Captain Fundama to the Rescue!

Looking for a fun and easy superhero themed activity to do this summer? Why not join Captain Fundama in his campaign to fight boredom and engage kids, tweens, and teens in developing new skills? 

A number of years ago, we developed Fundama, a DIY skill toy that uses paper cups, string, and masking tape. Camps and libraries across the U.S. have created and played with Fundama. We're very excited to bring it back to you with a new twist connecting the activity to this summer's CSLP theme, Every Hero Has a Story.

The program just requires a few steps:

1. Read: Share the story of Captain Fundama (found below) to introduce the activity.
2. Create: Have attendees create their own Fundama. You can use one of our designs or have them create and name their own. Videos, printable instructions, and other resources available at PlayFundama.com and videos available at Skoyz.com.
3. Play: Allow time for actually playing and mastering a few tricks with their new Fundama.
4. Tell: Have attendees finish the story that started off the activity. Describe the Fundama that Fundy (you) created and the reaction his brother had to it. Was his brother good at the skills? Did he have fun? Did he make his own? 
5. Share: Have volunteers use the Fundama they created to finish their version of the story.

The Captain Fundama Story: Captain Fundama's older brother always says, "I'm bored." Whether at home, school, the park, or even on vacation, he says "I'm bored." Fundy just does not understand. How can you be bored when you can build sand castles, master the rock climbing wall, or learn about volcanic eruptions?

Then one day the power goes out at home. No video games, no music, and no internet. His brother turns to Fundy and says, "I bet even you will be bored today!" Little did he know that Fundy had already developed the super power to be able to create and master new challenges with even the simplest objects. He goes into the kitchen closet and grabs paper cups, string, and masking tape. He gets to work knowing that even his brother won't be able to resist this entertaining challenge. Captain Fundama to the rescue!

Feel free to share pictures of the Fundama, creative story endings, or videos of the story telling here or on our Facebook Page.

Summer 2015 Tour Schedule

We know our library partners are busy thinking about super heroes as they prepare for this summer's CSLP theme Every Hero Has a Story. Performer Paul Miller has also been thinking about how learning new skills like juggling and developing resiliency plays a critical role in the development of all kinds of heroes. With his improvisational antics, animated story telling, and impressive skills, Paul will entertain and inspire audiences this summer. Flow Circus is also available for tween/teen workshops and staff training at libraries and summer camps. We travel from Alabama to Massachusetts during the summer - see our tour schedule below to see when we are in your area.

Many of the following weeks still have a few openings. Contact us to  check availability.

May29 - June 2: Available for Camp Trainings in the Southeast

June 3-6: Alabama (Greater Birmingham area)

June 8-13: North and South Carolina

June 15-19: Charleston County, SC

June 20-29: North Carolina

June 30- July 3: Cumberland County, PA and Eastern PA

July 6- 9: - Bucks County, PA

July 13-18 - North Carolina & Virginia

July 20-24 - Horry County, SC

July 25-30: North Carolina

July 31 - August 15: Northeast Tour (PA, NJ, NY, CT)

 Visit FlowCircus.com to learn more about our staff training sessions, performances, and workshops for your library or camp. Or visit Flow Circus.com/videos to see video highlights of past Summer Reading shows.

New Video - Science of Awesome

Science of Awesome from paul@flowcircus.com on Vimeo.

Paul has spent the last two months fine tuning his new Science of Awesome show for elementary and middle school students. Learning about science concepts such as gravity, center of gravity, potential energy, and kinetic energy leads Paul to master a variety of skill toys in exciting, new ways. Employing the scientific method in the process teaches Paul (and his audiences) this important lesson: it doesn't matter if you drop. What matters is if you pick it up and try again. 

Great fit for in-school assemblies or family Science Nights. Visit FlowCircus.com/schools to learn more. We already have school tours scheduled throughout the East Coast for 2014-15. Contact us today to find out when we'll be in your area.

Summer Reading Program 2014 - Wrap Up

    

Another amazing summer has ended. Paul really enjoyed creating a show for this summer's Fizz, Boom, Read! science theme. He performed his new Science of Awesome show at close to 100 libraries in 10 states from Connecticut to Louisiana. Using juggling and skill toys, he illustrated scientific principles such as gravity, center of gravity, potential energy, and kinetic energy as he learned to balance, spin, and master new tricks. The show of course had his signature style of improvisational comedy and audience interaction.

Don't just take our word for it, here's what the librarians we worked with are saying:

Science of Awesome - New Show for 2014-15

Flow Circus has added a new school assembly performance to its offerings for the upcoming school year.

Science of Awesome: Performer Paul Miller of Flow Circus tells the story of one fateful summer when he first learns about physics. In this seemingly magical world where things fall, balance, and spin, he defies gravity and discovers new skills. His journey begins with a single question that ultimately gets answered through problem solving and the scientific method.

Book Flow Circus for the day and extend the impact of assemblies with hands-on workshops or author visits. Add a Skoyz Family Night to encourage participation in your PTA events. Most importantly, invite Flow Circus to your school to remind students and families about the importance of cultivating curiosity, building resilience, and having fun together.  A limited number of the following special packages are available:

Summer 2014 Tours Scheduled

Paul can't wait to share the science of juggling and skill toys this summer. His Summer Reading Performance Fall, Balance, and Spin: A Juggler's Tale will connect to the CSLP theme Fizz, Boom, Read! Throughout the show, he will tell a story that encourages families to use the library to answer questions and discover new skills.

The summer calendar is filling up quickly, but we do still have openings left on the following regional tours:

Summer 2014
Week of May 26 - Louisiana
Week of June 2 - Gulf Shores area of Alabama
Week of June 9 - North and South Carolina
Week of June 16 - North Carolina
Week of June 23 & 30 - Northeast Tour (PA, NY, NJ, CT, MA)
Week of July 7 - N/A
Week of July 14 - Virginia
Week of July 21 & 28 - North and South Carolina
Week of August 4 & 11 - Northeast Tour (PA, NY, NJ, CT, MA)

Hands-on tween/teen workshops are also available which will allow participants to experience the science of juggling and skill toys first hand. Visit FlowCircus.com/library to learn more about our programs or check out our Video Gallery to see how Paul has connected to the CSLP theme in past summers.

December Book: The App Generation

 

Last week, we had the opportunity to see a talk by Howard Gardner and Katie Davis about their new book The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World. Those of you that work in formal and informal education are probably familiar with Gardner’s earlier research including his Theory of Multiple Intelligences and work with Project Zero (if not, click on the links provided to learn more).

In this current work, Gardner and Davis set out to examine how texting, tweeting, Facebook, and other technology trends have impacted the first generation of digital natives. Through various data driven research methodologies, they have drawn several interesting conclusions.

• Characteristics of the current generation of youth: more risk-averse, have a discomfort with ambiguity, more accepting of a range of identities, hyper-connected with parents. The researchers do acknowledge that these characteristics may have been influenced by variables other than technology use.