Nuova pagina 1

518288-LLP-1-2011-1-IT-COMENIUS-CMP

Clockwork objects, enhanced learning: Automata Toys Construction in primary education for Learning to Learn promotion, creativity fostering & Key Competences acquisition, with the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible

for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

with the

contribution of

Piloting with the primary school - Alivola - P2 - Logbook of Clohe teachers

Step	Logbook of Clohe teachers
1	December 6, 2012 - Presentation of the project to the children and creating a story Duration: 2 hours Beginning: School teachers ask students what they expect from this workshop. First step: The school teacher show an automata whose (simple) mechanism is hidden, and she say that during this workshop students will invent stories, and the stories will be represented by a series of automata, created by students. So we divide the students into groups of four and asked each group to develop a story. The stories can be any type, and each member of the group will provide a basic idea of. Students have one hour to prepare a story. Second step: the teachers ask each student to tell (writing and drawing) the most important points of the story (key points). Students have half an hour to this stage. Third step: each group of 4 students, with a shared story, decide what are the key points of the story that will be represented. Students have half an hour to this stage. Final evaluation: children talking about problems and solutions of this phase
2	December 20, 2012 - First workshop with the students: creation of the first automata Duration: 2 hours Setting: groups of 4 students. On each table of children materials to build the box and a simple mechanism. On two other tables there are materials for decoration (colored rubber, caps, cardboard, straws, colored ribbon, crepe paper, rubber floor mats / foam color) and tools for construction (hot glue, glue sticks, pencils, scissors, awl. ) First step: Expectations of the children: we ask what they expect today and listen and record their answers. Second step: presentation of automata: We present a short story in six frames (automata have the mechanism hidden ), through six automata: the story of a baby bird (out and enters the nest with its first flight), looks around (second automata), eat a worm (third automata) sees his brothers who are flying (fourth automata), test the flight several times (fifth automata) and as soon as he feels sure flies fast to achieve (sixth automata) Third step: how an automata works? We ask students how they imagine that the automata (the second automata of the story) works. With the aid of the box and the material they have on the table, they can try to design and build a mechanism. At the end we show the mechanism of the automata "Cam 3D" and we invite them to draw it. Fourth step: the construction of the box and the mechanism. In part has already been done in step 3, now they complete it and glue the pieces, in collaboration with teachers. Final evaluation: children talking about problems and solutions of this phase We distribute the first evaluation questionnaire for children. The questionnaire is returned. Notes: A child has asked to take home a piece of rubber to build an automata "all its own." We suggest the use of a shoe box, cork and cardboard.
3	January 10, 2013 - 2nd workshop with students: creation of the second automata 4 groups of children today. We distribute the Clohe-books for drawing and we ask the children to tell what was done last time. We show students a second mechanism, hidden, asking them to imagine the movement of the mechanism and to build it, with the materials they have on the table. 1st step: all the children try to draw the mechanism but some find it difficult to correctly position the horizontal disk (in a few put him leaning against the vertical disc). Not all children are able to draw. 2nd step: we give the material and the children begin to realize their own automata. In the group seems natural to collaborate in the work: a child draws the circle, another child cut it. We push the kids to work together on the same path, without missing a step. A table is very fast and works quite united. A child, very careful, because he understood perfectly the character moves from side to side and explains it to his companions. 3rd step: the children glue sticks and straws and then try to decide together the character to represent. the proposals are: a unicorn, a sphinx, a dragon. Failing to agree, they decide to draw all three and then choose the most beautiful. We distribute sheets of colorful rubber to make the characters and to color and decorate the box. More or less together they decide and discuss the animation of the automaton. Some children go to pick up the books that contain the images they need. Each child draws, cut and then glue the pieces that serve to make the decoration of the automata. 4th step: in the final stage of assembly the children make various practical experiments of movement and of how to assemble it all: for example, if the vertical wheels are touching the horizontal one alternating, then the character will turn around, a bit to the left and a little to the right, otherwise not. It 'a simple, direct way, to check the dynamics of the movement.
4	January 24, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 1st step Duration: 2 hours Today the children will build the first automata of their story. The Clohe teacher explains the work that they will do: pick up the story which was drawn from each group and realize the automata of the first key point. We start with the key points of the story of each group (three key points for every story). Children re-read the story and discuss how to build the automata. Some children would like to make changes, and the group discusses it. In a group a child was absent in the previous workshops and do not want to carry the story because "he does not like." Would like to make a spaceship. The teacher asks him to fit in the group, however, and maybe change something fantastic. We ask the children which of the two mechanisms already built is the most suitable to the first key point in their history, and build the figures and decorations. Even the box is decorated in front and behind and to the sides of the figures, assuming a real dramatic role. At the end of the day each group made his automaton and is ready to tell the job done (see video) Final evaluation: children tell the difficulties and solutions of this phase.
5	January 31, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 2nd step Duration: 2 hours The Clohe teacher shows the children some automata that are already built, in this case some automata made by middle school boys with a variety of mechanisms, to encourage them by giving them a series of examples. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of building an automata individually or in groups. At 15 begins the work of construction of the second automaton of the story. The teachers in the school work together to create the division into groups and to stimulate the work to be done. Among the groups that have been created today there is one created by a child who did not like any story and another child "urchin". The group immediately put positively to work ... (the story is that of the child vampire). We help the children to choose the most appropriate mechanism according to the movement chosen for the character. Not all groups finish their automata, but all groups have worked diligently and fairly neatly.
