What each kit has planned

Outline of the fur kit

            After brainstorming ideas and having more knowledge surrounding birds and mammals I started to put together a draft of sorts. It was a page for each kit which included my layout for what I wanted.

            In the kit working with furs there would be books talking about mammals, as well as books that are more like storybooks which can be read to a group of kids. There are also pictures which they can match the fur to. The main part of the activity are the questions that are asked. The participants of the activity will mainly be asked to observe the fur and think about what animal it is or what kind of habitat they live in.

            The bird/owl kit has books as well which can be read to kids or they can read themselves. The bird it also contains many feathers bird and owl which they can compare. Moreover, there is an activity which has materials like hay and sticks so they can make a mock bird nest. The goal with this is for them to look at the displays of the nests and try and make a similar one. Lastly, there are eggs in the display case that they can look at as well as in the kit there is a plastic egg. The plastic egg is for them to roll on the table,and so they can see that since it’s not a sphere it won’t roll off on to the floor. 

Initial step: Brainstorming (Birds and owls)

  Since there can be two kits and one of them was going to be about animal fur I wanted to figure out another idea for the second one. After meeting Johnathan I had a better understanding of what to put in these kits, and activities involved in them. I had a meeting with another educator, Bobbie Snead, and I talked to her about my idea with owls.

Close to what I first envisioned with how different birds have different feather types

We both concluded that there might not be many activities to put in the kit that would meet the criteria, and thought about how we could make an owl display work. Finally, we decided to have the display and the kit be about birds with a section devoted to owls. When talking to an educator who specializes in a certain topic I learned so much. Bobbie who specializes in owls helped me better understand how to create a kit that could be beneficial to kids learning it, as well as incorporate important and interesting information about birds and owls.

There will be a post more specifically about my objectives I want from each kit, and what is in each kit. Right now, though the fur kit is little bit less crafty and more observations, and questions. This bird/owl kit has a bit more arts and crafts as well as observation about birds. For example, there will be an activity talking about the feathers of birds, and owls where the kids can touch the feathers. The crafty part is an activity where the kids have an option to create a bird nest. Additionally, there is a topic which has the kids observe the egg shape. I want the kits to be somewhat different in the activities so I can learn what works well and what needs more improvement.

     

Initial Step: Brainstorming (Fur kit)

The original fur display case 

          I was assigned a fun project in January, which was to design a kit for a display case drawer that could easily be taken out for kids to play with. When first coming up with ideas I went kinda crazy and made a page long list of different themes like animals or the water cycle and what would be put in the kit. After pondering upon the ideas I had I realized that it needed to be more practical.To expand, it can't be too messy, and easy enough for younger kids to do. Additionally, it needs to be a small enough project to fit in a small kit.
          When I first met with Johnathan Pope an educator we discussed both display cases and thought to use materials we already had so we wouldn't need to go out and get supplies. When we discussed the first display case we decided to have the focus around furs that mammals had. We collaborated about how we were going to execute this idea, and I learned it's nice to have another person to talk to about a certain idea. We went over the display case, and from that made up components of the fur kit. I made up three groups of questions to be put in the kit and also added many different types of fur that the kids would be able to work with.
         My main objective for both kits and future displays are to make it so the kids are able to learn more about their environment as well as it being a fun activity as oppose to one where they are reading something and aren't as fully interested in the topic at hand.