The following activities will be used to encourage Flexible Thinking, Elaborative Thinking, Original Thinking and Risk Taking, through Creative Writing and Art, using the strategies of Creative Writing and Examples of Change.
 

(Day 1- Creative Writing block)

I. The students will modify “Stone Soup” to our Cajun culture.  A sample title might be “Rock Stew”.
II. The students will have read “Stone Soup” in their basal readers.  This activity will be an extension.  Review with students some of the important facts about the story, as well as the ingredients used in the story to make the stone soup.  Introduce on the board the acronym “SCAMPER”, explaining what each letter stands for.
III. The students will take each letter of SCAMPER, exploring ways to adapt it to our Cajun culture.  Some examples might be:

Substitute rock for stone.

Combine different ingredients (may use some of those mentioned in the story)

 Adapt the recipe so that something Cajun is made (gumbo, stew, or sauce picante)

Modify, possibly using different ingredients.  Magnify, making a larger amount, as Cajuns always make enough to feed extended family members.

 Put to other uses-possibly use the rock for other recipes, or as a spoon rest.

 Eliminate the rock, as we Cajuns know what it really takes to make good food.

 Reverse the story.  Cajuns are so friendly, we could start the story by the Cajuns
 inviting strangers into their home for a good hot meal.

(Day 2-Creative Writing block)

IV. Review what was done on the board yesterday.  Have students create a story from
 the new story details.  The teacher will write down the story as it is dictated by the
students.  Students will brainstorm and vote for a title.  Include a page for the  back of the book, “About the Authors”.
 

(Day 3-Creative Writing/ Art blocks)

IV. Discuss where to divide story to make different pages.  In groups of 2, students
will choose which page they want to illustrate.  These students will also type the
story line for their page on the computer.  While one pair of students gets started,
typing their part of the story, the other pairs will begin their illustrations.  They
will use paper from a large drawing tablet.  Once the illustrations are completed
and the story is typed, the sentences  will be glued under each picture.

(Day 4-Creative Writing/Art blocks)

V. Put the book together.  Let the students practice reading it.  During the art block
Students will take turns reading the book to the principal, librarian and other classes.
 

 Lesson Plan
 Social Studies
 Three 45min. blocks
 2nd grade
 Annette Oliva

The following activity will be used to encourage Fluent Thinking, Flexible Thinking, Elaborative Thinking, Risk Taking, and Complexity, through Social Studies, using the strategies of Provocative Questions, Examples of Change, and Evaluating  Situations.

The Vermilion Parish School Board is in the process of purchasing the CCD Building located on the Dozier Elementary campus, for the purpose of bringing the fourth graders from Erath Middle School to Dozier Elementary.  Extensive renovations will be needed to make the building house five classrooms. If the transaction between the church and the school board is successful, and the renovations are completed, Dozier will become a K-4 elementary school beginning in the fall of 1999.  It is my plan to use Creative Problem Solving with my second graders to foresee any problems/solutions this transaction could bring about.

(Day 1)

I. After some discussion about the transaction, the students will brainstorm possible problems that may arise from the fourth graders being brought to Dozier.  Write their suggestions on the board.  Some examples could be: too many students on the playground for lunch recess, mixing fourth graders with kindergartners for recess, more students to feed at lunch time, etc.  The students will then vote on one problem that they would like to try to find a solution to.  A question will be constructed asking how we might solve the problem.  The students will be asked to consider possible solutions.  The lesson will be continued on Day 2.

(Day 2)

II. The students will review what was accomplished on Day 1.  They will
brainstorm ideas for possible solutions to the problem that was chosen.
Write the solutions on the board, making a vertical list.
III. Make a grid on the board using their suggestions.  Students will decide on what criteria they should use to evaluate each solution.  Write the suggestions at the top of each column in the grid. Explain to the students that they need to rate each solution according to each criterion.  Instruct them to think about this overnight, as they will continue on Day 3.
 
 

(Day 3)

IV. Give each student a handout of the grid that is on the board. The students will begin rating each solution.  Write the points for a solution under each criterion according to the students’ ratings.  Have the students fill in their grids as the one on the board is done.  The students will add up the points to see which solution rates the highest.  Discuss how the solution with the most points may be the one we will put before the principal.  Make sure the students agree with this.  Students will write the problem/solution at the bottom of their handout.

V. Students can report to the principal by giving him a copy of the CPS grid, and explaining to him the process involved in finding our problem/solution.
 
 

Lesson Plan
Reading/Science/Art/
Creative Writing
Four ½-hour blocks
2nd grade
Annette Oliva

This activity will be used to encourage Flexible Thinking, Elaborative Thinking, Original Thinking and Imagination, through Science, Art and Creative Writing, using the strategies of Attribute Listing and Organized Random Search.

I group my students for reading.  While one group is with me at a table doing the day’s lesson, another group is with the resource teacher, and a third group is at centers.  One such center is the Writing Center.  I try to make the activity in this center correlate with the story of the week.  In our second basal, one of the stories is titled “Thunder Cake”.  In the story a grandmother convinces her granddaughter to help her make thunder cake, to take her mind off an approaching storm. The activity for the writing center during this week will be for the students to create a recipe of their own.  Preceding this activity will be a science lesson in which we discuss what types of ingredients mix well when put together.  We will use the strategy “attribute listing”.

