Epro8 Challenge Regional Semi Finals Year 7 and 8

Congratulations to the Whakarongo Nuts and Bolts for their fine effort at Regional Semi Finals on Tuesday night. They joined 11 other teams at Monrad to tackle a range of fun challenges which this year, had a heavy emphasis on electronics. The team worked solidly throughout their two and a half hour build time. They showed real grit as they persevered right to the end.

Here are photos from the night...well done Lucy, Lejla, Han and Josiah on earning 5th place!

Future Problem Solving - Stage Two

 Our teams worked today on establishing the Underlying Problem they wish to solve as we progress through their Global Issues Problem Solving Booklet around the issues for young athletes in competitive sports.  This a really prescriptive part of the thinking process and while its just about stitching sentences together in the correct sequence, they must be the RIGHT sentences!

Again - lots of challenging, hard work!  Some tired faces at the end of our sessions!

Future Problem Solving - Global Issues

 This week has been the start of our journey with the Future Problem Solving NZ competition.  12 students have been chosen to take part in a stream called Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS).  (Other students will be engaging with the thinking strategies related to this initiative in the coming terms.  

I have been looking for a way for our Whakaaro students to engage with global issues for a couple of years now.  With our beloved Tournament of Minds suspended for 2021, it is the perfect opportunity for us to engage with FPSNZ.

I have to say, the programme is tough!  It's tough to coach (there's a lot for me to learn) and it's a real challenge for the students to relate to the material presented to them.  I'm often proud of these kids but this week has blown me away.  They all knew they would have to 'buckle up and hold on tight' for us to get the first stage of the competition completed by its due date of April 15th and they have given their 'all' this week.  We have had big conversations and their ideas have been challenged as they learn to give weight to their opinions, back up their assumptions and tackle a problem from a global and futuristic perspective.  

Stage one of three is almost complete.  This has involved an initial brainstorm of what we know about  youth participating in competitive sports.  Then we built on that knowledge through shared conversation and some group research to build our vocabulary around the topic.  The teams have been looking at a comprehensive Future Scenario related to youth participating in competitive sports set midway through this century.  They have had to draw either 10 (Year 5&6) or 16 (Year 7&8) problems from their scenario.  The next step will be to ascertain an underlying problem, which, if solved, would overcome a number of the initial problems identified.  

I'm grateful to the students for their tenacity, commitment and their willingness to trust me and give this a go!  Looking forward to Stage 2 and 3 before the end of the term!

The Whakarongo Musketeers

Outstanding work from the Whakarongo Musketeers this week in the Epro8 Challenge Heats.  Jimmy, Josh, Ben and Beau worked super hard to create a great solution - the London Eye.  They were confident about their ideas and started their Day 2 building time by sharing all the possibilities they had each been considering the night before.  It was so cool to see them check and re-check their ideas and they managed to complete their submission well ahead of their Thursday 2pm deadline.  Great teamwork boys!!

The Whakarongo M&M's

 Our third Epro8 team put in the hard yards last week to create their version of the London Tower Bridge. 

Photographer: Tony Hicks/AP Photo

 The Whakarongo M&M's  (Jensen, Max, Isabelle and Isaac) worked really well to build a sturdy structure and spent a great deal of time persevering and debugging their party popper mechanism.  They had to really boost each other a few times when morale dipped but I am proud to say they got there in the end!

Have a look at their fantastic challenge solution!

2021 Whakaaro Hui Online Video Series

 Hello Everyone, 

It was a shame to have to cancel our Whakaaro Hui due to the change in Alert Levels. However, I have worked with several students to translate the night into a series of short video clips for you to follow through - this way you get to hear the information, the students still get to practice their presentation skills and some of our young videographers got to work on their skills.  Thanks to Prya, Aidan, Max, Beau and Isabelle for making our video clips for us.

If you still have questions after listening to the information here, feel free to email me for any clarification.

 Get your pack of playing cards handy and enjoy!

The Whakarongo Nuts and Bolts

 Week Two of our Epro8 Challenge Heats saw the Whakarongo Nuts and Bolts working hard.  This team, made up of Lejla Arnautovic-Wootton, Lucy Bowles, Josiah Lo and Haneol Park.  

The team decided to construct the Petronas Twin Towers that can be found in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Strength testing and proportions were again important as the team worked to build their scale model and construct their fireworks (party popper) release mechanism.  Here they are at work!

The Whakarongo Smarties

 The Whakarongo Smarties spent week 4 constructing their solution to the 2021 Epro8 Challenge  - our first team to compete this year.  The teams have been tasked with building a famous landmark to scale.  They need to make it structurally sound - able to withstand an earthquake test.  Their proportions need to be accurate and to a scale of their choosing, so long as the structure is less that 2m at is largest point.

Here are some pictures of the team under way:

The Smarties chose the Burg Al Arab, a famous building in Dubai which stands on its own island.

Once the final structure was complete, teams then had to devise a launch mechanism for a number of party poppers in order to simulate a fireworks celebration over their famous landmark.  Here's the successful mechanism in action!

A great effort team - it was great to watch you work together to design and trouble shoot your model.  

                    

One team down - three more to go!