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Lego Engineering Program

Lego Engineering Program

This term in Digitech the students in years 3 to 6 have been participating in the Lego Engineering program. The students work in groups to build the Lego model whilst learning about the forces that help to make it work. Most models require a motor and some use a special bluetooth motor that can can be controlled using the Wedo program on our Chromebooks.

The 3/4 students have built a variety of models including a crane, railroad barrier and a towing vehicle. The 5/6 students have built a forklift, battle-tank and a caterpillar robot.

We are all learning lots of skills and knowledge about how different machines work in our world as well as having fun with building the different Lego models.

Here are some photos of models that we have built recently.

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3/4 Lego Sessions

3/4 Lego Sessions

Late in term 1 and early term 2 the 3/4 classes have been participating in Lego Engineering sessions as part of our Digitech program.

The program helps to develop the students’ skills and knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whilst building a variety of models. Some of the models that the 3/4 classes will build this semester include a ferris wheel, conveyor belt, blender, car lift and trailer. We even coded a high speed fan using our Chromebooks.

Here are the students in action from some of our recent Lego sessions …..

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Digitech Financial Unit

Digitech Financial Unit

Over the past month the year 5 and 6 students have been developing their skills with using a spreadsheet as part of our financial unit in Digitech. One part of this unit involved us students having to apply for a job by completing a letter of application and personal resume. All students who completed their job application got a job although there were a few students that had to go on a job seeker allowance because they did not finish their application. Once jobs were assigned the students had to calculate how much they would get paid then take away deductions such as tax, superannuation as well as other expenses such as insurance, food and transport. We kept a record of all of this using our spreadsheets which was much easier when we learnt to use the different formulas.

Here is a picture of my spreadsheet calculating the earnings of a computer programmer.

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Year 5 Lego

Year 5 Lego

This term the year 5’s have been doing Lego sessions with Mr Mullavey. The year 5’s had loads of fun building a variety of Lego models including an electric mixer, a helicopter and a chronoscope. We even built a wind power plant that we coded using the Wedo program on our Chromebooks. Lots of groups even got the power plant to work automatically!

Here are some pictures from our Lego sessions this term……

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Year 6 Lego Program

Year 6 Lego Program

Late in term 3 and early in term 4, the grade 6 students have been continuing to develop their STEM skills through participating in the Lego Engineers program. We have built made caterpillars, battle tanks, self flipping cars and a wind power plant. In addition, we have developed our coding skills by using the Wedo program on our Chromebooks to program the models to undertake different processes such as to spin faster, make a relevant sound and change colour.

Overall, our Year 6 students have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Lego program and have learnt a lot of scientific skills and engineering knowledge that will hopefully help us with our learning as we move into secondary school.

Here are some photos of our recent Lego sessions ….

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Year 3 Lego Sessions

Year 3 Lego Sessions

During term 3 the students in the Year 3 classes participated in the Lego Engineering Program as part of our Digitech curriculum at HT. The program helps to develop the students’ skills and knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whilst building a variety of models such as a catapult, racing car, pantograph and carousel. During these lessons we learn about some of the different forces that help these machines work and students work with a partner to follow a series of instructions in order to build the model. We also look for ways to innovate our designs to help them to go faster, safer or work with greater accuracy. In our final session we learnt to use the Wedo program to code our machines to do a series of moves including changing speeds, changing the colour of the LED lights and even changing direction.

Overall, the year 3 students learnt from participating in the Lego Engineering Program which will serve them well in their learning throughout the curriculum. We look forward to continuing this program with these students in years 4 and beyond.

Here are some pictures of our students working during our Lego Engineering lessons.

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Push Race Cars

Push Race Cars

In Science at the moment the Year 1 students are learning about the forces of push and pull. As part of this topic the students built a Lego car model that used an elastic band to power the car a bit like a wind-up toy. Our Year 1 students were lucky enough to build this model with the Year 6 students and then they got to test and race them against other students in the class.

Overall, the students learnt a lot about how you can power a car without needing a motor to get it to work just like the forces of push and pull.

