CREATIVITY
ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM UNIT
By, 2005 Creativity Unit
Objectives: To introduce students to the language and methods of different creativity techniques, practice the skills necessary to expand their creative abilities, and apply some of the techniques when creating their own work.
State Standards:
5.1.2 Identify and compare works of art and artifacts with similar functions. 5.1.3 Identify themes and symbols used in works of art and artifacts throughout history that portray universal ideas and beliefs. 5.2.2 Identify distinguishing characteristics of style in individual artists’ work and art movements. 5.3.1 Analyze the artist’s use of sensory, formal, technical, and expressive properties in a work of art. 5.3.2 Construct meaning in the work based on personal response, properties found in the work and background information on the context of the work. 5.3.3 Use appropriate art vocabulary. 5.4.1 Listen to multiple critiques of works of art by peers, teachers, and people from the art world and identify criteria used. 5.4.2 Apply criteria based on properties found in the work and research from the historical context of the work to make informed judgments. 5.6.2 Understand that personal preference is one of many criteria used in making judgments about art. 5.7.2 Utilize new interests, current events, or personal experiences as subject matter in the work. 5.7.3 Generate symbols and subject matter and borrow ideas from an artist’s work in order to communicate ideas. 5.8.1 Apply elements (line, shape, form, texture, color, value, and space) and principles (repetition, variety, rhythm, proportion, movement, balance, emphasis, and unity) in work that effectively communicates their ideas. 5.8.2 Identify and discriminate between types of shape (geometric and organic), colors (primary, secondary, complementary, intermediates, neutrals, tints, tones, shades, and values), lines (characteristics, quality), textures (tactile and visual), and space (background, middleground, foreground, placement, perspective, overlap, negative, converging lines positive, size, color), balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial) and the use of proportion, rhythm, variety, repetition, and movement in their work and the works of others. 5.9.1 Discriminate between visual characteristics of a variety of media and selectively use these in their work. 5.9.2 Identify and control different media, techniques, and processes to effectively communicate ideas, experiences, and stories including: DRAWING: Media: pencils, colored pencils, markers, chalks, crayons, oil pastels, charcoals Processes: contour line, rendering, sketching, value, shading, crosshatching, and stippling PAINTING: Media: tempera, watercolor, watercolor crayons; variety of surfaces, brushes and paint applicators
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Processes: wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, sponge, wash, resist, watercolor techniques of sponging, salting, and masking 5.9.3 Demonstrate safe and proper use, care, and storage of media, materials, and equipment. 5.10.1 Demonstrate evidence of reflection, thoughtfulness, and care in selecting ideas and completing work. 5.10.2 Identify and apply criteria for assessment in their work, in peer critiques, and in self- assessment. 5.10.3 Demonstrate respect for their work and the work of others. 5.12.1 Identify individual art experiences and how these affect daily life. 5.12.2 Visit, analyze, and respond to art at local museums, exhibitions, performances, and exhibited by visiting artists in the school.
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Lesson 1
What makes an artwork creative?
Value Scale -- Rating artwork on a continuum as “Creative” or “Not Creative” -- Working in pairs, students will get a variety of artwork postcards and will attach them to a value scale to show where they would rank them -- in order from Not As Creative to VERY Creative.
Then, we will analyze the postcards that were put at the top of the scale. Using an attribute listing diagram on the board, students will write the qualities of the artworks they felt were the most creative.
Creative Characteristics
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DISCUSSION QUESTION: HOW DO ARTISTS GET THEIR IDEAS?
Cooperative Learning Description Activity Think-Pair-Share Students will think about one thing they have created on their own (not as a response to a school assignment) and try to remember How did they get this idea? Where did they get the idea? When do they get their best ideas? They will get with a partner to discuss their answers. Students will then share at their table with the other teams. Blackboard Share Teams will send one or two members from their table to record some of their responses to the question.
Students will learn about Wallis’ 4 Stage Model of Creativity from a power point. They will fill out a response form that will ask them to sketch out a symbol or small picture for each stage in the Creative Process.
1. Preparation – Problem Identification 2. Incubation – Let it “sit” – work on it subconsciously 3. Illumination – your idea - the AHA! moment 4. Verification – evaluate or judge the idea. If necessary, return to step 1.
Using the 4 stage model of creativity, students will learn some techniques to assist them in the first step of the creative process. These techniques are a combination of brainstorming and concept mapping.
