Here are the children at the Science Festival with Fiona Brell of the Australian Museum. They are reporting on four native animals which are each responding differently to climate change. For more detail and the sound files, click here.

Today, as part of the school's STEM program, Years 3 and 4 attended the Australian Museum's Science Festival. Many thanks to the parents who helped out!

In the first session, depending on their group, the children had the opportunity to: try some hands-on chemistry; understand the impact of climate change on four Aussie animals; learn about Aboriginal bush foods and medicine; code with Scratch.

We then all met in an auditorium to hear Dr Joseph Bevitt talk about how recent research on dinosaur fossils has changed our image of what these amazing creatures were like (hint: ones we might have thought looked like reptiles, in fact looked more like birds!).

In the afternoon, we all explored the Science Expo. Among the many stalls, displays and activities, we could look through microscopes, watch a 3D printer at work, build models, make artificial snow, extract plant DNA, appreciate Aboriginal tools, and watch static electricity being generated.-mjp

For more photos, click here. 

A late welcome in this BLOG to the children from Kindergarten who come to STEM for 30 minutes each week. 

Early this year, they loved getting to know the snow owl which has become our mascot. They have enjoyed the stories with a science angle. ​The world of pretend and play captivates the kindies immediately. If there's a hands-on activity -- building or modelling -- all are happily engaged.

Here the children were asked to roll out some plasticine and make a worm. The clay was cold at first and hard to mold. After it had warmed up, some of us tried to make a snail. -mjp

Click photos to enlarge.