AY Honors/Tops/Answer Key

1

Write and present a 300-word report on the history of spinning tops.

2

What material were the antique tops made from? What materials are they made from today?

3

Explain each of the following methods to spin a top:

3a

Friction

3b

Cord or string

3c

Spring

3d

Fingers

4

Draw a spinning top and identify the following parts:

4a

Crown

4b

Tip or foot

4e

Body or mass

5

Draw and explain how the following spin types work:

5a

Traditional wood spinning top

5b

Finger or long rod spinning top

5c

Swedish snurra

5d

Tin spinning top

5e

Dreidel

6

Explain the use of the cord (string):

6a

What is the ideal size of the cord?

6b

What is the importance of holding the end of the finger?

6c

Name three ways to secure the string on your finger.

7

What is the use of pad printing of traditional spinning tops?

8

Explain the relationship between stability, movement, and throwing or projecting the top, with the following physical concepts:

8a

Angular velocity

8b

Gyroscopic effect

8c

Center of gravity

8d

Principles of dynamics (Newton's 1st law)

9

With your instructor, establish and follow a safety code for spinning top games with at least five rules.

10

Using a traditional spinning top, demonstrate the ability to do the following activities:

10a

Strength and balance: Roll the string correctly and throw it so that it spins the top for at least 20 seconds before losing balance.

10b

Calculated technique: Throw the top, then pick it up in the palm of the hand; after a few seconds, return it to the ground and it must keep spinning.

10c

Put to sleep: Make the top spin for 10 seconds in one place so that it appears to be stopped.

10d

Spinning on the crown: Spin the inverted top by by the crown.

10e

Sliding: While the top rotates, with the help of the string, move the top from one place to another without it falling.

10f

Accuracy: Throw the top on a target. It can be a line or circle on the ground.

11

Do at least one of the following maneuvers:

11a

Roll in the air: Consists of throwing the top, and before it reaches the ground and before the string is unwound completely, bring it back in such a way that the top spins in the hand.

11b

Bridge or cable car: With one hand, hold both ends of the string and with the other hand hold the remaining fold. Keeping the string static, place the top on it and lift one end of the formed bridge and slide the top from one end to the other.

11c

Throwing: As the top spins on the floor, make it jump at its tip, pulling the cord with skill and strength, serving as a boost. Do this twice, once with it jumping and falling to the ground, and the other falling onto the hand.

12

Know or create at least four collective games with spinning tops. Invite the members of your unit to participate in each of the games. In the end, talk to the instructor about how you felt during the activities and what are the advantages of the practice of outdoor recreation.