Building Belief Activities - 1

To get in and out of the imaginary world or into role for this Mantle we step forward and then turn around. Saves having to remember to put up an object or wear a wig, etc.

Last week we did a shared reading on what plant research scientists do, and after highlighting the key points, the children created their own reports.

The next session, I asked, "What do you think a weed research scientist would look like?" The children all did quick sketches which were made into a chart. When then discussed what the pictures had in common - lab coats, safety glasses, gloves and shoes.


In our second session the question was "What do weed research scientists do?" We revisited our reading responses to our shared reading then in pairs used thesauruses to come up with 'powerful' verbs to describe the research scientist's job/activities.

From this activity I asked them, "Who are we?"
In groups of three they brainstormed names. We put these names up on the board. A class decision was made that we would have four votes  each. With many names eliminated we ended up with
  Rumus Octavious Weeds Department 
                      (R.O.W.D) as our company name.
To finish off the session we did the Blindfold Trust Walk (see drama games/activities/tips in January archive for details) and at the end of the activity wrote up what we needed to do to feel safe with this activity.

                               
Session Three
After revisiting our name ( we tried to make its acronym into R.O.W.D.Y or R.O.W.D.I, but after trying out different ways we decided to stick with R.O.W.D.), we discussed what else we needed to do to set up our company. We came up with the following  in random order -
Our Mission Statement               Office space/labs             Logo                   Slogan/Catch phrase
History - Timelines                     Awards/Letters                Address              Advertisement

Our address is now - 20 Laboratory Lane, Morrinsville
                     email:  rowd@scimail.com                                                    
We talked about what our logo would need, then everyone created on. The company members voted for the best one and Hunter's was chosen.  Well picked team

Session Four
After playing some drama games we turned around on the spot and sat down in a circle. I welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming today. I asked them to take time to talk to the people next to them about how they traveled to the meeting today.
We then reviewed what we needed to do, and I made the decision that we would construct our mission statement. What are our company values? What do we stand for?  Some people gave ideas then  they formed groups of three to write as many values down as possible in the three minutes we had decided to do it in.
I recorded all their ideas on paper (with me trying not to make any comments!!!!). Each scientist chose a word that they thought was an important value and then moved into the Trading game, sharing their reasons for choosing a word, listening to their partner, deciding whether to keep their word or to take on the other person's word before moving on. There was some well thought out reasoning in this activity.
We came back together and voted on the words they thought were important to our company.

Before they went off to put together their ideas for a mission statement, I told them that I had found a letter on the coffee table in the company staffroom from The Mind Institution, who are surveying companies about how they use the Habits of Mind. I read the letter, showed the info I had downloaded. We looked at what we needed to do and decided to do their survey. ( They have to fill in on separate sheets how they've used each habit as a company throughout the next few months. This was my way to keep a strong focus on the habits during this Mantle.)

The mission statement was written up and agreed to. Everyone was put into three groups and had to put together a static image of our mission statement. Pics below