Future Problem Solving (FPS) is an international program in which Grover Middle School participates in two ways: Global Issues Team Problem-Solving, and FPS Scenario Writing. Students in Team Problem Solving collaborate together to work on real-world problems that are set at least thirty years in the future. Students who choose to participate in Scenario Writing DO NOT need to "do PRISM" -- this program is open to students from across the school who are interested in creative futuristic writing. All students' work is based around the internationally-designated topics for that particular school year.
2018-2019 FPS topics are shown below.
When the new topics and suggested readings become available, they will be updated here.
MISSION TO MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND
Practice Problem #1 - Suggested Readings
A spacecraft in orbit? A biosphere on extraterrestrial ground? Private and governmental organizations are already planning missions to set up research stations or even colonies on the Moon and Mars. Many see opportunities to learn more about our solar system, leading to a better understanding of Earth and ourselves; others question whether such missions are even feasible. One private agency is already seeking volunteers for a Mars mission. Space ventures provide an impetus for advancing knowledge and technologies with applications in space, as well as on Earth. Entrepreneurial and scientific opportunities abound to explore, to mine, and to engineer under distinct conditions. Pioneers will need to plan for a sustainable long-term stay, which will require vast investments of people, money, and other resources.
DRONES
Practice Problem #2 - Suggested Readings
Drones are among the most hyped products for aviation enthusiasts in recent years. Although originally developed for military use, drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be cool gadgets used for recreation. They can also be powerful tools for commerce, scientific research, agriculture, entertainment, photography, transportation, disaster relief, search and rescue, surveillance, and policing. UAVs can carry payloads and can be controlled remotely by a human operator or by an onboard computer. Basic drone models can be operated with little skill or training. Regulations on the use of UAVs are already in place in nations around the world, but technological advancements and expanded applications may outpace their regulation. While UAV use is growing exponentially, concerns are also escalating. Privacy intrusion, airspace violation, criminal use, surreptitious military operations, accidental crashes, terrorist threats, and other issues have raised alarms.
What does the future hold for UAV technological advancements and accessory enhancements? Will access to UAVs be equitable? How will the pending prevalence of drones in our daily lives affect society overall, especially in areas of personal rights and safety?
FOOD LOSS & WASTE
Qualifying Problem - Suggested Readings
Hunger remains a concern in the developing world, and the resources required for food production are limited. About one-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted, leaving millions of people hungry and valuable resources squandered.
Food loss refers to a decrease in food for human consumption during production, post-harvest, and processing stages. Causes include poor harvesting techniques, weak infrastructure (markets, transportation, storage, cooling, packaging), contamination (bacteria, fungus, insects), and corruption. In addition to reduced availability, food loss contributes to higher costs, hurting farmers as well as those who cannot afford to buy their food.
Food losses that occur at retail and consumption stages are called food waste and refer to behaviors such as discarding edible food. Quality standards based on perfect appearance, misused “best-before-dates,” and careless consumer attitudes contribute to waste. Food waste is more common in the industrialized world, while food loss is a greater concern in developing nations.
Can food loss prevention combat hunger and raise incomes in developing nations? Can food waste be decreased without sacrificing quality or safety? What roles might technology or regulations serve? What are the economic, environmental, psychological, and societal implications? Can we improve global food security while meeting the needs of diverse consumers?
COPING WITH STRESS
Affiliate Competition - Suggested Readings
With exponential change and fast-paced trends in society comes an increase in stress. Stress can be physical, mental, or emotional. Living conditions, as well as societal and personal expectations, can lead to higher levels of stress-related hormones. In some parts of the world, people find it difficult to cope with longer work hours and less leisure time as they attempt to meet society’s perceived expectations. Social media is a constant presence, delivering both subtle and overt pressures.
Most people experience stress, but individuals respond differently. Stress can be a useful motivator in the face of challenges or danger, but negative impacts can result from excessive stress. Medical and psychological problems can emerge or be exacerbated. Scientific data show that physical activity and relaxation techniques are samples of ways to reduce these negative impacts.
