Putting the fun into physics

Pearl O'Connor (left) and Jake Millar also participate in the challenges.

Children constructed prototype earthquake shake tables at a holiday programme workshop at the Tonui Collab last week.

Large scale tables similar to the ones the children built are used extensively in seismic research, as they provide the means to excite structures in such a way that they are subjected to conditions representative of true earthquake ground motions.

Using shoeboxes with a hole cut in the top, the children placed a small moving plate inside connected with rubber bands. They then made towers out of toothpicks and foam which were placed on the plate which was subjected to a shaking movement. This way they were able to test the strength of model buildings.

During these hands-on workshops EdTech innovator Mac Burgess encouraged the children to experiment with different construction techniques and to evaluate how successful different techniques were.

“The skills being developed during this workshop are diverse. Children are learning how to use tools safely and also talking about real world problem-solving and how the science and technology they are exploring here today is being applied by engineers across the globe,” said Mr Burgess.

Tonui Collab opened in June 2019 with the support of Trust Tairawhiti and runs workshops for school groups as well as school holiday workshops and after-school workshops.

The Tonui Collab team previously offered similar workshops as part of The Mind Lab.

Director Shanon O'Connor said the engagement with children across Tairawhiti in the last six months had been outstanding.

“We are strengthening our workshop offering, working closely with educators to design workshops that celebrate and extend what is being explored in the classroom,” she said.

“We are loving the opportunity to support children and teachers to develop their technological and digital skills in meaningful ways.”