Visit from Adam - Zero Invasive Predators - Thinking like an Inventor

As part of our Inquiry, we have been thinking like scientists and inventors. Adam came in to talk to us about the work that he has been doing for ZIP (https://zip.org.nz/#intro). We were blown about by the problem solving that he does with his colleagues. 

Sam.G: Adam works for Z.I.P. (Zero Invasive Predators). They try to exterminate rats, stoats, and possums because those kill our native wildlife. they do all kinds of experiments like how high a pest will climb into mountains. Adam is a biologist so he studies what pests think so he can send results to the people who make the traps so the traps will be suited to pests. Z.I.P. needs to have these character strengths: perseverance, creativity, and teamwork.

Luca S: Adam works for Z.I.P.  It stands or Zero Invasive Predators and they are trying to get rid of all the predators in NZ. Their goal is to get NZ predator free by 2050. What they have done is put up walls in the places they can to stop the predators from escaping the area they are trapping. In the places they can make barriers sometimes there are natural barriers like fast-flowing rivers and mountains. They have designed lots of different types of traps and baits to get rid of the predators. The traps they designed are very intuitive because they have designed traps that release food everyday and then the people at Z.I.P can monitor what the predators are doing by satellite so they don’t have to go into the bush everyday and monitor if the predators are eating the bait they are releasing. Instead they get a notification whenever their cameras detect a predator eating their bait. All of us at W.B.S hope that they can achieve their goal of making NZ predator free by 2050, there are definitely going to be more creative and innovative ideas in the future of Z.I.P.

Anneke: Adam from ZIP (zero invasive predators) came in to talk to us about pest control. Adam said that they are trying to make New Zealand pest free and to do that they are going to make each area pest free (one by one.) ZIP is a company that is trying to make NZ pest free but the best materials are expensive so they are using natural fences like mountains and rivers, so the pests don't get into the area that they are trying to make pest free.

Some of the traps that ZIP uses aren't actually traps, those traps (or things) just put a little bit of food out every day so the pests will keep coming back to the same place and if the pests do come everyday they have motion activated cameras. ZIP is always making new ideas for traps to catch their three main predators, possums, stoats, and DA RAT!!!!

Liora: Adam taught us about how he uses all of the gadgets, how they work, how they help them with the predators and how to deal with them. Inventions they made. They made this trap that has something on top and looks like a pyramid. When any type of predator comes it shuts so they get the predator. Before they took this big can and fill it up with toxic stuff and poured it all over the places where predators are, you're probably asking how do they know where they are, they have these cameras scattered around the woods, then they know where to find them.

Ethan Q: Adam came into school, he told us about rat traps and predators.They work down south around the West Coast. He has lots of traps he put mayonnaise stuff on 1 of the the traps. He needs to dial up his perseverance and some grit too. His goal was to clear all predators by 2050. I thought it was quite cool I enjoyed it.

Henry: There are natural barriers like rivers and mountains that keep the predators out. The predators they are focusing on are possums Stoats and rats. They kill animals by dropping poison in helicopters or by traps. ZIP is the name of a predator free company.

Here is our success criteria for thinking like an inventor:

- analyse the factors involved in an opportunity
- develop a detailed CAF (consider all factors)
- develop criteria which guides the design process
- brainstorm 30 ideas
- draw accurate diagrams of the invention
- evaluate the prototype and make improvements to the design

- build a full scale model of my invention

'Business Time!' - Market Day 2020

Promoting our wares in Tautoru prior to Market Day

Market Day 2020 was a roaring success, providing a host of wonderful learning opportunities and bringing our community out in force. Māhutonga Matariki are so grateful for the support shown to us and we invite you to watch this space as we decide how to do some good with the proceeds! 

It all began with our inquiry, 'Business Time'. We heard from our friends Bobby of Reusabowl and Andy Campbell, getting great insight into what it means to be an inventor. We learned how to go through the Design Process, from blue sky thinking to prototyping and creating. Promotional skills came to the fore as Market Day neared - posters, slogans, advertisements and jingles. In Maths we practiced dealing with money and calculating profit. Read on below for some student perspective. 

