Hard+Materials







Hard materials Room

To the year 7 Parents and Care Givers.

The Hard Materials room is a learning environment where students take ownership of their own learning, take responsibility for time management both inside and outside the class room.

Students are encouraged to take risks in their learning and gradually work towards having the ability to carry out tasks independent of the Teacher.

The Hard Materials room is a place where students feel safe, grow in their own self confidence, have pride in their achievements and most of all enjoy their learning experiences.

I look forward to being a small part of your children's lives and if you ever feel the need to contact me please feel free to do so at m_sibley@pukekoheint.school.nz

What are the Year Sevens learning

This Term I will have coming to me several year seven whole classes who will be given different technological problems to solve. The idea of this is to give the students a small taste of working in a Technology room and extend their thinking ability. The classes will be split in two with one half working on design while the other half works at their practical skills. The students will have week about so that they have equal exposure to both design and practical skills. The design component of the class will firstly consist of getting used to using the design equipment such as tee squares and set squares etc. The practical side of the class will start with a skill based project that promotes safety first and the correct methods of using saws, scroll saws, drill press and other equipment deemed important.

Cutting and drilling- This is a project of students choice that incorporates the teaching of working cooperatively with others, making use of their listening and observation skills and learning basic practical skills that enable the student to function in the technology room.

Then using design and practical skills they have learned, students first problem solving challenge will in small groups be to design and construct a working model that demonstrates the ability to lift water from a lower level to a higher level making use of wind power.

What are the Year 8's learning this year To most of the year eight students the Hard Materials room is a new environment to work in. To have success in this room it is important for students to have good listening and observation skills.​They need to start questioning themselves by using the five W questions (who, what, why, when, where and how) as they work at their projects. Year Seven students are very teacher dependent and spend a lot of their time seeking teacher reinforcement for what they have done. The big shift for Year Eight students is to take responsibility for their own learning and endeavour to work independently of the teacher. Time management is another big concentration this year both inside and outside the classroom. students can really hinder their progress by not taking responsibility for finishing work or collecting resources outside the classroom environment when requested to do so.

First Project

Cutting and drilling- This is a project of students choice that incorporates the teaching of working cooperatively with others, making use of their listening and observation skills and learning basic practical skills that enable the student to function in the technology room.

Second project Box project- Students construct a simple box with a sliding lid. This project is a great help further down the tract that helps student to carry out the correct procedures when constructing other projects such as the cab of a truck.

Third project Acrylic key ring attachment- this program has been designed to allow students to experience new media in which to work with. The main aspect this project is the discussion between students and teacher when using solvent glues and its effects one ones health if correct precautions are not taken. For reasons of safety no student is allowed to use the solvent glue, It has to be put on by the teacher. This program is very good to teach students you need perseverance to get perfection as acrylic is not an easy material to work with.

Forth project Toy of choice- In this project students need to start becoming independent learners for themselves. They need to start making their own decisions as to what they need to do next. They can best achieve this by using the five who, what, where, when, why and how questions. The toy is aimed at a five to ten year old using wood as the medium. Students need to make use of thier prior knowledge when working at this project.

Fith project Structures and Mechanisms-The students are given a scenario where they are to lift a load from the ground to the top of a skyscraper. From here students take responsibility for investigating lifting devices, drawing the plans of their device and then making a working model.

Structures and Mechanisms. The students are given a scenario where they are to lift a load from the ground to the top of a skyscraper. From here students take responsibility for investigating lifting devices, drawing the plans of their device and then making a working model.

If time allows students will make a photo frame using acrylic. It is possible that only some of the students will start and complete this project.

Mike Sibley

Technology Teacher



Mr Sibley's best friend