©ABC 2018

Questions for discussion

Budget 2018

1. Discuss the BTN Budget 2018 story as a class. What were the main points or questions

raised in the discussion?

2. Who is Australia’s current Treasurer?

3. What is the job of the Treasurer?

4. In your own words, explain what the Federal Budget is.

5. Where does the money in the budget come from?

6. What area receives the most money from the budget?

a. Health

b. Welfare

c. Education

d. Environment

7. At the moment Australia is in deficit. What does this mean?

8. How could the Government reduce Australia’s deficit? Give one example.

9. How does the budget affect you?

10. What questions do you have after watching the BTN story?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

North and South Korea

1. Summarise the BTN North and South Korea story.

2. Describe what it was like when leaders from North and South Korea met for the first time.

3. Before World War II North Korea and South Korea was known as ________.

4. Who took control of the South and who took control of the North after World War II?

5. How many years did the Korean War last?

6. What is an armistice?

7. What has life been like for North Koreans since the Korean War?

8. What has North Korea been testing that has made some people worried?

9. What is a peace treaty?

10. What questions do you have after watching the BTN story?

Check out the North and South Korea resource on the Teachers page.

Do the quiz on the BTN website.

Free Range Egg Laws

1. Before watching the BTN story, discuss in pairs what ‘free-range’ means to you. Share your

thoughts with the class.

2. Complete this sentence. The eggs are sorted based on their ______ before they’re

packaged up ready for the shops.

3. Using words or pictures, describe the living conditions for the chickens on Adam’s farm.

4. What is the difference between free-range and caged eggs?

Episode 11

8th May 2018

©ABC 2018

5. What are barn laid eggs?

6. Adam’s farm has a stocking density of…

a. 6 chickens per hectare

b. 65 chickens per hectare

c. 650 chickens per hectare

7. Why was there some confusion about the meaning of free-range eggs?

8. What new law has been introduced for farmers who use the label free-range eggs?

9. What does farmer Adam think about the new laws?

10. How has your understanding of free-range eggs changed since watching the BTN story?

Get your class involved in BTN’s Ask A Reporter! This week’s topic is

Free-Range Egg Laws.

Bionic Arm Builder

1. Before watching the BTN story, discuss in pairs what you know about bionics.

2. What helped Hannah build the bionic arm?

a. Coding

b. Electronics

c. 3D design

d. All of the above

3. What is bionic technology? Explain using your own words.

4. What can the bionic arm that Hannah built do?

5. How much did it cost Hannah to print and build the bionic arm?

6. Explain how the bionic arm works.

7. What materials did Hannah use to make the bionic arm?

8. What does the fishing wire in the hand act as?

9. How do the sensors on the bionic arm work?

10. If you could design a bionic body part what would it be? Why?

Check out the Bionic Arm Builder resource on the Teachers page.

Why do we listen to music?

1. Discuss the story in pairs. Share your thoughts with the class.

2. About how long has music existed?

3. Complete this sentence. Scientists have found that when we listen to music our brain

releases a chemical called ___________.

4. How does this chemical in our bodies make us feel?

5. What does entrainment mean?

6. What hormone is released when we dance?

7. Why do some experts say it’s harder for people to get into jazz and classical music?

8. Studies have shown that people tend to react in similar ways to certain types of music. True

or false?

9. How does music make you feel? Explain.

10. Have you seen or heard something in the news you'd like explained? Ask your question on

BTN Investigates.

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

©ABC 2018

Teacher Resource

North and South Korea

1. Summarise the BTN North and South Korea story.

2. Describe what it was like when leaders from North and South Korea

met for the first time.

3. Before World War II North Korea and South Korea was known as

________.

4. Who took control of the South and who took control of the North after

World War II?

5. How many years did the Korean War last?

6. What is an armistice?

7. What has life been like for North Koreans since the Korean War?

8. What has North Korea been testing that has made some people

worried?

9. What is a peace treaty?

10. What questions do you have after watching the BTN story?

Before watching the BTN North and South Korea story, ask students to

make some predictions about what the story might be about. Students will

compare and contrast their predictions with other classmates after viewing

the story.

Discuss the story as a class. What questions were raised in the discussion (what are the gaps in their

knowledge)? The KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this

topic and consider what they would like to know and learn.

