There was excitement among the grade 7’s this week as they arrived at Ukhanyo’s science lab for their technology classes. Masicorp has recently funded the provision of 12 Technology Resource Kits for the pupils to use in their project work. These were just some of the pleased faces in Wednesday’s afternoon class.

Many thanks are due to Masicorp volunteer Rachel Weldon who took the time last week to visit many of the peninsula’s hardware stores to purchase the tools the students will use. Her engineering background has come in extremely useful for us all. Thanks also to Fran Loudon for taking the first class and introducing the students to each piece of equipment. Here she is demonstrating the use of a hacksaw.

Grade 7’s Technology mark is based on a PAT (Practical Assessment Task). This term the pupils are studying structures and need to design and build a model of a cellphone tower that should fit in with the surroundings. It has to be 30cm or taller, have a platform at the top, use triangulation for reinforcement and be constructed from easily available materials. Thanks are due here to Valley Timbers who have kindly offered to supply the school with an extensive supply of wood off-cuts that will do the job nicely.

In previous years the limited resources at the school meant that the pupils had to make their design projects from paper, tape and cardboard. This year will be different and after being introduced to each tool the students had some time to get used to them before project work starts for real next week.