Year Six

The Beacon Program in Year Six

Written by Lisa and Hamsika from 6AK

Earlier in the year, the Year Sixes have submitted persuasive pieces on why we want Beacon to send us their resources. They sent out our best arguments to the Beacon company and they gave us an opportunity to use their equipment. The Year Sixes were so excited to use the things that Beacon sent our school. Beacon sent us virtual reality headsets, phones that are compatible with the virtual reality headsets and vision cubes. Talking about vision cubes, the Year Sixes did an activity on them.

Week One of doing Beacon:

The vision cubes have wowed the Year Sixes. The Year Six cohort firstly went onto our devices and downloaded an app called CoSpaces, that Beacon created. The Year Sixes used CoSpaces to make their own scenery digitally on a laptop. When they finished creating it they got the vision cube. On their laptop, they got a code from CoSpaces to enter on their iPads. When it was scanned on their devices, they could see their creation in 3D. Also, when the Year Sixes moved their iPad, the scenery would also change its angle. It was fascinating! They could let their creativity go wild and they had so much fun. Beacon not only had the vision cubes, they also had virtual reality.

Week Two of doing Beacon:

Virtual reality is an amazing piece of technology. The Year Sixes were very lucky to use it. So first, they went on their computers and built the scenery that they desired. There were backdrops and items that the Year Sixes could add to their scenery. Then, they took the phones that were provided to us by Beacon, and put them in their virtual reality headsets. The Year Six cohort were very excited to use them, and to their satisfaction, the result was amazing. They saw the world that they created right in front of their eyes. Each class got a chance to use it for two sessions and took turns to use the virtual reality headsets. That was it for week two and the following week we did another activity.

Week Three of doing Beacon:

Each class started off with thinking of the things they wasted the most. After they jotted down the most things they threw out, they circled one they wasted a lot. Next, they brainstormed ideas to make a machine that would recycle that certain waste. Then, they jumped on a source called ‘TinkerCAD’, to make their machine digitally. The Year Sixes let their imagination go wild and had lots of fun making them. They used shapes to create their machine. After they finished building it, they printed it out and stuck it in their exhibition books. Once it was stuck they labelled the parts of the machine and gave it a name. The Year Sixes cohort did a wonderful job of explaining and coming up with ideas for this task.

The Year Sixes loved doing the Beacon activities and are really excited for the weeks to come. Our exhibition is all about science, so the equipment will really help us build knowledge for the future.