Posted by SASTA

on 25/05/2022

SASTA and the Oliphant Science Awards are proud to be partnering with Inspiring SA and the Premiers Reading Challenge (PRC) to support this year’s STEM Reading and Design Challenge.

This competition challenges you to read about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in the lead up to National Science Week.

This year there are two additional themes – NATURE & SPACE.

Using the text as inspiration, students either Create, Invent, Design or Innovate according to their age category.

The competition opened on Monday 2 May 2022, and entries close on Friday 8 July 2022.

For more information about the competition and what you need to do to participate, download the flyer here.

A list of all the books for each age group in the included categories can be downloaded here. Just click on the tab for each age group to see the included books.

Links to OSA

There are many opportunities for students to combine their OSA project work with the STEM Reading and Design Challenge. 

Students can select books from the booklist that will support them with their OSA project.

Teachers can use these booklists as a resource to engage students in Science and STEM learning.

Examples:

  • An R-2 student may be working on a Poster for OSA around the theme of Sustainable Food Production. They could source inspiration for their OSA Poster from one of the books listed in our STEM booklist (e.g., I Spy Food: with Penny Pear and Friends by Sue Hill and Fiona Bowden).  They could then also complete the STEM Reading and Design Challenge task for entry to that competition.
  • A Year 3-5 student can use a STEM booklist book (e.g., How to be the Best by Charlotte Barkla) to inspire their OSA invention or model and then submit a copy of their invention plan/description to the STEM Reading and Design Challenge.

Age Categories

Premiers Reading Challenge Task

Possible OSA category link

R-2

Create

Draw a picture in response to the PRC book you have read.

Posters

3-5

Invent

Plan an invention (description, drawing) inspired by your PRC reading.

Models and Inventions

6-9

Design

Design a STEM poster, related to your PRC reading, to inspire interest in science-related fields.

Posters

Mature

Innovate

Create an infographic to illustrate how you
would solve a problem you have read about
using STEM.

Science Writing

 

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