Logical thinkers are fun to have in class because they are problem-solvers; they can fix the broken pencil sharpener, figure out how to rearrange the desks quickly, and love to solve problems with numbers. They also have a driving need to build; they take apart calculators, they take apart pens, and they take apart the recently-fixed pencil sharpener. Gifted classrooms can not always offer building materials or work/storage space, but any of these websites are fun for kids who love to build.
Soda Constructor: A Great Site for Kids Who Love to Take Things Apart
There are two categories of logical thinkers, the constructors and the deconstructors. Students who love to take things apart are not always able to put things back together, but kids who love to put things together are made that way by taking things apart. Teachers should encourage those deconstructive students to work on sites that will allow them to take things apart and reuse them in new ways. This encourages students to create something from what they have taken apart – because there is a fine line between deconstruction and destruction.
About Soda Constructor
Kids who like to build will enjoy Soda Constructor, but not as much as kids who like to pull everything apart and examine it bit by bit. Soda Play has several activities, some which require great amounts of time and sophistication. Soda Constructor is perfect for gifted classrooms and is particularly well-suited for upper elementary and middle school students who have had a chance to do some tinkering with battery-operated robots.
Soda Constructor allows students to start with a simple walking creature, and they can add and remove masses, springs, and muscles. The designs start simplistic – they look like an animated connect the dots – but students can make them complicated. The site has many pre-made models that can be taken apart and rebuilt. This site is an excellent example of play-to-learn because the instructions are abstract (and at times overwhelming), but it all makes sense for future engineers who have time to play and experiment.
Architect Studio 3D: A Great Site for Kids Who Love to Put Things Together
Frank Lloyd Wright loved to put things together, and his buildings have had historical artistic and architectural impact. The Architect Studio, designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, is dynamic and fun for anyone interested in putting things together.
About Architect Studio
The site is designed for 11-14 year olds, but younger students, particularly gifted students, can have fun and learn as they build. Students meet their clients and build a house based on the needs of the future owners of the house. After figuring out the location of the house, students:
- use architectural symbols, proportions, and scale
- choose materials to design the exterior.
- design the interior home (and have the option to decorate it)
- submit their design to the gallery (optional)
The level of detail and sense of professional involvement in the site makes it fun and informative for future architects. The students are able to save designs and continue working on them later.
The site has a non-3D section for schools that can not access the site, but it is worth it to play in the 3D zone. After mastering Architect Studio, students may want to try an online game to design a satellite.
In a perfect world, gifted classrooms would have kits and models for students to build, take things apart, and rebuild them. There is not a budget large enough to accommodate the imagination of a gifted child who wants to put things together or take things apart, but with online games like Soda Constructor and Architect Studio 3D, kids can get a lot of the benefits of experimenting with different designs.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