What do I know? What do I want to

know? What have I learnt? How will I find out?

- What did you SEE in this video?

- What do you THINK about what you saw in this video?

- What does this video make your WONDER?

- What did you LEARN from this story?

- How did this story make you FEEL?

Episode 11

8th May 2018

Students will investigate North and

South Korea in more detail and

create a profile of both countries.

Geography – Year 6

The geographical diversity of

the Asia region and the location of

its major countries in relation to

Australia.

Differences in the economic,

demographic and social

characteristics of countries across

the world.

HASS – Years 5 & 6

Develop appropriate questions to

guide an inquiry about people,

events, developments, places,

systems and challenges.

Civics and Citizenship – Year 6

The obligations citizens may

consider they have beyond their

own national borders as active and

informed global citizens.

©ABC 2018

Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry, collecting and recording information from a wide

variety of sources. Use the following questions to help guide the discussion:

• Why was Korea divided into North Korea and South Korea?

• What is life like for people in North Korea?

• What is life like for people in South Korea?

• What challenges are ahead for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula?

Compare North and South Korea

Students explore the countries of North and South Korea and create profile of each. Include information in

the table below.

Areas to Research North Korea South Korea

Geography – capital city,

physical features of the country,

climate, environment. Include a

map showing surrounding

countries and relationship to

Australia

People – population, culture,

customs, language, health,

religion, beliefs and food

Government/politics – Who is

the leader of the country? How

is the country run?

History – Why was Korea

divided into North Korea and

South Korea?

Economy – education and

work, trade, industries and

products

Inquiry questions

o How would your life be

similar and/or different if you

grew up in North Korea or

South Korea?

o What challenges are ahead

for permanent peace on the

Korean peninsula?

o Why is it important to learn

about other cultures?

©ABC 2018

Watch the following BTN stories to find out more about North and South Korea

BTN North Korea Threats

1. Who is the leader of North Korea?

2. About how long has North Korea been threatening

other countries with nuclear war?

3. North Korea isn’t as powerful as it says it is. Give

some examples of this.

4. Which powerful friends does Australia have to

protect it?

5. Which countries closer to North Korea are really

worried about the nuclear threats?

6. Australian Prime Minister says North Korea should

still be taken very seriously. True or false?

7. How did this story make you feel?

BTN What’s the deal with North Korea?

1. Who is the supreme leader of North Korea?

2. Kim Il-sung is North Korea’s _______________

President.

3. In which year did he die?

4. What is a necrocracy?

5. What is life like for people living in North Korea?

6. How did North Korea get nuclear weapons?

7. Approximately how many nuclear weapons does

North Korea have? How does that compare to

other countries?

8. What do experts say about the possibility of North Korea using nuclear weapons on another

country?

BTN Korean War

1. Who was South Korea fighting against?

2. Why did Australia get involved in the Korean War?

3. How many Australian soldiers were killed in the war?

4. On which significant day were the kids in Korea?

5. Which Battle was being commemorated?

6. How does Amy describe the relationship between North and South Korea?

7. What is the piece of land called where no fighting

is allowed?

8. What do the prayer ribbons symbolise?

©ABC 2018

BTN Winter Olympics 2018

1. How long did the war between North and South

Korea last?

2. What was set up to separate the two countries

and stop fighting along the border?

3. Describe the relationship between North and

South Korea.

4. Name three facts about South Korea.

5. Who is the leader of North Korea?

6. What is life like for North Koreans?

7. The two countries announced they would share

a _____________in the opening ceremony.

8. What do you understand more clearly about the relationship between North and South Korea?

ABC News – North and South Korea dismantle propaganda loudspeakers at tense border

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/two-koreas-dismantle-propaganda-loudspeakers-at-tense-

border/9718032

CBBC Newsround – North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and South Korean leader meet at border

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/43918950

Asia Education Foundation – Go Korea!

http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/public/sites/gokorea/index1.html

BTN – Korean War

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4047568.htm

YouTube – What’s the deal with North Korea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBPdiydKDIQ&feature=youtu.be

©ABC 2018

Teacher Resource

Bionic Arm Builder

1. Before watching the BTN story, discuss in pairs what you know

about bionics.

