Engage your students through our fun, curriculum-linked STEM workshops and activities. Designed to align with the Australian National Curriculum, these free workshops and activities will teach your students skills relevant to their studies.
Explore our workshops below to see how they link to the curriculum, what your students will learn, and if they're available at our campus, at your school or online. If you'd like to tailor any of the workshops to suit your class, simply get in touch.
Biological sciences
The local backyard bandicoot, the quenda, recently had its scientific name changed from Isoodon obesulus to Isoodon fusciventer. Why was it changed? In this workshop, your students will discover taxonomy and classification of species and how this is used to make sense of the diverse relationships that exist between different species.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study area: Science – Biological Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSSU111, ACSSU112 - Year 9
Science ACSSU176
Quendas have an important role to play in the ecosystem and our backyards. Through an interactive board game, students will learn about quenda biology, their threats and understand how these threats can be exacerbated by urbanisation.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study area: Science – Biological Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU175, ACSSU176
Your students will explore the Chelodina Wetlands and discover what it’s like to study Environmental Science or Conservation and Wildlife Biology. Students will complete field tasks to identify various types of flora and fauna, observe food chains and discuss the cycle of abiotic and non-abiotic elements of an ecosystem. They will discover why urban wetlands are important, not only to the local biodiversity, but to humans as well.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 20 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU176, ACSIS165, ACSIS166
In this workshop, your students will gain an understanding of DNA and its biotechnological applications, in addition to developing their laboratory skills. Students will use a technical protocol to extract DNA from plant cells and use the DNA of whale species to identify the origin of whale meat seized by Security Officers at Customs.
Year group: Year 8
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 20 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Science ACSSU149, ACSIS140, ACSIS141, ACSIS145
In this workshop, your students will be challenged to design and create their own prototype for growing vegetables in outer space. Imagining that they work on an international space station, students must consider factors such as gravity as well as the limited supply of resources like water, oxygen, nutrients and sunlight. They will learn about plant growth habits and the use of plants for filtration and air purification.
Year group: Year 8
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences, Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Science ACSSU150, ACSHE136, ACSIS139, ACSIS140, ACSIS146, ACSIS148
Design and Technologies ACTDEK029, ACTDEK030, ACTDEK032, WATPPS46, WATPPS48, WATPPS49, WATPPS53 - Year 9
Science ACSSU175, ACSHE158, ACSIS165, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSIS174
Design and Technologies ACTDEK040, ACTDEK041, ACTDEK044, ACTDEK046, ACTDEK047, WATPPS554, WATPPS55, WATPPS56, WATPPS57, WATPPS59
Through the processes of evolution and natural selection, Australia has developed a distinctly unique biodiversity that consists of species found nowhere else in the world. Having a significant impact on local biodiversity are feral and invasive species.
This workshop will explore the historical and present-day situation of feral animals in our environment and strategies employed by Murdoch University researchers to ethically control these populations. Students will also discover the various methods used to track and observe species in the wild.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU185
Geography ACHGK070, ACHGK071, ACHGK074, ACHGK075
Chemical sciences
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of radioactivity and isotopes as they race against the clock to prevent a nuclear meltdown.
Students must solve a series of problems to unlock the different locks and acquire the shutdown code needed to prevent complete meltdown of the core. This activity further develops team and communication skills of students. Note this workshop follows on from Radioactivity and Carbon Dating.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Chemical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU177, ACSIS169, ACSIS170
This workshop is designed to introduce the concepts of acid and bases in a way familiar to students. In this class, students will analyse the pH of common household items using three different methods.
Method accuracy and specificity will also be discussed as students explore the pH of common solids and liquids around them.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Chemical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSIS124, ACSIS125, ACSIS126, ACSHE119, ACSHE120, ACSHE121 - Year 8
Science ACSSU151, ACSSU152, ACSSU225, ACSIS139, ACSIS140, ACSIS141, ACSIS144, ACSIS145, ACSIS146, ACSIS234, ACSIS148 - Year 9
Science ACSIS164, ACSIS165, ACSIS166, ACSIS169, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSHE157, ASCHE158 - Year 10
Science ACSIS198, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSHE191, ASHE192, ACSHE194
In this workshop, students exploit an acid base reaction to propel a rocket into the air. They will first learn of the physics that underpins both rocket launch and flight, and the importance of weight versus thrust.
