Right Club Curriculum

TOY MAKERS

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 Toy Makers Overview
Focus: Design & Self-Expression

Unit Description: Everyone loves toys! But how are some of our favorite toys made? Students will find out in this hands-
on unit as they build some classic toys and even design their own creations as Right Club Toy Makers.

Essential Questions: How do some of our favorite toys work? How do we build our own toys? How do toy designers invent new
toys?

Enduring Understanding: Children have played with toys throughout history, but a lot goes into designing them.
Engineers and inventors use knowledge of science, psychology, and craftsmanship to make these playthings.
Understanding these principles can lead to a product that is safe, educational, and most of all fun!

National Standards Addressed:

• LITERACY Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.

• LITERACY Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension
or expression.

• MATHMATICS Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

• MATHMATICS Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

• MATHMATICS Model with mathematics.

• SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING Students will gain the ability to make constructive and respectful choices
about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social
norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.

• SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING Students will gain the ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding
relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively,
cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help
when needed.

• SCIENCE As a result of the activities in grades K-4, all students should develop an understand of properties of
objects and materials; position and motion of objects; light, heat, electricity, and magnetism.

• SCIENCE As a result of the activities in grades K-4, all students should develop abilities of technological design;
understanding about science and technology; abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by
humans.

• VISUAL ARTS Using knowledge of structures and functions; Students know the differences among visual
characteristics and purposes of art in order to convey ideas; Students describe how different expressive features and
organizational principles cause different responses; Students use visual structures and functions of art to communicate
ideas.

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 Daily Activities
1) This Toy is Tops! – Round and round it goes. We start our exploration of toys with one of the oldest and most
beloved – tops. Discover the science behind this long time favorite and explore the ways it can trick your eyes.

2) Through the Looking Glass – We can’t always believe our eyes, but sometimes we can trick them into seeing some
amazing things. We’ll investigate light, vision, and optical illusions to build a classic toy you’ll want to gaze through
over and over again.

3) Bubble Bobble – You’ve probably blown normal round or spherical bubbles before, but what about other shapes?
Have you ever blown a cube bubble or dodecahedron? You just have to invent the right bubble tools!

4) Ready, Set, Yo! – You’ve never yo-yoed like this! You’ll create a paper yo-yo and practice your aim. You’ll need it,
because next we head outside for an action-packed game using your new toy.

5) Creative Creatures – Let your creativity go wild, as you build your own crazy stuffed creature! Based on Sock
Monkeys popularized during the Great Depression, this no-sew toy is limited only by your imagination.

6) Guess Who at Right Club – You may have played the question and answer game of deductive reasoning, but you’ve
never played it like this! Instead of made up cartoon faces, we play with self-portraits that allow us to show our
artistic side, use our mind, and get to know our fellow Right Clubbers a little better.

7) Look Out Below! – If you like Kerplunk, you’ll love this game of skill and strategy. Face off against your friends in
this ultimate challenge of decision making, but be careful. One wrong move, and it all comes tumbling down!

8) Toy Makers Inc. – Now that you’ve seen how toy makers design our favorite games, trinkets, and novelties, it’s your
turn! You and your team will put your heads together to come up with the next toy sensation to sweep the nation!

9) Finishing Touches – Continue building and testing to build the perfect product. You will work with a team of fellow
toy experts to make the most fun toy possible.

10) Toy Expo – Your hard work is about to pay off. After presenting your innovative new design to other toy
connoisseurs, everyone will test out each toy to gather market research. Finally, awards will be handed out such as
“Most Creative,” “Most educational” and “America’s Next Top Toy.”

