Possible ways to use class sets of Teddies

Ideally all the children will have their own individual Teddy.  They will bond with him and be interested in finding out more about him and what he can do. 

Because all the Teddies are the same it is easy to make comparisons between one Teddy and another in different circumstances.  For example, if you are testing parachutes then you can make several parachutes of different sizes, each with a child’s Teddy attached.  Attaching a similar Teddy to each parachute automatically eliminates this as a possible factor that can influence the results.

Possible investigations include:

• Discuss whether Teddy is alive.  How do we know?

• What might Teddy eat?  What kind of teeth will he need?

• Make a hat for Teddy to keep him dry when it rains

• Can we see Teddy on a dark night?  How could we see him better?  What kind of coat would be good if he got a job as a ‘lollipop man’?

• Where would Teddy like to live?  Why would he like to live there?  Where do other animals like to live?  Why do they like to live there?

• Are all Teddies exactly the same?  In what ways are they different?  In what ways are people different?

• What can Teddy do to keep himself warm?  What can he do to keep himself cool?

• How can we make Teddy move faster or slower sliding down a ramp?

• How can we make Teddy come down slower with a parachute?

• Can we make Teddy come down slower as a bungee jumper?

• Can we make a safety belt for Teddy so he doesn’t get thrown out of a car?