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While following the voyage of the Concordia, try some
of these fun family activities at home
Day 15 of Concordia's Voyage Interview an older family member about a task he or she does that involves working in a group. Ask for examples of effective leadership and teamwork observed in their workplace. Also discuss with them the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups.
Day 31...Ask family members and neighbors about boats. What kinds of boats have they been on? Did the boats use energy from the wind? If not, did they use oars, paddles, or a motor? Which boat did they like best and why?
Day 44...When building a sailing vessel, a team of experts work together and must make difficult decisions about how to design the vessel, the types of materials needed, and how to manage the construction process.
Suggest to your family that you all construct something that can be of use around the house, such as a bookshelf. Responsibility for the construction project should be shared by all family members. Start with a design meeting, draw plans, and manage the construction process with regular meetings.
Day 58...Think of what the expression "on an even keel" means in sailing (directionally stable, not drifting). This expression is often used in daily life. Interview a number of people and ask them to give examples of situations in which they might use the expression "on an even keel." For example, when the holidays are over, our lives are back on an even keel.
Day 70...Demonstrate to your family what you have learned about the stability of sailboats by completing the following exercise. (Remember stability is the property of an object that results in the tendency of the object to remain in its original position or to return to its original position after its balance has been disturbed.)
Begin by floating a quart milk or juice container in the kitchen sink and try to make it stay upright. Add weight to the container to make it stay upright. You can also turn the container and float it on its longer side. Figure out with the help of family members, which method makes the container more stable. Now, brainstorm with your family a list of household devices and structures that demonstrate stability.
Day 86...Like the students, staff, and professional crew of Concordia, both large and small businesses use the team approach. Look in various sections of the newspaper to find articles about businesses that have employees who work as a team. Can you find any mention of businesses that attribute their success to teamwork? Can you locate articles that describe business problems due to lack of teamwork? Name some of the places besides on ships and in businesses where teamwork is important to success.
Day 98...People who direct a business or team are sometimes described as being "at the helm." With the help of family members, search in the newspapers or magazines to find examples of this phrase being used in an article. While searching, did you find any other nautical terms used by reporters in the articles? If so, list those references. If not, rewrite a part of am article and include some sailing language.
Day 107...The next continent that Concordia and her crew will visit is Asia. Over the next few weeks, search newspapers, magazines, and the Internet for articles covering current events in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Read and discuss these articles with a family member
Day 120...Investigate with family members other means of transportation, besides boats, that are streamlined such as cars, planes, and trains. Explore the benefits of steamlining, such as saving fuel. Display information about streamlined vehicles collected.
Day 137...Obtain a copy of Concordia's revised Spring 1997 schedule of port stops from your teacher. with a family member see if you can locate on a world map all the places Concordia and her adventuresome crew will visit.
Day 145...Visit a local aquarium with your family to see an amazing variety of marine life. Be sure to visit tidal zone exhibits, coral reef displays, and any deep sea dwellers. (Do not expect to find many open sea animals on display. Most are too big or too fast to be kept in captivity.)
Day 157...In the coming months, Class Afloat students will have the opportunity to visit many faraway lands. Has anyone from your family or neighborhood visited any of these places Concordia is scheduled to stop? If so, interview that person who traveled internationally to find out more about their experience. Your interview questions might include: Where did you visit? Why? What historical sites did you visit? What did you like best? What did you like least?
Day 171...Talk with your parents about natural phenomena involving wind or waves—tornadoes, hurricanes or tidal waves, for example—that they or anyone they know have experienced. Discuss with them the appropriate safety precautions that are taken in those situations.
Day 185...Petroleum is used in many of the products we use everyday. Which items from the following list—vehicles, medicines, fertilizers, plastics, building materials, paints, clothes—can you find in your home. Can you think of any other products that are made from petroleum? Visit the library to find out more about petroleum.
Day 200...While passing through the Suez Canal, the Class Afloat students were asked to take very short showers or not shower at all to conserve water. They had to be especially careful at that time with their water because the water supply onboard was lower than usual. From this experience, the Class Afloat students learned to use their water wisely.
In your home, have you ever been without water for a few hours or days? What adjustments did you have to make in your day? Keep a journal of the water you use at home for one week. At the end of the week, think of 5 ways that you can save water. Share these ideas with your family.
Day 214...As the journal entries of this issue indicate, the Class Afloat students are observing many new cultures. Discuss the culture of your family with a parent. What customs, ceremonies, and traditions are particular to your family? Describe one.