Quick Creativity

AIM:

To explore creativity and imagination and have a high-energy experience

OUTCOMES:

• Increased capacity for creativity
• Confidence and ability to generate ideas and try new things
• Increased desire to create new things.
• Express ideas in a different way

TIME: 30 – 60 minutes

PREPARATION: Ensure you have enough paper and pens

ACTIVITY:

1. Split the class into smaller teams of 3 or 4. Each team needs to have a grid of 16 squares. Give each team a piece of A4 paper and ask them to fold it 4 times and unfold it again, so, there will be 16 squares on that piece of paper.
2. Explain that they will need to draw as many iterations as they can, of the object that you’re about to say. For instance, if you said ‘Orange’ they could draw an orange in one square, a carton of orange juice in the next, a carrot (because it’s orange), an orange tree, orange Fanta and so on.
3. The first team to fill out all 16 squares has to stand up! THEY ARE THE WINNERS!
4. Then, repeat this activity by saying… ‘Apple!’
5. A few hints if they need them: apple, apple pie, apple tree, apple iPhone, a rotten apple, a scented candle, etc.
6. Once the first team completes, you could wait a moment or two to see who comes 2nd and 3rd and, so on.
7. Increase the Challenge: This time explain, that they have to list as many uses for a paperclip as possible and this time the first team to reach 20 shall WIN!
8. Once the team reaches 20, increase the pressure by saying the whole class has to reach 30, then 40, and so on.

DEBRIEF:

At the end of the session, facilitate sharing in a circle. They will want to see what each other has done so you can ask different groups to share what they think is their best, worst, most useful, most useless ideas were. Once you’ve shared in this way, aim to facilitate a deeper discussion about why this kind of process could be useful in work, life, and society. Ideas generation, innovation, and solutions-focused thinking are all highly valued skills in the workplace.

The Online version of this activity:

• Create a Google Jamboard page for this activity and name each frame as per the teams (for e.x. Team-1, Team-2, etc.).  
• Share this link with the class.
• Divide the class into teams of 4-5 members and allow each team to go ‘breakout rooms’ (when using online zoom meetings)
• Post this instruction for them: “Find the JAM FRAME with your team number. You have exactly 15 minutes to make a collage by uploading, writing, or drawing as many uses for a pencil as you can on that Jam ”
• Once they are done, bring them back to the common class meeting. Display each JAM and have a positive discussion with the teams about their stronger ideas and the room for improvement.