In one more week, our Victorian Preps will have completed their first semester of formal education in Australia. It’s amazing to see how grown up they are already, the wonderful attitude they have to school and their love of learning. On Tuesday, our current inquiry culminates in a Toy Expo. The Preps assemble in the hall, display the toy they have created, their design brief and explain their toy to expo visitors. The expo is open to the whole school community and is very exciting for our students. The Prep children ask for a gold coin donation for visiting their Toy Expo with money raised being given to a local charity to provide toys, school books etc. to children in need.
TOY STORYTransdisciplinary Theme: How the World WorksCentral Idea: Toys have changed over time due to technology.
Key Concepts: Function & Change
Related concepts: Transformation & Communication
Lines of Inquiry:
Toys are made of a variety of materials
Toys move in different ways
Technology has changed toys over time
Teacher Questions:
How do toys move?
What are toys made of?
How has technology changed toys?
Cheers Nina
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 
Well done! How do you get the students to choose their own toy as opposed to simply copying their peers and making similar items?
Hi,
Thanks for the comment! The children loved learning about the ‘science’ in toys. They also made puppets, a moving spider and learnt about how toys move e.g push, pull, slide, roll, jump etc. On Monday the CSIRO – Science Organisation are visiting to do activities with the children, Tuesday is the Toy Expo, Wednesday isThree Way Conference Day (Parent / Teacher / Student Interviews), a Patomine on Thursday and we finish our term Friday. Phew!
Cheers Nina
Love the idea and the way it is run…especially as it gives the activity purpose. My son did a topic on toys when he was in Year K and it was never as exciting as this. I am sure he would have loved it. Well done.