Primary schools in the Latrobe Valley can expect a rolling great gift from the Gippsland Tech School next week, to celebrate Education Week in Victoria from 13-17 May.
With the support of education partners TAFE Gippsland, the team from Gippsland Tech School (GTS) have been busy developing a hands-on challenge for local Latrobe Valley students in grades 5 and 6, to support their learning in design technologies during Education Week 2024.
GTS Facilitator Anthony Patterson said the Great Marble Run activity they’re disseminating to local schools was designed with this year’s Education Week theme – Spotlight on STEM – in mind.
“The activity involves students working to create their own physical marble run with the goal of having the longest travel time for the marble from the top to the bottom of the board,” Anthony said.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to support local primary school students learning during education week and my colleague and fellow facilitator Molly Irvine and I have had a great time collaborating to create something so special. It’s awesome and we hope the kids love it.”
GTS Facilitator Anthony Patterson with their Education Week creation, the Great Marble Run.
The marble run kits, designed and built by Anthony and Molly at the GTS campus in Morwell, include all the resources and instructions for teachers to use with their classes at a time that suits their teaching schedule.
Molly said the activity kits can also be re-used so all classes can participate.
“Education Week is a fantastic chance for teachers to challenge students with a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and maths) activity,” Molly said.
“There’s a range of other resources out there for teachers to use during Education Week but we thought it would be good to create something locally for schools in our own region to be able to use next week and beyond.”