Take a coffee can, and a piece of paper. Draw a constellation on the paper and tape the paper to the can. Then mount a piece of wood in the vise so the can can slide over it. Use a nail to poke through the can into the board. When you wiggle the nail back out, you have left a star.Next mark a piece of wood at its center point. You do this with a pencil and ruler. Use a circle cutter in the drill press to drill part way, making a recess for the can to fit. Then, drill a hole for a tea candle to fit. We blackened the cans with a propane torch.
This was a fun project completed as part of the kids' study of space in 3rd and 4ht grades. The first and second grade students had a free day to work on projects of their own designs and from their own imaginations.
What a concept. Letting kids learn by playing. Why does most of that kind of learning end after kindergarten?
ReplyDeleteMario
The pressures start even at Kindergarten. My mother, a retired Kindergarten teacher used to tell her children's parents, "just because your child came home and says she played all day, doesn't mean that she wasn't learning anything!"
ReplyDeletePeople are now, rightfully worried about how we will compete in a global economy, but they would be better easing the pressure and removing the distractions... iPods, iPhones, laptops and television. It is no surprise to me that we arose as a superpower when kids were building go-karts and all kinds of other backyard projects. That was play, too. Now we are in the very serious business of distracting our kids until they are creatively numb.
Think I missed this post previously.
ReplyDeleteMay I offer a suggestion? We made a big batch of tin can lanterns last Christmas. If you fill the cans with water and pre-freeze them for at least 24 hours, when you come to nail through the can it gives greater resistance and the side of the can doesn't buckle in.
This might not be practical for your class, especially if you don't have freezing facilities, but thought I'd mention it!
Regards,
Elaine
We solved the problem with buckling by using a block of wood held horizontal in the bench vise to support the can. Slip the open end over the block of wood, and it provides backing to the nail penetration. It was much less messy than having to freeze cans of water. It is one of the advantages of having real workbenches and vises to work with.
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