James Waller

Teaching for Creativity

Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking

Teaching for Creativity

Part 1 - My Educational Scenario

In imagining a scenario in which I am supporting a teacher to get out of their comfort zone and
inspire innovation, I have an opportunity for this coming up November 2nd. I would like to use
this opportunity to plan for something called a “release time”, in which I’ve been tasked to spend
half a day with a school teacher to help them integrate STEAM into an existing unit and
accommodate the class as they run the project. In this particular case, we are looking at Grade
2 Science and Technology, and trying to build STEAM into the simple machines unit. This
project will require students to build a simple machine that contains working versions of the
components in their curriculum expectations: pulleys, gears, inclined planes, and levers. To do
this, students would be best to learn and implement the design process in order to create an
effective machine of their own.

The Physical Space

Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone requires getting out of your routine. For this
project, I wanted to get the class out of their homeroom and into the makerspace. I wanted
them to be able to come at this project with a different perspective than their usual day to day
lessons. In order to do this I will host the release time in the Makerspace, where we can ideate
using the resources available to us. MakeDo student-safe tools, a maker wall, Lego,
Starwbees. All of these resources will make the experience different from what students are
used to having to work with in their classroom.

Students test tools on the DSC Makerspace wall

The Social Interactions

I want collaboration to be a cornerstone of this project as a strategy to maximize creativity. In

the Michalko piece, Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius, Michalko tells us about

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James Waller
Teaching for Creativity
Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking
how Leonardo da Vinci believed that to gain knowledge about the form of a problem, you began
by learning how to restructure it to see it in many different ways. He felt the first way he looked
at a problem was too biased toward his usual way of seeing things. He would look at his
problem from one perspective and move to another perspective and still another. With each
move, his understanding would deepen, and he would begin to understand the essence of the
problem. Leonardo called this thinking strategy saper vedere or "knowing how to see"
(Michalko, 2011. P 19).

In order to give students this opportunity in the simple machines unit, I will have them begin the
design process in small groups. We will begin with an “Identify the Challenge” and “Ideate and
Sketch Solutions” group activity. By having students sketch their own ideas and solutions
independently first, they will use the simple machines components from the curriculum and
come up with a wholly original design. Once they get together with their group and compare
designs, they will be able to see approaches to the challenge from completely new
perspectives. My role in this would be to facilitate conversations by asking probing questions
and having students compare their sketches to address them.

Students sketch ideas based on materials they have Students compare designs and give feedback

Assessment of Creativity

Besides the teacher directed conversations during the design process, I think an effective way
to assess creativity and innovation in this project would be to have students develop a
constantly evolving mind map. Mind Mapping is explained very well in the Andy Beckett blog,
Techniques for Creative Thinking. In it, Tony Buzan who is often credited for his creation of the
mind map is quoted as saying, “The human brain is very different from a computer. Whereas a
computer works in a linear fashion, the brain works associatively as well as linearly - comparing,

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James Waller
Teaching for Creativity
Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking
integrating and synthesizing as it goes.Association plays a dominant role in nearly every mental
function, and words themselves are no exception. Every single word, and idea has numerous
links attaching it to other ideas and concepts” (Beckett, 2003). I think having this visualizer that
can be changed, edited and updated will help me assess creative process thinking and allow
me to have a document that makes sense for the students but also gives me evidence of
learning and critical thinking.

A mind map helps me see their thinking and gives me documentation for assessment.

Teaching the Tools

Design thinking/ maker projects require front loading some upskilling sessions when working
with new tools. In the 1990 Goldberg piece, Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life, he writes, “What
writing practice, like Zen practice, does is bring you back to the natural state of mind, the
wilderness of your mind where there are no refined rows of gladiolas” (Goldberg, 1990. P Viii).
Since much like in writing, making requires patience and practice. In order to create something
that has already been built in your imagination, you would need comfort and free flowing use of
the tools available to make it a reality. In order to do this, we would run a series of centres.
Upskilling stations. Student-safe power tools and the maker wall, hand tools we are allowed to
use on our own (MakeDo Kits), and additional resources we can take (Lego, Strawbees,
cardboard sheets). After giving students teacher directed goals for using these tools to create a
specific product, we can integrate the skills more seamlessly into the unit project.

