101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

Combinations 153

32. Preppy Thoughts

Background

The activities in this chapter generate ideas by combining related or unrelated problem

attributes. Although such combinations have great potential, it sometimes helps to intro-

duce additional stimuli.

Preppy Thoughts will help provide this variety by introducing action words into

combinations. The basic procedure originally was suggested by Crovitz (1970) using a

technique known as Relational Algorithms. The Preppy Thoughts activity provides the

same stimulation using random selections of relational words (for example, prepositions)

that are inserted between a problem verb and object.

Objectives

• To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible


• To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideas

Participants

Small groups of four to seven people each

Materials, Supplies, and Equipment

• For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chart
  sheets


• For each participant: one sheet each of three different colors of sticking dots
  (^1 ⁄ 2 ” diameter) and one pad of 4 x 6 Post-it®Notes

Handout

• Preppy Thoughts Handout

Time

30 minutes

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