St Ives North PS
Bushfire project – integrated STEM
Syllabus links
Science and Technology
Science K-10 Syllabus © Board of Studies,
Teaching and Educational Standards NSW,
2017.
Working Technologically
ST3-5WT: Plans and implements a design
process, selecting a range of tools, equipment,
materials and techniques to produce solutions
that address the design criteria and identified
constraints.
Physical World
ST3-6PW: describes how scientific
understanding about the sources, transfer and
transformation of electricity is related to making
decisions about its use
ST3-7PW: uses scientific knowledge about the
transfer of light to solve problems that directly
affect people’s lives
Earth and Space
ST3-8ES: describes how discoveries by people
from different cultures and times have
contributed to advancing scientific
understanding of the solar system.
ST3-9ES: explains rapid change at the Earth’s
surface caused by natural events, using
evidence provided by advances in technology
and scientific understanding.
Product
ST3-16P: describes systems used to produce
or manufacture products, and the social and
environmental influences on product design
© NSW Department of Education, May 2017
ST3-14BE: describes systems in built
environments and how social and
environmental factors influence their design
Geography
Geography K-10 Syllabus © Board of Studies,
Teaching and Educational Standards NSW,
2017.
Factors that shape places
GE3-1: describes the diverse features and
characteristics of places and environments
GE3-2: explains interactions and connections
between people, places and environments.
GE3-3: compares and contrasts influences on
the management of places and environments.
GE3-4: acquires, process and communicates
geographical information using geographical
tools for inquiry.
Mathematics
Mathematics K-10 Syllabus © Board of Studies,
Teaching and Educational Standards NSW,
2017.
Working Mathematically
MA3-2WM: selects and applies appropriate
problem-solving strategies, including the use of
digital technologies, in undertaking
investigations
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Key inquiry question
This unit will specifically focus on bushfires and the key inquiry question: How can the impact of
bushfires on people and places be reduced? In addition, the damage caused to communities and
surrounding vegetation will be investigated.
Proposed outline of STEM project
Students will be presented with a number of bushfire related scenarios that will require them to
research, problem solve, design, create, test and present innovative solutions. The seven core
problems will focus on students having to:
1. Design a solution to detect a bushfire and give adequate warning.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Design a solution to help people and communities prepare for and/or prevent bushfires.
Design a solution to help fight or monitor bushfires.
Design a solution to protect an existing structure and/or person(s).
Design a future structure capable of withstanding a bushfire (house or bunker).
Design a lightweight, transportable modular structure to house emergency teams and/or
residents after a bushfire.
7. Redesign and re-plan a bushfire affected suburb to avoid any future catastrophic bushfire
events.
Anticipated student products

schematics, design sketches and
detailed drawings

robotic solutions


electronics, sensors and ICT interfaces
digital simulations


dioramas
3D digital models


video and multimedia products
cardboard / foam core scale models

3D printed models
Resources
Teacher procured
glue guns

test materials – foil, paper, corrugated
card, pine, hardwood, villaboard,
aluminum, tin, soil, (all are nontoxic)

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STEM budget

equipment: tongs x 6, foil trays (for
cooling samples)

Makey Makey kits

temperature NXT Sensors x 5

cooktops x 5

basic electronics – led and
cables/motors
© NSW Department of Education, May 2017
St Ives North PS
Existing equipment

Lego NXTs
Donated parts and electronics

TBA
Tech skills (mini projects)

Sketchup (3D Modelling)

Robotics (enchanting)

Scratch (gaming)

electronics (circuits and solar)
Science tasks
Students will investigate the thermal insulating properties of a selected variety of materials to
determine which materials would absorb or reflect heat from a fire event and appropriately reduce the
likely combustion of a home located in a fire zone. This will be achieved by testing and recording the
temperature changes in these test materials when heated on a temperature controlled hot plate.
Students will graph time vs temperature and analyse samples to determine the suitability of these
materials for construction of a fire-resistant house.
Note – samples will not be tested to ignition point.
electronics (circuits)
thermal conductivity
Bushfire sites
ABC Splash webpage on predicting the spread of bushfires –
http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2163917/spark-a-better-way-to-predict-the-spread-ofbushfires
ABC Splash webpage on a bushfire-detecting robot –
http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/1453656/hotspot-spotter-wins-top-robot-prize
ABC Splash webpage on the 2009 bushfires in Victoria –
http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/31095/bushfires-disaster-victoria-2009
ABC Splash webpage on the impact of bushfires on the Australian environment –
http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/525643/fire-s-role-in-the-australian-environment
TweenTribute (Smithsonian) webpage on researchers using drones to control fires –
https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween56/researchers-use-drones-control-fires/
© NSW Department of Education, May 2017
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