2. What helped Hannah build the bionic arm?

a. Coding

b. Electronics

c. 3D design

d. All of the above

3. What is bionic technology? Explain using your own words.

4. What can the bionic arm that Hannah built do?

5. How much did it cost Hannah to print and build the bionic arm?

6. Explain how the bionic arm works.

7. What materials did Hannah use to make the bionic arm?

8. What does the fishing wire in the hand act as?

9. How do the sensors on the bionic arm work?

10. If you could design a bionic body part what would it be? Why?

After watching the BTN story, respond to the following questions:

What does bionic mean?

Ask students what they know about bionics and discuss as a class. As a

class, discuss the meaning of the word ‘bionic’. Some dictionaries explain

the word bionic as combining two words ‘bio’ meaning life, with ‘nics’ from

the word electronics.

Definition - Bionics is the study of mechanical systems that function like living

organisms or parts of living organisms.

• What did you SEE in this video?

• What do you THINK about what you saw in this video?

• What does this video make your WONDER?

• What did you LEARN from this story?

• What was SURPRISING about this story?

Episode 11

8th May 2018

Students will investigate the use of

bionic technology in our community.

Students will explore how bionic

technology helps people.

Science – Year 5 & 6

Scientific knowledge is used to

solve problems and inform personal

and community decisions.

Communicate ideas, explanations

and processes using scientific

representations in a variety of ways,

including multi-modal texts.

What does

bionic mean?

©ABC 2018

Mind map

Ask students to think of words they associate with the word bionics. Record students’ ideas on a mind map

with the word BIONICS in the middle. Below are some suggested words related to bionics.

• Bionic

• 3D printing

• Science

• Electronics

• Coding

• Human body

• Invention

• Body part

• Robotic

• Technology

• Research

• Engineer

• Design

Ask students to clarify their understanding of the key words by writing down what they think the word means.

Swap definitions with a partner and ask them to add to or change the definition. Check them using a

dictionary or other source.

Bionics Research

Define: What do I want to know?

Key questions to research

Students can choose one or more of the following questions or come up with their own:

• What are bionic body parts?

• Why do some people need bionic body parts?

• What type of bionic body parts have been invented and are already being used by people in

the community?

• What other bionic body parts are currently being developed?

• Why are some people concerned about the idea of bionic body parts?

• What do you think is the future of bionic body parts?

Locate: Where do I find the information?

What resources will help answer my questions? (Internet, people, resource centre, organisations,

print). Discuss with students what a reliable source is.

Select: What information is important for the investigation?

Students may need support to sort through and select relevant information.

Organise: How do I make sense of the information?

Students can organise their research by creating main headings from their questions. Write each

©ABC 2018

heading on a separate piece of paper. Record the information found for each question.

Present: How do we let others know about this information?

Each group needs to discuss then decide on the best way to present the information. Possibilities

could include:

• A `Did You Know’ Facts sheet

• Infographic

• Oral presentation

• Prezi presentation

• Create an infographic using Canva

Evaluate: What have we learnt?

Each group reflects on what they have learnt about the moon during their investigation. Students will

reflect on their learning and respond to the following.

• What I learned...

• What I found surprising...

BTN Bionic stories Students watch the following BTN population stories and answer the questions. BTN Bionic Body story

1. Discuss the main issues raised in

the Bionic Body story with another

student. Record the main points of

your discussion.

2. Why did Alex receive a bionic arm?

3. What are bionic body parts?

4. Why do some people need bionic

body parts?

5. The bionic ear is also known as the

________________

_________________.

6. Where and when was it invented?

7. What other bionic body parts are being developed?

8. Some scientists think that about _____% of the human body could be replaced with bionic body parts.

9. Why are some people concerned about the idea of bionic body parts?

10. What do you think is the future of bionic body parts? Explain your answer.

©ABC 2018

BTN Bionic Boy story

1. Discuss the Bionic Boy story with

another student.

2. What disease was Riley born

with?

3. What does Riley use to speak?

4. Which part of Riley’s body can he

control?

5. What does Riley say is the

hardest thing for him?

6. What has Jordan created to help

Riley?

7. Describe what Riley can do using

the new technology.

