Report: Thinkers' Club Session 8

Session # 8
Date: 28th September, 2014
Attended by: 14 participants
Report Written by: Fatima Salman

Today’s session was a lot more fun and interesting than the previous ones. We started with a round of names, although there were no new members. Then, we began our discussion.

Two words were written on the board; Fashion and Beauty. We discussed on forms of human beauty, which makes anyone look beautiful.

Human Beauty

• Behavior
• Smile
• Mood
• Talk
• Facial expressions
• Tone

A member described two forms of beauty very precisely, inner beauty and outer beauty. Inner beauty is being kind to others, respectful and caring. Outer beauty is what we look like. We then discussed about what makes a place beautiful. Someone answered that the Flora and Fauna of a place makes it beautiful. Flora is the kind of plants or greenery found in a place. Fauna is the wildlife.

Then, we discussed on how beauty is different from fashion. Beauty and fashion are two totally different things. Fashion keeps changing, beauty doesn’t. Often, the thing that is in fashion doesn’t even look good, but people are doing it because everyone is doing it. An example is ripped jeans, or keeping hair in spikes. Several people have lost their sense of beauty doing things that are in fashion but do look good.

Our home task was to do some writing or art work on symbols of beauty and symbols of fashion.

Then, Manzar Imam did an activity with us. He said a list of words and asked the class to repeat the words. Then, he asked some people to say the list of words he had said. It was a memory activity.

Then, he told us some of Aesop’s fables. One was about a man and his son going with a donkey and then people laugh at them. Here is the full story.

Another story he told was Who will bell the cat? In that story, a group of mice do a meeting to plan what to do with a cat, which came quietly and ate several mice. A mouse suggests that they can put a bell on the cat so that they can hear it coming. But no one is brave enough to bell the cat. The lesson is to only suggest things you can do yourself.

Then, our last activity began. This was what made the session fun and interesting. The class was divided into three groups. Each group was given a stack of old newspapers and they had to make tower out of it. They had fifteen minutes to do it and the tower had to be taller than the tallest person in their group. It was fun making the tower. All the groups made the tower, but only one was strong enough to stand without any support. Here is a picture of the tower with the group members. 

In the end, there was nothing but a great big mess! But the activity was really fun. After the session was over, several members stayed back and worked with the newspapers. We wrote Thinkers' Club with rolls of newspapers.

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 7

Session # 7
Date: 21st September, 2014
Attended by: 16 participants
Report Written by: Azka Javeria

On the 21st of September, in the first session of Thinkers' Club, we started off with yet another round of names and brief introductions about ourselves. Ma'shallah more people are joining our group day by day.

After the round of names and a recap of the last two sessions of our club, we had a talk on Negative Self Talk and Positive Self Talk. (The first step to understanding this topic is to understand what Negative and Positive self talking. Positive Self talking-thinking and saying positive things to yourself about others or even your own self. Negative Self Talk- thinking and saying negative things to yourself about others or your own self.

What we read, watch or listen to, effects our brain and our thoughts greatly. We should avoid depressing novels, dramas, movies and audio stuff. Secondly be careful of what you say to yourself when you are alone or talking to yourself or even thinking about yourself. Because whatever you say when you are in isolation echoes inside your head again and again and has an effect on you whether it's yourself who you are talking about or others).

Later on Abiha Salman   shared some information about Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan's National Poet. Zainab Salman also came up to tell something about our mind and the nervous system. Next Manzar Imaam Sahab told us about Aesop and his fables (Aesop's fables are very popular even these days though he lived almost 3000 years ago. Plus they always have a moral). Manzar Imaam Sahab told us two short Aesop's fables, and another story (not by Aesop) on how, what people say can effect us.

Then we returned to the Positive and Negative thinking topic we learnt that Positivity= Thinking Negativity=Taking Stress. We were also told that there are three types of people:

1.People who tell others "you can't do it"

2. People who tell themselves "you/I can't do it"

3. People who are easily degraded when somebody tells them "You can't do it"

What type of a person are you?


Note: We are planning a field trip, so if you have any suggestions on where we can go, please answer in the form of comments.

Thank you

Facts about the Brain by Kenza (online member)

Here are some interesting facts about your brain!

