Brainstorming

[oneboy3girls]

An11yr ASD DC is fixated with shoes.Do you have ideas for learning. On the list,so far is a museum visit,to concentrate on history of shoes.Knitting a pair of bootees.I would love to hear other ideas.tia

timed running a fixed distance in different pairs of shoes. Talk about different comfort levels, maybe even different patterns of wear depending on gait.

make moccasins using leather?

make shoes using whatever ingredients you have - talk about what makes a good pair!

Could you see if there are any independent shoe makers within travelling distance of you that may let your child see their workshop.

Thanks for the thoughtful replies.

Watch Youtube videos about shoe manufacturing.

Visit a shoe museum.

Look at business plans for shoe companies to see why they make the specific shoes they do, how they decide what sizes to offer, who their market is, how they advertise, what the price point is and how much profit they make.

Join the Facebook group "My unschooler is interested in..." and ask on there. This is exactly the sort of discussion which that group offers.

Oh ....Thankyou

In school, we use a Newton meter to measure the force needed to move different shoes over different surfaces, if you fancy some science?

Oh, and pressure. Area of the shoe and weight. Relate to not wearing stilettos on wooden floors, snowshoes etc. Can also compare with animals and their feet.

You can cover a fair amount about forces through the medium of shoes!

Thanks,a lot of science!

I have recently seen some brilliant shoes in a primary school display that had all been decorated with paint, sequins, glitter etc.
I've also seen a garden with unusual planters including plants growing in old boots.

I was going to suggest friction experiments.

Maths graphing sizes and looking for correlations between ages and sizes. Price comparisons.

Art buy white canvas shoes and dye or paint.

Detailed observations and measurements drawing foot prints

Design - pull things together with a project to design and make a shoe for a particular purpose.

Could you also tie it in with feet - bone development child vs adult feet and how bones mature, foot muscles, etc. How people have different shaped feet/differing toe lengths/differing arches - do a survey/charts?

Maybe lead on to walking/movement - biped vs quadruped, Edward Myerbridge's early photography/motion capture of a horse galloping to show movement.

Orthotics and other adjustments made for people with foot issues. Think moulds are taken and then personalised bits made to fit. Maybe do moulds of own foot prints in plaster or clay (positive/negative shapes as well come into play here).

Also pointe shoes - how they are designed, how they work as such re balancing/support for a dancer if that's of interest.

Trainers/sports shoes - how technology has developed over the past decade re cushioning, support, making athletes run at optimum speed.

Other 'shoes ' designed for specific tasks - ski boots, roller/ice skates, moon boots (weighted), diving flippers etc etc

Art and design work also for a bit of light relief, drawing and designing shoes, there are some simple beginner level patterns for sewing baby shoes.

History of shoes through the ages? Visit to the library for some history of fashion books to see how materials and designs have changed and developed.

Thanks all.Moon boots,flippers and roller skates will create a lot of interest.

Feminism - why high heels were invented, the objectification of women, the case in the news about women being told to wear heels for their job.

The decline of industry - think Northampton was full of shoe factories at one point?

Northampton is the shoe county!! Field trip?

Thanks for all the input. We shall incorporate ALL the ideas.