CREATIVITY:

PLAY
1
Grades: 3-5
 As a VentureLab instructor, you are enabling student confidence,
self-efficacy and ingenuity, ultimately preparing students to use an
entrepreneurial mindset to pave their own path. For your own journey
as an instructor, please use the resources below to complement the
VentureLab curriculum. There, you’ll find tips on how to create an
impactful learning experience.

USER ENTREPRENEURIAL
GUIDE MINDSET & SKILLSET

INTRODUCTORY
VIDEO

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
KEY TERMS /04

LESSON 1 OVERVIEW /05

LESSON 1 PREPARATION /07

ACTIVITY 1: THIS IS A... /09

Duration: 10 minutes

ACTIVITY 2: WACKY INVENTIONS /11

Duration: 30 minutes

ACTIVITY 3: CREATIVE PLAY - PLANET MOOZ DINER /13

Duration: 50 minutes

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KEY TERMS
ENT REPRENEURS
spot an opportunity and develop a vision for a new product, business, or solution and
put together all the resources needed to bring their vision to life.

ENT REPRENEURSHIP
isn’t just about starting companies; it is a skillset and a way of thinking. The core of
entrepreneurship is having a vision and making it a reality.

OBSERVAT ION
means acquiring information from the world around you based on your five senses:
seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting.

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LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
““A playful state is a curious state. Simple
TOTAL DURATION
delight and amusement can lead to
90 minutes breakthroughs that applied effort and
direct thinking just won’t give you.”

INTRODUCTION
During Activity I, students will play an improvisational game to explore creativity using
their bodies and imaginations to transform an object into something new.

In Activity 2, students will explore creativity by observing and combining two different
objects to create a new product.

Finally, Activity 3 will involve creative play as students create a menu and play food for an
alien planet.

BACKGROUND
Why Play is Important to Creativity
Being playful and using imagination are considered cornerstones of creativity and idea
generation. There is significant evidence that many ideas for new products and services
were developed though playing around with ideas, materials and products. Play itself gives
us a fresh perspective which is often critical in solving problems and being innovative.
Play also helps us better understand the world around us because we can explore things in
a fun way – we can make and build, create new worlds and personas, play new games and
break the rules without fear of consequences. Play helps entrepreneurs innovate because
it’s risk-free—there’s no judgement or failure when you’re playing. As a guide, creating an
environment of acceptance and trust is necessary for students to access the part of their
brain that is responsible for higher order, creative thinking.

T IP: Check out this addit ional useful background information to help you explore the
concepts of play and creativity within entrepreneurship.

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GOALS
For students to:

• Develop a deeper understanding of what a market is and how to carry out market
Have the opportunity to explore different types of play

• Use play as a way to be creative and think of new ideas

• Understand the importance of play in creativity, idea generation, and innovation

• Understand that in life or the “real world” there are times to be serious but there are
times when playing and being playful will help them:

• Be more creative

• Generate more ideas

• Be more in touch with people’s (e.g. customers, investors, etc.) needs

• Be more able to solve problems

ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS AND SKILLS

This lesson is designed to help students experience and develop the following:

Entrepreneurial Mindsets Entrepreneurial Skills

Curiosity Creativity
Adaptability (through play)
To not be afraid to fail Teamwork
Resourcefulness (collaboration and communication)
Optimism in the face of challenges Idea Generation
Problem Solving

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LESSON 1 PREPARATION
DAY BEFORE LESSON
1) Read through entire lesson.
2) Gather materials.
3) Print or make copies of:
• Wacky Invention Challenge handout (one for each student)

• Planet Mooz Diner letter and teacher Planet Mooz menu template (one per student)

• Planet Mooz Menu Template (one per student)

DAY OF LESSON
1) Reread lesson.
2) Organize materials.

MATERIALS
• An object for “This is a…” activity (Examples: pencil, scarf, spoon, shell, etc.

• Wacky Invention Challenge Handout

• Mooz Diner Menu Template (for teacher use)

• Mooz Diner Menu Template (for student use)

• Planet Mooz Diner Letter

• Idea Journals or notebook (one per student)

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 DOWNLOADS

WACKY INVENTIONS
SLIDES TEAM CHALLENGE MOOZ DINER LETTER

MOOZ DINER MENU MOOZ DINER MENU

TEMPLATE (INSTRUCTOR USE) TEMPLATE (STUDENT USE) GROUP UP!

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ACTIVITY 1: THIS IS A...
INTRODUCTION
This is meant to be a fun and silly improvisation game to create a safe learning space and
get students thinking creatively. Students will take an ordinary object and change it into
ANYTHING they can think of.

Key Points to Consider:

• You may have to model the game first to break the ice and set up a playful

• Do NOT force a participant to participate. Try having students complete a round with
a friend or partner first.

• Play more than 1 round. `

• Allow students to use the ideas of others. Coming up with innovative ideas often
begins by starting where someone left off. Entrepreneurs collaborate to come up
with ideas.

“If I have seen further than others, it has been standing

on the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton

• Remind students, as long as it’s appropriate, there are absolutely NO wrong ideas.

