During National Science Week, Year 8 students from Narrabeen Sports High School will lead a 2.5-hour STEM design challenge with Year 5 and 6 students in three events across three local primary schools. The session will begin with an interactive discussion about seed adaptations in Australian environments, the impact of bushfires on ecosystems, and how native plants regenerate after fire. We are seeking to involve our local fire brigade to demonstrate how they help manage fire in Australian landscapes.

Students will then work collaboratively in mixed primary and secondary groups to design and build a prototype seed dispersal device (biomimicry) capable of distributing seeds after a bushfire event. Using an engineering design process, students will brainstorm ideas, construct prototypes and test how effectively their device can distribute seeds.

Year 8 students will act as mentors, guiding younger students through the investigation while developing leadership skills and strengthening connections between local schools through a shared STEM learning experience.