The plan for this session was to look at lines and intersections and triangles or other shapes that might be formed. There was also the plan to do some free exploration but there is rarely time for that. Once passports or whatever tracking mechanism is set up, hopefully that will be easier.
I got a bit caught at the start. I wasn't sure what starting game to try. I had in mind trying something with lines and multiplication but didn't have clear enough an idea of how to start it (this is some progress I guess as I would previously have dived in and winged it). I guess I read the group to a degree and saw that some seemed a bit tired.
We rejigged our nim like game again. This time we used different colours and set that up to 5 could be taken but only from one colour. This allowed us to have many winners. It would be great to keep track of scores. We could have a standard 100 chips with a set number of the different colours (say 35 yellow, 30 white, 20 blue and 15 red). It worked really well and gave us a chance to talk about odd and even numbers and look at the arrangements of different numbers of counters. It also makes us pay attention to each move and update possibilities. For this session, that happened mainly due to my running commentary but it's clear that one or two of them are doing that for themselves. It would be really good to have groups in pairs so that they could talk through their decisions. It can be necessary to keep some of them focussed on counting and checking but as we play it more regularly, I'm sure that won't be a problem.
I moved on to look at Kobon triangles after that though not explicitly. I presented the idea of a line and elicited responses (Ida mentioned diagonal). I then asked what would happen when I drew another line. Mel said it would be like a times sign. I drew the line like that. I checked if they knew what we called the meeting point and when no one did, I told them it was an intersection but not to worry about the word. I asked about the next line and I think that most of them thought I would draw it through the intersection that was already there. I drew it to make a triangle. I then drew another line to make more triangles. I asked them how many triangles they could get from four lines and gave out rulers and paper. They started drawing lines and in a few cases using the rulers but sometimes without. I noticed that the two working with Geoff got on very well as did Max and Ida who worked independently but with
help from their mum. I don't think there was enough input from the rest to really know what they needed to do for the activity in terms of how many times to try, how to start an attempt or how to think about different possibilities. Also, I didn't bring in any review of the task which should have been central to this. Each line could have been reviewed and we could have had a section in the presentation where we talked about how well a line was placed.
Another thing that I thought about today's session is that it would be good to get more of the younger ones doing what Panny does. She is so creative with the different games and constantly questioning and trying and setting her own challenges. She occasionally joins in with us which could be thought about more. It would be a good path for Elam and Layla if she joins us again. I could have a box for them and set one or two challenges that they could work on if inspired by them. And I could try to think of ways to get them involved with one or two things that we are doing.
I moved a few of them on to mystic roses but again this was a missed opportunity because I did not sell the activity at all but passed it on as an extension of the last and just asked them to count the lines. It would have worked as an introduction to the concept I guess and maybe they will have ideas about what could be done with them next time.
We ended this week with an assortment of games. Ilora taught the new girls how to play Hex. Lilly and Nettie have become really good at Hex too. I need to bring more Hex boards and pens with me and have different sized ones. It would be worth thinking about different ways of playing with hexagonal grids to include perhaps more players or something. Ida and Hana played Dao which Hana picked up quickly. Some leaderboards for the different games would be a really good idea. Each player could have laminated lines for their stats on a game that they arrange on each board. A two-way table with results of games played each week would also be a nice addition. I'm not sure where they would fit in space terms but shouldn't be too big an issue. The impact on the social nature of the group is the real issue to monitor in terms of introducing competition. Some are far more competitive than others. It would also be good to have some kind of creativity review each week. Reviews in general need development.
Another issue to watch is that kids naturally end up running and playing tag of some kind. It is likely to happen once the sessions finishes but could be a problem for the hotel. It maybe a need to work on a finishing routine or may not be much that could/should be done.
Handed out the homework activity. That probably deserves its own
review but for now gratefully received.
Lots to develop for our sessions starting end of July.
