For the next few weeks my grade 7 students will be delving deeply into Integrative Thinking. Initially, I had planned to begin the year with Integrative Thinking. I found, however, that my students were not quite ready to embrace these thinking and problem solving tools. A foundation needed to be set in place, so we've spent our time developing inquiry and collaborative skills. They've now reached a point where I know that they will gain maximum benefit from solving problems and exploring complexity through Integrative Thinking.
We began today with students divided into random groups of 4 and the Marshmallow Challenge Students had 18 minutes (fun timers) to build the tallest structure using only spaghetti, masking tape and string that would support a marshmallow. At the end of 18 minutes we had 3 standing structures. We then debriefed by watching the Ted Talk and discussing a number of points on collaboration, prototyping and communication.
Next we revisited a slide show that students had seen in the fall, as it was necessary to refresh their understanding of Mental Models including:
1. We are constantly creating models of the world in our heads.
2. Our models are always incomplete.
3. People hold different models.
4. Model clash.
In light of the marshmallow challenge, we discussed how easy or difficult it had been to communicate the models in their heads of what the spaghetti structures should look like to other members of their groups. Providing students with the experience of struggling to understand someone else's mental model in such a concrete way, deepened their learning.
Students handled this process well. They became comfortable with the idea of models and collaboration.
Exit cards required students to reflect:
1. What do you understand now that you didn't understand before?
2. What is your most significant learning from this activity?
These questions are deliberately vague and open-ended. They don't require students to provide the answer that they think the teacher wants. Instead, students are free to articulate their own insights.
We began today with students divided into random groups of 4 and the Marshmallow Challenge Students had 18 minutes (fun timers) to build the tallest structure using only spaghetti, masking tape and string that would support a marshmallow. At the end of 18 minutes we had 3 standing structures. We then debriefed by watching the Ted Talk and discussing a number of points on collaboration, prototyping and communication.
1. We are constantly creating models of the world in our heads.
2. Our models are always incomplete.
3. People hold different models.
4. Model clash.
In light of the marshmallow challenge, we discussed how easy or difficult it had been to communicate the models in their heads of what the spaghetti structures should look like to other members of their groups. Providing students with the experience of struggling to understand someone else's mental model in such a concrete way, deepened their learning.
Students handled this process well. They became comfortable with the idea of models and collaboration.
Exit cards required students to reflect:
1. What do you understand now that you didn't understand before?
2. What is your most significant learning from this activity?
These questions are deliberately vague and open-ended. They don't require students to provide the answer that they think the teacher wants. Instead, students are free to articulate their own insights.
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