Week 2: Designing and Prototyping

Early in Term Three, we started our focus on Technology.  We gained an understanding that Technology helps us to save a problem.  As a school, we have a small native bush area that has been developed a bit by students and staff over time.  Our challenge is to design and build something that we think will improve the bush area.

To start out, we identified some problems that we face in the bush area.  Some that we are looking at solving are:

• the amount of rubbish that is left/blown into the bush
• the lack of native birds
• not having habitat for insects e.g. wetas
• finding out if mammalian predators are a problem.

We then had a go at a crazy 8s design activity.  During this activity, we are challenged to come up with eight different ways to solve a problem.  This really challenged our thinking.  We then evaluated these and chose our top three designs.  It was then up to us to choose and explain the best idea to a buddy.

Now we have been creating prototypes for these designs.  A prototype gives us the chance to make a mini version of our creation to test out how it will go. It was pretty clear that some of us needed to make changes.  You can see a few photos of us as we create these prototypes.

Our next step is to reflect on what went well and what we will have to change as we get ready to build these creations.  Please check back to see how we are getting on.