The INTELLIGENT PLAYGROUND is an interactive educational tool - PDF document

The INTELLIGENT PLAYGROUND is an interactive educational tool designed to develop essential life skills through creative play. Consisting of removable and interchangeable poles all made from locally sourced and cured bamboo, the playground is able to provide a huge variety of configurations to create endless opportunities for learning, for example: - Multi Climbing frames - Classic Playground - A Multi gym - A Music Area - Castle - Maths Class - ESL - Team building - Games - Pioneering The concept for the playground is for the students to choose what they would like to do, or create something new in line with their goals, plan it, and then work together to build it. *The building element is a very important part of the process, If the activities are simply put together by other people without the students participation, then a whole host of social & team development skills are lost! This manual provides a basis for learning, but is not an exhaustive list of designs available. The Intelligent playground is designed so as to provide a foundation for which to offer the opportunity for further development. Students are only limited by their own creativity…! Each activity card consists of: FRONT SIDE Design layout Activities REVERSE SIDE Reflection Questions Expected Outcomes Learning Objectives Student self-assessment

50 cm H LES 1357 H LES 2468 150 cm CREATiVE PLAY AN iNNOVATiON iN 150 cm 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2 4 1 3 5 Pull around and then under Pull tight back under the Start on the outside of Pull tight over the cross Loop back over the end the cross piece cross piece the support piece Bamboo inserted through a Rubber loops are provided to prevent lateral support post only needs to be movement and to some extent rotation of the poles. lashed on one side… It is important to make sure each element is secured with these lashings for the safety of the users! Bamboo running across another one MUST be lashed secure on each end. 5 1 2 3 4 Start on the outside and pull Loop back through the top Go under the bottom pole Go over the top pole, pull Go back under the bottom down tightly pole down tight! pole, keeping tight

FILIPINO LASHING These lashings are to be used when building TRIPOD LASHING free standing structures. SQUARE LASHING ROUND LASHING

Useful knots : see diagrams for where to apply them.

TAG 2 4 6 8  Choose one or two people to be ‘IT, they then have to TAG the remaining group members  If anyone touches the floor they are out 5+7 1+3  If anyone is touch by the chasers hand that person is out  Once a person is out – they either leave the game or become a chaser themselves  Play until one person is left… RESTRICTED 6+8 2+4  Attempt to climb around the frame with: 4+8  A blindfold on  Only using one hand / leg HANG TOUGH 5+7 1+3  Attempt to hang from the bar for as long as possible – Using both hands or just one hand.  Have a ‘Hang off’ with everyone in the group hanging at once and see who can last the longest. 2+4 6+8 2+6 FOLLOW THE LEADER  Have one person take the lead and have the rest of the group follow them  The people behind must try to copy whatever the leader does (spin, hang etc.)  The leader can try to catch up with the last person in the line 3+5 1+7 BUILD YOUR OWN ADVENTURE Work as a team and create your own climbing frame, see if you can invent some new games to play on it!  What do we mean to have perseverance?  What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve overcome in your life?  What do we mean by being empathetic?  Is empathy & sympathy the same thing? Explain  How did it make you feel climbing with a restriction?  What do we mean by creative thinking?  How easy / difficult do you find it to ‘think on your feet’?  How do you deal with change?  Did everyone have some input into the new design of frame?  How did you communicate your ideas?  Do you think you communicated well as a team?  What else can we learn from these activities?

• Do you feel like you did your best in the activities? • Do you feel you could have contributed more? • Students will develop an understanding of the concept of perseverance. • Can you identify at least one skill / attribute you believe you are strong at? • Students will identify examples of perseverance from their own lives. • What skill / attribute do you feel you need to develop more on? • Students will explain the importance perseverance plays in their actions  What did you learn from this experience and how can you use it in the and in the actions of others. future? • Students will identify ways they can exemplify perseverance in their lives. Which of these blob characters best represents you • Students demonstrate perseverance within the activities Before, during & after the activity? Explain your reasons …  Explore the different ways their bodies can move and say what they enjoyed about this activity  Can describe their own creative strengths and weaknesses  Respond spontaneously, in their own individual ways  Student is able to create adaptions/ variations to the activities, can generate and apply new ideas.  Students can describe the difference between creative and critical thinking  Is able to look at problems from a different perspective to provide a solution  Demonstrates self - learning through trial & error  Displays confidence in oral and visual communication and is able to effectively express their ideas.  Is able to listen with understanding and empathy and is capable of contribution  Is able to demonstrate some or all of the 5 C ’ s of communication. Clear, Concise, Correct, Complete and Courteous spoken with Confidence …   Understand what empathy is and how it differs from sympathy  Able to appreciate the feelings of people involved in negative experiences  Be able to use empathy to change behaviour and build better relationships.

OBSTACLE COURSE: One at a time – each team member needs to compete the obstacle course – if they fall off they need to start over from the very beginning. (follow the arrows) - Climb up and over the ladder - Along the shuffle bars - Up and along the steps - Around and along the balance beam - Under the monkey bars VARIATIONS:  Create your own course  Time each other once confident  Try doing the course in reverse (walking / climbing backwards)  The person attempting the challenge needs at least one team member to safe guard them should they slip or fall  Make sure ALL lashings are secure before attempting the challenge   What was the most difficult part of this challenge?  Did you find it got easier the more times you attempted it?  Was this activity out of anyone’s comfort zone, if so how did you deal with it?  What safety concerns are there regarding this activity?  Did you ever feel unsafe on any obstacle, if so why?  Did you manage all the obstacles, if not why not?  Is failure a bad thing?  Did you learn anything new about people in your group?  How did you motivate and support those having difficulty?  Why is it important to motivate others?  What else can we learn from this activity?

• Do you feel like you did your best in the activities? • Do you feel you could have contributed more? • Students will develop an understanding of the concept of perseverance. • Can you identify at least one skill / attribute you believe you are strong at? • Students will identify examples of perseverance from their own lives. • What skill / attribute do you feel you need to develop more on? • Students will explain the importance perseverance plays in their actions  What did you learn from this experience and how can you use it in the and in the actions of others. future? • Students will identify ways they can exemplify perseverance in their lives. Which of these blob characters best represents you • Students demonstrate perseverance within the activities Before, during & after the activity? Explain your reasons …  Student can explain the difference between a risk and a hazard  Student is able to perform a risk assessment and understands the importance assessing risk.  Student is able to create a written risk assessment  Student is able to demonstrate proper ‘ spotting ’ technique and communicate effectively with climber  Student demonstrates correct manual handling methods  Understands the concept of ‘ cause & effect ’  Understands the meaning of consequential thinking  Understands the meaning of confidence  Demonstrates the development of confidence in others (trust)  Can explain the dangers of over confidence!  Doing what they believe to be right, even if others mock or criticize them for it.  Being willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.  Admitting their mistakes, and learning from them.  Is able to explain the meaning of comfort zone, learning edge & danger zone  Can identify their own personal boundaries  Understands the importance of pushing their personal boundaries for self- development