1. 1. Teacher Directions: We are going to use the CONNECT-EXTEND-CHALLENGE Thinking Routine to explore the idea of Ingenuity and Innovation. Have students read the following two words ( Innovation and Ingenuity) . Ask students (in pairs) to turn to a classmate and CONNECT these terms with information they already know about their meaning. Innovation : in·no·va·tion The act of using a new method, idea or product to solve a problem Ingenuity: in-ge-nu-i-ty Having skill or ability to solve problems; cleverness 2. Have students share what they already know about these terms.

2. 2. Read this: “Innovation can create the impossible
2. Read this: “Innovation can create the impossible! Ingenuity can open doors for problems that seems unsolvable.”
Watch the video regarding how innovation and an act of ingenuity gave a boy new hope.

3. Extend your thinking about creative problem solving
How many everyday classroom items have been invented or constructed to solve a simple problem ? Think of things like:

4. CHALLENGE YOURSELF!!! When you don’t have what you need, can’t make something work, or need to think “out of the box”, sometimes, you have to be creative to solve a problem. St. Patrick, a man originally from Britain, became a farming slave in Ireland long ago. He was also a Christian and became a missionary in Ireland once he was free. He didn’t have a good way to teach the Irish about a concept that involved the number three. To solve this problem creatively, he just picked up a shamrock ( clover) which happened to have three parts. To this day, St. Patrick is given credit for associating St. Patrick’s Day with the shamrock !!!!!
How can you apply some creative problem solving to everyday little frustrations in the middle school? Think of problems like:
Locker frustrations – space, time to open,
Getting to class on time- any tricks or strategies you have used to creatively solve this problem?
The bus- seating, noise level
Organization? What small things have you done or used to help with this problem?
Cafeteria?