Learning Across Kansas; 106; Middle School

(school bell ringing) (lively music) (crowd screaming in the background) (school bell ringing) (horn honking) - Hi there, middle school scholars, and welcome to another episode of Learning Across Kansas. I'm your host, Mrs. Smoke, and I'll be guiding you across the Sunflower State. Learning Across Kansas is a partnership between the Kansas State and the Kansas Public Together we want to ensure as we deal with social distancing, and the health issues facing our society. In today's show, we'll unpack the power of creativity and innovation through a common story every Kansan knows, The Wizard of Oz. No, we won't be seeking tornadoes as a mode of transportation anytime soon, but we'll be exploring and having a courageous spirit First, we'll explore how murals play

an important role in preserving culture and beautifying Kansas communities with Mrs. Farha, and we'll hear from Mr. Gudde on how Pittsburg, Kansas, embrace the engineering process for design initiatives and Next, we'll visit Mrs. Hillman's backyard to investigate how creativity and innovation set the stage for scientific wonders and discovery. Then we'll pop over to Mrs. Bowden's and see how mathematicians use creativity in the problem solving process. Later, we'll travel through with Mr. Barikmo, and learn how creativity, language arts, and a little origami magic can go hand in hand with Mr. Wolf. And finally, Coach Martinez, will challenge you to an and Counselor Schrader innovation, and self-efficacy are the keys to pursuing your own But first, let's head down with Mrs. Farha. - [Mrs. Farha] Imagine, if you can,

a world without color. I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. - [Mrs. Farha] Thank goodness The movements to beautify our communities can be seen from big city to small. Wichita to Kansas City, even in our state capital. The murals have brought life The new aesthetics encourage and see joy in their own neighborhood. The Douglas Design District, in Wichita, is one area that has seen a over the past eight years. The district spans three miles along Douglas Avenue in Central Wichita. And boasts over 100 different murals, from doors to entire sides of buildings. Each year in September,

during the annual Avenue Art days, the public can watch the transformation, as muralists create their masterpieces live over the course of three days. (lively music) The art doesn't stop on buildings. You can also find ten feet tall throughout the city. Together Wichita works with local artists to create one of a kind pieces that showcase different elements of the city and businesses. There are currently over 35 unique statues that span from East to West. Wichita also has a world that is the largest in the world, completed by a single artist. The mural on the side of took two years to to the African American Maybe you're ready to create something

to bring joy and beauty to the area where you live. You might be lucky enough to have a space to add something permanent. Or you might have a fence calling out for some sidewalk chalk. Always remember to ask. Use masking tape to and fully color in each part. Remove the tape and enjoy your creation. - Hey guys, I'm Mr. Gudde. Have you ever had a problem and And then had an ah ha Chances are you used the The engineering design that we solve everyday problems with. The first stage, define the problem. The second stage is to brainstorm and come up with multiple solutions. Once you have come up you're gonna go ahead a After you've picked the best solution,

you're gonna go forward Then once the prototype is finished, you're gonna look for any other things that you can do to improve it and then go back through the cycle and start again with your problem again. Pittsburg, being a small is wanting to move forward During this time a new vision took place. Imagine 2030, this vision Housing, economic the infrastructure, Now utilizing this process, Pittsburg is on a brand We solved some of our own problems with cats not having check it out. The cats having no toys around the house was our problem.

We sat around, talked about it, and decided that we're Once we talked about what we wanted to do, we decided on our final solution. The last step was to make a prototype. Now it's your turn. See what else you can solve by using the Engineering Design Process. Until next time, be kind everyone. - Isn't is incredible can completely transform and revitalize a community? I wonder how your community is looking to innovate and how your own creative thinking can play a role in that? Now, let's head back out on the yellow brick road, towards Olathe where Mrs. Hillman, will show us how wonder to creativity and innovation. Then, we'll visit with to see how mathematicians use creativity in the problem solving - Hey, Kansas scholars. Today we're gonna be studying We're gonna put both to work,

We are going to create a mini journal, that we can place into our larger journal and there we're gonna notice to get our creative juices flowing, right here in a backyard. Today we're gonna use innovation that will make my natural world and also my human community, a little bit better. Shout out to an attitude of gratitude. Let's get to work. - [Mrs. Hillman] Creativity, the act or capability of creating or conceiving or unusual in a situation. Ways to be creative. Remember to be authentic, original, and even unusual. To be creative, I want you to notice and wonder. The way to do this, make lists, carry a notebook, limit your technology, be open, listen to music, listening quiet, meditate, surround yourself with creative people, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Go somewhere new,

take breaks and just come back to it. Take risks, don't give up. Innovation is the implementation of something new putting To be an innovative thinker, be open to new ideas, be curious, step outside your comfort zone, actively listen and research, embrace diversity, appreciate others unique qualities, practice empathy, and put those ideas, concepts, and prototypes to work. In that journal, I listed several ways that I Three things stood out. One, the amount of birds in our backyard, and what types they were. Second of all, these reusable, recyclable bottles, we have several in our house. Ah, and third, my neighbors.

