123D Catch

123D Catch – Ipad app

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level: F-2

Strand: Digital Technologies – Knowledge and understanding

Sub-strand: Digital Systems

Content description: Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose (ACTDIK001).

Elaborations:

  • Playing with and using different digital systems for transferring and capturing data.
  • Exploring and using digital systems for downloading and storing information.

(As per Western Australian Curriculum – SCSA)

 

What is 123D Catch?

The 123D Catch app turns your mobile phone or tablet into a 3D scanner. By taking up to 40 photos of an object, this powerful software can produce a 3D digital model of the item to view it from all angles by rotating it on your screen or recreate a physical model (providing you have a 3D printer handy). It features sophisticated designing tools for remodelling your 3D digital object as well as interactive capabilities for sharing or uploading. 123D Catch is free to download and very user-friendly.

Link to the resource:

 

Cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Information and communication technology

 

Links to other learning areas:

  • Mathematics
  • English
  • The Arts

 

Using this resource in the classroom:

This app allows anyone to digitalise an object into 3D format. And utilising the app’s tools to rotate the 3D digital object on a technology platform screen enhances the ability to visualise and examine the object in greater detail. In a classroom setting, students will find this software helpful in learning about 3D shapes and the relationship between shapes in many everyday objects. Learning can be further extended to geometry and design with the use of this app and its functions. By creating design projects for students with this app, they are challenged to problem solve and find solutions using their critical and creative thinking. It also provides an interactive component as students can share and comment on each other’s 3D images.

123D Catch supports many critical and creative skills that are valuable to children’s learning and development, such as:

  • Strategic use of digital media and technology
  • Reasoning and decision making
  • Designing and creating

 

How to use this resource:

  • Download the app by visiting the website (http://www.123dapp.com/catch).
  • Launch the app and follow the tutorial walk-through that covers all the features and how to use them.
  • Refer to the “Learn how to use 123D Catch” webpage (http://www.123dapp.com/howto/catch) and other helpful videos available on the website.
  • Take 20 to 40 photos of a chosen object (e.g. a teddy bear) from as many different angles as possible.
  • Review all your photos with the option to delete and retake more photos before uploading all the photos to a cloud-based 3D solving service.
  • The cloud software examines all the photos and extrapolates every common point and angle of the object shot then stitches them together to generate a textured 3D digital model.
  • The 3D digital model can simply be viewed and shared or used to produce a physical model using a 3D printer.

 

Requirements:

  • Wifi
  • Phone or tablet

 

Link to a video tutorial for this technology:

 

Link to more tutorials and helpful tips:

  • http://www.123dapp.com/howto/catch

 

NASA Robotics

NASA Robotics – I Want to Hold Your Hand Activity

Year Level: Suitable for years 3 to 5

Purpose: “To construct a robotic-like hand and to demonstrate how data are collected when using robotic technology.”

Overview: This exciting and engaging hands-on activity can be done in the classroom with minimal low-cost materials required. Students critically reflect as they consider uses, benefits and disadvantages to robotics both before and after construction. Links to other learning areas include Mathematics (measurement) Science (forces) and English (journal entries).

Learning Area: Technologies – Design and Technologies
Strand: Knowledge and Understanding
Sub-strand: Technologies and society – Role of people in design and technologies occupations. Ways products, services and environments are designed to meet community needs.
Sub-strand: Materials and technologies specialisations – Suitability and safe practice when using materials, systems and components for a range of purposes.

Learning Areas: Technologies – Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies
Strand: Processes and production skills. Creating solutions by:
Sub-strand: Designing – Develop and communicate design ideas and decisions using annotated drawings and appropriate technical terms.
Sub-strand: Evaluating – Use criteria to evaluate and justify simple design processes and solutions.
Sub-strand: Collaborating and managing – Work independently, or collaboratively when required, to plan, safely create and communicate ideas and information for solutions.

 

A full PDF version of the activity can be found here.

You can show your students how the NASA Robonaut2 uses its robotic hand in this video clip.

 

References:

Learning Area Strands: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/design-and-technologies2

Photo: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/invention_of_the_year

Website link to activity: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/I_Want_to_Hold_Your_Hand.html

 

Blog Post by Stephanie Joshi

Poultry Hub

TEACHERS RESOURCE KIT

TEACHERS RESOURCE KIT


RESOURCE: POULTRY HUB

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year Level: Year3-4

Strand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Sub strand: Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies (ACTDEK012)

Elaborations:

  • exploring tools, equipment and procedures to improve plant and animal production, for example when growing vegetables in the school garden and producing plant and animal environments such as a greenhouse, animal housing, safe bird shelters
  • describing ideal conditions for successful plant and animal production including how climate and soils affect production and availability of foods, for example Aboriginal seasons and food availability

Link to the resource: http://www.poultryhub.org/education/primary-secondary-schools/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy, Intercultural Understanding, Numeracy, Sustainability and Personal and Social Capability

Links to other learning areas: English, Science and Geography 

About the resource:

Poultry Hub is an informational resource package that is designed for both teachers and students in either a primary or secondary setting. The Teachers Resource Kit contains a range of worksheets, presentations, suggested experiments, videos, books and further resources that can be accessed online.

This highly educational resource links directly to a number of year levels and specific sub strands in the Australian Curriculum. The information provided in the resource kit promotes and stimulates individual thinking that allows the each student to develop their own informed opinion regarding a number of topics explored, for example: the types of eggs they would purchase at the supermarket.

How to use this resource/ An activity using this resource:
Explore the theme ‘Journey of the egg: Farm to shop’ that allows the students to discover how eggs are produced, processed and packaged and then placed in supermarkets for customers to purchase. This activity will allow students to learn the steps of each process that contributes to the overall production process. Select from the resource kit the book “The Story of Eggs”, which takes students onto Australian egg farms where they are able to learn more about the process of farming chickens, as well as the equipment and tools used to package eggs. The Egg Resource Kit includes a number of sequential ready-to-use lesson plans, activities and resource sheets.