Maxi the Racecar Dog's Web Text
Social Studies
- Research the history of auto making in the United States.
- Make a timeline of the evolution of auto making in America.
- Discuss automobiles as one of the "goods" America manufactures.
- Highlight Henry Ford's use of the "assembly line" as a standard
for industry in America.
- Simulate an assembly line with paper car parts.
Phys Ed
- Use a relay game such as ball passing to increase team participation and ball control.
- Pass a ball from the front of the team to the back of the team
line.
- The first team to complete the ball relay without dropping the
ball wins.
Art
- Cut geometric shaped to make Maxi, the dog.
- Use a triangular head, an oval body, and rectangular legs.
- Fold two ends of the triangular head to make floppy ears.
- Color the dogs mouth, nose, and eyes with black crayon.
Technology Ed
- Use simple materials (i.e., shoeboxes, tag board, and wooden
skewers or soda straws) to build race cars.
- Test run race cars on a plywood ramp.
- Make modifications to improve the race cars performance.
Mathematics
- Make a speedometer out of tag board.
- Use a pointer to count by 5's, 10's, and 20's starting with 0.
- Compare speedometers (i.e., auto makers vary in how speed is recorded).
- Discuss local speed limits (i.e., school zone, residential zone,
freeway).
Science
- Discuss the simple tools and machines used in manufacturing a
car.
- Experiment with wheels and axles to design an automobile model.
- Test models in three "heats" to determine the best automobile
design.
Music
- Play the novelty song "The Nash Rambler or Beep Beep!"
- As the song goes faster, simulate its tempo with hand motions.
- Make the "beep! beep!" sounds at the appropriate times.
Language Arts
- Read the book The Adventures of Maxi the Taxi Dog.
- Discuss the role of Maxi in the story.
- Retell the story as if Maxi were a sports car.
- Record the adventures Maxi experienced as a racecar driver as a group or individual story.
- Share you story with a friend, the class or a parent.
Health
- Discuss the possibility of injury when playing a sport.
- Elicit the names of sports played in the world.
- Compile a list of protective equipment worn by players in each
sport.
Suggested Readings
- New True Book of Cars
- How Machines Work
/MaCauley
- The Visual Dictionary of Cars/Adorling Kindersley Book
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