Project for Years 5 and 6

St Ives North Public School

Driving question

How can the community of St Ives prepare for, survive or recover from a catastrophic bushfire event?

Project firestorm

Students from St Ives North co-presented this session on their STEM journey. Their school is located in a bushland setting and the impact of bushfires is an authentic issue for students and the local community.

Through the inclusion of design thinking processes, teachers explored the fundamental question with the students through open-ended problem solving strategies. This process highlighted the frequency of students discussing and debating alternatives when they grappled with the many aspects of problematic knowledge within the design process. Their projects had an authentic audience which culminated in a successful STEM Firestorm project showcase with the attendance of NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner and community members.

Project materials

NSW RFS working with school communities (video)

St Ives North Public School - Firestorm project (DOCX, 168KB)