I've got five activity gift cards - each good for one activity - for Azukaru, where they feature comprehensive activities and games. Want one? Leave a comment to let me know you're interested AND send your mailing address to me at teamchallenges AT yahoo DOT com (you MUST do both). If five people respond within the next couple of days, I'll send one to each of you; fewer responses mean somebody will get more than one.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
What Else Wednesdays
What else could this item be used for? The rules are simple.
Three from me: A patriotic logo for the upcoming presidential election, a coaster for drinks, a modular building
Your turn! Leave your answers in the 'creative thoughts' cache.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Elevate an Apple, Redux
I seem to be pointing people to this challenge a lot lately, and also sending them links to some of the great solutions that people have shared. I thought it might be fun to pull the original challenge together with photos of the various solutions right here in one post. I find it very inspiring to see the different ways that teams have solved the same problem. Have you tried this with your group? Send along an image, and I'll add it to the site!
The Challenge:
Set Up
Gather the materials listed below and place them on a table. Read the list of construction materials and the team instructions out loud to the team.
Construction Materials
5 drinking straws
10 toothpicks
1 large marshmallow
3 recycled plastic lids
About 2 cups of Cheerios in a bowl*
Scissors*
*may not be altered or used as part of the solution
Team Instructions
Your task is to elevate an apple a minimum of two inches above the surface of the table. You may combine the materials provided in any manner to solve this problem. You have seven minutes in which to work. When building time expires, the apple must be in its elevated position and team may not be in contact with any part of the solution. You will be notified when only one minute of building time remains. You will receive up to ten points each for creativity, cooperation and communication. Teams that successfully elevate the apple will also receive twenty bonus points.
And the solutions:
Pretty cool, huh?
Sunday, January 27, 2008
On Facebook?
I'm playing around with the concept of Facebook Pages. If you're on Facebook, head on over to the Team Challenges page and become a "fan" using the link in the upper right hand corner of the page. While you're there, feel free to write on my wall!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
What Else Wednesdays
What else could this item be used for? The rules are simple.
Three from me: launch arms for an automatic trebuchet, an instrument for the musically challenged, a miniature three-level waterfall.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Mash-Ups
Josh Shortlidge and Kathi Rossi-Roh, co-Citywide Coordinators for Melrose DI in Massachusetts are planning what they call an Instant Challenge Mash-Up. Melrose DI has thirteen teams: 8 elementary, 1 middle school, and 4 high school teams. All team members and coaches are invited to participate in the event, which will give participants a chance to test their instant challenge skills with their own teammates as well as with "mash-up" teams. It is not necessary for entire teams to attend in order for kids to participate.
Josh expects the mash-up to last for two hours which should give each participant the chance to do at least two challenges; one with their own team members, and one or more with a mash-up team of diverse ages.
There will be three stages set up around the edges of a large room with the audience in the middle of the room. All three stages will be occupied by teams that are working on the same Challenge. The teams will be given the Challenge at the same time, and will present their solutions back-to-back, so the kids can see how different solutions to the same IC can be.
Each coach is asked to bring one or two ICs and put them on the "Challenge Table". Each Challenge should be in a closed bag or envelope, with a tag saying if it is "hands-on" or "theatrical". If a Challenge requires materials then the bag must contain three sets of materials bundled for each of the teams on the three stages.
What a great idea, and a great opportunity for the teams to practice! If you have a favorite way to help your teams or students practice their problem solving skills, feel free to share it via the comment button.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
What Else Wednesdays
What else could this item be used for? The rules are simple.
Three from me: a challenging board for playing a game of impromptu checkers; a water catchment device; with googly eyes, a diving fish
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Creative Reuse
Bypassing the landfill, Etsy user Debby Arem Designs uses old circuit boards to make new clipboards. Nice!
Friday, January 11, 2008
J.J. Abrams on Creativity and His Magic Box
Ever wonder if your efforts as a parent, teacher, or coach are making an impact on a kid? This video is proof that having a special person in your life - in this case, Grandpa - encouraging that childlike sense of curiosity DOES.
J.J. Abrams, producer of Lost and Alias among many others, shares his take on creativity and having what he calls a "magic box". Totally, completely worth the 20 minutes it takes to watch it. It's an important lesson shared with an incredible sense of humor.
Blog Nod: Tim
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
What Else Wednesdays
And, it's back!
What else could this item be used for?
The rules are simple.
- There are no wrong answers - just creative ones
- Add your answer(s) in the comments
- Keep it clean
Your turn!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
The One of a Kind Drumitar
My oldest son, the music man, brought home a DVD of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones the other day. Early on he called me: "Mom! Come check this out! This thing is totally DI!" (referring to Destination Imagination)
How right he is!
Futureman plays something he calls the drumitar - an instrument that he created on the stripped base of a SynthAxe. It's pretty amazing to watch him play, but even more impressive to consider that he invented this instrument based on his own particular needs as a musician because what he envisioned was not available. Creative types will appreciate it, but if you're a musician, this will be even more intriguing!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Your Desktop Goes Live!
Now, how clever is this?? A paper organizing system for the real world that mimics your computer's desktop. Way cool.
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