Think+Tank+Week+1+(Yelena)

Here's what happened at the first meeting:



We started with a team builder activity...
and played the Introductions Game - kids took turns telling their names and telling and showing with gestures what it is they liked doing.

Mark David - video games Mark Daniel - Mario and chess Louis - dark colors Alex - chess Teja - going places

Next week we will have Daniil joining us (he was sick earlier this week), so we will quickly repeat this activity. Plus it gives the kids another chance to remember the names and find out a bit more about each other (perhaps their favorite food?)

Then we talked about rules for successful team work
Why are we here? What are we going to do?



Whatever it is we are going to do, it will be fun and we will need to work together. So we need some ideas on what to do and what not to do when working together. Most ideas were the "what not to do" :)

1. Never Fight 2. No spitballs, swords, or knives 3. Hands to yourself 4. Share <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Be positive <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Be nice, be kind

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; vertical-align: baseline;">We started thinking about a team name
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">(all ideas are accepted and written down) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Next Monday we will revisit these ideas and add some more. Choosing a team name takes a while, but it is a very important part of JrFLL approach. And it has to be done by kids themselves.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; vertical-align: baseline;">We talked about this year's challenge
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">We started by trying to list a few places where learning happens and the tools we use for learning. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"> As you can see, there is a bit of a confusion over the learning tools. Do you think a hammer and a pick are learning tools? Some kids thought they were. Personally, I think a hammer or a pick is a learning accessory. But until I can figure out a good way to separate tools/resources from accessories, I am going to keep hammers, picks, pencils, and such in the list. What do you think? What makes something a learning tool? Discuss this with the kids and see what comes out of the discussion.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, the kids built with Legos
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">The original idea was for them to build models of learning tools or places they encountered. But, as frequently happened, the assignment was not imaginative enough. I'm glad they put their own spins on the idea, sometimes completely abandoning it. The builds were excellent and so were the stories.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark David - a boat (submarine?) that carries the bad guy and helps him <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark Daniel - an army base with a canno <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Louis - a swamp scene with an airboat, an oil pump, a greenhouse and a fountain <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Alex - a spaceship and an alien monster attacking it  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Teja - a research boat

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Photos <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; vertical-align: baseline;">Completely OPTIONAL Homework
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 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Talk to your child about different learning places and learning tools you and them encounter each day
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"> EVEN MORE OPTIONAL building challenge (inspired by Mark David’s question) - build something that moves without a motor and that doesn’t have to be constantly pushed, pulled, rotated or assisted manually in other ways (initial assist is ok). Take a picture or a video of the build. Bring the pix and/or video to the next meeting for sharing. Don't bring the actual LEGO models. And do not store pictures/videos online unless you have your own Internet connection (there is none at the Forge right now).

It looks like Kelli will be bringing snacks for the kids next week. If you want to sign up for snacks the week after (so that'd be Sept 22), please let me know via e-mail or at the meeting.

See you on Monday!

Yelena