3/2S and 3C Face a Dreadful Storm

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

3/2S and 3C built and programmed a boat that was tossed about in a storm. The children wrote ‘Captain’s Logs’ detailing what was happening to the boat. Many students designed their own vessels and here are some pictures and videos of ‘Bucking Bulls’, ‘Rubber Ducks’, ‘Sea monsters’ and ships moving through the great storm front.

Here are some of the Captain’s Logs.

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

Year 4L and 4/3N pack up lego the fun way.

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

Housekeeping is a necessary chore for us all and certainly this is the case in the lego robotics classroom. 4L and 4/3 showed great initiative and innovation when I asked them to stack all the like pieces of lego together and they created the Lego city. Lots of children wanted their photo with the lego so here they are…..

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

GEPS First Lego League Stage 3 Soccer challenge

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

One of the missions in the 2014 First Lego League is to score a goal in the soccer nets.

Some students in Years 5 and 6 embraced this challenge and here are some of the successful robots with their clever designers and programmers.

This robot scored 8 out of 10 times..it had a terrific batting arm and well placed ball stand.

Another team had a throwing arm that worked very well.

100 accuracy and precision for these two girls…..impressive ladies.

Escaping from the Giant

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

3/2S and 3C designed and made a robotic giant that rose up and roared when he was woken up. The children wrote a script and acted out small plays telling the story of the giant and how Max and Mia escaped.

Here is a fabulous script by Teisha and Helena from 3/2S

The Great Escape

Narrator = The forest had birds flying by, until a big thrashing stomping noise shook the forest floor.

Mia = How fun would it be to make a tent to sleep in for the night Max?

Max = That would be lots of fun. Let’s make it now.

Narrator = So while Mia and Max were making their tent for the night, they heard another rumbling sound that kept shaking the forest floor.

Max = I brought some spare pants, hats and shirts if you need them.

Mia = That is great Max, but if we need to brush our teeth or brush our hair, what are we going to use?

Max = Sorry, I forgot that I actually brought two tooth brushes and two toothpastes, but I forgot the hairbrush, so you will have to keep your hairdo the same.

Mia = Few!

Narrator = Now Mia and Max have unpacked their clothes and toiletries but then again they heard the rumbling noise that keeps shaking the forest floor.

Max = What is that rumbling noise that keeps shaking the forest floor, because it’s not my stomach?!

Mia = Well it’s not my stomach either!

Max = Well then, let’s just keep building the tent.

Narrator = Then a few minutes later Mia decided to go on a walk to the lake to see the duckling before it was too late, but something terrible happened.

Mia = Let’s go on a walk to the lake Max!

Max = Yeah but…

Mia = Come on, let’s go now, I’ll meet you there!!

Narrator = Now Mia and Max were racing each other, down the yellow path, Mia tripped over a large red stick.

Mia = OUCH!! That really hurts.

Max = Shall I help you up with that?

Mia = OH, yes please!

Narrator = So while Max was helping Mia to get up, they heard the same rumbling noise that kept shaking the forest floor but even LOUDER!!!

Max + Mia = AH!! WHAT WAS THAT?!!

Narrator = Mia and Max were so scared from the big red stick that rose up and stood up and it turned out to be a big lazy giant.

Giant = WHO SAID THAT?!!

Max = Let’s run back to the tent before it’s too late.

Giant = HA I CAUGHT YOU!!

Max = HELP MIA HE’LL EAT ME SOON!!!

Mia = I’ll save you!!

Narrator = So Mia ran back to the tent and grabbed an empty bucket and rushed to the pond to get some water then Mia started running down the path to the giant.

Mia = Hey you giant do you like water?

Giant = NO I Don’t.

Mia = Well unfortunately I got some here.

SPLASH!!!!

Mia = Max quickly get out of his sweaty hands, otherwise you’ll need a bath.

Max = OK

Narrator = Max got out of the giant’s hand so they both ran back to the tent and never saw the giant again. Of cause Max jumped into the pond and had a wash!!

Great job girls and thanks Helena for typing this out so we can share it with many others on the blog.

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

4L and 4/3N save Rapunzel

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

4L and 4/3N have been very busy saving Rapunzel from her tower.

About 6 weeks ago a paper plane came flying mysteriously into our room. This is what it said.

Hello I am your friend Rapunzel. Do you remember me? I am the girl with long flowing golden hair who you rescued from the tower at the beginning of this term. I have some devastating news. After you kindly saved me I did not live happily ever after…alas the witch caught me again and put me back into the tower. Now she watches me even more closely! Recently she planted poisonous bushes at the base of the tower which cause instant death if you touch them. These make it even more difficult for me to escape. Perhaps you do not know this but I can see your Lego Robotics classroom at Gordon East Public School from my window. My heart is pounding with excitement because I see you have built and programmed cranes to move heavy loads. I am not that heavy and I would rather think of myself as a gorgeous Princess rather than a ‘load’ but please can you help me escape again. I thought Cranes would be good for my rescue as they use pulleys, levers, gears, motors and sensors. Last time some of you saved me with catapults and flinging lever arms. Please don’t think me ungrateful but they were quite scary and did mess up my hair. I did enjoy escaping with your designs that stopped to let me in like a Ferris wheel loading passengers. I was quite terrified climbing down the stairs and ladders that some of you kindly made for me…as navigating them in high heels was quite perilous. A lovely safe well controlled crane, however, is perfect.

