Brainstorming Solutions

CORE ACTIVITY: Brainstorm Solutions (60 minutes)

Materials: Post-its, butcher paper, Draw Your Solution! worksheet, stickers, list of Key Findings from previous lesson

• Write the following question on the board: “How might we improve __(chosen issue)____?”
• Speedy small group brainstorm (10 minutes)
  • Divide room into groups of 3-5 students.
  • Pass out post-its to individuals. Pass out one piece of blank chart paper to each group. Explain that the following brainstorming session is going to be fast paced, so you will be setting a timer for each part!
  • Within groups, each student should spend 5 minutes (set a timer) writing down as many ways they can think of to improve or change the group's chosen focus issue.
  • Each group then has 5 minutes to share their ideas and combine/categorize them on their piece of chart paper. They should group together identical or similar ideas, and discuss why they are similar.
• Linking to Key Findings (10 minutes)
  • Post the list of Key Findings from the previous lesson at the front of the classroom.
  • Ask each group to consider how their solutions relate to the key findings from the previous lesson. They should cross out solutions that are not supported by their key findings and circle solutions that are supported.
• Voting! (5 minutes)
  • Now it's time to pick ONE solution to focus on. Distribute stickers to groups. Each student should place a sticker next to the solution that they want to vote for. Everyone gets three stickers. They can use all three with one solution, vote for three different ones, etc.. The solution with the most stickers wins!
• Draw Your Solution! (20 minutes)
  • Distribute one Draw Your Solution! worksheet to each small group. They should spend 15-20 minutes using the worksheet as a guide to draw a picture representing their solution - who are the people involved? what will it look like when the solution is happening? what will it look like afterwards?
• Group share (15 minutes)
  • Each group should take 2-3 minutes to present their solution. They should be prepared to explain what key finding(s) support and inform their solution.
  • Afterwards, discuss - What is the solution that is most feasible? What about the solution that would have the greatest impact? Why?