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.

LETTER FROM CLUB FACILITATOR

Dear Club Members

We were sorry that the fifth session of Thinkers' Club had been cancelled. We had hoped that this club would run smoothly and without any interruptions, but due to a strike called in the city, we could not hold this session. Anyhow, we can continue our research and thinking on the theme that was taken up in the last session.

The home task of last week, which was to research about How Stars Guide Us in Travelling, will be presented in the upcoming session. Several club members have sent us their presentations and articles on the topic. If you did not have time to do the task, you have one more week to complete it.

I hope you all have subscribed this blog for email updates. All the work received up till Session 4 has been shared here and each contributor is acknowledged on the Contributors' page. Your presentations and articles on Stars will be published on the blog after the upcoming session, Insha-Allah.

Please comment on the posts if you have not commented yet, especially the session reports. Also invite your parents, siblings, friends, and teachers to visit the blog and comment on your work and reports.

In response to this post, kindly tell us through comments about how you liked the club, what you liked or didn't like, what is the best thing about the club, and suggestions, etc. Also, tell us about what you learned from the topics discussed in each session.

Looking forward to hear from all of you.

Keep thinking!

Salman Asif Siddiqui
Facilitator

Thinkers' Club

Migratory Birds, by Zainab Salman (club member)

What are Migratory Birds?

Migratory birds are types of birds which migrate from one place to the other due to weather changes/lack of food. Some birds migrate to nesting grounds to breed.

Migratory Birds in Pakistan.

Some species of migratory birds migrate to the subcontinent in the winters, from cold places like Siberia and Antarctica. Birds like grebe, pelican, bittern, stork, glossy ibis, spoonbill, white headed duck, swans, geese, ruddy shelducks and a list of others migrate to Pakistan’s beaches and lakes where they spend their winters.

During the Journey….

The birds which migrate are called Migratory Birds. The birds that don’t migrate are called resident birds. Migratory Birds migrate in autumn, before winters. Some also migrate twice a year. The birds go to warmer/colder places where they stay and then fly back to their home place. Before migration,birds eat a lot. They store fat so they have enough energy to fly non-stop for hours before it is time to rest and have something to eat. Birds gather together when it’s time to start off so nobody gets lost. They also travel in large flocks of birds of each specie and they travel together. Similarly, geese fly in a V formation, so they can always see their leader.

Migration is not only done by birds but animals and humans also migrate. The reason of migration for animals is the same as for birds. For Instance, Marine Animals like Grey Whale, green turtles, Monarch butterflies, salmon and trout fish are Migratory Animals.
Even though migratory birds do all this, it doesn’t mean that they can be wiser and cleverer than us, humans. It’s all part of their life, their routine, their script, that Allah (S.W.T) has written for them. Just the way we wear warm clothes and eat warm food in winters, some birds migrate. There is no reason for asking why, because that is part of their life. The process of migration is just around their basic needs, there is no rocket science.

I collected all this information from Science books, and from my own knowledge about migratory birds. This task was fun and I learnt many new things about birds while I was simply researching.

Compiled by Zainab Salman 

Club Member 

Migratory Birds, video by Saad Allahwala (club member)

This video is made by our Club member Saad Allahwalh about Migratory Birds.

Migratory Birds, presentations by Club Members

Migratory birds, by Muneeb Elahi (club member)

When many of us think about migration, the image of geese winging their way south in their wrinkled V-shaped flocks is one that often comes to mind. Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway between breeding and wintering grounds, undertaken by many species of birds. Migration occurs mainly in the Northern Hemisphere where birds are funneled on to specific routes by natural barriers such as the Mediterranean Sea or the Caribbean Sea.

Why do birds migrate?

Birds migrate to move from areas of low or decreasing resources to areas of high or increasing resources. The two primary resources being sought are food and nesting locations. 

Birds that nest in the northern hemisphere tend to migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of burgeoning insect populations, budding plants and an abundance of nesting locations. As winter approaches, and the availability of insects and other food resources drops, the birds move south again.

Escaping the cold is a motivating factor but many species, including hummingbirds, can withstand freezing temperatures as long as an adequate supply of food is available.

Maps: 
Migrating birds navigate using celestial cues from the sun and stars, the earth's magnetic field, and probably also mental maps.

Migrating birds:
Storks, swallows, turtle doves, geese and hummingbirds are examples of migrating birds.

Shared by Muneeb Elahi

Club Member

Migratory Birds, by Kenza (online member from UK)

Birds are one of several species of animal that migrate every year. Unlike animals such as hedgehogs, mice, bears, etc they do not hibernate. Instead, they fly to another part of the planet where it will be warmer for the season – and where they can find plenty of shelter and food.  

