Can you guess what's going on from looking at the picture below?
Simulations are a good tool in our teaching arsenal. In the picture above, an apprentice student teacher developed a thematic unit for Kindergarten children on studying the ocean. Part of the theme involved the creation of an inflatable submarine, pictured above. Students could get inside the "submarine", look out of the clear front window, and view scenes of the undersea world via projected video tape on the wall. To viewers inside, it actually looked like they were submerged!
To enhance the experience, all of the procedures for modern submarine use were followed: students were required to show their ID, to check in, and to study what they were going to see. Studying the ocean became much more than a classroom activity; it became an adventure - something they'd remember for a long time.
DIY Corner
The whole submarine structure was created using a combination of black and clear plastic sheeting, and a standard room fan to keep it inflated. And a lot of duct tape...
The Concept
The concept is a simple one. The subject walks into a space that has a very definite boundary with the outside world, like a submarine, an aeroplane, a ship, an office in a skyscraper, or King Suleiman Shah's tent in the desert. A simulation of this "space" is constructed, that doesn't need to be too acurate in detail, as it's the concept that is key, here. To add to the illusion that the student is really there, appropriate images or video can be shown through windows or other "interfaces" with the outside world.