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CREATIVE CONNECTIONS FOR KIDS

“What a team! Thinking out of the box and out of this world!”

50 Spontaneous Problems to Ignite Your

Creativity

Fluency * Flexibility * Elaboration * Originality

Written by Franny McAleer and her students

For more information and workshops on creativity,

contact Franny at franny@learnerslink.com or 724-941-4032

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Why Creative Connections?

Creative thinking and problem solving are skills that are crucial every day! Our future depends on our ability to look at every situation day with an open mind and an eye for WHAT COULD BE! It can be thought of as a way of looking at everything with an open-mind, a search for possibilities, not one way or the right answer.

“WOW, LOTS OF WAYS TO GO! To the Future! ” Creativity can be taught and nurtured in every area of

life. It can be applied to every area of the school curriculum. It is the mission of all of us. With it change is encouraged, challenged and sought!

As we design and redesign, shape and reshape, create

and stretch our imaginations, we build the future! We nurture a positive attitude towards change, not fear!

As Einstein state – “Imagination is more important

than knowledge.” Copyright 2001, Permission granted to include in REAL conference CD

to compliment presentation by Franny McAleer and for teachers attending to use in their classrooms.

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Creative Connections has been a favorite activity of

many of my students because it focuses on the use of imagination and creative thinking skills to generate unique ideas and alternatives. The fifty (50) CONNECTIONS in this series serve as a tool for students and are intended to be an interesting strategy which encourages student interaction, teamwork, and creative production. Emphasis is on the Creative Thinking Processes – FFOE!

Fluency (quantity) * Flexibility (variety) Elaboration (details) * Originality (novelty)

• Fluency Generation of an quantity, Flow

of thought To think of the most – Large number of relevant responses

• Flexibility Variety of ideas, Ability to shift categories To take different approaches – Detours in direction of thought

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• Originality Unusual responses, Clever,

Novel ideas To think in novel ways – Production away from the obvious

• Elaboration Embellish an idea, stretch ideas or things

To add on to - Expand a simple idea or response making it more detailed, Add details

Creative Connections can be used as a warm up activity, sponge activity at the beginning of class, as a motivational strategy during a lesson or as a culminating wrap up. They are designed to …

1. Encourage small group interaction. 2. Promote teamwork. 3. Nurture a positive attitude and self-esteem. 4. Teach and develop the creative thinking skills, FFOE! 5. Foster a climate in which risk taking and novelty are

valued. 6. Create an exciting child-oriented brainstorm in which

alternatives and possibilities are the goal.

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How do you use Creative Connections?

Students work in teams of four to six, one being the team recorder. The teams might work on two or three CREATIVE CONNECTIONS in a session.

The teams brainstorm the CREATIVE CONNECTION for approximately three to five minutes. When the time is up the students compare their responses with those on the COMMON ANDSWER list. Since we are looking for FFOE, the responses that are listed on the COMMON ANSWERS list receive one point. The responses not on that list get three points. Ideas should be shared among the groups to spotlight their originality. Sometimes a question arises about the relevance of the answer. This is an excellent opportunity to have the team explain how they came up with that idea. That explanation can show a random, complex, series of connections that without explanation you might not appreciate or understand.

As you record the scores from session to session, look for growth in the number of responses and in the originality of them. Teams can be changed if the interaction of the students warrants it. Sometimes it is fun to try some unusual student combinations and see how the brainstorming changes.

Parents, teachers and students are encouraged to write their

own CREATIVE CONNECTIONS. They can be a fantastic motivating

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device and connect with any lesson, topic, activity, hobby, interest, current event …!

An energizing, alternate way of scoring is to have each group select their most creative answer or two. The teams then share their original answers, and if no other team has it, they get a point. The teams get several chances to response and score. This takes more time than the first method, but allows for more discussion and understanding of what the teams thought of and the FFOE process!

CREATIVE CONNECTIONS are a beginning – a beginning of an

adventure with creative thinking. It is an interactive, fun way of turning your students and children onto thinking for the future!

