Other
Atlas Mission: The 8 Best Problem Solving Strategies for the Preschool Mind
A Kindergarten teacher offers 8 strategies for fostering problem-solving in the classroom. A free app is available to download.
Other
Thinking Skills in Education: Methods to Improve Problem Solving
Containing many resources for further reading about thinking skills, this site provides a lot of good information about how to improve problem solving.
FNO Press
From Now On: Building Good New Ideas
An article, from the online journal From Now On, that discusses a wide range of issues related to originality of thought--the kind of thinking that leads to new ideas, innovation, and creative problem solving. Covers a variety of...
Other
Infinite Innovations Ltd.: Tutorial on Creative (Lateral) Thinking
Learn how to use creative-thinking techniques within a problem-solving framework involving problem definition, problem analysis, solution generation, solution analysis, solution voting, and next steps.
Other
Techniques for Creative Thinking
If you are stuck on ways to teach creativity in your classroom, you will find many various techniques on this site. Everything from mind mapping to fuzzy thinking is listed here. Each technique has a link to its description.
Other
Improve Your Creative Thinking by Drawing Mind Maps
One way to help your creative process is to use mind maps. This article provides information about mind mapping and how it can help you discover new connections you may otherwise never have seen.
Other
Creating Systems to Reinforce Creativity
Although this article was written from a business perspective, the ideas throughout can easily be adapted to the classroom. The formula for creative output is explained and is a good way to encourage creativity among your students.
Other
Best100 Ideas: The Six Hats of Creative Communication
One of the more popular models of initiating creative thought is that of De Bono's six hat thinking strategy. This article explains the role of each hat and how they are used to develop creative ideas.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Saving Money 2
The purpose of this task is for students to relate addition and subtraction problems to money and to situations and goals related to saving money. A problem is given that will contain multiple solutions, this allows students to think...
Other
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Extend Sive Thinking
Encourage students to apply creative thinking to historical research in order to predict the future. This page provides three different activities that encourage creativity.
Creative Science Centre
Creative Science Centre: Bobbin Holder for Reels of Wire
This very simple device has been made to try and stop 'bird's nest' tangles that can occur when using reels of fine wire.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Bobbie Bear's Buttons
The purpose of this task is for students to find different pairs of numbers that sum to 4. Students will solve an everyday problem in their head and then model their solution using counters. They can represent their solutions using...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Christina's Candies
The teacher will pose a sequence of questions for learners to solve using objects, pictures, or equations. Students will develop a sense of quantities and how they are related to a problem situation.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: 6.ee Firefighter Allocation
In this students are asked to write an equation to solve a real-world problem. There are two natural approaches to this task. In the first approach, students have to notice that even though there is one variable, namely the number of...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: 2.nbt How Many Days Until Summer Vacation?
This lesson plan has students solving a real world word problem using addition or subtraction.
Other
Aventis Learning Group: Systems Thinking: The What, Why, When and How
Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way that a system's constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time and within the context of larger systems. It is particularly useful in addressing...
Other
What Is Brainstorming?
Brainstorming can be a helpful tool during the creative thinking process. Learn the origins of brainstorming, what it isn't and the general guidelines associated with this technique.
FNO Press
From Now On: Filling the Tool Box
Dr. Jamie McKenzie offers this comprehensive look at how to help students develop questioning skills. Practical suggestions for how to implement the ideas are also included.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Simple Machines and Modern Day Engineering Analogies
Students apply the mechanical advantages and problem-solving capabilities of six types of simple machines (wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley) as they discuss modern structures in the spirit of the engineers and...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: 2.md Susan's Choice
In this lesson plan students count the money and use symbols correctly to solve the word problem.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Converting Fractions of a Unit Into a Smaller Unit
Note that in each of these problems we are given a set of a specified size and a specified number of subsets into which it is to be divided. The questions ask the student to find out the size of each of the subsets. Students are not...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Gpe, G Co, G Srt Unit Squares and Triangles
In this task, students are shown three unit squares and two line segments connecting two pairs of vertices. They are asked to find the area of a triangle formed by intersecting lines. They can solve it using coordinate geometry or...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: A Rei Quinoa Pasta 3
For this problem, students must determine how much of a quinoa-based gluten-free pasta is actually quinoa. They must study the ingredient list and set up linear equations to solve the problem. Aligns with A-REI.C.6.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: 7.g Floor Plan
This lesson plan has students solving word problems using scale drawings.