System Dynamics Activities Adapted from The Systems Thinking ...

Mind GroovingExercise IIIOak, Joke, CroakGrade level: 5Lesson outcomes: Enhance students’ ability to better understand their ownthinking processes.Raise student awareness on how often automatic thought processes can obstructlearning, communication, and systems thinking.Integration area(s): This activity could be used during the first week ofschool to focus students on what mental models are.Preparation: See The Systems Thinking Playbook, pages 13-14, for detailedinstructions.Closure/Debrief: Although students may not answer exactly as the booksuggests, there will likely be a large number who will. If the students have asimilar response a discussion may follow as to why this has occurred. If theactivity does not go as planned, a discussion may still follow that describes whatusually happens and why the students didn’t give the typical response (ie. theirminds may not be as deeply grooved as an adult, or grooved differently in thatthey are not part of the same generation).Resources: The Systems Thinking Playbook, By Linda Booth©1995 by Linda Booth6