“What a team! Thinking out of the box and

out of this world!”

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Creative Connections … Table of Contents

1. Three Wishes 2. Amusement Parks 3. Springtime Fun! 4. Valentine’s Hearts! 5. Attic Treasures 6. Picnic Fun 7. Christmas Surprises! 8. The Magic Show 9. The Haunted House 10. The Pittsburgh Steelers 11. Under the Weather 12. Explosion 13. It’s in the Bag! 14. Baby “Peanut” 15. Wintertime Fun 16. Alison, the Snow girl 17. Back in Time 18. Spinning! 19. Games Galore! 20. Midair! 21. Timber! 22. School Days!

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23. Hidden Staircase 24. Faster! 60, 70, 80 MPH 25. Space Explorer 26. Party Hearty! 27. Swinging Around! 28. School Mystery 29. A Birdseye View 30. Burgers and Fries! 31. Home Alone! 32. It’s Hatching! 33. Jungle Safari! 34. What’s cooking? 35. Trick or Treat! 36. To the SEA! 37. Snowball Magic 38. Safe at Last! 39. The Search! The Eureka! 40. Fall Into the Change 41. Stay Away! Safety First! 42. Take One! Take Two! Take Blue! 43. Behind the Door! 44. Thankful for … 45. Fireworks and the 4th 46. Future Quest! 47. Invention! Super Scooper 48. The Witness 49. Extra! Extra! Inventor Visits School 50. Turn on the Spotlight! 51. Create Your Own!

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Three Wishes

Have you ever wished upon a star? Sometimes we cross our fingers to make our wishes come true! A magical fish once granted three wishes to a lady who was walking on the beach! King Midas wished for a golden touch, and Cinderella wished to go to the ball. If I had a wish, it would be for loyal friends! What wishes would you choose?

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Common Answers

1. Toys 2. Money 3. A pet 4. Family 5. Good grades 6. No homework 7. Peace 8. No more hunger 9. Happiness 10. New car 11. New clothes

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Amusement Parks

A day at an amusement park is out of this world. So to kick off our summer vacation, let’s spend a day at one! Cedar Point! Six Flags! Kennywood! Disney World! There are lots of exciting, fast, and wet rides to try! My favorite is the raging rapids! What other rides might we try?

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Common Answers

1. Roller coaster 2. Laser loop 3. Pirate ship 4. Raging rapids 5. Log jammer 6. Ferris wheel 7. Merry go round 8. Go cart track 9. Bumper cars 10. Salt and pepper shaker 11. Whip

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Springtime Fun!

April showers. Bring May flowers! How many times have you repeated this rhyme? It reminds us of the fun we have watching the earth change and awaken to each new spring season. What things to you see change in the spring?

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Common Answers

1. Flowers bud 2. Flowers bloom 3. Trees turn green 4. Potholes appear 5. Gardening 6. Baseball 7. Soccer 8. Roller blading 9. Water pistols 10. Bike riding

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Valentine’s Hearts!

On February 14th we celebrate Valentine’s Day! Do you give valentines to your special friends to let them know how much you care about them? Some people use their creativity to think of other things to give on this day! Guess what they might be!

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Common Answers

1. Roses 2. Carnations 3. Sweet tarts 4. Chocolates 5. Cards 6. Lollipops 7. Chocolate kisses 8. Stuffed animals 9. Chocolate roses 10. A kiss

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Attic Treasures

The stairway leading to the attic always intrigues me! What about you? In my attic I see an old trunk way in the back corner! And right next to it is this comfortable

green chair, just perfect for kicking back, relaxing, and imagining -- imagining what else I will find here and what in the world our family did with some of these things! What do you think might be in the attic?

