Desk Tidy Update

Most of us have constructed our desk tidy and we are now evaluating our finished product against our plan.  Some students had to change their initial plan because in the construction phase it became too hard to make.

It is very exciting that pencil cases have almost disappeared from our table tops and in their place are the students own desk tidies.  They are all stable - a condition of the brief - but it will interesting to see how robust they are over time.  Already some students who though they had finished have had to do extra glueing, taping and painting!!

This Weeks Current Event

New Craze – The Wheel Thing!!

                                             There is a new-wheeled machine hitting streets around New Zealand.

It's called a GausWheel and it is part-skateboard, part-unicycle. They retail in New Zealand for between $300 and $600.

Designed in Hungary, the hybrids feature a large BMX tyre at the rear for a smoother ride, and a small pivoting wheel at the front to control the direction.

"Probably the thing its most like is downhill skiing or slalom skiing on land," says GausWheel importer Kent Rae.

The top models features a brake system designed for downhill riding that will come in handy in Dunedin, one of the first test markets here for the hybrids.

They are a fresh new challenge for those riding at skate parks and the portable machines are also aimed at central city commuters.

"They are compact, so you can store it beside your desk or take it into a lecture theatre," says Mr Rae.

GausWheels will be subject to the same transport rules as a skateboard, meaning they can legally be ridden here on roads as well as footpaths.

Would you like one of these new inventions? Why/Why not?

Harrison thinks it would be easier than walking and you could talk on your phone.
Hamish said 'YES", because it looks such fun.

What are the positives that will come from this type of invention for people?

Zara says you don't need to put petrol in it.
Logan thinks it is less boring than walking!
Billy says he thinks it would be safer than a skateboard.
Bradley thinks you would learn to balance really well.

What might be some of the negatives?

You might lose your balance and crash easily says William.
Isaac A thinks you might hit someone on the footpath.
If you are on the road, says Noah.  You might get hit by a car.
You could go out of control thinks Hunter.

The Gauswheel has the same road rules as skateboards and scooters.  Who skateboards and scooters?  What might some of the rules be do you think?
Edith says you have to share the footpath and road.  Also, you need to be polite to others when using the footpath.
You have to slow down when people are about, says Lachlan.
The pedestrians come first said Anna.

Why do you think somebody chose to invent this?  Why not just stay with skateboards and scooters?

Isaac G thinks people were getting bored with skateboards and scooters.
Kade says people need more fun than just riding skateboards and scooters.
Ollie thinks they are WAY more portable.

What does this tell you about technology?
That people like to keep changing things.  Mostly for the better says Mary.

What might they invent next?
Olivia thinks a Gauswheel and a rollercoaster combined!
Caleb says wings for people would be great!

Technology - Designing and Making a Desk Tidy

We have a problem in Room 6!  Students are very distracted by the contents of their pencil cases.  Some students house rubber collections in their pencil cases that must rival some sort of world record!!
Mrs Hunter and Mrs Bremner think students spend too much time fiddling and playing with the contents of their pencil cases ........... so what to do about this?   We are working through a technology process to try and solve this problem.

Step One was to identify the problem - this was easy, just talk to Mrs Hunter or Mrs Bremner!!

Step Two was to brainstorm some solutions.  Many of the solutions the students came up with involved a lot of rules or punishments for not being tidy!!  Hamish and Georgia came up with the idea that we could make something that held just a pen, pencil, rubber, sharpener and glue stick.

Step Three was to think about attributes the ideal "desk tidy" would have.  To do this we looked at photos and did some brainstorming.  We decided that the "desk tidy" we would design would have to be able to hold the equipment mentioned in Step Two.  You would have to be able to access the equipment from it easily, it would have to be sturdy, it couldn't be too big and it would have to look attractive.  We decided it would also be made from recyclable/found material.

Step Four was to draw up our plans.

Step Five is below - the construction of our "desk tidy."

"Desk Tidy."
(Next steps will follow in further posts!)

Kiwi Golf

Room 6 enjoyed a Kiwi Golf session with Melanie Harper.  We practiced our grip, stance and swing.  Noah was asked by Melanie to help demonstrate the correct way to hold a golf club - you made a great model Noah.  We found out that it can be quite tricky to hit a very small ball with a long club!!

This Weeks Current Event

The Coaster Dad Project!

Currently in class we are in a process of technology.  Designing and making a desk tidy to help us keep more organized and fiddle less.  Have we kept to the brief?  Will our actual Do It Yourself designs be the same as our sketched plans?

Here is an amazing DIY creation that shows just what you can achieve with the proper planning and know how.  Will Premble’s son, Lyle, after a visit to an amusement park, asked him why they didn’t just build a rollercoaster in their backyard?  In response, Will began building an 180ft rollercoaster in his garden for his son.  The project cost $3,500 and 300 hours of hard work. 

If you will like to find out more you can read Will’s blog at CoasterDad.com, which outlines his project, or go to: http://youtu.be/Se7E6N4-uLE to see the fun! 
Below are our classes responses:

What do you think?  Best DIY Dad ever? Why?
Harrison thinks he is a great Dad because he was willing to give such a big project a go!
Lachlan thought best DIY dad ever because it was in the backyard and for free!

What makes inventing new things such fun?

Lucia says you can do amazing things without spending lots of money.  
Edith thinks you get great satisfaction our of making things and are very proud of your results.

Do you think its important to the world that people are prepared to create new devices or develop unusual ways of doing things? Why?
Yes, says Olivia! It gives children our age great ideas about what they could achieve when they are older.
Noah says yes! Other people can take the ideas and make them HUGE!

What do you think your Dad would say to this request?

William thinks his Dad would probably say no because their backyard is too small.  Bradley says - same. Ollie also thinks the answer would be no.
Georgia thinks her Dad would say yes! Providing she helped with the build.

Having started your own inventions, what do you already know could be a pitfall when designing?

Kade says you may have not thought carefully enough at the planning stage, and you might run out of building materials.
You have to be prepared to change your design as you go, advised Anna. 

If you could design anything for your back yard what would it be?
Isaac G would like a mansion.  
Hunter thinks a mini car that he could get towed anywhere in would be handy.
Billy would have a statue erected in his backyard.
Mary thinks she would quite like a swimming pool of jelly!