Idea Generation Exercise 

In-Class Exercise

Steps

  • This exercise encourages students to collaborate with each other to develop a topic, working questions, a path of inquiry, and a baseline of communal knowledge. Part One is completed independently; Parts Two and Three are completed in two different groups of two or three students.  Detailed steps are available in the pdf activity instructions
    • Part One: Students generate topics and subtopics that they are curious about based on broad categories.
    • Part Two: Students collaborating with classmates to consider the topic from several perspectives beyond their own.
    • Part Three: Either in small groups or as a gallery walk, students free write questions about other students’ topics.

Materials Needed

  • enough copies of the activity instructions for all students (download file below)
  • 11 x 17 paper for all students
  • tape (if doing the gallery walk version of Part Three)

Considerations

Resources

Idea Generation Activity Instructions (PDF)