Mr. Jack had an assortment of materials to use. Large and small tin cans, plastic cups, and string. The children paired up and selected their materials. Some chose the large tin cans for each. Others decided to mix it up with a large and small can. Still some decided to use a tin can and a plastic cup. Which combination would work best?
They tied string to the cups and cans. They tested the sound quality. Learning how to stand correctly and keep the string tight was hard for them. They wanted to face each other!
Finally, after they tested their creations, Mr. Jack took the class outside to test the quality. (The library room was too loud and small.) Mr. Jack had the children line up in a chain fashion. They were to play the game telephone with their telephones. He told one child the word to transmit and the journey began. Many had to repeat what they spoke into the can. Deciphering was hard at times. The word didn't always get to the last person the way it started. Although, it was close. Dog became dot. Hot became hat. Bog became log.
This fun experiment left a lasting impression on the children. They understood how far technology has improved the most used communication device. With my techno driven children, they had a new appreciation for the cellular phones we now take for granted.
