Think!: junk

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Junk Drawer

Do not tell children why, just direct them to choose 15 items from your junk drawer. If you don't have a junk drawer, have them choose 15 random items that will fit in a shoe box.

The challenge: to build a robot. Only one adhesive item may be used in construction -- glue, paperclips, tape, string, etc.

Super challenge: build a robot with articulated parts.

Good luck. Don't forget to send pictures.

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Hints for Parents/Teachers

I would encourage you to let the children solve the problems offered here on their own. In the process of experimenting and failing, they will learn. If they are getting extremely frustrated, I would suggest that you ask questions to help direct their solution. Questions about how different materials can be used (what can you do with a toothpick? a nail? a straw?) are sometimes helpful. It is also helpful to make kids think about why something isn't working (why don't the wheels roll?, how is a car made?, how does a bike work?, what is making the bridge collapse?).

Sometimes, it is better to walk away from a project and come back later. Tell them that this is what engineers and scientists do.

Most of all, encourage your students to think outside of the box. If the project says use tape and they want to use duct tape, good for them. If the project says use toothpicks and they want to break the toothpicks, good for them. If they chew the gum and then use it, great!

When they do something that stands out as different and creative, praise them! They will begin to think more and more creatively as time goes on!

And, don't ever let them see other people's solutions before they start as it completely stifles individual creativity.

If you want more ideas, please don't hesitate to drop me an email at kidthinkers@gmail.com. I'll do my best to help.

I am Honored

Dana at School for Us just awarded me an IEMommy Blogger Award. Many THANKS!

"This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.”

So now the rules state that I should share the award with fifteen other WONDERFUL BLOGGERS out there! So, here's my list of 15 of SOME of my favorite blogs that don't think I've recognized before - some I've been reading for years and others I've only found recently. Hopefully, you will visit some of these blogs and you might find some new favorites, too!

1. Homeshooling Fun

2. It's a Boys Life

3. Life at the Leingangs'

4. Poohsticks

5. Journey Into Unschooling

6. Living and Learning Now

7. Canterbury Academy

8. Walking by the Way

9. Digital Structures

10.Cool Cat Teacher

11. Speaking of History

12. Ed Tech

13. Yes Tech

14. Bravewriter

15. Unplug your kids

School Districts That Promote Our Site

We are pleased that a Rochester New York School District (Spencerport Central School District - Taylor Elementary School) and a Florida School District (Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System) are promoting some creative thinking by including links to our site. Clickschooling isn't really a district per se but it is relied upon heavily by homeschoolers. They have recently featured this site as well. And, if you are teacher looking for lesson plans, we are happy to report that we are also featured onthe lesson plan page of Craft Gossip.Com.

I Got An Award

Gerky at Homefront Lines gave me an award!

I am honored!Many thanks!
There are rules...

*List 6 things that make you happy.
*Pass the award on to 5 other bloggers
*Link back to the person who gave you the award.
*Link to the people you are passing it on to and leave them a comment to let them know.

Here it goes...6 things that make me happy:

Water -- fresh, ocean, pool. I love the sound of water -- raindrops, waterfalls, waves lapping at the sandy beach, splashes in the pool. I love the feel of water. I love the peacefulness of water.
Traveling with my family -- anywhere, anytime. My travel wish list is 200 places long.
Reading -- I have read 4 books in the past week and have enjoyed every one of them.
Creating -- anything. I love to paint and write. I love to teach and plan.
Gluten free brownies. I recently discovered that I cannot have any gluten and I crave it. Brownies from Cherrybrook Kitchen are the only gluten free dessert that tastes like the real thing.
Doing nice things for people I don't really know -- like teaching swimming lessons to a very shy college student who is very afraid of the water.

Of course I read all of the blogs linked here (and love them:))but if I have to tag only five, I'll choose the ones that are most relevant to our home education. The five blogs I tag:

1. Toad Haven -- I have appreciated the gluten free diet links but have also enjoyed the rest of the site.
2. Lapaz Home Learning -- I like the thoughtfulness of this blog and the many many ideas.
3. Socks and Books -- I like the pictures and information about places that are faraway from our home but very very interesting.
4. Julie K in Taiwan -- Again it is fun to learn from pictures from a faraway place.
5. 52 books in 52 weeks -- We love to read and this has been a great resource for us!

Ongoing Challenges

The following challenges are ongoing. You may participate at any time. Just send us your pics and results and we'll post them! These challenges will take more time than those on the left but they are a lot of fun!
Ongoing Challenge One: Build a cardboard boat out of duct tape and cardboard. Take it out in a pool or lake and test it! Or, better yet, enter a cardboard boat contest.
Ongoing Challenge Two: Build a car from pvc pipe and duct tape. Each vehicle must have 2-4 wheels. It must support a driver who will be pushed around a race track. Race it!
Ongoing Challenge Three: Make an article of clothing out of plastic bags (you may use other materials as well, but plastic bags must be the primary material). Then, send us a picture of someone wearing it.
Ongoing Challenge Four: Make a hayman out of sticks and hay (plus anything else you might need to hold it together). We borrowed this idea from Wayzley Academy .
Ongoing Challenge Five: Get a pumpkin eight inches in diameter or larger (not a Cinderella pumpkin or a gourd). Without altering the inside of the pumpkin (no freezing, adding chemicals, etc.), develop a package for the pumpkin that will protect it when dropped from 20 feet to the ground. The pumpkin must free fall to the ground. No styrofoam peanuts or non-biodegradable packaging and no bungee cords. Bubble wrap is acceptable. No electrical sources are allowed. Test your protective structure and send us the pictures. Or, host a contest!
Ongoing Challenge Six: Save all of your packaging materials during the Holidays and make a robot with packaging materials and glue (any kind). Send in your pics!
Ongoing Challenge Seven: Build a marble rollercoaster that has at least one hill and one loop. Primary construction material should be wood, (popsicle sticks, balsa wood), string, twine, wire, plastic straws, toothpicks, wood shavings, dowels, cardboard, construction
paper, glue gun, PVC piping, orr rubber tubing. Don't forget to send pictures. To learn more about roller coasters, check out this site.
Ongoing Challenge Eight: Build a solar oven using a pizza box, black paper and aluminum foil. Try to bake cookies in the sun. Let us know your results.
Ongoing Challenge Nine: Create some unexpected art. Read about unlikely pairs here. And, there create your own unlikely pair.

Another Award!

Many thanks to Rosina at Rosy-Posy who nominated me for the Lemonade Award.

Thanks so much for nominating me!

Here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 5 - 10 blogs that show great Gratitude and/or Attitude.
3. Be sure to list and link your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. Link to the post where you were nominated

This time I picked other weekly challenges for which we are grateful. Check them out:

1. 2 things
2. 100 Word Stories
3. Watercolor Wednesdays
4. My Artistic Life
5. Sketch Tuesday