8. Which piece of technology has Riley always dreamed of controlling?

9. Explain how Riley will control the car.

10. How did this story make you feel?

BTN - Bionic Eye

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3779423.htm

BTN – Bionic Body

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4200142.htm

BTN – Bionic Boy

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4473643.htm

ABC Radio National – Bionic Bodies (part 1 of 2)

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/bionic-bodies-part-1-of-2/9325268

ABC Radio National – Bionic Bodies (part 2 of 2)

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/bionics-bodies-part-2-of-2/9339110

©ABC 2018

BTN: Episode 11 Transcript 8/5/18

Hey, Amelia here, welcome to BTN.

Coming up today.

• We find out about some good news from Korea.

• Meet a young engineer who made a bionic arm.

• And we investigate why humans like music.

Budget 2018

Reporter: Erin Scott

INTRO: But first up today to the Federal Budget. That's something you're going to be hearing a lot

about this week as the government lays down its plans for how it's going to spend the country's

money. The budget is always a big deal for politicians and ordinary Aussies. So, let's find out more

about it.

Welcome to everyone's favourite game show Balancing the Budget.

HOST: Hello and welcome to Balancing the Budget the show where we put you in the shoes of

Australia’s Treasurer. I’m your host Scot Erinson and let’s welcome our contestant Sam. Hey Sam

are you ready to spend some Commonwealth cash?

SAM: Ah, yeah.

HOST: Great. You’ve now got an estimated 486 billion dollars.

Getting to spend billions of dollars of other people’s money may sound like fun but it's not that easy

just ask this guy - Australia's Treasurer Scott Morrison. It's his job to write up the Budget, which is

a document that tells us how the government is planning to spend all the money it collects in tax

paid by people and businesses.

HOST: Alright Sam, now it’s time to prioritise that government spending. So, which one of these

areas receives the most funding from the budget? Is it health, welfare, defence, education or the

environment?

SAM: Is it the environment?

HOST: Oh, sorry Sam, it’s not. It’s actually welfare.

Governments usually divide up the Federal Budget in similar ways from year to year.

Most of the budget generally goes to welfare, which helps people who need it like pensioners and

people who are unemployed. Health care is also a big expense. Last year the government spent

©ABC 2018

just over 77 billion dollars on funding hospitals and our public health system. Education and

defence also take up a fairly big chunk of the budget. And there's a big slice set aside for states

and territories as well as for things like disaster relief, local councils and paying off Australia’s debt.

HOST: Speaking of debt Sam, what do you call it when the Australian government’s spending

more money than it's earning in tax dollars?

SAM: Oh, oh a deficit.

HOST: Correct. Currently Australia's in a deficit but the Treasurer’s trying to change that. So, Sam

how do you choose to reduce Australia’s deficit? Well Sam, you could decrease government

spending, by spending less money on roads, hospitals and schools or maybe even grandma’s

pension or you could raise taxes, which means people have less money to spend, the economy

suffers, and nobody likes you very much.

SAM: Oh, neither of those options sounds great to me?

HOST: Correct, welcome to politics.

Trying to juggle the needs of so many people is really difficult, and budgets rarely make everyone

happy. But with an election coming up in the next year the government needs to impress as many

people as possible. That's why it's made some big announcements like more funding for the Great

Barrier Reef and for education along with some tax cuts.

SAM: So, did I win?

HOST: That's hard to say.

SAM: What do you mean?

HOST: Depends who you ask. Well, that's all we got time for here on Balancing the Budget we'll

see you again next year when we do it all again.

This Week in News

If you've ever dreamt of exploring the universe, you'll be pleased to know that Australia's a step

closer to getting its very own space agency. The government’s announced it'll pump 50 million

dollars into setting one up, although we don't know where it'll be based just yet.

Australia already plays a big role in space exploration, like monitoring satellites and getting

involved in missions to other planets. But we've never had a space agency of our own, so no doubt

there’s exciting stuff on the way.

Over in Hawaii, one of the world's most active volcanoes, Mount Kilauea, has been erupting

spewing ash, rock and lava into the air and through nearby neighbourhoods.

©ABC 2018

From a distance, it was pretty spectacular, but up close, it was chaos. More than two thousand

people had to evacuate, and more than 30 homes have been destroyed.

The eruptions haven't stopped, in fact, scientists say it could be months before this fiery giant

simmers down.

