Kitchen Contraptions

Objectives

• Investigate everyday machines and gadgets.

Materials

• Per Class or Group:
  magnifying glasses ( 1 per child or student pair)
  chopsticks, tongs, tweezers
  whisk
  garlic press
  potato masher
  can opener
  turkey baster
  droppers
  ice cream scoop

Key Questions

• What do you think we use this for?
• How do we work it?
• How does it make our job easier?

What To Do

1. Have the gadgets on a tray and covered with a cloth.
2. Bring out a gadget; try to guess what it might be used for.
3. Pass the gadget around and look at it using magnifying glasses.
4. Repeat with the other gadgets.

Extensions

• Have a few of each type of tool and compare them. For example: How are two or three ice cream scoops the same? How are they different?
• Ask children to look for contraptions in their own kitchens and bring in some examples.
• Use the kitchen tools to make art. Drip paint with the turkey baster, make prints with the potato masher, etc.
• Put basters and droppers in a water table to give children more opportunity to explore them.
• Challenge your dexterity. Use tweezers, tongs, chopsticks, etc. to move small objects such as pompoms from one container to another.