Here is what you must do? (Design and challenge brief)

Make a model of my tower so that you can practise rescuing me. My tower is cylinder shaped and my window is 20cm from the ground. I do need a floor to stand on. Please only
spend time decorating my tower once you have finished all the other work.
Design and make a comfortable and safe seat that I can fit in and attach this securely to the lifting hook on the crane.
Program your crane to wind the hook and my chair up to my window and stop for 3 seconds so I can get in. Please control this using at least one sensor or keyboard commands as I cannot jump onto a moving seat.
Use your handle on the crane to rotate the crane 180degrees so when I land I will be as far away from the castle as possible and avoid the treacherous poisonous bushes.
Lower me slowly (I get motion sick) onto the ground and control this so the crane stops when I touch down. Please do not smash me into the ground.
Return the crane to its original position so the Witch is not suspicious.
Fast rescuers please add/program: appropriate sounds, backgrounds including relevant messages, a timer to measure how long the rescue takes and motion and tilt sensors.Please practice my rescue.
Practise makes perfect you know. Your rescue attempt may not work the first few times. Think of this as a challenge and ask yourself why and what you can do to make it better. Continue this process of design, make, appraise until you have my perfect rescue.
Most of all never give up….when the going gets tough the tough get going!!!
Super-fast workers

Please write a letter to the witch and pretend to be her beloved old mother who is very sick. Coax the witch to go and visit her so she is out of the way during the rescue. Her mum’s name is Mrs Martha and the witch will need lots of convincing to leave me so your letter must be very persuasive! The witch also likes very neat and well set out letters.

Please decorate my castle and the surrounding fields. It may be beautiful with pretty turrets, flags, flowers and lovely colours or a castle of horrors with thorny bushes growing up the sides and dark colours. Don’t forget the poisonous plants.
Once you are ready carry out my rescue……I can hardly wait.
Please think about and reflect on my rescue……you never know the witch might catch me again and you will have to repeat this exercise. Consider what was good and bad about my rescue? What problems did you have and how did you overcome them? How could you improve on my rescue next time? Hopefully there will not be a next time……..but you never know.

Remember I can see you and I need you to be trying your best at all times.

Thank you so much .

Rapunzel

You will be very pleased to know that our talented students allowed Rapunzel to escape and she is now off with her Prince living happily ever after.

Here are some photos of the students in action.

Here is a video of some students in 4/3N saving Rapunzel.

Here is how some students in 4L carried out the rescue.

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

First Lego League Regional Competition 2014

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

Yesterday our two Gordon East Public School teams competed in the First Lego League Regional Competition at Macquarie University. We were ‘rookies’ competing for the first time against many experienced teams with children aged from 9 to 16 years of age. Our students performed at a very high level with courage, resilience, persistence and as team members exhibiting a high level of ‘gracious professionalism’.

Here are the highlights of the day:

The girls won the ‘2014 Macquarie Regional FLL Tournament Creative Presentation Award’ and have progressed onto the next level – the National FLL Competition. Brilliant work and a huge congratulations ladies!!!

Both the Boy and Girl teams had personal bests successfully completing their greatest number of Robotics missions to date.

The students’ research presentations were exceptional involving impressive use of technology with computer games designed using Scratch Software, videos, blog, posters, web site and interactive hands on basketball game. These were all created by the team members who spoke eloquently and carried themselves with poise and confidence.

Watching the teams work together in a mutually supportive way to achieve their goals. People who can effectively and happily work in teams have much easier, successful and happy lives.
Seeing the Boys’ resilience and pulling together when the AV could not be set up for their first presentation. When the going gets tough the tough get going…and our boys were the epitome of this. They made the best of a difficult situation, acted with great dignity and never gave up. Well done champs.

Watching the boys’ sensational presentation when the AV did work.
Seeing the students perform so well under pressure. The two and a half minutes the robot had to carry out the challenge with loud music and people cheering was quite stressful. All students had shaking hands but smiles on their faces and exemplified a high level of composure at all times. The children handled the robots not doing as they intended with good grace and sportsmanship.

Seeing the students (especially the girls) embrace the event by dancing and going around to the other teams and engaging with them.

Knowing the teams did their absolute best in all situations.
Seeing the smiles on the faces of happy learners/

Here is a look at some of the competition.

Well done to all involved and we wish the girls all the best when they compete at Nationals next month.

Best regards always

Mrs Garlick

First Lego League Taste Testing

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

Our teams are getting their project ready for the FLL and here are some photos of the taste testing.

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

Our First Lego League Repair Team

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

We have our fabulous models for the First Lego League and although all the students are being very careful the constructions need constant fixing and adjustments. Nick and Sam are our resident Team Mechanics and they do a brilliant job keeping everything in perfect order. Thanks boys!!!

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

GEPS First Lego League Setup

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

The table is built, the models assembled and the teams are off and racing. Here are some photos of our FLL setup.

Thanks for calling by

Mrs Garlick

First Lego League Expo

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Jennifer Garlick

Dear Bloggers,

The students in 6/5H,W and Y put on a FLL expo so that all students could become familiar with the different challenges for the FLL challenge. Each team chose one of the missions and created a promotional poster outlining how the challenge worked, how many points it was worth and why it was a good mission to attempt. Then came the fun part..teaching all the other students about their model and what was involved.