Global Cardboard Challenge 2016

This was our 2nd year participating in the Global Cardboard Challenge. We gathered our grade 2 and 6 students together to watch Caine's Arcade and to provoke discussion and inquiry. Once again Caine's powerful video really inspired our children to create, thinking outside the box using recycled materials and cardboard.

The premise behind the global challenge is "that it gives children an opportunity to collaborate, learn, and build the things they imagine through a simple process called Creative Play. The Challenge lets children explore their interests and passions; teaches critical thinking, resourcefulness, perseverance, teamwork and other 21st century skills; and brings communities together to foster and celebrate child creativity!" (Imagination Foundation)

Students brainstormed ideas and then ideas were grouped together around the natural themes that developed. Groups then had to make a plan using Google drawings to design their idea. Students were grouped as best as we could with at least one grade 6 student in a group. Some groups were solely grade 6 and some were solely grade 2. We noticed that this year, our grade 6 and 2 students naturally created their own groups as opposed to last year where the groupings were more teacher directed.

This year we decided to do the challenge in the gymnasium as opposed to our learning space because we wanted to have the maximum amount of space to create. So on the day of our cardboard challenge event, our gym was covered in cardboard. Our thoughts on the day: students were engaged for more than an hour in their design by going back and making changes to their plans/designs. Students really wanted to try out each other's creations and recognized how many ideas were represented.

Check out the link for a recap of our day BER Cardboard Challenge Day

As we unbury ourselves from the amount of cardboard we look back we fully recognize the amount of work that goes into a hosting a day like this. From gathering the required amount of cardboard, to storing the cardboard, moving it from classrooms to the gym, and the final deconstruction and recycling of materials.

Ideally these creations would be able to be celebrated and shared with a local audience (the school) but due to space issues (the gym converts to a daycare) we had no choice but to dismantle and recycle. This presented a new challenge, especially to the grade 2 students that could not bring them on the bus due to policy, students had a hard time saying goodbye to their creations. We created a movie for students to watch of all of their creations as a way to celebrate and admire all of their creations.

Even with the challenges we experienced, we see the day so valuable and will definitely be hosting our 3rd annual challenge next year. It's possible because of the collaboration and support we have as a team of 3. The opportunity for creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication and to share our work globally outweighs the drawbacks of hosting such an event.

We thank all those who have read our blog and have shared comments with us. Keep them coming..it gives us reason to write!

A. Eaton, P. Roche, A. Porcari