Dress it Up!

Dress it Up

Materials:
Kinazium set Markers and Scissors Heavy Paper
Assumptions:
Students are able to use markers and scissors to create decorations and signs
Amount of time:
45 minutes - 1 hour
Grade Levels:
1st - 12th

Introduction

It's easy to add to Kinaizum and expand it's use in your curriculum

This Tutorial shows how students can add signs, trees or any decoration to Kinazium. Use this exercise in curricula letting students create an environment like a neighborhood, downtown, or an imaginary place, like the first shopping center on the moon. Use as a robot maze if you wish.

You can also add blocks, figurines, or any other objects like small buckets, wiffle golf balls and more.

Procedure

Students may work in groups of 1-5
Show the students the tutorial video
Give each group one Kinazium, some thick paper like Bristol or thick construction paper (the signs can be folded in half to make them stronger) pencils, markers and scissors
Based on a lesson or open experimentation, have students create a small space with Kinaizum, like a couple roads and some buildings.
Show students an example of a finished sign and how it fits into the Kinaizum pegs.
Have students draw signs, trees, flowers, animals using a pencil. Leave space on the paper between the signs for cutting them out. Make sure to add extra space where the sign is inserted into the peg (1/2 inch)
Trace the pencil drawings with medium tip markers.
Cut out the signs.
Place the signs in pegs and onto the space, either on walls or on the mat.
If you want program or drive automated robots or other vehicles through the space they created.

Hint: If you only have thin typing paper and the signs are slipping out, pinch the paper around the peg creating a bend where the sign exits the peg on each side.

Alternatively, before you start make sure to leave enough extra paper at the bottom of a sign to fold it in half to make double the thickness.

Assessment

Discuss the results with the students: Discuss the different spaces the students designed, see if some can invent a story about their space.

Ask them to think about other ways they can decorate kinazium or how they might integrate other classroom or toys at home into the space.

Do it Again!:

The first time students do this exercise it may then initiate all kinds of ideas on what they want to do next time. They will improve their dexterity skills for drawing, cutting and securing the signs. They will expand their thoughts on different physical objects they can add to the space and other objects they can draw and include. It will add a wonderful design thinking aspect to learning.

Some ideas:

Circus fun house
Pin ball machine
Village in a different country