MATERIALS
• An object that can easily be passed from one student to the next. Examples: pencil,
scarf, spoon, shell, etc.

Outdoor Tip: You can take the class outside and use objects
from nature, especially if classroom resources are limited

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Have students select an object (a pencil, a box of tissues, a shell, a spoon) available in
the room.

2) Have students form a circle.

3) Tell students they will use their imagination to transform the object into something
new and create a sound or movement to go along with the object’s new identity.
Model this by holding the object in your hands and saying, “This is not a pencil, this
is an elephant.” As you say elephant, bring the pencil to your nose, pretending it’s an
elephant trunk and make an elephant sound.

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 Duration: 10 min

4) Have everyone in the circle repeat the statement, “This is not a pencil, this is an
elephant” and mimics the sound and gesture (Counting to 3 helps everyone to start at
the same time).

5) The object is then placed in the center of the circle and any student with an idea can
take it (or the object can also be passed to the left or right).

6) A student takes the object in their hands and says, “This is not a(n) _______, this is a(n)
__________.” and makes a movement and sound. All students repeat in unison, “This is
not a(n) _______, this is a(n) __________.” and mimics the movement and sound.

7) Repeat Step 5.

Give students up to 15-20 seconds of thinking time before asking them if they would
like to pass the object and keep thinking. Do not let other students shout out ideas,
but participants can “phone a friend” to get ideas if they are stuck.

POST-ACTIVITY DISCUSSION
• What was the most challenging part of this activity?

Coming up with an idea can be challenging. Entrepreneurs think outside the box and
use their imagination to reimagine the world around them.

Entrepreneurs have to speak in front of groups to pitch, or sell, their ideas. Let them
know it’s normal to feel nervous (as they’ll see in Introduction to Entrepreneurship
when they watch videos of other young entrepreneurs sharing their experiences)
and they’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice.

• How can being silly and creative help us invent new things?

Often, to be able to come up with lots of ideas, people need to be given permission
to play around and be free from judgment! When we’re not worried about having
the right or wrong answer, we can discover something new.

• Which ideas did you think were the wackiest?

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ACTIVITY 2: WACKY INVENTIONS
INTRODUCTION
This activity continues the same playful, creative process from Activity 1 and asks students
to consider two different objects and combine them to create a new product.

MATERIALS
• Enough objects for each group to receive two items and a few extra in case a group
needs to trade or add an object.

• Wacky Invention Team Challenge Handout & pencil

• Idea Journal or notebook (one per student)

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Form groups of 2-4. Use Group Up! for ideas on grouping kids. Give each student a
copy of the Wacky Invention Team Challenge.

2) Instruct students to follow along as you read the Entrepreneur’s Mindset box out loud.
Have them read it with you a second time and point out that during the lesson they
may notice themselves using this Mindset. The Mindset will be discussed in-depth
during post activity questions.

3) The first chart in the handout has been filled in with an example using a plastic duck
and a broom to show what the activity might look like.

4) Point out that the first 3 columns (What is it? What can it do? Who uses it?) and ask
students to consider the object as it is intended. Column 4 (How might it be used
differently?) and the bulleted list NEW PRODUCTS should be filled in using their
imaginations.

5) Give each group two objects and instruct them to complete the blank observation
chart by combining the 2 objects to create as many new products as possible.
Encourage them to think by playing with the objects, talking and sketching in the Idea
Journal. Remind them to accept all ideas from their group. Critiquing and judgment
should be suspended.

6) Challenge groups that finish early to come up with more ideas for new products or give
them a 3rd object to combine with the first two.

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 Duration: 30 min

7) When all groups have at least one new product idea, have each group choose one
to present. Give them 2-4 minutes to practice their presentation. They must role-
play and act as if they are using the new object while describing its features. All
students in the group should have a speaking role.

POST-ACTIVITY DISCUSSION
• Did you find yourself or anyone else using the Entrepreneur’s Mindset during the
activity? How?

• How do entrepreneurs come up with new ideas? Do you think you did any of those
things today when you were coming up with wacky inventions?

• Did you like being free to come up with new ideas?

• Did you like using existing products and coming up with new ways to use them?
How might that help you as an entrepreneur?

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ACTIVITY 3: PLANET MOOZ
DINER
INTRODUCTION
In this fun, dramatic play activity, students will create a diner name and menu for a diner
on a strange, newly discovered planet called Mooz. Watch out, though! Moozians eat very
different things than we do on planet Earth, so students will need to use their creativity to
put together a stellar menu.

MATERIALS
• Planet Mooz Letter

• Mooz Diner Menu Template (Student Use)

• Mooz Diner Menu Template (Instructor Use)

• Construction paper (or any other type of paper-colored is best), scissors, glue, tape
markers, crayons, etc.

• 3D materials for the food if you have available (clay, cardboard boxes, toilet paper
rolls, paper towel tubes, popsicle sticks, old containers

PREPARATION
1) Read through entire activity.
2) Print letter and menu template (enough menu templates for each student to have
one). (If you have time, fold the menu in half so the diner information is on one side
and menu info is on the back.)

3) Gather materials.
4) Decide how you will group your students (use Group Up! for ideas).

