NEWS FLASH!!! Team 3 have connected their first LED light!

Today Rangimaria,Troy, Angelica and Teingoa from Room 14  completed building their first electrical circuit and lit up the first battery powered LED light on team 3's Matariki kites.  

First the electrical current ran from the positive + side of the battery into the copper tape. Then the copper tape let the aluminium circuit carry the electricity into the LED, lighting it up! 

The electricity carried on through to the other side of the circuit, running back up the negative aluminium and copper lines. The circuit was finally completed by the copper tape sticking onto the negative - side of the battery.  

It didn't work the first time, however we realised we weren't holding the lights hard enough to the aluminium. When we stuck them down strongly with copper tape the light was shining brightly.

We look forward to creating more lights for our kites!
  

Clay Club!

PES CLAY CLUB!

An awesome aspect of the Maker Space are the projects that students suggest. Some we can do, some we can't, and some we keep stored away for a better time.   

The first ever Clay Club session (Check out the Manu Tukutuku kites in the background!)  

The Clay Club is an awesome example of students who thought of a great idea, and kept persisting until it happened. This club has started with 20kgs of clay, a positive attitude and plenty of creativity.

LED Light Kites. Circuit building

Team 3 have started making the parallel circuits we need to attach our batteries and LED lights to. 

We are very careful cutting and gluing the aluminium foil to the frames. Room 13 worked so well on Tuesday that they have already begun to attach the copper tape to the circuits!

Manu Taratahi Kite- First Steps

 The classes in Team 2 are making Manu Taratahi  for Matariki.

 Room 25 first peeled the layers off  the toetoe stalks to make as thin and light as possible. We then arranged them, ready to lash them together.

Te Oro Technicians

Room 24 Manu Taratahi kite brainstorm

I was lucky today to visit Room 24 for an hour where we started our design brainstorm for materials and methods to make our Manu Taratahi kites for Matariki. I am curious about what we will experiment with and change to build and improve our kites.

LED Light Matariki Kite Prototype

Safety First with Matariki Kite Materials!

SAFETY FIRST!

When cutting native toetoe or the South American weed pampas for Matariki kites be careful!

Toetoe and pampas are types of cutty grass, the leaves of these plants are very sharp. Use garden loppers if you can and always use gloves...