Educational Psychology—Limitations and Possibilities

Table 40.4
Examples of Using Creative Problem-Solving Strategies in Curriculum Units
Context Examples
At the beginning of a topic Have students work in groups to make an Attributes Tree showing all
the ways that the topic of study—animals/cities/plants/geographic
regions—can be same or different from each other. All groups
contribute to a master Attributes Tree the teacher makes for the whole
class. The tree is used by students as an organizer for researching
specific animals/cities, etc.
Before starting a new topic in grammar, the teacher of the target
language has the class work together to make an Idea Tree showing
everything they already know about grammar in the language being
learned.
Prior to reading a story about a student who moves to a new school,
the teacher has students complete Future Projection Charts to
imagine all the things that could go right or wrong when moving to a
new school.
As conceptually playful
assignments in other
subject areas
As culminating creative
projects to conclude units
Imagine that you are a sports commentator for your favorite sport.
Using as many words as you can from our unit on weather, report
what happened in a game or pretend to describe a few minutes of play.
Use the terminology we learned in our unit on electricity to explain
the “circuitry” of friendships.
We have studied the five geographic regions of our province or state.
Your group will be assigned one of these geographic regions.
Imagine that, on a family trip, the family pet gets lost while in this
region. Develop a storyboard outlining all the adventures the pet
might have while lost there for three days.
We have studied three popular models of science fair projects:
experimental, descriptive/analytic, and active demonstration or
working model. Before starting on your own favorite idea for a
project, please generate two ideas for each model. Each idea should
somehow be related to the idea of “beauty” (imposed constraint).
We have just finished reading a particular play/story/novel. Pretend
that this is a true story. Plan a television documentary program about
these dramatic events (e.g., interviews with characters, witnesses, and
“experts”; show footage of reenacted key moments.)
Design a game that will give players the opportunity to practice their
addition and subtraction skills. The game must use empty milk
cartons (imposed constraint) in a central way.
Using activities and objects we have been working with in our
gymnastics unit, plan presentations for the school assembly. You can
use music and costumes. We will brainstorm possible themes and
pick one.
To conclude our unit on ecology, work in a group to design an
imaginary settlement in a bubble submerged in the ocean (imposed
constraint). Show your ideas on a large mural.