Our school vision for STEM
At Wallarano Primary School, our vision for STEM is to foster curiosity and empower students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
What is STEM?
At Wallarano Primary School, STEM education is an approach to learning that engages students in hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning experiences that foster creativity, curiosity, and teamwork while building a strong foundation in STEM disciplines.
STEM Specialist Program
Students in grades 3-6 attend a weekly STEM lesson in our specially designed STEM Building, guided by our STEM Specialist teacher. Each unit is centred around a real-world challenge that encourages students to investigate, design, create and evaluate solutions while developing collaboration, creativity and problem-solving skills.
Throughout the year, students explore a range of contexts including sustainable transport, playground design, engineering, materials, watercraft and food systems. Learning is guided by the Victorian Curriculum Design and Technologies process of Investigate and Define, Generate and Design, Produce and Implement, Evaluate, and Plan and Manage.
What does STEM look like in the classroom?
- Students working together to solve a problem
- Inquiry-driven lessons that spark student’s curiosity
- Less direct instruction and more inquiry-based learning
- Engaged students who are buzzing with excitement
- There are multiple solutions to a problem and students are encouraged to understand that failure is a part of learning
- It is the process, not the final product that is assessed
Students are involved in STEM in many areas, during Inquiry units, digital sandpit sessions as well as stand-alone STEM Challenges.
We use the Design thinking process, or model, where students work through the stages; Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, Improve and Share.
Throughout this process, students develop the 21st Century skills of:
- Teamwork
- Persistence
- Problem solving
- Critical and Creative thinking
- Leadership
- Initiative
- Technology literacy
STEM Extension Programs
At Wallarano Primary School, we provide STEM extension opportunities for students who demonstrate readiness for additional challenge. Our extension programs are designed to deepen students’ understanding, encourage curiosity and critical thinking, and provide opportunities to explore STEM concepts beyond the classroom. Extension learning is tailored to students’ developmental stages, with Foundation students participating in Design and Technologies extension, and selected Years 5 and 6 students engaging in a specialised Science extension program.
Years 5 and 6 Science Extension
Our Years 5 and 6 Science Extension Program provides additional challenge for students who demonstrate a readiness to work beyond the expected year-level curriculum. All students in Years 5 and 6 are assessed, with selected students participating in targeted extension learning throughout the year.
The program focuses on developing scientific thinking through inquiry, investigation and experimentation. Throughout the program, students investigate a range of scientific disciplines, including:
- Chemical Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Earth and Space Sciences
- Biological Sciences
