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Miscellaneous

TITLE:  FLEXIBLE THINKING-SQUIGGLE ART

AUTHOR:  Janet Gindin, Maple Hills Elementary School, Issaquah , Wa.

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: K - 5

PURPOSE:  It is very difficult for some students to be flexible thinkers.
They feel stifled in the creative mode due to various messages they have
received from parents, teachers, peers and, even themselves. The purpose
of this activity is to create an atmosphere and a feeling of success in
creativity.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate flexible thinking using their drawings.
  2. Feel more comfortable with their creativity.
  3. Continue honing their brainstorming skills.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  White Paper (8 1/2 x 11), White Paper (12 x 18),
Crayons, Pens, or Colored Pencils, Overhead Projector and appropriate
pens, or a chalkboard

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
  1.  Put a "squiggle" on the overhead.  Have the children look at that
line and brainstorm what they see in the squiggle.  After a few minutes
of this activity, have one of the children come up and draw his/her
idea on the overhead.  The drawing has to include the squiggle.  Repeat
activity a few times until you see that the children are ready to do
this on their own.
  2.  Pass out a piece of paper that has a squiggle on it (the same for
each child).  Give the children about 10 minutes to "create" their
drawing.  Encourage the children to turn the paper around for different
perspectives.
Remember that white space should be limited.
  3.  Pass out 12 x 18 paper and have the children divide it into six
parts.  Have them draw a simple squiggle in each section.  Then, they
are to look at the squiggles for similarities.  Each can find a theme
for their squiggles and draw pictures in each section.  They could
write stories for the six pictures or label them (younger children).

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
  1.  By not "putting down" children for their ideas, you model the
proper way for creativity to be nurtured.
  2.  Talking to the children about what went on in the creative
mode-flexibility (the ability to look at something in a different
way).
  3.  You show children that everyone can be creative by nurturing an
acceptance of varied ideas.

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