
Circuits
- materials may be electrical insulators or conductors; energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits where the components of a circuit play particular roles in the function of the circuit VC2S6U09
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund
The Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund aims to enhance access to our museums (Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and Immigration Museum), programs and events by offering free or subsidised education programs for eligible schools. Find out more about the fund.
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