Last week, all Papilio Early Learning Centres participated in National Science Week, one of our more loved and educational events of the year for our children, educators and teachers!
Last week, all Papilio Early Learning Centres participated in National Science Week, one of our more loved and educational events of the year for our children, educators and teachers!
National Science Week is also where we encourage all our centres to get involved in our Big Thinkers – STEM program, developed to foster and grow science education and expertise across Australia. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) "Big Thinkers" program is a part of the Lifelong Learning Curriculum for children aged three to five.
Developed in collaboration with Dr Tess Boyle, Adjunct Associate Professor, Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University, Affinity Education's "Big Thinkers' is an integrated STEM program that covers natural science, weather, physics, and biology using a learning-through-play and hands-on approach.
Dr Lesley Jones, Head of Pedagogy and Practice at Affinity, said: "Jobs in STEM are highly paid and highly valued in the Australian and global economy, and there is a lack of talent entering the sector. By starting STEM education early with children, there is a huge opportunity to excite them about STEM and develop a pipeline of future Australian leaders and thinkers in the space."
The curriculum is taught across all our centres throughout the year, with a supported professional development program for our educators and teachers delivering the education program at each centre.
Papilio Early Learning Blackburn provided their children with a range of engaging and STEM-based fun!
Emily Ellis, Centre Manager for Papilio Blackburn, shared, “We had many amazing stem activities across all rooms. Each room had its unique program, but our Kinder Room focused on “Outer Space” science activities for the week. The Fizzy Moon Rocks was the children’s favourite.
Many of our children show great interest in space, and that’s why we choose this topic.”
For the STEM-based project, Emily and her Early Childhood Teacher, Selina Huang, provided fun and engaging space-related activities for the children, which included learning a new planet song and watching a video about how NASA opened the moon sample sealed since the Apollo Missions.
Emily continued, “We used bi-carb soda, food colourings, water and silver glitter to make space rocks that use a chemical reaction to fizz and erupt. We used red, blue and yellow to make the colour black, and then we poured the water into the baking soda; we then used a stirring spoon to mix and made the moon rocks with our hands.
“The exciting part is to squirt them with vinegar! When the two combine, an endothermic chemical reaction releases carbon dioxide. The release of carbon dioxide causes the fizzing and erupting effect. The kinder loved this experiment so much, and we couldn’t get enough of it.”
Activities like making the moon rocks and other reactive activities help to develop many skills like hypothesising, observation and experimentation.
The STEM Big Thinkers curriculum has been available at all Papilio kindergarten and preschool centres for children aged three years and up since 2022, and we are incredibly proud of how this program has grown!