Students celebrating science

Rostrata Primary School students have donned their lab coats for their annual two-week science festival.

The school’s Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) science festival is in its fourth year and coincides with National Science Week which runs from 10 to 18 August.

Principal Tamara Doig said the festival was her favourite school event of the year and was created to bring the Rostrata community together and highlight the importance of STEAM in the school. 

“Our STEAM Festival was designed to inspire our students, showing them how far-reaching STEAM is in the world around us and giving them a unique insight into STEAM specific career choices,” said Ms Doig. 

Over the two weeks, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will participate in STEAM activities, with the school’s specialist teachers running special STEAM-centred lessons. 

Senior students will get to hear presentations from Rostrata parents who are specialists in fields such as pharmacy, engineering and neuroscience. 

Tyra Theam, a Year 6 student, has already participated in a session and said she was inspired to work with professional scientists and loved trying out new experiments with them. 

“I really loved the DNA presentation by Dr Heng because one day I’d like to become a scientist,” she said. 

“I also loved meeting the Australian native animals with the WestOz Wildlife incursion. She explained so much.  

“I want to one day be a veterinarian.”

Students also got hands-on experience with the theme of this year’s National Science Week, Species Survival. 

Julie Kim is in Year 3 and said her favourite activity was making the real-life diorama for the Snake-Necked Turtles.

“I like that we are making a real-life diorama habit for snake-neck turtles so we can learn and help to save them, since they are critically endangered and only live in WA,” said Julie. 

Ms Doig said the STEAM helps students with their skills but most importantly it’s hands-on, inspiring and fun. 

“Engaging in STEAM learning provides our students with opportunities to develop their ability to think creatively and critically by generating new ideas and possibilities using their knowledge base,” said Ms Doig. 

“I love that students can be in the lab with professors and neuroscientists learning how to pipette and make microplastics one day, to the outdoor classroom in our kitchen garden the next, building frog hotels or bird feeders and the next week, understanding chemical reactions through hands-on cooking lessons or creating through visual art.”