Class Reflection: April 7

Monday’s class was interesting.  I always enjoy seeing the ideas that other people come up with.  When we look at other people’s Monster Lobe representations I am impressed by how intricate some of the designs are.  I really feel out of my element doing most of these assignments so I tend to feel insufficient when I see how outstanding most the work is. 

Figuring out the momentum of the Monster Lobe was a little challenging simply because we had to make assumptions again.  I feel like thinking this was is difficult if you have not done it in the past; if we could get our students thinking like this in elementary school I think it would help them solve problems later in life. 

Solutions to the Monster Lobe:

I asked my sister for ideas on solutions to solve the Monster Lobe problem.  She was unfamiliar with the Monster Lobe so I pulled up Google Earth and showed her some images of it.  She suggested that I put a portal to the Netherworld underneath it and just move it.  I laughed and explained that we are supposed to come up with real world solutions; she thought I meant with Minecraft.  I think she may be on to something, though.  It seems that moving part or all of it would be the best option.  Even if only a portion of it could be moved, the mass would still decrease making it, hopefully, less of a threat to the highway and pipeline. 

Another thought would be using something like a snow net.  I realize you couldn’t use this at just the base of the lobe because the mass, I am assuming, would be too great.  Still, what if you placed several of these at different points throughout the lobe (keeping in mind the mass the net could hold)?  Perhaps if this were done the lobe would, over time, separate into parts.  Then these parts would be more easily removed than the entire lobe.

Most people I speak with about this immediately suggest blowing the lobe up.  I still think this option should be kept in mind.  However, how would you blow it up without interferring with the plant and wildlife surrounding it (let alone the structures like the highway and pipeline)?

These are just a few ideas. 

P.S. I am a little nervous about going first. :)