TEAM ATB ACTIVITY GUIDE
Creative thinking involves looking at things in an imaginative way and making connections
between seemingly different things. For a mathematician, it may mean seeing new
patterns in a number problem. For a cook, it might mean adding a new ingredient.
For a scientist, it might mean coming up with a new hypothesis to test. And for
entrepreneurs, it means going beyond the traditional and conventional, and thinking
about and looking at challenges from different angles. Entrepreneurs explore new
paths and ask new questions. They see things that other people may miss. Their creativity
helps them overcome obstacles, design solutions, and run successful enterprises.
The activities in this unit help kids investigate innovative ways of thinking and
the creation and sharing of ideas (ideation). Kids explore what creative
thinking is, how they can think more creatively, and how to use their creative-thinking
skills to recognize and explore new ideas. They learn to identify opportunities
to create new products and services that fill a need within the community.
• Review Life Tree progress, if applicable
• Redeem Team ATB Bucks and post ATB Badges
• Watch video(s)
• Do JUMPSTARTER
• Do EXPLORE IT! or IN_DEPTH Activity
• Discuss quote or profile
Watch any of the videos below or watch the featured videos (Snow Pals and/or Hammocks)
and explore the key concepts with kids. Ask: What would you have done in Shiloh’s
and Lexi’s or Ally’s situation? Have you or someone you know ever invented anything?
What was it?
· Snow Pals (independent thinking): When Lexi and Shiloh discover
that regular snowboards just aren’t working for them, they invent a board they both
can ride and create a whole new craze.
· E-Ship (exploration): Ethan explores new possibilities for using
the Internet and creates a never-before-seen way for people to travel.
· Hammocks (inquiry): Ally questions the routine chore of making her
bed every day and comes up with a new idea that’s a huge hit with other kids.
· New Ideas (ideation): Josh and Jenna enlist their friends to turn
their dinner-making duty into a thriving home-cooked catering and meal-delivery
business.
· Charge It! (creativity and innovation): When the lights go out in
their town, Tyler and his bike-riding friends create an innovative new way to generate
power.
Videos are on the ATB DVD included with this guide and online at allterrainbrain.org.
Quote
“Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own
experience.”
—Masaru Ibuka, cofounder of Sony Corporation
Ask: What do you think Mr. Ibuka means by “stepping outside your own experience”?
What does creativity mean to you? Do you agree with what Mr. Ibuka says? Why or
why not?
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Concepts:
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exploration, inquiry, creativity and innovation
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Time:
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20 minutes (5 minutes for each Trick and 5 minutes to process them)
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Materials:
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paper and pencils or pens, $1 bill
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Goal:
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to learn to question assumptions and look for creative solutions
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How many times do you get stuck in a problem and think there’s only one way to solve
it? Entrepreneurs know there can be many options but that you may need to question
assumptions and look at the problem in new ways to come up with creative solutions.
That’s just what kids do in these JUMPSTARTER activities.
Try one or more of the following brain tricks. Kids can work individually or in
teams. Give teams paper and pencils or pens to help their problem solving.
Each kid who solves a Brain Trick earns 2 Team ATB Bucks.
Brain Trick 1: $1 Bill
Show kids a $1 bill you’ve taped high out of reach on the wall. Tell them: If you
can get it down without using your hands, you can have it. The only rule is that
you cannot use your hands.
As each kid takes a turn, remind them they should try a different solution than
the person before them. (You may need to limit turn time or the number of kids who
take a turn if time is an issue.) If kids cannot think of a solution, solve the
problem by asking someone else to get the $1 bill down for you. (Note: The rule
doesn’t let YOU use YOUR hands, but it doesn’t stop you from using someone else’s
hands.)
Brain Trick 2: Ice Cream
Ask for volunteers to share their answers to the following:
An inventor thinks of a new ice cream flavor using kiwi. He invents three other
flavors. They are melon, orange, and lemon. What do you think the fourth flavor
was?
(SOLUTION: The answer is kiwi.)
Brain Trick 3: Dirt in a Hole
Give teams several minutes to work out solutions to the following. Review responses
as a group.
How much dirt is in a hole that is 2 feet wide by 4 feet long by 4 feet deep?
(SOLUTION: The answer is none. The dirt in the hole has been dug out.)
After the brain tricks, ask kids about how they solved (or didn’t solve) the problems.
Ask: What do you think “thinking outside the box” means? How does it apply to the
solutions to the brain tricks? Does anyone have other examples of thinking outside
the box?
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Concepts:
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exploration, ideation, creativity and innovation
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Time:
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10 minutes
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Materials:
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props you and the kids have readily available, such as a water bottle, cookies,
paper, scissors, etc.
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Goal:
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to tap into creative thinking
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Expressing concepts in a concrete and physical way is a fun way to experience and
understand creative thinking.
Divide kids into 4 teams and assign each team a math operation: addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. Tell kids that they need to represent their concept
without talking. Give kids a few minutes to think of a variety of methods of expression.