Here are the students in action …..

This is one of our races between the different Lego models that the students built ……

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Prep Digitech Classes

Prep Digitech Classes

This term in Digitech the Prep students have been working hard developing their keyboarding skills using the BBC typing program. The Preps have been learning about using all of their fingers when typing, keeping a straight back by making sure our chair is pushed in and looking at the screen. Here is a few of our Preps in action during our typing sessions in Digitech this term.

In addition, the Preps have been developing their skills with using a mouse whilst using the Pivot animator program. This program involves moving a stick figure around using your mouse. Through creating a series of movement frames the students are able to create a video animation which we all enjoy watching together.  In our latest project the Prep were required to get the stick figure climb across the monkey bars. The students have a lot of fun using this program but also learn that to be successful with using the program you need to take your time and be patient.

Here is a picture of what one our Prep students was able to create …..

Overall, we are very proud with how much the Preps have progressed with their ability to navigate around the computer in the first half of this year and we have lots more exciting plans for our Digitech learning next term.

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3/4 Minecraft Club

3/4 Minecraft Club

This term our Digitech leaders have started up a new Minecraft Club for the students in years 3 & 4. Minecraft Club takes place each Wednesday at lunchtimes in the Tech Lab. The Digitech leaders have been preparing for our Minecraft Club sessions since early last term during our weekly Digitech meetings. So far during our Minecraft lessons we have run a Keyboard shortcuts and mouse controlling session and a maze race session where we practised different command controls. This week we are practising our ability to collect different resources through a group build challenge. Building teamwork is an important skill in Minecraft and one that we didn’t plan for before we began taking these sessions. In the future we are planning to have everyone participate in a Minecraft Athletics event where the students will compete against each other in different Minecraft challenges. All the students appear to be really enjoying the sessions with smiles on their faces and there is great excitement in the Tech Lab every Wednesday. Next term we are planning a Minecraft Club for the students in year 2 and possibly year 1.

Here are a couple of photos of the Minecraft Club in action recently …..

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Year 4 Lego Sessions

Year 4 Lego Sessions

Today our year four classes began with the Lego Engineering program. This program helps to develop the students’ skills and knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whilst building a variety of models. Today we built a Ferris Wheel where we learnt about the importance of creating some rides in an amusement park that can be enjoyed by everyone (rather than just those that enjoy really fast rides). We learnt how to make our models go faster or slower according to the size of the driving and passenger wheels. Overall, it looked like we had a lot of fun whilst learning about how a Ferris Wheel works.

Here are some of our groups with their models …..

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Lego Sessions are up and running

Lego Sessions are up and running

Our Lego Engineering program is up and running for 2022 with lessons taking place for the students in Years 3 to 6.

The program helps to develop the students’ skills and knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whilst building a variety of models such as a carousel, helicopter, industrial mixer and a chronoscope. During these lessons we learn about some of the different forces that help these machines work and students work with a partner to follow a series of instructions in order to build the model. We also look for ways to innovate our designs to help them to go faster, work safer or move with greater accuracy.

These sessions will continue throughout this year with the students in years 5 and 6 participating in the program this term and the students in years 3 and 4 completing a series of lessons next term. This program will continue throughout the remainder of the year hopefully without any of the COVID interruptions we have had in the past two year.

Here are our Year 5 students in action today building their carousel models…..

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Digitech leaders

Digitech leaders

On Monday,  the year 6 Digitech leaders met for the first time to discuss our leadership responsibilities with this role as well as to outline some possible ideas that we will try to undertake as Digitech leaders this year.

Some of these ideas included introducing a new Minecraft Club for beginners, having an advanced Minecraft club later in the year and possibly introducing a coding club. The Digitech leaders will begin to meet each week to prepare some lessons so that later on this term we will be ready to begin a new Minecraft Club. More information about the Minecraft Club and any other Digitech clubs will be shared in the coming weeks once we have confirmed details such as the most suitable days to have our clubs and what age levels will be most suited to the lessons.

