CCI-01: Biographicals – they were all kids once!
From Einstein to Escher, Tesla to Twain, Marie Curie to Paul McCartney– they were all kids once. What were the signs of their future achievements in their childhood? What were they like at the age the student is now? What topics really turned them on? What hurdles did they have to overcome? And did they have to work hard? Through exploring the biographies of a range of achievers, later specialising in a particular field of interest, students are not only led to understand the real people behind the names, but the topics which inspired them when they were kids. This is a challenging way to look at biographies, which is designed to be adapted to suit any age group, or as an extension to any subject area. (level: Introductory but can also be done as Medium or Advanced – that is it could be used with gifted students from years 5 to adult! It is very adaptable.)
CCI-02: Fame – Before, During And After
Being famous! Sounds great, doesn’t it? For some it is. For some it isn’t. And for some, they never know – they were dead before their time. This unit asks students to look at the famous, initially from across the disciplines and then in their own area of endeavour. A simple quiz at the start will show some startling results: if they want enduring fame, then the stage and screen aren’t their canvases. Who are their heroes? Why? What are the characteristics which lead to fame? What backgrounds and what struggles? Fame and fortune: are they always bedfellows? And do they deserve fame? This fame stuff isn’t as simple as it seems. (level: Introductory, but done in depth by secondary students, this would be Medium)
CCM-01 The Future Is Cool
Freezing dead people to be revived when they can be cured, is a theme which grabs the attention of students. It is also a wonderful theme for crossing the barriers – it involves all aspects of science as well as the reality of the ethics of putting scientific ideas into practice. Then there is the issue of turning it into a business. This unit asks students to role play part of a new business designed to bring the cryonics industry to Australia. A huge project, students can specialise in the area which best reflects their particular talent area. Then it asks them to evaluate how they approached such a huge topic and made the decisions needed to complete what is possible within a given time limit. (level: Medium)