Introduction
Throughout this T.H.I.N.K. project web site the majority of other pages include a menu bar down the left side of the page which provides an overview of topics, including activities, that are designed mainly to meet the needs of students. One might suggest that these menu links are similar to the pages that a student would see in her/his textbook. On the other hand, this specific, "Teacher Notes" page (without its menu bar on the left) would be similar to any supplementary resource guide that might accompany a student textbook. This current page, specifically aimed at teachers and support staff, will parallel the student pages but will provide additional teaching strategies and information to assist staff in running the T.H.I.N.K. project.

It is recommended that support staff print this "Teacher Notes" page as a ready reference tool and read it thoroughly. During last year's T.H.I.N.K. project, concerns, effective strategies and additional resources were added to this web site to assist other captains (teachers). For those staff wishing to use this resource on-line, the following "Table of Contents" has been prepared, with hyper-links to specific areas, to assist one in gaining information more quickly.

Table of Contents

Why would a teacher want to try T.H.I.N.K?
This activity has a tight curriculum fit within the Grade 4 Social Studies and Mathematics areas. In particular, the Shape and Space (Transformations) unit recommends the following specific outcomes which students will meet during this T.H.I.N.K. project: 

Furthermore this T.H.I.N.K. activity provides an easy-entry into using the Internet. As a minimum, a class who participates in the T.H.I.N.K. activity will need a single computer with access to the Internet and familiarity with an e-mail package. Activity treasure "maps" will be acquired over the Internet and can be printed for the class using Windows PC Paint/Paintbrush software (or ClarisWorks in the Macintosh environment) and strategies for finding the treasure will be shared with three other classes via simple e-mail in order that a team of four can collaborate to find the hidden treasure.

How much T.H.I.N.K. time is needed?
The entire project is designed around six lessons or activity sessions. Although it might be possible to run it over a single week span, this would put a great deal of pressure on individual teachers to meet strict daily deadlines which might not be easy with all the additional responsibilities required during the average teaching day.   For this reason, the T.H.I.N.K project is set up to run for approximately 2.5  six-school-day cycles, with each of the six activities requiring completion within a two or three school day period. This should provide adequate time for all educators and their students to download maps, send and receive e-mail and be ready for the next activity every second or third school day as scheduled.

Overview & Summary of Activity Deadlines:
This T.H.I.N.K. project will begin on Thursday, January 18 and run for approximately three weeks with new activities being conducted every two or three days. All six activities may not necessarily be revealed at the start but will be introduced on a day-by-day basis. The procedure of introducing each activity based on the dates specified will ensure that no one works too far ahead and then has to wait for team-mates, who adhere to the alternating class schedule, to catch up.  It is imperative, with cooperating and collaborating classes, that every effort is made to stay on schedule as noted below:

Activity #1 - Friday & Monday, January 18 & 21 (Days 1 & 2 )
Teachers will use an Internet browser to print out and/or download a simple treasure map "warm-up" activity. The activities have been designed to allow teachers to download and save the bit-mapped picture (bmp) files for use with students using the Paint/Paintbrush software. However, some teachers may feel more comfortable duplicating the map(s) for each class member and have the students work through the exercise as a pencil and paper activity. These two approaches are explored in more detail below.

Download Files Approach
All map images and activities can be printed for reference using either the Internet Explorer or the Netscape browser. Teachers wishing to download such resources can click on the underlined link (e.g. activity1.bmp) to start the download process.   Due to the locking software settings in our labs, some teachers in the Winnipeg School Division using Internet Explorer may get the following error "Security Alert - Your current security settings do not allow this file to be downloaded." If this message appears, the simplest solution is to use the Netscape browser for the duration of this T.H.I.N.K. project.

Once the download process starts, the teacher will be prompted to either "Open" this file or "Save" it. Select the "Save" option and determine where you wish to transfer the file. Perhaps you might want to save it to a local hard drive in a directory such as:
    C:\DOWNLOAD\THINK
or save it to a floppy disk such as A:\.  However, remember to use a new diskette for each download, since individual bit-mapped files may take up to half the capacity of a single diskette.

It is rare, but sometimes when a person tries to use Internet Explorer to download a bit-mapped file (like activity1.bmp) some workstations in our Division might try to interpret the file as a QuickTime file due to incorrect file association. If you click on the map link (for example, activity1.bmp) and get an image that looks like torn piece of movie film, indicating an incorrect file association, you will need to use an alternative process to download the image. To download properly, "right - click" (using the "properties" button of the mouse) on the activity1.bmp underlined link. Next select the "Save Target As .." with the left mouse button and save the bit-mapped "activity.bmp" to either your hard drive or floppy disk as described in the paragraph above. 