In addition, the Digitech leaders will be visiting each class on a weekly basis to help support teachers with any technical issues they may be experiencing in their classroom.

Here are our Digitech leaders for this year and we are excited about leading our school in the area of Digitech.

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Lego Car Challenge

Lego Car Challenge

On Friday 3rd December Holy Trinity gathered around the school to view our Lego car travel around the school. Mrs. Whelan has been working with students from a variety of levels during lunchtimes over the last few weeks to build a cardboard track that could carry our Lego car. The track began in the Mini Space where the 5/6 classrooms are located and passed through the office area into the Great Space. The students gathered around the track in the Great Space cheering the car on as it passed through the 1 Blue classroom and outside to the asphalt area near the basketball court. Finally, the track took one final left hand turn and finished outside the Year 3 classrooms. The journey for the car was smooth even over the stairs until the finish line was in sight where the car took spill.  After a quick repair job the car took the last few metres to the cheers of the school and an impressive time of 3 minutes 17 seconds.

Thank you to Mrs. Whelan for organising this enjoyable activity and to all the wonderful helpers who gave up their time to work on the track over the last few weeks.

Here is the video of Friday’s Lego car challenge…..

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Cyber Safety ‘Mind maps’

Cyber Safety ‘Mind maps’

During the past few Digitech sessions the students in Years 1 to 6 have been learning to use an online mind mapping program called Mindmup. Mind mapping is a visual way of setting out our learning where we put together similar ideas into groups much like we group our ideas into paragraphs or onto the same slide. Students enjoy the ability to use images to represent a phrase as well as to colour code the different topics that they use. Our Digitech mind maps demonstrated our cyber safety understanding that we have developed during remote learning.

I would like to say a massive THANK YOU to our wonderful parents who supported their children in learning to use this new program. I’m sure they learnt some new skills as well during our unit. This program will certainly be regularly used in classrooms in the years to come.

Here is a small representation of some of the impressive mind maps that have been created over the past few weeks.

Year 1/2’s Mind maps

Year 3/4’s Mind maps

 

Year 5/6’s Mind maps

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Digitech ‘Draw Your Favourite Room’

Digitech ‘Draw Your Favourite Room’

Last week in Digitech the students used the Google Drawings application to draw their favourite rooms. They learnt about how to draw using the different shapes available in the program as well how to label and colour these shapes. There was a great variety of rooms drawn including bedrooms, games rooms, living rooms and one student even drew their shed. We noted the importance of not only drawing the different items in the room but labelling these as well.

I was very impressed with the standard of the drawings and I thank all the students (and their parents) for their hard work with completing these drawings.

Here is a small selection of the great pictures that were created of our favourite rooms ……

Prep Drawings

Year 1 Drawings

Year 2 Drawings

Year 3 Drawings

Year 4 Drawings

Year 5 Drawings

Year 6 Drawings

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Minecraft Club

Minecraft Club

This year our Digitech Leaders have been running a Minecraft Club for students in Years 3, 4 and 5. Each Monday the Digitech leaders gather together in the Tech Lab to plan lessons that are engaging for the students and also give the Minecraft Club members some really good skills when navigating through different types of worlds that they will encounter when using Minecraft.  We try not to do too much talking when we are teaching to maximise students enjoyment time. It was really wonderful seeing all of the students having fun. Sometimes we organise different competitions in some of our Minecraft sessions where the winner gets to enjoy some free time with a friend in the tech lab on Monday whilst the Digitech leaders are planning our next session.

Once we return to school the Digitech leaders are planning to run an advanced Minecraft Club for interested students who either have been involved in a school Minecraft club in the past or play Minecraft outside of school. We have some ideas for the upcoming Minecraft Club sessions like Minecraft Club students vs Digitech leaders in a PVP and a parkour session which is like a ninja warrior course but in Minecraft. In addition, to our advanced club we will be also running a new Minecraft club for younger students and beginners.  

Mr. M and the Digitech leaders will be coming around to classes to tell everyone about these sessions. All interested students will have an opportunity to apply for either our advanced or beginner Minecraft sessions once we return to school.

