Creativity Lesson: What is Creativity?

*This lesson coincides with the introduction on "What is Creativity" from A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech

 

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Written By: Genevieve Christie & Mike Walker

Grade level range: 3-5

Time: 45 minutes

Lesson overview:  Students will be challenged to transform everyday items to illustrate that there are many possibilities.  Picture books and audio visual tools will be used to illustrate this principle.  This concept can be used in any subject area to teach perseverance.

Objective:  We will creatively look at everyday items and visualize their potentials because the human brain is capable of creating incredible things and/or solving what seems to be impossible problems.

Resources:  Copy of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, tooth picks, cup of water, brainstorming bookmark, creativity/brainstorming rubric

Step by Step Lesson Description:

1.       Display a box of tooth picks and ask the question, “What is it?”

2.       Provide time for students to brainstorm ideas on the brainstorming bookmark and share out.

3.       Read The Giving Tree using the following discussion points:

             a.       Someone decided to use wood from trees to make a pick to clean teeth.

             b.      What might the boy have asked for that would lead the tree to help create the items the students created?

4.       The students will add/or change a section of the book to include their creation.

5.       Students share their additions and illustrations.

6.       Closure engagement: Display water and ask, “What is it?”

7.       Have students think and share ideas.

8.       Show youtube video about ice instruments and discuss the importance of creative thinking:  http://youtu.be/s_GIc4on24o

Assessment:  The following rubric can be used to assess brainstorming.

Special Notes:  This lesson could be used to teach perseverance in many subject areas.

 

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