Stage 3 and space technology

Our Stage 3 students are continuing to investigate the physical attributes of space and, in library lessons, the technological aspects that supported – and continues to support – the exploration of the solar system.


What Galileo saw with his telescope


Galileo – mini biography


History of human spaceflight


Partners in space: CSIRO and NASA celebrates its 50th anniversary

Light me up

This term, Stage 3 students are studying the Physical World in Science & Technology. In the unit, “Light me up”, activities concerning electricity will be done in classrooms and activities concerning the properties of light will be done in the school library.

To introduce the “light” concepts (including shadows, absorption, reflection, refraction, transparent/opaque/translucent, researching with secondary sources about reflection/refraction science understandings, discoveries and/or inventions, such as mirrors, magnifiers, spectacles and prisms, that directly affect people’s lives), here are some Youtube clips that may prove useful.


Shadow | The Dr Binocs Show | Educational videos for kids


Why do we have shadows?


Science – light – shadow – Advanced – English

Using scientific and technical knowledge

Stage 3 students are studying states of matter in “Material World” (Science K-10).


Rubber ground installed in playground


Geosynthetic application | How “geotextile mattress in shore protection” is done?


Alternative heating in Ukraine: Kamyanets-Podilsky switched to alternative fuel using straw

Bright ideas – Inventions for Stage 2

Bloom’s (Revised) Taxonomy now puts “Creation” above “Evaluation”, as seen in this revised diagram.

Here’s the blackline original I created to help out Stage 2 students to finish up their science and technology unit on “Inventions”. Hopefully, the students were able to create some new knowledge, using all the essential field knowledge and skills developed by the unit:

BLM - inventions

And two completed creations:

PROBLEM: “Falling out of bed” by Maria:
invention 2

PROBLEM: “Falling off a motorbike” by John:
invention 1
(Note the “invented spelling” of “exhaust pipes” on this one.)

Inventions for Stage 2

Our Stage 2 students are about to undertake a study of inventions in HSIE (Human Society & Its Environment), and I found several useful Youtube video clips to kick off the unit:

Biggest barbeque
An outtake from “Inventions from the shed”:

Original Australian Wheelman Bushpig
Named one of Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of the Year”, it is a combination skateboard, snowboard, surfboard and wakeboard:

Bricky Australia
Bricklayer’s mortar template:

Wacky inventor – Japan
Dr Nakamatsu claims to be the world’s most prolific inventor:
Click here.
(Note: The video becomes inappropriate for Stage 2 towards the end, after the inventor is photographing his food, so stop it then.)

Da Vinci’s machines
A visit to the South Australian Museum to see replicas of Leonardo da Vinci’s medieval machines in action:
Click here.

Class 4W showed me this amazing musical invention, made from farming equipment:


Extraordinaire instrument de musique