Sherenden Day 5- Balloon Debate
A balloon debate is something I have not heard of for ages and ages. My sister once did one on primary school… but I never did.
So I set my students the homework task of preparing for a balloon debate.
A balloon debate essentially morphed into reality TV. There are 4 people in a balloon. They are famous folk from the past chosen by the students. The ‘balloon’ is about to crash and as we all know the best way to get a hot air balloon to rise again is to shed some weight… ie. One of the occupants. It is up to the student to choose a famous person and write a persuasive piece to prevent the remainder of the class voting them out of the balloon (and plummeting to their death!)
Anyway, I set this piece of homework and hear are the entries (who would you vote for?):
Hi I’m Alexander Fleming.
I am the famous Scotsman who invented penicillin. Penicillin has saved many peoples lifes and still does now. I believe I should stay in the hot Air Balloon.
Billy T James I should not be thrown out of this hot air balloon because I’m NZ best stand up comedian in NZ
History. Who will be named entertainer of the year or even the decade. I won’t be known for my movies, comic books, or even here my
Singing and funny chuckle. And plus at the age of 43 don’t you think I’m to young to die. If I do get thrown out of this balloon I’d like to leave you with this little joke what do you call a Maori in a river? A blackcurrant also what do you call a pakeha in a river? Whitebait. So make the right decision and throw someone else out.
I think Princess Diana should stay because
· Princess Diana was a peoples Princess
· She was an adoring mother
· She supported red cross
In 1987 when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact Princess Diana sat on the sick bed of a man with aids and held his hand.
Princess Diana used her position of fame and power to give hope and comfort to those whom society too frequently forgets
In the 1980 to the1990s she was the fashion icon.
Born 20/7/1919
Died 11/1/2008
Achievements: First to climb Everest, helping lots of people.
I should be kept in the balloon for if I died there would be no one to build schools and hospitals for the people of Nepal and none to inspire the children of New Zealand. I’m living proof that everyone can do anything if they try.
And where would you find someone as handsome as me to go on the five dollar note!
May I defend my case. Lately I have been working on a way of splitting the atom. Splitting the atom would make a tremendous explosion. It would be useful if we could harness this power and contain it. If we could do that, the next small step would be to aim it and then decide when to make it explode; in other words, making a very powerful bomb. We all know how useful this would be in a war situation. If I were to die here there may never be a chance for such power to be harnessed again. Imagine if another country, larger and stronger invaded and destroyed everything your country had. With my bomb it all could have been stopped. Think about that.
Sir Peter Blake
I think I should stay in the balloon because I was a great adventurer and sailor who was out to protect the environment.
LOL! Jean – Francois gets my vote to stay on board then for sure.
After him it would have to be Alexander Flemming & Edmund Hillary.
What a neat activity. Some great problem based thinking and learning going on here.
Hey this is a great idea, I’ve never heard of it before. Adds a nice authentic inquiry type aspect to the boring projects you see in some classes where kids research a famous NZer just to present the information in a project. I like the idea of doing something with the information like this! Love it… And by the way – how many times you going to go through ERO? Are they following you around the country??