We would like to invite you to join in on an innovative and exciting concept called Rethink the Box. You will be assisting to teach elementary and secondary school aged children to guide them through a problem-based, learning opportunity.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) STEM department will be running two Rethink the Box events this year. This fun-filled event requires grade school kids to use their imagination and skills to convert a box full of standardized materials to create a device that will solve an assigned problem. Much like in the 1995 movie “Apollo 13”, groups of kids will be asked to mimic the NASA scientists who had to devise a strategy to return the spacecraft Apollo 13 to earth safely after it suffered massive internal damage, using only what was available on board. TDSB students will be grouped into teams of 5 along with their teacher. Your role as a partnering engineer student will be to guide your team through their learning process throughout the day. This can be done either in person or through a computer using VROC software. Please let me know if you can attend in person or through the computer for the day, The only preparation required of you prior to our event dates will be to read through a brief information package in order to familiarize yourself with the proceedings. Please visit our website http://www.rethinkthebox.org for a glimpse into our event in previous years.
This year participating schools will be invited by the TDSB and our events will occur on:
Dates: Tuesday, May 9th, 2017 for elementary school students and Thursday, May 11th, 2017 for secondary school students
Time: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Hosting School for 2017: York Mills Collegiate 490 York Mills Road, Toronto.
We hope that you can join us or help us spread the word if you know of a university or college level engineering student who would be interested in attending. Please let us know of your availability to volunteer on one or both of our event dates by responding to the email address: rethinkthebox01@gmail.com. Kindly provide your name, the university or college that you attend, and the email address to one of your engineering professors so that we may verify enrollment.
Thank you!
Rethink the Box Team