#4!!!

"In the history of space flight, only four entities have launched a space capsule into orbit and successfully brought it back to earth..."

Who is Elon Musk? Why should you care?



?- What is Entrepreneurship?

?- How close did Space X come to failing?

?- Describe a moment where Elon's resilience played a role in the company persevering with their efforts.

?- Describe a problem that the Space X team overcame.

Game Changer

"Changing the game" is tough. Some of you will have the chance to attempt the equivalent at some point in your careers. Simulating this type of experience via Billy Beane's story is a chance to reflect on the blend of "art" and "science" required to solve the intractable challenge's you may come up against.


Use internet research and class discussion to answer the following questions.


1) What was the “Moneyball”approach that Billy Beane and Peter Brandt applied to the Oakland Athletics 2002 season? Was it an “art” or a “science”? What single statistic did they boil their value consideration down to? (In class research/discussion)


2) What is the equation used to calculate OBP? (In class research/discussion)

3) What is design? (In class research/discussion)

4) Describe 3 situations where movie characters (intentionally or not) applied a step from the PLTW 12 Step Design Process. Explain both the (a) situation as well as (b) how the step is relevant:
1 -

2 -

3 -


5) What is “Leadership”? List the three aspects of leadership that we come up with in class. (In class research/discussion)

1 -
2 -
3 -


6) Describe 3 circumstances from the story where a character exercised effective leadership:
1 -

2 -

3 -



7) According to the movie, what was the A’s record at the start of their winning streak? ___ : ___

8) What does this ratio simplify to (roughly)? ___ : 1

9) How long was the A’s record setting winning streak? ___ games won.

10) Given the A’s win/loss ratio at the start of the streak (listed two questions above), what are the odds of winning 20 games in a row? Run the numbers. (In class research/discussion)


11) Based on your calculation, do you think the A’s got lucky or was there something to the Moneyball approach?


12) Did Billy Beane strictly apply the “science” of Moneyball to his management approach? Was there an “art” to his efforts as well? Describe a circumstance where he broke from the Moneyball approach to make a positive change for the team.






Bonus Question (look into this if you’ve finished ahead of the class):
Money Ball was originally a book. What author wrote the book? What other books has this author written? Is there a theme to his writing?


It's "Oscar Season", will Moneyball win the Oscar for any of the categories it's up for?

Why is an Integrated Circuit on Google Today?

Click through here to find out why people like Steve Jobs looked to Robert Noyce as a mentor.

"Cooperate and Graduate"

We've been spending a lot of time in our Engineering Design sections working on team based technical drawing quizes. Learning to work with colleagues is an important career skill. Here's a clip from tonight's 60 minutes that backs me up.





This is a CBS/60 Minutes video so please excuse any advertisements the player forces you to watch...

Service

It was thoughtful of the PTO to leave a nice Veteran's Day note for me at yesterday's luncheon they put on for all the CHS teachers. Thank you for the thought and also for the excellent food (apparently catered by Sapori if anyone has the chance to eat there).



It is the spirit of service, and the goal of spreading a design thinking mindset, that has me excited about the courses I'm developing to encourage leadership and innovation. I gained great experience as a servant leader in the Army and am happy to have a chance to put these skills to good use again. With any of my efforts teaching, I have the student's best interests at heart.

I had some amazing adventures when I was in the Army 10+ years ago. Here are a few pictures from that era:

LT Olson as "Apache 16": Platoon Leader 1-A-1-4IN


Preparing to depart on a night infiltration. Last minute coordination at the Tactical Operations Center meant I hadn't camoed up yet.


CPT Olson on the left. One day prior to conducting a Motorized Rifle Regement attack (100+ armored vehicles rolling out). Which piece of equipment that I'm carrying is the most important to this dismounted reconnaissance mission?


Despite being an Infantry Officer, I spent *a lot* of time maneuvering combined arms armored units (Tanks + APCs). Don't let the smile fool you, a few days in the snow in a metal box gets cold fast (although I did love this work!)...

"If Today Were the Last Day of My Life...

...would I want to do what what I'm about to do today?"

Promoting technical leadership is at the core of our Creative Problem solver experience. In memory of Steve Jobs, one of the nation's premier innovators, ever, let's hear what some are claiming as the "Gettysburg Address" of commencement speaches:



? - What three things from this talk resonate deepest with you? List each of these and give a breif explanation of why they are meaningful to you.

Character: Grit

Perseverance and continued passion for goals seem to be as important to the achievement of long term success as talent (as measured by grades/test scores). This is an important realization for us as aspiring technical leaders.

So how can we tell where we stand with these qualities of perserverance and long term passion for goals (or in other words, "Grit")?

Angela Duckworth from the University of Pennsylvania has developed a "Grit Scale" to help gain insight on these qualities.

Please complete the following:
• 1) Use a sheet of paper to record your answers to the questions on the Grit Scale (find below).
• 2) Obtain a copy of the evaluation key and evaluate your responses. Annotate your paper with a value for each of your answers. Calculate the average scores as specified for each of the five areas: Grit, Consistency of Interest, Perseverance of Effort, Brief Grit Scale and Ambition.
• 3) Self generate feedback (+, change, ? and !) regarding the test. Specifically: Identify an area where you're strong (+), identify an area where you could improve (change), identify ideas on how you might improve in that area (!) and list a question that you have for yourself (?).
• 4) Turn in your self evaluation when complete. Your score is based on your ability to complete step 2 (average scores) and step 3 (self generate feedback).


Grit Scale
Directions for taking the Grit Scale: Please respond to the following 17 items. Be honest – there are no right or wrong answers!

1. I aim to be the best in the world at what I do.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

2. I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

3. New ideas and projects sometimes distract me from previous ones.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

4. I am ambitious.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

5. My interests change from year to year.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

6. Setbacks don’t discourage me.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

7. I have been obsessed with a certain idea or project for a short time but later lost interest.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

8. I am a hard worker.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

9. I often set a goal but later choose to pursue a different one.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

10. I have difficulty maintaining my focus on projects that take more than a few months to complete.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

11. I finish whatever I begin.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

12. Achieving something of lasting importance is the highest goal in life.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

13. I think achievement is overrated.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

14. I have achieved a goal that took years of work.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

15. I am driven to succeed.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

16. I become interested in new pursuits every few months.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

17. I am diligent.
Very much like me
Mostly like me
Somewhat like me
Not much like me
Not like me at all

Leadership

What is Leadership?

What does it mean to you?

How can you be a leader now? How can you be a leader in the future?