Task: Students will create a 2-D work of art that illustrates the concept of creativity. Teacher will write the task on the board, open up an umbrella and introduce the rules of brainstorming. Ground Rules for Brainstorming
1. All ideas are welcome. There are no wrong answers. During brainstorming, no judgments should be made of ideas.
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2. Be creative in contributions. Change involves risk taking, it's important to be open to new, original ideas. Every point of view is valuable. 3. Attempt to contribute a high quantity of ideas is a short amount of time. 4. Participants should "hitch hike" on others' ideas. 5. No “idea squelching” statements.
Students will then work as teams to create a brainstorming/concept map (Brain Map) of ideas for this assignment. They will have a large paper on each table, and each student will have a marker. Team members will make contributions in turn. Only one idea will be contributed each turn. A member may decline to contribute during a particular round, but will be asked to contribute each round. Participants should not provide explanations for ideas during brainstorming. Doing so would both slow the process down, and allow premature evaluation of ideas.
They can add ideas that stand on their own, or ideas that are connected (or sparked) by another idea that has been written down. If it is an idea that is sparked by another, they should connect the two with a line. If it is a new idea, they can just write it down and circle it. Each student will use a different colored marker, so that the teacher can have accountability for participation.
Students will be asked to then think over the next week about some of the ideas their group came up with and in what way they will choose to complete this task. When they have their “AHA” moment, they should draw a thumbnail sketch or write it down, evaluate it and, if they feel it would be successful, bring it to art class the following week. If the idea is lacking, then they should begin again at step 1.
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Name ______Class ______
Wallis’ Model of Creativity
DEFINITION SYMBOL What happens in this stage? Draw a symbol that could stand for this stage. STAGE 1: PREPARATION
STAGE 2: INCUBATION
STAGE 3: ILLUMINATION
STAGE 4: VERIFICATION
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Lesson 2
Students learn about expanding on their project ideas with the SCAMPER process. They should have an idea from the previous week ready to be submitted to this process. The SCAMPER worksheet will be reviewed.
S - Substitute - components, materials C - Combine - mix, combine with other ideas, integrate A - Adapt - alter, change function, use part of another element M - Modify - increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modify attributes (e.g. color) P - Put to another use E - Eliminate - remove elements, simplify R - Reverse - turn inside out or upside down
They will team up with a partner, and share their project ideas. Students will use the SCAMPER acronym to figure out different ways that their project idea could be improved or changed for the better. Students will then select what they think is the best altered idea and will turn in a sketch of it on the back of the worksheet.
Together the class will create the assessment that will be used for this assignment. What does a good project look like? Attributes will be written on the board and used by the teacher to create a rubric. Each student will be given a 12 x 18 piece of paper and their chosen materials to begin their project.
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Name ______Class ______
Developing Your Project Idea - The SCAMPER METHOD Directions: With your partner, discuss changes or improvements you could make to your project idea, based on the ideas given below. On the back of this form, describe and sketch your revised idea.
Substitute – Use How this could change my project idea: different pieces, S components, or materials Combine - mix with other pieces, put together with C something else Adapt - alter, use part of another element, change the pattern, sequence or A layout Modify - increase or reduce in size (make wider, shorter, taller) M change shape, color or other elements Put to another use P Eliminate - Can anything be taken away? Made smaller? Lowered? E Shortened? Lightened? Omitted? Broken up? Reverse - turn inside out or upside down. Use the opposite? Backwards? R Switch positive and negative?
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Lesson 3
Work on their project.
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Lesson 4
Work on their project.
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Lesson 5
Self-Assessment – Students will fill out a self-evaluation on their work and will turn it in with their project.
Artwork will be displayed and students will have the opportunity to respond to each other’s work via a “Gallery Tour” sheet displayed at each place.
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Self-Evaluation
Name ______Class ____
This part of my project turned out the best:
If I was going to do this project over again, I would change this or do this part differently:
Some of the problems I had in completing this project were:
Here is how I solved those problems:
How does your project illustrate the concept of creativity?
What did you learn in this unit that you think you will use again?
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Gallery Tour Comment Sheet
Artist’s Name ______
Title of Artwork ______
Comments:
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Resources
Berk, Ronald A. “Humor as an Instructional Defibrillator: Evidence Based Techniques in Teaching and Assessment.” Stylus Publishing, 2002. 320 pp. also http://www.mirthium.com/
Bonk, Curt, P546 Packet, 2005.
BRAINSTORMING: http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html http://edweb.sdsu.edu/triton/guides/Brainstorming.html
Davis, Gary A. “Creativity is Forever” Kendall Hunt Publishing, 1986, 238 pp.
Kagan, Spencer Ph.D. “Cooperative Learning” Kagan Publishing, 392 pp. also, http://www.kaganonline.com
SCAMPER checklists: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_02.htm http://www.mycoted.com/creativity/techniques/scamper.php
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