Creative Thinking Lesson Plans for Teachers

Lesson plans and activities for teaching about inventions by increasing creativity and creative thinking. The lesson plans are adaptable for grades K-12 and were designed to be done in sequence. Teaching Creativity Creative Thinking Skills When a student is asked to invent a solution to a problem, the student must draw upon previous knowledge, skills, creativity, and experience. The student also recognizes areas where new learnings must be acquired in order to understand or address the problem. This information must then be applied, analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated. Through critical and creative thinking and problem-solving, ideas become reality as children create inventive solutions, illustrate their ideas, and make models of their inventions. Creative thinking lesson plans provide children with opportunities to develop and practice higher-order thinking skills. Throughout the years, many creative thinking skills models and programs have been generated from educators, seeking to describe the essential elements of thinking and/or to develop a systematic approach to teaching thinking skills as part of the school curricula. Three models are illustrated below in this introduction. Although each uses different terminology, each model describes similar elements of either critical or creative thinking or both. Models of Creative Thinking Skills Benjamin BloomCalvin TaylorIsaksen and Treffinger The models demonstrate how creative thinking lesson plans could provide an opportunity for students to experience most of the elements described in the models. After teachers have reviewed the creative thinking skills models listed above, they will see the critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills and talents that can be applied to the activity of inventing. The creative thinking lesson plans that follow can be used across all disciplines and grade levels and with all children. It can be integrated with all curricular areas and used as a means of applying the concepts or elements of any thinking skills program that may be in use. Children of all ages are talented and creative. This project will give them an opportunity to develop their creative potential and synthesize and apply knowledge and skills by creating an invention or innovation to solve a problem, just as a real inventor would. Creative Thinking - List of Activities Introducing Creative ThinkingPracticing Creativity with the ClassPracticing Creative Thinking with the ClassDeveloping an Invention IdeaBrainstorming for Creative SolutionsPracticing the Critical Parts of Creative ThinkingCompleting the InventionNaming the InventionOptional Marketing ActivitiesParent InvolvementYoung Inventors Day Imagination is more important than knowledge, for imagination embraces the world. -  Albert Einstein Activity 1: Introducing Inventive Thinking and Brainstorming Read about the Lives of Great InventorsRead the  stories  about great inventors in class or let students read themselves. Ask students, How did these inventors get their ideas? How did they make their ideas a reality? Locate books in your library about inventors, invention, and creativity. Older students can locate these references themselves. Also, visit the  Inventive Thinking and Creativity Gallery Talk to a Real InventorInvite a local inventor to speak to the class. Since local inventors are not usually listed in the phone book under inventors, you can find them by calling a  local patent attorney  or your  local intellectual property law association. Your community may also have a  Patent and Trademark Depository Library  or an  inventors society  that you may contact or post a request. If not, most of your major companies have a research and development department made up of people who think inventively for a living. Examine InventionsNext, ask the students to look at the things in the classroom that are inventions. All the inventions in the classroom that have a U.S. patent will have a  patent number. One such item is probably  the pencil sharpener. Tell them to check out their house for patented items. Let the students brainstorm a list all of the inventions they discover. What would improve these inventions? DiscussionIn order to guide your students through the inventive process, a few preliminary lessons dealing with creative thinking will help set the mood. Begin with a brief explanation of brainstorming and a discussion on the rules of brainstorming. What is Brainstorming?Brainstorming is a process of spontaneous thinking used by an individual or by a group of people to generate numerous alternative ideas while deferring judgment. Introduced by Alex Osborn in his book Applied Imagination, brainstorming is the crux of each of the stages of all problem-solving methods. Rules for Brainstorming No CriticismAllowed People tend to automatically evaluate each suggested idea--their own as well as others. Both internal and external criticism  is  to be avoided while brainstorming. Neither positive nor negative comments are allowed. Either type inhibits the free flow of thought and requires time which interferes with the next rule. Write each spoken idea down as it is given and move on.Work for QuantityAlex Osborn stated that Quantity breeds quality. People must experience a brain drain (get all the common responses out of the way) before the innovative, creative ideas can surface; therefore, the more ideas, the more likely they are to be quality ideas.Hitchhiking WelcomeHitchhiking