Oh how we love a science competition! Check out the results from the first ever Think Science! comp by ANSTO
The Think Science! competition gave Australian students in Year 3 to 10 the chance to develop and show off their awesome science inquiry skills. For this comp, students worked in teams of two to four to perform an investigation at school. In a short video presentation they then explained their process and findings, highlighting their creativity throughout the investigation. Over 40 schools took part with lots of amazing ideas on display. So cool!
Entries were judged against published criteria, addressing the five science inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum.
Congrats to all the Think Science! competition winners (a.k.a. brilliant science communicators in the making!) who scored epic prizes for their schools! Check out the first place entries below, and think about signing up for the 2024 Think Science! competition.
Years 3-4 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Murray Farm Public School | NSW | Does the size of the paper plane affect the velocity of it? | Anika, Catherine, Monica, Raina |
| 2nd | Murray Farm Public School | NSW | Does the type of bread affect mould growth? | Alice, Jennifer, Jingxi |
| 3rd | Muhammadiyah Australia College | VIC | Which liquid would make the plants the healthiest? | Maha, Maryam, Roqia, Samar |
| Highly Commended | Murray Farm Public School | NSW | Does the thickness of a material affect the amount of static it creates? | Caleb, Josiah, Tei Yun |
Years 5-6 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Secret Harbour Primary School | WA | Gnamma Holes | Heath, Scarlett, Tahlia |
| 2nd | Illawarra Christian School | NSW | Will different spices in soil affect how tall grass will grow? | Claire, Keira, Luke, Rhys |
| 3rd | Esperance Primary School | WA | Electric science | Isla, Kyle |
| Highly Commended | Central Coast Grammar School | NSW | The Hot Wheels experiment | Daegan, Jai, Sam |
Years 7-8 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Heatherton Christian College | VIC | The growth of bacteria | Alice, Hannah, Nathan |
| 2nd | Burdekin Catholic High School | QLD | Light colour and shallot growth | Gabriella, Mary-Ella, Isabella |
| 3rd | Lyneham High School | ACT | Crash severity and ramp angle | Jesse, Nomon, Somon, Tyler |
| Highly Commended | Lyneham High School | ACT | Liquid type and evaporation | Lara, Tra |
Years 9-10 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Engadine High School | NSW | The effect of the temperature on the luminosity of glow sticks | Bayden, Emma, Isabelle, Tiana |
| 2nd | Blacktown Girls High School | NSW | The effect of different pH levels on the activity of enzymes (Catalase) | Anushka, Likhita |
| 3rd | Ryan Catholic College | QLD | How does the colour of light affect the growth of Dendrobium Discolour Bromfieldii? | Charli, Cody, Paige, Ross |
| Highly Commended | Engadine High School | NSW | Paper helicopters | Christian, Romy |
Rural or remote area winning entries
In 2023 Think Science! offered prizes for rural and remote area schools. The rural and remote area prizes applied to schools from towns with a population of 5000 or less and more than 50 km from the nearest town with a population of 10,000 or more.
| Year group | School | State/Territory | Investigation title | Team members |
| 3-4 | The Risk Public School | NSW | Do macroinvertebrates affect water quality? | Breanna, Kaliber, Mia, Tonya |
| 7-8 | Coomandook Area School | SA | Magnet investigation | Cody, Dylan, Henry, Max |
| 7-8 | Kintore Street School | NT | Crystal growing, gummy bears, teeth/bones in liquid. | Cale, Donna, Harrison, Joshaun, Kayna, Lethan, Sam |
If you or your school would like to take part in the 2024 Think Science! competition, head on over here and fill out the expression of interest form.
