Teacher’s Guide adapted from
Solutions: Brainstorm a-Brewin’
TimeNeeded:Oneclassperiod
MaterialsNeeded:
Studentworksheets
Largepiecesofpaper(optional)
CopyInstructions:
LettersheetsforregulationORaction-notboth!(enoughsoeachgrouphasaletter; regulationsletters areon half sheets) Studentroles(onecopypergroup,cutup) Overheadtransparency(oruseaprojector)
Thisislessonsevenofnineinaseriesthatculminatesinafinalclassproject.Allstepscanbefoundat
LearningObjectives.Thestudentwill:
- Workinagrouptobrainstormsolutionsfortheclassproblem.
- Evaluatepotentialeffectivenessofideastheclasshasbrainstormed.
- Evaluatetheideasforcostandsimplicity.
STEPBYSTEP
TEACHERSETUPWriteeachletterintheCAPSacronymontheboardwithspaceforstudentideasbeneathit,orpostlargepiecesofpaperaroundtheroom.Studentswillnowbebrainstormingsolutionsthatcanbespecificallyaddressedbythecountygovernment.
TELLtheclassthattodaytheywillbrainstormasolutionforthepublicpolicyproblemyouhavebeenstudying.Explainthattheywillusethe“ThinkingCAPS”methodtobrainstormideas.EachletterinthewordCAPSstandsforawordthatwillhelpthemthinkabouttheprobleminadifferentway.
DIVIDEtheclassintogroupsof4studentseach.YouwillhaveseveralgroupsforeachletterintheCAPSacronym.
DISTRIBUTEoneCAPSlettersheetandonesetofstudentrolestoeachgroup.
EXPLAINthattheywillhave15minutestobrainstormasmanyideasaspossible.Reviewtheguidequestionsoneachlettersheetandmakesurethegroupsunderstandwhattofocusonwhentheybrainstorm.Reviewthestudentrolesandmakesureeachstudenthasarole.(Recorderswillneedtheirownsheetofpaper.)
TIMEgroupsfor15minuteswhiletheybrainstormideas.Circulatetomonitortheirprogressandanswerquestions.
ASKstudentrecorderstowritethegroup’sideasontheboardoronthepaperyouhavepostedforstudentanswers,beneaththelettertheirgroupwasassigned.
REVIEWtheresults.Asyoudo,havetheclasslookfor1)ideasthatcanbecombinedand2)waystobuildonideas.Encouragethemtoask,“Wouldn’titbecoolif…?”
TRANSFERideasthatgetthemostenthusiasmtoanewlocation.(Thisisnotscientific.Weassumeyouhaveagoodsenseofwhenyourclassisexcitedaboutsomething.)
PROJECTtheRanktheIdeastransparencyanddiscussthefourcriteriaitlists.
REVIEW eachideaonthe“most enthusiasm”list.Helptheclass assigneachideaascore of0to5pointsforeachofthefourcriteria.Markthesedownandtotalthescoreforeachidea.
CHOOSEtheideawiththehighestscore,ORvotebetweenthetop2or3.
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C=“COMBINE”
Which ideas could be combined to form a solution? Which parts of county government could join forces
to solve the problem?
Which groups could act together with the county government to create a solution?
Complete these statement s:
Adapted from
and
could come together in order to
Adapted from
Adapted from
and
- OR -
could be combined in order to
Adapted from
Examples:
- Theideasofafter-schooltutoringandsummerjobscouldbecombinedinordertocreateaprogramthatwouldtrainstudentsinlifeskillsandgivethemjobswheretheycouldpracticethoseskills.
- Thecounty,policedepartments,andpharmaciescouldcometogetherinordertoprovideplacesforpeopletobringtheirunwantedmedications.
Adapted from
A=“ADAPT”
What countygovernment resources could be adapted to solve the problem?
What ideas could be copied by the county governmentto solve this problem?
What have you seen that is similar to this problem?
Adapted from
Completethesestatements:
The county government’s
.
could be adapted so that
Adapted from
- OR -
could be adapted by the county government in order to .
Examples:
- Thecounty’srecreationcentersandagenciescouldbeadaptedsothatkidswouldhaveaplacetolearnskillsafterschoolandworkduringthesummer.
- Theideaofbookormoviereturnboxescouldbeadaptedbythegovernmentinordertocreateanetworkofdrop-offboxeswherepeoplecantakeunwantedmedicines.
Adapted from
P=“PUTTOOTHERUSES”
What does the county government have that could be used in another way that would help solve the problem?
