Engaging learners in the most effective ways requires more than just following the district-provided curriculum. To enable students to create and build on their knowledge, it is crucial to go beyond typical "teacher talk" lessons and allow them to explore and create within the classroom. On this page, I have accumulated specific artifacts that can assist with finding creativity in the classroom. Also included are some ideas as to how students can engage more creatively with their learning.  

In the creation focus of abstraction, learners take an idea and represent it in another more creative way. This technique, allows students to engage differently with the content. Incorporating abstraction creations into the classroom, gives students the chance to explore their creativity. Looking at a concept differently can increase comprehension of the subject matter more clearly. The two artifacts below, focus on the idea of food webs, and are examples on how students can creatively represent these concepts through abstraction.  

By using the creation focus of embodied thinking, creativity can be shown through the body and physical movement. By embodying an idea, students can see, as well as display the concept of an idea in a more creative and engaging way. Experiencing something with your body and participating in the artifact represented below, the Planet Walk, allows for that creativity to be present within student's learning.

Play is an essential creation focus. Students engage more when they are engrossed into a game. Allowing play, stimulates student's creativity and leads to their comprehension of the subjects presented. Below is an artifact representing how a teacher can incorporate more creativity in their lessons by allowing students to play a game. However, the idea of play can also be presented to students by having them create their own games based on a topic, which furthers comprehension and creativity in their learning.