Many theorists in the field of Gifted Education include Creativity in their explanation of giftedness. (See Renzulli, Sternberg, Torrance, and Gagne, for starters.) Renowned geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin certainly exhibited a remarkable ability to generate many, various, unique, and detailed ideas, a number of which they also brought to fruition. Society values the benefits, i.e. products, of creative productivity, even if society doesn’t always also value the quirks of the creative personality.
I do some creative thinking activities with my gifted students each year and wanted to share some of their work with you today. When we do this type of activity, I also always include a conversation with them about Creativity, what it is, why it’s important, jobs that require it, and examples from their own lives and the world. I want to share their creative thinking examples with you through the lens of E. Paul Torrance’s work in Creativity. Torrance, the “Father of Creativity” talked about four elements to creativity: Fluency (# of ideas), Flexibility (variety of ideas), Originality (uniqueness of ideas), and Elaboration (details of ideas). All of this is the basis for his Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, a tool that is sometimes used in the identification process for gifted programs across the country/world.
The photos below come from some of my 2nd and 4th grade students. The first 14 images, as an example of Fluency (# of ideas), all come from the same 4th grade girl. While the other kids used their time to create 2, 3, or 4 ideas, she had ideas pouring out of her at a remarkable rate. If we’d had another 45 minutes, I’ve no doubt she would’ve come up with about 14 more ideas!
A Snail Waitress
The Big-Tongued Cat
The Chameleon-Eating Monster
This is a Fat Cat
It’s a Bar
The Devil
Happy Birthday Giraffe
This is a House in the Moonlight
Monster House
Lassoing Octopus
Fancy Pants Adventures
Flying Boogers
Hungry Shapes
Yummy Fish!!!
In these examples, she clearly also exhibits Flexibility (variety of ideas), as well as Originality (nearly every idea was unique, i.e. another student had never done it before). In a few cases she also demonstrates Elaboration.
Here are a few more samples from other students that exemplify Originality (ideas I’d never seen before in all my years of doing this activity with students). Some of these are also excellent examples of Elaboration.
Mirror vs. Laser
The 4-Headed Monster
Friendly Monkey
Alien Invasion
Game of Chicken Throw
Aliens are Attacking
Game of Tempole Torture
Rich Person’s Couch
A Tangled-Up Slinky
The King of Rickey Burch
If you’d like to examine larger images of these pictures, just click here: Creative Thinking.pdf.
This is a fun and revealing activity to do with kids of all ages. You can create any sort of line, squiggle, shape on a page, make multiple copies, and let them have at it! The most creative thinkers in your class can become apparent through this activity, and with that knowledge you may then want to offer them some more creative outlets within or beyond your class. Competitions such as Future Problem Solvers, Odyssey of the Mind, Camp Invention, or Destination Imagination are all excellent opportunities. Learn about Creative Problem Solving or SCAMPER and teach the techniques to your students. Offer some creative differentiation on assignments. Make sure a window of opportunity is always open in your classroom.
In what ways do you encourage and nurture Creativity in your students/children?