E-BULLETIN October 2011 - Issue:07
ACTIVITIES
OCTOBER AT CHILDREN'S RESEARCH CENTER Teacher Seminar at the Darüþþafaka Schools A seminar entitled "Scientific Thinking Method" was organized at the Darüþþafaka Schools for primary and secondary school teachers. Science education, the related skills and teaching methods, the role of science education and scientific research method were the focus of the seminar conducted on 7th-8th September 2011. Workshop and brainstorming activities were conducted with the participant teachers.
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03 Children's Research Center, E-Bulletin, October 2011, Issue:07
COVER STORY LETÂ’S INVENT TOGETHER Inventing is a process that can be initiated through the imagination and creativity of the children. In this process, children are real "thinkers". They use the information in a new and creative way, identify the problems and find out how to use what to create solutions for the problems. Invention activities provide children opportunities to develop their thinking skills and use their unique intelligence. Anything can start a new invention for the children when they move their creativity. But is it really necessary for children to spare time for invention and explorations? Sure! Children, too, need time to think and when they are provided with sufficient time they can create meaningful applications out of what they have learned. The environments where they can invent freely provide them with the opportunity to spend time on what they find interesting. It is not necessary to spend too much money for these. A table on the corner and some recycled material will be enough.
With an "Invention Box", you can create the set of materials that is easy to use and store. Children can put interesting and recyclable materials and in this box and use them for their new invention.
You can use the followings as the inventory of your box. Various recyclable materials such as plastic boxes, masking tapes, buttons, wooden parts, plastic bottles, CDs, strings, marbles classified in smaller boxes or packages. Some basic tools such as safe scissors, glues, tapes, crayons, pieces of paper and cards. The basic daily stuff such as teaspoons, small plates, paper bags, egg packs or natural materials like sunflower seeds, pinecones, chestnuts, seeders can be included in the box. Different invention activities can be done other than the use of "invention box". For example some old mechanic and
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You can also prepare a grab bag and put some material that can start an invention for the children. Such a "treasure hunt" game will be exciting and enjoyable for the children. When children experiment with the materials and think about the inventions and new ideas, they do not only develop their critical and creative thinking abilities but also their communication and cooperation skills. Supporting their innate creativity and thinking abilities, observing them, listening to them, asking good questions and supporting their progress in their quest for creating new ideas bear great importance.
As Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."
Drawing : Bengi Genรงer
electronic devices can be taken apart because invention is not only about building and creating things.
EVENT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN
Preparing an "invention box" and using it is great fun. How about creating the skeleton of an imaginary animal? The Materials You can Use: 15 Paper Clips, 10 Straws, 2 Pieces Cardstock, Tape, Play dough, Ruler, Plastic Bag, Scissors or anything you want to use out of you "invention box" First, think of the plastic bag as you animal's body. You can fold, wrinkle and shape the plastic as you wish to
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create your animal's body. Draw your animal's body in the box below. Now, you can create the skeleton of your animal using the materials listed above or the ones you choose. The skeleton can be inside of your animal or it can be outside of its body. Decide which one you will use. Before building the skeleton draw your idea in the box below.
Drawing : Bengi Genรงer
Body Shape
Skeleton Shape
Now you can build the skeleton the body of your animal. How does it look like? How does it move?
Can your animal move?
You can send the drawings, photos of the
What are the advantages of the skeleton you designed?
animal to Children Research Center-Turkey. You can send them to:
What disadvantages does the skeleton give to your animal?
iletisim@acm-tr.org
07 Children's Research Center, E-Bulletin, October 2011, Issue:07
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." Einstein