Sandcastle Building

"Like a sandcastle, all is temporary. Build it, tend it, enjoy it. And when the time comes, let it go."

Jack Kornfield

Sandcastle Lesson Guide

Lesson Guide

Sandcastle Building Lesson Guide.docx

Creating the Future

Using sandcastle building as an activity, each watch is to build a community space they hope to see 10 years from now.

Read on for tips for sandcastle building (contributed by Hui Yi).

Coastal Erosion and Protection Efforts

Use the surroundings of Area F & G to illustrate how Singapore mitigates rising sea levels.

Benefits of mangroves and seagrasses as natural coastal protection measures (natural barriers to flooding). May refer to LQ Pasir Ris Mangrove & Maze for more information.

If we are not doing anything to our coastline, what we build may eventually be gone (e.g. like the sandcastle getting washed away by the waves).

Questions:
- Why are there sandbags?
- What are the breakwaters used for?

Facilitating the Experience

Instructor will conduct a simple activity to illustrate how our actions may impact the environment positively / negatively. Suggest an activity adapted from NParks (Agent of Change) to highlight that all actions, no matter how small, can affect the environment.

Possible Debrief Questions

"Are you thankful being in Singapore? Why?"

"How can we play a part to protect the environment?"

SANDCASTLE BUILDING GUIDE

TECHNICAL

HOW: 3 elements are necessary for a sandcastle to be built. They are SAND, WATER and PRESSURE. Without any of the elements, the sandcastle would not hold. Then decide between:

a) Allow the participants to explore and build
b) Show a quick demo on how to use the castle mold, demonstrating the 3 elements concept (Quick Demo video)
1. Take water from the sea & wet the sand
2. Fill up 1/3 of the mold with wet sand
3. Add pressure to it
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 till the mold is filled
5. Level out the sand (not over or under filling)
6. Find a flat surface (preferably a raised platform) & flip the mold over
7. Loosen the pressure by giving a few knocks from all the sides
8. Lift the mold upwards with stable hands
9. Ta-da!!!

TIPS FOR CONDUCT

Get them to brainstorm and start the project (limited time)
Assign a ‘plot of land’ for them and it should be ‘built’ with the future they want within 30mins
Have different heights (platforms), spaced apart and connect them together
Encourage the team to divide and conquer (take water, pile the sand, work on different parts of the ‘land’, etc.)
Can use nature items to ‘decorate’ too

Compacted Sand

Loose Sand
(no pressure added)

Illustration of what they envision the space to look like

SANDCASTLE EQUIPMENT

INSTRUCTOR SHARINGS

Don't limit your own imagination! You may try out these ideas or generate your own creative ones!

10 Pro-tips from Team B instructors (Compiled by Instructor Teri)

1. Frame the activity and design the town at the MPH or in the shade before you get to the beach. Otherwise, they will be too distracted, hot and uncomfortable to brainstorm.

2. Weave their individual hopes into the building they wish to include in the community, so they have an investment in the design.

3. Plan the activity such that everyone has to be part of the building process.

4. Get them to feel ownership over the square of beach property that you assign them to build on. Size could be decided by how well they did at CleanPod.

5. Use materials from the beach to decorate their community buildings (organic or inorganic; can weave in the CleanPod activity).

6. If they find it hard to start, you can assist by pre-digging a mound of sand. It’s easier to build around it than to start on flat sand.

7. Not everyone needs to build 3D; some may prefer to contribute by drawing around the plot – that’s fine too.

8. Give them a fixed time to complete it, otherwise they will slow down without an end in mind. The finale could be a presentation to you or buddy watch in a show-&-tell format. (Remind SMM while presenting to each other)

9. Photo moment at the end to complete the activity before they destroy what they build (some watches enjoy that moment too).

10. The sand is their (pax) canvas. Think of this activity like chalk drawing or team charter on A3 paper. Have fun with framings from course to course, even though objectives may stay the same.

Instructor Kaixiang's Sharing

As a debrief to their sandcastle building, I shared a summarized version of this story on kids vs adults approach at building castles: Kids are more process focused, enjoying the building and when the waves comes they are happy to let it gets washed away, Adults are more product focused.

I got them to journal on whether they view themselves as Process, Product or People-person. That was their homework for Day 1. Our morning circle on Day 2 were their sharings. Their responses spoke of their maturity as well as their struggles as high performing students in this results-driven society. I briefly shared with them the 3Ps, but highlighted the often overlooked 4th P (discovered by Mich Peh Hui Xian (NYC) and I during our SCC buddyship). I introduced Purpose with a story from this book: What gives us our names. It was shared by Mohamad Lutfi Aman Bin Abu Khalid (NYC) during my 21 days and it left a lasting impression.

Instructor Dylan's Sharing

I will usually get my participants to build dream town / kingdom that they wish to live in, in the future. I will facilitate the activity with leading questions such as what kind of energy the town / kingdom uses and how clean they envision this town / kingdom to be. From there, my participants will start to craft a story about their dream town / kingdom, and what they will do to ensure the sustainability of their town.

After the activity, we will discuss the link between the future of Singapore and the dream town / kingdom they have created. My role is to facilitate the learnings by helping participants realise that Singapore’s future lies in their hands and that they have the power to contribute positively to the environment.

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