Teacher instructions

10 minutes - Tune in: STEM in everyday design
20 minutes - Find out: Taylah Griffin - taking flight
20 minutes - Take action: Clear for landing
10 minutes - Reflection

Tune in: STEM in everyday design

Step 1. Ask students: How do you think STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) lives in your everyday life? (Another way to phrase this - In your everyday life, where are Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths used?)

Explain that STEM is everywhere: the combination of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) can be found in the simplest of machines (a pair of kitchen tongs) as well as in complex aerodynamic machines (Boeing aeroplanes).

Step 2. Show the students some everyday objects - tongs are a great option. Guide students through a closer inspection of the tongs. You are exploring features and their associated function. Have students complete the table in their Student Worksheet.

Feature	Function
Strong, rigid metal material (stainless steel)	Strong and rigid allows for strength and control over how the tool is used. Tongs can be used to move, and transport items - a bendable, elastic material would not allow for this.
Has a spring	Holds tension - allows for squeeze and release action.
Long arms	The tool can be used safely at a distance. Often, tongs are used to move hot items - allowing for physical safety.
Scalloped edges	Allows for better grip of the item being picked.

Step 3. Explain: Indigenous people have been using STEM techniques for over 65,000 years, making hunting tools, like boomerangs, spears, woomeras and building fish and eel traps, all of which are wonderful examples of complex engineering designs. Engineers are an important part of our world. Their technical knowledge helps us.

Step 4. Show the clip to highlight indigenous engineering:

Aboriginal Innovations - The Rocks (youtu.be/Ok__41SLVNM) - play until 4:07 sec (The Boomerang)

Step 5. Facilitate discussion: Modern engineering keeps refining design ideas. Think about the structure of the boomerang and how it provided lift and was created with an airfoil design to help it in flight.

Step 6. Ask students:

How does the shape help it fly?
What materials might make the boomerang strong, lift up or be better in flight?
Could other materials be used?

Find out: Take flight

Step 1. Explain that Taylah Griffin began her STEM journey in classrooms in rural Queensland. Her passion grew from an interest in STEM to her becoming the first Indigenous female system engineer working on the Wedgetail program at Boeing Defence Australia.

Step 2. As a class, watch the clip about Taylah.

Taylah Griffin - QUT Graduate - The QUTube (youtu.be/uuv7qURl3wY)

Step 3. Hold a class discussion with the class. If you like, students can complete the Student Worksheet.

What do you find interesting about Taylah?
How did she find learning at school? Was she passionate about aeroplanes to begin with?
Did she work hard to complete her university studies? Who helped her?
What does she inspire you to do?

Take action: Clear for landing

Notes: For this part of the lesson, teachers can choose an analogue or digital approach for this activity. Students can use either hand draw their flight machines or they could use an app like the Design Squad Maker app.

This activity in particular, may take more time than what is allocated in a single lesson. Teachers should use their discretion to decide how much time they will give to this activity.

Step 1. Use the STEM design thinking model to help the students design their flight machines. See student worksheet.

Define and explore: What are you going to create? What designs are out there? Students should research and evaluate flight machines.

Step 2.

Ideate: Draw and create your flight machine. Hand draw, collaborate together or take this opportunity to use a digital design tool. The Design Squad Maker app is simple and easy to use on digital devices.

Step 3.

Prototype: Choose from paper, cardboard or recycled materials to make your flying machine. What are you going to create? How will you do it? What materials will you need? What materials do you already have?

Step 4.

Test: All great STEM engineers change their designs after testing. Students should test their prototype flight machines. They should evaluate how effective it was.
Think: How did the materials hold up? What would you like to change or tweak? What worked well?

Step 5.

Present: Rebuild and take flight: This can be completed as a whole class or in smaller groups.

Measure a distance of 3-5 m in the classroom or outside place rulers down for students to measure against. Line up, set the plane into flight and see where it lands. If time allows, run a few trials to find the best flight engineer.

Stuck for ideas: Paper loop gliders - are fun and easy to create (using paper straws and paper).

Make 2 loops of different sizes with paper
Stick the loops to the ends of a straw.
Take it for a test flight!

Reflection

Step 1. As a group, discuss how well they all worked. Make sure that students are kind and constructive in their feedback if they’re talking about someone else’s design.

Ask students to identify the following:

Which materials worked well?
Did the shape of the object help it fly further?
What could you change on your next flying machine?

Differentiated Learning

We trust that teachers are the best equipped to know how to cater to the diversity in their classes. At Cool Australia, we incorporate a variety of differentiation strategies into each lesson. Firstly, each lesson in this unit appeals to an array of different learning preferences. Learning activities can be completed in a number of different ways - if a student feels more comfortable speaking rather than writing, there are opportunities to accommodate this. In lessons that feature group work or learning stations, we trust that teachers will use their discretion in knowing how to best organise their students in accordance with positive working relationships and ability. Graphic organisers and scaffolds are often included so students can ‘visually think’ and keep a record of their work. While our lessons are designed to be 55 - 60 minutes long, we trust that teachers will manipulate lessons and segment times according to the needs of their students.

Go Further: Indigenous engineers - Boomerang design.

Watch this clip from the Curiosity show.

Making Boomerangs - CuriosityShow - (youtu.be/lHR06mSTF6k)

What engineering tools were used to shape the boomerang?
How did the boomerang's shape affect how it flew?
What shape gave the boomerang a return flight?

Design a Paper Flying Machine

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