CREATIVITY

HI PARTICIPANTS. BELOW YOU WILL FIND THE POWER POINT I HAVE BEEN USING FOR CLASS AND OTHER RESOURCES AS SHARED.



=Lessons using strategies we discussed.=

Janine Firmender Creativity Application Lessons


 * Lesson #1**


 * Discipline:** Social Studies/Language Arts


 * Strategy:** Morphological Matrix


 * Objectives:**
 * Brainstorm ideas and situations to be included on a morphological matrix within the Social Studies unit on Exploration.
 * Select from the morphological matrix an option from each category in order to create a story.

A morphological matrix is a tool that can be used to combine ideas, situations, and other attributes that might not otherwise be paired together. Steps:
 * Description of the Strategy:**
 * 1) Introduce students to the use of a morphological matrix. Start by listing the ideas that might fall into a certain category, explorers for example. Brainstorming could be used for this step.
 * 2) Identify additional categories that are to be combined with the first. Students, will then begin listing the ideas that fall into these categories.
 * 3) Organize the categorical lists along a matrix. (see figure 1 for an example)


 * ||  ||||||||   Mode of Exploration   ||
 * ||  || space travel || sea || river || land ||
 * Exploration Tools  || maps ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ^  || compass ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ^  || human resources ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ^  || stars ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ^  || GPS ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

|| ||
 * ||  Figure 1


 * 1) Students can then list the combinations of modes of exploration and the tools that could be used for exploration.

I think that using this morphological matrix would be a great way to start off a unit about exploration and can be used to pre-assess some of what the students know about the topic prior to beginning of the unit. Students could list all of the possible combinations of tools and modes of exploration that they have created using the morphological matrix. After a period of time and/or at the conclusion of the unit students could refer to the list that was created at the beginning of the unit and use the information they have gained through the course of the unit to evaluate the plausibility of each combination of exploration tool and mode of exploration.
 * Implementing the Activity:**

I would assess the use of this strategy by the students though discussions about the ideas they brainstormed for each category and about the combinations they created using the matrix.
 * Assessment/Follow-up:**


 * Lesson #2**


 * Discipline:** Mathematics


 * Strategies:** Attribute Listing


 * Objectives:**
 * Compare and contrast the attributes of several different numbers.
 * Rearrange the digits in a number to come up with a different set of attributes.

In attribute listing the students list the attributes of an object, idea, or in this case a number. Students can then combine the attributes in order to come up with a new object or idea.
 * Description of the Strategy:**


 * Implementing the Activity:**
 * 1) Prior to the lesson prepare a set of digit cards for each pair of students. Each pair should receive three of each of the digits 0-9.
 * 2) In pairs, students will use their digit cards to create a two, three, four, etc. digit number. Students with higher math ability should be encouraged to create larger numbers.
 * 3) Together the students will work to list all the attributes of the number they created. For example: even/odd, prime/composite, greater/less than 50, divisible by 2, 3, 4, etc. The students’ work might look something like this...



The pair of students will then select one or more attributes of the number and change it. They would then have to create a new number made of the same digits to fit the new attribute. For example, they could change the attribute that says the number is less than 3,500 to be the number is greater than 3,500. The students would then rearrange the digits to make that a true statement about the number, by creating 4,863.
 * 1) Students would perform the above steps for several different numbers.
 * 2) Students would then compare and contrast the types of attributes their numbers have. For example, they might not how many of the numbers they analyzed were even versus how many were odd.

As a form of assessment, the pairs of students could present to the class and discuss the process they went through starting with their first number and its attributes, explain which attribute(s) they changed, and how they rearranged the numbers to meet the new attributes.
 * Assessment/Follow-up:**


 * Lesson #3**


 * Discipline:** Language Arts


 * Strategy:** Creative Problem Solving


 * Objectives:**
 * Students will analyze two versions of a fairy tale.
 * Utilize the Creative Problem Solving method to identify and come up with plausible solutions for the problem in the story.

1. Mess Finding – finding something that needs a solution 2. Fact Finding – listing what you know about the problem, use resources, and ask who, what, where, when, why, and how questions to gather more information. 3. Problem Finding – list alternative definitions of the problem 4. Idea Finding – a brainstorming phase of the strategy where idea for how to solve the problem are generated. Criticism is ruled out in this stage. 5. Solution Finding – list evaluation criteria for the solution, evaluate the proposed solutions, and select the best solutions 6. Acceptance Finding – creating a plan of action
 * Description of Strategy:**
 * Understanding the Problem
 * Generating Ideas
 * Planning for Action

The Creative Problem Solving strategy can be easily implemented in a variety of ways in the classroom and can be a powerful tool for students as they come across problems in their lives. In this lesson however, students will be utilizing the steps in the Creative Problem Solving method to help a fairy tale character solve a problem.
 * Implementing the Strategy:**
 * Divide the students into groups. Half of the groups will read the traditional version of //The Three Little Pigs.// The other half of the groups will read //The Real Story of the Three Little Pigs//, which is the traditional story told from the wolf’s point of view and perspective.
 * Each of the groups will read their version of the story and begin the Creative Problem Solving process by finding the problem in the story.
 * Students will progress through the Creative Problem Solving process and create an action plan that the character(s) can implement in order to solve their problem.
 * Students will present their action plans to classmates.

Questioning the students while they are proceeding through the Creative Problem Solving process will enable the teacher to determine if the students have a good understanding of how to use the Creative Problem Solving method. Also, by presenting their action plans to classmates, students have the chance to receive feedback and suggestions from other students who may look at the problem in another way.
 * Assessment/Follow-up:**


 * Lesson #4**


 * Discipline:** Language Arts


 * Strategy:** But...so Story and Brainstorming


 * Objectives:**
 * Identify solutions and possible problems that might arise when facing different situations.
 * Create a story that revolves around a central problem.
 * Brainstorm problems and possible solutions

Select an idea/topic/problem that the students have to solve by creating a story in which there is a pattern of the character(s) encountering a problem, solve the problem, and then something goes wrong again, and therefore need to come up with additional solutions. Initially, solutions could be generated by involving the whole class in a brainstorming session. Students could then use these solutions or others that they come up with on their own to create a But...so story. This strategy would work well if each member of the class created a page in the book.
 * Description of Strategy:**


 * Implementing the Strategy:**
 * Introduce students to the idea of a But...so book by reading //Baloney (Otherwise Known as Henry P.)// by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. This picture book is about a young alien whose problem is that he is late for school and is trying to justify his tardiness to his teacher. Henry has the reputation for creating tall tales in order to get out of trouble. Discuss with the students how Henry gets himself into and out of trouble while trying to solve the problem of getting to school when he misses the school bus shuttle.
 * Provide or have the students provide a problematic situation that they may face in their lives.
 * Engage students in a brainstorming session where they could think of possible solutions to the problem that is selected. Remind students of the Four Rules for Brainstorming...1. Criticism is ruled out, 2. Come us with wild ideas, 3. Think of many things, 4. Combine and piggyback on ideas.
 * Have students select one of the problems and solutions to create their page in the But...so book. Students should illustrate their page as well.
 * The students’ pages could then be scanned or photographed and inserted into a Photo Story project, arranged in order, and narrated by the students, thus creating an ebook.

Brainstorming a variety of solutions to a problem is a skill that has practical applications to students’ lives. Providing a safe and non-threatening environment for students to brainstorm solutions and learn to anticipate possible problems will help them to develop this skill. Because of this, I would assess this strategy through observing students’ interactions and responses to problems after practicing this skill. Successful implementation of this strategy would hopefully lead to student’s using the strategy in real life situations.
 * Assessment/Follow-up**: