TITLE: Assorted Creative Thinking Activities
AUTHOR: Randy Bartholomew, Barnett Elementary School
Payson, UT
Thoughts on Teaching
by A Teacher
Everything you say,or do not say, do, or do not do, will
illicit a reaction, either positive or negative in nature,
from the class or individuals you are teaching.
Anything and everything that happens in the classroom,
whether it is good or bad, is to your fault or credit as the
teacher.
What the students are doing is more important than what you
are doing.
Ninety percent of everything you will do in the classroom is
management. Make the remaining ten percent really count.
Proper discipline and correction of student behavior does
not damage self esteem.
If you ignore a student's improper behavior, the student
will continue the behavior until he gets your attention.
Give your attention the first time and save the student and
yourself a lot of unnecessary effort.
When telling students what to do, be sure to tell them how
to do it, where to do it, when to do it, and why to do it.
If a student is in trouble at school, he might as well be in
trouble at home.
ANNOUNCING
the 1st Annual
INVENTION CONVENTION
Design, invent, and build something new, useful, or
decorative, using any combination of the items listed below.
Try to make something that no one else will think of. You
may use tape, glue, string, paint, paper clips, and pins in
the construction of your project. It will be displayed in
the auditorium. Do all the work yourself.
Items you may use:
2-liter Plastic Pop Bottles
Egg Cartons (1 dozen size)
Cardboard T.P. or Towel Rolls
Wire Coat Hangers
Plastic Gallon Milk Jugs
JUDGING
Students may choose to enter in ONE of the following:
Useful Inventions with a purpose or function
Decorative Inventions used to add beauty
Combination Inventions that have more than one purpose
or function as demonstrated by the inventor
Futuristic Inventions of things that may be real in
the future.
Students will be judged on the originality of the idea and
design, and the creativity in the use of the materials.
Invention Convention
Lesson Plan
Use this lesson plan to introduce the Invention Convention.
Distribute the worksheet, Famous Inventors.
Discuss inventors and their inventions. Discuss new ways of
looking at old things.
Distribute the worksheet, A New Twist. Have students
complete the worksheet and then categorize some of their
responses.
Distribute the Invention Convention rules.
Discuss the rules and information.
Show the materials they are to use and explore the different
ways that can be used. (Tear apart the T.P. roll, bend the
hanger, etc.) Emphasize the many, different, and unusual
ways to use the materials, either alone or in combination.
Answer any questions the students may have about the
convention.
From Here To There
Social Studies, Transportation Level III
This lesson could be used as either an introduction or
culminating activity for a unit on transportation. Students
will find it interesting to explore new methods of
transportation.
Student Motivation: Discuss transportation and its
convenience and necessity in history and our lives today.
Ask: What causes methods of transportation to change with
time?
Problem: Students will list the many, different, and
unusual ways of transporting someone or something from here
to there.
Activities:
Students will design a new or futuristic means of
transporting someone or something from here to there.
The students will make a three-dimensional
representation of their design.
Spelling Relations
Spelling, Language
This lesson can be used with any list of spelling words.
Start the lesson by discussing how some words make us think
of other words because we can find a relationship between
the words. Give a few examples, ie: Milk makes me think of
cow, because cows give milk.
Problem: The students will find many, different, and
unusual relationships using the words in the spelling list.
Activities:
Have the students write sentences using the following form:
______ makes me think of ________ because,
Encourage the students to find unusual relationships and be
able to explain their answers by use of the 'because' found
in each sentence. Let the students share their answers.
The Surprise Seed
Science Level I
Student Motivation:
Discuss seeds and their parts. Show examples of familiar
and unfamiliar seeds. Discuss the conditions that a seed
must have in order to sprout and grow.
Ask: What would you expect to grow from a seed that you
find under a tree? What about a seed that I may find
hanging on a plant? (A new tree or plant of the same
variety.)
Say: Let's pretend that we are walking along, when all of a
sudden we see a seed lying on the ground in the path. It is
very unusual looking and isn't like any seed you have ever
seen before. There are no plants nearby that it could have
fallen from. So you take it home and carefully plant it in
a large pot of rich soil. You water it, and put it in a
sunny place. A few days later, you see that something is
beginning to push its way up through the dirt. Tomorrow it
will be up. You can hardly wait to see what it is.
