"I got the idea to do Junk Drawer Wars when discussing with my
husband and son a TLC television show Junkyard
Wars," Raeann Edwards recalled. "My son thought it would be just 'so
cool' to be on the show. I thought it would be 'so cool' to do a classroom
version!"
If you're a teacher who has completed an interesting or unusual
activity with your class -- or if you know of a teacher who
has -- please let us know about it. E-mail a brief description
of the activity, along with your contact information, to FeaturedTeacher
@educationworld.com |
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Edwards, a teacher of gifted and talented students in grades 6-8 at North
Pole Middle School in North Pole, Alaska, designed a lesson in which
teams of students each created a vehicle that could travel at least ten
feet and deposit ping-pong balls into a box 4 inches high. Each team was
permitted to use helpful online and print resources, and to select from
materials in junk boxes. The students were supplied with tape, hot glue,
white glue, screws, nuts, bolts, batteries, and tools. They even dismantled
computers and harvested useful parts!
"My students remained very engaged during the entire project," Edwards
told Education World. "Some students who normally disliked working in
groups even stepped up and became leaders. The students were always very
excited to come to class, and went straight to work when they arrived.
"This was also a project many children talked about at home," Edwards
added. "Several students came back to class with ideas they had gotten
from parents or friends."
Edwards recommends that teachers stock up on duct tape and glue sticks
as well as "good junk" before implementing this activity. Another important
tip is to emphasize process, not product, she said. "Some students got
discouraged when their vehicle wasn't functioning properly. They kept
worrying that if they didn't win the competition portion, they would fail.
Keep telling kids that what they do to solve the problem is what counts,
even if the vehicle itself is a failure."
Article by Cara Bafile
Education World®
Copyright © 2003 Education World
08/18/2003
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