| Problem solving, inventiveness, higher-order thinking skills: these are all skills that we would like to see more of in our students. But more often than not, children believe that these skills exist only in the realm of talented, highly skilled professionals. Wonder Wits will make them think otherwise.
In the book Game Plan, cosmis Creatures are Luke and Sophie's favourite toy and they are excited to receive a letter from the toy's 'brain brilliant' creator, Professor Flukelar. The letter is an invitation to spend the day at the professor's estate, and excitement quickly turns to amazement when they discover that he has his own roller coaster as well as a giant chess set.
The professor takes them on a tour of the toy hall where they learn about ancient games such as marbles, yoyos, board games and modern toys such as Play-dough, frisbees and Slinkys. The children ask the professor where he gets the ideas for his own inventions from and he explains the importance of asking 'what if'. He also shows them his Mix 'n' Match machine which he uses for generating ideas and associations between random objects, and he introduces them to the concept of making a prototype to test ideas on.
Returning home, Luke and sophie then apply their new knowledge and skills to create, design, prototype and construct a toy for a toy invention assignment. Professor Flukelar's tuition pays off; their teacher Mr Todd considers both their toys to be 'wonderful creations'! |