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 S&S Supplies Needed
Activity Item # Description Amount
This Toy is Tops! EC3343 Cardstock 1 per program
Through the Looking GP50 Educraft Kaleidoscope Craft 1 per 25 students
Glass Kit
Bubble Bobble SL8045 Bubble solution 1 per program
CC687X Chenille stems 1 per program
PY785 Straws 1 per program
Ready, Set, Yo! PE778 Paper Roll 1 per program
Creative Creatures CM136 Tube socks 1 per 12 students
SC313A Rubber bands 1 per program
AC904 Fiberfill 1 per 10 students
Guess Who at Right PE1675 Cardstock Stand Up Portrait 1 per 20 students
Club
Lookout Below! BE9000 Beads 1 per program
Toy Makers, Inc. CL103 Crayola Model Magic 2 lbs 1 per program

Local Store Supplies Needed

Lesson Description Amount
This Toy is Tops! Pennies 1 per student

Right Club Supplies Needed

• Cups • Construction paper • Bowls
• Scissors • Glue
• Markers/crayons • Plastic bags

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 1) This Toy is Tops!
Supplies: cardstock, cups, scissors, crayons/markers, 3-5 pennies per student
Preparation: Print Daily Activities page of this document. Construct your own top using the directions in Pics for Kids.
Learning Students will explore relationships between primary and secondary colors and optical illusions.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• Today, we are starting a brand new theme – Cool Creations! In this theme, we will build toys, come up with our
own inventions, and make some unusual artwork. It will all lead to the Makers’ Fair, where we put our creations
on display for friends and family to see.
• We start with our new unit – Toy Makers, where you get to build some classic toys and invent some brand new
ones. Where do you think the inventors of your favorite toys get their ideas from? What kind of background do
you think they need to be a toy maker?
• Let’s check out the fun we have ahead of us! Read Daily Activities page with students to preview the unit and
build excitement! Which of these activities are you most looking forward to? Why?
• Tops are one of the oldest toys known. Versions of this toy have been found at archeological digs all around the
world. They have always intrigued children and adults alike, because they appear to defy gravity and often move
in unpredictable ways.
• Our tops will have an additional surprising effect. Show the top you made during Preparation. What do you think
will happen to the colors as the top spins?
• The colors blend and change as they spin. This is an optical illusion, because our brain thinks it sees something
other than what it actually sees.
• That’s because it spins so fast our brain combines the colors because the pictures are coming at it too quickly. It’s
similar to how we perceive things in movies moving when really we are seeing a bunch of slightly changed
pictures flashed in front of our eyes quickly. Our brain just puts them together to make sense of all the changes.
• What would we get if we had a top with red and blue stripes? (Purple) Red and green? (Yellow)
• Let’s build our own to see what other colors we can make!

Unit-Long Project Note:

Remind students that they have the option of developing and participating in a unit-long, student-driven project
that ties to the theme. This is what makes every day a Daily Double! (Add free art, and you’ve got a Triple Play!)
Ideas for this project can include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Design a toy for students with a particular disability
- Design a toy that teaches a scientific concept
- Design a toy that turns into another toy
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Ideally, this project is developed by the students, reflecting their
interests.

Activity:
1. Have students build their own tops using the directions found on Pics for Kids. Encourage them to build multiple
tops of varying colors.
2. Allow students to practice with their tops. Hold contests to see who can spin their top the longest or the longest
distance.
3. Educator’s Note: All toys made in this unit should be kept at your program for the Makers’ Fair held at the end
of this Cool Creations theme as part of the Unusual Art unit. Make sure students write their names on each of
their creations.

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Wrap It Up:

• What colors were you able to make?

• Did anyone try any other designs that led to surprising optical illusions?

Take It Away:

• What are some examples of other times that our eyes can fool us?

Lead In:

• Tomorrow, we will build another toy that will have you seeing double, triple, and more!

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 Pics for Kids

1. Use a cup or other small round object to trace a circle on a

piece of cardstock. Cut out circle.

2. Color circle. Alternating triangles of different colors work

well. You can also experiment with other designs to create
new optical illusions. Give to an educator to cut a 2 cm slit in
the middle, no wider than a penny.

3. Insert penny into slit.

4. Give it a spin! Notice how the colors blend and

change.