We started our Inquiry by going through the Design Process of an invention and looking at 'Thinkers Keys' to get our minds creative. We also made inventions, well when I say 'made' I mean thought of inventions to fix a big problem in the world - cats killing native birds.  When we finally started coming up with ideas for market day it was really easy, but funnelling it down to my top five was really hard. When I did finally 'funnel' them I didn’t pick what I thought would be the easiest or most fun, I picked them by what was the most sustainable and what was the most likely to get bought. All that work was actually for nothing because I ended up joining a group that already had an idea but I wasn’t that mad because it was a really fun idea - Cups (of lemonade, Cakes and Comics! 

- Hunter J

We had to identify a problem for little kids - but what? Little kids have lots of problems... they are always bored and need to learn to grow things. That's where we got the idea of Enviro Jar. When it came to getting absorbed I would give myself a 4 out of 5 as we would often lose track of time and do lots of work, then be amazed to discover it had only been half an hour. We had to think like inventors because we had to be original and also not too costly, especially because people had similar ideas and we still wanted to make a profit of some sort. This is why we partnered with another group doing something similar. I think our work was quality but that's not mine to judge, I'm just glad I did that inquiry and got such an opportunity.

- Greta L

Yesterday Market Day went really well and all of our products were sold. The cost for our product was $2.00 and our profit was $20. I bought a banana seal with a jersey, hat and a tutu/skirt, two jelly cube drinks (strawberry jelly and lemon jelly), a how to draw Homer Simpson book, a Harry Potter spell book with a wand, a cupcake and cookie, two little gardens and lots of other things!
- Aila B

We took a lot of time with our product, going through a complete Design Process, to make sure it was eco friendly. Also we thought about how it would be a reasonable price fair for us and others. Our group made exactly $51.10. We would have made around $66.10 but we needed to minus the costs. I am so proud of us, none of us were expecting so much. Next time I want a bit more time so we can make it better, but overall it was really fun, The design process, Making it & Selling it was AWESOME!
- Anastasiya SP

The Wheel and Axle: Now there's a pretty good invention!

We spent a day looking at simple machines, of course the wheel is one of those. Thought to have originated over 3 thousand years ago in the Middle East or Eurasia, it spread rapidly though-out the rest of the world because of its efficiency doing hard 'work'. Imagine, where would we be now without this amazing invitation? We looked at some crazy uses including these bicycles.

After looking at some examples we had a go at designing a machine using a wheel and axle.  Here you see the inventors in action.

Brainstorming, sketching, problem solving and then building the invention out of Connex.  This one is for bringing your pencils across the table when you can't be bothered actually lifting them.  Wow!  Everybody needs one!

We training our minds to think creatively; all ideas are good to begin with.  We have now started working on ideas for our own inventions or products to sell at Market Day.   

Inventions: Weird and Wonderful

Our Inquiry this term is called “Business Time.” We will be designing and making products to be sold at our Market Day. Students will be going through the full design process to design a product (or service) which meets a need or responds to an opportunity.The profits from Market Day will be used to host another school or class for a day during Beach Week.

Our Learner Attribute this term is “I am Powerful.” We will be focusing on:

• demonstrating hard work, grit, resilience, perseverance to achieve goals
• thinking originally and outside of the box and come up with an idea that is unique
• think fluently and generate at least 5- 10 ideas and explain them.

We have begun an Inquiry looking at how people respond to needs and opportunities to create inventions. We have been wondering about the design process; how did the inventor come up with the idea?

We made a Backwards Map, starting with the invention and working back to the beginning, the need and the ideas, the failed prototypes and finally the successful one.

Next week we will begin thinking about problems and designing things to meet that need. Watch this space for exciting developments!

We invite you to continue the conversations at home. 

We Are Designing Because We are Forest Protectors!

We are Inventing Because We are Forest Protectors!

We have been thinking about the problems which confront our native flora and fauna and are taking action to do something about it. Before we make anything though we are learning about the design process. Josh Waaka from Goodnature traps explained that they took about eight years to design their trap. It went through many iterations and each time there was an improvement. Trial and Improvement!








We are starting with the Problem, doing research to understand the problem, looking at what exists already in terms of solutions and building on those with our own ideas. We have been developing a design criteria to evaluate our design as we go.





Great discussion, great discovery, great creativity!

Thinking like an inventor

The next stage of our Inquiry is to become designers and inventors. We know that inventors need to have lots of ideas to get their best ideas. 

We thought "outside of the box" and thought of inventions for combining shoes and a vacuum cleaner. 

Our next steps are to design something to help the forest... Watch this space!

Designing Inventions