STEM Projects - Year 6

Project

Biological sciences

1

Antarctic memes TASK: Design and create a series of memes using images of animals that live in Antarctica.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS: • internet images • program to create a meme such as Microsoft® PowerPoint® or Word®

CRITERIA: • Five memes must be created. © R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons • The memes must feature an animal that lives in the •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Antarctic environment.

• The images must be obtained from the internet.

• The memes must be created in a digital platform.

BOX 6 6183RB STEM (Biological Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 9/11.indd 3

R.I.C. Publications® — www.ricpublications.com.au

9/11/2017 4:24 pm

Biological sciences

Project

1

Antarctic memes • Research which animals live in the Antarctic environment and how they are able to survive in such an extreme environment. Explore recent memes and the writing style they generally follow.

• Plan and draw a sketch of the animals that could be used, and plan topics that may be humorous for these animals.

© R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons

• Collect the materials you will need, including a computer to access internet images, •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• and compile the memes.

• Create the five memes to look like the plan.

• Check that the memes meet the criteria.

• Give a presentation of the five chosen animals that live in/around Antarctica.

Describe how they are able to survive and how their surroundings have affected their body features. Share the memes with the class and what makes them funny.

6183RB STEM (Biological Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 9/11.indd 4

9/11/2017 4:24 pm

Chemical sciences

Project

3

Plastic bag fusing

TASK: Design and create a product using fused plastic shopping bags.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS: • plastic shopping bags • baking paper CRITERIA: • iron/ironing board • The product must have a purpose and should be • glue something that most people will find useful. © R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons • needle and thread • The product must be created with only melted plastic •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y fabric strips • • shopping bags.

• craft supplies • Other materials may be used to join the pieces of plastic together, such as glue or sewing thread.

• The shopping bags should have the top and bottom trimmed off, be folded into quarters or eighths, placed between two sheets of baking paper and ironed so that the bags fuse together to create a plastic you can now work with.

• Once fused together, the plastic must be left to cool for a couple of minutes before working with it.

BOX 6 6183RB STEM (Chemical Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 9/11.indd 7

R.I.C. Publications® — www.ricpublications.com.au

9/11/2017 4:28 pm

Chemical sciences

Project

3

Plastic bag fusing • Find out how plastic shopping bags can be recycled, and what processes plastic goes through to be recycled. Explore reversible changes in recycling plastic, as the plastic is melted, then cooled to become solid again.

• Plan and draw a diagram of the new product. Plan how many plastic bags will be required to create the product and what method and materials will be used to join the plastic pieces together. © R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons • Collect the materials you will need, including plastic shopping bags, baking paper, •f o rr evand i ewthread, pur p ose son l y• iron/ironing board, glue, needle fabric strips and other craft supplies.

• Create the new plastic product to look like the plan.

• Check that the product meets the criteria.

• Give a presentation explaining the reversible changes used to recycle the shopping bags into the new product. Display the product in the classroom for others to examine, and create an advertising poster to display near the product telling people why they should ‘buy’ it.

6183RB STEM (Chemical Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 9/11.indd 8

9/11/2017 4:28 pm

Project

Earth and space sciences

5

Drought-tolerant garden SUGGESTED MATERIALS: • A4 grid paper taped together to form A3 size

back fence

CRITERIA: • The garden landscape design must only feature drought• A3 card tolerant plants suitable for© an R Australian climate. .

I .

C.Publ i cat i ons • scanner • The design must include an aerial view on A3 grid •f orr evi ew pu r posesonl y• paper, and also a front elevation concept sketch on A3 card.

• Determine a scale for the grid paper and decide the perimeter and area the garden will cover.

• The plant varieties must be named and labelled on either the grid map or the sketch.

• Non-living features can also be included in the design, but they must be hardy and sun resistant.

• The final grid design and elevation sketch should be scanned to create digital documents. deck

washing line

table and chairs

house

TASK: Design and create an Australian garden landscape plan that uses drought-tolerant plants.

stones

BOX 6 6183RB STEM (Earth & Space Sciences) project cards (Year 6) 9/11.indd 11

sandstone

R.I.C. Publications® — www.ricpublications.com.au

9/11/2017 4:23 pm

Earth and space sciences

Project

5

Drought-tolerant garden • Collect the materials you will need, • Find out how people and biologists can contribute to minimising the effect on including grid paper, A3 card and a the environment caused by droughts. scanner.

Research various drought-tolerant plants • Create the landscape design to look like that are used in Australian gardens and the plan. what they are called. Look at images of • Check that the landscape design meets landscape designs in order to ©understand R. I .

C.Pubthe l i c at i ons criteria. what the aerial grid design and front Share • r the •look f or r evi ew pu pose sgarden onl ydesign • by projecting the elevation sketch should like. scanned documents onto the whiteboard.

• Plan and draw a rough diagram of the Explain the design features and which aerial view. List and draw the plants that plants were used, and what makes the will be included. Imagine what the front garden drought tolerant. If possible, use elevation will look like based on the aerial the designs to actually create the garden view and do a rough sketch. Plan what in the school grounds or at home. scale the grid paper represents and what area and perimeter the garden will be.

BOX 6 6183RB STEM (Earth & Space Sciences) project cards (Year 6) 9/11.indd 12

R.I.C. Publications® — www.ricpublications.com.au

9/11/2017 4:23 pm

Physical sciences

Project

1

Robot artist TASK: SUGGESTED MATERIALS: Design and create a simple robot that can draw a • cup pattern as it moves.

• 3 markers CRITERIA: • tape • Three markers must be attached to an upside-down cup, like a tripod. © R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons • 3V coin cell battery • DC motor • The DC motor should inserted into ofs an •be f o rr evi e w appiece ur po esonl y• eraser, which will create a ‘wobble effect’.

• eraser • The wires from the motor should be attached to the • piece of card negative and positive sides of the coin cell battery correctly.

• The battery and motor should be securely attached to the upside-down cup.

• A piece of card must be placed under the robot so it can wobble and move to create the artwork.

BOX 6 6183RB STEM (Physical Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 8/11.indd 3

R.I.C. Publications® — www.ricpublications.com.au

9/11/2017 4:18 pm

Physical sciences

Project

1

Robot artist • Research how a simple circuit works from a DC motor to a battery source. Explore other simple battery-powered robots.

• Plan and draw a diagram of the robot artist, as well as a plan of how the DC motor will be attached to the battery.

• Collect the materials you will including ac cup, 3n markers, tape, a 3V coin cell ©need, R. I .

C .Publ i at i o s battery, a DC motor, eraser and a piece of card.

•f orr evi ew pur posesonl y•

• Create the robot artist to look like your plan.

• Check that the robot artist meets the criteria.

• Display your finished artwork to the class and explain how the battery powered the robot to create the art. Discuss any changes made to the robot in order to get it to move more or become more ‘wiggly’.

6183RB STEM (Physical Sciences) project cards (YEAR 6) 8/11.indd 4

9/11/2017 4:18 pm