occurs when one members idea produces a similar idea or an enhanced idea in another member. All ideas should be recorded.Freewheeling EncouragedOutrageous, humorous, and seemingly unimportant ideas should be recorded. It is not uncommon for the most off-the-wall idea to be the best. Activity  2: Practicing Creativity with the Class Step 1:  Cultivate the following creative thinking processes described by Paul Torrance and discussed in The Search for Satori and Creativity (1979): Fluency the production of a great number of ideas.Flexibility the production of ideas or products that show a variety of possibilities or realms of thought.Originality the production of ideas that are unique or unusual.Elaboration the production of ideas that display intensive detail or enrichment. For practice in elaboration, have pairs or small groups of students choose a particular idea from the brainstorming list of invention ideas and add the flourishes and details that would develop the idea more fully. Allow the students to share their innovative and  inventive ideas. Step 2:  Once your students have become familiar with the rules of brainstorming and the creative thinking processes, Bob Eberles  Scamper  technique for brainstorming could be introduced. Substitute What else instead? Who else instead? Other ingredients? Other material? Other power? Another place?Combine How about a blend, an alloy, an ensemble? Combine purposes? Combine appeals?Adapt What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer parallel? What could I copy?Minify Order, form, shape? What to add? More time?Magnify Greater frequency? Higher? Longer? Thicker?Put to other uses New ways to use as is? Other uses I modified? Other places to use? Other people, to reach?Eliminate What to subtract? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Understate?Reverse Interchange components? Another pattern?Rearrange another layout? Another sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Transpose positive and negative? How about opposites? Turn it backward? Turn it upside-down? Reverse roles? Step 3:  Bring in any object or use objects around the classroom to do the following exercise. Ask the students to list many new uses for a familiar object by using the Scamper technique with regard to the object. You could use a paper plate, to begin with, and see how many new things the students will discover. Make sure to follow the rules for brainstorming in Activity 1. Step 4:  Using literature, ask your students to create a new ending to a story, change a character or situation within a story, or create a new beginning for the story that would result in the same ending. Step 5:  Put a list of objects on the chalkboard. Ask your students to combine them in different ways to create a new product. Let the students make their own list of objects. Once they combine several of them, ask them to illustrate the new product and explain why it might be useful. Activity 3: Practicing Inventive Thinking with the Class Before your students begin to find their own problems and create unique inventions or innovations to solve them, you can assist them by taking them through some of the steps as a group. Finding the Problem Let the class list problems in their own classroom that need solving. Use the brainstorming technique from Activity 1. Perhaps your students never have a pencil ready, as it is either missing or broken when it is time to do an assignment (a great brainstorming project would be to solve that problem). Select one problem for the class to solve using the following steps: Find several problems.Select one to work on.Analyze the situation.Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem. List the possibilities. Be sure to allow even the silliest possible solution, as creative thinking must have a positive, accepting environment in order to flourish. Finding a Solution Select one or more possible solutions to work on. You may want to divide into groups if the class elects to work on several of the ideas.Improve and refine the idea(s).Share the class or individual solution(s)/invention(s) for solving the class problem. Solving a class problem and creating a class invention will help students learn the process and make it easier for them to work on their own invention projects. Activity 4: Developing an Invention Idea Now that your students have had an introduction to the inventive process, it is time for them to find a problem and create their own invention to solve it. Step One:  Begin by asking your students to conduct a survey. Tell them to interview everyone that they can think of to find out what problems need solutions. What kind of invention, tool, game, device, or idea would be helpful at home, work, or during leisure time? (You can use an Invention Idea Survey) Step Two:  Ask the students to list the problems that need to be solved. Step Three:  comes the decision-making process. Using the list of problems, ask the students to think about which problems would be possible for them to work on. They can do this by listing the pros and cons for each possibility. Predict the outcome or possible solution(s) for each problem. Make a decision by selecting one or two problems that provide the best options for an inventive solution. (Duplicate the Planning and Decision-Making Framework) Step Four:  Begin an  Inventors Log  or Journal. A record of your ideas and work will help you develop your invention and protect it when completed. Use Activity Form - Young Inventors Log to help students understand