Is it a flinker?

Yesterday was our field trip to the Discovery Museum. While there, the kids were able to explore two floors and participate in a hands-on workshop. Whether they were investigating the different exhibits or taking part in the scientific method, one of the common themes that ran through the day was the importance of teamwork. They had to work together to rebuild a broken puzzle, make a tornado form, and create a harmonograph. In the workshop, they learned the term flinker (an object that is not a floater or a sinker, but a bit of both) and had to work together to create a boat out of various materials to safely transport penny people and food across Boston Harbor, while carrying a treasure home. During this part of the day, the adults were asked to sit back and enjoy the show. This gave us an opportunity to observe things such as: who were the leaders, who listened well to solve the problem, who had other plans that were different than their friends, and who was flexible for the greater good of the team. Needless to say, this was a great learning opportunity for the children. They were able to reflect on what worked well and what didn't. Hopefully the next time teamwork comes into play, this experience will be fresh their minds and they will make good choices that help their group get closer to their goal.