Help?

cam elle toe said:
I only asked for ideas...not perfect prototypes...thanks for your contribution.
I think its the first time in neary 2 years on the boards you have ever responded to one of my posts..funny that.:)

DO you have an idea....or are you just going to have a dig?
Click to expand...

No need to get your panties in a twist. I wasn't taking a shot at you with my response.

The whole point of projects like this is to get the kids thinking and be creative, not to test their engineering qualities. At this age teachers are trying to get them to think and create, not engineer. That comes later in life when they will be judged on how well an item is made.
So when you take on the role of deciding what toy he should make (even if you are just suggesting several items that would be easier to make) it's removing the most important part of the lesson for him. To be able to be creative and imaginative.

Let me see if I can put this in a way...
Do you think at age 6, the teachers are going to be grading on whether the wheels on his toy are perfectly centered and rotate freely or will he be graded on his creativity and ability to complete the task?
 
Tim said:
No need to get your panties in a twist. I wasn't taking a shot at you with my response.

The whole point of projects like this is to get the kids thinking and be creative, not to test their engineering qualities. At this age teachers are trying to get them to think and create, not engineer. That comes later in life when they will be judged on how well an item is made.
So when you take on the role of deciding what toy he should make (even if you are just suggesting several items that would be easier to make) it's removing the most important part of the lesson for him. To be able to be creative and imaginative.

Let me see if I can put this in a way...
Do you think at age 6, the teachers are going to be grading on whether the wheels on his toy are perfectly centered and rotate freely or will he be graded on his creativity and ability to complete the task?
Click to expand...

OK.:) (checks panties...nup, not twisted);)
Perhaps I should have posted the POINT of the project.....

As I said somewhere back there..they can copy an existing toy. The object is seeing how things move slide roll etc...they arent being tested on creativity, idea processes etc..its how they PRESENT their project to the class is what they will mainly be tested on...not the toy itself.

He has already come up with a few ideas of his own....(I'm sure I posted that already too), but most are too hard to put into fruition due to lack of materials or whatever.

I KNOW what he's going to be graded on..I dont have to "guess"..its all on the homework sheet, including how we as parents can help
I only wanted a few ideas:willy_nilly:
Thanks again to those who gave me some
 
Not sure if this would work but this is what I made for a similar project in school. Tornado pop bottle :D

7e684827142e93820593ccc20da8a867.jpg

• 2 2-litre pop bottles with caps
• Duct tape
• Silicon caulking
• Water
• Drill (get an adult’s help with this)
• Food colouring (optional)
• Plastic confetti (optional)
Note: Some science stores sell a “Tornado Tube” adapter which allows you to connect the two pop bottles without drilling or gluing.


1. Take the caps off both the pop bottles.
2. Get an adult’s help to drill a 1/2" hole in the centre of each cap.
3. Place the caps together and put a bead of silicon around the hole to seal it. Let dry.
4. Wrap a piece of duct tape around the outside of the two caps to firmly join them together.
5. Screw the double cap onto one of the pop bottles.
6. Fill the other pop bottle about 3/4 full of water. Add food colouring or plastic confetti to the water if you want.
7. Screw the empty bottle onto the top of the bottle containing the water.
8. Hold the duct-taped area with one hand and the bottom of the bottle with the other hand.
9. Turn the bottles upside-down and swirl them in a few quick circles. A vortex forms as the water drains into the lower bottle.
 
HA...they make those coke can planes etc out of beer cans here....;)



Once again...thanks everyone for your suggestions.:):thumbup
 
you could make a pin the something on the something.. get him to draw a picture and then make the thing to pin on it.

My Mum did for me when I was little. Pin the nose on Pinnochio. He could draw a dragon or something and have to pin the tail or the fire onto it. That would be kinda cool.

He'd get to draw something awesome and you could help make something cool to stick on.
 
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