Mental+Edge+2

media type="custom" key="9811601" toc =What is Caring Thinking?=

GKP recognises 4 areas of caring thinking, which comes through research. These areas as defined by GKP and summarised by me, are:

** Valuational thinking **
thinking about what you value in yourself and in others and thinking about your behaviours and attitudes

** Affective thinking **
thinking about your emotions and those of others and knowing about what is right and what is wrong

** Active thinking **
thinking about how to make a difference in the world and doing something about it

** Normative thinking **
thinking about what is real and what is idealistic and to think about realistic dreams and goals to move towards the future

Before being given the above explanations, the kids researched and brainstormed what they think caring thinking means. There were some amazing discussions and debates that occurred when they shared their ideas. Here are the initial ideas of the Northern Wairoa Wednesday class:

Research and Brainstorm
- //David, Logan// || **Why should you care what other people think of you you are who you are and who you wanna be. ** - //Ashlee// || * Caring for the environment and things that live in it - //Quintin//, //Samuel// || * Caring about everyone and anything. //- Jai, Ngarongo, Hawaiki// || - //Timothy//, //Edward// || * Caring for the environment //- Lyrik//, //Phoenix// || * Care for everyone and everything //- Kayley// || * Respectful thinking - //Harriet, Brooklyn// || * Everything is not about you, think about others too! - //Mi// || The kids have now been working on thinking about themselves and what their values are. We are continuing to think about our and how we feel about ourselves.
 * * Caring thinking is thinking of other things that are either left out are sad or are being abused and considering the situation that they are in and taking responsible action to help or prevent it
 * Using thought or rational judgement
 * A combination of love and thought
 * Emotional thinking
 * Letting out your feelings
 * Making sure everyone is included
 * Considering others feelings
 * A combination of thinking about others' feelings and taking action to ensure that others are not left out or are not hurt, even pets and property
 * Knowing what other people are going through
 * -quote from internet ** || * Assisting others when in times of need
 * Thinking about not just yourself
 * Thinking about others before you act
 * Caring for others
 * Thinking about caring
 * Care bears!
 * Thinking before you speak and act
 * Not thinking violent thoughts about others, think nice thoughts about others
 * Donating to the poor
 * Sharing with others
 * Caring means that you will look after someont that you're close to like a family member
 * Thinking about caring is caring about the environment
 * Respect is caring
 * Care about everything around you not just yourself
 * Thinking about caring is about thinking before you act
 * * Being kind
 * Thinking before acting
 * Sharing
 * Listening to others
 * Saying encouraging words
 * Being positive to others
 * Treating others how you want to be treated
 * Putting others first
 * Good attitude towards tasks
 * Not skiting over things
 * Helping others when hurt
 * Involving others in games
 * Not hurting others
 * Not hogging things, eg. the rugby ball
 * Giving others a lift in the car
 * Telling new kids where things are
 * Caring is a loving feeling
 * Feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for others
 * Feeling or showing care and compassion
 * Caring is to show concern or interest for someone or something
 * Caring is looking after family members
 * Respect is caring
 * Thinking is about caring for our environment
 * Care about everything around you, not just yourself
 * Listening and understanding with empathy
 * Being trustworthy and honest
 * Treating others how you would like to be treated
 * Looking after the environment
 * Being the opposite to Hitler
 * Not being selfish
 * Being a good person to people around you and your surroundings
 * Think before you act
 * Bear in mind that some actions can hurt others
 * Thinking about caring
 * Assisting others when they need it
 * Mourning when a relative dies

=Weird Creatures= The kids were given a machine that mixes eggs of different species, then had to create their own creature after thinking about the characteristics of the strange animals.

are some of the wonderful ideas: =Creative Creatures= For this activity the kids had 3 pieces of paper that were different colours. Using the first colour they had to cut out a "head" shape, then with the second colour the shape was a "body" shape and the last colour they had to cut the shape of the lower body.
 * [[image:IMG_0841.JPG width="400" height="148"]] || [[image:IMG_0846.JPG width="240" height="180" align="center" caption="A winged octopus and an ostrupus by Samuel"]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_0847.JPG width="240" height="180" align="center"]] || [[image:IMG_0838.JPG width="400" height="211" caption="The snail-bird, the bail; the fish-bird, the fird."]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_0834.JPG width="320" height="336" align="center"]] || [[image:IMG_0849.JPG width="320" height="287"]] ||

