CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
Nets of 3D shapes:
The recognition of 3D shapes and how they are constructed is a part of what your child will learn in math. Here we can use it as a way to develop your child's ability to construct or make things. This will develop their fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, organization and sequencing and how they manipulate different materials. This type of activity uses a motor control approach, in that your child will repeat the motor actions when making a model. As well as using their their senses of touch and vision, and their ability to think, organize and sequence.
What it helps:
Goals:
How to make: the following materials are needed; squared paper, pencil, 30 cm ruler, scissors, glue, selection of 3D shapes.
Is it too easy:
Too much of a challenge:
The recognition of 3D shapes and how they are constructed is a part of what your child will learn in math. Here we can use it as a way to develop your child's ability to construct or make things. This will develop their fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, organization and sequencing and how they manipulate different materials. This type of activity uses a motor control approach, in that your child will repeat the motor actions when making a model. As well as using their their senses of touch and vision, and their ability to think, organize and sequence.
What it helps:
- construction skills through fine motor skill development
- eye hand coordination development
- practice following instructions and organizing materials
- develop knowledge of 3D shapes
Goals:
- Child will recognize the nets of a variety of 3D shapes including a cube, cuboid, and prism
- Child will be bale to use a ruler and pencil to draw the net out on squared paper.
- Child will be able to use scissors to accurately cut the net
- Child will be able to use glue to make the net into a 3D shape.
How to make: the following materials are needed; squared paper, pencil, 30 cm ruler, scissors, glue, selection of 3D shapes.
- Decide which shape they are going to make e.g., a cube.
- talk about how many faces a cube has, use the 3D shape to explore this. A cube has 6 faces.
- Decide how big the faces should be e.g., 4 squares across, 4 squares down. Show the child how to draw the tabs on the side of the squares and ask them to think about were they may be needed.
- Remind the child that they need to hold and stabilize the ruler with their non-dominant hand and draw the line with the pencil in their dominant hand.Neatly fold along the lines of the net were it will need to be folded up and glued, remember to fold the tabs as well. These will be used to glue the net together to make the shape.
- They can begin by drawing single squares and then progress to drawing the squares in sequence to make the net.
- Use scissors to cut around the outside of the net.
- Once the folds have been completed the child can glue the tabs and construct the net.
Is it too easy:
- Should the child find this to be too easy they can be challenged to make different nets for the same shape or they can progress to a more difficult shape e.g. a cone.
Too much of a challenge:
- Simplify the shapes that are being used or have the child finish an already started net, have them only cut out the net.
Knex:
Knex could be considered a toy, a game, even a hobby. It is also used as a therapy tool. The pieces are small and uniform sizes. To put them together your child can follow instructions, or their imagination. As a child in middle school they will have some skills but will constantly be improving current skills and developing new ones. With a developmental approach to therapy knex through repetition and over time will help your child further develop fine motor skills and the ability to organize.
What it helps:
Goals:
How to use:
Is it too easy:
Too much of a challenge:
For more knex model ideas visit: http://www.knexusergroup.org.uk/acatalog/knex-free-resources.html
Knex could be considered a toy, a game, even a hobby. It is also used as a therapy tool. The pieces are small and uniform sizes. To put them together your child can follow instructions, or their imagination. As a child in middle school they will have some skills but will constantly be improving current skills and developing new ones. With a developmental approach to therapy knex through repetition and over time will help your child further develop fine motor skills and the ability to organize.
What it helps:
- construction skills through fine motor skill development
- instruction comprehension
- visual perceptual skills
Goals:
- The child will able construct the object by following the direction or picture direction
- The child will be able to comprehend the direction to construct the object
- The child will be able use his or her visual skills to put the object in the right place
- The child will increase finger dexterity to able to maneuver and connect the Knex's
How to use:
- Provide child with the pieces needed to complete the particular Kinex model.
- Give the child the relevant instructions, depending on their ability they be provided with only written instructions, only pictures or a combination.
- The child may need appropriate verbal cues to begin, again depending on their ability, but they should be allowed to work independently as much as possible to encourage them to use their organizational and sequencing skills.
- By providing both written and picture instructions you are encouraging them to practice comprehension and visual perceptual skills.
- Provide guidance if you can see that the child is going off track or struggling to complete the model.
Is it too easy:
- Should the child not be challenged you can increase the difficulty of the instructions or you can challenge them to be creative e.g., produce a model with four squares or a model using no more than 20 pieces.
Too much of a challenge:
- Should the child find this to be to great of a challenge it can be simplified by giving less complicated instructions or allowing the child to make simple models following more verbal cues.
For more knex model ideas visit: http://www.knexusergroup.org.uk/acatalog/knex-free-resources.html