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Attic Treasures

Common Answers

1. Old dresses 2. Wigs 3. Hats 4. Old books 5. Old letters 6. Blankets 7. Pillows 8. Old jewelry 9. Old gloves 10. Old blouses 11. Old coats 12. Broom

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Picnic Fun

A long time ago, pioneers had to eat outside everyday when they were traveling across the plains. Today lots of us enjoy the novelty of eating outside, of having a picnic. In all kinds of weather I pack my picnic basket and eat outside. Yes, even in the snow! What about YOU? If you were packing a picnic basket, what kinds of things might go in it?

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Picnic Fun

Common Answers

1. Plates 2. Cups 3. Napkins 4. Picnic tablecloth 5. Silverware 6. Lemonade 7. Rolls 8. Cheese 9. Potato salad 10. Lunch meats

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Christmas Surprises! Twas the night before Christmas, and I couldn’t wait any longer! I crept down the steps and couldn’t believe my eyes. There were twinkling lights, holly, and mistletoe too, but to my delight, presents and more presents! What to my surprise, what came before my eyes?

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Christmas Surprises! Common Answers

1. Wreath 2. My father 3. My mother 4. Cookies 5. Candy canes 6. Santa Claus 7. My sleeping brother 8. Rudolph 9. Stockings 10. Poinsettias

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Sailing, sailing, over the …

Sailing, swimming, boating, seadooing, surfing, sunning and walking on the dunes! Where are we? I guess you can tell that we are at the beach. Now pretend that you are there on vacation too! What kinds of things might we see at the beach?

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Sailing, sailing, over the …

Common Answers

1. Sand and water 2. Shells 3. Rafts and floats 4. Beach balls 5. Boats 6. Beach blankets and towels 7. Buckets and shovels 8. Frisbees 9. Paddle balls 10. Beach umbrellas

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The Magic Show

Marty, the magician, was getting ready for his holiday magic show! He set up the magic table and put his black top hat on it! The audience was silent as Marty reached into the hat! Surprise! Guess what Marty pulled out?

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The Magic Show

Common Answers

1. Rabbit 2. Flowers 3. Lion 4. Another hat 5. Nothing 6. Pigeon 7. Rubber chicken 8. Mouse 9. Feathers 10. Cards

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The Haunted House

Halloween is the spookiest time of the year! Inspector Ivan is checking out this house to see if it is haunted! How would you like to go to a haunted house! As we open the door and go from room to room, I get very scared! Things grab at me and swish past me! What other things might scare you in this haunted house?

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The Haunted House

Common Answers

1. Skeletons 2. Ghosts 3. Goblins 4. Witches 5. Creaky sounds 6. Chain saws 7. Axes 8. Blood 9. Fire 10. Vampires

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The Pittsburgh Steelers

I won the grand prize – a day with the Pittsburgh Steelers football team! As I entered the stadium, everyone was hustling around! It was just hours before the Sunday football game, and I could feel the WIN in the air! I was so excited that I ran towards the locker room to meet my heroes! As I opened the door, what do you think I saw?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers

Common Answers

1. Football helmets 2. Footballs 3. Pants 4. Jerseys 5. Gloves 6. Mirrors 7. Pictures 8. Football spikes 9. Socks 10. Football players

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Under the Weather

I was feeling so sick, sicker than I had ever felt before! When we called the doctor, he said to go right to the hospital! We rushed to the car and arrived at the hospital in record-breaking time! As the emergency doors opened, what do you think I saw?

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Under the Weather

Common Answers

1. Doctors 2. Nurses 3. Table 4. Chairs 5. Wheelchairs 6. Patients 7. Bandages 8. X-ray machine 9. Lights 10. Televisions

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Explosion … Baboom!

One day my friend and I were walking in the park. Suddenly the peace was shattered by a very loud explosion only twenty yards away! We ran towards the sound! Curiosity took us closer and closer! There it was! SHOCKED! AMAZED! What do you think we saw?

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Explosion … Baboom ! ! ! ! !

Common answers

1. A plane crash 2. A loud radio 3. Car crash 4. A burst gas pipe 5. Oil well 6. Missile 7. Volcano 8. Geyser 9. UFO 10. Dynamite

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It’s in the Bag!