With this knowledge, students will explore different ratios of acid and base quantities and the effect this has on maximum height achieved.
In this iterative experimental process, students will need to have a good understanding of dependent and independent variables as they systematically work to achieve optimal chemical conditions to launch their rocket.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Chemical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU187, ACSSU190, ACSSU229, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSIS208
In this workshop, radioactivity and isotopes are explored in a series of fun, hands-on experiments. Students will understand the concept of half-life by simulating radioactive decay of an atom over time.
The importance of carbon dating in aging previously living materials will be discussed. Students will apply this concept to age their own once living material through graphing and extrapolation of their own experimental data.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 75–90 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Chemical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU177, ACSHE157, ACSHE158, ACSHE160, ACSIS164, ACSIS169, ACSIS170
Earth and space sciences
Biomass is a measure of the combined weight of living things within an ecosystem and is an important marker for ecosystem health and fire fuel load, among other uses.
Students will find, identify and measure a variety of trees on the Murdoch University campus, then use mathematical models to calculate a biomass value for each organism.
By doing so, students learn how biomass is applied in Australian conservation, while also practicing their mathematics skills using estimation and exponentials/logarithms. Schools can also request an incursion where they have appropriate trees on their campus.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study areas: Science – Earth and Space Sciences; Mathematics – Numbers and Algebra
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU189, ACSHE191, ACSHE230, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS205
Year 10A Mathematics ACMNA265
Engineering
A test of a prototype hyperspeed train has gone catastrophically wrong, with the engineering team trapped inside and their oxygen leaking away.
Students must solve a series of engineering-themed logic puzzles in order to find a way out of the train - before time (and oxygen) runs out!
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Study areas: Science
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSIS164, ACSIS169, ACSIS172, ACSIS174
When people follow instructions, they interpret them using context, prior experience, assumptions and creativity to achieve the desired outcome.
Machines simply follow instructions blindly, whether they make sense or not, leading to unintended behaviours when instructions are unclear.
In this workshop, students write algorithms that describe how to do an everyday task. A volunteer ‘machine’ then puts these instructions to the test.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Digital Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Digital Technologies ACTDIP030, WATPPS39, WATPPS41, WATPPS42, WATPPS45 - Year 8
Digital Technologies ACTDIP029, ACTDIP030, WATPPS49, WATPPS50, WATPPS53 - Year 9
Digital Technologies ACTDIP040, WATPPS60 - Year 10
Digital Technologies ACTDIP040, WATPPS68
This workshop is a hands-on beginner’s guide to electricity and circuits.
Starting with the fundamentals (What is a power source? What is a load?), students investigate what is needed to make a simple circuit work.
Class discussion leads to an introduction to the concepts of Voltage, Current and Resistance, and basic electrical measurements.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: At your school
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Science ACSSU155, ACSIS139, ACSIS140, ACSIS148
As an introduction to robotics programming, students use Lego Mindstorms EV3 kits to investigate basic programming strategies. Students will program a car-like robot to navigate a course using either simple instructions or by adding autonomous behaviour based on sensor data.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 16 students
Study areas: Digital Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Digital Technologies ACTDIP028, ACTDIP030, WATPPS39, WATPPS40 - Year 8
Digital Technologies ACTDIP028, ACTDIP030, WATPPS49, WATPPS50 - Year 9
Digital Technologies ACTDIP039, WATPPS56, WATPPS60 - Year 10
Digital Technologies WATPPS64, WATPPS68
Drones are not restricted to the sky! Remotely-Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs) are steerable submarine robots built for performing tasks that are difficult or impossible for humans, including science, military and industrial uses.
Scientists at Murdoch are now using ROVs to research marine and estuarine environments by capturing data of animal and plant populations. In this workshop, students will learn to pilot a ROV and explore the underwater environment of our ‘ROV driver training’ pool.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 16 students
Study areas: Science, Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSHE158, ACSHE228
Design and Technologies ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046
Students will explore how to optimise power production from solar panel cells through investigative circuitry. The workshop emphasises the concepts of series and parallel circuits, as students explore how combining cells in different ways affects the total output voltage and current of the system.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences; Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU190, ACSHE192, ACSIS198, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSIS208
Design and Technologies ACTDEK40, ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, ACTDEK047, WATPPS64, WATPPS66, WATPPS68
Students will investigate physics and engineering concepts as they test how to build a model wind turbine for maximum power generation. This workshop also includes electrical circuit building, data measurement and a focus on the principles of designing and carrying out a fair test.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences, Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSHE160, ACSHE228, ACSIS164, ACSIS165, ACSIS166, ACSIS169, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSIS174
Design and Technologies ACTDEK040, ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, ACTDEK047, WATPPS55, WATPPS56, WATPPS57, WATPPS58, WATPPS60
Forensic sciences
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of forensic science as they play detective and work to establish the identity of the individual responsible for their colleague’s disappearance and the murder of Taylor Potts.