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Tell students that you’ve received communication from an alien planet. Then read the
Planet Mooz Letter. Try to get students excited about this opportunity.

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 Duration: 50 min

2) Let students know that they are going to design the diner menu and name the diner
for Planet Mooz in groups. Remember that it’s important to be creative, since Moozians
don’t eat the same things we do. They can’t put things on the menu that we have
on our menus. Think outside the box and combine dishes, like ice cream with fried
pizza sticks on the side or choose weird animal foods, like fried slugs as an appetizer.
Encourage students to be creative and invent foods never thought of before, because
this is how entrepreneurs think.

3) Tell students they must have at least 8 things on the menu, but they can have more if
there’s time and room (2 drinks, 2 appetizers, 2 main dishes, 2 desserts). They have
to come up with prices and design the items using construction paper or whatever
materials you have on hand. Let students know that they will be pretending to be
Moozians and ordering and eating the food you made so we can test out our diners
when we’re finished creating our menus and food.

4) Pair students up however you’d like (use Group Up! for ideas), and pass out the Mooz
Diner Menu Template (Student Use). Instruct students to follow along as you read the
Entrepreneur’s Mindset box out loud. Have them read it with you a second time and
point out that during the lesson, they may notice themselves using this Mindset.

5) This menu is meant to be folded in half and then stapled or glued as if it were a two-
sided document. One side will have the diner info and the back will have the menu.
Students could also glue the sides together once the paper is folded in half. The filled-
in menu template is for you to look at, so you can have ideas to help students if they
get stuck. Their menu can look different from this template. Let students know that
if they want to make their menu from scratch instead of using the template, they can
do that as well. The template is just a guide. Encourage students to make their menu
creative and colorful whether using the template or creating their own. If you would
like for students to create a plan or rough draft first on scrap paper, feel free to do that
if time permits, or give them a new, clean copy of the menu template. Give students
about 15 minutes to design their menu. Walk around the room and support students
who need it.

6) After you check their final menu, have students begin creating their food items. The
food can be 2D or 3D based on what you have available. To make the role-play more
realistic, try to have students create 3D food for their customers. Even paper can be
shaped into 3D food items. They need to make 1 of each item on their menu. Tell
students that the food items don’t need to look perfect given the time constraint. Give
them another 15 minutes for making food items.

7) When finished creating their menus and paper food, gather all students together to
share their new food items or see extensions for a role play activity.

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POST-ACTIVITY DISCUSSION
Ask: Did you find yourself or anyone else using the Entrepreneur’s Mindset during the
activity? How?

Ask how this entire process went. Here are some sample questions to ask:

• Did you enjoy creating the menu with your partner?

• Did anything frustrate you when you were inventing new foods for your menu?

• Are you proud of your menu and play food?

• How did the role play go?

• Were you surprised that you were able to come up with new ideas?

• At first, did you think you wouldn’t be able to come up with ideas? Were you
eventually able to?

• How did you come up with new ideas?

• What are other silly things you could create for Planet Mooz?

EXTENSION (Optional)
• Role Play by creating a dining experience for the Moozians to try the food. Combine
2 or more groups together. One group will be the diner owners and the other two
groups will play the Moozians. The Moozians will use the 1st groups menu to “order”
food and have it delivered to them. Groups take turn serving and ordering and
eating the food.

• Use paper money and have students actually purchase their food as they would at a
real diner.

• Have students design the outside of the diner on paper, and then even have
students create the diner using props or decorations. Or, just have students create
decorations for their diners.

• Have students wear aprons and dress up as servers.

• Have students develop something else for Planet Mooz (books they read, stores they
have, clothing they wear, TV shows they like, games they play, etc.). Students can
write, draw, create a poster, or just discuss based on your setting and timing.

• Have students design an entire town on Planet Mooz. They can create everything
from the buildings, landforms, parks, homes, people, town name, etc.

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LESSON 1 REFERENCES
BirssDave, Dave. “How Play Leads to Great Inventions.” Open for Ideas, 28 Nov. 2016, open-
forideas.org/blog/2016/11/28/how-play-leads-to-great-inventions/.

Ted Talks. “The Creative Spark.” TED Talks, www.ted.com/playlists/11/the_creative_spark.

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CREATIVITY:
OBSERVATION
2
Grades: 3-5
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
LESSON 2 OVERVIEW /19

LESSON 2 PREPARATION /20

ACTIVITY 1: VIDEO AND I SPY /22

Duration: 20 minutes

ACTIVITY 2: LENS AND PERSPECTIVE /24

Duration: 30 minutes

ACTIVITY 3: FIVE SENSES /26

Duration: 40 minutes

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LESSON 2 OVERVIEW
TOTAL DURATION “Creativity is just connecting things. When you
ask creative people how they did something,
90 minutes they feel a little guilty because they didn’t
really do it, they just saw something. It
seemed obvious to them after a while.”
INTRODUCTION - Steve Jobs

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ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS AND SKILLS

This lesson is designed to help students experience and develop the following:

Entrepreneurial Mindsets Entrepreneurial Skills

Problem Solving Creativity
Curiosity Teamwork
Resourcefulness

Empathy

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