Get Involved
Welcome
Getting involved is easy. Primary STEM Project engages primary students as young as 5 years old in building and racing a paper based F1® car. The project has been designed as a subset of the high school F1 in Schools STEM Challenge and is aimed at students in years K-6, engaging them in a STEM activity which is fun.
The project has students building a paper version of an F1 car. The project is designed as a stepping stone via which students can develop an understanding and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The skills the project aims to develop include problem solving, research, communication, collaboration and teamwork: skills that will not be replaced by disruptive technologies and skills that have been identified as being in demand by industries the world over.
As pupils move from primary to high school, they will be able to continue to develop their STEM skills by engaging in complementary programs at high school such as F1 in Schools, 4×4 in Schools and SUBS in Schools.
A key goal of this program is to link primary schools with high schools. This is aimed at fostering an environment of collaboration between schools, providing an opportunity for primary students to be mentored by high school students and facilitating access to technology which may exist only in the high school. The interaction between primary and high schools also aids in the transition of primary school to high school.
We provide a Detailed Overview that steps you through the process of establishing and running the Primary STEM Project. We can also connect you to your a regional coordinator or to teachers in your area who will be able to share knowledge, experience and resources.
Schools wanting to undertake the Primary STEM Project must register online. We will then include you in all the appropriate emails, newsletters and communications that will help you get started in Primary STEM Project.
There are no fees associated with school registrations. Fees will only apply to the purchase of car kits and the hire of any equipment that is needed to run the program in your school.
Implementation
The program can be implemented as a 1-2 day short program implementation where the students build and race a car only, or it can be spread over a much longer trajectory to meet a much broader set of learning goals in a full implementation of the program.
In both instances the program will have the students working in teams, defining roles, examining the science of motion, design graphics for the car, testing the aerodynamics of their car and finally racing their car against others to see who is the fastest.
A full implementation of the program will allow students to undertake a set of more complex research projects which examine a number of STEM elements. The areas of the research can be chosen to fit with current study goals but could include areas such as the science behind motion including momentum, force, energy and as an option even more complex concepts such as aerodynamics. The longer implementation format also has students manufacturing team tee shirts, producing an A2 size project display board which covers key components of their team’s research and presenting a 5 minute verbal presentation of their activities to a set of judges covering their efforts, the key concepts of their design and the areas of STEM they have learned to apply to real life situations i.e. how aerodynamics and motion may impact real life issues like riding a bike.
For students in years 5 & 6 the option also exists for the students to design their own car bodies and possibly even 3D printing of a set of wings to fit on their car.
The skills the program aims to develop include problem solving, research, communication, collaboration and teamwork, skills that are clearly identified as aiding the transition through high school and in demand by industries the world over. These are the skills that will not be replaced by disruptive technologies.
Other Key Information
To register to have the Primary STEM Challenge come to your school, please make contact with the REA Head Office.