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 2) Through the Looking Glass
Supplies: EduCraft Kaleidoscope Craft Kit
Preparation: Build a kaleidoscope as an example. Print Pics for Kids.
Learning Students will explore concepts of symmetry.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• This is a kaleidoscope. Show students example made during Preparation. Does anyone know how kaleidoscopes
work? Inside the tube, there are three mirrors that reflect the light causing the mirror images.
• Kaleidoscopes are instruments that trick our eyes into seeing beautiful, symmetrical patterns.
• Symmetrical means if you drew a line down the middle, it would look the same on both sides. Show examples
found on Pics for Kids.
• Can anyone find anything in this room that is symmetrical? Allow students to find examples. Discuss.
• Let’s see if we can become mirror images of each other. Partner students up. Have one student strike a pose, and
have the other mirror the pose.
• Kaleidoscopes look really cool inside, because not only are the images symmetrical, but they are colorful and
seem to go on forever. To see what I mean, let’s make our own!

Activity:
1. Have students follow instructions found in the kit to build their own kaleidoscope.
2. If time permits, invite students to decorate the outside of their kaleidoscope.
3. Educator’s Note: All toys made in this unit should be kept at your program for the Makers’ Fair held at the end
of this Cool Creations theme as part of the Unusual Art unit. Make sure students write their names on each of
their creations

Wrap It Up:

• How do you think the image would change if we only used two mirrors? What if we used more than three?
• How does the angle of the mirrors change what you see?

Take It Away:

• What are some objects that are symmetrical in your home?

• Are humans perfectly symmetrical? At home, hold your hand sideways down the middle of your face and look in
the mirror to find out.

Lead In:

• Tomorrow, we going to experiment with some new shapes so you see bubbles in a whole new way!

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 Pics for Kids

Symmetry can be found everywhere.

Do you see the symmetry in these examples?

How does your kaleidoscope show symmetry?

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 3) Bubble Bobble
Supplies: bubble solution, bucket, bowls, chenille stems, meter sticks, string, binder clip or ring
Preparation: Set out materials. Fill bucket and bowls with bubble solution.
Learning Students will explore three dimensional geometric figures and properties of bubbles.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• When you blow bubbles, what shape are they? (Sphere.) Why do you think bubbles form in this shape?
• Do you think a bubble would form a different shape if we had a bubble wand that was a different shape?
• Give each student a chenille stem and have them bend it into any shape other than a circle. Allow them to test
their new wand using the bubble solution.

• The soapy solution that forms bubbles has a tendency to follow the easiest path. When you blow, most of that
force is in the middle which gives it the round shape. The rest of the solution tries to form back together and
closes the bubble up. Since the same amount of force is being exerted in all directions, the result is a perfectly
spherical shape.
• Now that we’ve seen how bubbles form using a wand, let’s get a little more creative. Let’s invent new bubble
tools!

Activity (Take It Outdoors!):

1. Share pictures from Pics for Kids. Have students build the tools shown in the pictures.
2. Have students make hypotheses on what shapes the tools will make.
3. Dip new tools into bubble solution. What do you notice? Do you see how the soap connects in different places
than you’d expect? Blow into tool or swing it in the air to create bubbles. How did the shape change?
4. Allow students to experiment with materials to build new shapes and other tools. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Challenge students to construct and test the giant bubble wand found on Pics for Kids.

Wrap It Up:

• Which shapes caused the most unusual bubbles while inside the tool?
• How did the shape change after you blew it out of the 3 dimensional tool? (It reverted back to a sphere.) Why do
you think this happened? (Once released from the cube, triangle, or other 3 dimensional shape, the pressure acting
on the bubble was the same in all directions. This causes the bubble to naturally revert back to a sphere.)
• What other shapes would you like to test that you were not able to make today?

Take It Away:

• What items from home could be used to make bubble tools?

Lead In:

• Tomorrow, you are going to make toy that we get to take outside for some outdoor fun!

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 Pics for Kids

1. Cut straw into equal 2. Thread chenille stem 3. Form into 3D shape.
size pieces. through straw pieces.

4. To add another chenille, 5. Attach an extra 6. Try other 3D shapes,

twist with remaining stem. chenille stem to use like pyramids. Dip them
as a handle. in solution to see what happens!

