SPECTRA Awards

Ignite your students’ curiosity and foster a lifelong love of science with Spectra Awards. Developed by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), Spectra offers a dynamic collection of curriculum-aligned science activity cards tailored for Years 1–10. These full-colour, engaging cards guide students through hands-on experiments, research projects, and observational tasks across a diverse range of topics—from chemistry and biodiversity to aeronautics and First Nations science. Whether you’re aiming to challenge advanced learners, support those needing extra encouragement, or enrich your classroom with interactive content, Spectra provides a flexible and inspiring resource to elevate your science teaching.

What are the Spectra Awards?

SPECTRA, or Science Program Exciting Children Through Research Activities, is a national science award program developed and administered by ASTA for students between years 1 and 10.

Spectra can be used:

as a class activity
to extend capable students
to encourage and inspire students that find science a challenge
in school science clubs
in homeschooling and by community groups (e.g. scouts).

There are two levels in the program: Spectra for students in years 4-10 and Junior Spectra for years 1-4. Each level has a range of science topic cards where students complete activities related to their chosen topic.

The students carry out a range of practical and observational activities, research, experiments and projects. When the required number of activities has been completed to the satisfaction of the teacher/parent, the student is awarded a certificate. The cards are provided in full colour with engaging images. Junior Spectra has Spike the Echidna on nearly every card.

All Spectra cards are available as digital PDFs and need to be purchased and downloaded off this site, or we can issue an invoice to arrange payment if preferred.

Both Spectra and Junior Spectra cards were reviewed to align with the Australian curriculum: Science, updated and redesigned in 2025.

Pricing

Unlimited access to all Junior and Senior cards – $999 (unlimited students per card, 12 months use)
Complete Junior set (20 cards) – $599 (30 students per card*, 12 months use)
Complete Senior set (26 cards) – $599 (30 students per card*, 12 months use)
Individual topic cards – $110 per card (20 students*, 12 months use)

* additional cards at $7 each.