1. STEM and Simple Circuits Levels 5 and 6
Britt Gow
STEM specialist teacher
May 2017

2. What is STEM?
A = Flying a drone? B = Testing a ramp? C = Building a bridge? D = All of the above?

3. What is STEM?
The acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, but it is more than the sum of its parts
Not just a collection of content areas, but a transdisciplinary approach that provides authentic contexts for modern learning
The focus is on developing skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and effective communication

4. How many electronic devices have you been in contact with today?
A = None B = 1 to 3 C = 4 to 6 D = more than 6

5. Levels 5 and 6 Science understanding
Science as a human endeavour
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives (VCSSU073)
What are the social, economic and environmental impacts that electricity has made on society?

6. Levels 5 and 6 Science understanding
Physical sciences
Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted (VCSSU080)
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy (VCSSU081)

7. Sources of energy Sunlight is the ultimate source of energy on earth
Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are ‘trapped sunlight’ or chemical energy that is burned to create steam and turn turbines which produce electrical energy
Some renewable energy (wind, hydro-electric, tidal and wave) turns kinetic into electrical.
Solar energy turns sunlight into electrical energy.

8. Energy transformations
Kettles and toasters transform electrical energy into heat
A hair dryer transforms electrical energy into heat, kinetic energy (movement) and sound
Mobile telephones and TVs transform electrical energy into sound and light

9. Levels 5 and 6 Design and Technologies
Technologies and society
Investigate how people in design and technology occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability, in the design of solutions for current and future use (VCDSTS033)

10. Levels 5 and 6 Design and Technologies
Technologies contexts
Investigate how forces or electrical energy can control movement, sound or light in a designed product or system (VCDSTC034)
Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use (VCDSTC037)

11. Levels 5 and 6 Design and Technologies
Creating designed solutions
Investigating
Generating
Producing
Evaluating
Planning and managing

12. Levels 5 and 6 Personal and Social Capabilities
Self awareness and management
Recognition and expression of emotions
Development of resilience
Social awareness and management
Relationships and diversity
Collaboration

13. Simple circuits A simple circuit consists of
A power source (battery or mains)
A load (LED, globe, motor or buzzer)
Conductors (wires, metal strip)
It may or may not contain a switch

14. Vocabulary Insulator – prevents the flow of electrons
Conductor – allows the flow of electrons
Resistance – a measure of the insulating properties of a material
Open circuit – does not allow electrons to flow back to the power source
Closed circuit – a continuous loop that allows electrons to flow through the power source and the load.

15. Simple circuits – five weeks
Design and Technology, Science and Personal and Social Capabilities
Squishy circuits
Paper circuits
Soft circuits
Make a torch or lantern

16. Make the doughs Conductive dough Insulating dough 500 ml of water
250 g plain flour
150 g salt
6 Tb cream of tartar
2 Tb vegetable oil
1-3 drops of green food colouring
250 g plain flour
200 g sugar
6 Tb vegetable oil
240 ml distilled water
Red food colouring
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge as it can go mouldy

19. Mathematics - Measurement
Level 5 - Choose appropriate units of measurement for length, area, volume, capacity and mass
Level 6 - Convert between common metric units of length, mass and capacity

20. Discussion about measurement
What is the mass of 500 ml of water? (1.0 ml = 1cm x 1cm x 1 cm = 1.0 g)
What is the volume of 250 g flour and 200 g sugar?
Discuss the difference between volume and capacity
Density is mass per volume – sugar is more dense than flour

22. Squishy circuits Conductive dough Insulating dough
Power source (9V battery or similar) and conducting wires
LEDs

23. Some tips to remember Don’t use a voltage higher than the LED rating
Remember that LED’s are like valves – they only work in one direction
Wipe the wires clean after use, or they tend to corrode after being in contact with the playdough
Store the playdough in an airtight container in the refrigerator as it can get mouldy

24. Paper circuits 3V coin battery Adhesive copper tape
Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Thin cardboard, and coloured pens or pencils

28. Some tips to remember Start with a simple circuit and one LED
Check your LEDs just with a coin battery before incorporation into the circuit
Keep the copper strips smooth – any wrinkles can prevent the flow of electrons
Corners can be tricky – make sure you have a copper to copper contact and not a copper and glue sandwich
Tiny adhesive LEDs are available from Chibitronics
Creating a working circuit requires patience and persistence

29. Soft circuits Felt 3V coin battery Conductive thread LEDs
Buttons, cotton thread, pipe-cleaners, press studs and other decorations

33. Where to buy? Shops Jaycar (MultiComm) Altronics stores Online
Chibitronics -
Little Bird Electronics (Sydney)
SparkFun (US)
AliExpress (China)

34. Other Resources: Chibitronics website Makezine – LED pop-up cards
Makezine – LED pop-up cards
Paper curiosities from MIT
Tinkering at the Exploratorium

35. Make a torch or lantern
Ask students to draw a cross-section of a torch and label the following parts:
globe
batteries
switch
conducting path
Then ask students to describe the path of electrons.

36. Make a torch or lantern
Encourage students to draw a plan of their torch and collect the materials that they have identified and labelled in their plan
The ‘best’ torches have a switch that can be operated with one hand

37. Make a torch or lantern
Provide the following materials to make a torch:
cardboard tube
batteries
globe
conducting wires
paper clips, aluminium foil, drawing pins
adhesive tape

38. How is it authentic wearable tech?
Clothing and accessories with integrated circuits
FitBits, light-up shoes, GPS in AFL, smart watches
Smart helmets that monitor heart-rate etc.
Boxing gloves that track performance
Backpacks with inbuilt solar panels
LEDs and sensors on your fingernails

39. Questions? compton.leanne@edumail.vic.gov.au 9032 1698 Leanne Compton
Curriculum Manager, Technologies