what can be included on every page. General Rules For Authentic Journal Keeping Using a  bound notebook, make notes each day about the things you do and learn while working on your invention.Record your idea and how you got it.Write about problems you have and how you solve them.Write in ink and do not erase.Add sketches and drawings to make things clear.List all parts, sources, and costs of materials.Sign and date all entries at the time they are made and have them witnessed. Step Five:  To illustrate why record-keeping is important, read the following story about Daniel Drawbaugh who said that he invented the telephone, but didnt have one single paper or record to prove it. Long before  Alexander Graham Bell  filed a patent application in 1875, Daniel Drawbaugh claimed to have invented the telephone. But since he had no journal or record, the  Supreme Court  rejected his claims by four votes to three. Alexander Graham Bell had excellent records and was awarded the patent for the telephone. Activity 5: Brainstorming for Creative Solutions Now that the students have one or two problems to work on, they must take the same steps that they did in solving the class problem in Activity Three. These steps could be listed on the chalkboard or a chart. Analyze the problem(s). Select one to work on.Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem. List all of the possibilities. Be non-judgmental. (See Brainstorming in Activity 1 and SCAMPER in Activity 2.)Select one or more possible solutions to work on.Improve and refine your ideas. Now that your students have some exciting possibilities for their invention projects, they will need to use their critical thinking skills to narrow down the possible solutions. They can do this by asking themselves the questions in the next activity about their inventive idea. Activity 6: Practicing the Critical Parts of Inventive Thinking Is my idea practical?Can it be made easily?Is it as simple as possible?Is it safe?Will it cost too much to make or use?Is my idea really new?Will it withstand use, or will it break easily?Is my idea similar to something else?Will people really use my invention? (Survey your classmates or the people in your neighborhood to document the need or usefulness of your idea - adapt the invention idea survey.) Activity 7: Completing the Invention When students have an idea that meets most of the above qualifications in Activity 6, they need to plan how they are going to complete their project. The following planning technique will save them a great deal of time and effort: Identify the problem and a possible solution. Give your invention a name.List the materials needed to illustrate your invention and to make a model of it. You will need paper, pencil, and crayons or markers to draw your invention. You might use cardboard, paper, clay, wood, plastic, yarn, paper clips, and so forth to make a model. You might also want to use an art book or a book on model-making from your school library.List, in order, the steps for completing your invention.Think of the possible problems that might occur. How would you solve them?Complete your invention. Ask your parents and teacher to help with the model. In SummaryWhat - describe the problem. Materials - list the materials needed. Steps - list the steps to complete your invention. Problems - predict the problems that could occur. Activity 8: Naming the Invention An invention can be named in one of the following ways: Using the inventors  name:Levi Strauss   LEVIS ® jeansLouis Braille Alphabet SystemUsing the components or ingredients of the invention:Root BeerPeanut ButterWith initials or acronyms:IBM  ®S.C.U.B.A. ®Using word  combinations (notice repeated  consonant sounds  and rhyming words):KIT KAT  ®HULA HOOP  Ã‚ ®PUDDING POPS  ®CAPN CRUNCH  ®Using the products function:SUPERSEAL  ®DUSTBUSTER  ®vacuum cleanerhairbrushearmuffs   Activity Nine: Optional Marketing Activities Students can be very fluent when it comes to listing ingenious names of products out on the market. Solicit their suggestions and have them explain what makes each name effective. Each student should generate names for his/her own invention. Developing a Slogan or JingleHave the students define the terms slogan and jingle. Discuss the purpose of having a slogan. Sample slogans and jingles: Things go better with Coke.COKE IS IT!  ®TRIX ARE FOR KIDS  ®OH THANK HEAVEN FOR 7-ELEVEN  ®TWOALLBEEFPATTIES...GE: WE BRING GOOD THINGS TO LIFE!  ® Your students will be able to recall many  slogans  and jingles! When a slogan is named, discuss the reasons for its effectiveness. Allow time for thought in which the students can create jingles for their inventions. Creating an AdvertisementFor a crash course in advertising, discuss the visual effect created by a television commercial, magazine, or newspaper advertisement. Collect magazine or newspaper ads that are eye-catching--some of the ads might be dominated by words and others by pictures that say it all. Students might enjoy exploring newspapers and magazines for outstanding advertisements. Have students create magazine ads to promote their inventions. (For more advanced students, further lessons on advertising techniques would be appropriate at this point.) Recording a Radio PromoA radio promo could be the icing on a students advertising campaign! A promo might include facts about the usefulness of the invention, a clever jingle or song, sound effects, humor... the possibilities are endless. Students may choose to tape record their promos for use during the