Mechanical Mapping

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Today we introduced another new-old toy, the Gear-O-Matic. From the early seventies, this awesome playset is made of wood and is comprised of a base, pegs, three sizes of gears and some pushrods. The gears are sized so the radii of 1 large gear + 1 small gear = 2 medium gears. Terms and concepts we learned and will practice are size, small medium, large, gear, crank, pushrod, teeth, mesh (how the teeth fit together), transfer, and rotation.

In our initial experience, we began with one gear rotating and had each student add one component so it would move through a direct or indirect connection to the crank-gear. This involved pretty sophisticated estimation (of radius based on distance between pegs) and cause and effect. Good old trial and error rewards or redirects the deciscion. Just as exciting is that some recognized the movement as similar to our woodworking tools (crank drill and saw) and the exposed linkages of steam locomotives.

So many great toys were made by small cottage industries that are now lost to time. Forget the stores full of plastic. Watch those garage sales and flea markets for some of the coolest, most unusual, educational toys ever made.

COLLABORATIVE COUNTING
While linking 'Pop and Groove Builders', our students began by counting their own lengths. Then they began by joining their segments together to make even longer ones, eventually deciding on the collaborative mission of joining every piece to see if it would span the entire width of the classroom. Together, in segments, we counted over 300 pieces that reached all but four feet to the wall. Each subtotal was met with a rousing cheer among the participants. We count everything.


TODAY'S STORY
Chapter 4 of Elmer and the Dragon, titled Flute the Canary. Elmer and the Dragon meet Flute the Canary on Feather Island. He finds out that the people who inhabited the island left years ago, leaving it to runaway canaries. However, he finds out there is an awful 'Island Disease.' King Can XI is dying of curiosity. No one knows what he's curious about because he won't tell. All the other canaries are curious to know what the king is curious about...and now, SO ARE WE!