Thursday, September 17, 2026

Using Tinkercad to create Virtual CAD Designs

 

Last Friday we posted about using Chat GPT to create a teaching resource/challenge information sheet so students could use Tinkercad to design some storage/housing for a Kaibot.

The challenge was to create storage for a Kaibot to also include space in the design for storage of cards.   At this stage of the design challenge the concept and the ideas are virtual - we are not 3D Printing any of the designs until they have had some revision and checking.  If you look at the first example shown left the students have not built a floor or base for this design, although the other aspects of the design are here.

In the example shown left the dimensions of the print will need careful measuring and checking, particularly for the cards that are going to be stored on top of the storage.

The storage itself could potentially be personalised for further details.     Once the exact dimensions of the robot have been identified some consideration to storage such as either a door or a bay to hold the robot in place.

Allowing this to be completed by the students in this capacity means that the entire classroom can be involved in the design process and these examples (which are shared via Seesaw) allow students to view all the examples and consider making adjustments to their own designs and ideas.   

Once this feedback opportunity has been provided we will then be selecting several of the projects and moving forward with the printing process.   Once the physical examples are provided the final step will be looking at the prints and making further adjustments.

Dance Dance Revoultion: Auroa Primary's Special Machine



Thank you for our visit, we are on a mini-break at the moment - we are back to our regular publishing schedule next week, in the meantime we've been revisiting some of our most favourite Auroa Primary School related technology, project and special events.

If there's one piece of technology that we love to highlight which always produces amazement its our full sized DDR Machine! Create by Mr Bloor and the students of our school its a piece of technology that we're constantly adding to! Our students make the music videos media for the machine.   We also hold regular competitions for our students such as last years 'K-Pop Demon Hunters Special'


We've also live streamed the competition which involves our students competing against each other and a range of competitors.  You can view one of our amazing events here.  As always we need to acknowledge Mr Bloor and Sonic Vision Studios and his fantastic work - you can click on the link to his page here.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Celebrating our NZAIMS Success: Virtuall Pinball

 

Recently our Girls Basketball team returned from the 2026 NZAIMS Games Tournament - where our school managed to place fourth in the entire country! 

To celebrate this success Mr Bloor had a special release for our students, a virtual pinball table that is modelled on the players from the team!

This was a lovely touch, where one of our schools amazing Digital pinball tables was adapted to feature the students from our school (the game itself is a modified version of an NBA Pinball game).

Already this year we had another of our famous live streamed virtual Pinball Competitions - where our students competed in teams against each other to determine a tag team champion!'

We are very lucky to have this sort of amazing technology available to our students - you can view this years livestream finals here.

Or if you want to see a spectacular why not watch our 'Fast and Furious Grand Final! This was a competition from five long years ago and is going to be a sequel to the movie for our next drive in!

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Market Day 2027 - Coming Soon

 

We have a number of annual or bi-annual events at Auroa Primary School, with this year being a school production that means the next Market Day is scheduled for 2027 where our students will be engaged in running a business and using our skills and design techniques to design and create something special to sell to the local community.

In the slideshow below we went into detail for the products that were produced as well as looking behind the scenes of how they were made and developed.   

This event has a specific tab on this sites which also includes Mr Bloors amazing videos - you can click on the link to this here.    This slideshow below features the links to the products and information about the process that we went through to create each of them.

Monday, September 14, 2026

Projects Revisited: Dolls House and 3D Printed Furniture 2025

 

One of our most popular projects from last year was the 'skip' Dolls House - which we tried to rebuild for use in our junior classrooms.

While we used the laser cutter for the building and 3D Printed all of the furniture the project didn't exactly end up like we had anticipated.

You can follow the entire project, which includes links to each of the different stages, the descriptions and information can be viewed below - or you can view a powerpoint version of this slideshow and locate the downloadable file on our Facebook page.

If you require additional information on this project please drop us a line.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Celebrating Sonic Vision Studios!

 While this sight is on a hiatus and currently not active, although just for a week - we thought that we'd continue to publish some of the amazing work of Mr Bloor and his Sonic Vision studios.  This staff member if the person responsible for much of the incredible media associated with Auroa Primary School.

Our major event is in preparation as we speak - we highlighted the 2020 School Drive in movie but that was only our first instalment - following the success of 2020 version we repeated it again in 2023! 


This movie was made with the school and showcased Mr Bloors amazing talents.   In addition to this we had a viewing at the school, on a massive screen on a truck, for the entire community.


And last but not least there is the entire movie masterpiece! If you would like to contact Mr Bloor about the project or any of the specifics that go into his work, please drop us a line and we can put you in touch with him.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Ultima Ration September 14th-21st 2026

Thank you for your visit - this site is currently taking a break for unforeseen circumstances and there will be no material published in the week coming up from the 14th of September until September 2st.

During that time we will be publishing some 'end of year material' but there will be no new material which should start again in the following week.