MoTEC
MoTEC is the specialist technology centre - which caters to students from all 13 local contributing schools in the area. Year 7 & 8 students (11-13 year olds) bus in for 2 hour sessions once a week.
We are continuing to push the authentic contexts and sustainability themes for MoTEC. This is a key element in the delivery of our program at MoTEC. Staff choose schools each term with which we try to align our projects of work with relevant themes and contexts being explored in their home schools. We feel it is important to include a community element / project for at least one project / class each year.
Online Learning Program at Motec - click here
Who’s who at Motec
Jude Heath
Kate Ericksen
Karyn McKerrow
Garret Young
Megan Wilson
What’s happening this term?
Textiles
Y7 students will be focusing on properties of materials and learning basic sewing skills. They will start with a simple class project and then expand into developing their own individualised outcomes.
Y8’s will be focusing on sustainability and repurposing textiles. We will be integrating Designing & Developing Digital Outcomes through e-textiles and using our Cricut machine for creating digital design elements (eg screenprinting & logo design). They will produce at least one take-home outcome.
ICT
Garret’s classes will be covering the new digital curriculum areas. The Y7’s will work on a variety of progams like Gimp, Sketchup, Makey-Makey and learn basic electronics . The Y8’s will be programming the Lego MindStorm robots, extending their electronic knowledge and GIMP graphics skills. Computational thinking will be embedded throughout the term.
Kate’s classes will be undertaking a graphics and sign writing unit, so that we can start to upgrade the garden and entrance hallway at Motec, and which could then be expanded upon by making signs for their schools. Students will still be able to create mini take home projects in these areas, but the focus will be more on the collective / school need.
Each term, one class will be assigned as a kaitiaki for our Motec garden and be involved in planting and maintenance to supplement the foods room program. The kaitiaki class for Term 1 is Kate’s Mapua Y8’s who will be making educational garden signs and labels for the trees.
foods:
The Year 7’s will use fresh produce from the garden in their food preparation. They will work towards developing a healthy lunch with a focus during the term being Hauora - taha tinana.
The Year 8’s focus is on Manaakitanga and looking at recipes and foods that we could make for others. Their unit will finish with either preparing food for a group that the students have chosen or a fund-raiser. There could well be some Master Chef challenges along the way.