And back home, some impressive young Aussie artists have been showing off their skills in the

Young Archie competition. It's a junior version of the Archibald Prize which is Australia's most

famous portrait contest.

Young Archie entrants had to create a portrait of someone special to them and these are the

finalists. The winners will be announced in July.

North and South Korea

Reporter: Jack Evans

INTRO: Now to Korea, where there's been a lot of talk about a meeting between Kim Jong-un and

Moon Jae-in. They're the leaders of North Korea and South Korea. It's a really big deal because

the two countries have actually been enemies for decades. But now things are looking a lot

friendlier. Take a look.

At first glance it might seem like any other official meeting of leaders. You got the handshake, the

photo opportunities, a ceremonial tree planting, oh and even a cake. But this meeting had people

in Korea and all over the world really excited.

GIRL: It is amazing. Kim Jong-un and President Moon Jae-in don't seem like enemies. They seem

like friends as they shake hands in such a friendly way.

This was the first time these South Korean kids had ever seen their president shake hands with a

leader of North Korea. For all of their lives and all of their parents lives the countries have been

enemies. You see this whole area used to be known as Korea. But after the Second World War the

country was split in two. The US took control of the South and the USSR which included what we

now know as Russia took the North. They had some very different ideas about how the country

should be run and in 1950 North Korean soldiers invaded the South and the Korean War began. It

lasted for 3 years and involved several other countries including Australia. In 1953 the two sides

signed something called an armistice - which was an agreement to stop the fighting. But the war

never officially ended. A lot of North Korean people were kept apart from their families in the South

and they weren't allowed the same freedoms.

In the past few years North Korea has made some big threats against its neighbours. It's tested

nuclear weapons and threatened to use them. The situation had people right around the world

really worried. But now things are starting to look a little a lot friendlier. Earlier this year a secure

phone line was reopened so North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un could talk with South Korea's

President Moon Jae-in. And the two nations marched together under a united flag at the Winter

Olympics and competed with a joint ice hockey team.

©ABC 2018

Then came last week’s meeting which was the first time an acting North Korean leader had

stepped onto South Korean soil since the war. Many are hoping the meeting could bring an end to

one of the world's longest running conflicts, with both leaders saying they're working towards a

peace treaty that could end the Korean War for good.

Many leaders including Moon Jae-in say US President Donald Trump had a hand in bringing the

two countries together. He's planning to be the first US President to meet with Kim Jong-un later

this month. There's still a long way to go before the North and South can work out all their

differences. But many are hoping that this is a really positive first step towards lasting peace on the

Korean Peninsula.

Quiz

What's the name of North Korea's capital city? Is it

Seoul

Panmunjom

or Pyongyang?

The answer is Pyongyang.

Seoul is the capital of South Korea and Panmunjom is in between the two countries

Free-Range Egg Laws

Reporter: Ruby Cornish

INTRO: For a while now in Australia there's been a bit of debate about chickens and eggs.

No, not which one came first although that's still a good question. I'm talking about the free-range

debate. Lots of people are prepared to pay extra for eggs labelled free-range but until now there's

been some confusion about what that actually means. Let's find out why.

This is Charlotte, and this is Alexander, and today they're helping their dad Adam sort out eggs on

their family's egg farm in South Australia.

ADAM OATEN, EGG FARMER: Each egg is checked for cracks and then the machine weighs

every individual egg.

The eggs are sorted based on their size before they're packaged up ready for the shops. These

eggs are free-range, that means the chickens that laid them are allowed to roam around outside.

But not all chickens are clucky enough, I mean, lucky enough to have this much space. If you've

checked out the eggs at the supermarket, you'd know there are a few different kinds to choose

from. Caged eggs, meaning the chickens live in a cage. Barn eggs, which are laid by chickens kept

inside a barn or shed, and free-range eggs. Lots of people say they're willing to pay more for free-

©ABC 2018

range eggs because they reckon the chickens have a better life, but until now there’s been a bit of

confusion about what free-range actually means. Take Adam's farm for example.

ADAM OATEN: On our farm at Adelaide Hills Pastured Eggs we have a stocking density of 65

chickens per hectare, so that's one chook for every three-bedroom house.