Was I ever hungry? Up and down the grocery store aisles I walked, picking treats for my lunch … Candy … Cupcakes … Crackers … Rolls … When I got home, I opened the trunk and found that the bags didn’t have my snacks in them! Not one ounce of food. Instead what do you think I found in the bags?

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It’s in the Bag!

Common Answers 1. Leaves 2. Trash 3. Books 4. Clothes 5. Diaper 6. Paper 7. Lunch 8. Doggie 9. Garbage 10. Sand

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Baby “Abigail” Finally I was an uncle. I felt as if I were standing on the top of the world. I was even more excited when I was asked to baby sit for her. After her parents left, I was all alone with Abigail and very scared. I had watched “Home Alone” and too many other movies about babysitting mishaps. And then it happened, just what I feared! Abigail was screaming. I ran to her room! What do you think I saw?

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Baby “Abigail” Common Answers

1. Peanut 2. Crib 3. Picture on the wall 4. Baby blanket 5. Bottle 6. Tears 7. Rattles 8. Pacifier 9. Rocking chair 10. Baby clothes

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Wintertime Fun

Winter is the time for some cold weather fun! Igloo building … snowman sculpting … snowflake catching … shoveling … snow angel making … icicle licking … What else can you enjoy doing in the wintertime?

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Wintertime Fun

Common answers 1. Ski 2. Toboggan 3. Ice skate 4. Snowmobile 5. Build a snow fort 6. Sit by the fire 7. Ice hockey 8. Hot chocolate drinking 9. Walking in the woods 10. Sled

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Alison, the Snow Girl Like magic, Frosty the snow man came to life one day! When I looked at him, I thought he looked lonely. So, I decided to create a friend for Frosty! I carefully rolled and sculpted the snow and dressed my new “snow friend”! Just as I put the ski cap on her head, Alison, the snow girl, came to life! Just like in the song about Frosty! What do you think Alison did with her new found freedom?

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Alison, the Snow Girl Common answers

1. Danced 2. Said, “Hello!” 3. Kicked some snow around 4. Climbed a tree 5. Slept 6. Went to town 7. Sang 8. Laughed 9. Curled her hair 10. Melted

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Back in Time

One day in the not too distant future, I visited the new space center! Some scientists were busy working on a time machine! It looked like a red sports car, but that was just a disguise! As I watched, they asked me if I wanted to try it! Of course, my curiosity kicked in and I jumped aboard! The scanners started up, and off I zoomed! Back in time! What did I see?

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Back in Time

Common Answers

1. Dinosaurs 2. George Washington 3. Abraham Lincoln 4. Tomorrow 5. First Moon Landing in 1969 6. A war 7. A pyramid 8. Thomas Jefferson 9. Space shuttles 10. Your own birthday

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Spinning!

It had been a long, long day at school! You know, the kind when nothing goes right! I was staring at the clock! Watching every tick, tock, tick, tock! Wouldn’t this day ever end! Only five more minutes until freedom!

I slipped into a dream state…. Suddenly the clock began spinning! Swirling! Flying through time, forward, backward! What was happening?

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Spinning! Common answers 1. The janitor was adjusting the clock 2. The end of the world 3. Low battery 4. Electrical malfunction 5. A dream 6. Earthquake 7. Someone behind the wall was moving

it 8. The teacher was teasing me 9. Energy surge 10. Tornado

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Games Galore!

One winter day Mark went shopping to buy a game for his brother Michael’s birthday! The big question was … “WHICH ONE!” He loved Yahtzee! Taboo! As Mark walked up and down the game aisles, which games catch his eye?

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Games Galore!

Common answers

1. Checkers 2. Chess 3. Uno 4. Connect Four 5. Twister 6. Mastermind 7. Nintendo 8. Othello 9. Stratego 10. Pictionary

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Midair! One bright sunny day I was enjoying Flight 158 from Pittsburgh to Phoenix. Suddenly I felt an enormous thud!! A thud that made my heart skip a beat! For the longest second I held my breath! The plan had struck something in midair! What would happen next? What might have struck the plane?

