Project Description: Exploring Lateral Thinking
I teach art to seventh and eighth grade students. Many times I give an assignment that requires students to come up with a solution independently. A solution that is unique and creative. The project has a rubric they must follow, but the solutions that will fit the rubric are limitless. This is when a majority of my students start to become concerned. Many questions are raised. “If I do this, is it wrong?” “I don’t know what to do, can you help me?” “Will you just tell me what to do?” The process of coming up with the solution becomes something that my students fear. They want to have concrete answers.
I would like to help my students overcome this fear by teaching them lateral thinking skills. These skills would be embed in the lesson through the the modeling process. I would like to see my students to be able to solve problems through and indirect and creative approach. By having my students use reasoning that is not immediately obvious they will be able to come up with ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step logic.
For this grant, I am proposing using stop motion video to teach students lateral thinking skills. I would like to acquire Stop Motion Pro software on my computers and a classroom set of eight webcams, microphones, cameras, SD cards and tripods. By gaining these tools, I will be able to incorporate English, Art, and technology curriculum into one assignment. The students will be participants in their own learning process resulting in students making connections to their work, intrinsic motivation, and improved lateral thinking skills. The students’ success will be revealed in the outcome of their videos.
I would like to help my students overcome this fear by teaching them lateral thinking skills. These skills would be embed in the lesson through the the modeling process. I would like to see my students to be able to solve problems through and indirect and creative approach. By having my students use reasoning that is not immediately obvious they will be able to come up with ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step logic.
For this grant, I am proposing using stop motion video to teach students lateral thinking skills. I would like to acquire Stop Motion Pro software on my computers and a classroom set of eight webcams, microphones, cameras, SD cards and tripods. By gaining these tools, I will be able to incorporate English, Art, and technology curriculum into one assignment. The students will be participants in their own learning process resulting in students making connections to their work, intrinsic motivation, and improved lateral thinking skills. The students’ success will be revealed in the outcome of their videos.
