For the third year in row, Shearwater Year 9 and 10 students have won the Northern Rivers Science and Engineering Challenge, part of a nationwide STEM outreach program presented by the University of Newcastle in partnership with Southern Cross University.
Groups of students were asked to participate in various activities designed to test critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving ability, with points awarded for design and capabilities. At the end of the regional event, with an exhilarating win in the bridge challenge, Shearwater came in first with 1200.78 points, winning the School more than $1500 worth of science equipment.
We are proud of how the students performed and the way they handled themselves on the day showing School spirit and excellent manners.
Christina Pearce and Robert Sutherland
High School Science
Groups of students were asked to participate in various activities designed to test critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving ability, with points awarded for design and capabilities. At the end of the regional event, with an exhilarating win in the bridge challenge, Shearwater came in first with 1200.78 points, winning the School more than $1500 worth of science equipment.
We are proud of how the students performed and the way they handled themselves on the day showing School spirit and excellent manners.
Christina Pearce and Robert Sutherland
High School Science
Activities in which our students participated included the following:
Bridge
Students build a light and strong model bridge that can support a trolley carrying ‘gold’ ingots from one side of a test rig to the other.
Catapult
Students design and build a catapult using wooden dowel. Teams gain points for how far and how accurately their construction can launch a projectile.
Confounding Communications
Students design efficient codes to send secret messages along fibre optic rods using pulses of coloured light. Teams are scored based on the accuracy and speed in transmission of the message being sent.
ElectraCITY
Using a powered board, students connect various types of electrical cables to provide electricity to a city’s infrastructure at the lowest cost possible.
Grasping at Straws
Students design and operate a bionic hand that is dexterous, strong and inexpensive. Each team will build fingers and a thumb for the hand so that a number of tasks can be completed.
Helter Skelter Shelter
Students design and construct two towers from common materials. The towers will be tested for strength using small weights, under both static and seismic conditions.
Stringways
Students develop networks to join a series of towns together in the most efficient way possible. The higher the efficiency of linkage (ie. minimum travel distance) the more points each team earns.
Turbine
Students use commonly available materials to build a water turbine that can harness the power of water as it flows over it. The turbine needs to be simple, robust and efficient.
Bridge
Students build a light and strong model bridge that can support a trolley carrying ‘gold’ ingots from one side of a test rig to the other.
Catapult
Students design and build a catapult using wooden dowel. Teams gain points for how far and how accurately their construction can launch a projectile.
Confounding Communications
Students design efficient codes to send secret messages along fibre optic rods using pulses of coloured light. Teams are scored based on the accuracy and speed in transmission of the message being sent.
ElectraCITY
Using a powered board, students connect various types of electrical cables to provide electricity to a city’s infrastructure at the lowest cost possible.
Grasping at Straws
Students design and operate a bionic hand that is dexterous, strong and inexpensive. Each team will build fingers and a thumb for the hand so that a number of tasks can be completed.
Helter Skelter Shelter
Students design and construct two towers from common materials. The towers will be tested for strength using small weights, under both static and seismic conditions.
Stringways
Students develop networks to join a series of towns together in the most efficient way possible. The higher the efficiency of linkage (ie. minimum travel distance) the more points each team earns.
Turbine
Students use commonly available materials to build a water turbine that can harness the power of water as it flows over it. The turbine needs to be simple, robust and efficient.
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