Students must interpret biological evidence (blood, DNA) as well as shoeprint and fingerprint evidence to unlock the different locks and acquire the missing suspect files.
They will then need to interpret their evidence in relation to the suspect file to determine the kidnapper/killer’s identity.
This activity further develops team and communication skills of students.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU184, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSIS208
In this workshop, students will undertake pattern analysis of bloodstains found at a crime scene to determine the position of the victim during the bloodshed event.
Students will use both a physical stringing approach and trigonometry to determine the angle of impact and the location of the victim.
This workshop demonstrates the importance of trigonometry in the real world by having students adopt the role of bloodstain pattern experts in a fictional case.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 28 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Measurement & Geometry
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Mathematics ACMMG245, ACMMG273, ACMMG275, ACMMG27
Facial approximation combines the principles of anatomy, osteology, anthropology and art to recreate a face from skeletal remains (the skull). It is often of assistance in police investigations to aid in identification of a victim.
In this workshop, students will learn about the important facial muscles and tissues, then create representations of these using clay. Muscles will be layered upon a skull, gradually building up the facial profile of the victim.
After this workshop your students will be able to name the important facial muscles, and bones and have an appreciation of forensic anthropology.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Science
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSHE156, ACSHE160, ACSHE158, ACSIS165, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSIS174
Have you ever wondered how the police collect, evaluate and identify fingerprints?
In this workshop, your students will discover the complete process of fingerprinting, including collecting reference prints from an individual, lifting fingerprints from a crime scene in addition to evaluation and identification of crime scene fingerprints.
This workshop will also explore the requirements of fingerprinting evidence to be used in a court of law.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Science
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSIS124, ACSIS125, ACSIS126, ACSHE119, ACSHE120, ACSHE121 - Year 9
Science ACSIS164, ACSIS165, ACSIS166, ACSIS169, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSHE157, ASCHE158 - Year 10
Science ACSIS198, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSHE191, ASHE192, ACSHE194
Information Technology
Play the role of a cybersecurity expert, testing a fictional company’s online defences by running a penetration test against their server.
Participants will use the Kali Linux security testing distribution to learn the fundamental principles of real-world cybersecurity.
Suitable for students with a basic awareness of console/command-line instructions.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 18 students
Study areas: Digital Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Digital Technologies ACTDIK034, ACTDIK035, WATPPS66
Students will become digital detectives as they look for clues in the lives of fictional social media users, using the Australian Computing Academy’s Schools Cyber Security Challenge hosted on GROK.
During the activity, students will learn to recognise safe and unsafe uses of personal information on the internet, and how to reflect on their own social media use.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Digital Technologies, Science – Science as a Human Endeavour
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Digital Technologies ACTDIP025, ACTDIP032
Science ACSHE135
The Internet of Things is the ever-expanding, network of connected devices found throughout our lives.
This network offers amazing possibilities for our future, as well as substantial potential for misuse if security is not handled correctly.
During this workshop students discover how to control devices in Murdoch’s Cybersecurity & Networking labs, using bash scripting on Ubuntu Linux. No prior scripting knowledge is required.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 18 students
Study areas: Digital Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Digital Technologies ACTDIK034, ACTDIP043, WATPPS55, WATPPS58
Mathematics
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of quadrilaterals through a series of puzzles focused on identification of quadrilaterals and calculation of perimeter and area.
In this Breakout Box, students must correctly answer the problems to unlock the locked box and obtain movie tickets (fictional) for themselves and their friends.
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of quadrilaterals through a series of puzzles focused on identification of quadrilaterals and calculation of perimeter and area.
In this Breakout Box, students must correctly answer the problems to unlock the locked box and obtain movie tickets (fictional) for themselves and their friends.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Measurement & Geometry
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Mathematics ACMMG195, ACMMG196, ACMMG202
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of scientific notation, Distribution law, indices and binomials to become a Mathematics Secret Agent.
