Category Archives: STEM

LEAH students gathered at Cornerstone College on Friday August 16th for our 3rd annual LEAH Science Day.  Run during National Science Week, this exciting day of activities centered around the themes of the Moon Missions and the Periodic Table of the Elements.  2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Periodic Table.

To start the event, students met together in the Science building and were welcomed by Cornerstone staff and students, as well as Andy the Astronaut.  Mr Cameron spoke about the first moon landing and ask students to share what they had learnt so far during Science Week.  Cornerstone student leaders then led the group in a Welcome to Country and devotion.

Students were then divided into 4 groups (Apollo, Luna, Surveyor & Ranger) and participated in the following activities.

Astronauts Mining the Moon

Students performed 3 experiments in this session.

• Measuring temperature changes to decide on the best insulation material for an astronaut’s suit
• Mining a (biscuit) moon rock, using probes and forceps, to carefully remove the minerals from the rock without destroying the rock
• Creating a moon volcano, using sodium bicarbonate, vinegar, food colouring and playdough

Rockets and Planets

In this session students

• Learnt about the distance of planets from the sun, by stepping out the relative distances in the courtyard
• Were challenged to launch a rocket at the correct angle so that it would hit a target
• Used balloons of different shapes and sizes to make balloon rockets and measure how far each one travelled

Moon Rocks

In order to learn more about the geology of the Moon, students

• Used microscopes and magnifying glasses to observe moon rocks & minerals
• Made moon rocks from cement, plaster of Paris and glitter

Periodic Table of the Elements

Before Science Day, each student researched one of the elements of the Periodic Table.  During this session, students filled a coloured tile with information and pictures of their element, which was used to create a giant wall display of the Periodic Table.

It was very impressive to hear the information that the students had retained from their research.

Blast Off

Before returning home, students were treated to some spectacular Science Displays and some prizes and resource bags were given out to take back to school.

Thank you to everyone involved in this amazing day
of exploration & discovery

National Science Week started with a blast for our LEAH schools on Friday 10th August when Year 3, 4 and 5 students from St Mark’s, St Michael’s & Lobethal Lutheran primary schools ventured off to the Cornerstone College Science Labs for a day of Science exploration and discovery.

The day literally started with a blast when Mr Schoff, Deputy Principal of Cornerstone College, welcomed the students and showed them photos of his attempts to launch a rocket on the school oval.  Student leader Lachlan Wybrow (Year 12) also welcomed the students with a prayer and Welcome to Country and he encouraged the students to pursue their interests in STEM subjects, including Science.

LEAH STEM Action Group co-ordinator, Mary Whittaker, also welcomed the students and encouraged them to look for connections between Science and the other STEM subjects (Technology, Engineering & Maths) in all the activities that they do during the day.

The theme for National Science Week was Game Changers & Change Makers and focussed on the Scientists, Engineers, Mathematicians, Designers and Innovators of the past and present who have made great improvements to the way we live.  In line with this theme, students were split into 4 groups for the LEAH Science Day – Einstein, Curie, Galileo & Goodall.  Some students had already researched information about these game changers earlier in the week at school.

Cornerstone Lead Science Teacher, Jane Hoffman, briefed the students in laboratory safety procedures, after which each group cycled through several activities during the day.

Chemical Colours

Students mixed chemicals together in test tubes to make the colours of the Australian flag, several AFL teams and the Socceroos soccer team.

Microscope Slides

Students viewed all sorts of life forms and materials up close through the lens of a microscope, including water fleas, houseflies, bacteria, yeast, a cockroach leg, onion skin, human blood and paper.  Students were amazed at the intricate detail of some of these specimens and drew diagrams of their observations.

Minerals

Students learned about the rock cycle and then observed a range of different minerals and tested properties such as colour, streak & lustre.

Static Electricity and Magnetism

Students used a variety of equipment and materials to study the effects of static electricity and magnetism.

The Life of a Scientist

Students got an insight into the life of an astronomer, chemist, forensic scientist, environmentalist, botanist and human biologist, by using equipment and materials that these scientists use.

Science Demonstration & Prizes

The day concluded with a very exciting Science demonstration, where Cornerstone’s laboratory manager Lyn Castrique amazed the students with elephants toothpaste and flaming chemical colours.  Each school then had the opportunity to win a book prize for their school library, through a “periodic table of the elements lucky element draw” and a “guess the number of science rocks” challenge.  Schools were then presented with packs of science resources and a take home “Balloon Rocket” science kit for each student.

