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The 'What If' Workshop

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Lesson Plan

Inventive Solutions Lab

Students will be able to brainstorm and develop multiple creative solutions to a given problem, enhancing their problem-solving skills and fostering innovative thinking.

Developing creative problem-solving skills is crucial for students to navigate complex challenges in school and in life. This lesson encourages adaptability and divergent thinking.

Audience

Middle School Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through engaging activities, students will explore various solutions to hypothetical problems.

Materials

Inventive Solutions Lab Lesson Plan, Thinking Outside the Box Slide Deck, Scenario Spinners Game, and Crazy Solution Challenge Warm-Up

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up: Crazy Solution Challenge

10 minutes

Step 2

Main Activity: Scenario Spinners Game

25 minutes

  • Introduce the Scenario Spinners Game.
  • Divide students into small groups.
  • Provide each group with a scenario and encourage them to brainstorm as many solutions as possible, emphasizing creativity over feasibility initially.
  • Facilitate discussions within groups and periodically check for understanding and engagement.
  • Use the middle slides of the Thinking Outside the Box Slide Deck to guide the activity and provide prompts.

Step 3

Wrap-Up & Reflection

10 minutes

  • Bring the class back together.
  • Have each group share their most inventive solution or a few different types of solutions for their scenario.
  • Facilitate a brief discussion on the value of diverse thinking and not being afraid to try new ideas.
  • Use the concluding slides of the Thinking Outside the Box Slide Deck for a final reflection or thought-provoking question.
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Slide Deck

The 'What If' Workshop

What if we tried something different?

Get ready to unleash your inner inventor!

Welcome students and set an energetic tone. Explain that today is about embracing wild ideas!

Crazy Solution Challenge!

Imagine a silly problem... what's the most unexpected way to solve it?

Let's get those creative juices flowing! (See Crazy Solution Challenge Warm-Up)

Introduce the warm-up activity. Explain the goal is to think of the craziest, most unusual solutions possible.

Why 'What If'?

Sometimes, the best solutions come from the wildest ideas.

Don't be afraid to think BIG, think WEIRD, think DIFFERENT!

Transition from the warm-up to the core concept. Emphasize that even crazy ideas can spark brilliant ones.

Scenario Spinners!

Get ready to tackle some wacky problems!

Work in teams to brainstorm as many solutions as you can.

(Instructions for Scenario Spinners Game follow!)

Explain the Scenario Spinners game. Briefly go over the rules and the goal of generating many diverse solutions.

Think About It...

Are your solutions...

  • Practical?
  • Imaginative?
  • Futuristic?
  • Hilarious?

Provide a prompt for groups to consider during the brainstorming phase. Encourage variety.

More Ideas, Please!

Don't stop at just one idea.

Keep brainstorming until your brains are buzzing!

Even a 'bad' idea can lead to a great one.

Encourage students to push beyond the first few ideas. Quantity over quality for now!

Share Your Genius!

What were some of your most inventive, daring, or downright bizarre solutions?

Let's hear them!

Bring the class back together for sharing. Highlight examples of creative thinking.

The Power of 'What If'

How can 'what if' thinking help you in real life?

Remember: Every big idea starts with a simple 'What if...'

Conclude with a thought-provoking question to reinforce the lesson's objective.

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Game

Scenario Spinners: The Creative Solution Challenge!

Objective: To brainstorm as many creative and unique solutions as possible for a given problem or scenario.

Materials:

  • Scenario cards (provided by teacher)
  • Paper or whiteboard for brainstorming
  • Pens/markers

Instructions:

  1. Form Teams: Divide into small groups of 3-4 students.
  2. Spin the Scenario: Your teacher will give your group a scenario card. Read it together carefully.
  3. Brainstorm Wildly (5 minutes): For the first 5 minutes, brainstorm any solution that comes to mind, no matter how silly, impossible, or bizarre. The goal is quantity and creativity! Don't judge ideas; just write them down.
    • Example Scenario: What if shoes could talk?
    • Wild Solution Idea: Shoes could tell you when they are dirty!
  4. Refine and Expand (10 minutes): Now, look at your wild ideas. Can any of them be tweaked to be more practical, or spark a new, more feasible idea? Can you combine ideas? Try to come up with at least 5-10 different solutions for your scenario.
  5. Prepare to Share (5 minutes): Choose your group's most interesting, innovative, or surprising solution to share with the class. Be ready to explain why you think it's a good (or at least very creative!) idea.

Scenario Examples (Teacher can provide these on separate cards):

  • What if animals could talk to humans?
  • What if gravity suddenly got weaker for one day a month?
  • What if all food tasted like broccoli, unless you earned a special flavor token?
  • What if houses could move themselves?
  • What if books could tell you the future?
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Warm Up

Crazy Solution Challenge!

Objective: To get your creative brains warmed up by thinking of the most outlandish solutions to a silly problem.

Instructions:

  1. Read the Problem: Your teacher will present a silly problem.
  2. Brainstorm Individually (3 minutes): On your own, think of one crazy, unexpected, or totally absurd solution to the problem. Don't worry if it's realistic or not – the crazier, the better!
  3. Share with a Partner (2 minutes): Turn to a partner and share your crazy solution. Listen to theirs!

Silly Problem: What if every time you tried to write, your pen drew a perfect, tiny picture of a unicorn instead of words?










My Crazy Solution:










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The 'What If' Workshop • Lenny Learning