101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving.Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley &

Sons, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley. http://www.pfeiffer.com

8. Music Mania

Background

Music has a calming effect on our emotions that can help us

generate ideas. Research has shown that certain types of

music can affect moods and productivity.

Our brain centers associated with emotional responses are

also linked to our ability to function creatively. Music has the

potential to stimulate these brain centers and help us think of

creative ideas. Both music and creativity involve similar pro-

cesses and features such as intuition, abstract symbols, and

holistic interpretations of data. Musical composition is a cre-

ative activity as well. Given this relationship between music

and creativity, it makes sense that music can help stimulate

new ideas.

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


• A variety of music ranging from jazz, pop, soft rock, and classical


• Audio equipment to play the music

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