Spinbots

We made some spinbots in class this week. They're precursors to doodlebots (aka wigglebots) that don't need batteries or motors. It was a huge hit!

To start, we read Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds. There's a line in the book that goes like this, "Sometimes, I'm a colorful dreamer ... painting my own path full of surprises at every turn." We linked this to our "I am" statements, which connect to the Personal-Social core competency that we've been focusing on. We reflected on these questions: Which kind of happy are you? What kind of a dreamer are you? What are your dreams? Which path are you on?

 To make a spinbot, all you need is:

• an old CD
• a felt marker
• sticky tack or Silly Putty 
• paper
• a tray or a cookie sheet - so that it doesn't spin all over the table

Put the marker through the hole in the middle of the CD, and secure it on top and underneath with the putty. Take off the cap and spin it like a top on the paper. It's that easy! Let the kids trade spinbots to use different colours. Encourage them to experiment with how high or low the CD is on the marker, how evenly distributed the putty is, if the CD is level or not, and how you spin it. There are all kinds of scientific principles involved here ... spin, balance, centrifugal force, gravity, weight, motion, speed. Lots of questioning and discussion was going on while we created our abstract art.

Then, the children wrote some of their attributes from their "I am" statements along a path on their abstract art. We displayed them in the hallway with a  poster showing students how they can make their own spinbot at home. Our final step was to create a Wonder Wall for possible inquiry topics in the future. We plan to make a kit to loan out to other classrooms in the school and have some of my students demonstrate and assist.

It's an easy makerspace project that you could try in your own classroom. There are so many cross-curricular connections that could also fuel an interest in many related topics.

*Note 1: Most of my students have an SLD in reading and/or writing. I also honour and encourage emergent spelling.
**Note 2:  When I asked the students, "What are your dreams?", one boy responded with, "My dream is to read." ... I just about cried. I've seen many learning miracles throughout my career. I have hope and believe in his dream.