This summer, some other GT teachers and I got together to host some free online classes through Edmodo for our 3rd-5th graders. My class is called, “Make a Theme Park.” Each week, the students are invited to make something for a theme park that they have imagined. Last week, the challenge was to build a model of a theme park ride. With a great introduction video from the awesome Joey Hudy, our “celebrity judge” for the week, and some links I provided, the students were assigned to create projects that were: fun, creative, and had at least one moving part. Their videos and/or pictures of their inventions were posted by Thursday evening on Padlets that I created for the purpose. On Friday, Joey Hudy announced the winners. He admitted, and I completely agree, that choosing the winners was extremely difficult! I was blown away by the intricacies of each one, and it was really fun to see how different they were. Each week we have two categories – one for the family to enter together, or one that the individual student can enter. Here are the winners:
- Family Theme Park Ride – “The Sparking Spur” – I don’t have a good image of this one, as only video was provided. However, as you may or may not know, we live in San Antonio – home of the 2014 World Champion Spurs basketball team. This ride celebrates our awesome team and city by starting at the AT&T Center, going past the Tower of the Americas and the Alamo, and ending at the River Walk.
- Individual Theme Park Ride – “Kittyana Jones”
ledge and into the box of rubber band
snakes!
I want to give shout outs to the other amazing entries:
- The BGW (Bubble Gum Water Blaster) – Ride down a slide as you are pelted by water balloons and splash into a pool.
- The All-Star – Spun by a K’nex motor, this ride offers you a basketball hoop to sit in and features Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.
- Turning Tail Over Scale – I wish I could show you a picture of this one, but all I have is video and the screen shots are blurry. This innovative inventor used a pencil sharpener to turn her ferris wheel!
- Dolphin Ferris Wheel
- Best Way to Hogwarts
If you are interested in the idea of getting your students more involved with making, here are some other resources for you:
