1.3 Creative abilities

Life orientation

Grade 9

Thinking skills

Module 4

Creative abilities

FLEX YOUR CREATIVITY MUSCLE!

This section deals with the development of your creative abilities.

Many people think only about drawing, painting or writing when they hear that someone is a creative person. Creativity spans a much wider field than the finer arts.

Creativity means the ability to create something new and original or to use existing things in a new and different way.

The "what if..." exercises are examples of thinking differently about things.

• Bear the following words and phrases in mind when you aim to improve your creative abilities:

• look at things in different ways
• unusual
• original
• this makes me think about... (association)
• do not judge too quickly
• look at form and function
• use your sense of humour

To shake out dust and cobwebs!

In 8 seconds (without discussing it beforehand):

a) Divide a square into 4 parts

b) Divide an 8 into 2

• Did everybody do a) and b) in the same way? Yes / No
• How many different ways are there to do a) ?
• Can the instruction for b) be interpreted in more than one way?
• Would you do a) and b) differently is you should get another chance? Yes / No

Did old habits play a role in the answers given by the class? I bet many of you were a bit thrown by the simple exercises.

[LO 3.6]

Brainteasers

• Do not settle for the obvious.
• Lateral thinking is a must.

Can you answer this?

1. What starts with T, ends with T and is full of T?

2. From a word with 5 letters, take away 2 letters and get 1.

3. What bird can lift the heaviest weight?

4. What is it that someone else has to take before you can get it?

5. How many times may 20 be subtracted from 100?

6. How many marbles can you put into an empty bag?

7. What kind of jacket is always burning?

[LO 3.6]

Assessment

Learning outcomes(LOs)

LO 3

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The learner will be able to use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world.

Assessment standards(ASs)

We know this when the learner:

3.3 responds appropriately to emotions in challenging situations;

3.4 explains what has been learned from a challenging personal ineraction by critically reflecting on own behaviour;

3.6 critically evaluates own application of problem-solving skills in a challenging situation.