Why do birds migrate?

The main reason why birds migrate is that they know food will become scarce in winter. Most birds will migrate to places like Africa, where there will be plenty of food. Other birds change from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere and vice versa – where the opposite hemisphere will become warmer as it nears to summer there.

Are there exceptions?

In places like the Amazonian Rainforest, in Brazil, birds don’t have to migrate because the Amazon is located close to the equator, in which case it would be warm in any season and there would be enough food for them to live.

However, some species of birds don’t migrate. They stay for the winter. Such birds in the northern hemisphere include blackbirds, robins, etc. They will usually feed on the berries found in hedgerows, worms and other insects and maybe bread or bird food from bird lovers.

When do birds arrive from their migration?

Birds that have migrated arrive back from early-spring to mid-spring. Usually from around March to May. A good time to spot a certain species of birds back from migration is around the first few days of May, very early in the morning (around dawn).

How many of them migrate?

The known amount of species of birds that migrate every year is 4000. That’s 40% of all the bird species on Earth. Swallows, ospreys, turtle doves, geese, Arctic terns, emus and chaffinches are among those 4000 species. Smaller birds include hummingbirds, flycatchers and warblers.

Which bird migrates the furthest?

Out of all the 4000 known species, Arctic Terns are known to travel the furthest. Each year they migrate 20,000km. They depart from Shetland to the Antarctic from the beginning of August to the end of October and they return back to Shetland from around end of March to the beginning of June.

Link

To see an interesting migration map, click on this link! http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/play/migrationmap.aspx

Written by kenza
Online Member from UK

Migratory Birds, by Abiha Salman (club member)

If you have ever shifted from one place to another, you know how difficult and tricky it is. Who wants to leave the comfort of their homes? Well, some birds do migrate away from their homes every year. Such birds are called migratory birds. 
So, what makes them leave the comfort of their cozy nests and migrate over thousands of miles to a new place each year? The main reasons are food and weather. As winter approaches, food becomes scarce and therefore, birds move to warmer places in search for food. Sometimes, birds fly away from home also to give birth to young ones in a conductive environment.

Written by Abiha Salman
Club Member

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 4

Session # 4
Date: 24^th August, 2014

Attended by: 17 participants
Report Written by: Fatima Salman

Today we had the 4th Session of Thinkers Club. We began with a quick round of introduction and then came to the presentations on Migratory Birds. This was the home task of the last session. 

Several kids had done this task and many of the club members had made Powerpoint presentations. One by one, each person presented his or her work. (All the research work done by members will be shared on the blog) It happened to be very informative. 

We discussed the topic, Why Birds Migrate? Most people had done a lot of research work and the answer was weather changes, which is the main reason for migration. The birds also need a warmer climate for hatching their eggs, so breeding is also a reason.

We discussed their routes and found out many interesting facts. Like in a route map shared by a member, we saw that the migration routes of certain birds are different for going and different for returning.

We then discussed about How does a bird remember it's way back from exactly where it started? This may not seem a very important question, but it is! Because many animals have a sense of direction better than us humans. They also figure out their way through stars. They know which star to follow which will lead them to their destination.

We ended with the task to find out about how people follow stars in travelling, what stars do they follow, and some research about it.

Note: Another member has joined our club through Online participation. Her name is kenza and she lives in the UK. 

Here is another report written by another Club Member, Azka Javeria.

On the fourth session of The Thinker's Club dated 24th August 2014 ,we first had a quick recap of things we did earlier, and then we saw the lovely presentations on Migratory Birds by, Talha Arif, Isam Majeed and Affaan Haider, and Ayan Bin Salman. There were also writings by Muneeb Ilahi, Zainab Salman,and a really descriptive writing by Abiha Salman. A new girl joined us online today, named Kenza from UK and she also sent a very nice writing and a very interesting link to a map of routes of different migratory animals ( rspb.org.uk/youth/play/migrationmap.aspx) . Some facts were also shared like "A salmon comes back to die at the place where it was born." A very reasonable question came up afterwards, "How do animals know there way?" there were a lot of different answers, because these theories have not yet been prove. We were told that some animals rub of there scent on there way. Animals that travel at night use the stars as their guides. Even humans travel with the help of stars when they are at sea. Later on we were given two home tasks: (1) We had to write short reflections on this class. (2) We had to search how someone can find there way with the help of stars. It was a very interesting session and we learned a lot from it.