Green packaging
Students explore the purpose of food packaging, the science of food spoilage, and investigate food packaging design. They design an experiment to select the most appropriate packaging material for a product, considering design for a circular economy. They construct a prototype and pitch their design.
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Collisions and biomechanics
Students investigate the forces involved in a collision and explore the role of biomechanical engineering in designing car safety features. Note: Be aware that car accident-related content may be a strong emotional trigger for some students.
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Food innovation and molecular gastronomy
In this lesson, students explore connections between science, design and technologies through the lens of food innovation. Students experiment with molecular gastronomy techniques and design innovative food solutions.
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Sniffing out disease
Students consider contemporary research approaches to disease identification. They assess the merits of two different proposals and write an argumentative essay in support of the project they believe most merits further funding.
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Designing urban carbon sinks
Students learn about the role of vegetation as carbon sinks, conduct field work to evaluate local carbon sinks and explore urban design issues.
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Climate-resilient homes lesson
Students explore how architects consider sustainability factors when designing innovative climate-resilient homes. Students then design their own climate-resilient home for a location of their choice.
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Visualising climate change
Students explore different approaches to data representation, with the aim of engaging audiences with scientific data. They explore local temperature and rainfall datasets over time and represent trends in innovative ways.
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Engineering is futures-focused and multidisciplinary
In this lesson, students explore the multidisciplinary nature of contemporary engineering, and how engineering is pivotal to solving future challenges such as climate change, renewable energy and food security. Students use their knowledge of global cycles to explore solutions proposed in the Earthshot Prize and present their findings to the class.
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Future transport – air taxis
In this lesson, students learn about advanced air mobility, and explore the infrastructure requirements to adapt cities and towns for eVTOLs. They consider the impact of this emerging technology and design a pitch to introduce eVTOLs to their community
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Thermoregulation in spacesuits
Space exploration demands technological advances that enable survival in extremely harsh environments. Spacesuits are incredible works of engineering, particularly in regard to how they protect astronauts from temperature fluctuations. In this lesson, students will explore contemporary spacesuit design and create their own representation of the suit’s thermoregulation system.
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Habitat for hollow-dwelling species
Students working in groups are given the task to design and build a camera monitoring device to observe the types of animals who inhabit the reserve and an appropriate artificial habitat for one of the identified species.
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Zombies and network models
In this lesson, students explore the use of network diagrams to represent connections, then apply a network-based COVID transmission simulation to hypothesise how a virus might spread through a small population. Students apply the model to predict the progressive infection of characters in Pride and prejudice, or a novel of their choosing.
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How do we create and grow a sustainable garden in the school?
Working in groups, the student’s task is to design and create a garden which will grow in a sustainable manner in a school environment so that it does not need attention during the holidays and weekends.
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Emergency shelter for people
Working in groups, the student’s task is to design and build a secure, moveable and sustainable dwelling to help meet the need for short-term/emergency accommodation in Tasmania.
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Positive Power Solutions
In teams, the student’s task is to design a model of a renewable energy generator (e.g. wind turbine) complete with a demonstration video and an instruction manual.
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Minecraft Sustainable House
Students plan and build a sustainable house in Minecraft. Students can develop multiple cognitive skills through designing and building a sustainable house in Minecraft.
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Solar Oven Design Challenge
Students design and build a solar oven using passive solar design principles. The aim of the design is to cook or dehydrate food as sustainably as possible. Students need to take sustainability into account when researching the materials for their design.
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Climate Change
This STEM Careers Pack is design to teach students about making well reasoned judgements about empirical and ethical matters. Students explore the science of anthropogenic climate change, and whether we have a responsibilty to future generations.
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Lunar Lander
Students design and build a lunar landing module to ensure survival of the crew. They compare their model’s performance with an actual moon landing and take risk factors and budgeting into account.
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Gecko Tape
Students learn about nanotechnology and make and test ‘gecko tape’. They create their own design for new products.
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Water in the 21st Century
A STELR module design to engage students in learning about the Earth’s water resources and sustainable use of water. Includes inquiry-based and hands-on learning, and an exploration of careers in hydrological engineering.
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Deep blue: innovation for the future of our oceans
Select student activities related to the future of oceans that link to the Australian Curriculum for science, technologies, mathematics, and the arts.
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