3rd Grade Mathematical Large Structure-type thing
October 22, 2015 10:46 AM Subscribe
I have been given responsibility for the 3rd Grade Math club at the kid's school. I want to spend a part of the time on a large, long-term construction of some type that requires measuring, building, reinforcement, looking at angles, etc that can shown as the group project at the end of the year. I want it to be kid decided what we do, but was trying to think of ideas of what it could be, and I need help coming up with them!
To consider:
- They are 8-9 year olds
- There could be as many as 30 kids, so I would ideally be giving small groups of four a component of the project that would be combined with the others to create a whole (so on final projects, and not mini ones-- unless they are somehow related?). There will hopefully be a lot of parents to help each small group.
- It will have to be stored somewhere over the weeks it is being built, so we cannot build a play house or anything like that.
- The materials would have to be kid friendly, easily cut-out-able with scissors or small knives, so not wood unless popsicle stick-type thin wood.
- We will have about 21 sessions to work on it, but i can have "homework" being going home and measuring and cutting things to certain sizes, shapes, gluing things into different angles
- Is this a terrible idea?
I have only come up with a large hot air balloon with a kind of intricate balloon component and basket. Maybe make a large Death Star replica??
To consider:
- They are 8-9 year olds
- There could be as many as 30 kids, so I would ideally be giving small groups of four a component of the project that would be combined with the others to create a whole (so on final projects, and not mini ones-- unless they are somehow related?). There will hopefully be a lot of parents to help each small group.
- It will have to be stored somewhere over the weeks it is being built, so we cannot build a play house or anything like that.
- The materials would have to be kid friendly, easily cut-out-able with scissors or small knives, so not wood unless popsicle stick-type thin wood.
- We will have about 21 sessions to work on it, but i can have "homework" being going home and measuring and cutting things to certain sizes, shapes, gluing things into different angles
- Is this a terrible idea?
I have only come up with a large hot air balloon with a kind of intricate balloon component and basket. Maybe make a large Death Star replica??
Scale model of the school. Ask around, someone should be able to get a large tape measure, then you can have the kids walk the perimeter of the school. Use cardboard boxes as building materials. You can break it up into different wings for different teams, they can each cut out or just draw windows and doors in the appropriate places.
posted by disconnect at 11:04 AM on October 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by disconnect at 11:04 AM on October 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Tetrahedral kites!. (image).
When I built these with high schoolers I experimented with materials, and ended up using short party straws, embroidery string, tissue paper, and glue sticks. Super cheap, and they really DO fly. Plus you can make individual ones, OR tie them all up together to make a big one.
posted by Wulfhere at 11:04 AM on October 22, 2015 [4 favorites]
When I built these with high schoolers I experimented with materials, and ended up using short party straws, embroidery string, tissue paper, and glue sticks. Super cheap, and they really DO fly. Plus you can make individual ones, OR tie them all up together to make a big one.
posted by Wulfhere at 11:04 AM on October 22, 2015 [4 favorites]
I wouldn't go for a single project spanning all 21 sessions; that's a bit too much delayed gratification + attention span for kids so young. I would instead do a series of smaller projects lasting 2-4 sessions each. (I have been working with smaller groups of 4th/5th/6th graders for a couple years now, and typically after a third session, they are antsy for something new.) Having an overall theme may be fine, but you want them to feel like they are doing something new every so often.
posted by ktkt at 12:54 PM on October 22, 2015
posted by ktkt at 12:54 PM on October 22, 2015
Could you build a community garden or a cold frame? That way, you can also get science and nutrition involved.
posted by kinetic at 12:57 PM on October 22, 2015
posted by kinetic at 12:57 PM on October 22, 2015
You could build and tune a small trebuchet. The math connection could be in withholding some of the measurements and making them calculate e.g., the arm length. 3rd grade might be a bit young for some of the physics-type math about the projectile motion, but maybe you could show some, in a math can be cool sense. I can pretty much guarantee 3rd graders will like a working trebuchet.
posted by ctmf at 6:14 PM on October 22, 2015
posted by ctmf at 6:14 PM on October 22, 2015
It was billed a physics at the time, but I did a camp where we built first a pinball machine (in a box) and then roller coasters (for ping pong ball "cars"). The pinball machine seems especially relevant to some geometry ideas, as the pinball bounces off of things.
posted by freezer cake at 11:39 AM on October 23, 2015
posted by freezer cake at 11:39 AM on October 23, 2015
As I wrote this I came to the conclusion that it probably doesn't work too well as a group project and the cost might be too high. But I already wrote it so I'll post it anyway for you to consider....
How about a tensegrity assembly project. You can see an example of what I'm talking about in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7agYb_rZ6U
The one in the video is a 30 strut tensegrity in which each strut corresponds to the edge of an icosahedron but you can also make them with 12 struts ( octahedron ) or 6 struts ( tetrahedron ). If you google for tensegrity images you will see lots of other variations but many of those have multiple length struts. All the struts used in the one in the video are the same length.
If you start with fiddlestix rods (with a slot at each end) then the project can be done with string cutting, knot tying and assembly as shown in the video.
What is your budget for this project? For less than $60 you could get 5 of these kits http://www.walmart.com/ip/Poof-Slinky-68-Piece-Wood-Fliddlestix/25209507 and make two or three 30 strut tensegrities of different sizes. I couldn't find any way to get just rods of one size in bulk at a reasonable price but that would be the way to go if it could be done.
I made a few of these myself when I was a kid. If you are interested, memail me for more info.
posted by metadave at 2:02 PM on October 25, 2015
How about a tensegrity assembly project. You can see an example of what I'm talking about in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7agYb_rZ6U
The one in the video is a 30 strut tensegrity in which each strut corresponds to the edge of an icosahedron but you can also make them with 12 struts ( octahedron ) or 6 struts ( tetrahedron ). If you google for tensegrity images you will see lots of other variations but many of those have multiple length struts. All the struts used in the one in the video are the same length.
If you start with fiddlestix rods (with a slot at each end) then the project can be done with string cutting, knot tying and assembly as shown in the video.
What is your budget for this project? For less than $60 you could get 5 of these kits http://www.walmart.com/ip/Poof-Slinky-68-Piece-Wood-Fliddlestix/25209507 and make two or three 30 strut tensegrities of different sizes. I couldn't find any way to get just rods of one size in bulk at a reasonable price but that would be the way to go if it could be done.
I made a few of these myself when I was a kid. If you are interested, memail me for more info.
posted by metadave at 2:02 PM on October 25, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks all for the ideas! I think some will be good when we roll over to 4th grade, since I (and they!) will have a year of the club under our belts. Super fun ideas. I think we'll start with the kites, and gauge ability to work on a single project over time. I will definitely return to these answers throughout the year. Thanks, all!
posted by lil' ears at 9:00 AM on October 26, 2015
posted by lil' ears at 9:00 AM on October 26, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rob Rockets at 10:57 AM on October 22, 2015