Once the bit-mapped file (.BMP) has been downloaded, it can be opened in Paint/Paintbrush to verify that the transfer was successful. Teachers may then decide how they wish to share this file so that all students can gain access. Those using a network may place the file (and other T.H.I.N.K. activities) on a server for distribution to all student workstations. Others may wish to share such files by duplicating diskettes.

Students can now load the appropriate bit-mapped picture (bmp) file into Windows Paint/Paintbrush software or Macintosh software such as ClarisWorks which can read bit-mapped files. Student crew members should follow the directions and copy and paste the icons on the map as indicated using the 8 basic compass directions of north, north-west, north-east, west, east, south, south-west and south-east. Unless otherwise specified in this and other maps, an object always shares a boundary (be it a side or a corner) with its associated image. For example, "The forest fire burns SOUTH of the castle" means that the forest fire is in the cell immediately adjacent to (or touching) the castle on the SOUTH side.  Likewise "Parking is located SOUTH-EAST of the castle" means the castle and the parking symbol are in cells or squares that share a common corner.  It may be beneficial for captains (teachers) to print and duplicate copies of the activity so that crew members (students) can see all the icons on the page without having to cycle up and down through the Paint/Paintbrush window on the computer. Captains may wish to introduce a coordinate system using columns and rows to identify specific grid locations.

Paper and Pencil Approach
Many teachers will find it beneficial to print up an activity (or map) through the browser as a reference guide. Some teachers may prefer to duplicate copies of the activity map for each student. Students may then wish to cut-out the image/icons from the bottom of the activity and paste them as directed on the appropriate map coordinates.

Activity #2 - Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday January 22, 23 & 24 (Days 3, 4 & 5)
Pirate captains, wishing to check the answers to Activity #1, will be e-mailed the address of a web page of the solution.  Activity #2 is similar to the previous one except each of the registered classes will get their own specific, colour-coded island map which they will work with (in a confidential manner) for the remainder of the T.H.I.N.K. project. Each island captain (teacher) will be provided a unique Username (such as "thinknw", "thinkne", "thinksw" or "thinkse" without quotes) and a confidential Password which will only permit one to see his/her own island map. These Usernames and Passwords will only be e-mailed to captains just prior to the time that Activity #2 is scheduled (see above) in order to ensure that all team members are working at the same pace.

Before captains proceed with Activity #2, they must check their e-mail in order to receive their confidential Username and Password.  When each captain clicks on his/her appropriate colour-coded island neighbourhood link in Activity #2, a security window (similar to the one shown) is presented.  For example, if you had been assigned to the North-West island, and clicked on the North-West link (off the Activity #2 web page), you would be asked for your confidential Username and Password. Note that the Username is displayed as entered but the Password will be shown as asterisks for security purposes.

If the Username and Password are entered correctly for the appropriate island, the captain will be shown a unique Activity #2 with a matching colour-coded banner entitled "Mapping your island". This activity can be printed and the bit-mapped file can be downloaded (following the previous directions). Like the previous "warm-up" exercise in Activity #1, students will copy and paste "tokens" into specified grid locations in their neighbourhood based on directions in relation to the two bridges in their neighbourhood. Whether the teacher decides to download this file and distribute it as a Paint/Paintbrush file to all students or print the activity and have the class complete their island neighbourhood map as a pencil and paper activity is a local decision. Regardless, students are encouraged to map out their island and to keep a copy of the completed map or file as the remaining treasure hunt and collaborative activities will  be based upon this completed map from Activity #2.

Activity #3 - Friday, Monday & Tuesday January 25, 28 & 29 (Days 6, 1 & 2)
This activity begins the collaborative process of sending information between island captains (teachers) using e-mail. This lesson is based on the unique island map which the class completed as part of Activity #2.  Make certain all students are in agreement with the position of the images on their island before proceeding. Each class must determine a common set of directions which would help a "stranger" on their neighbourhood/island travel from one bridge to the other bridge making certain to avoid any "obstacles" using only the directions north, west, east and south. Diagonal moves (such as north-east or south-west) are not allowed during this phase. In addition, a second set of commands or route must be decided upon which will return the "stranger" from the second bridge to the initial bridge without following the the exact same route in reverse. Captains need to explain to their crews that travel directions do not need to approach, or exit the bridge from/to the square directly in front. In fact, if crew members study the sample map shown in Activity 3, it will be clear that ROUTE 1 exits immediately NORTH rather than exiting straight off the bridge in a westerly direction.

Once the two navigational routes (using the codes illustrated in the example map shown in Activity #3) between your two neighbourhood bridges and the return route have been agreed upon, you must e-mail the captain (teacher) of your two adjacent islands as determined by the treasure hunt team island allocation.

