Odyssey of the Mind Group

Collin and another 2nd grader joined the 3rd Grade Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) group.  The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process. Students learn how to identify challenges and to think creatively to solve those problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism. The creative problem-solving process rewards thinking "outside of the box." While conventional thinking has an important place in a well-rounded education, students need to learn how to think creatively and productively. More information can be found here:  http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/

The 3rd grade group which consists of 7 students have already met three times. During these meetings, they have read through all of the problems they have to solve and finally decided they wanted to work on Problem 1.

Problem 1: No-Cycle Recycle
Teams will build, ride on, and drive a no-cycle, recycling vehicle. It will pick up discarded items, adapt them in some way, and then deliver them to places to be re-used. The vehicle must travel without pedaling for propulsion and cannot use AC current. In addition, the driver will have an assistant worker riding on the vehicle that will help process the trash items being repurposed. They will make an unplanned stop along the way to perform a random act of kindness.

During each 1 1/2 hour meeting, there is a Coach and a parent helper.  I helped this past Sunday and got to hear the ideas the kids came up with about how to move their vehicle and what ecosystem they wanted their vehicle in.  The Coach and helper cannot offer suggestions but can only be there to assist the students with some structure and keep them on task.

Yesterday was brainstorming about how to move the vehicle.  One student mentioned solar power and another mentioned batteries.  Collin drew a picture of his idea which included using robot feet to move the vehicle or have kites lift the vehicle and a propeller to move it along.  That spurred another student to think of the world as the ecosystem because he liked the robot idea.