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.

Thumbnail image for Far Out! short story. Three people in space suits are floating over a galaxy-like swirl.

Far Out!

By Lili Wilkinson

This story explores:

Space
Robotics

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Two children in their pyjamas are sat on their bedroom floor with their backs to each other. They're both looking upwards at the outline of some leaves floating over their heads.

Calculating Apple Pie

By Melissa Keil

This story explores:

Coding
Food fabrication

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Two figures are sat on a bench on a rocky-like surface with green, orange, red and purple layers. There's a colourful moon in the background.

Semper

By Rebecca Lim

This story explores:

AI
Mineral exploration

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A black background with white specs has 4 worms in each corner. In the middle is a spotty blueish splodge with some black shapes inside.

Proof

By Gary Lonesborough

This story explores:

Waste management
Climate change

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A teenage girl with a backpack stands with one hand on her forehead. A man in a wheelchair is behind her.

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.