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 James Waller
Teaching for Creativity
Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking
Students learn safe and effective use of MakeDo Kits Students apply this learning to a maker challenge

References

Goldberg, N. (1990). Wild mind: Living the writer's life. New York, NY: Bantam Books. Pp xiii-5.

Michalko, M. (2001). Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius. pp. 19-49. Berkeley,
CA: Ten Speed Press.

Techniques for Creative Thinking, Andy Beckett

https://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/Techniques/index.html April 2003

Part 2 - The Learning Activity

Below is the outline of the unit plan based on the PD session focused on incorporating course
elements into a Grade 2 Simple Machines design thinking project. Some of the lesson materials
are built into it and are already viewable. Some still need to be produced by the grade team.

Lesson #: Content: Resources:

1 Introduction: Design Thinking Grade 2

(ICT TEAM introduction to Design Thinking with slides)
Chart Paper (markers)
Introduction to Design Thinking (Slides):
• Explain Design Process to students. Simple Machines Booklet
• Show examples (how other kids got started and finished projects). (Printed)

Chart it!:
As a whole class come up with a bunch of ideas they have for
materials in the Makerspace that could be used to make each part of
a simple machine (pulleys & gears, wedge, levers, incline planes)
Eg. I will use the maker wall for a pulley & gear system

Hand out Simple Machines Booklet:

1) Work on their cover page (colour it)
2) Write their BRAINSTORM: MATERIALS on the mindmap
template on the second page. (this is referred back to when
they want to start their own design projects, so encourage
them to list as much as they can). - Write only 3 for each to
begin.

2 Narrowing It Down: Simple Machines

Booklet:

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 James Waller
Teaching for Creativity
Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking
Here students will need to conduct research on each part of the (Narrowing it down -
simple machine to find out which of their materials would work best Ideas #1,2,3)
for each part.
Research Tools (posters,
Introduction to Research Tools: QR codes)
● Lay out research tools that would be applicable to your class.
Example class posters, QR codes, links. Try to stay away from
Google Searching.
● Eg. Epicbooks, PebbleGo, Worldbook, Britanncia, Brainpopjr,
Kidsearch, Kid Rex, Kiddle

Conversations about their Projects:

● This is where the teacher will be helping and guiding the
student to make a good choice on a project (teacher
intervention). While they research, have a conversation with
each student about their progress.
● Have students come up and explain their ideas with you and
this is where you can guide them into projects that lead to
successful creation.

3 Research: Simple Machines booklet

Introduction to Research Tools - research page:
Post your Research tools with links and ideas to Seesaw. Your
research poster as a PDF with links included and students will click Research Presentation
“view original” and have full access to all the links.

Go through Research Presentation.

Students who are ready can move onto their research page. They can
write or draw their research ideas in their Simple Machines book.

4 Sketch Simple Machines booklet

- Sketch pages:
Here students will take their research on each of the parts of a simple
machine and sketch it as made with their selected materials. These
sketches will act as the basis for them to move into the maker
elements of the project beginning in the next class.

Small Group Conversations

Find students using the same materials and put them into small
groups. Here they will compare drawings and decide which model is
the best to move forward with. From here they will work together to
collaboratively build their machines.

5 Upskilling Workshop Centres

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 James Waller
Teaching for Creativity
Module 6
PME 833 - Supporting Innovative Thinking
Center 1 - MakeDo Tool kits
Leader - Mr. Waller
Students will learn how to safely use the screwdrivers, hole punchers,
saws and roto-knives to build using cardboard.

Center 2 - Maker Wall

Leader - Mr. Orser
Students will learn how to use the power tools/hand tools to build
pulley/gear systems and build marble runs with levers and
incline/decline planes

Center 3 - Loose Materials

Leader - Mrs. Bradstreet
Students will get to experiment with the Lego, Kennex, Strawbees
and other block materials that they can use in their simple machines.

Center 4 - LittleBits
Leader - Ms Luo
Students will learn how to use the building kits in Little Bits to
experiment with pulleys and gears connected to motors and power
sources.

6 Makerspace Time!

Students will work in their small groups to bring their sketches to life
using the skills and tools explored in the previous centers.

Teachers will act as encouragement and empowerment of student

independence and creativity.