DAY 1: Driving Digital Innovation

Activity 1: The World Wide Web [4 points]

You may not have heard of Tim Berners-Lee but this man completely changed the world for us when he invented the World Wide Web (otherwise known as the ‘www’). All of the information on the internet is stored and accessed on the web.

TimBL, as he is known, also created the first ever website. We all spend a lot of time looking at websites, don’t we? One of my favourite websites is the Te Ara site. I use it when I am creating lessons for students or working on assignments for school. Are there websites that are particularly helpful for your learning?

Activity 2: Influencers [4 points]

YouTube is a video sharing website, where people can watch, create, share and comment on videos (a bit like when you Learn, Create and Share at school). YouTube was created in 2005 by three men - Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim who later sold it to Google for $1.65 billion dollars!

Did you know that anyone can have their own YouTube channel? People who create videos and post them on YouTube are called ‘YouTubers’. Youtubers post videos on a huge range of topics from music to make-up, fitness to cooking, etc.

Most YouTubers create their own Youtube channel. People can subscribe to their channels and follow their videos. Do you watch or subscribe to any YouTube channels? If so, who are your favourite YouTubers? In New Zealand, there are many Youtubers, including Kiwi beauty YouTuber Miria Flavell and guitar guru, Nat Pua.

Activity 3: Apple vs Microsoft [6 points]

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two big names in the field of digital technology. Bill Gates is the founder of Microsoft while Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple. Both men are very creative and inventive. In fact, Steve Jobs invented the Apple computer, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Sadly, he passed away in 2011.

Bill Gates, on the other hand, invented Microsoft software, like Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. He is now one of the richest people in the world, and with his wife, Melinda, has created a charity called The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Both men worked in the same field (digital technology) and were seen as competitors or rivals. They are not the only rivals in the world. In fact, some of the most famous rivalries occur between sports teams. One example is the rivalry between the All Blacks and the Wallabies rugby teams.

DAY 2: Cracking the Code

Activity 1: Through Careful Observation [4 points]

There are many incredible people in history who have changed the world. Some have changed what we know about the world and about how it works. We often call these people ‘scientists’ or ‘theorists.’ Famous scientists include Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Katherine Freese, Maria Goeppert Mayer and Sau Lan Wu.

Each of these scientists came up with a new theory (idea) about how things work. Much of what they discovered came from observing (watching) things closely.

Activity 2: Overcoming Adversity [4 points]

Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) was an English scientist who was interested in studying the origin (beginning) of the universe. When he was just 21 years old, he was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and, over time, he lost the ability to walk and talk. He needed to use a wheelchair to move around and a computer to help him to talk. The computer made his voice sound a bit funny but, most importantly, it meant he could still communicate with people.

Despite his diagnosis, Stephen Hawking lived a long and very productive life. He showed great determination and perseverance because he didn’t let his physical challenges stop him. He didn’t quit. Instead, he ‘overcame the odds’ and achieved a huge amount in his life.

Activity 3: Hidden Figures [6 points]

Ada Lovelace, born in 1815, is considered to be the ‘first computer programmer’, even though computers had not yet been invented. She was called a computer programmer because she worked out a series of algorithms (instructions) that a machine could use to compute (calculate) difficult maths questions.

Katherine Johnson was another brilliant mathematician who worked with NASA - the North American Space Association. NASA was responsible for sending rockets and people into space. It was Katherine’s job to check all of the calculations that the engineers and astronauts used when designing the spacecraft and flying them into space. In 2016, a movie was made about Katherine Johnson and the other women who worked at NASA during this time. It is called ‘Hidden Figures.’ In the movie, the women had to learn how to do basic coding when NASA started using computers.

Have you ever tried coding?

DAY 3: Inventive Inventors

Activity 1: Nanogirl [4 points]

Michelle Dickinson, AKA “Nanogirl”, is a nanotechnologist. That is an engineer or scientist who works with very small items called “molecules.” Michelle is famous for creating cool shows about science which she performs in schools around New Zealand. When she isn’t performing, she is working as a scientist in her own lab in Auckland. Over the years she has written two books and won many awards including the New Zealand Women of Influence in Innovation and Science Award and The New Zealand Order of Merit for her innovative work.

Like Michelle, many people in New Zealand like to create nano-sized (tiny) things. Some people even like to build tiny houses.

Activity 2: Printing Prosthetics [4 points]

In 1983 a man named Chuck Hull invented the first 3D printer. A 3D printer follows a design that has been created on a computer. The printer simply ‘prints out’ the design in layers, often using a material like plastic.

3D printing has changed the way we are designing and manufacturing (creating) all sorts of things. It is possible to 3D print parts for machines, buildings and even humans!

