Open Minds, Open Doors

Identification Lesson 7

Creativity

“SCAMPER THIS!”

Standard(s):

L4:Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

SL1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively and orally.

SL4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Purpose:

  • Assess creative and original thinking
  • Assess flexible thinking
  • Assess logical thinking
  • Assess critical thinking

*SCAMPER, developed by Bob Eberle, is an acronym for a creative thinking strategy that supports atypical solutions to problems as well as generating new ideas for products or concepts.

Materials:

  • Student Observation Form for identification for lesson 7
  • SCAMPER Chart
  • You Tube video Smarties SCAMPER
  • Old sneaker
  • Chart paper
  • SCAMPER worksheet
  • SCAMPER vocabulary cards
  • SCAMPER guiding questions sheet

Establishing Expectations:

  1. Say, “We are going to learn a new creative thinking strategy called SCAMPER. The letters in SCAMPER stand for different words that will help us to SCAMPER objects or stories. SCAMPER stands for a way that an object can be changed. Many ideas and new products are just changes someone has made to something that already exists. When we SCAMPER, we are asking you to think differently about an object and generate unique and new ideas.” Show the students the SCAMPER chart. (attached)
  1. Introduce the vocabulary used with the chart (substitute, combine, adapt, eliminate, rearrange). Go over what the word means and give an example of how it is used in everyday life. For example, substitute means replace somebody or something: to put somebody or something in place of another, or taker the place of another. For example, Mrs. Long is sick, so a substitute teacher took her place. The coach called in a substitute for the pitcher, who was not having a good game.
  2. Show the video of SCAMPER using Smarties candy, Smarties SCAMPER. Tell them to watch carefully because they are going to SCAMPERafter the video with a secret object. (TheSmartiesin the video are from the UK and are more like M&M’s. Smarties are one of Britain’s best-loved brands. There are eight colours to choose from; red, orange, blue, green, yellow, pink, violet and brown. The orange Smartie is flavoured with natural orange oil. Smarties are not only fun to play with, but have also contained no artificial colours or flavours since 2006. Smarties are available in the tube format (single tube or multipack). Originally introduced by Rowntree’s in 1882 as “Chocolate Beans,” they were re-branded in 1937 as Smarties.

Experience:

On chart paper, write the acronym SCAMPER down the side. Then show a sneaker and say that you are going to practice the SCAMPER process. Say to the students, “How can we SCAMPER this sneaker?” Refer to the question sheet to help the students guide them in their thinking about how to make a change to the object.

S stands for substitute. What could we substitute on this sneaker? (Example: Get rid of laces and put in a ribbon, or add buckles.)

C stands for combine. What can we combine with the sneaker to make it better? (Example: A jet power pack to make it zoom.)

A stands for add something,to adapt or alter. What could we add to the sneaker? (Example: Add mini lights to see in the dark.)

M stands for magnify or minify. What could we make smaller or bigger on the shoe? (Example: The sole could be higher so you could be taller.)

P stands for put to another use. How else could we use this shoe? (Example: It could be a night light with the lights we’ve added.)

E stands for eliminate. What would we want to eliminate from this sneaker? (Example: Let’s get rid of the dirt so it looks shiny and new, or get rid of the stinky smell!)

R stands for rearrange. What could we rearrange or change on the sneaker? (Example: Let’s change the color to bright neon green.)

Independent Application:

Bring in an object that you would like the students to apply this process to. (examples: an umbrella, a glove, a brick, a lasagna noodle.) Give the students the SCAMPER worksheet. They will write the item they are going to SCAMPER and then follow the directions as written on the SCAMPER sheet.

Teacher Observation:

  • Record on the Student Observation Form the names of students who contributed ideas during the sneaker SCAMPER and the independent application.

Look for students who:

  • showfluency by offering many ideas.
  • showflexibility by producing ideas in more than one way or from a different perspective.
  • showoriginality by generating ideas that are unique, different and “out of the box” thinking.
  • showelaboration by enriching with details, embellishing, and expanding on ideas.
  • show a matured sense of humor, use advanced vocabulary and those who can retain and apply new learning.

Reflection:

  • Discuss situations when creative and original thinking was useful to the teacher or students.
  • Do not expect all students to master the SCAMPER process. The goal of the lesson is that students are thinking divergently to make the lesson successful.

Considerations:

  • Use the attached SCAMPER sheet to consider SCAMPERING other objects or even stories. (For example, they could SCAMPER an umbrella, a kite, a fishing pole, the story of Goldilocks, a baby food jar, or a trash bag, etc.)
  • Put the SCAMPER sheet in a learning center with several objects for them to SCAMPER.

Open Minds, Open Doors

Student Observation Form

Second Grade Identification Lesson 7

Creativity

“SCAMPER THIS”

Name / Fluency:
Offers many ideas / Flexibility:
Offers ideasin more than one way or from a different perspective / Originality:
Unique, different, “out of the box” thinking / Elaboration:
Enriches with details,embellishes or expands on ideas

Name ______Date ______

Choose an object to SCAMPER and write it on the line below. Brainstorm how you would change the object using the SCAMPER technique.

Object to SCAMPER:

Substitute Something
Combine Things
Add Something
Make It Bigger or Smaller
Put To Another Use
Eliminate Something
Rearrange Parts

Name ______Date ______

Draw how you changed the object using one or more of the SCAMPER techniques.

SCAMPER!

Substitute something

Combine things

Add something, adapt or alter

Make parts bigger or smaller

Put to another use

Eliminate something

Rearrange parts

Vocabulary Cards

Substitute
When a person or thing takes the place of another. / Combine
To put or add together. Mix together different elements.
Adapt
To make “fit for”, or to change to suit a new purpose. / Alter
To make or become different in some particular way. To cause to change.
Eliminate
To remove or do away with or get rid of. / Rearrange
To put into a new order or arrangement.

Guiding Questions for SCAMPER

Substitute:

  • What materials or resources can you substitute or swap?
  • Can you use this object somewhere else, or as a substitute for something?

Combine:

  • What would happen if you combined this object with something else to create something new?

Adapt or Alter:

  • How could you adapt or readjust this object to serve another purpose or use?
  • In what ways can this object be altered or changed?
  • Can you change its function?

Modify:

  • What can be larger or smaller?
  • What can I do to exaggerate it?

Put to Another Use:

  • Can you use this object somewhere else?
  • What else can you use this object for?
  • How can this object be used in an unusual way?

Eliminate:

  • How could you simplify this object?
  • What features, parts, or rules could you eliminate.
  • What would happen if you took away some part of this object? What would you put in its place?

Rearrange:

  • Can the object be turned around?
  • Can you make something go up instead of down?
  • Can you rearrange one of the object’s parts?

OMOD/Grade 2 Lesson 7