Tops, Tops and More Tops!

2nd grade has moved onto motion - although we came to the conclusion that motion still needs balance!  All of the classes are absolutely enthralled with the disks and shafts that they used to design their own top!  I order them from www.deltaeducation.com but have told the kids they can easily make the tops from objects at home!

We watched the classic 1969 film short called Tops by Charles and Ray Eames that totally captivated the classes!  Lots of ohhs and ahhs!  Here is the link to watch the seven minute clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ-VFMymEiE

Even a top with a shorter shaft spins fast!

Some of us start our top with our fingers, while others
have better success spinning the top with our hands.

 

 After creating tops that spun for a long time and tops that spun fast, we investigated spinning designs!

"You can't see the design when it spins so fast."

It's a spiral!

Finally we experimented with creating tops with three different types of disks - plastic cup tops, cds and cardboard - and three different shafts - crayon, pencil and marker.  We looked at our evidence and chose the combination of shaft and disk that made the best top!

Look at the trail the top with the marker left on my paper!

This top spun on it's side!

The pencil and the plastic lid is hard to spin!

I wonder if two disks together will spin better?