When we get to the “expressing” part of your Exhibition your art piece will need to tell a story too.
I am just sharing this with you now so you can start to play around with ideas while you are thinking about our current focus – developing questions.
What story did he tell about the time turtle?
Are you going to be as knowledgeable as Ethan when talking about your art piece?
How?
Do you want to stay on the ground or take flight and soar?
I cannot get you off the ground unless you lift yourself first.
Are you a pigeon or an eagle?
How do you know which type of bird you are?
If you are an eagle, how can you keep soaring?
If you are a pigeon, how can you be more like an eagle?
Read this article and give some feedback on how you made a personal connection to it….
Fly with Eagles,
not Pigeons!
Pigeons live in the past. They spend a lot of time talking about what was, what used to be and who did them wrong. They often focus on things they have no control over and rarely focus on the things that they can do something about.
Pigeons love to make excuses. They live off excuses.
Pigeons don’t like risk. They love safety and security.
Pigeons spend all of their time in their comfort zone. Their urge to grow beyond their comfort zone is NOT stronger than their resistance to change.
Pigeons live in, and make all decisions from, Fear. Pigeons are afraid to step up.
Pigeons are double minded do nothings. They say one thing and don’t do another.
Pigeons love to be around other Pigeons. They love mediocrity and want to blend in with all of the other a pigeons of the world.
Pigeons are lazy in learning.
Pigeons lack mental toughness. They are quitters who are easily discouraged.
Pigeons want something for nothing.
Eagles live, and act in the present. They have a constant focus on a clear concise mental picture of a bigger and brighter future.
Eagles NEVER give or accept excuses. They simply get it done.
Eagles don’t look for security, they look for opportunity.
Eagles understand that the uncomfortable growth zone is often where breakthroughs happen.
Eagles take 100% responsibility and go out and make it happen themselves.
Eagles are unstoppable. They simply will not be denied. They are singularly focused until the task is complete and then they move on to the next great challenge.
Eagles allow their actions and results to speak louder than their words.
Eagles look at what the Pigeons of the world are doing and they do the opposite.
Eagles know that they can always learn and become more. Constant never ending self improvement is what they fly by.
Eagles are mentally tough. They stand up for what they believe in and they soar.
I know that you’re an Eagle because Pigeons don’t read or go to the blog regularly.
Just keep flying with other Eagles!
Sarah and Jai are interested in the same thing – learning about coal and the impact this has on the wider-environment. They are learning and working together. Both of them are researching information and using this to deepen their understanding and shift their thinking. They are discussing, challenging, reading, writing, listening and organizing their ideas and thoughts to help them find the answers they are looking for.
THIS IS WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE AND IS LIKE!
WHAT DID YOUR LEARNING LOOK LIKE TODAY?
WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE TOMORROW?
At the moment we are learning more about what we consume. Each student has selected one thing that they either use, eat or buy and how that touches/affects the environment and natural resources. This was a great way to see what we actually know and what we think we know. Each student could draw or write a story showing the lifespan about the question they are interested in.
Some questions that they came up with:
How does the production of plastic (toys) impact the environment? Jonathan
How does the use of Aluminum impact natural resources? Mehwish
How does drinking bottled water impact the environment? Riko and Ayann
How does using coal affect the environment? Jai
How is nature disturbed when glass is produced? Kahleel
How does colouring/bleaching paper impact the environment? Zeana and Ruby
Nicole’s story of what she thinks happened along the way and how she as a consumer affects the environment. She realized that eating a chocolate bar for 2 minutes as a much wider-effect on the environment.
Mehwish’s story about how Aluminum is used. She is starting to write questions and ideas about this process. She is ready to go investigate and research more about these questions. Mehwish realized that we can re-use aluminum foil, but can it ever break down – biodegradable?
Zeana and Ruby’s story about the chemicals used when coloring paper. How are these chemicals used and how companies ethical dispose of them? Do they treat this chemical waste or does it leak into the ground and water systems?
Once students have some thought-provoking questions they can simply get on with it and find out what they need to know. Once they have been through a full process learning more about what happens they can then create a new story. From here we can compare their first story and the more accurate (full) one they did after researching. This is a great way to see the benefit of where their knowledge base is and where it has moved to as a result of learning.
The learning intention is that students hopefully make better choices about what they consume and how they can shift their thinking of ME to WE.
Jonathan is interested about the production of plastic and what it is made from.
Adam is looking at ways of reducing the use of fresh water.
Next Monday or Tuesday you will be presenting what you have been working on and organizing as part of your team challenge. This week as part of your home learning you are graphing the highs and lows that you experienced. be very honest about the challenges and opportunities you have faced.
Success can be measured in many ways. It can be measured by the way you feel. The problem with that is, that the person who feels like they have been successful is something they only know about. Success and achievement can also be measured by proving (with evidence) that you have something. Something you can see and touch. This backs up what you are talking about. Instead of telling a story about your learning journey you need to show it.
What evidence will you have to share and show next week? What have you done that has helped you achieve the things you have set out to do? How can you show the process you have been through? What steps did you take to solve a problem?
These photos are of White Elephant, the place we will be going to in March.
At the moment you are in teams and responsible for organizing your challenge. The managers reported today that some people are already showing signs that indicate a lack of focus, drive and commitment.
The ironic thing here is that the people who should be reading this post, are the ones that don’t come to it. True?
The people who are always on the blog, (you know who you are because you are reading this right now) are the ones that consistently are putting in the time, energy and effort to make this trip a success.
I am a little lost with this, any ideas how we can get the others to step up? What can we do to inspire them and motivate them to be part of this experience?
The team mangers will be taking photos of you working and learning together. The above photos are some of the things people were doing today. The sleeping arrangements group did a lot of work today. This is what they created as their first draft of who is sleeping in what rooms. This is evidence of learning. Well done to Ayann, Taia, Riko and Khaleel
How are things working in your team? Are you showing organization? Do you know when to step up (leader/driver) and when to step back (follower/passenger)?
What is your plan tomorrow? How are you going to organize yourselves to achieve the things you need to do?
The above photo is of all the lost things that have accumulated over the first part of the year. What is wrong with this picture?
Do you think it is fair for parents to buy new things just because kids cannot look after their own things?
How does this happen?
Which visual best reflects how you have empowered yourself to take a lead and become more organized and independent? Explain why this visual shows the way in which you are taking action. How do you know what you look like is a cycle, hierarchy, process, chaos or being inconsistent? Why do you think organization could look different or change depending on the situation?
“Organizing even the simplest of things requires organization.”
Organizing even the simplest of things (like recording your music onto a memory stick) requires organization.
Were you able to organize yourself to do this by the due date?
A deadline is when something is due. 17 people out of 23 people did not organize themselves. Isn’t this what the whole unit is about?
Please upload your video to flickr and add to your personal blog. Write a thoughtful comment to add to the post. Share your learning.
concentricthinking 