STEM Education @ BPPS
Target Group: Primary 3 and 4
Primary 3: Toy sailboat
As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering creativity and critical thinking through STEM education, our Primary 3 students work together in groups to construct a toy sailboat utilizing recycled materials. Students explore various recyclable materials from home, such as plastic bottles, cardboard, and analyze their properties and potential uses in their toy sailboat construction. By using recycled materials, we aim to instill a sense of responsibility towards the environment and highlight the importance of sustainability to our students.
Through the process of designing and building their sailboats, students engage in problem-solving and experimentation, applying concepts related to properties of materials. They work collaboratively in groups to design and construct their sailboats, followed by testing their creations in water.
Primary 3: Magnets at Play - A Student-Created STEM Toy Challenge
STEM education nurtures critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, which are core 21st Century Competencies (21CC) outlined by MOE. At the Primary 3 level, Science introduces the topic of magnets, providing a meaningful platform for inquiry-based and applied learning.
To bring this to life, our Primary 3 students embarked on an exciting challenge: to design and build a magnetic toy or game that incorporates Mathematics concepts. This hands-on task not only strengthens their understanding of magnet properties — such as attraction, repulsion, and the behaviour of magnetic materials — but also enables them to apply Science knowledge in creative and practical ways.
As part of the initiative, the students presented their creations to their younger peers, who explored Mathematics in a fun and engaging manner through the games. This experience encouraged the Primary 3 students to develop their communication and presentation skills while serving as peer mentors, creating authentic opportunities for learning and teaching.
Primary 4: Blending Science and Storytelling - Shadow Theatre STEM Project
This innovative project combines Science and the performing arts, bringing together the principles of light and shadows with the expressive medium of Readers Theatre. Primary 4 students will design, build, and perform shadow theatre plays for their Primary 3 juniors during English lessons after WA3.
More than a performance, the project is an intentional cross-level learning experience. It allows P3 students to be inspired by their seniors while providing P4 students the opportunity to mentor, lead, and role-model. This creates continuity in learning, as younger students are motivated to carry on and improve the tradition when they reach P4.
The project offers an authentic platform for students to apply scientific understanding of light travel and shadow formation in a creative, real-world context. At the same time, it strengthens English fluency through expressive reading and audience engagement. By collaborating in teams to design and stage their performances, students also cultivate key 21st Century Competencies (21CC) such as creativity, communication, collaboration, and self-directed learning.
Through this unique integration of Science and storytelling, students not only deepen their subject mastery but also build empathy, leadership, and confidence, embodying our school’s vision of holistic and meaningful learning.