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 Pics for Kids

1. Create a giant bubble wand by taping a 3 meter piece of string or parachute cord to two meter sticks as shown
above. The bottom portion of the loop should be 2 meters while the top is 1 meter. Add a binder clip or other
small object to add weight to the bottom of the cord.

2. Create giant bubbles by dipping the cord in bubble solution and slowly moving sticks apart.

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 4) Ready, Set, Yo!
Supplies: Paper roll, scissors, crayons/markers, glue, cups
Preparation: Print out Pics for Kids. Cut one 6 feet x 6 inches strip for each student. Build your own paper yo-yo as an
example.
Learning Students will practice gross motor skills and sportsmanship.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• Has anyone used a yo-yo before? What about a paper yo-yo?

• Show students the paper yo-yo you created during Preparation. Why do you think it is called a paper yo-yo? What
does it have in common with a regular yo-yo?
• Today, we are going to build our own paper yo-yos and use them to play some outdoor games! What are some
things we should remember when we are playing outdoor games? (Review concepts of sportsmanship and safety
concerns.)
• What does good sportsmanship look like? Why is it important?
• Sounds like you are ready to have some outdoor fun. But first, we need to make our paper yo-yos!

Activity (Take It Outdoors!):

1. Have students follow the directions on Pics for Kids page to build their own paper yo-yos.
2. Invite students to practice with their new toys by setting up cups outside as targets.
3. Have students design an obstacle course in which they have to stop at a predetermined intervals and hit a target
with their paper yo-yo before proceeding.
4. Allow them to compete against one another. Encourage good sportsmanship.

Wrap It Up:

• Why is it important to show good sportsmanship?

• Who noticed someone exhibiting good sportsmanship? What did they do?

Take It Away:

• When else do we need to use good sportsmanship?

Lead In:

• Next time, we will let our creativity go wild as we make a personalized toy out of something that will really
surprise you!

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 Pics for Kids

1. Decorate paper strip.

2. Glue dowel to paper strip.

3. Roll strip around dowel.

4. Flick wrist to extend. Straighten wrist to retract.

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 5) Creative Creatures
Supplies: tube socks, markers, scissors, rubber bands, ribbons, wiggley eyes, glue, fiberfill, various craft supplies
Preparation: Print Pics for Kids. Set out materials.
Learning Students will discover how limited resources foster creativity.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• Who here has ever really wanted a certain toy, but you couldn’t get it, so you made your own? What was it?
• During a period of time called the Great Depression that lasted for most of the 1930s, most families didn’t have
much money. This meant money usually used for luxuries, like toys, had to be spent on necessities, like food.
• Because of this, parents and kids had to get creative with things they already had in order to make toys. One thing
they used were old socks. What kinds of things can you make with old socks?
• During the Great Depression, puppets and stuffed animals were all the rage. Sock Monkeys, in particular, were
very popular. Share pictures from Pics for Kids.
• With a little creativity, kids were able to turn something plain into something fun. We are going to do the same
today!

Activity:
1. Share the visual directions shown on Pics for Kids.
2. If students would like to color socks or draw mouths and other features, they should do so before stuffing their
sock.
3. Allow students to make their own sock creature, assisting when needed.
4. Educator’s Note: All toys made in this unit should be kept at your program for the Makers’ Fair held at the end
of this Cool Creations theme as part of the Unusual Art unit. Make sure students write their names on each of
their creations
Wrap It Up:

• How did kids make their own toys during the Great Depression? How did it help their families?
• How else can kids entertain themselves in ways that don’t cost a lot of money?

Take It Away:

• Sometimes not having what we want forces us to be creative. What can you create at home instead of buying?

Lead In:

• Tomorrow, we will give a game you have all played a Right Club spin. Can you guess what (or who) it is?

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 Pics for Kids

Check out these crazy sock

monkeys!

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 Pics for Kids

1. Stuff sock with fiberfill. 2. Wrap rubber bands to create

arms, legs, and head.

