Category Archives: Projects

Earthquake Project

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Representation:

In Science, we were faced with a project where we had to design a building that could withstand the effects of an earthquake. The earthquake was simulated by a 10 second shaking of the table our building was sitting on. Our building was made out of spaghetti and we used the blu tack to stick it together. Other materials we could use were scissors, a knife and a ruler. The building must have had a minimum height of 60cm and the base couldn’t exceed a 30*30 area. We were hoping to build a structure that fit those parameters as it showed we worked as a team in order to overcome challenges we were faced with.

Our first design (pictured below) was quite poor as we didn’t really think about how it would connect together and stay upright. When we tried to build the design, it didn’t even stand up so we knew it definitely wouldn’t withstand the earthquake simulation.

Our final design (pictured below) was very effective after we made the necessary adjustments. It was very stable during the simulation and was still standing after the 10 seconds.

Communicating:

I think that the engineering process to design and build our structure was very helpful and we benefited from it a lot. At first, we went over the task in detail, making sure that all of our team knew what we had to do so that we had the best chance of succeeding. After that, we started on our research where we found out the best designs and shapes to implement on our building that would withstand the earthquake. Using this research, we drew our first design with specific measurements and calculated the amount of spaghetti and blu-tac needed. Then, we built our first design but found that it was very unstable so we made a few major adjustments. Once we created this new prototype, it was time to test it out by simulating the earthquake. While the earthquake was happening, we observed our building to see how stable it was and if there were any small adjustments we would have to make. After, we discussed what we saw, evaluated how we thought it responded and decided to add some cross bracing that would serve as extra support for the corners.

I also believe that there were a few changes that we could make to the engineering process. If we had more time, I think that we should’ve have added a bit more testing but also different types of testing. This means we can see if our building will stand up to any type or severity of shaking and earthquakes. We can also do further testing on the different parts of the building to see if every aspect of our design is stable. We can do this by putting extra pressure on a specific part rather than the whole building where some other parts can carry the load. This would improve the outcome of our building because we would be able to find out if we have a building that is stable all over with each part of it carrying an equal amount of pressure.

Teamwork:

A major component of our success in this challenge was our ability to work as a team and this was shown through the roles of each team member.

Myself: Reporter- Made sure that we had everything together and done on time.

Matthew: Equipment manager- Made sure we had all the equipment in the class and ready to go. Main builder of the tower.

Ben: Project manager- The leader of the group, made sure everyone knew what they were doing.

Scarlett: Spokesperson- Talked to others and found out more information.

During the creation of our building, we had many problems that we had to address and figure out. To solve these problems, we met together and discussed it in a respectful manner so we could come up with a solution. Ben took charge of these conversations as he was the project manager and made sure everyone was happy with the adjustments we were going to make.

Reflecting on our group, I think that everyone had strengths that they brought to the team. When we combined these different strengths together, we had a full complete team that was ready to tackle the challenge ahead. Ben brought intelligence and good mathematical skills to calculate the measurements of our design. He was also a leader for the group who kept everyone on task. Matthew is very good with his hands so he was the main builder of the design and we relied on him to do any challenging tasks or make adjustments when the building might fall over. Scarlett was quite particular which meant she really examined the design to make sure all the spaghetti was stuck together and helped put it together. I was quite involved with the creating of the building and proposed any adjustments that we could make.

All in all, I think that this challenge was an effective way to build on our creative, teamwork and leadership skills whilst learning a bit out earthquakes and the designs that can withstand them.

Maths project

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Australia's summer of sport is under threat from climate change

Matthew and I had to complete a Maths project where we analysed data, commented on it and made some graphs. Our PowerPoint below goes in depth about the purpose of our subject, the results and the reliability of them, our analysis and any extra information. We also have slides with all the graphs and tables showing the data but we’ve attached the main ones below.

The mallard injustice

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Andrew Mallard killed 24 years after wrongful conviction.

There are many principles that help the justice system operate fairly. Some of these include equality before the law, the right to a fair hearing, an independent and unbiased judiciary, the right to a fair hearing and the right to an appeal. The Andrew Mallard case involved the defendant Andrew Mallard who was convicted of murdering Pamela Lawrence because key information was withheld. The principles of a right to a fair hearing, an independent and unbiased judiciary and the right to an appeal were compromised in this case although justice was upheld in some instances.

An independent and unbiased judiciary is where the judge and jury are free to make their decision without the influence of outside bodies such as the government. This is important as the judge and jury are unbiased and can hopefully deliver the correct verdict. The Andrew Mallard case was a very high profile one and was talked about a lot in the media. A jury should not have been used to decide the outcome of the case as this may have resulted in a biased decision. This was not the case and a jury was used which severely compromised Andrew Mallard’s right to an independent and unbiased judiciary. A solution to this, is to not have a jury and instead have an independent judge who does not have prior knowledge of the case and decide the verdict. All in all, an independent and unbiased judiciary was compromised in the Mallard case.

Andrew Mallard - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

There are many instances in the courtroom where the right to appeal is used. The right to appeal means people who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their case are allowed to appeal if it is within reason. This is important because the right decision may not always be made, and parties need the opportunity to get cases reviewed. In the Andrew Mallard case, the right to an appeal was supported and justice was upheld. After 12 years Andrew appealed to the High Court of Australia. Police conducted a review on the investigation and found that he was not guilty because vital evidence was missing. On the other hand, there were 10 years of appeals prior to this, where the investigation was not reviewed, and he was still found guilty. This can be improved by cases being regularly reviewed so incorrect verdicts are not handed down. Furthermore, the right to an appeal was supported but also compromised in Andrew’s case.

The right to a fair hearing means both parties are allowed to express their evidence with reliable information. This is important as judges and juries need to be able to make their decision based on all the correct evidence. In the Mallard case, key information was missing, and police changed witness statements, entering false records. The defence party’s case was compromised, and they could not argue their case as equally as the prosecution. The jury (which shouldn’t have been used) was also more inclined to believe the prosecution because they had more evidence available. On the other hand, the right to a fair hearing was upheld because Andrew had a lawyer which helped him to express himself in court. The judge and jury were also impartial in the courtroom allowing both parties to speak and argue their case. Strategies to be implemented to prevent this from happening include investigations being reviewed and ensuring all the right evidence is present when discussing a case. Therefore, it can be clearly seen that the right to a fair hearing was both severely compromised and upheld in this case.

Andrew Mallard, jailed for a murder he did not commit, killed in LA hit-and-run

The Andrew Mallard case is a prime example of where justice was heavily compromised but also upheld. This is shown through the principles of the right to a fair hearing, an independent and unbiased judiciary, and the right to an appeal. In the case, key information was withheld, and the case gained much media attention. Ultimately, police must be precise with the details of cases they oversee, and cases should be regularly reviewed so the right decision is made.