Thinkways

How were the school holidays? Our Young Doctors and Masterclass students spent part of theirs learning in the Edith Cowan University (ECU) science labs.

Across the sessions, they explored the circulatory, digestive, renal, nervous and musculoskeletal systems through theory, practical investigations and real organ dissections. Being in a university setting gave students a small glimpse of what future study can look like, while helping make big ideas feel a little more real.

A huge thank you to ECU Joondalup for hosting us once again. Access to such a professional learning environment adds real value to the experience, and we are always grateful for the opportunity to learn on campus.

What a busy term it's been! Congratulations to all our after school clubs on wrapping up a fantastic term together.

Wondering what to do these holidays? We've still got a few spots left in our Young Doctors Masterclass at ECU this Monday: https://www.thinkways.wa.edu.au/workshops

Or if you're after more inspiration, check out our ideas for things to do around Perth for our curious, high-potential kids: https://www.thinkways.wa.edu.au/school-holiday-activities-perth

School Holiday Activities Perth - For High-Potential Kids Discover extraordinary school holiday activities in Perth for curious, high-potential kids. These activities genuinely stretch young minds.

Sometimes we make teaching sound more complicated than it is. At its heart, it is just this: invite kids into something new, give them time and space to think, explore and test things out, and make it safe to be curious, wrong and brilliant, often all in the same lesson, especially with like minded peers.

In our classrooms, every child shows up as their own person. Our job is to talk with them honestly, encourage every question (especially the “silly” ones), be ok with saying “I don’t know, let’s find out together”, and sometimes trust them with big ideas we usually save for older students.

If a student walks away with one new idea in their mind and a bit more courage to dive into some new challenge at the next opportunity, that’s a good day of learning.

A great afternoon of hands-on science at St Hilda’s.

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What an amazing group of young thinkers we had today! Students explored the real world of structural engineering - learning about compression, span, and tension before putting theory into practice with hands-on group challenges.

One such challenge was the Bridge Build - with just paddle pop sticks and hot glue, they built bridges that were put to the test with real weight. Every single group smashed the minimum 10 kg target, and we hit a Thinkways record of 36+ kg (we ran out of weights)!

The highlight was watching how they collaborated and handled the engineering design process - brainstorming, testing, failing, refining the design, and sharing ideas. It's exactly the kind of thinking that carries students far beyond the walls of any learning environment.

Thank you to Guildford Grammar School for their continued partnership and for creating the space for our high potential learners.

It was a great day yesterday with our Young Doctors group! Working in a university anatomy lab at ECU Joondalup, the students explored three big body systems - digestive, excretory, and musculoskeletal - diving into dissections, building kidney models, and yes... making their own "poo" models! They also dissected a chicken wing to see just how similar it is to our own arm, and rounded out the day with a critical first aid session from nurse Yuliya.

We also took a tour of the beautiful ECU Joondalup campus - giving the students a glimpse into university life.

A huge thank you to Edith Cowan University (ECU) for once again opening their doors and making us feel so welcome - we truly value the partnership.

Looking for something genuinely different to do with your kids these school holidays?

We've put together a guide to 9 things curious, high-potential children can do around Perth - from sitting in on a live courtroom, to walking the stunning heritage grounds of UWA, to chatting with an expert at Perth Observatory, to exploring bridge design on a ride along the Swan River loop by bike.

Free and low-cost family experiences that stretch young minds, spark questions, and create a long lasting memory.

School Holiday Activities Perth - For High-Potential Kids Discover extraordinary school holiday activities in Perth for curious, high-potential kids. These activities genuinely stretch young minds.

We’ve been flat out this term running our after-school programs across Perth, and it never stops impressing us how willing these young students are to tackle unique and challenging topics at a time of day when many would rather be home relaxing. Instead, they’re dissecting, experimenting, collaborating, problem solving and asking incredibly thoughtful questions. We really take our hats off to them. Their curiosity and ability to inspire each other is what makes these sessions such a great environment to be part of.