I need to make sure I have and give back to my neighbors. This was the perfect way to have those ideas come together. That's right, birds, bottles, an attitude of gratitude to design a great innovation. Take a look at what we decided. And here's how those bird feeder water (gentle music) And here is our final implementation

of our innovative idea. It's the perfect time for Let's go ahead and deliver Creativity and innovation, we were able to implement Scholars, science is everywhere! And even in our backyard. Until next time. - Hey, everybody. Mrs. Bowden here from Andover, Kansas. When people think of creativity, they don't always think of math. Creativity doesn't always have to involve colorful arts and crafts. - [Mrs. Bowden] Did you is a crucial part of mathematics? Creativity is embedded in problem solving. As mathematicians, we have to be creative in finding new ways to approach and solve problems. In mathematics, we use creativity to find multiple methods that work best for your brain. Sometimes collaborating

Think of the power of multiple minds working together towards one goal. Problem solving isn't always easy. It challenges us. It can be frustrating, It's important that when things start to get difficult, we acknowledge how we are feeling and make sure we safely get back to a state of progressing Emotions and feelings are all part of the learning process. Creative questions often lead us closer to the final destination. Creativity makes us wonder why or how something works. Being brave to ask questions and to reflect on the result can advance your solution findings. Sometimes along the way, we make mistakes. Mistakes allow us to look at our situation from a different angle and start to get closer to our final We can learn from what we've done wrong to move us forward.

I like to call this failing forward. Math helps us create while completing everyday such as cooking, counting, building or playing music. I am often times inspired by the stories that numbers tell which allow me to brainstorm and create a positive change. Next time you encounter a problem, use your problem solving skills, keep a positive mindset and Until next time. - [Narrator] Hey parents, with Kansas school buildings closed, and homes being turned into classrooms, parents and caregivers in their students' learning. This is a new experience for most of us. So let's show one another a little grace when you and your students start to feel overwhelmed or stressed. Take a break. It's really okay. Keeping students interested and engaged in learning is the key to success. Remember you have an entire community of fellow caregivers Reach out, together Kansans can. - Welcome back to learning across Kansas.

I'm your host, Mrs. Smoke. Did you know that in the book, the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy didn't wear Ruby slippers? She actually wore silver shoes. And these were symbols to show the value of silver in early 20th century America. Author Frank Baum was a collector of antique silver, and he wrote in his original book, "That the silver shoes and they would change size by shrinking or stretching perfectly Now that is creative thinking. Next, let's travel through more innovation in Kansas history with Mr. Barikmo, and discuss story telling (Mrs. Smoke whispering) You'll need a sheet of paper for Mr. Wolf's story, so grab one now if you have it. ♪ I know there must be somethin' better. ♪ Oh, hey there, everybody. You might have recognized that, that was, In the City from Joe Walsh. A Kansas native born in Wichita, Kansas and wonderful example of

What we have here in Kansas is absolutely amazing in terms of our history. You can look at music and see people from Joe Walsh to Janelle Monae. We've also got some great innovators like Omar Knedlik. And he was the man who invented the Icee. Coffeyville, Kansas, Dairy Queen owner didn't have a soda machine so he did his own thing and invented his own drink. Now people love that Let's learn about some more creative and innovative thinkers Working here in Bailey Hall in 1905, Hamilton Cady and David McFarland discovered significant amounts of helium in a natural gas sample This discovery was so significant in the science community we thought that helium was rare on earth but abundant in the sun. The fact that it was discovered in huge quantities here in Kansas and on the Great Plains for farmers and miners across the area.

- [Mr. Barikmo] The discovery of helium is a wonderful example of what we might call If we take a look at helium as an example, it's used today in military uses, hospital treatments, MRI machines, fiber optics, computer chips, microchips, welding, air bags, and when we look at the multiplier effect, that one piece of that one industry and that one invention, then ripples out all the Making the economy grow and making that innovation There are so many great examples of Kansas innovators Charlie Bird Parker from George Washington Carver, Ness County, Kansas, and the first inventors of the helicopter, William Purvis and Charles Wilson out in Goodland, Kansas. But one of the most famous Kansans. In the winter of 1891, Dr. Naismith was charged that would keep his young male students

from tackling and becoming too physical during gym classes at the YMCA. His 13 simple rules for basketball named after the beech baskets would become a classic American sport. He came to the University and began the story University of Kansas basketball program as his first coach and athletic director. Even though he was the only coach in KU basketball history he put Kansas and the Jayhawks on the map and set up a legacy of success in college basketball. Necessity is the mother of invention, and together with this he made it a powerful impact on Kansas, our nation, and the world. - Creativity and English language arts. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Like Mork and Mindy. Like bacon and eggs. Like butter and popcorn. Creativity lives within communication,

the writing and the reading of ideas and texts and today I hope to of origami paired with a narrative story and with a little sprinkle Let's get started. (cartoon laughing) You need an 8.5 X 11 piece What you're gonna do in half first and listen to this story. Once upon a time, there And Brad collected T-shirts. And anywhere he would go, he would get a souvenir t-shirt. So if his family went what would Brad pick out for a souvenir? Yup, a t-shirt. Fold it in so you can have two triangles like this and the opening is still And Brad wanted all of these t-shirts so that he could have one of his friends sew him up a t-shirt quilt to represent all of the places that Brad had been. This time you're gonna and do the same thing for the second one.

