By: Mohammed Hassim, ELT Supervisor, Taroudant, Morocco.

mohammed.hassim@gmail.comhttp://mohammedhassim.wix.com/edu-resources

Connecting Classrooms Validation Workshop 18-20 July, 2016, Amman, Jordan

Core Skill:Creativity and Imagination

Learning outcomesIn this mini-lesson you will learn aboutwhy creativity and imagination are

important in schools and in life the different aspects and practices of

creativityhow to use creativity and imagination

to solve some issues related to your teaching and learning context.

Success criteriaIn order to meet the learning objectives, you

willengage in fruitful discussion with

colleaguesdiscover some useful practices for using

creativity and imagination in a contextualized situation

use those practices to solve real problems related to your teaching and learning context.

Activity 1: A riddle: A sinking ship

Imagine you are alone in a boat with a large hole in the bottom. Sharks are swimming around you on all sides and the boat is sinking fast. How do you survive?

Activity 2: Newton and the apple

In groups, read the text and write down the thinking skills that Newton used to come out with his famous discovery. What did he do differently that led to his genius discovery?

Activity 2: Newton and the apple (Cont’d)

Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked why.Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked the question. Newton made the most telling remark on the process of thought that has ever been encountered. It is also the simplest. When asked how he had come upon his theory of gravity, he said, ’By thinking on it continuously.’ 'Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground,' thought he to himself. 'Why should it not go sideways, or upwards, but constantly to the earth's centre? Assuredly, the reason is, that the earth draws it. There must be a drawing power in matter.’

Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked why.

Activity 3: The teacher, the sea, the sinking boat and the sharks

Going back to the story of the man, the sea, the sinking boat and the sharks, imagine the man is a teacher: What might be the other elements in the story represent in a teaching and learning context as challenges and obstacles? Using the techniques drawn from activity 2 to suggest some solutions.

Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked why.

ConclusionMillions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked why.

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

Einstein

Thanks for your attention.

Questions & comments are welcome.