1. What does my brain do? The brain is the one organ in the body that makes the real you. It’s made up of electrical circuits, about 100 billion neurons, that connect together and continually rewires itself and changes as it learns. Our brain does many activities in our body, including controlling the body and senses, thinking and learning, memorizing, and so much more…
2. Do we have one brain or two? Technically, we don’t just have one brain and we don’t have two brains. Instead, we have two brains in one, the left side and the right side with different characteristics and abilities. But the two sides communicate with each other. See this word: Green. The right side of your brain will try to read the word, whereas, the left side of the brain will insist on you trying to read the colour. This is a common subject, called the Stroop Effect*.
3. Where do our thoughts and feelings come from? We all have a sense of who we really are. We call this our inner-self, or the real you. This is how we see the world individually, unless we’re asleep of course; that’s when our thoughts are no longer in control. This makes our conscious self and our unconscious self and we can’t pinpoint where it is in a specific part of our brain, just like our memories. You can find out more about this by studying the different parts of the brain.

Links

*If you’re interested in playing a cool game about the Stroop Effect, check this out! http://www.brainmetrix.com/color-game/

Check this out for interesting and educational lectures from the RI (Royal Institution) about the brain! http://richannel.org/christmas-lectures/2011/meet-your-brain   

There is also an interesting book by Professor Robert Winston called “What Makes Me Me” (www.dk.com). He also does topics like this on his popular TV series.

Qualities of a Good Thinker, by Zainab Salman (club member)

A Good Thinker…..

  1.Should be Curious about how things work.

A good thinker should be curious about how things work-would want to learn and research more about things that interest him/her and those that he/she knows less about.

   2. Should listen to other’s opinions and value them too.

If we believe that we are the most creative and the best thinker of them all,

This would be very wrong and selfish. A good thinker should learn that other’s opinions and other’s knowledge could be more advanced and better than one self.

  3.Should be positive and proactive.
A good thinker should be positive about things and should think about positive and should be proactive. Being negative and reactive aren’t good signs of a Good Thinker.

44.Should think on things worth thinking.

If I start to wonder how to drive a car, this wouldn’t be something worth thinking. Anyhow, if I learn how to do it, the information wouldn’t be worth it, because I can’t drive a car till I am of age. But if I start wondering about how to ride a bicycle, this information would be useful, because I do have a bicycle and I can start riding it.

  5.Should speak about things after thinking on them.

If I keep thinking and thinking about some ideas in my mind, the ideas would be of no use because after all, they are only in my mind and only I can benefit from them. By sharing my ideas with others, other people would learn about it, and they might also advise me some important things, and they would also benefit from it. Anyways, speaking a lot could also irritate others.

How Our Mind Works, Presentation by Rijja Aitesam, club member

Qualities of a Good Thinker - by Kenza (online member)

1)      Be alert. You have to notice the little things that others might not have noticed. Like when you’re doing something scientific, you could miss the little, but important, details. For example, when someone was trying to build an invention to make it fly, they’d rarely ever get it right on the first try. This is because they’ve missed something. Take that into account!

   2)      Care about something. Don’t be afraid to read, take notes and research for a topic. Bring up more questions!

   3)      Don’t give up. Even if you can’t grasp something, keep trying! Never abandon your ideas!

   4)      Don’t get put off. If someone teases you about the thing you’re learning, or if someone gives you a bad impression of it, don’t listen. Decide for yourself and pick the thing you want to learn!

   5)      Accept mistakes. You’ll always make errors or mistakes. Don’t let this put you down. Besides, you’ll always learn from your mistakes. After all, if you never made mistakes (like when you started to walk, or started to hold a spoon and fork), you’d never learn!

   6)      Learn from others. See what others think, your friends, your family, people you know. Don’t be afraid to ask them or listen to what they say. You can always learn from that!

   7)      Learn more. Even if you think you are intelligent, it does not mean you know everything. The more you work, the smarter you get!

   8)      Take your time. You may not have all the time in the world, but use the time you have at your pace! Don’t rush it – if you rush what you have to do, you won’t learn as much as those who take their time to take something in.