What resources could be used in a different way,
Completethisstatement:
Adapted from
could be used for
in order to.
Adapted from
Examples:
- Policedepartmentscouldbeusedformedicinedroplocationsinordertogivepeopleconvenientplacestotakeunwantedmedicines.
- Countydepartmentsandcityprogramscouldbeusedforsummerinternshipsinordertogivekidsplacestogainworkexperienceandlearnjobskills.
Adapted from
S=“SUBSTITUTE”
What could the countygovernment do instead of whatit’s doing now?
What else could be done?
What other approach could be used?
Completethisstatement:
Instead of, the county government could
.
Examples:
- Insteadofdoingnothingaboutunwantedmedicationsbeingflushedintothewatersystem,thecountygovernmentcouldworkwithpublichealthagenciesandpharmaciestoprovideplacesforpeopletotakeunwantedmedicines.
- Insteadofbuildingroadsforcarsonly,thecountygovernmentcoulddesignroadsthatcanbeusedbypedestrians,cyclists,masstransitriders,andothermotorists.
Adapted from
C=“COMBINE”
Which ideas could be combined to create a law that would solve the problem?
Complete his statement:
andcould be combined in order to.
Examples:
- Theideaofmandatorymedicalclearanceandsuspensionfrominterscholasticsportscouldbecombinedinordertolimityoungathletessuspectedofhavingaconcussionfromparticipatinginsportsuntiltheyprovidewrittenclearancefromahealthcareprofessional.
- Pedestrian-friendlyurbandesignandtheideaofpromotingactivelifestylescouldbecombinedinordertorequirenewroadsbebuilttoaccommodatepedestrians,cyclists,andmasstransitriders.
BrainstormingHandout—Regulation
Step Seven: Brainstorm a-Brewin’Name:
A=“ADAPT”
How coulda law make use of existing resources?
Completethis statement:
Thelawcouldmake useofinordertobyrequiringthat.
Examples:
- Thelawcouldmakeuseofexistingcoachesandathletictrainersinordertodecreaselong-termbraininjuriestostudentsbyrequiringthatstudentssuspectedofhavingaconcussionberemovedfromthegame.
- Thelawcouldmakeuseofongoingrepairstoroadsinordertomakestreetssafeforallusesbyrequiringthatstreetdesignmustbeupdatedasrepairsaremade.
P=“PIGGYBACK”
What requirements could the county government attach to something that already exists?
Complete his statement:
Thelawcouldrequirethatmustalso bein orderto.
Examples:
- Thelawcouldrequirethatwrittenclearancefromahealthcareprovidermustalsoberequiredforastudenttoparticipateinasportifsheorheissuspectedofhavingaconcussioninordertoreducetheriskofseriousandlong-termdamagetostudentathletes.
- Thelawcouldrequirethatroadsmustalsobedesignedforcyclists,pedestrians,andmasstransitusersinordertomakeroadssafeforeveryoneandmakeiteasierforpeopletousetransportationotherthancars.
BrainstormingHandout—Regulation
Solutions: Brainstorm a-Brewin’Name:
S=“SUBSTITUTE”
What could the county government do insteadofwhatit’sdoingnow?
Completethis statement:
Instead of,the county governmentcould passa law that
.
Examples:
- Insteadoflettingkidscontinuetoplayafteraheadinjuryiftheyseemokay,thestatecouldpassalawthatrequireskidstobetakenoutofthegameiftheymighthaveaconcussion.
- Insteadofbuildingroadsthataredesignedwithonlycarsinmind,thecountygovernmentcouldpassalawthatrequiresallnewroadsbemadeforusebypedestrians,cyclists,masstransitridersaswell.
TASK-MASTERIDEA-PUSHER
Makesure yourgroup iskeeping to the topic (not discussing lunch!).
Makesureyour group isfollowing what it says on your worksheet.
Get people to share even their craziest ideas.
Remind everyone not to criticize peoples’ ideas.
RECORD-KEEPERTIME-MINDER
Writedownallthe ideasyour group has.
Writeyourgroup’s ideas on the class board.
Remind your group how much time is left.
Encourage the group to list as many ideas as possible before the time is up.
GroupMemberRoles
Solutions: Brainstorm a-Brewin’Name:
RANKTHEIDEAS
Rate each idea ona scale of0 to5for each of these criteria:
- Will help the problem ina noticeable way.
- Will befairly simple to get started.
- Won’t be too complicated to operate over the long term.
- Won’t be too expensive to run.
Adapted from
RankingTransparency