Grades 1-2
Students should work on cognitive fluency, or mental agility, because it enhances their ability to learn faster, solve problems creatively, adapt to change, find diverse solutions and apply knowledge across different contexts leading to improved academic performance and greater resilience. Mental agility helps develop critical thinking skills necessary for future success in their careers and personal lives.
Activity 1
Here’s an activity that encourages students to take a fresh look at some familiar objects.
Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4. Give the groups 15 minutes to brainstorm new uses for one of the objects listed below. For example if you give them “a piece of paper,” the list might look something like this:
fold into a fan to keep cool
fold into a cup for drinking
crumple into a ball to play catch
use as a bookmark
After the brainstorming session, invite the groups to share their lists with the class.
a sheet
a pillow
a book
a chair
a cup
a piece of string
a hat
a rubber band
Activity 2
Quickly write as many ideas as you can:
Example:
1. Something you toss.
(a ball, a paper airplane, a frisbee, a beanbag, a dirty sock, garbage... )
2. Something that is messy
3. Something that changes shape
4. Something that you should not walk on
5. Something that you shake
6. Something that smells fantastic
7. Something that you heat
8. Something that changes color
9. Something that you freeze
10. Something that you stir
11. Something that is loud
12. Something that grows
13. Something that opens
14. Something that you carry
Activity 3
Some things look alike and act alike. Other things don’t look that much alike—but are still very much alike. Tell how each pair of objects below are alike. List as many ways as you can.
Do together: How are a puppy and a kitten alike?
(They both are considered babies, have fur, have four legs, both eat meat, both can be pets...)
1. sweater/blanket 11. bubble/balloon
2. wind/water 12. magazine/radio
3. fish/soap 13. worm/snail
4. puppy/baby 14. water/wind
5. pencil/candle 15. tomatoes/cherries
6. oatmeal/bread
7. rain/tears
8. lion/eagle
9. comb/saw
10. spring/youth
Activity 4
The same word can be used in different ways.
For example, the word ice can be used to make the words ice skate, ice water, ice cream, iceberg, ice breaker, ice cube, ice pack, ice box ice rink...
What are different ways we could use coat?
coat room, coat check, coat of arms, housecoat, coat of paint...
Write as many different ways you can use these words:
sun
water
book
eye
land
new
walk
rain
egg
snow
foot
wind
Possible Answers:
1. sunflower, sunlight, sunrise, sunbeam, sunscreen, sunshine
2. waterfall, waterproof, waterslide, watercolor, watershed
3. textbook, bookmark, notebook, bookcase, bookshop
4. eyelash, eyebrow, eye sight, eye of a storm
5. landmark, landmine, landscape,
6. newborn, New England, New Year's Day
7. walk around, walk away, walk off, walkway
8. raincoat, rainfall, rainbow, raindrop, rainstorm
9. egg roll, eggshell, eggnog, egg head, Easter egg
10. snowshoe, snowman, snowstorm, snowplow
11. footnote, footpath, footstool, foothold, footprint
12. wind chime, wind storm, windmill
Activity 5
Often, there is more than one way to use an object. For example, a brick is usually used as part of a building wall, but some people use bricks as doorstops, too. Suppose you had a shoe box. Think about how you might use it for each of the following purposes. Write a description of your idea.
1. As a pet’s home
2. To study subtraction in math
3. As a container for something special
4. As part of a game
5. In an art project
Activity 6
It’s dinner time, but what are you going to eat? Complete this list to help you think of a menu.
For example, what are five food that you might eat at Thanksgiving?
turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, pumpkin pie, salad...
Write 5 foods that...
...start with the letter b.
...grow below the ground.
...are at fast food restaurants.
...grow on trees.
...are white.
....are your favorite.
Activity 7
Here’s a fun way to help your students build thinking skills. Provide the following questions one at a time, challenging students to write down as many possible answers for each question as they can. When you’re done, discuss students’ responses. Encourage students to explain their answers.
1. Imagine your mother said to you, “I am glad you had an egg with toast before you went to school this morning.” She did not prepare your breakfast; she did not see you eat it. How did she know what you ate?
2. Plants native to one region are found all over the world. Why?
3. How are animals and plants similar? How are they different?
4. Which things do you wish had never been invented? Why?
5. Why are homes around the world different?
6. If you could invent anything in the world, what would it be and why?
7. Name some books in which animals speak like people.
8. If you could be any age at all, what age would you be and why?
9. Name as many hobbies as you can.
10. Imagine you had a time machine that could take you backward or forward in time. Where would you go and why?
Activity 8
Here’s a more challenging way to get students generating ideas. Choose a prompt and have the students describe it in five different ways.
For example, what are five ways to show the number 12?
10 + 2, 3 X 4, a picture of 12 circles, a number line to 12, counting by 2s to 12...
A triangle:
Draw one, build one with pencils, trace one, find on in the room, describe it (three sided shape)
Happy:
Draw a smiley face, write the word, act it out, describe something tht makes them happy, choose a color that makes the happy.
8
A square
Sad
A tree
7
A circle
Fast
A dog
10
A square
Strong
A rainbow
15
A star
Loud
A mountain
20
A heart
Quiet
A butterfly