What in the World Creation Project: Fall 2011 What is Creativity?

Envisioning something new out of what was there Given a certain number of variables, what can I do with it Something un-prescribed Allowing the mind to make tangible or more easily understood an idea that needs to be expressed Ability to make order, see linear and non-linear connections Seeing whats before me and creating an explanation for how it got there. Creativity 5 Essential Learnings: I can see the bits and pieces (both abstract and concrete) that I have to work with and use them as resources to create something new o McGyver Working independently, I can make my own sense out of something I dont initially understand o Rubiks Cube, M.C. Escher, Optical Illusions I can figure out what to produce to make an abstract idea more easily understood o making metaphors for writing traits o symbolism with F-451 character bodies o math manipulatives (for counting and adding) o Harry Potter-- napkin ideasbookmovieworld o (many different mediums combine to help make an idea more tangible/concrete) I can look at something from multiple perspectives (physical space) o bench vs. court perspective o dramatic irony o actors on stage vs. audience, o movie shots of actors --The Truman Show, Titanic (boat in bathtub) I can look at something from someone elses point of view o harder when its not in your immediate orbitimagining what suffering would be like Katrina, Japan Tsunami o based on ANOTHERs life circumstances parent perspective The Outsiders Darry being hard on Pony

What in the World Project (1-2 days) STEP ONE -Generate ideas for what creativity looks like without judgment (jot down words on board, and then launch I can statements) -each student pick a word and create a sentence that demonstrates -put up I can statements of creativity on the SB and together, we highlight the common ideas/threads (2-3 days) STEP TWO -Visual experience showing entries into new worlds (Avatar, Narnia, Harry Potter, Transformers, Lord of the Rings, Matrix, The Wizard of Oz, real Civil Rights movement, or real Greece/Rome, the Blind Side) -After playing/discussing the movie (visual), then decipher/analyze texts Dr. Seuss (visual and text) and F451 (text) -Introduce the chart/graph for recording thoughts on creativity (this will occur throughout) (2-3 days) STEP THREE -Introduce the entire project (announce groups/layout of project representation of world, writing individual piece and corporate piece 3 TOTAL PRODUCTS 2 group grades and individual grade) *Come up with the list of guiding principles/rules for the world they create, (what is the geography, population life forms, vegetation, geophysical laws gravity, ability to fly?) *Create some model of the world *Write the creation story of how it all came to be and why. -Choose one or two movie clips (Colins movie clips Inception) that demonstrate RULES that govern new worlds (even FANTASY has rules!) -Come up with design principles of your world: 2+ rules of physical world 451 forest and town everyone moves fast no front porches houses are all fireproof hound could be programmed to sniff/track Government controls media 2+ rules that govern the cultural world (how people interact with/relate to each other/live 451 - it is unusual to be a pedestrian relationship with children relationships with spouses cant have books engaged with parlor walls seashells block out outside world

2+ rules that explore the spiritual relationship with the creator and the created 451 - Honest communication discouraged Only figures with sense of spiritual are the hobos Cataclysm will form rebirthark and hobos are survivors Clarisse -Small sheets individually then to poster; or use post-its and have them organize post-its on chart find common ideas (3-5 days) STEP FOUR -Design the representation of the physical world (3D or 2D model; or field guide; or story board; or theme park map; or travel brochure; or 3D theme park; video game 2D or 3D; architectural software virtual world creators) (NOTE- Any other ideas are welcomed but need prior approval) (NOTE: No power point, prezi, or keynote allowed) **physical representation: -What does the culture value? -What is the geography? -How does it come to be? -What is the relationship to the creator? -give visual rubric (here are the targets) STEP FIVE -Write the creation story (use the chart as a graphic organizer and/or the basis for discussion of your creation story) (3 major parts Creation, destruction, rebirth) (Turn in a single piece for individual grading; and turn in a uniform piece where the kids have put together the entire story smoothing out the transitions) (Group must decide how to split up the creation story writing) -mini lessons about: run-ons, fragments, verb use, prepositional phrases, conjunctions and comma use, proofreading list (conventions), peer-editing (with traits) -Use chart as graphic organizer What are steps in creation, what is nature of creator, nature of created and why? -Create outline/sketch of story collectively -Might divide by creation, destruction, and rebirth or any other means based on number of folks in group -Write individual piece, peer edit to turn in (grade individual piece according to the writing rubric) -Put pieces together into unified whole for group assessment

STEP SIX: MUSEUM TOUR In museum fashion, we will move from project to project and enjoy each teams visual representations of their created world, along with creation story of how it came to be. Each group member will present and explain briefly their creation story portion as we rotate among the four groups. STEP SEVEN: Self-assessment of creativity At the end of the project, you will individually rate yourself on the essential learnings of creativity; you will choose the I can statement you feel is your strength and write an in-depth analysis; you will do the same for the I can statement you feel is your weakness/challenge.

Groups: ASSIGNED by teacher Project outcomes: a. visual representation of created world group grade: major opportunity, graded by the visual rubric b. shared writing of the creation story (emphasis on proofreading/conventions and organization) - group grade: minor opportunity, graded by the 6-traits writing rubric (emphasis on organization, ideas, and conventions) c. individual writing piece of the creation story - individual grade: major opportunity, evaluated by the 6-traits writing rubric d. participation/effort grade based on your steady work in the creativity log, in addition to self-assessment/reflections on creativity at the end (strength/weakness)