Assignments

Class Requirements The approach to be used for meeting the course objectives is a combination of reading assignments, simulations, lecture/discussions, independent work, and other class activities. See attached schedule of topics and assignments for class meetings.

The course requirements are described in more detail on the following pages. Grades for CRS will be based on the following:


 * **Requirement** || **Type of Assignment** || **Objective(s)** || **Due date** || **Points** ||
 * 1. Scavenger Hunt with project || Group with individual reflection || 1,3,4 || Saturday, May 26 || 25 points ||
 * 2. Apply creative thinking strategies within the curriculum || Individual or group || 2,3 || June 10 || 25 points ||
 * 3. Class participation in mini learning activities with reflections as assigned || Individual and group || 1,2,3,4 || Daily || 25 points ||
 * 4. Seminar: What is creativity || Individual ||  || Saturday, May 26 || 25 points ||

A range is 97-110 B range is 96-83 C range is 70-83 Failure less than 70 points

**Description Of Course Requirements** = ASSIGNMENT 1 Scavenger Hunt =

You will work with your group to find and describe the items suggested on the attached "Scavenger Hunt" sheet The purpose of this activity is to see evidences of creativity in the "real world" by making connections, seeing things in a new way, seeing patterns, taking risks, challenging assumptions, and taking advantage of chance (Barron & Eisner). Your group will create an innovative project to share the results of your hunt. In addtion, you will reflect on the experience in terms of how these goals were met in an individual reflection including your creative process and what talent you contributed to the process and product.

1-2 points || Standard 3-6 points || Exceeds standard (7-8) points) ||
 * || Approaching standard
 * Items represented accurately || All 10 items are present || 10 items are represented and recognizable without too much explanation || 10 items represent unique or original connections ||
 * Reflection includes the Barron and Eisner discussion (personal) and discussion of your contribution to the creative process in your group.
 * Recognizing patterns

· Making connections

 * Taking risks
 * Challenging assumptions
 * Taking advantage of chance
 * Seeing in new ways (barron& eisner) || Reflection (personal) shows how the scavenger hunt relates to at least 3 of the items and mentions your role in group. || Reflection includes connections to all 6 items and describes how your group’s idea evolved and your role in its development || Reflection provides specific examples of each of the items and how you encountered them and responded to them personally. Discussed the nature of talent added value to the creative process. ||
 * Product /presentation || Product communicates the assignment requirements || Creative product that shows thought and applies creative components. || Creative product that includes each group member’s talent area; aesthetically pleasing with a wow factor. (7-9) ||

CREATIVITY SCAVENGER HUNT **// Here finally is your chance to see //****//The many facets of creativity.//**

//Theories, articles, lessons and such//
**//Without reality are nothing much//** So with your pals please proceed Ingenuity is what you'll need **//To win the hunt --- the ultimate test//** **//Let's see which team is really best.//**


 * //I. Your hunt can take place anywhere. You may decide to visit one or several spots. many. One spot may be a place where you would expect to find creativity with a big C. Examples are found in column A. Another site may at first seem like an ordinary or unlikely spot to associate with creativity. Examples of this category are listed in//**
 * //column B.//**
 * //A B//**
 * //Theater Used car lot//**
 * //Museum Sporting event//**
 * //Concert Woods or pond//**
 * //Art gallery Cafeteria//**
 * //Fashion designer's studio Busy street corner//**


 * //II. Look for://**
 * //1. Someone doing an ordinary thing in a creative way.//**
 * //2. Three examples of flexibility as defined by Torrance. (Things used differently than intended.)//**
 * //3. An art form in an unlikely setting//**
 * //4. An inanimate object communicating in an original way.//**
 * //5. Find a problem that has been solved in an original way//**
 * //6. Find something that Shakespeare would write about.//**
 * //7. Find a problem that needs to be solved.//**
 * //8. Find a basis for Mozart's composition.//**
 * //9. Find something that your favorite singer would sing about.//**
 * //10.Interview someone creating about the why, how, what, and when of the project. (I need a transcript of the interview. Find out about their creative process; where do they get ideas; what motivates their creativity.)//**


 * //III. Communicate your findings in an unusual way.//**
 * //Try a suggestion listed below or discover a way that's best for the personality and special talents of your group.//**
 * //Photographic essay//**
 * //Poem//**
 * //Art piece//**
 * //Mobile//**
 * //Skit//**
 * //Video or slide production//**


 * //HAVE FUN!!!!//**

Names of group members

= ASSIGNMENT 2 : Application of Creative Strategies =

This assignment is designed to provide practice in applying the strategies explored in the course to your own professional responsibilities. You are to choose 2 strategies from those listed below and integrate them into activities you will use with your students. The lessons are to follow the format shown. Then choose one to implement with your students. Rubric for lessons shown below.