Problem: The students will name many, different, and
unusual things that could sprout from the seed.
Activities:
Have the students choose one of their unusual ideas or
something else, and draw what sprouts from the seed.
Navigation Without A Map
Science, Technology Level IV
It may benefit the students to have a discussion of known
navigational tools and practices. ie: compasses, maps,
astronomy, satellites, etc.
Student Motivation:
Ask: How many have used maps before? What do we use maps
for? How many of you have had experiences using maps on a
trip or vacation? What problems did you or your parents
have while using maps?
Problem: The students will think of many, different, and
unusual ways to navigate around an unknown city. Then they
will design a system using a new form of navigation.
Activities:
The students will make a representation of their solution.
This could be a drawing or a three-dimensional model.
The students will evaluate their creations and decide on
five advantages and five disadvantages of their design.
CUSTOM-MADE VALENTINES
Art, Social Studies
Holidays and Customs
Student Motivation:
Discuss Valentines Day and why we give others Valentines
cards and greetings.
Discuss the different kinds of Valentine cards (brands) they
have seen or will be giving to others.
Ask: What does custom-made mean to you? What are some
things that you or your family may have that are custom-
made? (accept reasonable examples, furniture, upholstery,
clothing, care interiors, house, etc.)
Ask: Why do people have things custom- made? (made a
certain way, choose own colors and styles, need special
size, family preference, etc.)
Problem: The students will list many, different, and
unusual jobs that people do. After categorizing their
responses, have each student choose one, or think of one
that is not on the list, and custom-make a Valentine for a
person who works at that job.
Activity: Each student will construct custom-made Valentine
cards using paper, scissors, glue, or other materials.
Remind the students that they are making a Valentine card,
but to customize it to the person and job that they do. It
does not have to made using the regular Valentine colors and
styles (red hearts, lace, etc.)
Encourage them to think of something that no one else will
think of.
SYMBOLS OF AMERICA
A Nifty New Flag
Subject Area: Social Studies
Teacher Introduction:
This lesson can be used very effectively as a culmination
activity to a unit on the United States. As the students
redesign the flag, they will be encouraged to think of
symbols that are not presently found on the flag.
Another interesting way to use the lesson would be to ask
the students to redesign their school flag to make it more
representative of the school's educational philosophy and
viewpoints. This idea could even be elaborated to include
the entire school population, if presented as a contest.
Student Motivation:
Ask the students:
"What is a symbol? What are some symbols of our country?
What are the most unique symbols of our country which
are easily recognized by other countries and people?"
List all the students' responses to the above questions.
Problem:
Students will design a flag representing the U.S.A. They
will not use any recognized symbols currently in use
including those listed above. The flag will not be
rectangular in shape, use stars, stripes, or the colors red,
white, or blue.
Activities:
Have students make a design which can be made into a
finished product and displayed.
Have a flag parade.
Have students give a short speech about their flag that
tells what it represents about the U.S.A. and why the
symbols were chosen.
THE NEW BUNNY HOP
Physical Education, Creative Dance
Student Motivation:
Obtain a copy of the music and instructions for the Bunny
Hop **. Put students in line formation and do the Bunny Hop
as instructed. Say: " Now we're going to find out other
ways of dancing the Bunny Hop."
Brainstorm the following ideas;
What else could be hopping in this dance?
What other movements could be made besides hopping?
What other formation could this dance take besides a
line?
Give the students 30 seconds to get into groups of five or
six. Point out that the movements and steps are in groups
of 4. Give the students a few minutes to work as a team to
come up with a new version of the Bunny Hop. Give them
enough time to practice. Encourage them to come up with
something new and different.
Activities:
Let the students perform their new versions for each other.
Have the students try the new dance creations. Find other
recordings that could be changed creatively.
Chicken Fat
Hokey Pokey
**Instructions:
Begin in line formation with each student placing his hands
on the shoulders of the person in front. Count in fours
starting with the Right Foot.
R.F. Heel, Toe, Heel, Toe
L.F. Heel, Toe, Heel, Toe
Hop Forward, Hop Backward
Hop Forward 3 Counts (Hop, Hop, Hop)
Repeat until music ends
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org