3. Fold top over to form hat. 4. Glue on eyes, hair, accessories,

and other details using any
craft materials available.

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 6) Guess Who at Right Club
Supplies: Card Stock Stand-Up Portrait, markers/crayons/paint and brushes, index cards
Preparation: None
Learning Students will create self-portraits and practice deductive reasoning.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• We’ve made a lot of toys to take home, but today we are going to make a game to keep at Right Club that we will
use all year long!
• Has anyone ever played Guess Who? Can someone explain how to play to the group?
• In this game, you and your opponent each pick one person from the same group of people. You then have to figure
out who your opponent picked by using deductive reasoning. That means you eliminate the choices you know are
wrong until you come up with the right answer.
• Let’s try a quick version here. I need a volunteer. Choose a student. Think of one student here in Right Club, but
don’t tell me who. I’m going to ask a few questions to figure out who you picked. Got someone in mind? Let’s do
it. Everyone stand up!
• Ask a series of yes/no questions to eliminate students. (Is this person wearing blue? Is this person left-handed?
etc.) Have students sit down once they’ve been eliminated until you are left with only one person.
• Now we are going to make a Right Club version of this guessing game that we can play anytime we want. To do
that, we first need to make a self-portrait. A self-portrait is a painting or drawing you make of yourself. Let’s get
to work!

Activity:
1. Have students draw or paint 2 identical self-portraits, using the Card Stock Stand-Up Portraits. Be sure they write
their name at the bottom. Encourage them to add as much detail (glasses, hair color, favorite shirt, etc.) as
possible. When finished, separate into two piles, such that each pile has one self-portrait of each child.
2. Smaller programs may choose to have students who finish early draw portraits of educators or staff members of
the school to complete the set. Larger programs may choose to divide their students into two separate games.
3. This game is played one-on-one. To play, give each player an identical set of self-portraits. Have each player
stand up their self-portraits facing them so their opponent can’t see, as shown below.
4. Each player chooses one of the self-portraits at random. This will be the person their opponent has to guess. The
players alternate asking yes/no questions about the person their opponent picked. When a person has been
eliminated, their portrait goes face down until you are left with one person.

5. Challenge students to get to know their fellow Right Club members better. Questions like, “Is this person in 3rd
grade?” or “Does this person have a sister?” encourages students to get to know each other better and strengthens
the Right Club community.
6. Keep this with your other board games, so students can play all year long.

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Wrap It Up:

• What are the best types of questions to ask to deduce your opponent’s person quickly?
• How does knowing the people in the game change the type of questions you can ask?

Take It Away:

• If you were playing this game using pictures of your friends and family, what type of questions would you ask
to deduce who your opponent picked?
• What are some other instances where you can use deductive reasoning?

Lead In:

• Have you ever tried to build something without instructions? Tomorrow, we discover one way to do it. With
some problem solving and a little work, you’ll even end up with a fun game to take home!

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 7) Look Out Below!
Supplies: Construction paper, straws, pencils, stapler or glue, beads or pom poms, plastic bag
Preparation: Print Pics for Kids. Set out materials.
Learning Students will reverse engineer a game by examining how it works, then designing without instructions.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• How do you build something you’ve seen before but without building instructions? One way is something called
reverse engineering. That’s when you study an example that’s already been made closely. Then you guess your
way through the design.
• For example, if you wanted to build a treehouse and didn’t have instructions, what would you do? You could look
at a treehouse that has already been built and look for clues. What kinds of things would you look for? (Materials
used, basic structure, placement of doors and windows, how it connects to the tree, etc.)
• What other things could you use reverse engineering to build?
• Today, we are going to try to reverse engineer a game you may have played before. Let’s get to it!

