Side note: This is why I love our PD opportunities - as a facilitator, I always learn so much from the amazing teachers that come!
It went something like this:
1. Ask the students to make a list of what a Sphero can't do (they had previously had an introduction to Spheros).
2. The teacher goes around and stars his/her favorite idea on the list.
3. Ask the students to figure out how to make Sphero do that "impossible" thing.
That's it. It's that simple. This teacher said that all of the students were able to complete the task, with her favorite being a contraption to help Sphero deliver McDonalds. I can only imagine the empowerment her students felt and how this helped them shift perspective about what they "can't" do.
This lesson was designed using Spheros, but it could really be replicated with many different materials. It's not about the tools, but the mindset, the creativity, the critical thinking, and moving past constraints. These are transferable life skills that our students must learn to be successful both in school and beyond!
My personal challenge: What do I think is impossible right now? How can I make it happen?
I love this! I think this is exactly the kind of learning that should be happening in classrooms. Exploration. Discovery. Problem solving. What a simple, yet brilliant, lesson.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what struck me about this - it's so simple!
DeleteIt's amazing how once we state an idea is impossible how quickly we want to prove that it's not. Great idea for students to conquer.
ReplyDeleteThat competitive nature definitely exists in us! I wonder how this could be worked into gamification...
DeleteRight here. Cognitive tools of #imaginativeEd at work!
ReplyDelete