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	Educational Activities The Winnipeg School Division No. 1
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Grade 4 Shape and Space SS XII.1.4

Kid Works 2

(Activity developed by Doug Illsey, Inner City Support Teacher)

From: Kindergarten to Grade 4 Mathematics, A Foundation for Implementation, Manitoba Education and Training, 1996, pp. D-224

Grid Lock, SS XII.1.4

communicates and applies terms of direction such as north, south, east, and west, relates them to maps and grids, and places an object on a grid, using columns and rows.

This activity could be seen as a beginning to many other similar activities. A grid may be applied over an existing drawing or map that the student has used in another subject area. The directions would be similar in nature however you could introduce the idea of N, S, E, W. Stamps could be placed on the square. If you are following a particular route, such as a road or river, you might only have the stamps placed when the player has actually landed on that object. This will introduce several other factors into the game and perhaps a new challenge. Try it out.

Making the grid.

Working in pairs.

Open Kid Works 2.

Go to Story Illustrator.

Using the Ruler and Shift Key, make a grid 7 spaces by 7 spaces.

Using the Typewriter, and font 18, label

the tope row 1-6 leaving the first square empty.

The first column A-F leaving the first square empty.

Save the file

Have 2 die, blocks with no labels. Number one die 1-6 and label the other die A-F.

Object of the game

To colour 4 connecting squares in your special colour or pattern.

Throw the 2 die together

Find the square identified by the die, e.g. A-3

Using the Paint Can, select your colour and fill the square.

Your partner takes a turn and after selecting their own colour, they fill in their square.

Using the same colour each time the players take turns rolling the die and colouring the square. The player who completes the greater number of 4 connected square combinations is the winner.

Extending the idea

Other grid ideas are given above and may tie this activity into other working being done in the classroom.

You may wish to record the number of times each player had to roll the die and then compare within the class. Results may be graphed. Extend the challenge to another room.

You may have a journal entry made recording the process used to make the grid file, the number of throws made, the process used to locate the actual square indicated on the grid, the rules of the game, etc.

Students may modify the game by placing some stamps in selected squares. When landed on, the stamps become the "prize". The results may be added to the journal entry.

Students should be encouraged to expand on this basic idea to develop their own activity.

Click here to download the file SSXII14.kw2 in Internet Explorer.

Using Kid Works 2

Classroom or Lab Applications

Kid Works 2 is a basic Writing, and Drawing program intended for the Early Years students. There is a reading component to this program that I feel opens a number of opportunities for other applications. We must be very mindful of the programs that we have across The Division and work to maximize their use and application in our programming.

Due to the limitations of the Saving and Sharing of Kid Works 2 files, the traditional activity type of files are not available. However this is really an advantage for our students. Taken out of the activity format, the program becomes more open ended and is therefore a tool for them to use to illustrate and write their thoughts during the problem solving process.

Students with ESL background find the Talking Button most supportive. Their work may be edited before posting or presenting in a public forum.

I might suggest that you use oral directions/instructions while working with Kid Works 2. Cards containing words, numbers, operational signs etc. may be supplied with the activity. The cards may have been generated by the students in previous activities and retained for future use.

As our expectations may bush the intent of the program, you may have to make slight modifications to the files to have them read more clearly. You may use the Speech Editor to "teach" the program new words or terms. Spacing within the written document might also need some adjusting to slow the reading or rephrase the words. I found that putting a period after the title introduced the pause necessary for a more clear understanding. A comma between a list of numbers made the reading slower and gave the separation needed for understanding. In large numbers, you will have to use a comma so that the number will be read correctly. You might find returns and extra spacing valuable. Most students will pick up on these alterations, however you will have to make these changes part of the teaching process, especially where other rules are being bent a little.

All files may be combined with each component for printing a hard copy and exported for sharing digitally. Once exported the file may not be edited.

Accessing/Importing Saved Kid Works 2 Files

Under Story Player, go to Sharing and Cleanup. You will get another dialogue box, look for the drive (it may be S, T, or A) and find the file name. Click on the name and then OK. The file should now be in the Kid Works 2 program. Remember that in this format, you will only be able to Play/view the file; no editing may be done at this time.

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