Creativity unit

Creativity: changing up the norm

Video introduction to this unit.

Watch this first!

Purpose:

When asked to be creative or to brainstorm new ideas, many people don't know where to start. But there are some simple tips that can help you to come up with new ideas, and this unit is going to introduce them to you.

Goals for this unit:

Learn protocols for increasing creativity

Experiment creating new and unique things

Essential standard: VA:Cr1.1.7a

Apply methods to overcome creative blocks

What does it mean to be creative?

Not the norm.

Not the expected.

Not the ordinary.

Something new, unexpected, different.

Creativity protocols

First, you’ve got to study the properties and patterns of the subject.

Then, change the properties by:

shifting them slightly

flipping expectations

sharing and morphing

using exaggeration

changing the placement

adding a touch of you

Assignment 1: study the properties Assignments 1, 2, and 3 all relate to the first video.

1. Watch the following video.

2. Pay attention to brainstorming around the properties and expectations of a tree.

Take notes as you watch. Add at least 20 new ideas/properties/expectations to the notes about the tree.

You will turn your notes in as assignment 1.

3. When you have finished the video, you will draw trees using these techniques.

4. Watch the video and pay attention to what it means to “shift” a property--how is this

different from flipping?

Assignments 1, 2, and 3 all relate to the first video.

Assignments 2 and 3: creativity by shifting and flipping

1. Create two new trees. One by shifting (same category as expected, but not the norm),

and the other by flipping (doing the opposite of what is expected):

Draw your sketches out using sketch paper

Make each tree at least the size of your hand

These are sketches, not finished drawings, so they may be loose and unfinished looking.

Each sketch should take you about 10 - 15 minutes.

2. Add a description to your drawings explaining what you changed.

3. Turn your assignments in by adding to your slideshow in google classroom.

Assignment 4 and 5: creativity by sharing and exaggeration Assignments 4 and 5 relate to the video below.

1. Watch the following video for assignments 4 and 5.

2. Pay attention to what it means to “share” a property.

3. You may want to take notes, because you will have to do this work!

4. The video discusses sharing and exaggeration. You will need to know both.

5. Create two new trees. One by sharing (combining with something totally different, but similar in shape/properties)

and the other using exaggeration.

Draw your sketches out using sketch paper

Make each tree at least the size of your hand

These are sketches, not finished drawings, so they may be loose and unfinished looking.

Each sketch should take you about 10 - 15 minutes.

6. Add a description to your drawings explaining what you changed.

7. Turn your assignments in by adding to your slideshow in google classroom.

Assignments 6: creativity by placement

1. Watch the video below for assignment 6.

2. Pay attention to what it means to change the placement of an item.

3. You may want to take notes, because you will have to do this work!

5. Create a new tree.

Draw your sketch out using sketch paper

Make the tree at least the size of your hand

This is a sketch, not a finished drawing, so it may be loose and unfinished looking.

Your sketch should take you about 10 - 15 minutes.

6. Add a description to your drawing explaining what you changed.

7. Turn your assignment in by adding to your slideshow in google classroom.

A note about You-ness. Don't forget to leave a little of you in your work. Sometimes in the finished product, students lose the bits of their work that make it unique and different from everyone else. Keep your finished work a bit loose, a bit "imperfect". That's what makes it special