Using simple rules specified below, student teams reach consensus on a technology name and on one of the ICE-9 Essential Questions for their group. The name and the Essential Questions have no bearing on any other activities, but serve to focus students on, and connect them to, the concepts to come. Optionally, student teams may be encouraged to reach consensus quickly with the reward of playing the Refrigerator Magnets activity. This consists of browsing a web page that allows words, mostly about technology, on virtual magnets to be dragged with the mouse on to a virtual refrigerator, forming phrases. It is a free form activity that subtly familiarizes students with the vocabulary of technology.
Objectives Learn how to reach consensus in a group.
Read over and discuss the Essential Questions that anchor each of the upcoming lessons in ICE-9. Preparation Consider in what situations, inside the classroom or not, students would benefit from the skill of reaching consensus. To reach consensus, everyone in the group takes a turn making a suggestion. Then the group discusses the suggestions. If there is no agreement on the suggestions, everyone takes another turn making a new suggestion.