"Boy on a Bike”, School Journal, level 3, May 2015
09 May 2015
Mac Madsen (a 9 year old boy) wanted to raise money so that St John could buy more ambulances. Cycling the length of the New Zealand on a fat bike proved the “ultimate experience”.
Mac used the safest bike he could find – a fat bike (see page 10).
A fat bike would be sturdy enough to last the trip. Its thick tyres would also mean Mac could travel off-road – across sand, through mud, and over gravel.
You can find this article and the teacher support materials on Literacy Online: "Boy on a bike".
Other useful resources
Solar bikes offer green option in Raglan
A Raglan woman is hoping a solar-powered bike imported from the United States will gain traction in the Waikato and beyond, with hopes of eventually building them locally.
Should you buy a fat bike?
How fat bikes work and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
Technological experiences at Motat
At Motat the students from Green Bay Primary saw penny-farthing bikes in use.
The 10 most beautiful bicycles of 2015
BBC have compiled a list of their favourite bicycles.
Discussion starters
- Brief development: Use this and other examples to establish the key attributes for an outcome informed by stakeholder considerations (level 4).
- Characteristics of technological outcomes: Use this and other examples to explain possible physical and functional attributes for a technological outcome when provided with intended user/s, a purpose, and relevant social, cultural, and environmental details to work within (level 4).
- Technological products: Use this and other examples to describe examples to illustrate how the manipulation of materials contributed to a product’s fitness for purpose (level 4).
Related videos
Technological experiences at Motat (03:06)
Moira Patterson and Naomi Laycock show the importance of engaging students in hands-on experiences.