Students must work together to solve the puzzles and unlock the different types of locks before the timer runs out. This activity further develops students’ teamwork and communication skills.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Number & Algebra
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Mathematics ACMNS209, ACMNA210, ACMNA212, ACMNA213
This immersive game experience allows students to test their knowledge of fractions, decimals and percentages and converting between them. There are five locks for the students to break before they get to the finish.
In this breakout box, Baby Yodee has been captured by the evil majestic storm fighters. Students need to work through a series of locks to free Baby Yodee and save the galaxy.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Number & Algebra
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Mathematics ACNMA152, ACNMA153, ACNMA155, ACNMA156, ACNMA157, ACNMA173
In this workshop, students will undertake pattern analysis of bloodstains found at a crime scene to determine the position of the victim during the bloodshed event.
Students will use both a physical stringing approach and trigonometry to determine the angle of impact and the location of the victim.
This workshop demonstrates the importance of trigonometry in the real world by having students adopt the role of bloodstain pattern experts in a fictional case.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 28 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Measurement & Geometry
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Mathematics ACMMG245, ACMMG273, ACMMG275, ACMMG27
In this interactive workshop, student groups will act as business managers from rival businesses, competing against each other to grow their profit and survive in a volatile world filed with dips, peaks and conflict!
Students will learn and put into action the basics of accounting, along with small business management and decision making, to become the most profitable business in the classroom.
Through interactive roleplay, students will gain a greater understanding of business operation, cashflow and investments opportunities that may can make or break their business.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Number & Algebra
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Mathematics ACMNA189
In this workshop, your students will travel back in time to look at the different codes and code cracking techniques used throughout history.
They will begin in Roman times, attempting to crack a code used by Caesar to send cryptic messages to his Generals.
Next, they will assess the Affine cypher, which applies a mathematical equation to the alphabet, before lastly undertaking modern frequency analysis to decipher a cryptic murder note.
This workshop emphasises the importance of mathematics in everyday life and in IT, and further develops students’ problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork skills.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Number & Algebra
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Mathematics ACNMA234, ACMNA235, ACNMA241
In this workshop, students apply Pythagoras’ Theorem to cell phone data to track a stolen phone.
Students begin by developing a picture model to represent the relationship between the phone tower, phone and its pinged distance, and then use this knowledge to pinpoint the location of the phone as it pings to different cell phone towers.
Students will visually represent their calculated distances on scaled map, and then propose the route they believe their phone has travelled.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Measurement and Geometry
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Mathematics ACMMG222
In this workshop, students play the game “Let ‘em Roll” where they will attempt to win a car under different playing conditions. Students will use the class results to determine the probability of achieving a winning outcome.
Students will also calculate the theoretical odds of winning and compare their and the class outcomes with these odds. Simple probability calculations involving both single and combined events are employed.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Statistics and Probability
Curriculum links:
- Year 8
Mathematics ACMSP204, ACMSP205
In this workshop, students will be both participants in a scientific trial and the statisticians investigating the data.
Students will explore the effect of different types of exercise on heart rate and then assess the data by constructing Stem & Leaf plots and calculating mean, median, mode, and range.
They will review their data against their proposed hypothesis to draw an evidence-based conclusion, as well as noting the limitations of their methodology.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Statistics & Probability
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Mathematics ACMSP169, ACMSP170, ACMSP171, ACMSP172
In this workshop, probability in forensic science is discussed with a focus on student profiling.
Using student census data, students determine the probability of a high school student having different physical attributes, and then use this knowledge to “create” a student that is “one in a million”.
This workshop involves simple and combined probabilities and introduces the concept of the likelihood ratio, dependent and independent events.
Criminal cases involving flawed probability calculations are presented, along with a demonstration of witness reliability.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Mathematics – Statistics & Probability
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Mathematics ACMSP246, ACMSP253
Physical sciences
Using Nerf guns to their full scientific potential, students investigate the relationship between a projectile’s kinetic energy, mass and velocity.
This workshop can also be extended to act as an introduction to kinematic equations.
Year group: Year 10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 24 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 10
Science ACSSU190, ACSSU229, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205
Music is a universal facet of human culture, with strong underlying links to science and mathematics. The sound we recognise as a guitar or clarinet is really a complex structure of many interacting sound waves.
