Construction, Robots, 3D Design, WOW!

 

Wow, the Exploration Station has been buzzing with learners this week. It's been so good to be back at school learning together. 

We've had our little learners from Room 23 working on becoming computer scientists.  

They've been looking at algorithms and how they can use them to tell a computer what to do.

We worked with a buddy and some of us were computer scientists while our buddy was a computer.  Our computers could only do what we told them to do.

It was quite tricky to get our computers to go the right way.  We had to think carefully about our instructions and how we put them together into an algorithm.

Our Mars Rover team has been hard at work with our Kais Clan robots getting ready to make their submission to the Great New Zealand Mars Mission.  Today we got a bit of help working with our temperature sensor, getting music into our creation and thinking about how we're using our 3D models.  Our Mars Rover team has created their own 3D models in Tinker Cad to add to our Mars Mission.

Our EPro8 competition teams have been working on using our EPro8 kit and making sure they're ready for their competition.   They've also started planning their super-secret competition submissions but I can't tell you about those yet...

Term 3 Week 6 Wednesday

 Good Morning Explorers!

Whoops Mrs Lee forgot to press publish on yesterday's post so you're getting two morning messages today.  I hope you're looking after you and your bubble!

EPro8 Teams it's been great to see your measurement and tutorial challenges coming through.

Mrs Lee will be inviting some of you to join the live EPro8 competition launch on Friday morning so lookout for an email about that.

Mars Rover Team lookout for some more details about our competition in your inbox (email) soon.

Term 3 Week 6 Tuesday

Hi Explorers 

I hope you and your bubble are having a great Tuesday. 

Here's a message from Mrs Lee

It would be great to see some more creations shared on our Maze Flipgrid.

Have you tried the maze challenges yet?  Check out the instructions on the learning at home tab.  

Here is Indigo's maze, can you make one? 

You can have a go at Indigo's maze here

Kauri Whanau check out the create a maze challenge to get instructions on how to make your own

Term 3 Week 6 Monday

Ata mārie Explorers! 

I hope you're having a great start to your week.

Here's a short message from Mrs Lee

and an announcement... 

The 2020 Supreme Rulers are (play the video to find out)

Term 3 Week 5 Friday!

 Good Morning Explorers!

I hope that you're having a fabulous Friday!  Make sure you look after you and your bubble over the weekend.  Here's a message from Mrs Lee...

Don't forget to check out some of the Exploration Station challenges on the Learning at home tab.

I'll be announcing our Supreme Rulers from our EPro8 teams later today.

T3W5 Thursday

 Welcome Explorers!

I hope you're keeping warm and dry today.  

Here's a message from Mrs Lee

Thank you, learners, for sharing what you've been learning with me.  Here are some of the items I've seen so far.

Our EPro8 Teams have been practising for their competition later this term.  They've been measuring all sorts of things and they've just started learning about our very cool EPro8 kit. I won't show their answers here as they're working on getting points for their teams to become the Supreme Rulers... well done to those teams that have already finished the challenge, you're amazing!  There is still time for our other teams to complete the challenge.  Mrs Lee will be awarding the Supreme Ruler certificate on Friday afternoon.

This is the measurement challenge the teams are working on.

Mrs Lee set some maze challenges this week.  

A few of our learners have posted the mazes they've solved and created to our Flipgrid.  They've created some very precise algorithms to get through their mazes. 

You can check out their Flipgrid videos by clicking here

If you have a Sunnyhills account you can make a video comment on their videos. 

If you don't have a Sunnyhills account please comment about the videos on this blog instead.

T3W5 Wednesday

Kia ora Explorers 

Welcome to Wednesday

I hope you're looking after you and your bubble.

Here's a message from Mrs Lee...

T3W5 Tuesday

Ata Mārie Explorers!

I hope you're having a great morning so far.  I think Mrs Lee finally got most of the technical bugs worked out yesterday.  That means the Exploration Station challenges are now up on the Learning at Home tab on this blog yepee!

Here's a message from Mrs Lee:

Do check out the SHINE Online post I made earlier this morning too.  It's super important we make sure we're being respectful and kind online.

Have a great day!