 

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Cyber Safety Show

Cyber Safety Show

Hi everyone,

There is a special ‘live’ cyber safety presentation by Martin McGauran who will be working with our students later on this term. Today’s presentation is aimed at the Prep to Year 2 students but anyone can attend and I’m sure you will be entertained by Marty and his puppet. The presentation begins at 12 pm and will last for approximately 40 minutes. All you need to do to join is click on the link below. Enjoy!!!!

www.informandempower.com.au/ollielive23721

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Google Meet times

Google Meet times

Hi everyone,

Here is the Google Meet timetable for this week.

9:30 – 10 am – Preps

10.00 – 10:30 am – Year 1

10:30 – 11:00 am – Year 2 & 3

11.00 – 11:30 am- Recess

11:30 – 12.00 pm – Year 4

12.00 – 12:30 pm – Year 5

12:30 – 1:00 pm – Year 6

The post below this one provides everyone with  some further instructions on how to access Google Meets via their school Google account.

More information about the student’s home learning can be accessed via Class Dojo (Preps), Google Classroom and their emails.

We welcome any photos of the students during home learning. These can be sent to newsletter@htws.catholic.edu.au (for the school newsletter) and smullavey@htws.catholic.edu.au (for the school blog).

Good luck and we look forward to seeing everyone back at school soon.

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Remote Learning 2021

Remote Learning 2021

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone in our community is keeping well and that we can all be back at school soon.

Whilst we are learning from home here are a few resources that may assist you with getting set up over the next few days.

This document shows you how to access the student’s learning via a variety of devices.

The following videos show you how to use Google Meet (some things have changed since our last remote learning).

Google Meet on a laptop or chromebook …..

Google Meet on a tablet or smart phone ….

Here are a few guidelines that students are reminded to keep during each Google Meet session. It is worth talking with your child/ren about these guidelines to ensure they understand how Google Meets will be conducted.

It is important that all Google Meet users are aware of the following guidelines ……..

  1. All Google Meet sessions should be conducted in an open and suitable area free from distractions (not in your bedroom). *Every meeting should have an adult nearby to help supervise the session.
  2. Keep your microphone on mute unless you have been asked to speak by your teacher (or host of the meeting). Raise your hand to speak like we would do in the classroom.
  3. If your device uses a camera then it must be left on throughout the entire meeting (even if you need to go out to get something).
  4. Only use the comments section of the meeting if you have been directed to do so by your teacher (or host of the meeting).
  5. Remember to wear suitable clothing for learning to your Google Meet (ie. no pyjamas). 
  6. Avoid constantly changing the background of your Google Meet. This can be very distracting for the other members in your meeting.
  7. All Google Meet sessions will be recorded and saved into the teacher’s Google Drives. These recordings may be used for future reference (eg. placed in the Google Classroom for students to refer to support their learning).

* Any user who fails to keep these Google Meet guidelines may be removed from the Google Meet for the remainder of the meeting.

Finally, sometimes technology does not always work the way it is supposed to work. If for some reason you have some ‘technical’ issues I would suggest to direct your focus to any non-technology based tasks until these issues can be resolved. Reading, practising counting skills or times tables facts, preparing for literature group circles or upcoming topic talks are some simple examples of non-technology based tasks that the students could work on during this time. As is skipping, jumping on the trampoline or kicking a ball just as worthwhile for everyone’s wellbeing. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at smullavey@htws.catholic.edu.au and I will try to work through any ‘technical’ issues over the coming days.

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support and we look forward to seeing everyone back in person soon.

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5/6 Students Posting on the School Blog

5/6 Students Posting on the School Blog

Recently in Digitech the Year 5 and 6 students learnt about how to create a post on the school blog. Posting on our school blog is a special responsibility given to the students in senior years of the school. It gives ‘us’ students an opportunity to share with the community about what happens in our school from a ‘kid’s perspective’. Each week students from grades 5 and 6 will post on the school blog about some of the learning and events taking place in our school.

Please keep coming back to our school blog each week to view some of the different posts created by our 5/6 students.

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