CTC II Summary and Homework 10/1/12

In class this week, students formed small groups and were given the challenge of: Designing and Building something "USEFUL".

Each group was provided the same set of supplies which consisted of a variety of miscellaneous everyday items (rubberbands, paperclips, drinking straws, plastic cups, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, etc).  

This activity is meant to encourage creative and divergent thinking and provide an opportunity for students to develop the important skills of teamwork and collaboration.  Group members worked together brainstorming possible invention ideas, given the supplies at hand, and were allowed to barter with other groups for additional items, if desired.

The students quickly arrived at their ideas and began sketching, then building (sometimes re-building!) their designs.  Discussions were lively and it was quite apparent that the creative juices were flowing!

At our next class meeting on 10/15, each group will develop a short marketing approach (infomercial, skit, etc.) and present their final product to the class.  Groups will field questions from their classmates and must successfully defend their creation as something "USEFUL".

Students were given four homework problems to work on over the break.  Once again, these types of problems require careful reading, time to think through, work, and sometimes re-work.  Students should continue to use diagrams to help arrive at possible solutions and be prepared to share their approaches and answers with the class. 

---