How are you going to SHINE Online?

 Let's make sure we can all SHINE Online... 

Did you know that being online (on the Internet) is very similar to being offline (not using the Internet)?

The way we talk to people what and how we show them things should be the same as if we were standing right next to them.

Here's a little reminder about how we should use our Sunnyhills Google Suite accounts.

Now is a good time for everyone to think about how they are treating other people online.  Even if we aren't using a Sunnyhills Google Suite account we should be treating others with respect and kindness - always.

SHINE Online

Remember to check out our SHINE Online site for information on how to stay safe and healthy online

Can you think of some great ways show kindness and respect when you are online?  What could you put in a blog comment? Email? Video?  Chat message?  How could you act in a Google Meet?

Term 3 Week 5 - Monday

 Hi Explorers!

I hope you're having a great day.

Have you checked your class blog yet?  

Remember to check your blog regularly.  

All our class blogs have a Learning at Home tab that has all of your learning at home slide decks in it.

Mrs Lee is sorting out a few technical issues today so the Exploration Station challenges will be up later today. 

Term 3 Week 4 Friday

 Hi Explorers!

Welcome to Friday!  The end of the school week.  Here's a short message from Mrs Lee this morning... 

I hope you have a great weekend.

Mars Rover Team & EPro8 team keep an eye on your emails hopefully Mrs Lee can sort out a few technical glitches today and get your challenges out to you.

Term 3 Week 4 - Thursday

 Welcome Explorers!

What a beautiful day we're having in Auckland this morning.  

Here's a short message from Mrs Lee this morning...

EPro8 team watch your email I'll send you a link to join our special Google Classroom soon.

Mars Rover Team I'll be setting up our Kais Clan robots later today so you can jump into the app and continue coding. 

Details are on the TeXpert classroom.

Remember to visit your classroom blog and check out the Maths Week challenges on the Maths week site and the extra challenges on Mrs Maddens Maths blog too.

Check out Ms Madden's Maths blog here 

Check out the maths week site here 

Term 3 Week 4 - Wednesday

 Welcome Explorers!

I hope that you're looking after you and your family today.  

Here's a short message from Mrs Lee. 

Remember to spring into maths week

Check out Ms Madden's Maths blog here 

Check out the maths week site here 

Check out the learning at home challenges that are still live for you to complete if you chose to.

Design Thinking - Lets Prototype

The Exploration Station is a hive of activity last week with our year 6 learners creating their prototypes to solve our problem:

How might we make the mBot, Edison and Makey Makey Tinker Time kits easier for Sunnyhills learners to use so that they can make amazing things?

The learners have worked through some design thinking concepts to give them an idea of how design thinking works.  The process was applied to our Sunnyhills Learning pathway.  

The templates we used were adapted from those used by Ormiston Primary School and Mr Michael Davidson in their Genius time process.

Term 2 Week 7 - Digital Books!

Hi Explorers!

It has been so fantastic to see everyone this week.  We have had a great time in the Exploration Station creating digital books.  

Our Year 1 learners in Room 8 and Room 10  have been thinking about how to take a great photo.  
We learnt how to use our duck arms, breathe in and look at the screen before taking a photo.

We thought about why it was important to get close to things we were taking a photo of rather than using the zoom on our cameras.  We decided if we could get close it makes a photo less blurry.


We went on a photo scavenger hunt and found: 

We then used a new tool called Book Creator to make a digital book about our photos.  This is the first time we've used Book Creator so we're still learning about all of its features and how to use them.  

When we're learning a new tool it can be tough to start with and we need lots of practice to get good at using it.  We did really well learning about this tool and we'll get even better at it as we use it more. 

 Here are a few of our first book creations, click on the link to each book to read it online.

Term 2 Week 5 - Friday

Good Morning Explorers!

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee... 

Remember all the Exploration Station Challenges are on the Learning at home tab. 

Term 2 Week 5 - Wednesday

Good Morning Explorers!

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee...

