Ancestral Seafarers

I have written a series of technology units that have an ICT focus and I am going to share them over the next few weeks.
The first one is Ancestral Seafarers. Students will use Google Sketchup, Digital Lego and Paint as some of the ICT tools.
This unit is designed to integrate into the main Science and Social studies focus.
Setting: We have been looking at how the early Maori people migrated to New Zealand. They used many forms of navigation tools such as the stars, migrating birds and tidal flow.
Brief: It is the year 2010; we have sophisticated technology available to use. If we were going to make the same trip and were able to use the technology available today to navigate, then what and how would we use it? Plan a model using Sketchup, Digital Lego or Paint and identify all of the technologies you have used.
Specifications:

• The boat you travel in can be no longer than 20 metres
• You must justify the use of each technological item

Follow the slideshow and complete the tasks.

Ancestral Seafarers

View more presentations from Jacqui Sharp.

Discuss this

'So canoe traditions do not only explain origins. They also express authority and identity, and define tribal boundaries and relationships. They merge poetry and politics, history and myth, fact and legend' (retrieved from TeAra)

What does this mean? How can it relate to your own design?

Try out the tutorials in either Sketchup or Digital Lego
Draw your plan itemising all of the technological improvements that you will use for navigation.
Level 1: Describe your plan itemising all of the technological improvements that you will use for navigation.
Level 2: Present your plan to the class explaining the outcome you are developoing and describing the technological improvements
Level 3: Describe your outcome explaining how it will suit what you plan to do with it, identify the technological improvements and describe in detail how they will assist with the final outcome
Level 4: Identify what the need or opportunity was, describe the technological improvement and how it will benefit the stakeholders.

TeAra the The online Encyclopedia of New Zealand is a wonderful resource to start with when researching anything to do with New Zealand.
TVNZ on demand is another valuable resource and Waka Hui had several episodes on Ancestral Seafarers.