TIPS FOR TOPS PRESENTERS

draft developed for the May 99 PDD workshop

OVERVIEW

Key points:

• This activity is based on an earlier model which used foam to model three kinds of hands-on activities.
• The purpose of the activity is to have everyone experience three different ways of approaching the same lesson
• Guided, Challenge, Exploratory (not to be confused with inquiry)

Logistics:

• Room will be divided in half; Guided and Challenge on one side, Exploratory on other.
• Guided and Challenge will do their activities and then flip-flop; Exploratory will stay in one space and spend a longer time at their activity.
• This will be followed by a break, and then there will be a second rotation.
• Afterwards there will be a discussion, with groups jigsawed so that people who started at different stations wil be mixed together to compare and contrast how it felt to go through the rotation in different sequences.

GUIDED STATION

Set-up:

Make sure you have enough for everyone:

• written directions
• railroad board cards (about 6" square) to use for cutting out tops
• pennies (8 per person)
• compasses
• scissors
• small pencils
• masking tape
• small rubber bands

On the day:

They can work alone or in pairs (most want to make their own).

Follow directions on the sheet.

Tell them to be careful to place the spindle in the center of the top and to tape the coins down firmly with tape so that they don't fly off when the top is spun.

At the end:

Allow time to read brief physics information on tops if group seems to want to know this info.

"In this exercise you have seen that moving the weight away from the axis of the top allows it to spin longer. Some of you have seen that afdding more weight to the outer edge of your top allows it to spin even longer."

CHALLENGE STATION

Set-up:

Put up two posters -- one with the challenge, the other with a labeled top drawing, identifying the parts of a top.

Make a model top that looks like the one on the poster (adapted from directions in Guided activity)

Make sure you have enough for everyone:

• Variety of materials for spindles
• Variety of sizes of railroad board, cardboard
• Paperclips
• Pennies (allow 10-12 per person)
• Scissors
• Compasses
• Masking tape

On the day:

Show the model top and refer to the top drawing. Encourage them to use the paperclips to stabilize the spindle.

Tell them they can make a model in any size of shape. The goal is to meet the challenge.

They can work alone or in pairs.

Facilitation:

If anyone completes the activity, challenge them further by asking how long they think they can get a top to spin.

EXPLORATORY STATION

Set-up:

Prepare two bags of simple tops (one for each table)

Prepare two bags of complex tops (The battery run ones, the string pull ones, the ones that play music etc.). Test them to make sure you know how they all work.

Make a model top using the directions from the Guided Activity, stabilizing it with halfway unfolded paperclips taped on the top surface, on opposite sides of the spindle. The participants don't need to waste time learning how to make a basic top. At this station you want them to work with a top that functions and set them to learning all they can about it.

Set out a "starter set" of limited materials on the materials table. (two sizes of plates, one set of bowls, two kinds of spindles, two kind of weights--pennies, washers, masking tape, scotch tape, clay, rubber bands)

Place the "advanced set" (broad range of materials including plastic tubs, bowls, more things for spindles and weights, railroad board for unusual shapes etc.) under the table so that materials are accessible, but not obvious until someone asks for something beyond what's in the "starter set".

Put up the poster for this station.

On the day:

First group:

• Pass out the two bags with simple tops and let them play briefly.
• Show them the model top you made.
• Describe the "starter set." Ask them to start with those materials.
• Be careful in your use of words when describing their task. They are to find out all they can about tops. Don't lead them by inadvertently giving them a challenge to make the best top, the longest spinning top etc.

Second group: (who come with more experience, having been at other two stations)

• Pass out the bags with both the simple and the complex tops and let them play briefly.
• Describe the "starter set", but also tell them that since they are more experienced than the first group, they may want to use the broader range of materials that are under the table. Show them what's there, and suggest that they may or may not want to try for more sophisticated three dimensional shapes using yogurt containers, bowls etc.
• Be careful in your use of words when describing their task. They are to find out all they can about tops. Don't lead them by inadvertently giving them a challenge to make the best top, the longest spinning top etc.

Facilitation:

• Encourage looking around to see what other people are doing.
• If there is frustration because tops aren't working well, you might casually leak the following information:
  • the top will work better if the spindle is at the center of gravity and weights are evenly distributed
  • sharp, pointy tipped spindle is not necessarily best
  • a low center of gravity works better than a high one
• If people start getting bored, suggest making other sizes or shapes of tops