"HOW CAN I MAKE IT MOVE?" : CONSTRUCTIVIST PHYSICS

Last week, we focused on the subject: How can I make it move. It is about constructivist physics and includes knowledge about how children perceive the some actions of movement such as pushing, sliding, rolling, tilting and also other objects that we like to move; balls, cubes, marbles, wheels, water and air. According to Kami and De Vires(1978) the physical knowledge occurs as a result of the child's actions on objects and child's observations about the reactions of the objects. At the lesson, first of all, we discussed categories of the physical knowledge which are movement of objects and changes in objects. Actually, I saw that constructivist perspective asserts that there are some criteria that make the child's experience more meaningful;

• The child should create his/her own actions


• The child must be able to vary his/her actions


• Reaction of the objects must be observable


• The reaction of the object must be immediate

In my opinion these features provide the children effective physical knowledge by creating appropriate environment. Then we examined the categories of physics activities;

• moving objects


• directing movement


• representing motions

To apply these activities, our instructor brought to class some materials such as glue, scissor, small balls, cardboard and so on. By using these materials, each group created their own set. As a group we prepared a set that includes bridge, maze, a spiral tunnel and a twist. Then we presented this set by using a small ball. We tried to have passed ball in the maze, over the bridge and twist. However, after the presentation, we realized that we had not left any space for free moving of the ball. That is, everything was arranged as close as possible and this situation prevents the child2s manipulation skill. If a child plays with this set, ball goes on without any fail or requiring child's ability. That was our mistake, but the we corrected it.

Moreover, there are also some principles that guide physics activities;

• Observing children carefully and anticipate extension.


• Consider varying scale


• Consider varying properties of materials


• Consider using all areas of materials


• Consider social interaction

Also during the lesson, we did some exercises on the Internet which are about pendulum. We tried to predict its velocity by manipulating its lenght, weight and heigth. I think this activity is so efficient that I really understood its logic, because when I was preparing University Entrance exam, I solved this type of questions by learning its features verbally, but at lesson I saw how it works and this reality is more meaningful. So, I can say that this week I gained beneficial knowledge about how we can teach physic to children and how they achieve it.