Flooding Design Challenge
Years 5 - 6
STEM
90 minutes
$12 per student - 12 student minimum
Incursion Description
Give your students a chance to get their hands wet & dirty with our 5/6 Design Challenge.
In this 90-minute session, students work in groups to:
familiarise themselves with our tabletop hydraulic flumes
explore how engineers control water flow using sluices, weirs and culverts
create and investigate river erosion, transportation and deposition, and
work collaboratively to apply their learning to a design challenge to save a town from flooding.
This engaging and active session truly integrates STEM skills with geography and environmental studies.
Pre-incursion class learning material is provided to maximise learning outcomes from our visit.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Daniel, Grade 5/6 Teacher
The lesson was incredibly engaging for our students and allowed them to work in groups to solve a range of challenges. Students had not previously used flumes, however, were given clear instructions and achievable goals and all found success through the learning opportunities. The delivery and follow-up resources were professional and students are still talking about it.
Grade 5 Student
It was super fun and I really liked how we had to make the water change speed and build a town that could survive a flood.
Grade 6 Student
I liked it because we had to be creative and we had to save the houses from the flood. We could use rocks and gravel and also plastic walls to block the water to solve challenges. It was so much fun.
Curriculum Links
Australian Curriculum v9 Links
HASS Geography 5 - The management of Australian environments, including managing severe weather events such as bushfires, floods, droughts or cyclones, and their consequences
Science 5 - Describe how weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition cause slow or rapid change to Earth’s surface
HASS Skills 5/6 - Evaluate information and data in a range of formats to identify and describe patterns and trends, or to infer relationships.
Science Inquiry 5/6:
Planning and Conducting AC9S6I02
Planning and Conducting AC9S6I03
Processing, Modelling, Analysing AC9S6I04
Evaluating AC9S6I05
Communicating AC9S6I06
Victorian Curriculum 2.0 Links
Science 5/6 - Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface and atmosphere; the impacts of natural hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and floods, can be reduced by human actions and technological innovations
Science 5/6 - Geological processes including weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition can cause slow or rapid changes to Earth’s surface
Humanities/Geography 5/6 - How places and environments are changed and managed by people
Science Inquiry 5/6:
Planning and Conducting VC2S6I02
Planning and Conducting VC2S6I03
Processing, Modelling, Analysing VC2S6I04
Evaluating VC2S6I05
Communicating VC2S6I06