Straw Scaffold

Straw Scaffold     

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Subject: Design and Technology

Year level: 3/4

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding- Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system.(ACTDEK011).

Strand: Processes and Production Skills- Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and decisions (ACTDEP015).

Children like to build, make and create. From building a tower or a city with lego or blocks, to building towers, this resource is sure to grab the attention of the students in the classroom. Straw scaffold provides the opportunity for the students to think carefully and creatively to produce a strong and stable scaffold, secure enough the hold a beaker of water. This challenging activity is sure to be a hit amongst the students, highlighting the design and technology aspects of their learning with a cross curriculum link to Mathematics.

Link of resource:https://nrich.maths.org/8847

Links to other learning area: Mathematics- STEM design and technology

How to do this as a classroom activity:

Students are presented with a scenario in which they must produce the most efficient way of making a scaffolding

The only materials provided to the students are drinking straws and some sticky tape.

The straw scaffold must be able to hold a beaker of water and must stand alone without support.

The best design will be the scaffold which holds the greatest volume of water with the least amount of straws used. Students will record this.

Natasa Jovanovic

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Mamas codes – Explore. Create. Code

MAMA CODES- Explore. Create. Code

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level- F- 2 (Ages 3-7)

Strand: Processes and Production Skills-  Follow, describe, represent a sequence of steps needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding- Recognise and explore digital systems (ACTDIK001).

Mama codes is a fantastic free online resource for the early childhood learning setting!! The site provides an opportunity for the students to dive into coding that is fun, enjoyable and educational. Through songs, rhymes, stories and history, the students are presented with a digital technology website which can be accessed through a computer, laptop or iPad. Bursting with patterns, computer codes, sequencing and mapping, this resource makes learning fun!

Link to resource: mama.codes/

Links to other learning areas: History, Geography, Literacy, Science,

Maths.

How to use this free resource:

Log onto mama.codes/ 

Click the button dive in!. This will then take the participants to the websites gallery.

Here the teacher or students decide which of the following area to commence coding:

  • Songs
  • Jokes
  • Nature
  • Poems
  • Rhymes
  • Stories
  • Histories
  • Travel

 

 

This caters for range of interests and preferences. The website contains plenty of animations, videos and information for the students to grasp the introductory concept of coding.

Natasa Jovanovic