15 December, 2023

Year 7 students showcase innovative plant designs at STEAM Fair

Every year, MIT launches three exciting challenges for Nord Anglia students to take part in. This year, the challenge presented by MIT was to engineer a plant capable of surviving in extreme conditions.

Our Year 7 students eagerly embraced the task, combining their knowledge from Science, Art, and Design Technology classes to tackle this complex problem.

BIS Hanoi STEAM Fair

The students have been taught to use the following design thinking approach:

Empathy - Gain an understanding of the difficult climates that plants face, and understand how plants adapt.
Define the problem - Decide on a location to design their plant for and consider how the plant can adapt to survive.
Ideate - Create many new and exciting ideas for a plant
Prototype - Model the plant
Test - Check how well the design really works and gather feedback and constructive criticism. Then, go back to stage 3 to create more ideas based on the testing and feedback gathered.

It has been great to see students learning to apply design thinking, as well as knowledge from a range of subjects. This is what STEAM is all about!

The STEAM Fair was the culmination of the students' efforts and creativity. Presenting their projects in the library, Year 7 students confidently showcased their imaginative plant designs, accompanied by compelling explanations of their survival strategies in extreme environments.

The judging panel, consisting of Ms. Byron, Head of Year 7, along with Mr. Vaughan, Ms. Miller, and Mr. Taylor, had the challenging task of selecting the standout groups. The fair featured four categories of awards. The first category celebrated the group that demonstrated the most significant learning from their mistakes. The second category recognised the group that exhibited the best understanding of the contextual factors. The third category applauded the most creative plant design, while the fourth category honoured the team spirit displayed throughout the project.

Congratulations resounded through the room as the awarded groups were recognised for their outstanding achievements. However, all Year 7 students deserve applause for their dedication and creativity in tackling the MIT challenge.

Our STEAM programme, in exclusive collaboration with MIT, has provided BIS Hanoi students with a platform to apply design thinking methodologies and integrate knowledge from various subjects to solve complex problems. By fostering innovation and interdisciplinary learning, the programme empowers students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers, preparing them for the challenges of the future.

As the STEAM Fair came to a close, it was evident that the Year 7 students had not only developed their scientific and creative skills but had also embraced the spirit of collaboration and resilience. With their remarkable achievements, they have proven that the future is in capable hands.