As indicated in Activity #3, communication must only be made with the two adjacent island captains. A technique which might help students identify adjacent islands is to ask them to name their own island and then the adjacent islands are ones which share one of their directional names. For example, if they are located on the NORTH-WEST island, they may ONLY e-mail the captain of: NORTH-east and south-WEST islands. Since the "south-east" has no common terms with their own island name, then it is the diagonally opposite island and there must be no e-mail communication with the captain (teacher) from the "south-east". Similarly, a team on the SOUTH-EAST island can only e-mail the SOUTH-west and north-EAST adjacent islands and must avoid e-mailing the "north-west" diagonally opposite island.

During Activity #3 & #4, captains are to engage their crews in a problem-solving exercise which asks the students to see if they can determine where the two bridges are located in the diagonally-opposite neighbourhood without communicating with anyone from this neighbourhood island. In order to help the problem solving exercise, each captain must send the two travel instruction routes between the bridges on their neighbourhood/island to ONLY the two adjacent neighbourhoods via e-mail.

Captains may wish to download or print the city grid worksheet to help students visualize the task.

Students might begin by marking where the two bridges are on their own colour-coded island. Others may wish to indicate where the objects were placed on their island as part of the completed Activity #2.

Students wishing a challenge may want to start/launch two applications of Paint/Paintbrush. Open this city grid bit-mapped file in one application and their completed island map (from Activity #2) in the other. Have students copy the map icons from the Activity #2 in one application and paste them in the correct grid locations on their corner island of the city map grid.

Using the city grid worksheet , teachers should reinforce the coordinate system by asking students questions similar to the following:

Students should review the example map shown as part of Activity #3 and analyze if the two routes indicated are correct. Next they must agree on two routes to navigate between the two bridges on their own island and e-mail this information to the two adjacent captains (teachers) who represent islands that are directly linked by bridges from their own island.

Perhaps an example will clarify the process. Assume our class occupies the SOUTH-WEST island shown below:

Our class agrees that the two navigational routes that links our two bridges are:

ROUTE 1: N2, W1, N1, W3 and ROUTE 2: S2, W1, S2, E1, S1, E4, N2

Since we occupy the SOUTH-WEST island, we must send e-mail containing the above two routes to our adjacent neighbouring islands of north-WEST and SOUTH-east. A sample e-mail message might look like the one which follows.

Please note that although this sample was created using Eudora, please use any e-mail software package with which you feel comfortable.

Although this sample e-mail is being sent from the SOUTH-WEST to the north-WEST adjacent island, there must also be a corresponding e-mail message sent to the captain (teacher) of the SOUTH-east adjacent island as well.

Make certain that you address your e-mail messages accurately by checking your adjacent e-mail captains' addresses from the treasure hunt team page.

Last but not least, engage your students so that they write using their "pirate vocabulary" to add a little mystery to the activity.

To complete Activity #3, send off the two e-mail messages to the captains (teachers) of your adjacent islands and check your mail on a regular basis over this three day period to see when you receive your two navigation routes between the bridges from your two neighbouring adjacent island neighbourhoods.

Activity #4 - Wednesday, Thursday & Friday January 30, 31 & February 1 (Days 3, 4 & 5)
Once your neighbourhood receives the two sets of navigation paths between the bridges from each of  the two adjacent neighbourhoods, share these routes with your students making certain they are aware of which routes pertain to which islands. Teachers may wish to download or print out the city grid worksheet and distribute it to students so they can begin to map out where they think the bridges are located in their adjacent neighbourhoods and ultimately the entire city (of four neighbourhoods).  If you assume the bridges link directly straight across to adjacent cells in adjacent neighbourhoods, students may be able to work collaboratively to map out where all the 8 bridges are located in their combined city.

Introduce students to a new coordinate system (as illustrated on the city grid worksheet) which labels the columns of the entire city across the top with the letters A, B, C, D, E .... L.  Likewise the city rows are indicated down the west side beginning in the top north-west corner with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 12.

Ask students if they can determine any common attributes about all bridge coordinate locations. For example, if the bridges are located on the inside perimeters of all islands, then the common columns must be F or G and the common rows must be 6 or 7.

If you wish to challenge some students, have them launch the Paint/Paintbrush application and load their completed Activity #2 map with the icons placed as requested. Next have them start a second copy of Paint/Paintbrush in which the city grid worksheet bit-mapped file is opened.  Have the students copy the images from the Activity #2 file in the first Paint/Paintbrush application and paste them in the appropriate coordinate map locations on the city map worksheet file in the second Paint/Paintbrush application.

Following the steps outlined in Activity #4, students should be able to problem solve to determine where the nearer and farther bridges are located in both adjacent island neighbourhoods.

Based on this new grid system ask the class to identify the grid location coordinates (e.g. F4, J6, A7 etc.) of the 8 bridges in the larger city.