6	February 7, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 3rd step Duration: 2 hours The Clohe teacher distributes automata that have not yet been completed (all). Today is the third workshop dedicated to automata of the history of each group. We start re-reading the story, and in particular the key point that today will become an automata. Some guys draw the mechanism and decoration on the notebook, while others prefer to act directly, by building the box and the basic mechanism. In some groups, the children share the work: there are those who prefer to create characters who build part of the mechanism, and who focuses on scenography, decorating the box. The automata completed today: Miro and the alien, the Lion King and the three fish, the vampire Child, John the werewolf with four arms, the Child and the Werewolf.
7	February 14, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 4th step We had to reform groups: today there is a group less, and an extra child, who is accepted into the group of "the little girl and the vampire", with whom he will work. Children tell their stories using the Clohe notebooks to review the history, draw the characters and mechanisms. The Clohe teacher moves in the classroom and helps children to think about how to build the automata of today, so that then the children are autonomous in their realization. Even the school teachers help in the various tables and give advice on the use of materials. Today the situation is as follows: a group continues the story of The Lion King, another group continues with the story of Miro and the alien, and the other two groups are working on the history of the child vampire and the Giant robot. The Clohe teacher suggests children to bring material from home: cloth, caps, old brooms and empty plastic containers, to be used for the realization of the next automata.
8	February 21, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 5th step Today the children brought other materials such as fabrics, ribbons, wool threads and the teachers led the tempera colors to paint the box automata. This made them very excited and now the children are all active in creating the characters with the fabric and color box. At the beginning of the workshop we made a summary of the stories and automata made. Three children are absent because they have been placed in a state of punishment from the headmaster. Four children continue to work on the story of the "King and lion fish", creating the fourth automaton in history. Luca helps one of them to realize the mechanism, otherwise this baby alien and causes damage to the material. In the group of the "Giant Robot" today there is only one child, who thinks about how to build the automaton according to the story, while a third group has created a new story, "Pop Star", and is building the automata. Another group has also created a new story, "Rapunzel girl dark", wrote the story and is building the first automata. In fact, in the class there are various speeds: there are groups who need several meetings to build an automata, while others are able to build a pair in a single session.
9	February 28, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories. 6th step After dividing into groups twe give children the automata to end. Today we have given tyhe children even the evaluation questionnaires, which they completed and returned. Groups today are four: the group of history "Pop Star" continues the work of the previous session, while the group of the "Lion and Fish" has finished its story and is working on a new one. The group of "Giant Robot" continues the story, while the other two children decided to get out of their groups and to construct a story of their own. "The robot Volghemort Megazord and the wicked." Today the children have completed two automata, which we made the video. For teachers was a difficult day, because of two children who have created havoc in the group. On the other hand children are openly expressing the desire not to interrupt the experience and, as shown, continue to produce stories and automata ..
10	March 2, 2013 - Visit to the Modern Automata Museum Visit of the Clohe students of the 3rd grade of Passo Corese primary school to the Modern Automata Museum. The students have come accompanied by parents, siblings and teachers. The look of the students were attentive to details and to the solutions found by the artists in the creation of automata. The difference with the students who visit the museum without having participated in a course of construction of automata is remarkable: in the latter case the look is attentive but in a generic way, with a motivation mostly playful. While in the other case the look is attentive and interested in solving a real problem: the eyes look for its own specific references, both in the literary field (how to tell a story in a turn of the handle?) and artistic (which are the more expressive materials, decorations, sets ?) and mechanical (how to create a certain movement, a certain effect?)
11	March 7, 2013 - Construction of the automata of the stories 7th step Despite the strengths of all (teachers and pupils), today is the last session of the construction of automata: during the next two sessions we will share the work within the class and with the school during the open day. We asked the children how was thier visit to the Museum of Automata, and they are all excited. So today the children will finish the automata already under construction and not open new stories, which is difficult ... The situation of the stories / automata: the group "Rapunzel dark girl" is realizing the automata according to the story. The group of "Pop Star" is ending the automata (this story is composed of a single automata) and then write the story in the notebook, reversing the procedure ... Another group is building the automata of a story named: "the three Fairies of teeth", while another group is building the automata of tye story, "the robot Volghemort Megazord and the wicked." Finally, another group is building the third and final automata of the story of the "Giant Robot".
12	March 14, 2013 - Sharing of the work within the class Today, the work will be shared with the class: all groups will present their work, reading the story and setting in motion the automata. During these months of work were formed gradually various new groups, sometimes due to the absence of some children, sometimes for work sympathy or creative affinity. Of course we indulged every positive transformation. We believed it appropriate to extend the laboratory from six budgeted to thirteen sessions really made. The children were excited and we could go on forever. Many relationship problems whose teachers told us about were gradually reduced, with the benefit of all. This is the summary diagram of the stories and automatons products in recent months: "The Lion and the three fish" - 4 automata; "The friend Seal" - 1 automata; "Rapuntzel dark girl" 1 automata; "giant robot" - 3 automata, "Milo the alien" - 3 automata, "The child vampire "- 3 automata," Pop Star "- 1 automata;" The robot Megazord "- 1 automata;" The Zoo "- 1 automata "John on mars" - 1 automata; "The bird lost" - 1 automata; "The Unicorn" - 1 automata "," reindeer "- 1 automata;" La Befana "- 1 automata
13	March 20, 2013 - Open day: work-sharing with other students and teachers of the school Open day: Sharing stories and automata with the other students and the other teachers of the school. Almost all children have found themselves for the first time to tell their stories in front of an audience. The children of the other classes, intrigued by this "matter" entirely new, turned alternately between the positions of the groups and, after a phase of initial shyness, our children have taken a liking, also stimulated by the curiosity of the public towards their automata. They were all excellent Great interest from other teachers and a statement of the school dean: "We want this in our school to become a stable teaching" ...