Play is an essential element in creative learning, and I'll be sharing some more reflections on that final "P" from the Learning Creative Learning course in an upcoming post. Today I'll share one recent activity where play brought about some meaningful reflection and discussion.
I get a lot of ideas for STEM activities from the blog Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls, and I had been thinking about how to connect some of their activities with ice cream sticks to some recent English classes. In my advanced classes, we were discussing architecture. Before reading a text about a woman architect with an unconventional style, I gave my students this mini-STEM challenge. Working in groups, using blocks, ice cream sticks, and cups, they had to build a structure that had one or more parts sticking out in a surprising way--as if defying gravity. I showed them a few pictures to get them thinking, and then let them go.
At first, everyone seemed a little unsure of how to build such a structure. Some chose a picture, and started copying what they saw, and others just started playing with the materials. With the power of teamwork, inhibitions were soon lost, and the structures started to grow. A few gave way to the pull of gravity, collapsing with dramatic cries from teenage students. After a few minutes, problems in design were resolved through team collaboration and problem-solving, and the models stood proudly with wings or beams jutting out, sometimes in impressive ways. Some were taller than others, some more horizontal than vertical. Each structure was unique. It was interesting to watch the simultaneous ease and challenge that this activity brought to folks who likely hadn't played with blocks in many years.
To wrap up this activity, I put some recently-learned emphatic structures on the board, and asked groups to reflect on the experience using those sentence frames.
What we found most challenging was...
It's the ____ that makes it [easy/difficult, etc.]
Never again will I...
Rarely do you see...
What I liked best about the challenge was...
Our structure didn't ____, but it did...
We continued with the lesson, talking about the surprising designs and comfortable spaces that architect Zaha Hadid has brought into existence. The final task was for students to discuss typical spaces where people may not feel comfortable, such as a waiting room or an elevator, and choose one to re-design. As they prepared to do this, I encouraged them to use the ice cream sticks, blocks and cups from the first activity, as well as a few clips and clothespins I had on hand, to make a visual of their idea. I told them that if they preferred, they could use the materials to create a two-dimensional floor plan rather than a three-dimensional structure this time.
Groups went to work, and I noticed a lot more interaction and generation of ideas than in previous classes where I had taught the same lesson without the maker activity. Most groups decided to redesign a classroom--making several stations of interest, a hidden closet, or a circular class setup rather than traditional rows. A few redesigned an elevator, making a colorful ceiling or adding windows and a complex design.
Encouraging an element of play, even with adults and teens, and especially after a challenging STEM activity, seemed to ignite an extra spark in this discussion. In tasks like this, students often offer an idea or two, and then stop talking. Or, worse yet, they simply say "I don't know," as if that absolves them from all responsibility. Having these colorful, moveable pieces in front of them provided possibilities, sparking their creativity, and enabling them to better collaborate and problem-solve as they re-envisioned a familiar space.
I regretted not making sure there was enough time at the end for students to share and explain their ideas to the class, but adjusted that in later classes. Some groups explained their models to me, and others had more opportunity to share with their peers. All groups walked out of the classroom thinking about familiar spaces a little differently, hopefully with a few more useful words and expressions within their reach, as easy to grab and use as a plastic cup.
Are you a person who likes to play with something, like a pen, when you brainstorm or work with others? A lot of problems are solved by tinkering. How might we encourage tinkering with various materials, bringing an element of play into a challenging task, whether for children or for adults? Share your thoughts, and check in again soon for more reflections on play and the maker movement.
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