Invention Convention. Advertising ActivityCollect 5 - 6 objects and give them new uses. For instance, a toy hoop could be a waist-reducer, and some strange looking kitchen gadget might be a new type of mosquito catcher. Use your imagination! Search everywhere--from the tools in the garage to the kitchen drawer--for fun objects. Divide the class into small groups, and give each group one of the objects to work with. The group is to give the object a catchy name, write a slogan, draw an ad, and record a radio promo. Stand back and watch the creative juices flow. Variation: Collect magazine ads and have the students create new advertising campaigns using a different marketing angle. Activity Ten: Parent Involvement Few, if any, projects are successful unless the child is encouraged by the parents and other caring adults. Once the children have developed their own, original ideas, they should discuss them with their parents. Together, they can work to make the childs idea come to life by making a model. Although the making of a model is not necessary, it makes the project more interesting and adds another dimension to the project. You can involve parents by simply sending a letter home to explain the project and let them know how they may participate. One of your parents may have invented something that they can share with the class.   Activity Eleven: Young Inventors Day Plan a Young Inventors Day so that your students can be recognized for their  inventive thinking. This day should provide opportunities for the children to display their inventions and tell the story of how they got their idea and how it works. They can share with other students, their parents, and others. When a child successfully completes a task, it is important that (s)he be recognized for the effort. All children who participate in the Inventive Thinking Lesson Plans are winners. We have prepared a certificate that can be copied and given to all children who participate and use their inventive thinking skills to create an invention or innovation.

Health Care Reform Debate the Pluralistic Prespective

Ana Sakalis SOC 335 Prof. K. Bentele February 24, 2012 Health Care Reform Debate The Pluralistic Perspective In this paper I will explain how the portion of the health care debate I chose would be classified under this pluralist framework of government. First I will explain the definition of the pluralist view of how government is structured. Then I will explain a bit of what portion of the healthcare reform under president Obama’s administration I chose to write about and in conclusion I will make the connection between the healthcare reform and the pluralist theorist framework view of government. The Pluralist structure illustrates power as the aftermath of the collection of different interest groups haggling for the†¦show more content†¦There are many religious institutions and religious affiliated universities that are fighting the new implications of this policy. These issues of concern and health care reform would be a real good argument for pluralist and their views of the structure of government in America. This is a good example of â€Å"who ever makes the best a rgument wins†. Although the finals of this reform have not yet been ironed-out, it seems like the winners will be working class Americans and that is not common in American politics. That no matter what argument, these large institutions are making they will have to find a way to conform to the decisions made by government. In this particular case the government is listening to everyone. These working class women have the Institute Of Medicine and the Department of Health and Human Services advocating on their behalf. In this instance the large population of individual voters are the ones holding the power over these larger, richer entities like insurance companies and religious affiliated institutions and universities. The states are involved in protecting the maintenance of order throughout society by being allowed to stipulate who does what. The power is not being held by those with economic stability like the social class perspective or the nature of leadership is no t being held by the elites as stated in the elite managerial approach of government. Economic

Author Albert Hirschman Essay Example For Students

Author Albert Hirschman Essay In his work Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, author Albert Hirschman presents a way of understanding individual choice within an institution or organization. Hirschman gives the argument that many aspects of perfectly competitive markets are also applicable to the American political system. His primary interest involves studying what happens when firms, organizations, and states dysfunction, decline, and under-perform and how they receive feedback and correct their errors over time. Thus, this work looks in detail at individuals who are dissatisfied and the choices that they have available. Hirschman cites two basic options that are accessible to displeased employees, consumers, voters, and political candidates: voice or exit. In the former case, the discontent individual expresses his concerns or dissatisfactions to those around him (superiors, colleagues, employees) in order to effect change. In the latter case, the individual simply decides to take his business elsewhere. There are, however, two subcategories of this option: (1) silent exit, in which this said individual does not voice complaints before or after his exit, and (2) exit with voice, in which he expresses