This workshop provides an opportunity for students to investigate how the physical properties of sound relate to their perceptions - the link between frequency and pitch, harmony versus dissonance, and how harmonics define an instrument’s unique timbre.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences; Science – Physical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU175, ACSSU182, ACSIS166, ACSIS172, ACSIS174
Vision is one of our primary tools for experiencing the world around us – but it isn’t necessarily an objective measure of reality.
In this workshop students build a simple optical spectrometer to explore light detection and measurement.
Students then investigate the benefits and limitations of human sight, including the biology of the eye and the role of the brain in converting ‘detection’ into ‘perception’.
Year group: Year 9
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Biological Sciences; Science – Physical Sciences
Curriculum links:
- Year 9
Science ACSSU175, ACSSU182, ACSIS166, ACSIS172, ACSIS174
‘Rube Goldberg’ machines perform a simple task in a complicated way. The Rube Goldberg Challenge asks students to design and build a working Rube Goldberg machine under set constraints within a limited time.
As a team challenge, the workshop incorporates critical thinking and problem solving while also exploring physical science concepts relating to simple machines.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 1 hour
Number of students: Maximum of 25 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences; Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSSU117, ACSHE119, ACSHE120, ACSHE121
Design and Technologies ACTDEK031, ACTDEK034, WATPPS39, WATPPS40, WATPPS41, WATPPS43, WATPPS44, WATPPS45 - Year 8
Science ACSSU155, ACSHE134, ACSHE135, ACSHE136
Design and Technologies ACTDEK031, ACTDEK034, WATPPS48, WATPPS49, WATPPS53, WATPPS60 - Year 9
Design and Technologies ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, ACTEK047, WATPPS56, WATPPS57 - Year 10
Science ACSSU190, ACSSU229
Design and Technologies ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, WATPPS63, WATPPS64, WATPPS66, WATPPS68
Students explore Newton’s Laws, air resistance and optimal projectile trajectories by attempting to launch a water rocket as far as possible.
This workshop can either (i) use prefabricated rocket parts to focus on the physics and mathematics of rocketry, or (ii) have students design and build their own rockets, test their creations, and iterate their designs to maximise performance.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 1–2 hours
Number of students: Maximum of 25 students
Study areas: Science – Physical Sciences; Design and Technologies
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSSU117, ACSHE119, ACSHE121, ACSIS124, ACSIS125, ACSIS126, ACSIS131, ACSIS132, ACSIS133
Design and Technologies ACTDEK031, ACTDEK034, WATPPS39, WATPPS40, WATPPS41, WATPPS43, WATPPS44, WATPPS45 - Year 8
Science ACSSU155, ACSHE134, ACSHE136, ACSIS139, ACSIS140, ACSIS141, ACSIS146, ACSIS234, ACSIS148
Design and Technologies ACTDEK031, ACTDEK034, WATPPS48, WATPPS49, WATPPS53, WATPPS60 - Year 9
Science ACSHE160, ACSIS164, ACSIS165, ACSIS166, ACSIS169, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSIS174
Design and Technologies ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, ACTEK047, WATPPS56, WATPPS57 - Year 10
Science ACSSU190, ACSSU229, ACSHE191, ACSHE194, ACSIS198, ACSIS199, ACSIS200, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSIS208
Design and Technologies ACTDEK043, ACTDEK046, WATPPS63, WATPPS64, WATPPS66, WATPPS68
Cross-discipline
In this escape room style challenge, students must decipher and interpret a series of clues to find Pharaoh Userkare’s tomb and the treasure. Userkare was buried quickly following his sudden death and his tomb has never been recovered.
Information has led archaeologists to the desert of Saqqara, once home to the Ancient Egyptian capital Memphis.
Can the student archaeologists solve the logic and spatial awareness puzzles to find Userkare’s tomb and treasure before the timer runs out, or will he continue to remain a historical mystery? Only time will tell.
Year group: Years 10–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Group-work Skills Development
This session emphasises the wide variety of circumstances in which scientists need to use their communication skills – and the wide variety of challenges that face them.
During the workshop students identify potential communication challenges facing STEM professionals and discuss possible steps towards solving these challenges.
