children's research center-turkey e-newsletter october 2012 issue

Via Tower İş Merkezi No:7/35 06530 Söğütözü / Ankara Phone: +90 (0312) 219 03 19 Fax: +90 (0312) 219 03 21www.arastirmacicocukmerkezi.org [email protected]

E-Newsletter October 2012 Issue:13

Graphic Design and Implementation: Elif Kor

CHILDREN AS RESEARCHERS PROGRAM BEGINS IN DARÜŞŞAFAKA SCHOOLS FOR 2012-2013 ACADEMIC YEAR

We believe that children’s thoughts are special. We know that they are excited to discover new ideas and share them. We try to help them to develop their ideas by supporting them to do research. We collected the research conducted by children during our work in Darüşşafaka School in the academic year of 2011-2012 into a book. Book includes interesting research topic like “How do bacteria feed in human mouth?”, “How do the rainbows form and why there are dif-ferent colors on them?” and “Why can’t cats and dogs get along with each other?”

THIS MONTH AT CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTERE-Newsletter October 2012 / Issue: 13

We started the Children as Researchers Program in Darüşşafaka School in October 3rd, 2012 with new activities.

Children participated in the program with eagerness, excitement and joy.

E-NewsletterOctober 2012 Issue:13

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Children’s Research Center will start the workshop activities for children between the ages of 7-12. Detailed information will be on our website after November 3rd.

Robotics Workshop

What do robots do? What are their working principles? How are they designed and built? If you want to find out the answers of these questions, and to design and built your own robot Robotics workshop is just for you.

Robotics Workshop, where children can develop their skills and knowledge about robots, and use their creativity and problem solving skills will begin in November.

CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTER WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES BEGIN

CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTER - TURKEY - E-Newsletter October 2012 / Issue: 13 05

Marbles on the Move

How to turn new ideas into creative products?

Paper Engineering

Have you ever thought about how much you can have fun with a piece of paper? “Paper Engineering” workshop activity organized by Children’s Research Center will help you to explore new ideas and make your imagination come true. “Paper Engineering” workshop activity which aims to improve basic geometry and physics knowledge, and creativity will begin in November.

In the workshop activity Marbles on the Move, organized by Children’s Research Center-Turkey, children use shoe boxes, funnels, paper rolls, sponges, clothes-pins and many other different material to design the longest road for a marble to travel. They explore the laws of physics, and design a mechanism by experiment-ing. They have so much fun while they are watching their designs work.

illustration: Bengi Gencer


06

Democracy is a culture of life. It is based on the concepts of justice, equality and freedom. Respect, selection, free think-ing, decision, sharing, taking responsi-bilities, empathizing and tolerance are important aspects of a democratic life culture. We live together in peace by pro-tecting these values. Children can learn the way of living together in harmony, and protect these values if they grow up in an environment where they can embrace the democratic values. So, what can we do to teach them about the values and help them to embrace democracy?

We can start at home by fo-cusing on being good models to them and providing demo-cratic environments to them.

We can think about our dialogs with our children. We can realize which of our be-haviors and talks are better models for them. Children enjoy doing things in their own way. And they appreciate the choic-es.

For example, children may have problems while they are to do their homework. So, how can we help them to use their own will to decide what to do? First, we can ask them why do they experience this prob-lem and how can it be solved. Then, you can create options for the best solution and ask him or her to choose the most appropriate one for them.

We can also give advices and information to them while they are working on the so-lution to help them choose the better op-tion. With such information and advice, they can compare the options, and under-stand and question what they really want. By doing so, children think about options, make a decision and take the responsibil-ity of their own choice. By making them a part of decision making process at home, we can teach children to make decisions.

When they understand that their ideas are appreciated, they will feel valued and they begin to appreciate the ideas of others.

TO LIVE HAPPILY TOGETHER


When children come together to play ga-mes, they explore and experience the va-lues of democracy. How? They get together to decide upon the rules of the games, take responsi-bilities and listen to each other to make decisions. For example, two of the eight friends, who come together to play, may want to play football while other six insist on playing hide and seek.

