children's research center-turkey e-newsletter issue september 2012

Via Tower İş Merkezi No:7/35 06530 Söğütözü / Ankara Phone: +90 (0312) 219 03 19 Fax: +90 (0312) 219 03 21www.arastirmacicocukmerkezi.org [email protected]

E-NewsletterSeptember 2012 Issue:12

Graphic Design and Implementation: Elif Kor

On the 2nd International Children as Researchers ConferenceFollowing the 1st International Children as Researchers Conference organized by Institute of Education, University of London in May 18-19, 2011; the second conference was organized in Istanbul in June 22-23, 2012 hosted by Darüşşafaka Schools.

On 22nd of June, the opening day of conference, on behalf of Darüşşafaka Primary School the school principal Çiğdem Kaya, on behalf of Children’s Research Center the founder of center Dr. Derya Şahhüseyinoğlu, and on behalf of Open University Children Research Center Prof. Dr. Mary Kellet made their speeches.

After opening remarks; Prof. Dr. Yücel Kanpolat, who is a neurosurgery specialist retrieved from Medical School of Ankara University, gave a talk on “science education”. He indicated that research and children education is so important for the future of Turkey. “What are the qualities of the individual, the student and the citizen we need? This question will help us a lot while planning our future. We can reach the knowledge if we use our brains. If we have knowledge, we will be creative. And if we use our creativity, our society will prosper “he said.

Workshop activities “Parachute Games”, “Marble Machine”, “Drama” and “Robotics” were also conducted through the conference program.

THIS MONTH AT CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTERE-Newsletter September 2012 / Issue: 12

Click here for the photos.


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Following the 2st International Children as Researchers Conference organized by Institute of Education, University of London in May 18-19, 2011; the second conference was organized in Istanbul in June 22-23, 2012 hosted by Darüşşafaka Schools.

CHILDREN’S RESEARCH CENTER - TURKEY - E-Newsletter September 2012 / Issue: 12 05

Children, Young People and Adults:Extending the conversation

Preston, 5-7 September 2012

Global Conversations Conference in Preston 2012

The conference, which is open to all children and teenagers around the world, was organized on 5-7th September in Preston, UK. The part which includes youth and children had three basic themes focusing on individual, politics and cultural issues. Studies on Research, Young People and Research Health, Education and Work, Participation, Family, Beliefs and Traditions, Daily Routine, Conflict and Peace and Respect. On the plenary session of the first day, Dr. Derya Şahhüseyinoğlu share the views on the conference organized in June in Istanbul and the future plans of the Children as Researchers Program which is being conducted in Darussafaka Schools, Turkey. Children who participated in the Istanbul conference with their research presentations joined the session via video conference and answered the questions of the audience.

The new academic year is about to begin. We can feel the excitement of all children for beginning the school. As soon as children step in the classroom, they want to share the new places they have explored and seen, the new people they have met during the summer break or the things they are interested in with their classmates and teachers. When they share these through videos, online images and voice recordings, the people who are listening to them feel just like they have had the same experiences. It would be so nice to have the same excitement and spend fun time when it comes to the classes.

So, what do children want about their classroom and which tools do they want to use there? We can find the answers if we listen to them and take their needs into consideration. They can now follow the events all around the world, watch videos and save them on various media. They enjoy communication on online social networks. They can share the same excitement by playing multiplayer

games. They want to have these in their classrooms.

Why not?This demand can met in technologic classrooms, with tools such as tablet PC, interactive whiteboards, activities based on online videos, audio recordings and animations. By these, learning can be made more effective and fun in various ways.

For example: Children can explore things by feeling, smelling or tasting. Along with these, they can study big animated images on an interactive whiteboard. Some risky experiments related to electricity or chemicals, or natural phenomenon occurring in a long time span like germination of a seed or abstract topics like space can be studied through observations, simulations and

interactive applications with the help of technology. Children can ask questions on these issues, they can compare or classify the items and make learning a concrete and entertaining experience.

Communication through online conferences can be enjoyable too. Students can share their studies, explorations and ideas with the peers


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from different schools, cities or even countries on live broadcast and learn their ideas. Forum pages, on the other hand, can also be used as a platform for sessions of brainstorming and discussions. They can also prepare online diaries by blogging online.

The technological applications at school can provide equal opportunities for many children and can improve the quality of education. So, children can develop their skills required for the digital age by feeling, doing and living the experiences without leaving the learning environment.

