Years 5 & 6 busy STEAM cleaning the Bay

Since mid-Term One, the Year 5/6 students have been involved in the STEAM clean the Bay program run by the Port Phillip Eco-Centre and delivered thanks to a generous grant from the Port Phillip Bay Fund.

As the title suggests, the focus of this program is engaging the students in a study that involves Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

The sessions are aimed at developing the students understanding of our local marine life and the threats to their survival.

As a part of STEAM Clean the Bay, each student in Year 5 and 6 selected a marine animal that exists within the waters of Victoria. They explored how their chosen animals had adapted to survive and some of the threats that marine creatures face. After forming groups based on their chosen marine creatures, students designed a craft prototype which would help them to further study their underwater animal. The crafts were created using recycled materials.

Highlights of the program so far include:

• Exploring the Elwood Canal with Gio as our expert guide
• Watching a documentary on the health of Elwood and St Kilda beach
• Finding out about a variety of different creature adaptations
• Listening to guest speaker who discussed engineering products that mimic nature and how people look after the bay
• Visiting West Beach in St Kilda and attending four different sessions focused on erosion, ecological zonations, Indigenous history of the area and local species adaptations.