But other farms that also labelled their eggs free-range kept many more chickens in a much

smaller area, and there were no clear rules about how much of the day free-range hens could

spend outside. Many farmers and animal rights campaigners said that wasn't fair. So, in an effort to

combat the confusion, new laws have been introduced for farmers who want to rock the free-range

label on their eggs. The rules say there have to be 10 thousand chooks or less in each hectare.

And every carton of free-range eggs needs to clearly show how much space their chickens have.

ADAM OATEN: We currently have our name and the size of the eggs, which is important, and we

also have free-range written on there, but our new logo will have a big red dot with 65 hens per

hectare.

There are also new guidelines being put together for caged and barn laid eggs, that are designed

to help famers look after the welfare of their chickens.

The new laws have definitely cleared up the confusion about what free-range means, but not

everyone's a fan of them. It could make things more expensive for farmers and maybe for

customers, too. Some say the laws are unnecessary because most farmers already try to look after

their chickens. Others, like Adam, say free-range farmers should have to give their chickens more

room.

ADAM OATEN: You're not getting a true free-range product anymore. Now, that’s one chook per

square metre, that’s not a lot of room for her to live her entire life.

While the laws have changed, life for the chooks on this farm will continue on as usual. And even

on soggy days like today, these hardworking chickens will keep the eggs coming.

Did you Know

Did you know an average hen lays around 300 to 325 eggs a year? That's a hard-working hen.

Ask a Reporter

Do you have a question about eggs? Ask me live on Friday during Ask a Reporter. Just head to

our website for the details.

BTN Birthday Promo

At BTN, we love birthdays and this year's a really big one. Behind the News is turning 50 years old

and that means 50 cakes. Not really. But it does mean we want you to help us celebrate. Send in a

©ABC 2018

short video of your class wishing BTN a happy 50th. Then upload it to our website just like these

kids did.

Thanks guys. Send your best wishes soon, and you could even appear on our special birthday

episode. Want more details, it’s all on our website.

Sport

The story that had everyone talking over the weekend was the A-League Grand final between

Melbourne Victory and the Newcastle Jets and that extremely controversial goal which decided the

match.

Victory's Kosta Barbarouses scored the only goal in the ninth minute but the referee missed the

fact that his teammate James Donachie was offside, so the goal should have been disallowed.

A video replay could easily have cleared it up but there was a glitch in the feed at just the wrong

moment which meant the video ref couldn't see the offside. Football Federation Australia says it’s

now working with its technology partner to work out what exactly went wrong and how they can

prevent it happening again.

And how's this for the perfect wave? This is the WSL Wave Ranch in Central California home to

the longest open-barrel man-made wave in the world. It's the dream of Pro Surfer Kelly Slater who

wanted to give surfers the perfect wave every time.

Over the weekend it held its first comp, the Founders Cup. Mick Fanning was there with Team

Australia, but it was Team World that took out the top spot.

Meanwhile below the waves at the Gold Coast, this guy was taking a stroll for a good cause. Rod

Moore spent 4 hours walking underwater as part of a campaign to raise awareness for a kids'

charity called Kiwanis.

He's walked in Sydney Harbour and Lake Macquarie too, I guess it's a different way to get some

exercise.

BTN Audio update

Get excited, BTN has a brand-new audio update that comes out every weekday. It’s got all the

news you wanna hear told in the way that you wanna hear it. For the first time in a long time

Melbourne’s iconic Flinders Street Station building is officially pigeon poo free. Do you know that

old saying “don’t eat yellow snow”? It’s in a song. But I’m not sure what the go is with orange snow.

You can listen to it on the BTN website or if you have a Google Home or Amazon Echo you can

find it in the news section. Just search for ABC Behind the News.

©ABC 2018

Bionic Arm Builder

Reporter: Amelia Moseley

INTRO: Bionic technology is pretty amazing. It's helping people all around the world to walk, see,

hear and do everyday activities. It's something that fascinated year 8 student Hannah so much so

that she decided to try building a bionic arm from scratch. Her friends didn't think she could do it,

but Hannah proved them wrong. Check it out.

HANNAH: Hi, BTN. I'm Hannah and this is the bionic arm I built.

As school assignments go, this one's pretty impressive.

HANNAH: So last year, we got this English assignment that meant over the holidays and into this

term we could research any topic of our choice. I decided to do one of my creatives and build a

bionic arm. Before this project, I hadn't really done anything that involved, I hadn’t used coding or

electronics or 3D design.

