Many of the activities in the YCISL program are derived from existing games – and we connect our topics to them. An example is the Spaghetti Tower-Marshmallow exercise where we demonstrate prototyping and “fail early, fail fast” as well as collaborative teamwork.
Today, I was searching the internet for a puzzle and came across a web site with a collection of matchstick puzzles (http://www.learning-tree.org.uk/stickpuzzles/stick_puzzles.htm). I was looking for something that would require divergent thinking. I didn’t have matchsticks, so I tried the puzzle with some pens. I confess I am bad at these types of puzzles and in the end, snuck a peek at the posted solution. But more importantly, I found that doing such a puzzle connects many of the topics we touch on in the YCISL workshops.
So I created a “Lessons” document which describes the puzzle and asks questions to reflect on. I have posted a link to this document in our LinkedIn Group Discussion and will likely incorporate it or something similar into the workshops.
LESSONS IN YOUTH CREATIVITY, INNOVATION & SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP
TURNING THE DONKEY
Found on http://www.learning-tree.org.uk/stickpuzzles/stick_puzzles.htm
Move 1 pen to turn the donkey.
EQ CHECKLIST:
- Did you see the solution on your first pass? WOW! – if you did.
- Did you sense creative energy well up in you?
- Did you feel (instrinsic) motivation?
- Did you experience divergent fast thinking (iterating over many possible solutions)?
- Did you apply logical deductive reasoning (eliminating non-solutions)?
- Did you experience optimism?
- Did you notice frustration or self-doubt?
- Did you think about giving up?
- Did you second guess what the problem was asking?
- Do you think you accomplished something?