Activities for Creative and Critical Thinking: Brain Food - FREEBIE!

Did you know that creativity is a skill that can be taught and learned, just like reading and math? Yes, for real!! :-) Through exposure, experience, and practice, creative thinking is a skill anyone can cultivate.

Not only is creative thinking FUN, but it is also important! Divergent thinking increases a student’s desire to learn and supports his/her intellectual development. When we encourage creative thinking, we promote student engagement, motivation, and love for learning.

This Brain Food sampler is an easy, engaging way to promote creative thinking in your classroom. The free, printable activities are ready to print and go; no teacher prep required! Pages are also in black and white to save your ink.

Purposefully incorporating creative thinking activities into daily or weekly instruction can:

• Increase students’ interest and motivation

• Improve students’ attitudes towards school

• Nurture effective problem solving skills

• Encourage students to examine multiple perspectives and points of view

• Help students understand familiar things in new and deeper ways

• Promote questioning, curiosity, and innovation

• Foster risk-taking and iteration

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Brain Food Activities are great for:

• Centers and stations

• Anchor activities

• Partner/cooperative learning assignments

• Enrichment for fast finishers

• Bell ringers/morning work

• Independent Learning Contracts

• Brain Breaks

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To learn more about other exciting Brain Food Resources, click on the links below!

• Brain Food – The Original!

• Brain Food – Winter Fun!

• Brain Food – Halloween!

• Brain Food – Spring Time!

• Brain Food – Summer Fun!

• Brain Food – THE BUNDLE!

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If you and your students enjoy these activities, you may also like the following differentiated enrichment activities:

• Hundred Board Number Puzzles – Enrichment (2nd grade)

• Hundred Board Number Puzzles – Enrichment (1st grade)

• Math Logic Puzzles – 3rd grade Enrichment

• Number Puzzles – Enrichment Activities (2nd-3rd)

• Mix and Match: Creative Writing Prompts for BIG kids

• Squiggle Stories: Creative Writing for K-2

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Please contact me if you have any questions; I’d love to hear from you!

Christy

© Christy Howe 2015. Materials are intended for personal use in one classroom only. For use in multiple classrooms, please purchase additional licenses.