BloggingOne of the easiest way for children to share their ideas with their friends is blogging.

They can blog about:An experiment they have conducted at school,Poems,Stories, Photographs they have taken

You can create a blog with the assistance and support from information technologies

teacher and your classroom teacher.

I want to be in an enjoyable school,

I want to more play games with my friends,

Access the information instantly to learn about the topics I am curious of,

I want to listen again,

See again,

Think again,

And feel the freedom.


For Children

You now have new school bags, notebooks, course books and stationery. You can use your school bag not only to carry your books or school material but also to have fun. Let’s play a game with you school bags!

You can play this game with a group of 4. You can start the game by drawing the shape on the ground.

1. Put the bags in pairs to the two boxes that says “Start”.

2. Compare two of the bags which are in the start boxes in terms of weight. Try to understand which one is heavier by holding one of them by your right hand and one of them by your left hand at the same.

3. Now put the bag you think it is lighter on the box following by the blue line. Put the heavier bag on the box following by the red line.

4. Now repeat the same till you locate all the bags on the bottom line. Think what you have accomplished?

5. You can play the same game in different ways by using different items and different comparisons.

What would happen if you wanted to use 6 items for the same game? Think about it.


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ACTIVITY -1

Make a Fun Character for you Pencil

Finding new ideas, designing new tools and building them is an enjoyable and good way of exploring your skills. You can design a pencil top and make you pencils interesting and special for you.

To do this: Begin with writing down the specifications of

your character. For example, it is colorful, flexible or light etc.

Draw the sketch of the character

Think about how you can create the specifications you have written. For example, you can use paper clips, magnets or button etc.

Now built your own pencil top with the materials you have chosen.

By redesigning your school tools and

equipment, you can create unique

products.

You can share your own creations with us by

sending their photos to [email protected]


ACTIVITY - 2

You have probably played tagging for many times. Now you can play a different tagging game which is called as hunter-prey game.

You can play this game with 6 friends.

Hunter-Prey Game


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ACTIVITY -3

Before you start, draw a circle on the ground with six equal parts.Pick a hunter in your group. The rest of the group will be prey of the hunter. (For example: Fox- chicken, cat- mouse, lion-deer etc.)

You will use the line on the ground to escape from the hunter or hunt your prey.

The center point where all the lines are crossing is the safe spot.

Only one player can stand on the safe spot.

Hunter cannot catch the prey on this spot.

Jumping over the lines or stepping out is forbidden.

You can give instructions to your friends during the game to increase the excitement.

You can redesign the game by changing the patterns of the lines or

using a different shape.


You can play this tagging game with your friends and parents in the school yard or in your garden. Set the number of player an odd number like 5, 7, 9 or 11.

To play the game: Players hook their arms at the elbow to form pairs.

The remaining player is “it.”

As the pairs try to run away from “it”, he or she tries to hook arms with pairs.

If “it” hooks arms, the player’s partner must become the new “it.”

Then the new “it” tries to hook arms with other pairs trying to run away.

You can also play this game by forming a “dragon.” Pick a new “it.”

He or she will try to catch other players.

When “it” touches a player they hook arms and keep chasing other players.

“It” adds every new player he or she manages to catch so they form a dragon which gets longer

with every new player.

Game ends when every player is a part of the dragon.

Dragon Game


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ACTIVITY - 4


WORKSHOP ACTIVITIESChildren Research Center-Turkey will begin organizing workshop activities for children of 8-12 ages. In these activities children will use their skills and imagination to explore, produce and share with their friends and have fun.

The activity calendar will be announced on October 15th, 2012.

NEWSLETTER: NOW WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION

Children’s research, questions, new ideas, activities and anything they would like share with us will be

published in this page.

Children who want to share their creations and thoughts can send photos, drawings, writings to us via

email at: [email protected]

OUR WEBPAGE: NOW WITH A NEW DESIGN You can try the new design of our webpage on

September 24th, 2012.

www.arastirmacicocukmerkezi.org

NEXT MONTH ATCHILDREN’S

RESEARCH CENTER

Via Tower İş Merkezi No:7/35 06530 Söğütözü / Ankara Phone: +90 (0312) 219 03 19 Fax: +90 (0312) 219 03 21www.arastirmacicocukmerkezi.org [email protected]

The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors

into windows.

Sydney J. Harris

children's research center-turkey e-newsletter issue september 2012

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