Recreating Chinese Inventions!

With their "thinking caps" on, students are in the process of recreating ancient Chinese inventions using their creativity.  Working alone, with a partner, or a small group, students first researched and took notes on a Chinese invention of their choice, including a description of the invention, its purpose, how/where the idea spread, the impact its had on the world, and a rating of its overall effectiveness and impact.  Finally, choosing a way to present this information to their classmates, students are actively and ingeniously working together to construct a presentation piece, some of which include:  movie, commercial, claymation movie, live demonstration, 3-D model, diorama, scrapbook, artwork, and other creative ideas.  Students will present next week.  Enjoy students in progress below:

Creating a replica of a Chinese landmine:

Click here to watch a video of students explaining how the landmine works!

3-D Models, Clay-mation, & Google-translated movies on the Chinese crossbow:

arrow model

crossbow model

mustard gas model

crossbow clay-mation movie

crossbow movie (Google-translated in Chinese)

Researching and creating a scrapbook:

Scrapbook on Chinese currency including coins & paper currency:

Constructing a Chinese hand cannon:

Click here to watch a student demonstrate how the hand cannon works!

Writing an ancient narrative:

Creating an artistic representation:

Mosaic art of Chinese tea set:

A diorama of a Chinese New Year's scene:

Painting a Chinese tea set:

Testing Chinese crossbow 3-D working models:

Check out a silly video here of a Chinese crossbow vs. The Great Wall of China!

Diorama showing fireworks impact on America:

Diorama of Chinese naval mines and cannons:

Painting Chinese calligraphy:

3D Poster on fireworks:

3D Poster on Chinese Teas:

Researching on internet for posters & PowerPoint presentations:

Beginning to a 3D model on the Great Wall of China:

Diorama of fireworks scene in China:

3D artistic representation of the Silk Road and silk (& silkworms):

3D Model of arrow/bomb from hand cannon:

In the process of creating a clay-mation movie on impact of gunpowder 
(hand cannon, fireworks, and rocket):

MovieMaker Live is used to create clay-mation movie:

Commercial on umbrellas being created using MovieMaker Live:

3D models of Chinese umbrellas used later in a MovieMaker movie:

Constructing a mini "Great Wall" (hey, that's an oxymoron!) & catapult:

Watch the video below of catapult vs. Great Wall:

Artistic drawing of Chinese tea set:

3D artistic poster on fireworks:

Chinese fireworks rocket/flamethrower: