"Choices" & "route paths"

[JETS ON HEEL]

This is really two questions in one.

Is there any way I can get objects to "selectively block".

The specific example is from my RE class. I have a list of the major world faiths Christian, Islam & Judaism locked on one side of the flipchart and a list of (say) sacred buildings,church, mosque, synagogue on the other. The buildings are free to move & the students select and drag towards (hopefully) the right faith. I would like the Christian word to "block" the Snagogue & Mosque but allow the church. The Judaism word to allow Synagogue but block Church & Mosque and likewise Islam to block church & synagogue bur allow Mosque. I can only get items to either block all or allow all, any ideas?

The second question is based on movement allong paths. Is it possible (apart from allowing free movement) for an object (say a ball) to follow a path which splits and so there is an element of choice (rather like a lettet Y)

With thanks in anticipation and, sadly no, the right six numbers did not come up on this weeks natioal lottery.

JETS ON HEEL

[LisaD]

Well, I tried to do both and failed on both. Maybe someone else has an idea.

On the restrictors. I tried to see if the blockers could be set to block only stuff in their own "layer" but it didn't work for me. It blocked stuff no matter what layer they were in. Rats.

On the path. I can only see that an item can only be set to take one path. And if you draw the path in the shape in a Y, cannot without picking up the pen and then it is TWO different paths. I tried to see if I could group two annotations (which I cound) but the object didn't want to take a path of a group, only of an single annotation.

Great ideas, though.

Lisa

[Rosie MacAlpine]

Hi Jets,
I've had a bit of luck with the second one. As Lisa said, you can't do it as two paths. What you can do though, is make one continuous path by drawing your Y without lifting the pen. I used the point to point tool for this. I've attached a flipchart with vid.
I discovered this by accident when I was using paths for tracing letters in handwriting - if two parts of the paths are close together, the object can 'jump' from one part of the path to another.


EDIT: I've played with this idea a bit further (thanks Jet!) and I think it's got lots of possibilities. One of the things I've tried is using it for division - it provides a nice visual representation of equal groups by stacking objects along the path. So much playing later :) - another flipchart attached!

Cheers,
Rosie

[davidlloyd]

Rather than make a block for the buildings why not set up an invisible container next to the text to contain a specific object. Set the objects to 'return if not contained' and the mosque will stick next to Islam but the synagogue and church won't.

If you want more than one object to be contained use keyword.

[davidlloyd]

Here's my example using keywords. I had to put the words 'islam', 'judaism', 'christianity' into the keywords in the identification properties of the objects. I've left the containers visible but you could make them the same colour as the background.

[gpatrenos]

Try this, it's easier than backtracking:)

[BenPosner]

Hi Jets,

EDIT: I've played with this idea a bit further (thanks Jet!) and I think it's got lots of possibilities. One of the things I've tried is using it for division - it provides a nice visual representation of equal groups by stacking objects along the path. So much playing later :) - another flipchart attached!

Cheers,
Rosie


Rosie,

LOVE this new idea! This is a fantastic way to make sure children really understand division! Thanks so much for sharing! I wonder what other people can think of doing this type of activity??

~Ben

[Rosie MacAlpine]

Hi Ben,
Thanks for that :). BTW, if anyone is trying this, I've found that adding a grid and activating 'snap to grid' makes drawing the paths a... snap (had to do it :) ).

[Rosie MacAlpine]

I am getting a bit obsessed with paths now clwn. There's some more ideas for using them in this flipchart.

The first page is a matching exercise using paths.

The second page uses the idea that objects will jump to their path. The path in this case is very small and quite a long way from the object (and is white, so you can't see it), but the object will still go there if you try and move it. I haven't used a great teaching idea for this, but it's just to explore the possibilities.

The third page uses invisible paths - 2D shapes. Children drag an object along them and the class try and predict the shape. At first I thought this wouldn't work as the objects 'jumping' distorts the true outline. However, you can see quite clearly when it jumps from one part of the path to another. So if you warn your class not to let the animals jump, it should provide some careful observations about the structure and form of these shapes. Although possibly some heated arguments about whether the animal 'jumped' or not ;)

Fourth page is using compass points and hidden paths.