You may want to suggest that kids act out a physical representation of the math
operation. For example, a single kid can add teammates one by one or a group of
kids can split themselves up into smaller groups. You can also offer kids props,
such as cookies, crackers, or fruit (to move around or take bites from), or a water
bottle (to take sips from) that they can use to demonstrate the math.
Ask: What was the experience like? Did it trigger new ways of thinking? In what other
types of situations could you use creative thinking to help you come up with new
ideas?
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Concepts:
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independent thinking, exploration, creativity and innovation
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Time:
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30 minutes
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Materials:
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pictures or photographs of innovative objects related to kids’ lives, such as a
portable music player, sneakers on wheels, dishwasher, electric guitar, cell phone,
etc.
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Goal:
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to define creative thinking and innovation
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Many people believe that they are not creative thinkers, especially if they only
associate creativity with being artistic. But everyone has creative potential, whether
they realize it or not, and connecting with that potential can lead to new ideas.
In this activity, kids explore what it means to think creatively and how it helps
generate innovation (new ideas). Kids also realize how innovation affects
their lives.
Show pictures of innovative objects. Ask kids to pick which objects they think are
creative and why. Then ask: Who are creative people? Kids will probably name
the obvious: painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians, writers. To help kids think
deeper and realize that most people, including them, use creative thinking all the
time, ask: What are some examples of things you do or experience every day that require
creative thinking? (Answers might include: cooking, styling their hair,
mixing and matching clothes, and going to school.) How do you think of new ideas?
What do the objects we’ve looked at have in common? Remind kids that someone
had to think creatively about an existing object (cell phone, CD, or even ice cream)
or recognize a need and then come up with a new idea. Ask: Can you think of any businesses
that depend on innovation? Can you think of any businesses that don’t?
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Concepts:
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exploration, inquiry, ideation
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Time:
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30 minutes
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Materials:
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big handmade poster or cutout for each color hat (blue, red, white, and green);
blue, red, black (for white), and green markers
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Goal:
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to explore different ways to solve problems
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Sometimes good ideas come in unusual packages. The goal of brainstorming
is to let ideas flow—no idea is too crazy or far-fetched. In this activity, kids
learn a creative and focused style of brainstorming called parallel thinking.
Kids “try on” different-colored hats, which represent different ways of approaching
the same problem—thus thinking in parallel ways to find the best solution.
Before you begin, describe brainstorming, parallel thinking, and what each color
hat represents (see below). Tell kids they will use this creative problem solving
process to address an issue important to the group. For example, kids want the latest
electronic gadget and must convince their parents or guardians to buy it; kids want
to change what’s served in the school cafeteria; or kids want to design and sell
T-shirts. Establish some ground rules: no interrupting, no criticizing ideas, and
everyone gets a turn. As a facilitator, make sure that kids stay with the hat of
the moment. Write down the ideas on each poster with the appropriate color marker
or have the kids act as scribes.
· Ask kids to put on their blue hats. The blue hat allows the kids
to organize their thinking and define the problem to be discussed. It sets
the stage for the discussion.
· Have kids change to the red hats. This is their chance to talk about their
feelings about the problem. Do one or two rounds, or more if needed.
· Now ask kids to wear the white hats, which represent facts. Ask
kids to share any facts they know about the situation.
· Ask kids to put on their green hats. This represents creative thinking.
Kids can contribute any idea as a solution. Tell them not to worry whether or
not the idea is practical or possible—anything goes during a brainstorm.
· Review the ideas on the posters. Finally, ask kids to put on their blue hats again.
Ask: What was achieved? What possible solutions were discovered? What are the next
steps?
After the activity, ask: Was this way of thinking a good way to come up with new
ideas and solutions? Why or why not? How might you brainstorm on your own? How is
it different from brainstorming with a group?
Take It Further
As an extension, have kids pick their favorite solutions. Group them by their solution
and ask for volunteers to role-play that solution.
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Concepts:
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exploration, ideation, creativity and innovation
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Time:
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35 t0 45 minutes
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Materials:
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What Would a Superhero Do? Handout, pencils or pens, board or flipchart and markers
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Goal:
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to expand one's creative thinking
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Using a provocative question to help them think creatively, kids will market a new
product at school.
Organize kids into groups of 4 or 5. Distribute the What
Would a Superhero Do? Handout and pencils or pens. Tell kids that they will
use a specific technique—brainstorming by looking at the problem through an unusual
lens, in this case a question. This process may help them see the problem in new
ways, stimulate their thinking, and generate fresh ideas. Encourage them to keep
an open mind while brainstorming—after all, some superhuman ideas may arise. Give
the groups about 20 minutes to talk about their ideas and write them down on the
handout. Then give them 5 minutes to pick their top 3 choices.
After the groups have completed their creative brainstorming, bring them back together
and have them share their top three ideas. Write the ideas on the board or flipchart.
Ask for volunteers from each group to explain how they came up with their solutions.
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Concepts:
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all unit concepts
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Time:
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45 to 60 minutes
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Materials:
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pencils and paper
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Goal:
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to learn how sharing ideas can create new ones
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One of the things entrepreneurs are good at is recognizing opportunity and then
thinking up new products. In the business world, teams of people often work together
brainstorming, researching, and developing new products or services. In this activity,
kids look at changing an existing well-known commodity, share their ideas, and work
together to create an interesting new product.
Introduce the activity with the following scenario:
In Futureworld, pencils no longer are used for writing, since everyone has Personal
Computing Sticks (PCSs). But older generations made billions of pencils, and they
are everywhere! Futureworld believes strongly in not wasting resources so a new
use has to be found for the pencils.
1. Divide kids into teams of three or four. Give each team pencils (as props and
to use) and a piece of paper. Have the team write the heading “Ideas” on the paper
and under it write an improvement or change they believe could be made to the pencil
(or pencils). Give them about 10 minutes to brainstorm. If necessary, you can suggest
kids think about combining the pencil with something else, or how they might change
the pencil in some way.
2. Ask the team to list or draw additions or deletions they would make to the pencil(s).
Each team then folds their paper into an Idea Airplane. Have teams line up across
from one another and fly their planes to exchange them.
3. Have each team open and read the Idea Airplane. After brainstorming for a few
minutes, ask teams to add their own improvements or changes to those on the paper
and refold the paper into an airplane. Teams line up again and fly their revised
Idea Airplane to each other.
4. Once more have them look at the list or drawing on the paper and see if they
can improve or change what is there. Teams line up and return the airplane to its
original owners.
5. Ask teams to review the changes to their original idea and pick one they think
could be successful. Have them think of a name for their new product.
6. Ask teams to design an advertisement to sell their new product to the citizens
of Futureworld. Their ad should address the following:
•Who is the audience?
•Why do you think they would buy or use this product? What are its benefits or uses?
•What logo, image, or name can you use to represent or describe the product and
encourage the audience to use it?
7. Have teams present their ad campaigns to the group.
Kids can further explore the entrepreneurial concepts and earn 3 Team ATB Bucks
by completing a Team ATB Web Challenge online at allterrainbrain.org. Ask them to go to the Home Page, complete another level of the Fast Track Challenge, and report back at the next meeting. Kids can also earn their Independent Thinking, Exploration, Inquiry, Ideation,
or Creativity & Innovation badges by clicking on ATB TV in the upper left corner,
scrolling down to the list of topics, clicking on one of them, and completing all
3 activities. Ask kids to print the Badges found on the upper right corner of the Road Map page, cut out any badges they've earned, and bring them to the next Team ATB meeting so they can add them to their Team ATB Road Map.
Share this real-life story with your group to inspire their entrepreneurial dreams.
Jacob Dunnack
Courtesy of Lisa Dunnack
A six-year-old named Jacob Dunnack wanted to play baseball during a visit to his
grandmother’s house. Before he left home, he grabbed his plastic bat, but forgot
his baseballs. His grandmother had to make balls from paper, which, predictably,
didn’t work very well. This incident gave Jacob an idea—why not store the baseball
inside the bat? A different way of thinking, but turns out his idea was right on
target. He designed a bat with a removable cap for storing balls. A major toy store
liked it so much that they started to carry the product. Jacob sure hit a grand
slam with his idea!
Reflect on the profile:
Ask: Who has heard the saying “Necessity is the mother of invention”? What do you
think it means? How does it apply to Jacob’s story? Have you ever thought of a product
or idea out of need? What was it?
Web
allterrainbrain.org
Extends the exploration of ATB concepts through fun activities and games, videos,
and young entrepreneur profiles.
Critical Thinking Puzzles
mathforum.org/k12/mathtips/math.puzzles.html
Includes fun math puzzlers, brain teasers and critical thinking puzzles to expand
kids thinking.
Books
Brainstorm! The Stories of Twenty American Kid Inventors by Tom Tucker (Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 1998)
From colonial to modern times, inventions of ingenious kids.
Frindle by Andrew Clements (Aladdin, 1998)
A now-classic story about a fifth grader who questioned assumptions.
What Would a Superhero Do? Handout
You’re a brilliant entrepreneur. Yes, you! You have just invented the greatest widget
the world has ever seen. You know that lots of kids will want one. But since you’re
not a big company with lots of resources, how will you let kids know about it?
Your team’s challenge is to come up with at least 3 ways to market your widget at
school. You’ve got to get creative and do some out-of-the-box (out-of-the-ordinary)
thinking. So, to get those ideas flying, you will brainstorm using the following
direction: What would a superhero do? Up, up, and away!
Think of 8 things a superhero can or might do. List them in the A Superhero Can…
column below. Then think about how you might apply those superhuman abilities to
marketing your product. Write your ideas in the What Would a Superhero column below.
A Superhero Can… What Would a Superhero
Do?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Choose Your Favorite Strategies Discuss the strategies that you like the
most or think would work the best. List your top 3 strategies here.
1.
2.
3.
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