   9)      Focus. Don’t always go down the path you don’t need to take; take the path you’re aiming for. For example, if you’re a scientist, focus on the things you need, to become one, before you explore different paths . Save other interests for your free time, but don’t discount them – they can be valuable sometimes!

  10)   Develop ideas. After looking at all these steps and taking them into account, try to develop your own ideas. Follow what others have to say and then mix their ideas with your ideas to try and get a result!

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 6

Session # 6
Date: 14th September, 2014
Attended by: 16 participants
Report Written by: Anum Adnan

The sixth session of Thinkers' club started with a round of introduction, one new member and Manzar Imam, the writer of some drama called "Eid Train" had joined us. We first had a quick recap of things we did in the earlier sessions and then, we discussed the importance of greeting people with "assalam o alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh". Then Ayan bin Salman shared some information about insects called "Ant-lions".

Ayeza gave a book review of "How Mind Works", which was some how related to the topic of previous session, then Rija gave a descriptive PowerPoint presentation on the functions and facts of brain . After that we discussed further about what makes a good thinker and we also discussed about what brain needs to function properly and we got to know that these three things help to function the brain properly they are:

1. Oxygen
2. Water
3. Minerals

We also got to know that the brain works best when the person is in state of fear. Some questions came up which were answered perfectly.

The participants were given only one home task which was to drink a glass of water every morning as water helps brain to function properly.

Below is another report written by our member, Muneeb Elahi:

It was sixth session at ERDC. Famous play-writer Manzar Imaam Khan had come to visit our club. We pondered and discussed on various topics, especially about 'how we think'.

We got to know about many things, about Ant Lions, how are brain works, and what our brain need to work the best? Also that doing "salaam" is a good deed.

Manzar Imam noticed and judged us. We also took pictures with him. It was quite a lot of fun and I will always remember it.

Here is a summary of our session by club  member, Abiha Salman.

In the third session of The Thinker's  Club Dated 14th September 2014, one  new person  joined us, Tehmoor, so we did introduction of Tehmoor and Manzar Imam Sahab who is a writer.
Ayan brought Antlions .
Aiza brought a book about how do we think . 
Rija's presentation on brain.
Ibrahim's questionis our heart connect of our brain works.
Then we talked about oaygen , water and Minerals [fruits, soil, water ].  

Here is another report by a club member Zainab Salman.

Today was our sixth session of Thinkers’ Club. This time we had a guest, Manzar Imam, a famous playwright of Pakistan who has written several dramas for Pakistan Television.

We started off with an introduction, a new member had joined. After introducing each other, our club member Ayan, shared some information about Ant lions, which is a type of insect that he had found in a flowerpot with dry sand. He had also bought the Ant lions in a covered jar, and we got to see them.

 Then our other club Member, Aiza, shared a book she had read, about How Mind Works. She explained about the book and told us about our nerves, and the Left Brain-Right Brain theory. It was quite informative.

Then, I, Zainab shared my article about Qualities of a Good Thinker.  Then we were asked about how many glasses of water did you drink today? We had different answers, from 0 to 3 glasses. Then we were told that water is very important for our Kidneys, and if they don’t get it, they start to shrink painfully. Also, our brain needs food, the 4 important things that our brain needs as brain food:

   1.   Oxygen- A supply of good, fresh air. 

   2.   Water- A maximum of 12 glasses of water each day.

   3.   Minerals – A daily intake of fruit and a healthy diet.

   4.   Questions- Lots of unanswered questions are good for your brain.

Then we viewed Rijja, one of pour Club Member’s presentation about How our Mind Works, which was very informative and also contained some interesting facts about our brain’s appearance and contents.

Then we viewed our blog and were reminded to comment. The homework was to comment and research some more about the human brain. After this session, our Guest, Manzar Imam, talked with some of our members’ parents.  We also took some photos.

Today’s session was interesting and the presentations were also informative.

      

Below is another report by Ayan bin Salman.     

On Thursday 14th September, session 6 of our thinkers club we at first introduced a new comer Tehmoor and a writer Manzar Imam sahab. Then I told some information about antlions, Aiza brought a book  about how do we think and Rija shared a presentation. Then we discussed that what our brain needs. It needs three things,

Oxygen,Water and minerals(Fruit,Iron,soil,potassium.etc). At the end we also had a photo session with Manzar Imam sahab. 