What are the personal and societal impacts of stress? Do different countries and cultures deal with stress the same way? How can we promote healthier lifestyles that help people to cope with stress?
GLOBAL ISSUES TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING - more Important Dates to come
September 12 at NOON - FPS Workshop permission slips due (no late permission slips can be accepted). Access the permission form using the orange button in the center above.
September 14 - MANDATORY FPS Workshop in the GMS Media Center, all day.
September 21 - FPS homework assignment due for all workshop participants
October 19 - FPS Practice Problem #1 due at 5:00pm
November 30 - FPS Practice Problem #2 due at 5:00pm
January 23 - FPS Qualifying Problem after school 3:00 - 5:00pm
January 25 - FPS Qualifying Problem due 5:00pm
March 1 - FPS State Bowl Problem online competition after school 3:00 - 5:00pm
(for teams who qualify)
March 23 - FPS State Bowl 9:00am - 3:00pm at Kean University (for teams who qualify)
June - FPS International Competition at University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA (for teams who qualify)
FPS SCENARIO WRITING - Important Dates
** the following dates will be updated for 2018-19 when info is available. **
All committed Scenario Writers should show their intent by submitting an outline of their story to Mrs. Cohen by October 31st, 2016. An outline can be an organized list or even a detailed paragraph that tells the main ideas of your story. Be sure to include which topic you are writing about (chosen from this year's topics, shown above).
You must either drop off your outline in person to the PRISM Room B-118 or send it by via e-mail. You will receive your Scenario Contract that details fees and permissions to enter the contest via return email. Send all drafts to [email protected].
October 17 - Scenario Writing Workshop
October 24 - Scenario Writing Workshop make-up day
October 30 - Scenario outline due
November 13 - Scenario draft #1 + Permission to Publish + payment due
December 4 - Scenario draft #2 due
January 6 - Scenario draft #3 due
January 22 - Scenario final draft due (NEW DATE!)
January 31 - Scenario Writing due - submissions due online to the FPS website by 5:00pm
** Be sure to speak with Mrs. Cohen beforehand to be sure you have everything in order to enter your work in the competition. Make an appointment to come to the PRISM room to learn about how to submit your work online. (Do this well in advance of the January 31st deadline.) **
Review Suggested readings and tips.
NJ Key Tips: http://www.njfps.org/PDF/keytips.pdf
2018-2019 FPS topics are shown below.
When the new topics and suggested readings become available, they will be updated here.
MISSION TO MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND
Practice Problem #1 - Suggested Readings
A spacecraft in orbit? A biosphere on extraterrestrial ground? Private and governmental organizations are already planning missions to set up research stations or even colonies on the Moon and Mars. Many see opportunities to learn more about our solar system, leading to a better understanding of Earth and ourselves; others question whether such missions are even feasible. One private agency is already seeking volunteers for a Mars mission. Space ventures provide an impetus for advancing knowledge and technologies with applications in space, as well as on Earth. Entrepreneurial and scientific opportunities abound to explore, to mine, and to engineer under distinct conditions. Pioneers will need to plan for a sustainable long-term stay, which will require vast investments of people, money, and other resources.
DRONES
Practice Problem #2 - Suggested Readings
Drones are among the most hyped products for aviation enthusiasts in recent years. Although originally developed for military use, drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be cool gadgets used for recreation. They can also be powerful tools for commerce, scientific research, agriculture, entertainment, photography, transportation, disaster relief, search and rescue, surveillance, and policing. UAVs can carry payloads and can be controlled remotely by a human operator or by an onboard computer. Basic drone models can be operated with little skill or training. Regulations on the use of UAVs are already in place in nations around the world, but technological advancements and expanded applications may outpace their regulation. While UAV use is growing exponentially, concerns are also escalating. Privacy intrusion, airspace violation, criminal use, surreptitious military operations, accidental crashes, terrorist threats, and other issues have raised alarms.
What does the future hold for UAV technological advancements and accessory enhancements? Will access to UAVs be equitable? How will the pending prevalence of drones in our daily lives affect society overall, especially in areas of personal rights and safety?
