“I was trying to make a helicopter but it didn’t work.” Ray

Sometimes the most wonderful discoveries are made when we are trying to accomplish something else. When our efforts fail we often shift our thinking and we see possibilities.

Are you making tops? Maren

Let's see if this works. Maren

Probably the littlest goes the fastest.  Jane

or maybe…

The ones that have the most on it work the best.  Eight on it.  Ray

This one has 1 -2 -3 - 4 -5 -6 -7 - 8.
Jane
I'm not sure if this will work. It won't stay up.
Zaahra
Me and Lyla tried that [double spinner] but it didn't work.
Birdie
I'm gonna see what happens if you connect 2.
Ray
I need two more pink ones. Do you have any pink ones I can have?
Sevi
You can see the floor through it.
Jane
It does really move. The others spin around.
Ray
Which do you think is faster?
It works and it doesn't work because it didn't go so fast.
Ray
It doesn't have enough momentum.
Graeme
You could take a video of them spinning.
Ray
The longer blades with the shorter blades , it makes it go fast.
Birdie

The longest make it go slower. The shortest goes the fastest. Because if it's long it might hit something and the shortest can go right under. The big one they would hit. Chester

Can I show you something?
When you spin both at a time they sometimes both go. Jane

These do not work at all. Two is the baddest. One works! Ray

The four worked! Jane

Look at what one does.  Ray

Zero works. It rolls away! Ray

I’m ready to test my three! Graeme

Mine can do perfect on the rug. Ryan

I made one. Three works. I’m going to test them. Brooke

In these initial stages of discovery we see children in the throws of excitement. They each bring with them their experiences and prior knowledge. While they are experimenting on their own they are also acutely aware of the work happening around them. They exhibit flexibility of thought and are incorporating others thinking into their own work. It is our job then to make explicit those ideas that they are exploring. What makes the spinner spin faster? How does the number of blades affect the spin? Does the size and color of the blades make the spinner spin differently? We hone in on, through small groups and group reflection, the questions children are exploring.