All the heads went into one paper bag, the bodies into another paper bag and the lower body parts into yet another paper bag. They then had to pull out a head, a body and a lower body out of the paper bag but weren't allowed to get their own one back. The last step was to use the body parts to create a "creature". They didn't necessarily have to use the head as the head, but the rule was the body parts could not be altered in any way but things could be added to them or drawn on. The kids had a lot of fun going around to see how others were using the part/s they had cut out initially. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of persistence! Here are the amazing creatures that were created: media type="custom" key="9740702" media type="custom" key="10044841" =The Reactodominopticore= For this activity, the kids were asked to design a new type of technology that had just come onto the market. The reactodominopticore, a made-up name, could be any type of technology. The kids were members of "Deb's design team" and had to convince her that their invention was the best. Once the designs were done, the kids had to convince their group that their design was the most viable to buy. They had to then choose the best design from the group to present to the rest of the class. The kids had to stay in character as a designer and "answer" the questions from their fellow designers. There were, once again, some amazing discussions that took part. I wouldn't like to have these kids critique my designs, as their questions were very technical and deep, in thinking. A really fun activity that required a lot of imagination, critiquing and persistence. There were machines that did your housework for you, a rollercoaster ride for people who hate getting up in the morning, a machine that converts things into anything you want them to be, a hat that reads your emotions and then gives you things like licorice to cheer you up if you need it, a new games machine that you put your hands into to make it work, a new ferris wheel where you sit in a round seat and the "arm" of the ferris wheel throws you to the other arm that catches you (not for the faint-hearted!) and many, many other creative ideas.

**Here are some of the designs and some of the kids presenting their ideas:** =Open Day Mental Edge=
 * media type="custom" key="10044821" || media type="custom" key="9746478" ||

Dear Earth
3rd Planet From The Sun. Milky Way. 0377.
 * Earth.

Hey there stranger, How’ve you been? Feels like I’m standing on the outside looking in, watching all the pollution and devastation rule. What have we done? Death and destruction are taking over. It’s our entire fault.

I really hope you get well soon. That hole in the Ozone Layer can’t be good for you. I’m sorry we haven’t discovered a strong enough bandage to patch that up. Hopefully we will soon. I’m sorry for all the mess we leave behind. Before we know it, everything will turn to chaos.

Could you please do me a favour? I understand you get mad, but please stop sending your tantrums to Christchurch. They have wrecked so much and killed so many. Please stop crying, your tears may be small to you, but they are Tsunami’s for us.

People and Earth together are a deadly combination. We will always fight neck to neck. Hopefully we can make peace, so that we can live in agreement.

Before I leave, I’d like to thank you. You’ve managed to put up with us for a long time. Thank you for your beauty. Thank you for your strength. With a bit of luck we can pay you back.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Tamer Barnes.
( The small New Zealander who wants to make a difference ) || Dear Earth,

You should really call that repair guy on the ozone layer ae, its really screwed, I would really appreciate you doing that so the people in the world wouldn’t die!

Cheers,

Luke.............
Ps. The earthquakes and everything? I don’t think anyone appreciates it, just killng people? I HATE YOU AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM ANGRY, YOU WONT LIKE ME WHEN IM ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!! RAAAAAAAAAAAWR, LIKE A DRAGON!!!!!!!!!!!! ||
 * Dear Earth

I am just writing to ask a few questions about you and your life.

Firstly why did you create an atmosphere?

I know that it is saving my life right now but a lot of people are breaking it. Why don’t you grow some more back? It’s not a present, it’s your skin and skin grows back doesn’t it?

Also how did you create life? We carry on but how did you create Adam and Eve? No one was around when they came. Did they just pop into existence?

Because are you doing this now that will mean you are over populating the world.

Lastly why are you so small we are the laughing stock of the galaxy?

Yours,

Tony
|| Earth 3rd Planet From The Sun, 0655

Kia ora Earth, My name is Danielle and I'm just writing to you to ask a few suspicious questions. First of all, how did you create us? I mean, c'mon! You didn't exactly create everyone, did you?