Finally, students put these new ideas into practice in a challenge to communicate complex science topics using amusingly restrictive means of communication, such as haiku or interpretive dance.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 30 students
Study areas: Science – Science as a Human Endeavour
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSHE223, ACSHS133 - Year 8
Science ACSHE226, ACSIS148 - Year 9
Science ACSHE157, ACSIS174 - Year 10
Science ACSHE191, ACSHE230, ACSIS208
The aim of this activity is to work out what’s inside a set of Mystery Boxes without opening them. It explores ‘working scientifically’ and how a variety of skills and processes are used to generate scientific theories based on evidence.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus or at your school
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Number of students: Maximum of 32 students
Study areas: Science – Science Inquiry Skills
Curriculum links:
- Year 7
Science ACSIS124, ACSIS125, ACSIS130, ACSIS131, ACSIS132, ACSIS133 - Year 8
Science ACSIS139, ACSIS140, ACSIS145, ACSIS146, ACSIS234, ACSIS148 - Year 9
Science ACSIS164, ACSIS165, ACSIS169, ACSIS170, ACSIS171, ACSIS174 - Year 10
Science ACSIS198, ACSIS199, ACSIS203, ACSIS204, ACSIS205, ACSIS206, ACSIS208
Talks
Find out what it’s really like working in the field of STEM by booking a talk from one of our subject-matter experts. Our Outreach team and academics have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they’d love to share.
Presented by Caitlin Sweeney
In this talk, Caitlin will share her journey from growing up in country Western Australia to moving to the city to study at university and discovering her passion for chemistry.
This is an honest talk about the struggles of studying in Year 11 and 12 and moving out of home and to a new city to study.
Caitlin will also discuss how she discovered her love of chemistry by accident and how that has led her in a career direction she never expected. There will be an opportunity at the end for students to ask questions about her experience.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Presented by Dr Anna Pryor
The world of chemistry is a magical place, extending far beyond colour changes and precipitates – it is both predictable and unpredictable.
In this talk, Anna will share how an interest in forensic science in high school led to her enrolling in a chemistry degree at university (without having studied chemistry at high school and being an “average”student), and onto a career in chemistry involving the film industry,teaching, software development and firearms research.
Anna will also discuss the different areas of forensic science and forensic chemistry that are useful in criminal investigations.
Year group: Years 7–12
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Presented by Dr Keal Byrne
Physics is our best tool for understanding how the universe works – whether at the galactic scale or the atomic.
In this talk, Keal will tell the story of his own path into physics, investigating the colour of diamonds, and the weird and wonderful places that physics has taken him along the way.
Keal will also discuss the many reasons to get excited about physics today, from fusion to space science and beyond.
Year group: Years 7–10
Delivery location: Murdoch University Perth campus, at your school or online
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Events
Murdoch Outreach host a wide range of events each year. Explore what's coming up and get in touch with us if you'd like more information.
National Science Week – Scintillating Science Quiz
Murdoch University is celebrating National Science Week for the entire month of August with a state-wide science quiz competition for Year 9 and 10 students! Students will test their knowledge of science from a range of disciplines with great prizes available for both metropolitan and regional school winners.
A Day in the Life of a Murdoch University Student (Year 9 & 10)
Experience what it is like to be a university student for the day! Take part in hands on activities, meet new friends and explore Murdoch University’s Perth (South Street) campus.
Seek Out Science
Murdoch University’s newest science outreach imitative encourages students to continue to study science subjects in Years 11 and 12. Students will attend a keynote lecture from a successful science professional, undertake hands-on practical science workshops and learn from our high-achieving Student Ambassadors.
WA Schools Hackathon
From concept to execution, students are challenged to create an IT-oriented solution for a problem they experience in their everyday school life. Participating groups will then be invited to the Hackathon Day at Murdoch’s Perth campus, where they’ll finalise their designs before presenting their tech solution to other participants and the judging panel.
The Santos Science Experience
Year 9 and 10 students experience three days of engaging and interactive workshops and challenges showcasing the vast array of science courses and experiences available at university and beyond.
Veterinary and Anatomy Museum tour
Murdoch University’s Anatomy Museum is core to the training of our Veterinary and Animal Science students as it facilitates learning in the areas of domestic species and wildlife anatomy. Students in Years 7 to 12 can experience a 30-60 minute guided tour as well as have the opportunity to explore the museum complex which includes the Veterinary Anatomy Museum and the Primate museum (maximum of 24-30 students).
Book a workshop
For more information or to book a workshop for your class, email our Outreach team on outreach@murdoch.edu.au.
