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Start-Up Activity
Write the words "Think Outside the Box" on the board. Then lead a discussion:
- What does this expression describe? (creative thinking)
- What does the box represent? (the boundaries of conventional thinking)
- Why do we use a cliche to describe something that is the opposite of a cliche? (we shouldn't)
Challenge students to replace the cliche "Think Outside the Box" with a new, non-cliche expression for creative thinking. Have students brainstorm ideas. Write down each suggestion.
Afterward, tell students that they need to choose the best expression for creative thinking. Have them establish criteria for success, such as "The expression should be original and evocative but should also suggest creativity even to those who had never heard it before." After students have voted on their favorite expression, share with them versions selected by other classes.
Once you complete this warm-up, students will be ready to create stories and poems.
Think About It
“A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.”
—Robert Frost
![Creative Writing Creative Writing Chapter Opener](https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/sites/k12/files/teacherGuides/chapterOpeners/WriteForCollege_237.jpg)
Start-Up Activity
Write the words "Think Outside the Box" on the board. Then lead a discussion:
- What does this expression describe? (creative thinking)
- What does the box represent? (the boundaries of conventional thinking)
- Why do we use a cliche to describe something that is the opposite of a cliche? (we shouldn't)
Challenge students to replace the cliche "Think Outside the Box" with a new, non-cliche expression for creative thinking. Have students brainstorm ideas. Write down each suggestion.
Afterward, tell students that they need to choose the best expression for creative thinking. Have them establish criteria for success, such as "The expression should be original and evocative but should also suggest creativity even to those who had never heard it before." After students have voted on their favorite expression, share with them versions selected by other classes.
Once you complete this warm-up, students will be ready to create stories and poems.
Think About It
“A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.”
—Robert Frost