Fire-Ed Up Challenge
Join the educational challenge to explore the world of bushfires through STEM! Delve deep into their impacts, learn how STEM aids in mitigation, and be inspired for a future in bushfire management.
- Understand bushfire consequences.
- Develop STEM skills.
- Discover careers in bushfire management.
- Engage with the community & raise awareness.
- Win prizes for your school.
Be part of this transformative experience!
About the Fire-Ed Up Challenge
Students will have 6-weeks to complete a STEM-based design sprint focused on challenges posed by bushfires and the Australian bushfire management sector. Teams will select from a set of three scenarios and design a solution presented either as a 90-second video pitch or poster.
Scenarios
- New technologies driving bushfire innovations
- Protecting human life & property from bushfires
- Protecting fauna & flora from bushfires
Competition Objectives
- Educate you about the effects of bushfires.
- Provide hands-on STEM activities for real-world understanding.
- Spark your interest in STEM careers in bushfire management and environmental sustainability
Important Dates
- Design Sprint Start: October 9, 2023
- Entries close: November 24th, 2023
- Stage 5 Pitching Competition (On-line):
2:00pm, AEST, December 1, 2023 - Winners announced: December 1, 2023
Webinars
The Fire-Ed Up Design Challenge will be supported by a series of informative webinars, led by experts in the field, designed to provide participants with essential knowledge, insights, and tools to better understand bushfire management and to aid them in their challenge tasks.
- Oct 12: Program Launch, the Science of Fire with Fizzics Education
- Oct 20: Unravel the Bushfire Rating System.
- Oct 26: Dive into technologies for bushfire prevention.
- Nov 2: Discover how to protect fauna and flora from fires.
Age Divisions
Fire-Ed Up Challenge is open to all students from Year 7 to Year 10.
There are three age divisions for judging:
- Stage 3 – Years 5 and 6
- Stage 4 – Years 7 and 8
- Stage 5 – Years 9 and 10
Stage 5 – Pitching Competition – Nov 30
Stage 5 students working on the Fire-Ed Up Challenge will also compete in an online pitching competition that will be judged by leaders in the field.
How to Register for the Fire-Ed Up Challenge
Excited to be part of the Fire-Ed Up Challenge? Here’s how to secure your spot:
- Click on the Registration Link and it will give you access to the introductory Webinar.
- Fill in your details on the registration page.
- After registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email with information about joining the challenge.
- Stay tuned for updates and resources to kickstart your design journey!
Get ready to immerse yourself in a unique experience and be a part of solutions for bushfire challenges!
REGISTER HERE FOR THE COMPETITION & WEBINARS
Prizes – All
- Everyone receives a certificate of participation, (template provided to teachers)
- Certificates will be provided to the division winners.
- Each Division winning team will receive a $200 gift card
Prizes – NSW Schools
- Stage 4 winners will receive a Fire-Ed Up 2024 curriculum pack including class sets of equipment and a Fizzics Education Fire-Ed Up Experience (Total value $2400)
- Stage 5 winners will receive a Fire-Ed Up hardware and software pack (Total Value $1000)
The Fire-Ed Up Challenge Missions
The Fire-Ed Up Challenge missions will be delivered by subject matter experts and will provide relevant information for the team to complete the challenge in a systematic way using the iSTEM Engineering Design Process as a guide.
Run these missions at your own pace. use as little or as much of the Fire-Ed Up resources as needed.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 1 | Introduction
WEBINAR: intro to the weekly challenges
Learn about the Fire-ed Up challenge structure & opportunities for students.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 2 | Define
Define the problem
Describe the problem or need in detail to gain understanding. Think about and discuss initial thoughts.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 3 | Identify
Identify the constraints
Outline the specific boundaries for which the project will be confined.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 4 | Brainstorm
Find possible solutions
Create, develop, and communicate ideas.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 5 | Design
The most promising solutions
Investigate options, refine ideas, create & communicate solutions to solve problems.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 6 | Prototype
Your solution
Produce a model or prototype of the best possible solution.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 7 | Evaluate
Test your solution
Evaluate the solution against the identified problem.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 8 | Iterate
Improve your solution
Refine design solutions, revise, and continually improve.
Fire-Ed Up
Mission 9 | Communicate
Share your solution
Communicate and share design solutions to key stakeholders.