Time Travel to the Future!

This past week, students in 4th grade turned our time machine forward as we traveled to the year 3019! As students entered through the shiny metallic curtains, they were greeted by a lightboard that said "welcome to the future," led lights, futuristic images on large screens, moving graphics projected across the wall, and futuristic beats pumping out of the overhead speakers. Their guide for the future was Mr. Callicotte IV (the great grandson of Mr. Callicotte).

Students then participated in a conversation about the scope of their current project and told that their day in the future would be all about fluency (the ability to come up with many different ideas). After talking about the important role fluency would play in their art project, students discussed what the future would be like if students in their generation did not continue to practice fluency. Students also discussed how being strong in fluency can impact their lives as 4th graders, like how a student who can come up with many ideas in a short time period will be more likely to solve a difficult science problem or a difficult situation amongst friends at recess. 

Then it was time for students to participate in 2 different improv acting exercises that focused on idea generation and got their creativity warmed up!

Students then discussed George Land's study that illustrated how kids start creative, but like strong muscles, creativity declines over time without practice. Students learned 3 different strategies to help strengthen their fluency and practiced applying these ideas. 

Students then repeated a fluency challenge that they did in a previous lesson and compared the results. One class went from an average score of 2.1 to an average score of 17.6!

Students will use their strengthened fluency in their next art class as they assume the role of product designers and create inventions that would fit into a futuristic culture!