Host: Michael Doig
Duration: 4:11

Materials

Can of Compressed AIr – Can be purchased at any office supply store for around $6.

Raytek MT4 Mini Infrared Thermometer – The ability to take the temperature of just about anything without touching it is amazing, not to mention entertaining. I took a reading of my desklamp and found out the bulb was 212?F, Wow!

Casio Men’s Pathfinder Triple Sensor Altimeter/Barometer/ Digital Compass Watch – For the money, this watch is a steal. Barometer, compass and thermometer all in one place. Great for hiking or scientific exploration. The manual is really dense, but operating the watch was relatively easy. My biggest problem was with the temperature, it was constantly bouncing around.

Barometric Pressure Fast Facts

• A column of air one square inch in cross-section, measured from sea level to the top of the atmosphere, would weigh approximately 14.7 lbs per square inch or 1013.25 mb.
• An increase in elevation results in a decrease in barometeric pressure.
• As pressure decreases, temperature also decreases.

Special thanks to Mike Ogasawara and David Doig.

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Two Truths and a Lie

For this icebreaker you will pass out 3×5 cards to everyone and ask them to write down 2 true statements about themselves and 1 lie. Then each person reads their own card aloud and the class guesses which statement is the lie. It is best if the teacher goes first to illustrate how it should be done before participants write down their statements.

For example – I went to school in Hawaii, I met President Bush when I visited Washington D.C. and I once got 12 people to go skydiving. The lie is President Bush. Notice how I didn’t put the lie last and the skydiving example could be a lie.

First Impressions

For this icebreaker you tape a piece of paper to each participants back. Students stand up and mingle for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes each student writes one or two words describing the first impressions they got about the person they just met. Students shuffle and do this process again. After meeting 5-10 people, participants remove the sheets from their backs. Students pair off and introduce each other to the class using the word on the sheets. This is a feel good activity, so when you introduce this make sure students write appropriate words on the sheets.

Human Bingo

For this activity you give each student a copy of a bingo sheet. During a set amount of time, students go around and find classmates who match the statements on the sheet. Participants can’t sign the same sheet twice. At the end of the time, students tally up points and whoever has the highest total wins a prize (extra credit, candy). This is very fun and engaging. The link above is just an example you can make your own at Print-Bingo.com or Bingo Card Printer.

Candy Toss

Be sure and introduce this activity as the Candy Toss. You need a large bag of candy for this activity. Students assemble in a circle and then the teacher passes the bag around and tells students they can take as many pieces of candy as they would like (go crazy), but they can’t eat it. Once the bag has made it around, you tell the students that for each piece of candy they took from the bag, they have to say one statement about themselves. Thus the more candy they took, the more they will have to say. After completing this, they can eat the candy.

Commonality

In advance prepare 3-4 sets of 3×5 cards that have names on them that are related. Then pass them out randomly and have students find their matches. For example you would prepare 4 cards each one with a different name such as Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa once those 4 students find each other they should realize they are the Simpsons. You can use band members, movie characters, presidential candidates, etc. Be creative, but use something students will know. Once they have found each other, have them sit together and introduce the group to the class. This is a great activity to get students into random groups.

Good luck tomorrow and have a great year.

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Space ship takes a look at rebuilding human civilization. What if the world was coming to an end? Who should we choose to continue the human race?

Students are taken on a thought provoking journey to a time when the Earth will be destroyed. A giant meteor is headed toward Earth and life as we know it will end. Scientists have found an inhabitable planet and built a ship to carry a small group of people there. 11 people were originally chosen, however there is actually only room for 7 on the ship. Through a process of elimination students must choose the seven best candidates for this journey.

Procedure

1. Typically I begin by describing the end of the world (PowerPoint Slide 02), emphasizing that no one left on Earth will survive.
2. Next I give the story about the spaceship and show them the PowerPoint images of the each of the potential passengers
3. I then pass out the worksheet and have students on their own chose seven people they think should go.
4. Then students discuss their choices with their group. In order for someone to be added to the group list, everyone in the group must agree. You can have students put their choices on a piece of poster paper.
5. After all the groups have made their choices, the groups present their choices and explain why they made those decisions.

Things To Keep In Mind

1. There are no right or wrong answers, but there are better choices.
2. Male to female rations are important (we want to rebuild humanity right?)
3. Questions like, do we need religion, guns or art on the new planet always spark a conversation.
4. Finally, have fun! This activity really gets participants engaged.

Materials

1. PowerPoint Presentation
2. Worksheet
3. Poster Paper
4. Markers

Good Luck, if you have any questions about or modifications to this lesson, please let us know about them in the comments section.

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