ATTENDANCE: Please find your group's attendance tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet, and enter attendance for today. Fill in previous days according to your notes. Skyward will be set up soon.
CIRCLE UP: Acknowledge that today is different from previous days this year, just as the beginning of this year is different from the beginning of past school years. As a school, we are constantly collecting feedback and making improvements. This semester, Project Block will be slightly different and we will roll out those changes in the next few weeks. The important thing for students to focus on is that commitment they are making to themselves by investigating possible topics, forms, and messages that they truly care about and contribute to. The semester will still end with a final project. For new students, we'll be taking a look at some of those. For returning students, we'll be taking a look at some of those.
PROJECT EXAMPLES:
Think. Puzzle. Explore.
(Make this thinking visible on chart paper or a whiteboard.)
What do you think you know about what a Project Block project is?
What questions of puzzles do you have about Project Block projects?
What do you want to explore further in terms of your own project?
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Connect. Extend. Challenge.
Make this thinking visible.
How does this project connect to your assumptions about what Project Block project is?
How does this project extend your thinking?
How does this project challenge your thinking?
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Keep the thinking visible in the room.
All of these ideas are valuable and useful in the process of brainstorming.
Advisors, do not feel like you need to answer every question or challenge.
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BRAINSTORMING: It's the process of generating expansive possibilities. Creating a landscape you can see, so that you know where it is most meaningful to focus your attention for an entire semester. (IDEO's rules for brainstorming.)
1. MIND/CONCEPT MAPPING
> Discuss what a mind map is and its basic parts and purposes.
> Individually create a map of the most interesting topics and questions within the discipline TO YOU. It is important to focus on your interests here.
> Fill up an entire 8.5x11 piece of paper.
2. GALLERY WALK
> Silently walk around and observe everyone's map.
3. GENERATE PROJECT IDEAS
> Using the brainstorming rules, no one should feel constrained.
> These ideas are for the good of the group.
> Based on the gallery walk, come up with at least two BIG TIME, OUT THERE, AMAZING project ideas for someone to do sometime, somewhere.
> Write them on post it notes.
> Post them as ticket(s) out or, if there's time, post them to a shared space and begin sorting by theme.