Check out the rainstick video and

tutorial on the Exploratorium Site

Rainsticks - Picture from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/rattle-rainmaker-rain-bar-11487/

There are many different sound experiments on the site, 

check them out by clicking here

T2W5 Share and Shine - Tuesday

It's Sharing Time

Remember to keep sharing your learning on our Flipgrid - The instructions are in your Google Classroom Assignments.  If you get stuck you can always let Mrs Lee know via email or fill in this form and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Measuring Sound

Beau shared some music he made on Chrome Music Lab.  Click here to check it out.

Beau's Music Lab Creation

Mrs Lee played Beau's creation while she was running Sound Meter and measured the sound.  What is happening to the measurement in Sound Meter (on the right)?  Why do you think some sounds are higher or lower on the sound meter graph?

Keen to give some of the Exploration Station Challenges a try?  Check them out on the Learning at Home tab.

Term 2 Week 5 - Monday

Good Morning Explorers!

I hope you and your bubble had a great weekend.  Here's a video update from Mrs Lee.. 

Remember all the Exploration Station Challenges are on the Learning at Home tab 

Term 2 Week 4 - Friday - Sharing Time

It's Sharing Time

Another wonderful learning at home day.  Here are some of the creations that have been shared over the past few days.  Remember you can continue to do any of the Exploration Station Challenges I have posted over the last few weeks.  They are all in the learning at home tab.

Darkside Defeat

We've had some awesome origami creations from Nathan and Jessica.  
Remember to fill out the Darkside defeat form so you can get your special certificate.  

Check out their creations and leave them a  positive, thoughtful, helpful video comment!

Coding Challenges
There are some great coding challenges on the Learning at Home tab make sure you check them out.  Cimone and Nathan have shared the challenge they have created on our Flipgrid. 

Check out their creations and leave them a positive, thoughtful, helpful video comment!

Fake News Detectors

Our Fake New Detectors challenge is still going, we've added a few more to our leaderboard today, here's who has become a Fake News Detector already...

Term 2 Week 4 - Friday

Hi Explorers!

Welcome to Friday! 

I hope that you and your bubble are enjoying the end of the week. 

Remember to look after Mum for Mothers day tomorrow.

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

Share and Shine - Thursday Week 4

It's Sharing Time

Another awesome day of learning.  Check out the Star Destroyer Nathan made as part of our Darkside Defeat challenge.  

He's earned some points for Tui house.

Fake News Detectors
We've also added some more Fake News Detectors Check out our current Detectives:

Remember you can still complete any of the Exploration Station Challenges.  Check out the details for our challenges on the Learning at Home tab.

Term 2 Week 4 Thursday

Hi Explorers

Welcome to Thursday week 4.  Here's a video update from Mrs Lee:

Let's have some fun with coding challenges.  Check out the new challenges that have been added to your Exploration Station Learning at Home Slide decks.  You'll find them on the Learning at home tab.  

Term 2 Week 4 - Tuesday

Hi Explorers!

Welcome to another day of distance learning at home.  I hope you enjoyed all the Star Wars challenges yesterday.  Remember you can still do any of the previous challenges including yesterdays challenge, they are optional and can be completed whenever you like. 

Here is a video update from Mrs Lee

Isn't it great that we can be computer scientists and create code to make computers and other technology do what we need them to do?  Creating your own code with many different algorithms can be lots of fun.  

Many of you have already started coding on your own.  Scratch junior and scratch are great places to have a go at coding.  Later in the week, Mrs Lee will add a few coding challenges for you. 

Scratch Junior
Can be used on phones, tablets and some Chromebooks.  Check out this video from STEM Kid that gives you some basic ideas about how to use Scratch Junior.

Scratch 
Browser-based works on most computers/laptops/Chromebooks.  The Scratch team released this video that gives an idea of what scratch can do:

Share and Shine - Monday Week 4

It's Sharing Time

What a great day of learning you've had Sunnyhills.  I'm working my way through all your class blogs and there is some fantastic learning happening wow!

We've got a new star wars challenge this week, don't forget to share what you have created for May the Fourth.  Check out the Learning at Home tab for instructions on how to share your work.

Fake News Detectors

Our Fake New Detectors challenge is still going, we've added a few more to our leaderboard today, here's who has become a Fake News Detector already...

