Imagining the Future: Free short stories

Get ready to embark on an incredible journey into the world of space exploration with these free short stories which are part of our STEM-fiction program. Set in the vastness of space, these five interlinked stories delve into different sectors of STEM, offering a captivating exploration of themes like robotics, AI, climate change, and resource management. These diverse characters and engaging plotlines will inspire your students to envision their own STEM careers and become the next generation of space explorers. Did we mention they’re available in PDF, audio, and audio-visual formats to suit all learning styles? So, buckle up and prepare for an exhilarating adventure as we blast off together into the thrilling world of space exploration.

These free short stories will fuel curiosity and ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering and maths that reaches beyond the boundaries of our planet.

Far Out!

By Lili Wilkinson

This story explores:

Space
Robotics

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Calculating Apple Pie

By Melissa Keil

This story explores:

Coding
Food fabrication

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Semper

By Rebecca Lim

This story explores:

AI
Mineral exploration

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Proof

By Gary Lonesborough

This story explores:

Waste management
Climate change

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Earthbound

By Alison Evans

This story explores:

Telecommunications
Transport

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Free Activity Matrix


Our Blooms and Gardener’s Activity Matrix brings the five free Imagining the Future short stories to life. Designed for Years 3–6, it links directly to Australian Curriculum: English (v9.0) outcomes—with curriculum codes included—making planning simple. Activities suit a wide range of learners, encouraging deeper thinking and creativity through Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Whether your students are budding inventors, storytellers, or future changemakers, this matrix helps every child connect with the stories in their own way. Perfect for classrooms with diverse abilities, it sparks curiosity and builds skills for tomorrow.