Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Dive!, Dive!, Dive!

Today we finally were able to test our underwater vehicles. We evaluated their maneuvering capabilities in the pool and nearly all designs worked as originally planned, although some tweaking may need to happen. Next, we will be mounting sensors for temperature and depth of the water on our vehicles. 

Click here to see our video!


After Winterim

Tonight (Tuesday) LA is sending all students off campus to three different locations. The first is LazerCraze an arcade type deal that also has an indoor arena for laser tag, located in North Andover. The second place students are going is SkyZone in Boston, an indoor trampoline park. The final location is a rock climbing facility called The Boston Rock Gym. These are all promising endeavors of entertainment and should be fun.

Yesterday (Monday) there was indoor soccer, archery, a Zumba class, and a rigorous workout called the Poulinator. Tomorrow night (Wednesday) there is a Celtics game, another Poulinator, and a Worcester Ice Sharks game. Thursday is an all school IMAX movie event in Methuen.

Continued Production

The "set" - Waters House (my home)



Production continues on the horror films coming out of Waters House. The dorm was transformed into a movie set for much of the time. The make-up artist is here today and the "blood" is flowing.



Tools of the Artist
Jug of fake blood
Poor Teddy Bear
Discussing important matters

Creativity in Various Forms

On campus today three groups continued to meet, learn and use their creative minds.


Beyond Monopoly has split into two groups and is using creativity to design and build an original strategy game.  Each has come up with some basic concept of a game and they are working to create the game board/pieces and flush out the details of how to play (and win) the game.  Neither group has a name for their game yet, but one group has a clear "one-liner" to explain what it will be:  A futuristic territorial acquisition game played on a modular board where players need to explore unknown planets and establish a new civilization on one of them.


The Chess group is also involved with strategy gaming but of another sort, which also requires creative thinking.  There is a game board and pieces and the game requires you to "think ahead" and plan for various moves your opponent might make.  At first chess may not appear to be "creative" thinking  but since a person needs to recognize several alternatives or possibilities at one time, it is in fact a highly "creative" game.  Actually, playing chess will help you to develop this type of flexible thinking. (Today, Tuesday, the group is having a tournament.)


Just down the hall from Chess is the Watermedia Painting group.  They went off campus this afternoon to visit Sharon Wooding's studio and an art gallery.  It was a perfect time to capture some finish products and those in process on camera.  Here we see creativity in a specific art form.






The Adventure Continues


The sailing Winterim is pressing on, they are experiencing the wonders of sailing on the Caribbean. They are doing everything from cooking their own meals to body surfing. The area they are in is beautiful, the weather is perfect.  Read the blog written directly by the students from their sailing vessel.  (The 4th tab above will also take you to their blog; it is updated regularly.)

Peru Painting and Playing



After a fun day of whitewater rafting, Project Peru was back to work. Their work on Monday consisted of painting a pre-school room and playing with the kids. Check out the pictures of their work!











                 

                 


D.C.

White House
The System traveled to Washington D.C. to experience the Justice system at work in our nation's capital. While in D.C. they are visiting historic sites. They are also meeting with Representative Griffith at the Maryland State House.
Group shot infront of a famous building. Can You name it?


Statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Washington Monument