Students Save the world!

This summer I spent a day with kids grades 6-9, saving the world from the asteroid Doomesday-1. We started with a grim scenario and a challenge to have a plan to save the planet on the President’s desk by the end of the day. That when the fun really started!

The mission briefing occurred at 0800 hours and the scientists, designers and mathematicians has risen early for a summer morning. They didn’t know what the crisis might be but the air of seriousness was among the mission facilitators was palpable. As the scenario was unfolded the young thinkers join the atmosphere of tense possibility. We had eight hours to devise a strategy for stopping asteroid D-1 from rendering humanity extinct.


The first order of business was to become experts on all things asteroid. What are they made out of? What was this one’s trajectory, speed, density? We had many questions but by mid-morning the group had a few opinions about our adversary. Now what we would do about it would take the next few hours.



The mission specialists used Skype to consult with outside experts in the fields of math and science to test their thinking and they posted on the mission blog as they worked. Some kids drew on paper, some used Google Sketchup and other digital tools but all of them were engaged in this most serious of missions.


At 1500 hours the kids recorded their proposals for the President. They used powerpoint, Google Docs and Spreadsheets as well as iMovie and Smartboard to share their logic with the Commander in Chief.


As I watched these amazing kids think, collaborate and work diligently to save us all, I was filled with hope that our future is in good hands! My helpers were brilliant facilitators and knew just when to not help. They guided thinking and asked great questions as kids’ ideas evolved toward final form. I look forward to next summer and the great things we will do to save the world then. : )