I got a bit caught at the start. I wasn't sure what starting game to try. I had in mind trying something with lines and multiplication but didn't have clear enough an idea of how to start it (this is some progress I guess as I would previously have dived in and winged it). I guess I read the group to a degree and saw that some seemed a bit tired.
We rejigged our nim like game again. This time we used different colours and set that up to 5 could be taken but only from one colour. This allowed us to have many winners. It would be great to keep track of scores. We could have a standard 100 chips with a set number of the different colours (say 35 yellow, 30 white, 20 blue and 15 red). It worked really well and gave us a chance to talk about odd and even numbers and look at the arrangements of different numbers of counters. It also makes us pay attention to each move and update possibilities. For this session, that happened mainly due to my running commentary but it's clear that one or two of them are doing that for themselves. It would be really good to have groups in pairs so that they could talk through their decisions. It can be necessary to keep some of them focussed on counting and checking but as we play it more regularly, I'm sure that won't be a problem.
I moved on to look at Kobon triangles after that though not explicitly. I presented the idea of a line and elicited responses (Ida mentioned diagonal). I then asked what would happen when I drew another line. Mel said it would be like a times sign. I drew the line like that. I checked if they knew what we called the meeting point and when no one did, I told them it was an intersection but not to worry about the word. I asked about the next line and I think that most of them thought I would draw it through the intersection that was already there. I drew it to make a triangle. I then drew another line to make more triangles. I asked them how many triangles they could get from four lines and gave out rulers and paper. They started drawing lines and in a few cases using the rulers but sometimes without. I noticed that the two working with Geoff got on very well as did Max and Ida who worked independently but with 
help from their mum. I don't think there was enough input from the rest to really know what they needed to do for the activity in terms of how many times to try, how to start an attempt or how to think about different possibilities. Also, I didn't bring in any review of the task which should have been central to this. Each line could have been reviewed and we could have had a section in the presentation where we talked about how well a line was placed.
Another thing that I thought about today's session is that it would be good to get more of the younger ones doing what Panny does. She is so creative with the different games and constantly questioning and trying and setting her own challenges. She occasionally joins in with us which could be thought about more. It would be a good path for Elam and Layla if she joins us again. I could have a box for them and set one or two challenges that they could work on if inspired by them. And I could try to think of ways to get them involved with one or two things that we are doing.
I moved a few of them on to mystic roses but again this was a missed opportunity because I did not sell the activity at all but passed it on as an extension of the last and just asked them to count the lines. It would have worked as an introduction to the concept I guess and maybe they will have ideas about what could be done with them next time.
We ended this week with an assortment of games. Ilora taught the new girls how to play Hex. Lilly and Nettie have become really good at Hex too. I need to bring more Hex boards and pens with me and have different sized ones. It would be worth thinking about different ways of playing with hexagonal grids to include perhaps more players or something. Ida and Hana played Dao which Hana picked up quickly. Some leaderboards for the different games would be a really good idea. Each player could have laminated lines for their stats on a game that they arrange on each board. A two-way table with results of games played each week would also be a nice addition. I'm not sure where they would fit in space terms but shouldn't be too big an issue. The impact on the social nature of the group is the real issue to monitor in terms of introducing competition. Some are far more competitive than others. It would also be good to have some kind of creativity review each week. Reviews in general need development.Another issue to watch is that kids naturally end up running and playing tag of some kind. It is likely to happen once the sessions finishes but could be a problem for the hotel. It maybe a need to work on a finishing routine or may not be much that could/should be done.
Handed out the homework activity. That probably deserves its own
review but for now gratefully received.
Lots to develop for our sessions starting end of July.
Another area of improvement is to get specific jobs that facilitators can do. Monitoring is a key thing for all of us. We want to get look for ways to get a better picture of the ideas that explorers have during the activities.
ReplyDeleteThis can be done by...
...interacting with the younger ones
finding "hinge questions" for older explorers (hinge questions test a very small set of numbers)