AnonyMouse_4869 Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 ok so next term we are going to have a mini topic on electricity - decided by the children. Ive got lots of ideas as have they, but am really stuck for role play??? should i do something unconnected? only we are due ofsted so I want the classroom to be fabulous! lol! thing is this is something that they prob havent got a lot of first hand experience of so role play would be quite challenging! Any ideas? lucie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2418 Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Can you not set up the role play area as an electrical store - lots of defunct radios/keyboards/old hairdryers/mobile phones etc basically anything which works by electricity - and you also get some ICT in there as well if you have things with switches buttons etc. (batteries removed/ leads all cut off of course ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_21338 Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 how about an electricians - lots of different items fior the children to 'repair' - using some of the electrical role play items ? -kettle, laptop,stereo. maybe make some items from junk modelling ? pop a tool box in et voila !!. the children could work out what items use electricity and what items dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4869 Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 of course! duh! my brain just hasn't been its normal self recently! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I would say: does everything have to be connected?!!! I think sometimes we worry ourselves to death trying to link everything the children come into contact with - I personally don't think it's bad practice to have areas that are unconnected. It allows for different experiences and starting points. However, You could have a regular house and encourage the children to make machines for it to do things that use electricity? They could then work from concrete experience. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I would say: does everything have to be connected?!!! I think sometimes we worry ourselves to death trying to link everything the children come into contact with - I personally don't think it's bad practice to have areas that are unconnected. It allows for different experiences and starting points. However, You could have a regular house and encourage the children to make machines for it to do things that use electricity? They could then work from concrete experience. Cx Hear hear catma! They always love ahome corner and all children are familiar with homes and there are certainly lots of electrical items in our homes these days. The boys will love the TV controls!!! Also torches my children used to just love torches and nooks and crannies! Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Home play would be a really good idea as the children will be using their own experiences of electrical items in the home. I would be planning it with the children and listing all the electrical things they would like to include making a mind map. It also provides an opportunity to tackle safety issues with the children as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4869 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Share Posted May 30, 2011 brilliant. thank you. I'm with you on the unconnected, but actually the home is the best option isn't it. as you say, lots of concrete experience there. Lucie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 (edited) Always the best place to start with for anything I reckon! I do think sometimes enormous amounts of energy are spent by adults creating replica scenarios that children have no real conceptual understanding of - and consequently cannot actually "role" play!! Then the adults are disappointed by the children's responses and just can't understand why they aren't able to play well in the beautiful historical replica of a Tudor galleon. Why not get crocodile clips and lights, aluminium foil and buzzers etc to make intruder alarms or lights for inside the cupboards...............my reception children used to love making circuits once they'd been taught how. Cx Edited May 30, 2011 by catma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 we had a board made up with light battery and a break in the wires.this was connected to 2 terminals (metal drawing pins from what I remember) so something could be put between to make the circuit and light the bulb, we used to have the children try to make the connection with different items to see which worked or did not... was really easy to make up.. had one with 2 breaks once for children to work in pairs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 A lovely idea for electricity is to make your own lightening. You can only do this if you haeva space which you can make completely dark so some won't manage it. Stretch cling film over a plastic bowl then stand in a dark place and rub your hand over it in circles. After a little while the static electricity created will produce blue sparks much to the delight of the children. There is nothing big enough to feel more than a slightly prickly effect and it's great fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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