And one day for his birthday, Brad's dad, got Brad a sailor's hat and he said, "Ahoy, Brad. We are going to go sailing." Brad put that sailor's hat on and said, "Dad, this is awesome, it's a little too big And Brad's dad said, "Wait, but there's So he keeps on looking around. This time you're gonna you're gonna make it a square, and fold it like so. And then the bottom comes out like this and you're going to fold the first part up and the second part up so you have a smaller sailor's hat. And Brad found a smaller sailor's hat just his size right in that package, and he's like, "Dad, yes. and Brad's dad says, and Brad thought about it and he said, "Well grandpa's 80 years old. I don't know if he wants to go sailing but I'll ask him."

So they went over to "Granps, we know that you're 80 but do you want to go sailing with us, like pirates?" And grandpa said, "Aye, matey." (Cymbals clanging) Anyway, back to Brad. He went to, got his hat on, and they got a canoe, and they went to a lake, and they got matching T-shirts for Brad's souvenir collection and if you take your little sailor's hat and pull it out, the ends like this, just pull what you have, and they went sailing, just Brad and his dad on the little river, and they got a little ahead of themselves, and they hit a rock. And it busted off, and you can rip off the tip of your boat. Their boat spun around and and it ripped that part off. Rip that off. And then it came out of control

and went down to the bottom. The little top on your And they were drowning but and both Brad and his dad could swim and they were wearing life jackets and so the onlooker that could swim and the emergency help came first thing that they found if you open up your piece of paper, you'll see the very first thing they found was this t-shirt. [Kids] Yay! Put in your journals this week, write a resolution, an what happens to Brad and his dad? What happens to the t-shirt? Be creative. - Now that we've been talking creativity across the curriculum, we're gonna give you a couple of innovative thinking challenges. First up is Coach Martinez in Dodge City, and then Counselor Shrader in Meriden. Take it away coach. Hello, Kansas. I don't think we need to be reminded of the interesting times and the challenges that come with it. We see it every time we turn on the TV.

It's in everybody's topic of conversation. But let's address the elephant The quarantine due to the Coronavirus. Most of us are facing many changes, and as we navigate through our new normal, we may have to get creative on how we go about doing our daily lives. Which brings me to my next question. Where can our creativity and our spirit of innovation take us? How far are we willing to let it push us? I'm confident we can meet that challenge. Follow me. And as we remain indoors, our physical activity has but I can't go outside. I can't even go play with my friends. So what do I do? (upbeat music) For today's activity, we will be concentrating on high interval training or HIIT for short. High knees, push ups, sit ups, and planks.

And there you have it my friends. Feel free to play around with any of the movement combinations that we just covered. As long as you're being creativity, getting your blood flowing, getting some physical activity. Here's a challenge, how Can you come up with your own workout? Can you invite your mom and dad? That is a challenge. See you on the flip side, Kansas. - I hope after watching today's episode, you have been inspired to get out there and try some new ideas. We saw so many examples of people who got out of their comfort zone and pursued their passions with creativity and innovation. All of these inspiring about one of my favorite "What do you do with an idea?" Written by Kobi Yamata and illustrated by Mae Besom. This book tells the compelling story of a boy who has an idea. However, he doesn't shout it

from the hilltops with pride immediately. In fact, there's a point in his story where he admits that he tries to run away from his idea because others may think Even though he says the when it was around. For some bursting through the door with your new idea is easy, as some are just naturally confident. Others might try to be in the book I just talked about and keep your ideas secret or even try to run away from it. During times like these, it's so important to have confidence. The phrase self-efficacy is often used when talking about confidence. Simply put, self-efficacy and research shows that self-efficacy is one of the biggest predictors of whether a person will So in other words, the more you believe in yourself, the higher the chance that you will be successful. One way to increase those odds is to change the way you talk to yourself.

Your internal monologue or your self talk is happening all day every day. I want you to think for a minute. When you walk into the gym or on the field for a big game or sit down to take a test, or you walk in the room to have that important what do you usually say to yourself? Is it positive or is it negative? Positive self talk is just one way to increase your self-efficacy and boost your confidence. Henry Ford once said, or you think you can't - you're right." Your attitude and self talk play a strong role in your success. Oh, and remember that book I talked about earlier? You know what that boy did with his idea? He changed the world. - Creativity and innovation. Just two of the great characteristics to help make Kansas move forward. No, it doesn't take a to help us find our way in the future. Just like Dorothy discovered that she had the power so do you, my friends.

It's you who will help education, agriculture and technology. Yes, it's you who we think of when we say there's no place like home. That's our show for today. I hope you've enjoyed across the yellow brick road of Kansas. Learning across Kansas between the Kansas State and the Kansas Public Until next time scholars. Keep innovating and creating. (lively music)