Activity:
1. If you have a game similar to the one shown on Pics for Kids at your site, share it with students. If not, share the
first page of Pics for Kids.
2. Examine the game closely. To play the game, you alternate
turns removing straws. After each turn, the player that
HELPING ALL STUDENTS SUCCEED!
removed the straw must take any objects that fell. The goal
is to be the person with the fewest fallen objects once all the
objects have fallen out. • If students are unable to construct a version
3. Now we need to come up with our own design for this game of the game on their own, have them follow
using these materials. Think about how it is played and how the directions on Pics for Kids to construct
the pieces work together. When you think you have a good their own Look Out Below! game.
idea, take the materials you will need and try to reverse
engineer your own version.
4. Have students build their own game individually.
5. Allow students to play. Give each student a baggie to hold their pieces.

Wrap It Up:

• What did you learn about the game from studying the pictures that helped you build your own version?
• How did you choose which materials to use and how to use them?
• What strategy do you use when playing? How do you choose which straws to pull?

Take It Away:

• Think about your games at home. Are there any you could reverse engineer? Which ones? What materials
would you need?

Lead In:
• Now that we’ve had a chance to build other people’s toys, it’s time to design our own! You and your team
will have a chance to build the toy of your dreams!

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 Pics for Kids

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 1. Staple or glue 2 sheets of construction
paper together to form a tube.

2. Use a pencil to carefully poke holes

all over.

3. Cut a triangle at the bottom for

objects to escape when they fall.

4. Stick straws in holes and fill top

with beads or pom poms. Play.

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 8) Toy Makers Inc.
Supplies: Crayola Model Magic, chenille stems, straws, cardboard, various craft supplies (craft sticks, glue, rubber
bands, paper clips, masking tape, etc.)
Preparation: Lay materials out for students to preview. Assign dollar amounts to each available material based on
supply and demand. Make chart listing each price. See example below.

1 sheet of Cornstarch Paper $5

Crayola Model Magic 1 scoop for
$1
Paper Clip 4 for $1
Straw $1

Learning Students will develop an understanding of the steps of the design process.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• Where do you think the inventors of your favorite toys got their inspiration?
• Many are inspired by other toys. Barbie is an example of this. A woman named Ruth Handler noticed that her
daughter liked playing with dolls, but nearly all of the dolls available at the time were babies. Ruth thought
making a doll that was an adult would be a way to take one idea and take it in a new, fun direction. What are
some of your favorite toys that you could use as inspiration for a new, improved toy?
• After they decide on an idea for a toy, they build it and test it. They keep improving it until they are ready to get
other people’s opinions. This process of testing and refining goes on and on until they get it just how they want it.
• Today, you are going to have your chance to make the next great toy. Share examples from Pics for Kids to
inspire designs. Will you make a toy car, doll house, board game, or something completely unique no one has ever
thought of before? Let’s get in our groups and see what we can come up with!

Activity:
HELPING ALL STUDENTS SUCCEED!
1. Put students into groups of three to four.
2. Have groups brainstorm ideas of toys that can inspire For an additional challenge, give older students a
their design. Challenge them to consider toy’s budget they must remain within when building their
purpose (fun, educational, challenging, etc.). toy. Inform them an award for the most fun yet cost
3. Allow students to preview available materials. efficient toy will be given using the chart and prices.
4. Have groups list ideas and sketch designs. This
should take the majority of time. Do not give groups materials to start building until they have had ample time to
plan and discuss.
5. Once the group has decided on a design, have them discuss with an educator to ensure it is feasible.

Wrap It Up:

• What was the inspiration for your toy design?

• How did you choose the materials you’d need? What other materials would you have liked to have?

Take It Away:

• Look at some of your favorite toys at home tonight to see how they are built. Which toy will you look at for
inspiration?

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Lead In:

• Tomorrow, you’ll continue to make the toys of your dreams a reality. To make them the best they can be, it will
take a lot of testing and adjusting. Hope you are ready to play with your toy… I mean test your designs!

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 Pics for Kids

Check out these student designed toys inspired by toy cars, board games,
and action figures!