Game Makers

Have you checked out our games yet?  If you haven't do go and visit the MakerEdNZ Flipgrid here.  I see that Charli has added a game today, it looks awesome. I hope you enjoyed making it Charli.

Remember you can still do the marble run challenge from week 1-2 if you would like to.  The links are on the learning at home tab.

Term 2 Week 4 Monday - May the Fourth Be With You!

It's Star Wars Day! 

Welcome Explorers!

I hope you and your bubble had a restful weekend.  Welcome to Monday week 4!  Today many people around the world celebrate May 4th as Star Wars day.  Here's a special video update from a galaxy far far away... 

Are you ready to create something to help us to defeat the Darkside?  

Check out the learning at home tab for Google Classroom assignment links if you're in year 3-6 or videos and links to the Flipgrid if you're in year 1-2.  Let's defeat the Darkside!

Remember to fill in the form to let me know you've added your creations to the Flipgrid so I can send you your special May the Fourth certificate and add your house points.

Here's the blueprint video for making more X-Wing fighters.  

• Millennium Falcon, Yoda and a few dark side characters can be found here
• Check out this site for a template and instructions for making BB8
• If you're in need of an extra amazing challenge check out this tutorial on making 3D pieces and then have a go at making this epic 3D paper light saber.

Don't forget to share your creations on our May the Fourth Flipgrid here for year 3-6 learners and here for year 1-2 learners

Share and Shine

It's Sharing Time

We have some very busy Explorers online.  Our Exploration Station challenges are optional and you're welcome to do them with others in your bubble if you want to work together.  

Fake News Detectors

We have two challenges going this week.  One is all about detecting fake news.  If you have completed this challenge and you've managed to get 5 out of 6 answers correct you will be awarded with your very special Fake News Detector Certificate.  Here are the learners that have already earned their certificates:

Game Makers

The other challenge we have happening this week is our Game Maker challenge.  There have already been a few games posted on the MakerEdNZ Flipgrid page.  Well done Kayva, Jessica & Jaxon who have all posted videos about the games they created. 

You can check out their videos on the Flipgrid here - You'll need to sign in with your Sunnyhills account to do that.  You can leave a positive, thoughtful and helpful comment on their videos if you would like to.

Remember you can still do the marble run challenge from last week too if you would like to.  The links are on the learning at home tab.

Share and Shine

Share and Shine

Wow!  Sunnyhills Explorers, you are awesome!  You've really been Sharing and Shining over the last few weeks.  There are so many posts about the learning you've been sharing with your teachers on your class blogs, Exploration Station, Music, Enviro, and Te Reo blogs.

I thought I'd post some help files for sharing your Exploration Station challenges here too.  Just in case you need a hand to share your challenges.

Year 3,4, 5 and 6 learners 
If you're keen to share the Exploration Station Maker challenges you've done, you can share them on the MakerED NZ Flipgrid.  The instructions are in your challenge slide decks.  You'll find your slide decks on the learning at home tab on this blog.  

Once you've shared on the Flipgrid make sure you click 'mark as done' in Google classroom so I know to go and check out your fantastic video.   

Here's a video that explains how to find and use the 'mark as done' button.

Year 1 and 2 learners

If you've completed one of the Exploration Station challenges you can email Mrs Lee your photos or you can ask a trusted adult to upload your video to Google Drive and share it with Mrs Lee's email address.  

Click here to find out how to upload a file from your phone/tablet/computer to Google Drive 

Click here to find out how to share a file on Google Drive

Blog Comments
Have you checked out all the blogs yet?  Remember you can comment on your own class blog and other class blogs as well as this blog and our music, maths, Te Reo and enviro specialist blogs.  

Here's a reminder of how to comment on a blog

Term 2 Week 3 Friday

Good Morning Explorers!

 Welcome to Friday, the end of term 2 week 3.  I hope you've been looking after you and your bubble this week.  

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

I thought I'd set you another challenge today.  It's all about figuring out what's real and not real or true and false when you're online.  Do you think you can become a Fake News Detector? 

Check out the challenge I've added to the slide decks on the Learning at home tab and see if you can get your Fake News Detector certificate.  ... There might be a few house points in there too.