his dissatisfaction before and/or after his exit. The two main options are often key choices in a political crisis. This fact is demonstrated in the case of Senator James Jeffords, who switched political parties in May of 2001 from Republican to Independent and thus shifted the balance of power in the United States Congress, an event with many extensive and significant implications. Senator Jeffords case is one of an incomplete exit with a marginal amount of voice both before and after his decision. Jeffords states that he expressed his objections with the new budget and education spending to President Bush throughout the first year of his term. However, he did not make his discontentment known clearly or vehemently enough: in his piece My Declaration of Independence, he cites only a few specific instances in which he explicitly voiced his complaints to a superior. Despite the instances in which he informed the President of his concerns (that he would be a one-term President if he did not move beyond his Conservative Republican base on many issues) and told a CNN reporter of his qualms with the size of the tax cut, Jeffords did not use a strong enough voice until the spring of 2001. By this time, budget talks were well underway and it was almost time to vote on this issue. Thus, he reserved his voice until it was virtually too late for it to be effective. It must be noted, however, that Senator Jeffords does allude to several instances (Republican meetings and more private settings) in which his voiced concerns were either ignored or looked upon with mockery, disbelief, and condescension. These reactions do indeed give validity to his frustration and disillusionment. However, even in light of such causes for dissatisfaction, it was only after his departure from the Republican Party that he truly and publicly expressed his dissatisfaction and expounded upon the reasons behind it. It is now clear that along with his disagreement with the tax cut and education spending, he was also upset with removal of money from the budget for health programs. It is only now that he cites disagreement on other fundamental issues such as: choice, direction of the judiciary, tax and spending decision, missile defense, energy and the environment, and a host of other. This failure to elucidate such disparities discredits his efforts and implies that he could indeed have used a stronger voice before deciding to give up and defect to another political party; an act that many view as disloyal to not only the Republicans but to the state of Vermont as well.

Economy And Innovations In Technology †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Economy And Innovations In Technology. Answer: Introduction: With progressing economy and innovations in technology and production, newer sectors are gaining more and more importance in the globalized market. One of the primary developing sectors in the current business world is the telecommunication sector. The sector deals with transmission of vocal, verbal or word messages across the globe and with time, the sector has seen massive dynamics with innovations in the concerned technologies (Bigliardi, Ivo Dormio and Galati 2012). Nowadays, this sector has gained utmost importance, with businesses going global, as most of the commercial activities are done through this medium. The report discusses the telecommunication sector in Australia, its current dynamics, players and the issues faced by the players as well as the clientele, as is evident from the survey conducted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). From economic perspective, these issues are tried to be analyzed and explained in this report (Accc.gov.au, 2017). Telecommunication Market: Australia: The telecommunication market in Australia is one of the most significant revenue generating market, which has seen consistent rise in the number of consumers over the years. The need for the development of this sector has been constantly increasing due to the economic boom and business prospect that the country is showing. The main products of this market are landline service, broadband internet and mobile and data services, the third product seeing significant increase in the demand with time, the demand for the former two remaining significantly high (Makwana, Sharma and Arora 2014). The market in the country has a big player along with several medium and small ones, thereby giving a distorted semi-monopolistic structure to the concerned market. The big player being Telstra and the other players being Optus, TPG, iiNet and others, the market, though seeing a recent hike in the level of prices, the demand is also showing a continual upward trend. The market shares of the different players in Australia, on the producer side can be shown as follows: Table 1: Market shares for fixed line broadband: Provider Share of market (%) Telstra 41 iiNet 15 Optus 14 TPG 12 Others 18 (Source: Communications.gov.au, 2017) Table 2: Market shares for mobile services: Provider Share of market (%) Telstra 45 Vodafone 18 Optus 27 Others 10 (Source: Communications.gov.au, 2017) Form the above tables, it is evident that Telstra enjoys a huge market share, both in landline services as well as mobile services and the company enjoys almost monopolistic kind of market power, with the other service providers enjoying much lower shares in the telecommunication market of the country. With much of the market share in the hands of a single service providers, the market shows a semi-monopolistic structure, with