 * __Strategies__ **
 * Imagery
 * Brainstorming
 * Attribute Listing
 * Morphological synthesis
 * Creative Problem Solving
 * Synectics
 * SCAMPER
 * Creative dramatics
 * Discovery learning or problem finding

The format for each of the activities should include the following:
 * __Format__ **


 * 1) Discipline and Topic


 * 1) Learning outcomes for lesson in relationship to unit goals


 * 1) Strategy and rationale for strategy use

4Description of strategy that includes outlining the steps involved

5Description of how you would implement and assess the activity

6 Reflection : How did the lesson help students’ be more creative. What did you notice? What would you extend or do differently next time.

1-2 points || Standard 3-4 points || Exceeds standard (5-6 points) ||
 * || Approaching standard
 * Learning outcome in terms of content || Stated briefly || Fact or skill focused || Included big idea & essential question ||
 * Creative thinking strategy used || Identified and applied appropriately || Component showing direct instruction of how to use the strategy || Discussion of why this strategy was chosen in relation to learning outcomes ||
 * Lesson sequence and evaluation || Detailed || Enough information so others can replicate it || Includes resources needed ||
 * Reflecion for the lesson you implemented || Discussed how the lesson met objectives || Includes the reaction of students to idea generation || Includes what you might do differently next time or how you could extend the use of the strategy (5-7) ||
 * Reflecion for the lesson you implemented || Discussed how the lesson met objectives || Includes the reaction of students to idea generation || Includes what you might do differently next time or how you could extend the use of the strategy (5-7) ||

SAMPLE LESSONS:





= ASSIGNMENT 3. Class Participation and reflections =
 * Daily mini activities in which you will partake to help you grapple with and understand course content. Some of these will require reflection activities either written or discussed. You will receive a +,-, or Ö upon completion.
 * 1) Pre Assignment
 * 2) Group definition of creativity
 * 3) Block busting activities (MONDAY) Comment on your page: Consider Joshua in his box. What constitutes your box? In short talk about your blocks to creativity: include environmental blocks. Also, conclude with what you learned about yourself when participating in the activities in class. You can include images if you like
 * 4) Ted Talk analysis (TUESDAY) see below
 * 5) Post your MATH problem on your wiki page.

**TED Talks on CREATIVITY**

Read over these selections. Choose the one that interests you. We will form groups of three based on choice. You may need to go to your second choice if there are already three in the group. View the Ted Talk together. Discuss what your TED Talk tell us about Creativity (4 p’s)? Create an ad to get people to attend this event. Make sure you let them know what they will learn.

1. [] Robert Lang is a pioneer of the newest kind of origami -- using math and engineering principles to fold mind-blowingly intricate designs that are beautiful and, sometimes, very useful. Robert Lang merges mathematics with aesthetics to fold elegant modern origami. His scientific approach helps him make folds once thought impossible -- and has secured his place as one of the first great Western masters of the art.

2. []

Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi spins through a dizzying array of inspirations -- from '50s pinups to a fleeting glimpse of a woman on the street who makes him shout "Stop the cab!" Inside this rambling talk are real clues to living a happy, creative life.

3. []

Shaffi Mather explains why he left his first career to become a social entrepreneur, providing life-saving transportation with his company 1298 for Ambulance. Now, he has a new idea and plans to begin a company to fight the booming business of corruption in public service, eliminating it one bribe at a time.

4.[] Thomas Suarez has two published apps, a startup company and a compelling TED talk under his belt -- all at the tender age of 12. In a compelling October 22 talk at a TED conference in Manhattan Beach, the Los Angeles student held forth on topics like tech integration in education, app access for all children, and how teachers could best use the classroom's greatest resource -- the students themselves. The video of Suarez's speech was uploaded last week and already has over 400,000 views.


 * 5. On Music and Passion **

Benjamin Zander: Classical music with shining eyes By TEDtalksDirector This TED Talk is often lauded as one of the best TED Talks available. Perhaps it’s due to the genuine passion and love exerted by the speaker, musician Benjamin Zander. Or maybe it’s because the subject matter hits so close to our own hearts and resonates so deeply. Zander uses classical music as a way to illustrate a more universal concept – how passion and inspiration can light up the eyes and hearts of those whom you would never expect to see lit up. Passion and creativity are powerful weapons, if only we would wield them in a manner worth wielding. education and corporate business has stigmatized making mistakes.


