Hong Kong STEM Challenge #2

Our buddy class in Hong Kong challenged us to a STEM activity. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

We were given 3 challenges and they were:

Challenge #1 - Build a structure with a cube as the base.

Challenge #2 - Build the tallest structure that you can and your base can be any size.

Challenge #3 -  Build a structure with something that balances off the side of it.

Here are the materials we had access to:

We were allowed to choose what we thought would best help us achieve our goal:

6 x long sticks

1 x wooden 100s square

2 x pipe cleaners

2 x straws

1 x 1m ruler

11 x plastic cubes

1 x bunch of popsicle sticks

4 x wooden small flat pieces

                         To read about our student's experiences click on individual student blogs

Challenge #1 - Build a structure with a cube as the base.

Challenge #2 - Build the tallest structure that you can and your base can be any size.

Challenge #3 -  Build a structure with something that balances off the side of it.

In Room 10 we are problem solvers.

To read about our student's experiences click on individual student blogs

Matariki - Student Collaboration!

During their first week back at school we hooked into our prior knowledge about Matariki, and then combined this with some new knowledge by each group reading a different journal about Matariki.  

The students wanted to share their knowledge with their buddy class in Hong Kong.  They decided to use Google Slides after collaborating on a Google Doc to share their understandings during their reading sessions.

Groups of students working on the same Google Slide after collaborating on Google Docs.

Below is a series of slideshows from the students.   You will notice that the slideshows are not perfect, but provide an important snapshot of where their learning is at this moment in time.

During this process, students had to problem solve how to take a screen shot of their art and then embed into a Google slide.  With their teachers help, students were able to make connections to key words that would help them find the answers.  One search was worded:  'Screenshot with Chromebook'

Then we needed to problem solve how we were going to embed the Google Slide into a blog post.  With some detective work, we found you could publish the Google Slide to the web and copy a code that we then embedded into the blog post.  We had to change to HTML format to put in the code so it would work.

We also learnt how to reduce the size of our Google Slides so they would fit on the blog page.  All in all, a whole lot of reading, writing, art, ICT skills were developed this week and we are very proud of our efforts.

As always, we love your positive feedback, so please leave a comment below.

Google Hangout With Our Hong Kong Friends

21st Century skills are being developed in Room 10 with the connection between two classes in very different countries.  Today was our second Google Hangout where we shared some jokes and asked each other questions.

Room 10 is slowly getting to know our new friends at the

Australian International School Hong Kong (AISHK)

www.aishk.edu.hk

Carl Ohlson who used to work at Rangikura School is the teacher of the class we have buddied up with.  It's great to have this opportunity for the students to learn about each other and their cultures.

Students take turns sharing jokes and information with each other.

 We catch up once every week. 

Our next Google Hangout will have us breaking into smaller groups and interviewing each other using our Chromebooks.  We will find out more about the different countries and cultures that make us who we are.

Collaboration and Innovation.....

Collaboration and innovation was the name of the game in Room 10 this week.  Children worked with their peers collaboratively to discuss and then share their ideas with the class on what would be good values for our class to abide by.  

The success criteria revolved around incorporating the principles from the Treaty of Waitangi with the Rangikura STAR values.

Treaty of Waitangi:

• Partnership
• Participation
• Protection

STARS

• Supporting Each Other
• Tell the Truth
• Achieving Our Goals
• Respect (self, others, environment)
• Self Responsibility

As you can see in the picture, the children are really looking deeply into where they can find connections to the principles from the Treaty of Waitangi and the school STAR values.  

Along the way the children are also extending their vocabulary and collaboration skills with others.  We hope to have it finished by the end of next week.  You are most welcome to come and visit us in Room 10 to see what we decided on.  We love having visitors!

Room 10 would love to hear what you think, so please feel free to leave a comment below this posting and we will respond to you.

Thank you.
Room 10