Rocket To Creativity
Creativity Tips!Bend, Break, Blend
Some folks argue that there are really no new ideas. Innovators and makers take old ideas and put new twists on them to come up with novel ideas. Bend, Break, Blend is a brainstorming strategy that helps people change existing ideas into new ones.
Here Are Some Examples!
In their book, the Runaway Species: How Creativity Remakes the World, Brandt and Eaglemen identify three “B”s or three basic strategies that are at the root of all creative thinking: bending, breaking, and blending.
- Bending- In bending, an idea or product is modified from its original version. In the movies Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Borrowers, and more recently, Antman, humans are shrunk to encounter worlds of giant objects. Manufactures took our favorite candy bars and made them huge, family size, and bite size. The telephone is an example of technology that continues to “bend” from something tethered to the wall to a device that goes with us everywhere.
- Blending- the brain combines two or more ideas in novel ways. Consider for example the post-it-note which is a blend of note paper and glue. Superheroes are often a blend of animal and human characteristics such as the combination of a spider, bat or cat with a person (Spiderman, Batman, Catwoman).
- Breaking- Brandt and Eagleman describe breaking as the process of breaking a whole into parts and reassembling the parts to create something new. They describe the Cubism movement in art as an example of breaking. The images of Cubist such as Picasso appear broken and put back together from different angles and perspectives. Numerous examples of “breaking” can be found in art, music, science, and technology.
As you look at works of art and feats of engineering and technology, listen to music, and read literature- help children think of similar works that might have inspired the inventor the creator. Is there evidence of bending, breaking and blending?
When children are creating their own works, challenge them to think of works that might inspire their work and to see what they can bend, break and blend.
6-3-5/ C Sketch
6-3-5/ C Sketch is a brainstorming strategy used in various disciplines such as engineering and marketing. In this process, members of a team of 6 each create concept sketches for or describe 3 ideas for solving a problem. The team members rotate their sketches and notes around the table so that each of the other 5 team members adds to, enhances or starts a new idea that was sparked by the original sketch. Of course, variations on 6-3-5/C Sketch might include the number of members in a group or the number of original ideas on the initial go round. To use in a classroom where teams are assigned a problem or project, have team members start with this process to generate initial ideas for solving the problem. For example, when Mrs. Watson starts a PBL unit where students are hypothetically granted $1,000,000 dollars to solve a problem faced by their community, teams use the 6-3-5/c- Sketch to generate ideas for solutions to the problem they have identified. Each student writes or draws three ideas and then passes their idea on to the person next to them. Each team member adds to what has been passed to them until each paper has made its way around to the other five team members.
Fun Divergent Thinking Activities!
Divergent Thinking is the process of generating many ideas by exploring lots of possibilities for solving a problem. It differs from Convergent Thinking where individuals work to come to the same solution. Divergent thinking activities can help people exercise their creative muscles as they require children to offer suggestions about a topic that are quirky and unusual.
Here Are Some Examples!
Here is an example of a divergent thinking activity that can be loads of fun.
Grab a pencil or pen and a piece of paper.
You will have One Minute for this activity.
How many uses can you think of for a fork? Besides eating J. Try to list 15 or more if you can!
What did you imagine?
- A pitchfork for a hamster
- An item to bend when you’re practicing telekinesis
- A hair bush for a baby orangutan
- A catapult to launch spit wads across the room
- A place to hang your keys if you stick the fork in the wall
- A rake for making designs in the sand at the beach
Now try other objects, a paper clip, straw, pipe cleaner and so on.
Divergent thinking with a pencil
The Torrance Test of Creative thinking is a popular test designed to identify and measure creative potential. Some of the sample questions make fun divergent thinking activities. For example, one question includes various shapes. Children are asked to use the shapes to draw anything they want. Another asks them to use circles to create something. For fun, try some similar activities with your children.
Provide a page of blank circles and ask children to draw what they want with them.
Draw some suiqqles, random lines, or shapes on a paper, and ask children to make pictures out of the squiggles or random lines.