Term 2 Week 3 Wednesday

Good Morning Explorers!

Welcome to Wednesday!

I hope you and your bubble are looking after each other.

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

The new Exploration Station challenge is now live on the learning at home tab. 

The TeXpert challenge has stayed the same - see if you can create another help video this week.

Term 2 Week 2 Friday

Tēnā koutou i tēnei ataExplorers

How did your Thursday go? 

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

ANZAC Day

Did you know that tomorrow is ANZAC day?  

It's a day here in New Zealand where we take time to remember those that have served our country.  Our bubble will be listening to the dawn service at the bottom of our driveway.  If you'd like to hear the dawn service you can find out about it here.

In 2015 we commemorated the 100th year since the ANZACs  (Australian and New Zealand Soldiers) landed in Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Since then New Zealand and Australia have fought side by side in other wars too.  Here's a timelapse of the dawn service held at the Auckland war memorial museum in 2015.   The music playing in the video is called the last post.

Learning at Home

Wow, there are some awesome marble rolls that have been recorded on the MakerEDNZ Flipgrid!

Well done Kayva your marble roll was very inventive!

If you're a year 3-6 learner you can check out the Flipgrid here, you'll need to sign in with your Sunnyhills account.  Remember you can also comment on the marble runs other people have made, make sure your comments are kind and thoughtful.   

Anyone can participate in the challenge the instructions for year 3-6 learners are in the links to their Exploration Station classrooms on the learning at home tab on this blog.  

Year 1-2 learners I have added the instruction video to the learning at home tab on this blog and you can email your creations to Mrs Lee if you would like me to add them to this blog or to the Flipgrid.  

Term 2 Week 2 Thursday

Kia Ora Explorers!

I hope you got a chance to enjoy the beautiful sunshine we had yesterday!

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

SHINE Online

For those of you that are learning at home and using your device online remember to SHINE online.  We've looked at the I and S parts of SHINE online so far this week.  Let's refresh your memories about the H part.  H in SHINE Online stands for Helpful and Smart.  Helpful and Smart is thinking about how we might use resources other people have created when we're online.  

There are so many amazingly talented people around the world that share their creations online.  It is important that we give them credit when we use their creations as part of our own creations.  Some artists even allow us to use their work without giving them credit.  This is called copyright-free work.

Pixabay and Photos for class are great websites for copyright-free photos, cartoons and other images.  There are other useful copyright free sites listed on the resources page on the Exploration Station site. 

Learning at Home

Remember there are Exploration Station challenges on the Learning at home tab on this blog.  Watch out for some new challenges coming next week.

Term 2 Week 2 Wednesday

Ata mārie Explorers!

Hopefully, this reaches you just before the morning is finished.  I hope you and your bubble had a wonderful Tuesday. 

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

SHINE Online

It's great to see so many of you following our SHINE Online guidelines.  Remember our SHINE Online site is always available if you want to check it out.

The S part of SHINE Online is super important it's all about being Safe and Strong when you're online.

Are you being Safe and Strong?

Learning at Home

If you are looking for some Exploration Station learning remember you can click the Learning at Home tab at the top of this blog and find a few challenges to do.  These are optional, they are just there for you to try if you'd like to.

Blog Comments

Have you made a comment on the Exploration Station Blog? Have you made comments on your class blog?  This video explains how to do that if you're not sure.

Term 2 Week 2 Tuesday

Hi Explorers!

This update is quite late today but it got there in the end.  I hope you had a great Monday with your bubble.

Here's a video update from Mrs Lee

SHINE Online

It's really important we are using our SHINE Online at all times when we're working online. Have you used your SHINE Online today?

Remember you can always take another look at our SHINE Online learning.  Our SHINE Online site is here. 

Last term the classes that visited the Exploration Station started looking at the I part of SHINE Online.  This part of SHINE Online is all about searching and finding information, making sure we check with a trusted adult before using new online resources and getting the help of a trusted adult to figure out if online information is real/true or fake/not true. 

Changes to Blog Posts

You'll notice today that the class and specialist blogs are now only showing two posts at a time.  This is to help with the time it is taking for some of our videos to load.  You can still see all the posts.  This video explains how to do that: