After reading 'Stepping Out' by David Hill the Guardians of the Galaxy wrote from the perspective of Bright Ideas Inventors Fair to the terrible inventor, Flatfoot.
Your inventions have cost us a small fortune! We have had to pay for numerous repairs because your miserable electronic shoes stamped in circles through the hall floor, put holes in the ceiling, broke through the hall door and smashed two chairs and a table. You should be very sorry! You are a terrible inventor not only did your shoes cause a catastrophe but your latest invention, the electronic gloves wrote all over the walls and tied up the laces of everyone’s shoes! You are now banned from any inventors fair held by Bright Ideas New Zealand. We will be sending you a bill for the damage to the hall. We wish to never see or hear from you ever again!
We used a range of persuasive writing techniques to create radio advertisements for our baby carriers. Here are Charlotte and Kristy's finished adverts.
The X-Men evaluated an idea found in the article 'The Steam Powered Car' by Pat Quinn
In the article ‘The Steam Powered Car’ by Pat Quinn, the author proposes that “Now the cost of petrol has risen over the years, and the air is becoming polluted with fumes, a steam powered car could be the car of the future”. We are evaluating this claim as to whether it could be feasible or not.
One perspective is that steam powered cars could make a comeback because you don’t have to pay for petrol. Petrol prices have risen dramatically over the years meaning it is very expensive to fuel a car. Steam power could save you money for more important things in life.
Further support for the return of steam powered cars is that it is friendly to the environment and us. Pollution harms us, animals and the environment. In New Zealand we have a hole in our ozone layer. The ozone layer protects us from the harmful rays from the sun, having steam powered cars would mean there is no pollution coming from cars causing further damage.
Alternatively some may believe that steam powered cars could not make a comeback because you would have to light a match to start the car. Lighting a match is very risky because there is a chance that you could accidently light something around you in the car.
Another objection against the return of steam powered cars is it could take you up to 25 minutes to start your car. This would be inconvenient because you would have to wait a very long time before you could go anywhere, meaning you would be late to work and would not be able to get anywhere quickly in an emergency.
Overall we believe that it is not feasible that steam powered cars will make a comeback. Car manufacturers have begun innovating to produce electric cars that do not produce emissions, driverless cars and even flying cars. We believe these innovations would not be possible if the cars were powered by steam. Modern technology (e.g. electricity, software) is powering these innovations not old fashioned methods such as water boilers, cranks and lighting matches.
The Guardians of the Galaxy compared Monster Trucks and Formula One drivers after reading "Battle of the Monster Trucks" by John Medcalf.
“Vroom, vroom, crash, bang” You may hear these sounds at a certain type of car race - A monster truck race. Monster trucks are enormous, powerful vehicles that smash and crash into cars. Another famous car race is Formula One, these cars are sleek, low and fast. These two cars have many similarities and differences.
Entering the Vehicle
Both the monster truck and Formula One drivers enter their vehicles before the race. However they do it very differently. For instance the monster truck driver has to climb a ladder or use steps to enter because the trucks are tall and quite far off the ground. Whereas the Formula One driver has to step in his vehicle because the cars are very low to the ground.
Powerful Vehicles - Boston and Mizuki
Another similarity between Formula One drivers and monster truck drivers is that they both drive very powerful vehicles. For example monster trucks are 10 times more powerful than normal cars so they can jump over cars and break them and smash them. In contrast a Formula One car is powerful so it can travel speeds of up to 250 miles per hour.
Compete Globally - Rayan and Tariq
Formula One and monster truck drivers both compete against vehicles in different places. Monster trucks compete in North America and New Zealand where as Formula One competes in lots of different places such as China, Japan and Australia.
Compete against other vehicles - Suyash and Jacky
A similarity shared between Formula One drivers and monster truck drivers is they both compete against other vehicles. Monster truck drivers race against one other vehicle because they need space to perform their tricks and because they are so huge. However the Formula One drivers compete against 24 other drivers because it is more exciting to watch fast cars overtaking each other.
Both drivers race on tracks - Sheena
Both the monster truck driver and Formula One driver race on specially designed tracks. Monster truck tracks are muddy, rough, bumpy and dirty so they can crash into cars and do tricks. Instead the Formula One track is long and smooth so cars can get up to high speeds.
Overall most of us would prefer to drive a monster truck because Formula One cars travel so fast that if you have a crash you could get seriously injured, it looks fun to crush and smash cars and if looks very claustrophobic to be squashed inside a Formula One cockpit.
We believe that our comparison is extended abstract because we have several similarities and differences and we looked at the information in a different way by imagining which vehicle we would prefer to drive.
The X-Men used a SOLO Hot Map to compare the Stanley Steamer and the Model T Ford after reading 'The Steam Powered Car' by Pat Quinn.
The Stanley Steamer was a steam powered car invented by twin brothers Francis and Freelan Stanley. This car ceased production in 1924 due to the popularity of Henry Ford’s Model T Ford. Both cars shared some similarities and differences.
Fuel and Exhaust - Angelika and Sativa
The Stanley Steamer and the Model T ford both ran on fuel. However different fuel were used to power the vehicles. For instance: The Model T ford ran on burning petrol whereas the Stanley Steamer ran on steam. Another similarity is that both vehicles produced exhaust fumes. The Stanley Steamer only produced a little exhaust compared to the Model T Ford which produced smelly fumes.
Engine Parts - Liam, Arav and Connor.
The Stanley Steamer had only a few moving parts while the Model T Ford cars had a lot of moving parts which meant they had a greater chance of breaking down, not as convenient to replace parts and more complicated for the driver
Started without a key - Sarah and Siya
Both the Stanley steamer and the Model T ford started without a key. The Model T ford started with a crank that you had turn to start the engine. The Stanley steamer was very different from the Ford because you only needed a match.
Overall we believe the Stanley Steamer was a better vehicle because it produced fewer fumes meaning they would be less pollution in the atmosphere, it had fewer moving parts which reduced the need to replace lots of parts if the car stopped working and you only needed a match to start the car saving time and effort. In the future car manufacturers may take some ideas from the Stanley Steamer such as making their cars produce fewer exhaust fumes, use an alternative to petrol and make them easier to start.
The Avengers used a SOLO Hot Map after reading 'Friction' by K.E. Anderson to show the different causes and effects of friction.
Friction occurs when two or more objects rub together. Friction creates heat, wears away surfaces, and hinders movement. Friction can be useful but it can also cause problems.
One cause of friction is the grooves on our finger tips. Our fingerprints create friction when we pick objects up. This stops things sliding out of our fingers.
Another cause of friction is the tread on tyres. The tread on tyres helps the car grip the road so that the wheels push us forward. Without friction wheels would spin on the spot rather than gripping the ground and pushing the car forward.
However sometimes friction can not be helpful. For example friction can waste energy because you have to push or pull harder to move a load. Friction also makes heat and wears out machinery, such as parts in a car engine.
There are occasions when we try and reduce friction such as when skiing. Skiers wax the bottom of their skis to make them shiny and smooth like the snow. When two smooth surfaces rub together there is less friction meaning the skier can move easily across the snow.
Overall friction can be useful or not depending on the situation. If you are moving a heavy object you would prefer less friction. However if you are wanting to walk up a muddy bank you would like lots of friction created by your shoes to stop you slipping and falling. Inventors need to think about whether they require a lot or a little friction in the different parts of their designs. For example if you were designing a car you would like a lot of friction created by the tyres but a little friction created between the moving engine parts.
We wrote adverts for a new teacher in Room 3! Do you know anyone who could fill this position?
Here is Shreyas' advert
Due to absence we are seeking a new teacher for two weeks at the beginning of Term 3. Room 3 is a classroom with 29 quiet, hard working students who have achieved the impossible. We want an intelligent, high achieving, fun teacher that enjoys using devices and doing experiments. We would prefer a teacher that has a degree in gaming and has respect for students. Experience of teaching is not required.
Applications close May 20th. Please apply and send a C.V to Room 3, Halsey Drive School, Lynfield, Auckland.
Here is Kristy's advert
Due to absence we are seeking a new teacher for Room 3 to teach at the beginning of term 3. We are a Year 5 and 6 class of 29 pupils. The children in Room 3 are very considerate, kind and have very good grades. This position would suit someone who is young and energetic. The successful applicant must be an expert in organising students and having fun. You will also need to be able to leave children alone while working. You must have a positive attitude at all times, and support us even when we are not doing too well.
Applications close at the end of Term 2. Please apply for this job and send in your C.V to Room 3, Halsey Drive, Lynfield, Auckland. Must have a Bachelor in Education.
The Guardian's of the Galaxy read an article called 'Phil's Machines' they then used the information in the text to write an application to work with Phil.
19 School Road
Lynfield
Auckland
Phil Saunders Contracting
57 Kings Road
Ponsonby
Auckland
11th May 2017
Dear Mr Saunders,
We are applying for roles within your contracting company.
We have experience with demolition. We have broken glass plates, wood, vases and cups using our hands. However we believe given the right machines such as a ripper, tree grab, chainsaw, rock breaker, root rake and a bucket we could break rocks, trees, concrete walls and roots.
We also have experience driving machinery. We have driven go-karts, bumper cars, scooters and bicycles. We were able to drift, reverse, change direction, speed and avoid crashes. We could transfer these skills to larger machines such as diggers, bulldozers, motor scrapers and trucks.
We understand that we will need to be able to keep safe whilst working for your company. We have kept safe by wearing a helmet while riding our bikes, wearing seat belts when in moving vehicles, being in a car seat and wearing a high visibility coat during road patrols.
We also have a love for driving machines and smashing things. We believe we would be excellent employees for your company as we can work together well.
We wrote an argument as a class - Do you agree with our opinion?
We should be able to wear any shoes to school.
At Halsey Drive School we are required to wear a uniform however this only applies to the children. We believe it is unfair that the teachers can wear whatever they want to school while we cannot. While we are happy to wear a school shirt, shorts and jumpers we draw the line at our footwear. The rules for children are that we have to wear shoes that are exclusively black or white. In our opinion we believe we should be able to wear any coloured shoes to school.
When our parents are buying our school shoes they face a very limited choice. Research shows that there are more options available for shoes with colours such as blue, pink and green rather than plain black or white. To illustrate this on Rebelsport.co.nz, in the school shoe section, there are 23 pairs of Asics trainers. However only 3 pairs are black and therefore suitable for us to wear at Halsey Drive School. While you may argue that this is not the only brand available, this is the common pattern across other brands such as Nike, Adidas and New Balance. We often purchase these brands because they are better quality and last longer compared to other cheaper brands. The limited options make it difficult and often stressful to find shoes that fit the current school rules.
Approximately half of our class has been told they are not wearing the correct footwear. For example, one time Connor’s shoes had laces with neon yellow tips. The rest of his shoes were black and therefore adhered to the school rules. However he still got told that his shoes were not suitable and he needed to buy new laces. Connor’s mum believed this was unnecessary as she had done her best to buy shoes that fit the school rules. As only a small part was yellow she was understandably frustrated that she had to spend more money and time at the shops to buy new laces. For this reason we strongly believe that we should be able to wear shoes with any colours to save time and money for our parents.
Buying school shoes that fit the current rules can be very expensive. For instance Hannnahs.co.nz has two pairs of nearly identical New Balance shoes, the black pair costing $129.95 and the blue pair costing $69.95. Buying the blue pair would save our parents $60. A saving I’m sure you would agree all parents would welcome. Of course you may think that having coloured shoes would act as a distraction and affect our learning, however there is no proof to indicate that students who wear coloured shoes perform any worse than those that don’t.
As we have demonstrated shoes that fit the current school rules are often more expensive and difficult to find. We would be very grateful for your consideration on the matter of changing the rules around footwear for students. We very much look forward to hearing your opinions.
Here is Nikhil's argument - We should be able to pick our own classes and teachers
We should be able to pick our own classes and teachers
At the end of the year the teachers organise us into which classes we have to go into. In my opinion I believe we should be able to pick our own classes and teachers because we are responsible enough to pick our own class and teacher.
You may believe that we're not responsible enough to choose our own classroom, but we are. We show our responsibility by bringing our own Chromebooks to school and we take responsibility with our own devices. Another example of how responsible we can be is shown in how we do road patrol, dishes and be school councillors.
Since year one I haven’t been with my friends and I haven’t had anyone to talk to. Twenty five people in the classroom say we should pick our own classes and teachers. In my opinion if we get into a class and you don’t like the teacher, for example if a teacher caught you talking they may shout super loud, however if you had a choice you could move to a classroom with a teacher who wouldn’t shout so loud. Also if you didn’t finish your work you will have to stay and do it at lunch time when everyone is gone.
Furthermore if we pick our own classes and teachers we will be happy and excited. For example sometimes being put into a class is like going to a new school and you have no friends and feel lonely. You may think we shouldn’t pick our own classes because it may affect our learning. We can fix this by not talking to our mates all the time. Sometimes we would sit with our friends so we can help each other in our work. It would also be a good idea to pick our own classes and teachers because then you have more company and your friends will support you.
As you can see from the reasons above we should be able to pick our own classes and teachers. I implore you to take our suggestions on board and would be happy to discuss this further with you.
Here is Boston's argument - Halsey Drive should have a cafeteria.
Halsey drive school should have a cafeteria
We believe that Halsey Drive School should have a cafeteria. We used to be able to order sushi and subway. It was tastier and cheaper and saved time. Sandwiches, muffins, and leftover pizza are our only options now. If we had a cafeteria we could be responsible for buying our own food, and have hot food on cold days.
There are lots of school in New Zealand that have cafeterias such as BBI, Glen Eden, St Peters and Lynfield college. While the other schools that have cafeterias are intermediate and colleges that doesn't mean that we can’t have our own. In the future most of us will be going to these schools and it would be good to have a cafeteria now so we can learn the responsibility of carrying our own money and making good food choices.
Everyday I have sandwiches, it’s so boring. Many people in my class feel the same about the contents of their lunchboxes. If we were to have a cafeteria boring lunches would be a thing of the past. We would have options such as muffins, pepperoni pizza and hot chocolate with marshmallows.The cafeteria could also provide healthy options such as protein bars, salad and fresh fruit to ensure we have a nicely balanced diet.
You may think that setting up a cafeteria will cost the school lots of money. However we have lots of suggestions on how to solve this problem. Firstly we could fundraise by having movies, selling ice blocks or having a disco. Another idea is we could have a sponsor from a local business, who could pay to advertise at the cafe for example Mitre 10 or The Warehouse.
As I have demonstrated there are numerous reasons to have a cafeteria such as having exciting lunch options, teaching us responsibility and saving time for our parents. I would be very grateful for your consideration on this matter and look forward to your reply.
Here is Tvisha's argument - Halsey Drive should have a common room?
HDS Should Have A Common Room
Halsey Drive School students should be able to have a place to relax and rest. If the teachers have a staffroom why should the students not have one? In my opinion I believe the students should have a common room. A common room is a room in a school which children use for relaxing and having fun outside teaching hours. A common room has couches which students use to relax, it sometimes has indoor games like ping pong, table tennis, big puzzles and more. Sometimes they also have television sets ( TV ), a library and even an art corner. The common room should only be used by the Year Fives and Sixes. A common room can also be used for a reward room for students when they have done something super.
Lots of schools in New Zealand have common rooms like Knighton Normal School, Diocesan School and The University of Otago. Having a common room will be a great opportunity for the Year Fives and Sixes to show that we are responsible. However you might argue that we might not be responsible but we already show that we can be sensible by the Year Fives doing dishes alone in the staffroom and the Year Sixes doing road patrols.
Exactly 24 out of 28 children in our class have been told off for staying in the class when it was a cold day during break times. In my personal experience I have been eating my lunch outside and shivering when it was not a wet day. It has also been like this when it is a super hot day, children need somewhere to cool down. This problem would be solved if we had a common room.
A common room would take up a lot of money and space but the problem could be solved if the children did fundraising to raise money for the common room. We could also have a second-hand sale. We don’t necessarily need to buy new items we could buy second-hand. People could donate money or furniture to the school to help us.
As I have demonstrated there are numerous reasons why we should have a common room such as having a place to relax, hang out with your friends and have fun. I implore you to take our suggestions on board and I would be happy to discuss this further with you. I will look forward to your response.
Here is Angelika's argument - Do you agree with her opinion?
HDS students should be able to bring phones to school
Here at Halsey Drive teachers can bring phones to school and the students cannot. We are encouraged to buy devices and bring them to school. Being allowed to bring cell phones would be better than buying Chromebooks because most students have a phone. I believe that all students should be allowed to bring phones to school. 23 out of 28 pupils in Room 3 would like to bring phones to Halsey Drive.
Many parents worry about what their kids are doing at school. A phone could help the kids text their parents so the parents know what’s happening. You may argue against bringing phones because you may believe that parents will call during class time which may create distraction, but I have a solution to that. The students can text their parents and tell them their timetable so the parents don’t call them during class.
Only about 15% of pupils in our class have Chromebooks. Most pupils can’t afford a Chromebook because they are too expensive. For example a child in Room 3 can’t afford a Chromebook however she has her own phone. In her opinion it is unfair to be asked to buy a Chromebook when she has a perfectly good device available.
Here in Room 3 we use devices a lot. Some Parents are trying their best to save up money for a Chromebook. Parents have to pay at least $300 or more for a Chromebook but having a phone means parent’s don’t have to spend more money. If pupils use an Iphone they can go on educational apps the same as an Ipad.
As I have demonstrated there are numerous reasons why we should be allowed to bring a phone to school such as playing on educational apps and being able to call our parents if we forgot something. I would be very grateful for your consideration on this matter and look forward to your reply.
During reading 'Are All Inventors Scientists?' on Wonderopolis the Justice League came across the phrases “Necessity is the mother of all invention”, “someone is always trying to build a better mousetrap” and “think outside the box”. After defining these phrases they then created their own phrase that would serve as inspiration to would be inventors.
As part of our inquiry into 'Functions' we analysed the different parts of a pram.
Baby carriers are products designed to keep babies safe and secure when being transported. Their designs have changed dramatically over the years due to new innovations such as including safety harnesses, large rubber wheels and sun canopies. A pram is a type of baby carrier that has many parts that serve different functions. Modern prams feature parts such as rubber wheels, harnesses, canopies and collapsible frames.
Rubber wheels - Charlotte
The wheels are a very useful feature of the pram. Rubber wheels are very important because they can go on several different surfaces. Without rubber on the wheels it would be difficult to transport the pram over different terrains because the steel would not grip onto the ground, making it harder to transport the pram and baby. With rubber wheels the pram can adapt to your speed and location.
Collapsible Frame - Kristy
A collapsible frame is a very important part of a pram. If there wasn’t a collapsible frame on prams, it would be more difficult to place in a car, lift upstairs or store easily in small spaces. Having collapsible frames as a feature on prams makes it easier for parents to transport prams when not holding the baby.
Canopy - Joshua
A canopy is used to protect the baby from the elements. Canopies are a recent addition to baby carriages and allows parents to take the baby out in any weather. Without the canopy Babies may suffer from sunburn or get wet if it’s raining causing them to catch colds.
Safety Harnesses - Shreyas
The safety harness has an important role in the pram. It has to keep the baby safe while traveling, it also stops babies from falling out of the pram and getting injured. Safety harnesses also keep them comfortable when riding in the pram.
Conclusion
While all parts of a pram contribute to the overall purpose of keeping the baby safe and secure while being transported in our opinion the most important part is the safety harness. While the other parts are important and the pram would not function well without them the safety harnesses guarantee the baby does not fall out of the pram and get injured. A baby wouldn’t necessarily get injured or hurt in a pram without a canopy, rubber wheels, or a collapsible frame.
After reading 'Of Elbows and Eels' by Rupert Alchin the Avengers used the information in the text to compare an electric eel and an electric ray.
Electricity is all around us. Electricity powers the lights, Chromebooks, projector and speakers in our classroom. But that’s not all electricity can be found in our bodies too. Electrical nerve impulses carry messages to and from the brain. However we are not the only creatures who have electricity coursing through our bodies there is also the electric eel and the electric ray.
Discharge Electricity - Moksha and Brianna
Both the electric eel and ray can discharge electricity . An electric eel can discharge 600 volts of electricity out of it's tail and an electric ray can discharge 220 volts.
Generate Electricity - Brianna
The electric eel generates electricity in its Mains, Hunters and Sachs organs found in the lower part of its body. The electric ray however generates its electricity in its electric organs found in the front part of its body. The electrics rays electric organs take up approximately one sixth of its body weight.
Shock People - Harrison and Jack
People can be shocked by both fish. Electric eels can zap an adult so badly that it can only takes a few zaps to kill them. Electric rays were used to cure and heal headaches by zapping the patient's head in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Found - Nikhil
The electric eels live in muddy slow moving waterways in South America. Whereas the electric rays live on the seabed.
Conclusion
Overall we would prefer to avoid the electric eel over the electric ray because the eel produces more electricity and its shocks can actually kill you. However in the future scientists may experiment and try to find a way of harnessing the electrical output of the eel to power household items. We may even end up having pet electric eels to power our devices.
We believe our comparison is extended abstract as we have made several comparisons and we have looked at the information in a new way to make a prediction about the future
After reading an article on Wonderopolis asking 'Are all Inventors Scientists?' the Justice League used a SOLO map to describe the qualities of an inventor.
As part of our inquiry into 'Functions' we compared strollers from two different eras the 1920s and 2017.
From a horse drawn baby carriage to a stroller that has an inbuilt phone charger, strollers have evolved dramatically from William Kent’s first design in 1733. We are comparing two strollers from different eras, a 1920’s stroller and a stroller from 2017. Both strollers share some similarities as well as some quite distinct differences.
Wheels
All strollers have wheels including those from the 1920’s to 2017. In the 1920’s strollers had four wire spoked wheels that helped the stroller move from one place to another. 1920’s strollers were more difficult to control as they only went one way, you would have to lift the pram and then turn it around. Nowadays in 2017it is much easier to control the pram and make it turn. It is easier now because prams only have three wheels that are made from rubber and they can swivel.
Handles
Both strollers from 1920 to 2017 have handles to help push. Both of the handles were made out of strong and reliable materials. In the 1920’s handles were made out of steel however with the handles being made out of steel it was harder to grip onto. Over time the handles were upgraded by having cushioned materials that was easy to grip onto and could be adjusted to the right height for the person.
Safety Features
The 1920 and the 2017 strollers both had safety features but they are quite different. In 1920 strollers had large wheels, foot brakes, deep and roomy interior to prevent the baby falling out. The pram was near the ground so if the baby did escape it would not get hurt. In 2017 there are shoulder straps, leg harness’ and a sun canopy. The shoulder straps and leg harness are to prevent the baby from falling. The sun canopy is used to stop sunburn. The 2017 model has many more safety features compared to the 1920’s.
Sturdy Materials
Both the 1920’s stroller and the 2017 one are made of material that doesn’t break easily. In the 1920’s, strollers were made of brass, wood and plastic, while now, in 2017, prams are made of aluminium and steel for the frame, cloth for the roof and seat and rubber and plastic for the handles and wheels. The problem of the materials for the strollers in 1920 was that the materials used were expensive and heavy. The materials that we use now are lightweight and are easier to produce.
Conclusion -
Strollers have changed dramatically since the 1920’s to 2017 because of the new safety requirements. People nowadays are more precautious and insist on more safety features than in the past. Strollers have also changed because now people are more energetic and active, so they want a stroller that is easy to control and turn. In the future strollers may have computers built into monitor the baby’s health, they may have no wheels but instead hover across the surface and even a remote control like a drone.
