STEM Worlds

Yes! These resources are available free of charge to educators and families across Australia, and will always be free. 

Absolutely!

STEM Worlds is completely free and can be used by teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and informal learning groups.

All lessons run in a web browser and can be completed at home or in the classroom using any device with an internet connection. No downloads, student accounts, or logins are required.

No. Only the teacher needs a free account. Students access lessons via a link you share – no accounts, no passwords, no logins.

Any device with a modern web browser and internet connection – laptops, tablets, Chromebooks, iPads. No app downloads or browser plugins required.

Yes. Once you have added a challenge in the Arludo Science Portal, click on any lesson tile and select ‘Preview’ under Lesson Details to preview the full lesson in advance.

After students submit a lesson, click ‘Get Started’ on the lesson tile in your portal and select ‘Download Student Answers’ to download a CSV file of all submitted responses. This is a subscription only feature.

Yes. You are able to register as many classes as you like with a yearly subscription. The free version allows you to register a single class.

The game is designed to act as a hook for learning. It introduces students to authentic STEM contexts and careers, helping them understand why their classroom learning matters and how it connects to the real world. The game is not the lesson itself. It provides a meaningful context that supports explicit teaching, inquiry, discussion, and hands-on learning.

No. The game is not designed to replace science instruction.

Instead, it introduces real-world STEM challenges and careers that help students engage with and apply the science concepts taught through the accompanying lesson sequence. Teachers remain central to the learning process, with the game providing a shared experience that can be referenced throughout the unit.

Each Unit of Work is directly linked to the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 and focuses on one of the four science strands:

• Biological Sciences
• Chemical Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Earth and Space Sciences

The Units of Work also provide opportunities to address Science as a Human Endeavour, General Capabilities, Digital Technologies, and cross-curricular learning outcomes.

Each lesson includes:

• Teacher instructions and implementation guidance
• Presentation slides and classroom resources
• Student worksheets and activity templates
• Career exploration activities
• Hands-on design and problem-solving tasks
• Assessment opportunities and reflection activities
• Curriculum alignment information

The lessons have been developed for students in Years 3 to 6 and include curriculum links, learning activities, and resources appropriate to the targeted year levels.

No. The resources have been designed for educators of all experience levels. Clear teacher instructions, lesson materials, and implementation guidance are provided to support classroom use.

Research suggests that students engage more deeply when learning feels relevant, interactive, and connected to authentic experiences. Digital experiences can provide contexts and perspectives that are difficult to recreate in traditional classroom settings, helping students explore real-world STEM applications and careers while building curiosity and motivation for learning.

Each unit is built around an authentic STEM workplace or challenge. Students explore how scientists, engineers, technologists, and mathematicians use STEM knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems, helping them connect classroom learning to future opportunities.

Each Unit of Work consists of a sequence of lessons that can be delivered as a complete unit or adapted to suit your classroom context. Teachers can choose the implementation approach that best fits their timetable and learning goals.

The game introduces science concepts through authentic challenges, careers, and stories that help students see the relevance of STEM in everyday life. Research suggests that meaningful contexts can increase engagement, confidence, and participation, particularly for students who may not initially see themselves as "science people."

Not exactly.

The game is a curriculum-aligned learning hook that introduces students to authentic STEM contexts and careers. The educational value comes from how the game is integrated into a broader sequence of explicit teaching, inquiry, discussion, and hands-on learning activities. 

Research shows that students learn more effectively when they can see the relevance of what they are learning. Digital game-based experiences can provide authentic contexts that spark curiosity, increase engagement, and help students connect classroom concepts to real-world challenges.

Studies suggest that the greatest educational value of digital technologies comes from giving students experiences they could not otherwise access. When used as a hook within curriculum-aligned teaching, gamified experiences can create the "need to know" that motivates students to engage more deeply with explicit instruction and inquiry.

Key findings from the research

• Students engage more deeply when learning is connected to meaningful real-world contexts.
• Digital experiences can provide perspectives and scenarios that are difficult to replicate in traditional classroom settings.
• Interactive learning environments support curiosity, exploration, and inquiry.
• Game-based learning can enhance motivation and participation when integrated purposefully into classroom teaching.
• Digital experiences can support critical and creative thinking, both of which are important for STEM learning.
• Positive digital STEM experiences can help students develop confidence and a stronger sense of belonging in STEM.
• Real-world contexts help students understand why their learning matters and how it connects to future opportunities.

At the end of the lesson sequence, all students will be able to:

• explain how STEM is used to address real-world challenges.
• identify a range of STEM careers and the work people do in those roles.
• investigate scientific concepts through authentic contexts and inquiry-based activities.
• analyse information and evidence to support problem-solving and decision-making.
• recognise how the knowledge and skills they develop at school connect to future opportunities.

In addition, some students will be able to:

• design and test solutions to real-world STEM challenges.
• communicate and justify their ideas using evidence and scientific reasoning.
• identify STEM pathways that align with their interests, strengths and aspirations.