Hannah was fascinated by bionic technology, which is helping people regain the ability to do

everyday activities.

HANNAH: So, this hand can do a few different grips and hold many objects; so it can obviously do

a close just around something like a glass of water, it can pinch grip something - hold it nice and

firm - but also with fine motor skills it can open a door like that.

The year 8 student did lots of research into robotics and 3D design.

HANNAH: I got in contact with someone from the USA about robotics and 3D design. So, I

downloaded his open source hand - it was basically a flat version of a hand - and changed it into

this, so it could house different electronic parts.

She paid someone to 3D print the parts from their garage.

HANNAH: So, in total, I think the hand cost about $130 to print and build, for all the electronic

parts. This was my Christmas money.

So how does the arm work?

HANNAH: There are fishing wires running through the hand that acts as tendons and, at the back,

there is this flexible nylon cord which is similar to a hair tie, and this I guess makes the fingers have

upright as the natural position. It also uses Velcro and superglue to keep it all together.

These sensors are designed to go on a person's muscles and detect their movement.

HANNAH: Inside this hand is a little micro-controller, an ardweno nano board. So, I coded this

board so that when the muscle sensors get signals it sends it and it translates it in a way relevant

to the code, and this spreads it to all different parts of the hand; controlling it.

While Hannah's cat isn't that impressed with her creation. She's definitely amazed her friends.

©ABC 2018

HANNAH: They were like "Nah, no way you can't do that." So, we set a bet that I couldn't build it by

I think April the 1st, anyway, so one day I just brought it in to school and showed them and yeah

that was pretty cool.

Now, Hannah wants to keep developing the arm by adding extra sensors and different grips

possibly a positive for kitty-cat here. Ah, there we go. And it's only the start for this talented teen.

HANNAH: I think in the future, I'd like to continue developing robotic technologies - similar or

completely different to something like this and see how different robotics can influence the way

people interact.

Why do we listen to music?

Reporter: Jack Evans

INTRO: Hi BTN, my name’s Isobel and my question is: Why do people like music so much?

Whether it's classical, heavy metal or pop, there's nothing like hitting play on your favourite track

and letting the music take over. Music has existed for tens of thousands of years in just about

every culture around the world. But why we do we like it so much? Well that's a really complicated

question that's still got scientists scratching their heads. But there are a few ideas about why

people just can't beat the beat.

IDEA 1 - Music Makes Us Feel Good. Scientists have found that when we listen to music our brain

releases dopamine. That's the chemical in our bodies that makes us feel happy. The same thing

happens when we eat certain foods like chocolate.

IDEA 2 - Music Makes Us Move. Notice that when a song starts playing, even if it's not your

groove, you can't help but tap your foot along to the beat? It's something we do as babies, as these

internet stars can prove. That's because our bodies, our heartbeats and our brainwaves are

actually reacting the music in a process called entrainment. That gives us the impulse to tap along

or bust a move when we hear music. And that physical expression of dance makes our brain

excited. In fact, studies have found that dancing releases endorphins which are our happy

hormones and it makes us feel more comfortable and relaxed. Which is why for decades people

haven't been able to stop shaking their groove things.

IDEA 3 - Brains Love Repetition. Brains love repetition. Have you ever loved a song so much you

listen to it again and again and again? Well that's because our brains love repetition. Wait, didn’t I

already say that? All music uses repetition to make patterns and pop music is particularly repetitive

which is probably why it's so, well, popular. Even if we haven't heard a song before we often try to

predict how it'll play out by following the patterns we're familiar with. That's why some experts

reckon it can be harder for people to really get into jazz and classical music because it's less

predictable, so it doesn't give our brains the same immediate reward.

IDEA 4 - Music helps Us Communicate. Studies have shown that people tend to react in similar

ways to certain types of music. For example, angry music or peaceful music. It's a trick film and TV

makers use a lot. For example, here's me looking sad, and here's me looking hopeful, and here's

me looking heroic. Even if we don't speak the same language music can communicate emotions

and bring people together. Which is another reason why we say, "thank you for the music."

©ABC 2018

Closer

And that's it for today. But there's heaps more to see and do on our website and don't forget to

send us your birthday messages. See you next week.