STEM

STEM

At St. Peter Chanel, all students engage in weekly, hands-on STEM sessions that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. These sessions are designed in line with the Victorian Curriculum and integrate the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to help students investigate and understand the world around them.

Students explore key concepts within Chemical and Physical Sciences while making strong connections to Design Technologies through engineering, design, and mathematical thinking.

In Chemical Sciences, students investigate:

• The impact of temperature on states of matter
• The properties and practical uses of different materials
• The behaviour of solids, liquids, and gases
• How changes in states of matter can be manipulated and observed

In Physical Sciences, students explore:

• How heat is transferred through different materials
• The role of forces in motion and stability
• How light behaves and interacts with various surfaces
• The generation, transfer, and conservation of energy, including the basics of electrical circuits

In Design Technology, students explore: 

• Different material competitions and their appropriate purpose 
• Follow a design process including: plan, build, test and evaluate 
• Build an object to meet a given criterion 
• Evaluate and test builds according to the purpose 

Throughout each unit, students apply the scientific method—predicting outcomes, observing and gathering evidence, classifying and analysing data, and communicating findings.

Towards the end of the STEM cycle, students work in small collaborative groups to apply their learning towards a design challenge. 

Technology and Engineering are incorporated through the use of digital tools for data collection and the design of simple machines and systems to solve real-world challenges. Students use the engineering design process (ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve) to develop and test solutions.

Students work collaboratively in small teams, developing essential skills in communication, creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork — preparing them to thrive in a rapidly changing, technology-rich world.