During National Science Week, our small K–12 school of approximately 70 students will participate in a whole-school STEM investigation using programmable microcontrollers. Students will use micro:bit devices and environmental sensors to collect real-world data from the local environment and explore how coding and technology can be used to understand the world around us.

Students across all year levels will collaborate in mixed-age teams to design and build simple monitoring devices that measure environmental conditions such as temperature, light, humidity and soil moisture. These devices will be programmed using block-based and Python coding environments and deployed around the school grounds and nearby natural areas.

Students will investigate questions such as:

• How does temperature vary across different locations in our school environment?

• How does soil moisture change after rainfall?

Students will analyse their collected data, identify patterns and present their findings during a whole-school Science Week showcase.

This project will allow students to experience how digital technologies, coding and scientific investigation combine to help scientists understand real-world systems.