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Topic outline

    • Yr6

    • The WASP STEM packages have been designed so that teachers from different STEM areas can pick and choose sections relevant to their subject area to work on.  All activities in these packages do not need to be completed to get value for them – each activity can be completed as a stand-alone or can be approached, as a team, as a larger project. The packages have potential to be extended into much longer projects to include curriculum points from different STEM subjects.

      There are three student workbooks - Open, Guided and Scaffolded, that go alongside each resource; all have the same suggestions for activities, however, they have been written and edited to provide differentiated learning options to support good teaching practiceTeachers may pick and choose which versions they give which students, and may wish to edit them further to address their learning needs

    • Flooding

    • The Student Challenge
      Floods can be damaging to property. For people looking to build in areas surrounding waterways it is vital that they understand which areas are most likely to be flooded so to assist them in making decisions about where and how to build.
      Your job is to investigate factors that lead to flooding and design defences against flooding for an area surrounding a river. The end result ‘hazard map’ should show areas where flooding is most likely to happen and give some suggested solutions to reduce the impact of these floods.

    • Possible Activities

      Background Research
      Testing Soils
      The Effect of Vegetation on Flooding
      Permeable Pavement
      Modelling Rivers
      Levees Experiment
      Designing Defences

    • Do you have students completing this STEM challenge from home or another location? Click here to download an interactive pdf version which can be completed just about anywhere.

    • Landslide Engineering

    • The Student Challenge

      Landslides can have devastating impacts, they can move and destroy roads, rail and cars, and even topple buildings. Your role is to investigate some causes of landslides and suggest methods to prevent damage from these events.

    • Possible Activities

      Background Research
      Finding the Angle of Repose
      Effect of Water on Slope Stability
      Plant Power
      Animating Undercutting
      Engineering a Solution

    • Do you have students completing this STEM challenge from home or another location? Click here to download an interactive pdf version which can be completed just about anywhere.

    • Find out how the type of earth material impacts slope stability here.

    • Find out how water impacts slope stability here.

    • Monitoring a Volcano

    • The Student Challenge

      Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest neighbours and a frequent tourist destination for Australians. It is also a country which is impacted by volcanic eruptions, which can be very dangerous. To ensure that locals and tourists are safe it is vital that volcanoes are closely monitored so that people can be evacuated from the area, if necessary. Your role is to decide which techniques you will use to monitor a volcano.

    • Possible Activities

      Background Research
      Designing a Tiltmeter
      Detecting Seismic Waves
      Materials for Monitoring
      Displaying the Temperature
      Monitoring a Volcano – Decision Making

    • Do you have students completing this STEM challenge from home or another location? Click here to download an interactive pdf version which can be completed just about anywhere.

    • Find out more about how volcanoes are monitored - click here.