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USA Today reports that hundreds of schools across the country have adopted sky watching as a way to unlock kids' creativity and turn them on to almost any subject. After gazing skyward for 20 minutes, students write in their "sky journals" and participate in weather forecasting exercises using cloud charts, thermometers and other instruments. Through Internet linkage, they share their observations and writings with other students around the world.
Cloud watching is the brain child of Jack Borden, 67, a former Boston TV
reporter who now spends most of his time preaching what he calls "sky awareness," and promoting his nonprofit organization For Spacious Skies. One teacher who has adopted the program is Elaine Messias of the John Eliot School in Needham, MA, who states, "In our world children are almost constantly bombarded with information and commercial messages. This is one chance for them to develop sensitivity to what's really going on around them." Eliot School uses sky watching in every grade to help teach all subjects, including economics where students bring in magazine ads showing the sky to study how images are used to sell things.
The Weather Channel has incorporated Borden's ideas into a new program called Look Up! which includes videos, cloud charts, books and other materials for grades three through six.
So, if it works for kids, should we consider it for our corporate creativity and innovation programs? If anyone decides to try it, please let us know.