Since many people are returning to school during the next couple of weeks, I thought I would re-visit and share some of last year’s more successful projects in case you want to try one. Yesterday’s post was on the surprise “You Matter” videos that I asked parents to make for their children last year.
Since most standardized tests used to measure “success” in schools today do not assess creativity, this skill tends to be less emphasized than ones that easily translate into multiple choice questions. However, I haven’t met one person who thinks that creativity is frivolous and many articles I’ve read, such as this one, from various news sources seem to indicate that it is a valuable attribute in the 21st century job market.
That being said, it’s sometimes difficult to fit creative activities into the school day. The Global Cardboard Challenge is the perfect opportunity to revive the imaginations of your students. First, show them the fabulous Caine’s Arcade videos. Then, get your students to brainstorm and sketch their own ideas. Next, give them time and resources to build. Then, let them critique and improve. And, finally have them share their creations.
There is not one right way to do this. It can be during school, after school, on a weekend. You can do it big and invite the community, or you can do it small and just involve your class or grade level. The official date for the 2014 challenge is October 11th, but you can do it any day you want.
Last year, I just had my GT students participate. I gave them an hour or two each week for about 4 weeks to work on their projects. (If you want to see students completely engaged with absolutely no interest in even talking you, I promise this is the activity to try!) Then they designed their own tickets and invited classmates to see their projects during recess. This year, we’re going bigger. I will still have my GT students make projects, but I will also have an after school Maker Club. The GT students will be researching charities and choosing one. The school will vote on the best projects, and we are teaming up with Main Event to host a “Pop-Up Arcade” of the student projects in their party rooms, charging $1 for the community to play the games. All money raised will go to the charity my students select.
For more ideas on how to host your own event, you can check out the Organizer Playbook here. More information is located here. But remember, you can “think outside the box” and make the event fit what suits you and your students.