 * 6. Where New Ideas Come From **

Steven Johnson: Where good ideas come from

If someone were to ask you where your new ideas came from, what would you say? For many of us, we’d probably say that our best ideas came to us in a moment of fleeting inspiration – dozing off during class, or doodling around during your commute, or while sipping on a cappuccino at the local café. There always seems to be a “Eureka!” moment attached to a new idea. In this TED Talk, Steven Johnson argues that new ideas don’t suddenly strike us out of nowhere like lightning. Rather, new ideas are slowly built up over time and incubated through years of networking. Those famous “Eureka!” moments are simply the culmination of all that incubation. This is a fascinating take on the formulation of new ideas. A must-watch for creative artists.

Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about cre...
 * 7. A New Way to Think About Creativity **

In this talk, writer Elizabeth Gilbert explores an idea that comes inherent with creativity – fear. There seems to be an air of fear that always pervades creative circles. Fear of failure. Fear of not living up to expectations. Fear of being a fake hack. How do creative individuals deal with this constant inner fear? Gilbert proposes a new way to view creativity. Instead of thinking of it as something that springs from within //ourselves//, she wonders how we differently we would view creative endeavors if we believed that creative inspiration came from an //external source//. It’s mostly about the shift of responsibility in order to maintain sanity, but perhaps her message has a few merits.

8. Isabel Allende
I don’t often like to speak about passion because it’s often an over-used term without the real energy behind it. I think people like to give lip service to passion, but you don’t actually see many people living it. Isabel lives it, she breathes it and she expresses it powerfully. To be creative takes guts, a lot of it. You’re baring your soul to the world again and again and you have to handle the world rejecting you again and again. Nothing makes you feel more vulnerable. Without courage and passion to fuel your stubborn insistence to accept nothing less than living life to its full potential, don’t expect to get a grip on creativity.
 * “[|Passion]“ **
 * Isabel Allende: ** Now this is one amazing and passionate woman! She gets to rank 4th because her talk epitomizes two of the most important aspects of creative expression: **courage** and **passion**.

9. Ross Lovegrove
Just listening to him and watching him will give you a great idea of what creativity is about and what’s needed to master it. Ross lives right on the edge of innovation and design for the future, listening to someone like this is inspiring and I feel safer knowing there are people like this in the world helping design for our future. The difficulty for someone like Ross is waiting for the rest of the world to catch up with him… When you get to the part where he says, “What a waste! F__ ‘em,” you’ll know what I mean.
 * “[|Organic Designs]“ **
 * Ross Lovegrove: ** If I didn’t have such a big crush on Sir Ken’s creative expression, I’d have a big crush on Ross’s. Partially just for having a name like Lovegrove, what a cool name! Those elements I mentioned about Isabel’s talk, on courage and passion, Ross is also a brilliant example of someone who embodies these attributes as well.

10. Tim Harford
I also love Tim’s explanation of the **God Complex**. This is something we’re all very guilty of at least some of the time, and I can see how it really makes life difficult for everybody. Definitely worth listening to.
 * “[|Trial, Error and the God Complex]“ **
 * Tim Harford: ** Tim comes in at 6th place, not because he’s speaking specifically about creativity, but because what he speaks about is also one of the most crucial elements to creative expression: **trial and error**. Nobody has ever mastered any creative feat without a lot of it. There are no brilliant people on this planet who haven’t spent years dedicated to fine tuning their skills. Trying to avoid this and still be successful is like trying to avoid exercise and expecting to have a strong, fit, healthy body.

11. Matt Cutts
One of the biggest blocks to creativity and anything else in life is our **procrastination** and **excuses**. If we just stopped this and took action on the things we say we’d like to do, our lives would transform dramatically. Matt is a shining example of someone who has been living this way, and he gives you a brilliant tool to turn your excuses into action. By taking on **30 day challenges**, he’s transformed his life from someone who talked about doing things to someone who makes it happen. After watching this talk, I implemented a 30 day challenge immediately, and I can see how my life could transform dramatically if I just keep on challenging myself 30 days at a time.
 * “[|Try Something New For 30 Days]“ **
 * Matt Cutts: ** I mentioned in the article one speaker who had a message so powerful, it might even be the most important one of all if it moves you to take action. This is Matt’s message.

= ASSIGNMENT 4. Creativity Socratic Seminar = =Analysis of theory You will specialize in your group on person, process, product, press (situation and environment). During the seminar you will prepare a question to be discussed and use your resources to frame your question and respond to others. There will be a rubric used by the outer circle to monitor your discussion. On your page you will post the points you want to make about your article and Ted Talk in terms of the 4 p’s of creativity. You will need to prepare your entry card (four questions) to participate in the seminar. See ppt for cards and rubric.=