The LEAH STEM Action group would like to thank the Cornerstone staff & students for all of their time and effort in designing & setting up the activities and then helping the younger students on the day.  The opportunity for primary school students to use full-size, state of the art laboratories and science equipment is limited, and so this was a real eye-opening experience for them and has inspired many of them to pursue STEM studies and careers.

For more photos please visit our photo gallery – here

On Friday the 18th of August, a group of Year 4 & 5 students from LEAH schools headed to Cornerstone College to participate in the LEAH Science in the Wetlands event. Students from St Michael’s, St Mark’s and Lobethal Lutheran Primary Schools braved the cold weather to take part in range of activities that explored Biodiversity and Conservation in the ‘Purtinga’ wetlands.

Cornerstone Principal, Craig Fielke, welcomed students to the wetlands and encouraged them to build relationships with students from the other schools during their learning activities.  Local MP, Rebekha Sharkie spoke to the students about the importance of preserving wetlands and keeping them free from litter & plastic bags.

Students then participated in a series of hands on activities that explored water quality, macro invertebrates, tree planting, native seed identification, habitat management, native frogs, environmental health and the use of drones in conservation. The activities were led by LEAH staff, Cornerstone College Biology students, Natural Resources (SA Murray- Darling Basin) Education Officers and Masters students from the University of Adelaide.  Resources were also sourced from Habitats SA Revegetation Specialists & the SA Seed Conservation Centre.  A full list of organisations, links and resources have been uploaded to our Resources Page – here.

During the day, students entered a competition where they estimated the number of Sheoak pods in a jar.  Sienna from St Mark’s entered the closest entry (215) and won a copy of Adam Spencer’s book “Time Machine” for her school library.  Well done Sienna!  The correct number of pods was 223.  Students also participated in a photo challenge, where they were given single “words” and had to take creative photos on iPads that represented these words.  The winning group of this challenge will be announced soon.

At the end of the day, students were given a bag of resources to take home, which was donated by NRM, the Murray Darling Basin Authority and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).  Mrs Muster thanked everyone for their involvement in the event and gave special thanks to the Cornerstone students, who were also given a resource bag and a book for their library.

Each school was also given a “Start from Seed” kit that was purchased from Trees for Life, which they can use to grow up to 50 plants to create a “butterfly garden.

The LEAH STEM Action Group were fortunate to receive a $300 grant to use for the running of this event.  The grant was received from the Australian Science Teachers Association, with funding from the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.  More details about National Science Week can be found on the National Science Week website .  You can read more about the educational outcomes from this event here.

Please click and browse through some photos from this fabulous day.  More photos are displayed on our Photos Page – here. 

Science in the Wetlands

The LEAH STEM Group are organising an interschool event for National Science Week, titled “Science in the Wetlands“.  This event will take place on Friday 18th August and will include activities based on the National Science Week 2017 theme “Future Earth”.

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A group of Year 4 & 5 students from our 3 primary schools will gather together for a day of activities that explore biodiversity and conservation in local wetlands.  Students will meet at the Purtinga Environmental Centre & Wetlands at Cornerstone College, Mt Barker and will participate in a series of hands-on activities that explore Water Monitoring, Revegetation Techniques, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Health and the use of Drones & other technology in conservation. Activities will be led by Cornerstone College staff & students, Natural Resource Management Groups & Environment Specialists. The activities will build on the increased focus on environment and sustainability within our schools and support Australian Curriculum outcomes, Inquiry Based Learning, STEM subject participation and Nature Play activities.

Through presentations, interactive displays and hands on activities, students will build on their Science & Technology understanding and inquiry skills, as outlined in the Australian Curriculum.  In particular, the activities will support Science & Technology achievement standards, where students

• analyse how the form of living things enables them to function in their environments
• classify substances according to their observable properties and behaviours
• use equipment in ways that are safe and improve the accuracy of their observations
• collect, organise and identify patterns in scientific data
• explain how digital technology is used to meet scientific & environmental needs
• manage the creation and communication of ideas and information in online collaborative groups

The event will also

• engage students in science activities and allow them to explore future employment opportunities & career paths
• develop inter-school and community STEM relationships and resource sharing
• provide resources & plants for students to take away from the event to enhance the environment in their school, home or community

The LEAH STEM Action Group were fortunate to receive a $300 grant to use for the running of this event.  The grant was received from the Australian Science Teachers Association, with funding from the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.  More details about National Science Week can be found on the National Science Week website .