Fire-Ed Up
Mission 1 | Introduction
Welcome to Fire-Ed Up
Are you ready to explore the complex world of bushfires and discover the power of STEM and Digital Technologies in addressing this critical issue? Fire-Ed Up is an innovative educational program, designed to equip you with knowledge, skills, and a passion for bushfire management and environmental sustainability.
Fire-Ed Up is funded by NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer, developed from Central Coast Council’s Award Winning program. Delivered by Hunter Innovation and Science Hub and managed by Sleap Business Consultants.
REGISTER HERE FOR THE COMPETITION & COMPETITIONS
Key Dates for webinars & submission
- Oct 12 at 12pm AEST Webinar; Launch of the Competition & Information Session
- Oct 20 at 12pm AEST Webinar; Bushfire rating systems – how do they work?
- Oct 26 at 2pm AEST Webinar; Technologies driving bushfire prevention innovations
- Nov 2 at 2pm AEST Webinar; Fauna & Flora protection from bushfires
- April 14, 2024 submissions due at 11:59pm AEST
Key Information to Teachers on Delivery
This program has been designed to be delivered flexibly. Therefore teachers can use as much or as little of the materials as they wish. It could be finished in a couple of lessons or over a number of weeks.
2023 Fire-Ed Up Challenge Scenarios
Your students choose one of the following scenarios;
1. New technologies driving bushfire innovations
From drones to satellites, there are many technologies being developed to reduce the impact of bushfires. Explore what is available and think of new ways that technology can be utilised in your community to reduce bushfire impact.
2. Protecting human life & property from bushfires
How can you protect life and property in the face of a bushfire? What is feasible? How can you prevent severe damage or even stop it from occurring in the first place? Learn how government agencies, researchers and innovators are working together to mitigate against disaster.
3. Protecting fauna & flora from bushfires
Bushfires can be devastating to local ecosystems. Discover what is being done to help our habitats in the face of severe bushfires.
Use the Fire-ed Up website to guide your class through a range of supportive resources that generally follow the NSW Department of Education’s iSTEM engineering design process. Challenge your students to design solutions that use resources effectively.
Students have to design a solution to one of the scenarios and pitch their ideas
Due date submission
14/4/24 at 11:59pm AEST
2023 Fire-Ed Up Challenge Launch + Information Session
Are you up to the challenge?
- Oct 12 at 12 pm AEST Webinar; Launch of the Competition & Information Session – REGISTER HERE
During this webinar you will;
- learn about how you can engage your students using the free resources available from the Fire-Ed Up website
- be introduced to the challenge and find out how students can work in teams to solve a range of authentic space-related challenges
- learn more about the unique scenarios that will provide student agency and choice
The Fire-Ed Up Challenge is held over a series of weeks and is designed to be run at your own pace as a STEM sprint. During this time, students are challenged to develop a design solution from one of our exciting scenarios and submit their ideas!
Students are to produce a 90-second video or poster outlining their design solution. You can expand upon the helpful videos, worksheets and resources on the Fire-ed Up website to assist students on their journey into bushfire design.
CSIRO – Creating a bushfire-ready nation
CSIRO works with rural fire agencies and other research agencies so scientists can apply knowledge of ecosystem and bushfire dynamics to real events. (1:21 minutes)
Leave before a bushfire starts
Bushfires can start quickly and threaten lives within minutes. That’s why the safest option is to always leave before a bushfire starts. (0:15 minutes)
About AFAC
Sandra Whight – A/Director National Projects and Innovation at AFAC explains the work done by AFAC in bushfire management (11:01 minutes)
Bushfire management careers
Sandra Whight – A/Director National Projects and Innovation at AFAC describes some of the bushfire management career opportunities (3:48 minutes)
Fire 101
Ben Newsome CF from Fizzics Education runs four science experiments in a controlled & safe environment on the basics of fire (15:27 minutes)
Teaching and Learning Resources
Below are some downloadable resources, custom videos, and websites links that will support teachers to deliver the Mission 1 content.
Suggested Learning Sequence
This is designed to be run at your class’s pace.
Our expert curriculum designers have developed a suggested Mission 1 learning sequence for teachers. The following is for the full set of Fire-Ed resources, however, teachers are encouraged to only use activities that are most suitable for their own class and school setting.
Sub Mission 1: Set The Scene Watch The Science behind Bushfires video to provide the understanding as to why bushfires spread.
Sub Mission 2: iSTEM Process Introduce the iSTEM Engineering Design process. Download the poster and place it around the classroom. Use the iSTEM Process guide to describe different activities.
Sub Mission 3: Select Teams Get students to select teams and roles. Watch this video about the six characteristics of an effective team and get students to complete a skills audit and select their team.
Extension: Get students to complete the Multiple Intelligences (MI) survey. Students to determine their core characteristics as a learner using the guide. Students to select teams based on the results. Teams with the most diverse intelligences are the most likely to be successful. (Most suitable for grades 9 & 10).
Sub Mission 4: Select Your Scenario Now introduce the possible Fire-Ed Up scenarios. Once evaluated, students are to select and justify their mission scenario selection using this worksheet.
Sub Mission 5: Research Scenarios Once the students have chosen their scenario, they can then complete some further research. The Fire-Ed Up team have curated a number of resources shown below to assist.
Sub Mission 6: Create your Bridgade patch Get the team together and create your own brigade patch for the Fire-Ed Up Challenge using this worksheet.
Downloadable Resources
Scenario 1: New technologies driving bushfire innovations
What new technologies are available to prevent or reduce the impact of bushfires? This resource provides the context and brief for students to start their mission.
Scenario 2: Protecting human life & property from bushfires
Bushfires can be devasting and dangerous. This resource provides the context and brief for students to start their mission.
Scenario 3: Protecting fauna & flora from bushfires
Ecological damage can occur when bushfires move through habitats. This resource provides the context and brief for students to start their mission.
iSTEM Engineering Design Process
The iSTEM process developed by the NSW Department of Education is an industry-recognised engineering design process and scaffolds the understanding and application of design thinking.
iSTEM Process Guide
In this document, each stage/cog of the iSTEM process is outlined with key questions to ask students and possible actions your students would need to undertake when completing each stage of the process.
Selecting Your Team
In this document, we discuss what makes a good team and students undertake a skills audit. Teachers may use the Multiple Intelligences survey to help inform the skills audit. Students then select their team and assign roles based on skills.
Multiple Intelligences Survey
This is a survey instrument that you can get students to complete which will help determine your student’s intelligence profile. The purpose is to identify different strengths to help inform team selections.
Multiple Intelligences Guide
The Multiple Intelligence guide is to assist students in determining their core characteristics as a learner. It provides strategies to support learning and suggests technologies that might stimulate their different intelligences.
Which Scenario
In this exercise, students analyse the mission scenarios to determine which mission would be the best for the team to solve. They look at the pro’s and con’s for each scenario using the worksheet provided. Finally, the team will select the mission which best suits the student’s interest and skills.
Team Work – Mission Patch Exercise
Get the team together and create your own brigade patch for the Fire-Ed Up Challenge
Fire-Ed Up Challenge
Next Mission | Define
The Problem
Describe the problem or need in detail to gain understanding. Think about and discuss your initial thoughts.