the economic issues of trade off between equity and efficiency cropping up in the market. This is discussed in details in the following sections of the report, with the help of the study findings of the ACCC (Alizadeh 2015). Issues in the telecommunication market of Australia: As shown in the above discussions, the market structure of this sector in Australia is not that of a perfectly competitive type, which in its turn leads to several distortions and unequal distribution of facilities and advantages, both on the producer side and the consumer side, in this market. The issues, as can be derived from the study findings are as follows: The primary player in this market, Telstra, has been in the scenario for quite a long time and has and is still enjoying significant favors and subsidies from the Australian government. Over the years, the company has received huge subsidies in the form of the National Broadband Network Company Agreement or the Obligation of Universal Services, which were basically given to the company in order to ensure equitable as well as superior quality distribution of their services at affordable prices, to people across the country and of different income strata. However, the company has used these subsidies for fulfillment of their vested interest and has achieved significant share of the market overtime (Crouch and Davies 2013). The customer complaints and submissions, as were received by the ACCC, puts forward the efficiency issue of the NBN services. The main issue as has been put forward by them is the issue of inequitable distribution of the services across the country, especially between the urban and more developed regions and the rural and the remote regions. The rural sector customers of the NBN plan, though pay the same amount for availing the service as paid by the urban ones (Crouch and Davies 2013). However, they complain about the distinctively slower speed they receive as compared to their urban counterparts, along with other problems like that of outdate d materials usage, using of fiber in some places and mixed technologies in other places. These problems have created lack of confidence among the rural customer, who, with the progress in the economy and the change in the business modes, are willing to adapt to the new age technologies. The customers are also not happy in terms of the quality of services and follow-ups in case of complaints (Alizadeh 2013). The organizational structure of the NBN and that of Telstra, is also expected to contribute to the issues of market distortions as together they portray a cartel like structure. The symbiotic, profit maximizing mode of operations of this collusion has in one way ruled out the potential competitions as the monopoly they enjoy due to the presence of increasing returns to scale, cannot be challenged by other players in the market. Many of the potential competitors, though are providing superior services, cannot compete with Telstra, in terms of prices as the latter already has a cost advantage (Patel 2017). The issues, as discussed above, show the trade-off between the equity and efficiency in the market. Due to the lack of quality and customer satisfaction, Telstra is seeing a loss in their clientele as many of the loyal customers shifting to other service providers. Conclusion: The report shows the conflict between equity and efficiency that arises in the telecommunication market of Australia, due to the presence of unequal distribution of market power among one government aided and privileged service providing giant and a few smaller competitors. The reluctant nature of the former and the discrimination in the quality of service provided by the company has given rise to huge dissatisfaction on part of the customers, many of whom are shifting to other service providers, choosing quality over affordability due to the necessary nature of the service discussed about in the report. References Accc.gov.au (2017).Communications sector market study. [online] Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Available at: https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/market-studies/communications-sector-market-study [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017]. Alizadeh, T., 2013. Towards the socio-economic patterns of the national broadband network rollout in Australia.State of Australian Cities, Sydney. Accessed December,31. Alizadeh, T., 2015. The spatial justice implications of telecommunication infrastructure: The socio-economic status of early National Broadband Network rollout in Australia.International Journal of Critical Infrastructures,11(3), pp.278-296. Bigliardi, B., Ivo Dormio, A. and Galati, F., 2012. The adoption of open innovation within the telecommunication industry.European Journal of Innovation Management,15(1), pp.27-54. Communications.gov.au (2017). [online] Available at: https://www.communications.gov.au/sites/g/files/net301/f/Vodafone%20-%20Attachment%20E.pdf [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017]. Crouch, A. and Davies, S., 2013. A coordinated satellite and terrestrial microwave backhaul for cellular mobile in remote and regional Australia.Australian Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy,1(1), p.2. Makwana, K., Sharma, N. and Arora, S., 2014. Factors influencing consumer brand switching behavior in telecommunication industry: An empirical study.Prestige eJ. Management and Res,1(1), pp.1-10. Patel, A., 2017. Equity and Efficiency. InMental HealthEconomics (pp. 155-161). Springer, Cham.