Investigation: Building and Analyzing a System

Thus far we have no substantive changes in the IS curriculum. The kids are having great fun with the "systems" part of it right now. The challenge was to make some sort of toy using cast off materials (read "trash") from home. Thus far we have seen a blow gun, a color wheel illustrating chromatography, a trebuchet, and, of course, the irrepressible battery. The kids work in groups then present their toy to the class and answer questions about the systemic nature of the toy. My favorite part is the Q & A. The kids ask some really insightful questions. They are definitely becoming "systems" thinkers. Bill