Encouraging Creativity

Creativity in the art classroom can be defined as the student (or group of students) thinking of new ideas, approaching something in a way that is original to them, and/or looking at new possibilities to solving problems as they work on projects.

Unit Overview:

• This unit focuses on the enduring idea of “creativity.”
• Discussions and projects will center on encouraging creativity through painting, assemblage, and clay.
• The unit will conclude with an Art Carnival.

Target Grade Level:
4th grade
Overarching Understandings and Key Concepts:

• Everyone has creative potential
• Creativity is an essential life skill
• Artists develop and use their creative abilities​​

Essential Questions:

• What makes a person creative?
• How can you develop your creativity?
• Why is it important to develop and use creativity?

As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

• Explain what creativity is
• Recognize that all people have creative potential
• Identify how people are creative
• Recognize that creativity is an essential life skill
• Demonstrate aspects of creativity in their artwork

What evidence will show that students understand creativity:

• Students will share their perspective of what creativity is through class discussion
• Students will evaluate artists’ works and discuss and explain in their own words how “creativity” is shown in the artworks
• Students will create artwork that displays components of creativity: the work is original to them, they have looked at new possibilities to solve problems, they have explored new ways of doing things
• Students will evaluate their work and explain in their own words how creativity is shown.