Year 6.2 — Electrifying Learning

If you have ever sat watching a thunderstorm with mighty lightning bolts darting down from the sky, you'll have some idea of the power of electricity. Well, have you ever wondered how electricity flows? Do you know the differences between conducting materials and insulating materials? How does moving air and water create electricity? Well the 6.2 class can confidently answer all of these questions and more thanks to their recent hands-on, inquiry-based approach to their iLearn lessons.

Students have discovered that electricity is the most versatile energy source that we have and it is also one of the newest. Homes and businesses have been using it for not much more than a hundred years. Students gained an understanding of the vital role electricity has played in our past but also discovered that electricity could potentially play a very different role in our future, with many more buildings generating their own renewable electric power using solar cells and wind turbines.

The 6.2 class have thoroughly enjoyed making a variety of electrical series and parallel circuits and learning all about negatively charged particles called electrons and how they flow from the outer shell of one atom to the outer shell of another. In addition to this, boys have been using the Stile App on their iPads to think critically about the world-wide use of sustainable and unsustainable forms of energy and have begun to form their own opinion of their personal vision for Australia’s energy future.

Boys really enjoyed learning about alternative sources of energy, including hydro-electric power plants, wind farms and geothermal energy. Individually, students have been thinking critically about whether sustainable energy sources are more effective than unsustainable energy sources and whether Australia, as a nation, has a moral obligation to rely more on renewable energy sources.

Mr Michael Campbell
Year 6.2 Homeroom Teacher