School students across Australia showcased their science skills in Think Science! 2024.
A unique competition, which offers a supporting program and free educational resources, Think Science! encourages students in Years 3 to 10 to engage with the scientific method and develop important inquiry and communication skills.
Working in teams of 2 to 4, students had to conduct a first-hand investigation and present their processes and findings in a concise video, 3-4 mins long for primary and 4-5 minutes long for secondary. Entrants were asked to demonstrate the five science inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum.
Over 800 students took up the challenge! They proudly represented 43 schools and 65 classes. Entries were received from all six States, the ACT, and included rural and regional schools which contributed 22% of entries.
Our expert panel of judges, who used published judging criteria to assess entries, were impressed by the skills demonstrated by students and the diversity of topics investigated. Their comments and winning entries are shown below.
We thank all students and participating schools (PDF, 129.77 KB) and acknowledge the many teachers who supported their student’s learning and participation.
Winning schools will receive $300 to $1000 of science educational resources. Winning students receive an ANSTO medal and certificate. First place winners also receive a gift card. More information about the competition and program can be viewed on our website.
For enquiries, please contact our team at thinkscience@ansto.gov.au
Years 3-4 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Secret Harbour Primary School | WA | Craters! | Georgia, Isla, Mark and Jack |
| 2nd | Macarthur Anglican School | NSW | Durability of materials | Evvie and Georgia |
| 3rd | Oxford Falls Grammar School | NSW | Parachute drop | Archibald and Raphael |
| Highly Commended | Macarthur Anglican School | NSW | Absorbency | Ava and Chiara |
| Highly Commended | West Pennant Hills Public School | NSW | Will the amount of salt dissolved in water affect how long it takes to freeze? | Aiden, Oliver and Kanav |
1st place
Craters! Secret Harbour Primary School, WA.
Georgia, Isla, Mark and Jack
What the judges liked about it: A very engaging and beautifully presented video which communicated all parts of the investigation well and showed great teamwork.
2nd place
Durability of Materials. Macarthur Anglican School, NSW.
Evvie and Georgia.
What the judges liked about it: A very creative investigation topic, based on the students’ observations. The video was engaging and presented a great conclusion which could be applied in their school.
3rd place
Parachute drop. Oxford Falls Grammar School, NSW.
Archibald and Raphael
What the judges liked about it: A carefully planned and conducted investigation and it was great to see data for three trials shown.
Years 5-6 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members | |
| 1st | West Pennant Hills Public School | NSW | How does the amount of baking powder affect the way a cupcake rises? | Junning and Karen | |
| 2nd | Wattle Grove Primary School | WA | Does dropping a bouncy ball from various heights influence its bouncing height and bounce efficiency? | Charan and Biren | |
| 3rd | Hussaini Homeschool | NSW | How Coloured Light Affects Plant Growth | Sakinah and Ismaeel | |
| Highly Commended | Hurstville Public School | NSW | Which type of food moulds the fastest? | Joni, Hannah and Sophie | |
| Highly Commended | Secret Harbour Primary School | WA | Does Smiling Boost Your Sport Performance? | Hayden, Dash, Lucas and Heath |
1st place
How does the amount of baking powder affect the way a cupcake rises? West Pennant Hills Public School, NSW.
Junning and Karen
What the judges liked about it: The investigation was carefully planned, a thorough description and comparison of results was provided, and the investigation was evaluated well.
2nd place
Does dropping a bouncy ball from various heights influence its bouncing height and bounce efficiency? Wattle Grove Primary School, WA.
Charan and Biren.
What the judges liked about it: An extensive data set were collected, involving eight drop heights. An excellent results table and graphs were constructed, which answered the question well.
3rd place
How Coloured Light Affects Plant Growth, Hussaini Homeschool, NSW.
Sakinah and Ismaeel
What the judges liked about it: The investigation addressed all science inquiry skills nicely and was clearly presented.
Years 7-10 winning entries
| Place | School | State | Investigation title | Team members |
| 1st | Willoughby Girls High School | NSW | The doppler effect | Audrey, Ariel and Tammy |
| 2nd | Blacktown Girls High School | NSW | The electrolyte experiment | Jessica and Tharini |
| 3rd | Christway College, Kingston | VIC | How can aloe vera be used for a fungicide on potatoes? | Hannah A, Sarah, Teresa and Hannah T. |
| Highly Commended | Christway College, Kingston | VIC | Insulating Heat Experiment | Abigail, Heidi, Selina and Zoie |
| Highly Commended | Engadine High Scool | NSW | Does the angle the stem is cut affect the health of the flower? | Caydence and Eliana |
1st place
The doppler effect, Willoughby Girls High School, NSW.
Audrey, Ariel and Tammy
What the judges liked about it: The video showed the experiment in progress, and there was substantial effort to control all variables. There was a comprehensive element on improvement and limitations of the experiment.
2nd place
The electrolyte experiment, Blacktown Girls High School, NSW.
Jessica and Tharini
What the judges liked about it: The use of a simulated phone call to introduce the investigation was creative and engaging.
3rd place
How can aloe vera be used for a fungicide on potatoes? Christway College, Kingston, VIC.
Hannah A, Sarah, Teresa and Hannah T
What the judges like about it: The unique way the results were obtained – looking at the potatoes but then also mapping out the mould. Measuring qualitative data in a quantitative way was a great idea.
Rural area winning entry
To support learning in rural areas we offered a rural area prize again for Think Science! 2024
| School | State/Territory | Investigation title | Team members |
| Burdekin Catholic High School | QLD | Length of wire vs. Resistance | Alice, Anna and Katrina |