In such a case, children begin a discus-sion to find a way that will satisfy every member of the group. They discuss till they find an answer. So they not only do learn the tolerance, problem solving, em-pathy, respect and fulfilling responsibility but also do experience how to live toget-her with different individuals in peace. As they grow up, they apply what they have learnt about democracy into different as-pects of their lives and improve themsel-ves.

How about schools?Schools are the small models of society. Children can see how democratic values are working in this group. With the democ-racy education, they learn questioning and critical thinking skills. For example, the election for the school and classroom representatives are democratic activities which they join in actively and express their thoughts freely. Along with these, so-cial responsibility projects of the school clubs help them to understand the impor-tance of helping others, forming empathy and sharing.

In class discussions, they learn expres-sing their thoughts in order, listening to others’ ideas, not interrupting others. By this discussion knowledge, they also le-arn how to express themselves and why they should respect others.

Children learn about the va-lues of democracy in various ways, they embrace and apply these values. In this way, they grow up as individuals who can protect and shape the de-mocracy.

For ChildrenE-NewsletterOctober 2012 Issue:13

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ACTIVITY -1

To do so, you can use this activity.

There are many reasons for camping. Observing the changes in the nature during au-tumn, collecting leaves and seeds, observing animals can be fun while camping with your friends and family.

It can be a good start to learn more about camping sites and their specifications.

You can check the weathercast.

Think about the equipment you will need. (Things that you will use for clothing, food, protection and accommodation etc.)

Think about how many people will be there with you.

Share the responsibilities of camping.




Decision Making Game

Come together and form a circle. Decide the works to be done in the camp. Write these responsibilities and works on a paper and copy this paper to give one each member of your group. After everyone take a look at the cards, they should decide and mark which task or tasks they want to do.

One voluntary member of your group should collect the cards and help you to do this activity.

Now, your friend who collected the cards should open all of them and look at them for who wanted to do the task 1. If there are more than one people for each task ask the group is it possible for everyone do the same thing. Then your friend should ask the volunteers of the same task why they want to do it.

After the volunteers explained the reason for their decision, the group should state their ideas. You should come to a decision which volunteer will be chosen for that task as a group. Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the tasks.So you can share the responsibilities in a democratic way.

Do you think that this is an appropriate sharing of responsibilities for the group? Why?

Discussion Activity

illustration: İrem Demirezer


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We can generate creative ideas in discussion while expressing our ideas and liste-ning to others. You can organize a discussion activity for these two topics with your friends.

Imagine that you are to grow a plant in outer space. What kinds of solutions will you use? What will you do? Share your ideas with us.

What would happen if money grows on trees?

What other things will be fun if they are grown on trees? If you really had such a spe-cial tree, would you share it with others?

ACTIVITY-2

Preparing Observation Card



ACTIVITY -3

An observation card is a good way of taking and recording your notes in a camping site. You can use the observation card design given below. You can also create an observation notebook by collecting your cards and putting them together.

If you are not sure about the name of the plant, you can search it in books or on the Internet using your drawings and notes.

You can also start a collection of leaves and seeds while camping.

observation card

Putting Up a Tent


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ACTIVITY -4

Model TentNative Americans used to put up their tents using 12 long poles. Each of these poles represents concepts that are valued by them. Respect, tolerance, happiness, cleanli-ness, love, sharing, power, hope, faith and family are some of these values.

You can prepare a model Native American tent.

12 Wooden Sticks

Materials:

Fabric Play Dough

Ruler

Tape

Rubber Band Cardboard (50cmx70cm)

Compasses

How to do:

A Separate the cardboard into two equal parts.

Draw a circle in 12 cm diameter on a piece of this cardboard. Divide this circle into 13 equal parts using you rulers. Mark where the lines intersect.

Put play dough around the circle as a line.

Locate the sticks as shown in the picture.

Put them together in the upper ends.

Put some more dough where the sticks come together.


B Draw a semicircle in diameter of 40 cm on the other piece of the cardboard.

Cut this semicircle out.

You will use this piece of cardboard as a guide. Put in on the piece of fabric you will use and draw the edges.

Remove the cardboard guide and cut the fabric on the lines you have drawn.

Wrap this semicircle around the poles you have put together. Roll the end of the cloth to form the door of your tent.

Stabilize the cloth by using the rubber band around the place where the poles up-per ends are connected together.

