3/4

Yes, you have asked for it, so here we go, Minecraft Education! - But like I like to do, we are going to use it to learn a lot about other aspects of Digital Technologies we use every day.

And to start off, it's time to bring back those username and password skills!

Over the next few weeks, we will learn about the internet and networks using Minecraft servers and do a bit of chmistry and more!

For our last lesson this term, I thought a little (educational) competition might be a fun way to learn about aerodynamics, in particular, Gravity, Lift, Thrust and Drag, and I think there is no better way to learn about this than seeing it in action, so, it is time for a Paper Plane competition! (I have been saving scrap paper for the past few weeks, so no new trees will be harmed in the making of this experiment)

You will see first hand how wind moves over the wings to generate lift (or the Coandă effect to sound clever), how the center of gravity can alter the trajectory of our planes, and by making two small changes (that would be folding our wings up slightly and putting two small curves at the ends of the wings) we can easily double the distance of our flights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KqjRPV9_PY

Today we are going to start learning how to design, create and publish our own website.

Back in my day (yep, another one of those stories) creating your own website required a ton of work - you needed to code how you wanted it to look and work.

Today we can use platforms like Google Sites to do all that hard work for us, however, we still need to come up with our own content and understand how hyperlinks, pages and more work to make a good site.

What will you create your website on? - The internet is a busy place, what do you want to add to it?

This week, Grade 3/4 students have been working on coding their own 3D games. This time we are using a game engine and we talked about the uses of these as well as how we can program A.I (artificial intelligence) to create computer-controlled opponents.

Coding for a player-controlled character is one thing, but then having to learn, and try to teach a computer to learn (anticipating how a player will act, balancing all the rules so it is fair and so much more) is another challenge they were keen to tackle.

Below you can see some play-testing in action!

PS: The program we are using is called Kodu Game Lab, it is a free program by Microsoft you can use at home too if you like, but only on Windows based machines.

You can download it here:

http://www.kodugamelab.com/downloads/

So, we tried our hands (or ears) and making an audio project with our podcasting lessons, but let's go to the next thing, video, or in this case a very specific (and very common if you like your Marvel movies) Green Screen, or to be more precise: chroma keying.

This is where by using a specific coloured background, we can easily remove and replace that layer with something else entirely.

I think the easiest way to show this is by ruining all your conceptions of movies and watch the below clip:

Green Screen Example (Guardians of the Galaxy)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Id9ytJtnjiaKQ0UYCKZR1LRm2-3CJhS/view?usp=sharing

And the fun part, the goal of these lessons is you will make your very own 1 minute movie using our newly developed chroma keying skills and your amazing imagintaions and acting.... hopefully.

A bit of a special treat for our last week of school.... yep, it's VR time!, but of course, you know me, it won't be all fun and games - we are actually going to talk (and see) how it all works.

Podcasts killed the radio star (ok, that is a reference that might make no sense) but what I am getting at is Podcasting as a medium is super popular and used by more and more people.

There are podcasts on anything you could think of (probably) so, lets add to the digital airwaves and make our own.

We will also talk about how they work including audio recording software (Audacity) and RSS feeds.

So, where do you live and where are you - like right now!? - well, we can find those things out (and it's not as scary as it sounds) for the next few weeks we will be looking at how GPS, satellites and space and aerial photography work to map the world around us. We will see our school from space, go on a trip around the world and see the Eiffel Tower, all from the safety of your (slightly uncomfortable) classroom seat....

This week we will be (hopefully) getting close to finishing our models to they can be printed. Today I want to spend a bit of time explaining the printing part, as that is another set of things you need to understand to help in making your model print ready (and yes, there will be some printing disasters)

QK8G9SC4NPMX

Nickname: 3and4

Design and Technologies:

Generating

Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (VCDSCD029)

Producing

Select and use materials, components, tools and equipment using safe work practices to produce designed solutions (VCDSCD030)

Today we are going to get a start on the fun part, building our 3D models, remember it will be a bit tricky working in 3D space, but once you get your head around it all, the easier it will be, don't give up!

https://www.tinkercad.com/joinclass/QK8G9SC4NPMX

Class Code:

QK8G9SC4NPMX

Nickname: 3and4

Design and Technologies:

Generating

Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (VCDSCD029)

Producing

Select and use materials, components, tools and equipment using safe work practices to produce designed solutions (VCDSCD030)

We explored building in 3D at the end of the last Term (using Mecca Bricks and virtual Lego), but I thought we could give the real thing a go.

Today we will look at how to do some basic 3D modelling using a program called Tinkercad - I have set up a special lo in for us all (hopefully this will be quicker than last time!) but for our first session, I just want to show you how the program works, then, I am going to get you to do a terrible thing.... use a paper and pencil! (I'll explain that part in class)

https://www.tinkercad.com/joinclass/QK8G9SC4NPMX

Class Code:

QK8G9SC4NPMX

Nickname: 3and4

Design and Technologies:

Generating

Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (VCDSCD029)

Producing

Select and use materials, components, tools and equipment using safe work practices to produce designed solutions (VCDSCD030)

Hi Grade 3 and 4, as this week, is a bit split I thought we would get outside get moving and modelling (no, not that modelling) and look at a technique called Photogrammetry.

This is a technique where you can make 3D models by combining images (digital photos) that can be super detailed and can save a lot of time, it is also very helpful at creating content from very delicate real-world objects.

Let's look at some examples below and discuss the following:

• How do you think Photogrammety even works! (go on, give it a shot)

• What could you use this technique for?

• How would you use it?
  

So, let's check some out:
https://sketchfab.com/GlobalDigitalHeritage/models

Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways (VCDTDI020)

BB-8?

In this topic we are going to talk about all things Robotics!, and to do that, I am going to use a round robot that makes a lot of sounds, that's right BB-8!, ok, maybe not BB-8, but his cousin, Sphero.

Today's activities:

• I wonder: What is a Sphero and how does it work? Pass the little guy (or lady) around and look inside, how do you think it works?

• I share: Share your thinking with the class, did anyone figure it out?

• I learn: Let's pull one apart (don't worry, it won't hurt) and see what makes it tick.

• I learn (more): What is a gyroscope thing anyway?

Let's go for a drive...

Angle, heading, speed... what do these things mean exactly?, well, let's find out by taking Sphero for a drive.

Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)

Robots aren't that smart.... (but don't tell them that)

Last week we learnt all about our Sphero robot and what makes it tick (and move), today, we are going to learn how to control it (and make it smarter) using code.

Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)

Last week we became coders! (or, at least we started to become coders) and learnt how to control a Sphero using code, in this case, block code.

We learnt that code, like English or Indonesian is just a language that you can learn and once you learn the way to speak it, you can talk to robots or write programs.

In out final robotics session, we are going to talk to our robots using code and get them to talk back, using sensor data.

Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)

Today we are going to level up our block coding skills we developed by coding our robots in our last topic, and, using Scratch great an interactive story.

In our first class we will all sign up to our Scratch accounts, and I will give you a quick run through of how we can tell interactive stories using code (and sprites, text, sounds, animations and transitions).

The log-in link you will need is: http://scratch.mit.edu/signup/pd4jcktxp

I will have a large version of this on the screen so we can all sign in.

Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (VCDTCD017)

Ok, now we all have our own Scratch accounts (and learnt all about the fun world of usernames, passwords and other boring, grown up stuff) it's time to use them.

We are going to take our coding skills up a notch and create your own scene where you will have two or more characters interacting using coding language such as: sensing, forever loops, and if then else statements.

In our last session on this topic (we will have a bit of a break and come back to coding next term, but I know you are keen to try some new, shiny things), we will add the final touches to your coded narratives, and maybe (if we get time) add some interactive gameplay elements.

In our first I.o.T session we will be, well most importantly, learning what I.o.T stands for, how it will help us and learning about some I.o.T gadgets.

So, last week we found out what I.o.T. is, used some sensors and talked about it's potential.

Today we will do a few more experiments and then (oh no) not be using any digital tech, but some traditional paper and pencils to begin designing your own I.oT. device using the knowledge we have shared so far.