Gearing up for the School Year

Getting ready for the new year requires a lot of narrowing down what I need to cover before the students start interacting after school.  In addition, what can I do to help them have a feel for the problems being presented so they can make an informed choice?  So here are the priorities:

1. Teamwork - how to work productively on a team
2. Basic concepts - Brainstorming, engineering design - can be taught with slightly longer projects like the Marshmallow Challenge, but I DON'T want to use that one, because most of the students have done that one several times.
3. Creativity - largely embedded in other activities - will get explicit later.
4. Spontaneous - starting with verbal since we will be doing design projects for the above and those resemble hands-on problems.
5. Introduce each problem through video or project. 
Problem 1 - curling video, vehicle design problem,
Problem 2 - create Emoji spontaneous problem?
Problem 3 - Nick Tickle and True Adventures of Big Bad Wolf.  Can use Nick for change of appearance, props discussion, etc. at same time.
Problem 4- structure project
Problem 5 - clips Titanic Dr. Who, Star Trek, Star Wars Cantina, excerpt Restsurant at the End of the Universe.

I may tweak these...(I've already completely reworked my first 2 days based on this, so we will see.)

New year - new blog?

Last year was overwhelming.  Even though I had done Odyssey for a number of years, there were many things I had to learn how to do.  I started this, but never posted beyond the first week - and that changed dramatically.  However, I am hoping to change that this year.

Some changes - my goal is to have an active classroom with all students and coaches on it.  In addition, we will have a "Remind" set up with all coaches as owners.  I am hoping these will facilitate communication between students, coaches, parents, and me.

I have published my plan for the first 2 days, and I will be working on filling in weird details.

Moving to a new place...

I have spent the last 7 years at PATS.  Six years ago, I started the Odyssey program there, and I built it into something great.  They have been to State every year and to World twice.  Over the six years, six teams placed in the top five at state and several others placed close (6-8).  I have left the program in the hands of a capable teacher who I genuinely hope will keep it energized and successful for years to come.

This coming fall, I am moving to Ferry Pass Middle.  At Ferry Pass, I will be involved with the Odyssey program, and I am fortunate enough to have a class, once a day, for about 50 minutes.  As I build that class and grow that program, I will be posting here.  In addition, I will be posting about our teams throughout the Pensacola area, because my hope is that our program will grow even further.  I will post photos of brilliant teams and other interesting bits, and my hope is that you may continue in my journey with me.