STEM Club Term 4 2026: Future Makers - Build a Mini Eco-House

Future Makers - Build a Mini Eco-House 

Calling all budding builders and eco-engineers! This is your last chance to participate in our eco-house program in 2026.

Do you know how solar panels work? What makes wind turbines generate electricity? And how can a pile of clay and straw help to keep houses cool in summer and warm in winter? 

Learn all this and more in our Future Makers: Build a Mini Eco-House program! 

Across five weeks, children will learn how STEM^ is helping to build and power the homes of the (not-too-distant) future: 

🏠 Construct a model house and get hands-on with clay and straw to build an insulated wall 

☀️Use a mini solar panel to power a motor and switch on a light 

⚡Design, build and test a wind turbine and measure the electricity generated 

🗑 Create a piece of furniture using recycled materials

🌳Decorate the eco-house and take it home to keep 

There will be plenty of time for open-ended exploration and creativity each week, so children can work at their own pace with support from the SMART Program’s expert educators. 

^STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and maths 

Ages: 8-12 years (students enrolled in primary school years 3, 4, 5 & 6, including homeschool) 

When: 5 consecutive Wednesday afternoons, with sign-in from 3:45pm: 

• Wednesday 14th October | 4:00pm - 5:15pm 

• Wednesday 21st October | 4:00pm - 5:15pm

• Wednesday 28th October | 4:00pm - 5:15pm 

• Wednesday 4th November | 4:00pm - 5:15pm 

• Wednesday 11th November | 4:00pm - 5:15pm  

Location: University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308. Engineering precinct (exact room location will be provided with confirmation email sent out 1 week prior to the event)

Cost: $150 per student (incl. GST) for the 5 sessions  
(Families enrolling 2 or more children can use discount code FAMILY#25 at checkout to receive a $25 discount) 

Host: The University of Newcastle's SMART Program 

Contact: Please contact the SMART Program with any questions via 0448 846 261 or smart@newcastle.edu.au