You can write the concepts which you value to on the cardboard where the poles end.

How many different models of tents you can design by using just 5 poles? Try and built models.

You can share your models with us.

Matching Shapes



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ACTIVITY -5

This game can be really fun at the camp site. Do you want to play a treasure hunt game by collecting shapes? All you need is just papers and color pencils. When you take a look around, you will every object have a geometrical shape. The windows of your house can be rectangular or a square, and your plates are round.

Now, think about which shapes you want to hunt in the camp site? You can begin with a square, a rectangular, a triangle, and a circle. Draw a table as shown in this page. Now you can start playing.

It is not necessary to get a complete match between the shape and the object. There can different shapes in another shape, or one object can remind you different shapes. Use your imagination. Note them down on your paper. When you finish the game look at your table and see which shape you have collected the most. Share your results with other members of the group.

You can discuss about these when you complete the game

Which geometrical shape is the most common among the ones you put in your tables?

What can be the reasons behind the common formation or creation of this shape?

What other shapes can you use to hunt?

Sample Table

Shape Puzzle


6- ACTIVITY

There are many games about geometrical shapes. Pentomino is one of them. If you like puzzles or strategy games, you will enjoy this game.

How to do:

Cut out the rectangular shape consisting of 60 squares and glue it on a cardboard.

This will be the game board for your puzzle.

Cut out the shapes consisting of 5 squares.

These shapes will be just like the puzzle pieces.

You color each of them if you want.

Now mix the pieces you have cut our. Try to put them together on the game board again, filling it completely without putting the squares out of it. If you manage to loca-te all the parts correctly you will be able to complete the puzzle.

Materials:

Cardboard Crayons Scissors

You can create more complex or easy puzzle sets by using different shapes. Use the extra rectangular shape on the other page to cut out your own puzzle pieces.


16

Cut these shapes with scissors.



60 Kareden Oluşan dikdörtgen


18

As a camper, you will knots when putting up your tent, your swing or tying something. You can use the following knots for different purposes.

Basically, this knot is used to tie two pieces of rope together.

Now wrap the two ropes and roll the end as seen in the picture.

Locate the ropes as seen in the pic-ture.

Move the lower rope through the loop of the other one.

Pull the ends of the ropes. Now you tied your knot.

KnotACTIVITY -7

For which other purposes you can use this knot?

1

3

5

2

4

6

Click here to learn different types of knots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ukKixF1m9w



You can use the dry branches, wooden sticks or seeds and pine cones to build your own instru-ment.

Now form a cross by putting two long branches as shown in the picture. This will be like a base that you can hang other wooden pieces.

By using different lengths of strings, tie the other pieces to this base.

Music of the Nature ACTIVTY -8

16 or 20 pieces of wood, branches or sticks,Pine cones or other seedsString ( Around 8 meters )

What you need:

How and where can you use this instrument?

How can you change sound of this instrument?


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YOUR PAGE

Here are the contributions of our friends for the pencil top design activity given in our previous issue

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Ad

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Darüşşafaka Primary School, 5th grade


WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES BEGIN

We will introduce our workshop activities in Guven Educa-tion and Health Foundation (Güven Eğitim ve Sağlık Vakfı on November 3rd.)

We will start our workshop activities on November 11th, Sunday with our Robotics Workshop Activity which we be-lieve that children will enjoy.

You can learn more about the workshop activities on our website after November 3rd 2012.

Ones who want to join the activities can fill the application form that will be published on our website.

NEXT MONTH IN CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTER

Imagine that you are to grow a plant in outer space. What kinds of solutions will you use? What will you do? Share your ideas with us.

YOUR PAGE NEXT MONTH

How many different models of tents you can design by using just 5 poles? Try and built models.

You can share your models with us by sending them to

Our email adress [email protected]

Via Tower İş Merkezi No:7/35 06530 Söğütözü / Ankara Tel: +90 (0312) 219 03 19 Faks: +90 (0312) 219 03 21www.arastirmacicocukmerkezi.org [email protected]

Life is a sum of all your choices.Albert Camus

children's research center-turkey e-newsletter october 2012 issue

Documents

workshop activity marbles

new ideas

interesting research

robot robotics workshop

new activities

paper rolls

piece of paper

paper engineeringhave