STEM 2021 - Collisions, Construction and Collaboration

Insight into the World of Construction

The design, development, and construction of the new St George’s Building has presented us with a unique opportunity to expose students to an important and varied industry.

In Term 1, we held a large breakfast for Years 9 and 10 students, presented by the development company Acciona (in conjunction with Surfing Australia). Students heard from a range of fascinating speakers about their career paths, and were able to chat with them and ask questions. The construction industry involves many different disciplines including: project management; engineering; architecture; logistics; building; electrical; and interior design. To gain an insight into this world, a select group of Year 10 students are undertaking a series of workshops during Terms 2 and 3. These sessions have been kindly organised by John Lincoln, a member of the school’s property committee and the director of Propertylinc.

The first session saw the students take a tour of the construction site, where they heard about the myriad layers of construction taking shape. This included the air vents, internet cabling, acoustic padding, and water pipes, amongst the many other elements in the structure. Students also investigated the building plans and started to learn how to read them properly.

Future sessions will see the students forming even stronger links between the construction and their STEM knowledge. They will investigate ideas such as architectural form vs function, the use of Gantt charts for sequencing, project

financing and management, the durability and suitability of materials, and the use of space to account for safety and sustainability.

Physics Academy

Over the past two terms, we have been running an immersive Physics program for select students in Years 5-8. Every week, the students gather with a Physics teacher and a past Mandeville Mentor to investigate Collisions. This has involved a combination of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. The students have learned how to analyse motion graphs through the use of ultrasound motion sensors. They have experimented with elastic and inelastic collisions using the Bluetooth smart carts on the lowfriction track. Some have also investigated two-dimensional collisions using hover balls and video analysis techniques.

In the July holidays, the Physics Academy will host a full day of experimentation, write-up, and presentation, on a given area of Collisions. Students will use their understanding of the Conservation of Momentum and the Scientific Method to design and carry out a full investigation, which they will then present as a scientific poster.

We hope the students have gained many valuable skills throughout this Physics Academy semester. They have certainly had lots of fun along the way! Next semester we are looking at waves – light waves, sound waves, and more.

MR YONI SWERDLIN, HEAD OF STEM