FOOD LOSS & WASTE
Qualifying Problem - Suggested Readings
Hunger remains a concern in the developing world, and the resources required for food production are limited. About one-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted, leaving millions of people hungry and valuable resources squandered.
Food loss refers to a decrease in food for human consumption during production, post-harvest, and processing stages. Causes include poor harvesting techniques, weak infrastructure (markets, transportation, storage, cooling, packaging), contamination (bacteria, fungus, insects), and corruption. In addition to reduced availability, food loss contributes to higher costs, hurting farmers as well as those who cannot afford to buy their food.
Food losses that occur at retail and consumption stages are called food waste and refer to behaviors such as discarding edible food. Quality standards based on perfect appearance, misused “best-before-dates,” and careless consumer attitudes contribute to waste. Food waste is more common in the industrialized world, while food loss is a greater concern in developing nations.
Can food loss prevention combat hunger and raise incomes in developing nations? Can food waste be decreased without sacrificing quality or safety? What roles might technology or regulations serve? What are the economic, environmental, psychological, and societal implications? Can we improve global food security while meeting the needs of diverse consumers?
COPING WITH STRESS
Affiliate Competition - Suggested Readings
With exponential change and fast-paced trends in society comes an increase in stress. Stress can be physical, mental, or emotional. Living conditions, as well as societal and personal expectations, can lead to higher levels of stress-related hormones. In some parts of the world, people find it difficult to cope with longer work hours and less leisure time as they attempt to meet society’s perceived expectations. Social media is a constant presence, delivering both subtle and overt pressures.
Most people experience stress, but individuals respond differently. Stress can be a useful motivator in the face of challenges or danger, but negative impacts can result from excessive stress. Medical and psychological problems can emerge or be exacerbated. Scientific data show that physical activity and relaxation techniques are samples of ways to reduce these negative impacts.
What are the personal and societal impacts of stress? Do different countries and cultures deal with stress the same way? How can we promote healthier lifestyles that help people to cope with stress?
GLOBAL ISSUES TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING - more Important Dates to come
September 12 at NOON - FPS Workshop permission slips due (no late permission slips can be accepted). Access the permission form using the orange button in the center above.
September 14 - MANDATORY FPS Workshop in the GMS Media Center, all day.
September 21 - FPS homework assignment due for all workshop participants
October 19 - FPS Practice Problem #1 due at 5:00pm
November 30 - FPS Practice Problem #2 due at 5:00pm
January 23 - FPS Qualifying Problem after school 3:00 - 5:00pm
January 25 - FPS Qualifying Problem due 5:00pm
March 1 - FPS State Bowl Problem online competition after school 3:00 - 5:00pm
(for teams who qualify)
March 23 - FPS State Bowl 9:00am - 3:00pm at Kean University (for teams who qualify)
June - FPS International Competition at University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA (for teams who qualify)
FPS SCENARIO WRITING - Important Dates
** the following dates will be updated for 2018-19 when info is available. **
All committed Scenario Writers should show their intent by submitting an outline of their story to Mrs. Cohen by October 31st, 2016. An outline can be an organized list or even a detailed paragraph that tells the main ideas of your story. Be sure to include which topic you are writing about (chosen from this year's topics, shown above).
You must either drop off your outline in person to the PRISM Room B-118 or send it by via e-mail. You will receive your Scenario Contract that details fees and permissions to enter the contest via return email. Send all drafts to [email protected].
October 17 - Scenario Writing Workshop
October 24 - Scenario Writing Workshop make-up day
October 30 - Scenario outline due
November 13 - Scenario draft #1 + Permission to Publish + payment due
December 4 - Scenario draft #2 due
January 6 - Scenario draft #3 due
January 22 - Scenario final draft due (NEW DATE!)
January 31 - Scenario Writing due - submissions due online to the FPS website by 5:00pm
** Be sure to speak with Mrs. Cohen beforehand to be sure you have everything in order to enter your work in the competition. Make an appointment to come to the PRISM room to learn about how to submit your work online. (Do this well in advance of the January 31st deadline.) **
Review Suggested readings and tips.
NJ Key Tips: http://www.njfps.org/PDF/keytips.pdf