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 9) Finishing Touches
Supplies: Each group’s project from the prior lesson, Crayola Model Magic, chenille stems, cardboard, straws,
various craft supplies (craft sticks, glue, rubber bands, paper clips, masking tape, etc.)
Preparation: Set out materials.
Learning Students will discover the value of testing and refining a prototype in the design process.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• Yesterday, we got off to a great start in designing our very own toys. What are some things we can do to improve
on those great ideas?
• One thing that inventors and engineers do to improve their original ideas is to build a prototype and test it. A
prototype is an early version of a product that is used for testing. It’s like a rough draft when writing. After you’ve
made your prototype, you can test it to see what works well and what can be improved. You can also get other
people’s feedback.
• Today, you are going to build prototypes of your designs and test them. You can also have members of other
groups test your design to get an outside opinion. But remember, tomorrow is the big Toy Expo, so make sure you
have a working model ready to show off!

Unit-Long Project Note:

Remind students working on the unit-long project that they will be presenting their project to the group tomorrow.
Allow them the opportunity to plan how they would like to do that.

Activity:
1. Allow students to continue building, testing, and refining their designs.
2. Encourage groups to seek outside feedback from members of other groups. Remind them that an outside opinion
can often bring up ideas or improvements they would not have thought of on their own.
3. If they claim to be done, remind students that every design can be improved and challenge them find new
improvements or a more cost-effective design.

Wrap It Up:

• What did you learn about your design by testing a prototype? How did you change your design based on this?
• How did getting an outside opinion help?
• Before the Toy Expo tomorrow, you will have a few minutes to work on your design. What will you focus your
energies on during this time?
Take It Away:

• Today, you saw the value of getting an outside opinion of your design. What are some other times an outside
opinion can help you with something you are working on?
Lead In:

• Tomorrow, you will have the opportunity to show off your stuff. It’s time for the Toy Expo!

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 10) Toy Expo
Supplies: Projects from last two lessons, paper, pencils
Preparation: Set out materials. Print out one Award of Excellence for each group. Fill out certificates.
Learning Students will test toys designed in this unit and receive feedback from their peers.
Objective:
Warm-Up:

• We had a lot of fun building our toys, but everyone knows that the best part of toys is playing with them! Today,
you will have a chance to play with each of the toys your friends made, and they will play with your toy. Be sure
to be careful with them, because a lot of hard work went into each one.
• Next to each toy will be a description you will write in just a minute and a blank piece of paper to write down
what you liked about it. Be specific. “It’s cool” is a nice thing to write, but “Older kids and younger kids would
both love this,” tells the team exactly what you like about it.
• Let’s put the finishing touches on our design and write our descriptions so we can play with some toys!
Unit-Long Project Presentation:
Invite students that worked on the unit-long project an opportunity to present to the group.
Activity:
1. Allow groups to make last minute adjustments to their designs. Once done, have each group write the name of
their toy and a short description.
2. Have each group display their toy with their written description and a blank piece of paper for feedback.
3. Allow students to wander from display to display, testing each toy out and leaving positive feedback on each
blank piece of paper. Younger students may need assistance with this.
4. As students play with the new toys, use the list of awards on the Resource Page to write a unique award certificate
for each group. Feel free to come up with your own as well.
5. Gather students to hand out awards. Leave toys, awards, and feedback on display for parents to see during pickup.
Be sure to collect all toys for display at Maker’s Fair at the end of the Unusual Art unit.

Wrap It Up:

• How has the way you look at your toys changed since Toy Makers started?
• If you wanted to be a toy designer when you grow up, what subjects would you have to pay close attention to in
school? What other skills would you need?
Take It Away:

• Next time you pick up one of your favorite toys at home, stop to think about all the thought and hard work that
went into making it a reality!
Lead In:

• If you enjoyed making your own toy, you’ll love our next unit. Soon, we’ll begin Inventors’ Workshop, where you
get to bring your greatest ideas to life!

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 Resource Page
Suggested awards certificates topics for each group. Be sure each group gets an award.

• Most Creative Design

• Most Cost Efficient
• Best Update of a Classic Toy
• Most Improved Design
• Best Game
• Best Use of Teamwork
• Most Active Toy
• Student’s Choice
• Educator’s Choice

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© 2019 Right At School, LLC. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved Page 29 of 29