TREK Attenborough Documentary Official guidelines
Maximum of three teams per event per school. Robotics is the key to this event but bonus points will be given for planning. The film element of this activity will not necessarily win you the event. Be ready to show your programming to the judges! Good luck.

Key learning areas: Technology, IT, Science Ages: Years 4-7

It is intended that this competition be explored over the course of a full term 1-2 lessons per week (or more! It’s up to you and your school!). TREK aims to use Lego robotics as a ‘tool’ for learning across the curriculum, not as a stand alone robotics experience. Learners will work towards Technology and Media (The Arts) Essential Learnings by the end of year 7 no matter which grade they are in. They will work at their own capacity and judges will consider their ages and abilities in their decisions. Judges will have high expectations for all entrants. Learners in year 4 who are demonstrating essentials by the end of year 7 at a lower level will be judged on their risk taking and effort to ‘reach the bar’ and have the opportunity for success against older learners. Some teams may have a mixture of ages and where this is the case, judges will have the final decision using these guidelines as well as questioning.
The challenge
Move over Attenborough, look out bare-footed bushman and Bindi Irwin, the next best thing in documentary television is here! Create a robotic animal, insect, arachnid, crustacean, or the like and then create a documentary about it. Where does it live? What does it eat? How does it reproduce? How does it act or ‘live’? What kind of camera angles will you use to captivate your audience? Video tape your documentary and enter it in the TREK Attenborough competition. You, your parents, teachers, teachers and students from other schools and guests will enter the lecture theatre to watch everyone’s documentaries. ‘Wow’ them with a ‘dung’ cam or a ‘leaf’ cam if you like. Use slow motion and other transition effects to make your documentary one to remember. Use Movie Maker, or any film making software that you are familiar with.
Rules
Judges decision is final. Planning notes to be given to the judges. DVD or CD for computer use. Flash stick accepted if problems occur. Learners MUST have back up copies of their documentary and retrieval of discs is up to the owners. Discs MUST be clearly labelled with Name of school, group, and documentary title. Movies are not to be more than 10 minutes long. Discs MUST be given to equipment coordinator for the lecture room as soon as possible before commencement of the shows. No one is to approach the equipment in the lecture theatre. People who are watching documentaries must sustain silence as much as possible so judges may analyse each entry without distraction.
Technology Learning Essentials by the end of year 7 This to be used as a guide and it is up to the learning manager and available resources for implementation.
The Technology Practice as outlined in the Years 1-10 Technology syllabus will be a part of this challenge; however, to assist with the term overview this guide may be of use. Learners will use The Arts to their advantage in this challenge.
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential learnings	Suggested example questions to assist with what may need to be planned:	Suggested procedural activities: (most could be shown to judges)
Information, materials and systems (resources). Techniques and tools are selected to manipulate or process resources to enhance the quality of products and to match design ideas, standards and specifications.	Learners need to think about: What animal or creature do we want to investigate? What do we need? What do we need to know? What techniques will make our film captivate the audience?	Learners might: Use camera angles Think about lighting Add elements of ‘danger’ to the host of the show.
Technology as a human endeavour. Product design and production decisions are influenced by specifications, constraints and aspects of appropriateness including functions, aesthetics, ethics, culture, available finances and resources, and sustainability.	Learners need to think about: What specifications are needed to consider before creating a documentary? Is my narration appropriate for the information format? Is the film aesthetically pleasing to the audience?	Learners might: · Consider the theme of the film and research documentaries to assist their planning. · Make a story board to assist in the sequence of the film. · Watch a documentary
Ways of working
Learners will: Identify risks and justify and apply safe practices. Plan and manage production procedures and modify as necessary. Select resources, techniques and tools to make products that meet specifications. Generate and evaluate design ideas and determine suitability based on purpose, specifications and constraints. Investigate and analyse the purpose, context, specifications and constraints for design ideas.
Information Technology (Developed using Cross-Curriculum priority Year 7, The State of Qld (QSA), 2007)
“ICTs include the hardware, software, peripheral devices and digital systems that enable data and information to be managed, stored, processed and communicated” (The State of Queensland, 2007, p. 1). By entering this competition learners will: Operating ICT: Develop operational skills using robotics software Investigate and describe the main uses of the Lego robotics kit and its software Develop operational skills using digital recording devices and movie maker software Ethics: Apply codes of practice for safe, secure and responsible use of ICTs Communicating: Collaborate, develop, organize and present new ideas Creating with ICTs: Creatively document and present their planning, thinking and learning using a combination of media Express and creatively represent ideas, information and thinking Inquiring with ICTs: Identify an inquiry focus, data and information requirements and possible digital information sources
Prizes
Winners: The winning team of the ‘Attenborough documentary’ will win a prize for their school. Each individual in the winning team will receive a laminated, named certificate and have their photograph taken for publicity. (Please ensure media release forms have been issued and signed) Runners up: The runners up team of the ‘Attenborough documentary’ will have their photograph taken for publicity and each individual in the team will receive a 2nd place, named, laminated certificate. Entrants: All entrants in the ‘Attenborough documentary’ will receive a laminated, named participation certificate.