Week 2: September 15

Since other extra-curricular activities have not yet started for the team members, we decided we could take a full day for this meeting. The project was scheduled for the morning, with a generous lunch/soccer break followed by an afternoon on robotics.

The research project was first on the agenda. The kids had used the comments feature of our private blog to brainstorm ideas for the project topic. Surprisingly, they were able to reach agreement on a topic and begin to flesh it out. They have decided to investigate ways of utilizing nanotechnology to capture electricity from lightning. (They are nothing if not ambitious!) Since the challenge was officially released during our meeting time, we were able to check that this topic can fit within the project challenge for this year.

So the kids each presented a little bit from the reading they had done since the last meeting, and they identified several areas where they want to find out more, including nanocapacitors, nanosponges, nanocatalysts, and solar paint. Again, everyone chose an area to research before the next meeting.

After their soccer/lunch break, we reconvened to work with the robots. Since the team still had not decided on a base robot, that was the main focus of discussion. The kids were totally unable to reach agreement, and worse, they were incapable of discussing the pros and cons with any logic. Language got emotional, tempers flared, and the kids took turns stomping off.

After some nasty name-calling erupted, Chaz and I had to call the group to attention and remind them of some basic team rules like respect and gracious professionalism. They weren't really ready to settle down, but some grudging compromises were made.