(Day 1-Science)

I. The students will brainstorm the steps involved in cooking.  Some examples should include: getting the right amount of ingredients together, possibly mixing some of them together; adding seasoning; the method of cooking; the time involved, etc.  Make a grid on the board listing these steps as headings, and the options underneath each.

(Day 2-Reading/Creative Writing/Art)

II. Each student will create a recipe using the attribute listing as a guide.
They will be encouraged to use it only as a guide, and to include ideas of their own that may not be listed.  A set of directions for the activity will be displayed on the writing center table.  It will include a copy of the grid completed in science, as well as reminders to include the amounts of each measurement used in the recipe (examples: 2 cups, or 1-½ teaspoons, etc.).

III. During the creative writing block I will give the students a chance to edit
their recipes with me. Then they will begin typing them on the computer.

IV. During the art block the students who have not yet typed their recipes will do so, while the other students will complete their cover pages for the cookbook that we will compile from all of the students’ recipes.  Each student will draw a picture of the food his/her recipe is to make.  They will then color this picture as well as the rest of the cover handout.  When they are finished they will cut the page and glue it on construction paper.

V. Once all students have finished typing their recipes, I will run off copies of pages for each student.  They will then put their cookbooks together using their front covers made in art and a matching sheet of construction paper for a back cover.

Lesson Plan
Math-1/2 hour
2nd grade
Annette Oliva
 

This activity will be used to encourage Curiosity, Risk Taking, Complexity and Flexible Thinking, through Math, using the strategies of Provocative Questions and Evaluating Situations.

   “Zero the Hero”

I. The students will use the strategy of “What-If” to discuss the importance of
number zero as a placeholder.

II. Ask students to name numbers with the numeral zero in them.  Write them on the
board as the students say them.  Have the students repeat the numbers slowly, and ask them to listen to what is being said for the zero. Students should note that zero
is never pronounced unless it is by itself as a number.  Review how to write time and money using a zero in each.  Have students say these, noting again that the zero is not pronounced (with the exception of the “o” in times like 3:07).  Start a discussion with students as to the importance of zero.  Could we do without it?

III. Have students get in groups of 2 or 3, and discuss the answer to the question, “What if there was no zero?”  They may use paper and pencil to try writing numbers without zeros. How could they write numbers like ten, twenty, thirty,
one hundred, etc.?  How could they write 4:05 a.m. or one dollar and two cents
without a zero?  Tell them they will have to report any problems they may run into and solutions they may find, to the class. They will have to support their answers with reasoning.  Allow approximately 8-10 minutes for discussion.

IV. Student groups will report to the total class their findings.  Hopefully students will determine that zero is important as a placeholder.  Without it you would be eliminating the ones column in a number like 20, or the tens column in a number like 109.

V. Teach students the little jingle, “Zero the Hero”.

Zero, the hero, came to school,
Zero, the hero, he’s no fool,
Zero, the hero, saves the place,
So all the other numbers can stay in their place.
    (sung to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon”)
 

VI.   As a challenge ask the students to think about other numbers, and whether or not we could do without some of them.  Give them overnight or several days to think about it and then ask for their opinions.
 
 

Lesson Plan
Art
Two ½ hour blocks
5th grade
Annette Oliva

This activity will be used to encourage Flexible Thinking, Original Thinking, Elaborative Thinking, Risk Taking, Complexity and Imagination, through Art, by using the strategies of Visualization Skills and the Study of Creative People andProcess.

This particular lesson would come as an enrichment art activity after learning about Leonardo de Vinci.

(Day 1)

I.    The students will experience Leonardo de Vinci’s technique of creating a portrait
       upside down.

II.   Review with students how de Vinci drew the “Mona Lisa” upside down.  Have
       students  look at pictures of objects upside down.

III.  Students will practice drawing pictures while looking at them from an upside down
       view.

IV.  Students will be instructed to imagine “Mona Lisa” in a different setting. They will
       be asked to illustrate their ideas the following day.
 
 

(Day 2)

I.    The students will illustrate their version of the “Mona Lisa”.

II.   Review the previous day’s lesson. Share new ideas from students.

III.  Students will draw and color their version of the “Mona Lisa” from an upside down
       view.

IV.  Students will title their portraits (one example might be “Maqua Lisa” if a student
       has drawn  on oceanic background.)
 
 

Lesson Plan
Fine Arts
Two ½ hour blocks
2nd grade
Annette Oliva

This activity will be used to encourage Elaborative Thinking, Original Thinking, Curiosity, Risk Taking and Imagination, through Music and Dance, using the strategies of Creative Listening and Visualization Skills.

This activity would serve as an enrichment activity for the Science unit on Solids, Liquids and Gases.

(Day 1)

I.     The students will “become” solids, liquids, or gases through movement (dance).

II.    Review the difference in the shapes of solids, liquids and gases, in relation to the
        closeness or distance of their molecules .  Explore possible movement as molecules
        of solids, liquids and gases.  Students will choose one of their preferences to
        demonstrate the following day.  Group students according to their choices.

III.   Students will listen to different types of classical music, imagining that they are
        solids, liquids or gases.  Student groups will vote on a selection to use for their
        demonstrations the following day.
 

(Day 2)

IV.   Students will practice in their groups to review movements of molecules in solids,
         liquids and gases.  Then one group at a time will perform their dance.

V.    All three groups will perform together (the gases and liquids should be flowing all
        around the solids).
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