How stars guide us in travelling, write-ups by club members

Some members of our club wrote articles on How stars guide us in travelling. Here they are:

This article  below is written by Fatima Salman. 

To travel by using the help of stars, I think we need to understand the stars first. We’d need to know which star appears when, which stars are moving, and which stars can help us find the way. (This whole subject is called astronomy). Once we can understand the stars, we can travel by their help.

For example, if I have to go to a certain place by the help of stars, first, I’ll have to locate which star is directly above the place I want to reach. I can travel by following that star and reach exactly the place below that star.

I read a book called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and in that book, caravans are crossing the huge Egyptian desserts with the help of stars. Although that was just a story, people do actually travel by the help of stars. In fact, sailors use stars as their guide to find the way.

These days, this way of travelling isn’t very common and people hardly know about it. But it is important to know how people used to live and travel centuries ago. The most important thing is that we should learn about these natural things that God created millions of years ago.

The article below is written by Isam Hanif Majeed.

Finding direction using the stars is much quicker and easier than using a compass. It is also a lot more fun. All we need do is find a star that is directly above the place we need to get to and it will point exactly the right direction for us. Well the problem is that a few minutes later that star would have moved and so you would need a new one. Fortunately there is one star in the night sky that does not appear to move. It is called Polaris, or the North Star.The easiest method for finding the North Star is by finding the ‘Plough’, an easy to identify group of seven stars. It is known as the ‘Big Dipper’ to the Americans and the ‘saucepan’ to many others. The ‘Plough’ rotates anti-clockwise about the North Star, so it will sometimes appear on its side or even upside down. However its relationship with the North Star never changes and it will always dependably point the way to it. The reason the North Star is so important for natural navigation is that it sits directly over the North Pole. Having found the North Star, there is something about its height above the horizon that is well worth knowing. Wherever you are in the northern hemisphere, the North Star will be the same angle above the horizon as your latitude. The only three bright stars that form a short straight line in the whole night sky rise very close to due east and set very close to due west. If you want to be really accurate then the first star in the belt to rise and set, called Mintaka, will always rise and set within one degree of true east and west wherever you are in the world. So this is how you can find your way by the help of stars.

The article below is written by Kenza, (online member).

Tracking your way with the stars is an easy, as well as exciting way to find your destination. Many people used to track their way with the stars when they went on sea voyages or walked through the desert at night. Over many, many years, the stars die out and new stars take their place – making new constellations.

To track your way with a star, you need someone at your destination to tell you the star directly above them. Then, you have to follow that star in under a minute to your destination, before the star moves again.

So, due to the Earth’s rotation, the stars will always keep moving around. Except for one star, Polaris (aka, the North Star) which always stays in the same place and faces north. Polaris is located fairly near to Ursa Major (aka, the Big Dipper).

Ursa Major is a constellation of seven bright stars and makes a shape that looks similar to a plough or a saucepan. You need to look at the base of Ursa Major – the bit that looks like a cup – and look further, five times its length and that’s where Polaris should be located. Once you have done that, you would know that Polaris faces north, so go in the direction you want, whether it’s north, east, south or west!

Here’s a link to an interesting article about how to navigate using the stars! http://www.naturalnavigator.com/find-your-way-using/stars

How Stars guide us in Travelling, presentations by cub members

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 5

Session # 5
Date: 7^th September, 2014

Attended by: 14 participants
Report Written by: Fatima Salman

The fifth session of Thinkers’ Club started with a round of introduction; four new members had joined.

Then, the presentations on Travelling by the help of Stars began, starting with the basic ones to more advanced concepts, so that the people new to the topic could easily understand. A lot of the information had been taken from this website, Natural Navigator.

The presentations were very informative. After the presentations, the people who had written articles, read them out. (All the presentations and articles will be share on the blog).

The presentations and discussing over them took most of the time. Then, the people were divided into two groups and each group was asked to make a list on ‘What makes a good Thinker?’ The groups made lists, and as there was hardly any time left, we couldn’t discuss the topic further so Insha Allah, it will be explored in the next session.

Thank you

Note: Any club member who was present in a session can write the official report for it. Just inform at the end of the session.