Are you a girl or a guy? I believe you're both! Mother Nature..... and then there's just the thought of you being a girl. NO! There has to be some guy in you!!

Anyways, serious questions! So..... what was it like when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth? Hazardous, I'm guessing? And Hitler, he was just pathetic!

Is it cool living next door to Venus and Mars? What does the Milky Way look like? Is it fun looking down on the people of the world?

Sorry for asking so many questions out of the blue...but I would REALLY like to know these things!

But before I leave, I have one more question for you....

Do you think that you could reply to this soon?

Yours sincerely

Danielle
A blonde questioner! ||
 * Earth

Hello Earth. I thought to write to you about a few things. One thing I wanted to say was what a wonderful thing you've done with the place. The Earth is a great place to live; everything is ordered beautifully. Lightning especially. How did you think of such detail in the colours of trees and plants? Also, I would like to know what you have in store for the Earth in a couple of years time. Human's pollution has got so bad and I feel terrible what they have done to you and with all the clogging up in our air, New Zealand's sun has been very sharp. There has also been controversy about what sex you are so I thought I might include that in my letter, so what are you?

May I ask you a few more questions because I just want to know; Do you every get dizzy from spinning around all the time? Are you friends with the other planets? Do you approve of what humans have done to the place with all our industrial buildings, or have all the natural disasters been a sign of anger or disapproval? I would really like to know. Do you believe the world will end soon? If so, what will happen after that? Will there be an afterlife after that?

Well thanks for your time. I know you're busy creating landscapes, but I really would appreciate a reply.

Thanks Citizen of Your Creation,

Tania
|| Dear Earth

I love the things you provide on Earth, but could you try to stop some of the after shocks down in Christchurch because it is hurting people and some have died.

Also could you please grow the sugar cane higher and faster cause there is not enough candy and lollies in New Zealand!

Can you make a money tree, cause I'm broke!

Thanks, Earth

Yours sincerely

Kayley
||
 * Dear Earth

Can you please help the sugarcane grow better?

And help stop global warming and pollution and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and tsunamis and cyclones and tornadoes and sandstorms. Please can you drop a big pile of snow in front of our house this winter? That would be so cool!

Love Timothy and Edmund.
PS. Here is $5 which we hope will cover the cost! ||  ||

Books That Would Never Sell

 * How to do Your Hair Like Prince William || How to Kill Someone with Teddybear || How to Break Every Bone in Your Body || Snoopy: An Autobiograpy! || Digitalised, De-Digested Diahorrhea Pictures and Captions || Elephant's Poo and Monkey's Fleas || How to Make a Cup Out of Wool || How Sheep Get to School || How to Make Your Cat Bark || 320 Ways to Boil an Egg ||
 * Boring Old Me || The Big Book of Absolutely Nothing || The Book of Black Pages || Plant a Real Giraffe in Your Garden || How to Teach Your Baby to Rollerskate || Places in New Zealand That Don't Exist || Photographs of the Wedding of Two Ants || 765 Things to do with a Blade of Grass || How to Make Clothes for your Goldfish || How toHave a Picnic in the Middle of the Ocean without a Boat ||

Names I 'm Glad My Parents Didn't Give Me!

 * Burg Gir || Soul Tana || Wai Yu Karm Hia Nao || Bo Gey || Bill Ding Per Met || Weir Haus || Suwain Flu || Herr Derr ||
 * Loff Aut Laud || Fu de Pois Ning || Po Sarm Ting Stenks || Sue Per Mario Brath Hers || Rand Um || Rawr Goes a Dinosaur || Eseand M || =D Lol ||
 * Ugl Yee || I Sea U || Geter Job || Bob Bee || Juju || Face Book || Twi Terr || Ella Phant ||
 * Tim Buck II || Diggery Doo || Albercoret Contruction || Bandepoe Mental || Cathysnickledeny Fish || Deanyis Ripedge || Edjane Priscilla || Gerty Jerm ||
 * Fagika Snellylose || Heinzet Doof || Idiol Greek || Joshuana Stevansy || Krusty Stevonsy || Libbynia Bradersony || Monalisa de Virus || Nickerstorm ||
 * Oliviano Virock || Pandy Pansey || Queenella Royal || Snotnose Goobstop || Beggar Thief || Tiggerpooh Robin || Donkey Kong || Hiacar ||