Science Week came to life at St Brigid’s Primary School, Raymond Terrace, as Year 6 students stepped into the role of science teachers for a hands-on day of discovery, experimentation and learning.
After successfully receiving a grant from the Australian Science Teachers Association, the students delivered The Great Science Circuit for students across all year levels on Friday, 21 August.
Inspired by this year’s Science Week theme, Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All, the circuit featured six interactive science stations exploring a range of concepts, from seeds and plants to forces, materials and First Nations perspectives.
Students rotated through the stations in 20-minute sessions, with Year 6 students leading the activities and sharing their knowledge with younger students.
For the Year 6 students, the experience was about more than simply completing a science activity. Teaching their peers required them to deepen their own understanding, communicate clearly and work together.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher, Kristen Jones, said the students had embraced the opportunity to take on a leadership role.
“The students have been working hard to practise delivering their content, and they’ve done an incredible job. We wanted to create an experience that was meaningful and engaging for students across every year level. ‘Forces’ is also part of the Year 6 syllabus, so by teaching these concepts to others, our students are strengthening their own understanding as well.”
Becoming Science Teachers for the day also provided an insight into just how much preparation and skill goes into delivering a lesson.
“Teaching is so hard, and we don’t even have a full class!” one Year 6 student said.
The students began identifying ways they could improve their teaching as they moved between groups.
“We’re thinking of ways we can improve, like making sure we’re speaking clearly and watching the time so we can get through the entire lesson.”
