Summary | Description | Timeline | Process | Registration | Participants |

 

Summary:

Second and third grade students will become toy "inventors" by designing toys for the year 2000. Each participating class will write a description of their toy invention. Their work will be posted on a class page on our web site. Classes are encouraged to read the toy descriptions submitted by other schools and to send e-mail messages that include positive comments and any additional ideas they may have for a particular toy.

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Technology 

Age range: 6 to 10 years 

Description:

Did you know that: -in 1915, Johnny Gruelle, a newspaper cartoonist, began to sell Raggedy Ann dolls based on one he made for his daughter; -in 1952, based on the idea that children like to play with their food, Hasbro introduces Mr. Potato Head? You too can be a toy inventor. Design a toy based on your interests or what you think the interests of second and third graders will be in the year 2000. Give it a name and describe how it looks and works. You can even determine the cost at which you think it could be sold. All classes submitting a description and a drawing of their toy of the future will have their work posted on our web site. Please submit through email your toy description and attach to that email the file of the drawing of your toy in gif or jpg format. The school name and address, the class URL and/or e-mail address, the illustration and description will be posted on our web site. 

Timeline

Timeline 11/08/99
through 01/14/00 

Registration: 11/08/99 to 11/19/99 

Submit Materials by 01/14/00

Web Page Posted by 01/21/99

Number of Participants 

There will be a page posted for twenty-five participating second or third grade classes. 

 

Process

  1. Register for the project by 11/19/99 
  2. Browse the web resources furnished with your students to familiarize them with the history of some of their favorite toys 
  3. Brainstorm with your students to elicit their ideas for a toy of the future. 
  1. Have students write, word process and spell check their toy descriptions. 
  2. Have students either hand illustrate or computer generate a drawing of their new toy. 
  3. The hand illustration will need to be scanned and the file saved in gif or jpg format. 
  4. Each class should select one description and illustration to be submitted as their entry. 
  5. Send one email message with the description of your toy. 
  6. Attached to the same e-mail message the drawn toy in gif or jpg format. 
  7. Classes are encouraged to read the toy descriptions submitted by other schools and to send e-mail messages that include positive comments and any additional ideas they may have for a particular toy.

How to Register: 

  • Send to Nancy Jones 
  • njones@ga.k12.pa.us 
  • Your full name 
  • Your e-mail address and class URL 
  • Your school name 
  • School address 
  • School phone 
  • School URL 

Project Coordinators:

Nancy Jones
njones@ga.k12.pa.us
Second Grade teacher
Carol Siwinski
Curricular Technology Specialist
Germantown Academy
Morris Rd.
Fort Washington, Pa. 19034
 


http://www.ga.k12.pa.us
   
   
   
   
   
   

Project design and organization by Nancy Jones, Second Grade teacher for Germantown Academy. Technical assistance and page design furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist for Germantown Academy.

November, 1999