One should find the appropriate e-mail addresses of the diagonally opposite captain by checking out the e-mail addresses on the Teams web page. Using "pirate lingo", e-mail the captain (teacher) of the neighbourhood diagonally opposite providing the two grid locations where your class hypothesizes that the two bridges are located in this neighbourhood.  If you are incorrect, ask the captain (teacher) to provide feedback as to the correct locations of the two bridges. A sample e-mail message might look something like the following:

If your e-mail software package supports signature files (which are like business cards attached to the bottom of e-mail messages) and time permits, students looking for a challenge might like to design a pirate-type signature file (using only the characters on a conventional keyboard).

Not only must you, as captain, e-mail your teams guesses to the captain in the diagonally opposite island, you must also provide feedback to this captain's crew who will be e-mailing you their guess as to where the two bridges are located in your neighbourhood.

Activity #5 - Monday & Tuesday, February 4 & 5 (Days 6 & 1)
In preparation for the collaborative treasure hunt activity in which all four team members must share coordinate information as they locate the buried treasure where "X marks the spot", this activity provides a "mini-dig" where pirate crews are challenged to find a potential treasure site on their own island.

Activity #5 begins with the activity coordinator sending out an e-mail message to each captain advising them o mark off their island coordinates (as completed in Activity #2) with columns named U, V, W ... Z across and rows named 21, 22, 23 ... 26 FOR ONLY THIS ACTIVITY.  In addition, specific instructions will be sent to each pirate captain indicating that the CENTRES of four icons on their island map should be joined to form a cross. At the intersection of these lines (where "X marks the spot)  is where the "mini-treasure" is to be found. 

Pirate crews are advised to pencil in the coordinates on their island map from Activity #2 as directed. Using a straight edge, each pirate should draw two straight pencil lines joining the CENTRES of the icons specified to form an intersection point. Where "X marks the spot" (or the intersection point) is the location of the treasure. Captains should get a consensus from their pirate crew and e-mail the activity coordinator with the location of the treasure on their own island (e.g. V21, X26 or Y23) . In this case, the pirate captain would send e-mail off identifying the island and that the crew believes the buried treasure is located in grid location X23. Once the e-mail is received, the activity coordinator will respond indicating if they are digging in the right area.

Make certain that all pirate teams adhere to the deadlines in Activity #5. True the final activity does use a similar "X marks the spot" process but the last activity does not have this activity as a necessary prerequisite. Rather it will challenge all island team members to collaborate in a race to determine where the pirate's buried treasure is located. Since all team members hold valuable information about where the treasure is located, it is important that all team members be ready to go on the very first date of the start of the next activity. If one falls behind now, it is better to skip over portions of the current activity to be operational for the start of the final activity.

Activity #6 - Wednesday & Thursday, February 6 & 7 (Days 2 & 3)
An e-mail message will be sent to all captains early on the starting date of this activity. It will ask all competitors to collaborate by sharing with their three neighbourhood captains, the grid location of a specified image on their specific island map as completed during Activity 2.  Once all captains have received e-mail and can locate the coordinates of the specified common image on all four islands, "X" will mark the spot to the hidden buried treasure.

The sample grid map below illustrates how students can collaborate using e-mail to locate the coordinates with collaboration from their three neighbouring island teams. For example, suppose the common image is the bell and through the use of e-mail all captains share where the bell is located on their own island. Eventually all captains, in this example, will learn that the bells are located on grid coordinates A2, G1, A8 & K12.

Student navigators will be asked to place a point in the middle of each of these grid coordinates on the city grid worksheet and then join the two points using a straight line between the diagonally opposite neighbourhoods. The common image location on the NORTH-WEST island will be joined to its corresponding grid coordinate on the SOUTH-EAST island. Likewise the two identified coordinates on the NORTH-EAST and SOUTH-WEST island will be joined as illustrated.

As in all pirate tales "X marks the spot".  The coordinate which falls beneath the location where the two lines intersect, in this example D5 marks where the treasure is buried.

Buccaneer Billboard - To complete the T.H.I.N.K. activity, the Captain of the first island team to e-mail "Buccaneer Brian", the T.H.I.N.K. activity coordinator at (think@wsd1.org) with the exact coordinate of the correct treasure will be declared the winning team and their school names and their three collaborating team-mates will be displayed on this web site for all to see. Ranking of successful pirate teams will be based on the time and date stamp of the e-mail server so make certain that each island captain sends an e-mail message with "Pirate treasure found" in the subject area to register the success of each of the collaborating teams.

Pirate's Parchment - Teachers may wish to print up a participation certificate for each of their students. In order to facilitate a quicker download of the certificate, it is recommended that teachers simply select the "parchment" link from the navigation menu, and then use the browser's print option to transfer the certificate to paper. Teachers may then duplicate the certificate as required, fill in each student's name and sign above the "Captain's Signature" entry.

Register | T.H.I.N.K. | Maps | Teams |  Teacher Notes | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3
Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6 | Billboard | Parchment| Potpourri | Feedback