If you have ever broken an arm and needed a plaster cast you will know that they’re not much fun to wear - especially in summer! Here in New Zealand, a man named Jake Evill has designed a lighter 3D printed plaster cast that is strong, recyclable, waterproof, and ventilated (let’s air in). Check out his design here.

Activity 3: Need for Speed [6 points]

We have had many inventors here in New Zealand who have created things that have changed the world. Two of these inventors were Bill Hamilton (1899-1978) and John Britten (1950-1995).

Bill Hamilton grew up on a farm in the South Island of New Zealand. One of his first inventions was a tow rope to pull skiers up a ski field. His most famous invention, however, is the development of the modern jet boat engine. It allows boats, like the Huka Falls Jet, to travel at lightning speed along rivers. Bill Hamilton invented the jet boat to solve a problem.

John Britten, on the other hand, loved to rebuild vehicles, including motorbikes. He set up the Britten Motorcycle Company from his garage in Christchurch, New Zealand. One of his bikes, the V1000, won a number of international races and set a world speed record for going 304km per hour! Wow! Now that is fast…!

DAY 4: Hauora

Activity 1: Medical Mavericks [4 points]

Over the years, many important discoveries have been made by clever people looking to help others. Two of these are women - Florence Nightingale and Marie Curie whose work has been widely recognised and appreciated. Both women lived extraordinary lives.

Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 in England. When she grew up, she trained to be a nurse and, as an adult, was sent to Turkey during the Crimean War to look after wounded soldiers. When she arrived, the hospitals were very dirty so she spent money to clean them up and to provide the soldiers with quality care. She saved many lives.

Marie Curie was born in Poland in 1867. Eventually, she moved to France to go to university. While there, she learned a lot about physics, chemistry and maths. She spent her career conducting experiments that led to the discovery of chemical elements. She was also the first person to use an x-ray machine to look at the human body. She earned two Nobel Prizes for her work.

Nobel Prizes are given out every year to people who have done something extraordinary in six specific fields of study - Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economics.

Activity 2: iMoko [4 points]

Dr Lance O’Sullivan is a Māori doctor who lives in Kaitaia, Northland. He has committed his life to improving the health and well-being of both his patients and people in the local community. In 2014 he was named New Zealander of the Year.

Together, Lance and his wife, Tracy, have started some very cool projects in New Zealand including affordable clinics, the Kāinga Ora (healthy homes) initiative and the MOKO Foundation. The MOKO Foundation provides healthcare for students in school-based clinics. He has also started iMOKO, a digital initiative (programme) whereby people living in communities without doctors, can take photos of health issues and send them to doctors in Kaitaia. The doctors look at the photos, provide advice and can send a script to the local pharmacy so that the patient can get medicine. This programme is improving the health and well-being of people living in rural Northland.

Activity 3: Putting Our Heads Together [6 points]

Health is a complex and complicated topic. Most people believe that there are many dimensions (areas) of health - physical health, social health, mental health, emotional health, etc. Mental health is an area that is not often discussed. It is basically the way we think and feel about ourselves and the world around us. Sometimes our mental health can be affected by things that have happened in our lives, or by changes in our brains that we cannot control.

Here in New Zealand, people like Mike King and John Kirwan have made the choice to speak publicly about the mental health challenges that they face. Overseas, people like The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have joined the discussion about mental health and, like John and Mike, started a foundation to support people struggling with mental health challenges.

John Kirwan started the John Kirwan Foundation in 2018. Mike King founded The Key to Life Foundation, the I Am Hope and the Gumboot Friday campaigns while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge started the Heads Together foundation in 2017. In each case, these foundations serve an important role in the community.

DAY 5: Creativity +

Activity 1: Ministry of Inspiration [4 points]

So you might have heard of the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Health, right? They are groups of people who give advice to the government. But have you heard of the Ministry of Inspiration? It sounds like fun, doesn’t it?! Well, this is a real organisation based in Nelson, New Zealand. Their aim is to get kids thinking creatively in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, maths and society (STEAMS).

The Ministry of Inspiration hosts many cool activities and events, including an Aquabot competition. Aquabots are underwater robots. Have you ever heard of them?

Activity 2: Caine’s Arcade [4 points]

Caine Monroy is a 17 year old boy who lives in Los Angeles (L.A.), California. When he was younger, he spent his summer holidays at his dad’s work - an auto parts store in downtown L.A. While his dad was working, he decided to build himself something that he had always wanted - an arcade! He built an arcade all by himself out of cardboard boxes and things that he found lying around the shop.

One day a man came into the store to buy a handle for his car and he met Caine. Caine showed him what he had made and the man was so impressed with the arcade game that he made a movie about Caine and invited all the people in L.A. to come and play the games in Caine’s Arcade!