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Midair! Common answers

1. The runway 2. A shoe 3. A UFO 4. Shooting star 5. Wicked witch of the East 6. Planet 7. Satellite 8. Extraterrestrial 9. Another plane 10. Space shuttle

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Timber!

You and your two best friends are hiking in the woods having a quiet time together! As you turn to start walking home, a huge, evergreen tree falls right in your path just barely missing all three of you! Shaking, trembling, … Happily relieved to get back on the trail, you look around, what might you see?

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Timber!

Common answers

1. The wind 2. A beaver 3. Lightning 4. Chain saw 5. Bear 6. UFO 7. Rotten spot on the tree 8. Plot by your two friends 9. Earthquake 10. Tornado

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School Days! One morning I arrived at school a little early. The room was dark and empty. On the floor I discovered a purse. Curiously I peeked inside and discovered that it was a very unusual wallet. It was not made of leather or plastic but a glowing material that seemed to get brighter the longer I held it! Carefully I looked inside. What do you think I found?

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School Days! Common answers

1. Money 2. Keys 3. License 4. Bills 5. Pencil 6. Pen 7. Paper 8. Coins 9. Checks 10. Particles from outer space

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Hidden Staircase

Michael walked down the rows of books at the library. He stopped and pulled out a book that looked very interesting. Suddenly the shelf split open. Michael looked in and there he found a hidden staircase! He climbed up the stairs. As he did, a tiny man approached. Who might he be?

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Hidden Staircase

Common answers

1. Little child 2. Midget 3. Librarian 4. Elf 5. Leprechaun 6. Dwarf 7. Goblin 8. Troll 9. Rip Van Winkle 10. Gremlin

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Faster! Faster! 60, 70, 80 MPH

As we begin the new millennium, many things seem to go faster and faster! You probably think about speed when you are in your family’s car. Every time you check the speedometer you are making sure that the driver is driving safely! If you do this, you do not have to worry about flashing red lights stopping you and giving you a speeding ticket! What do you think of when you imagine -- things that are fast!

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Faster! Faster! 60, 70, 80 MPH

Common answers

1. Race cars 2. Jets 3. Airplanes 4. Trucks 5. Rockets 6. Space shuttle 7. Cheetahs 8. Cars on freeways 9. Athletes running track and field

events 10. People talking

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Space Explorer In the year 2060 Hollie, Michael, Mark, and Ed went to explore the newest planet, Saigon! They put on their jet packs and off they zoomed! All of a sudden they discovered an odd object in front of them! It seemed to vibrate! The vibration grew to sound like thunder! What might it have been?

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Space Explorer Common answers

1. Meteor 2. Space rock 3. UFO 4. Egg 5. Satellite 6. Crystal 7. Alien’s toy 8. Alien’s food 9. Alien egg hatching 10. Alien’s pet

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Party Hearty!

It was a cold winter day. A bunch of my friends found themselves bored with nothing to do. So they decided to heat up the cold air and have a hearty party! Food was needed! I got the job of going to shop for the sudden celebration. What junk food did I buy!

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Party Hearty!

Common answers

1. Potato chips 2. Pretzels 3. Chip dip 4. Cookies 5. Cup cakes 6. Doritos 7. Milky ways 8. Gummy bears 9. Sweet tars 10. Pop or soda

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Swinging Around! One sunny day I was outside enjoying recess. I dashed for the swings! I got on and started swinging, higher and higher! I felt like I was swinging through space thinking about things that swing and sway! What did I picture?

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Swinging Around! Common answers

1. People dancing 2. The Leaning Tower of Pisa 3. Flag poles 4. Tree branches 5. Rocking chairs 6. See saws 7. Swing sets 8. Lanterns 9. Stories 10. Skaters

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School Mystery I hurried to school, anxious to start the day! To my surprise no one was there yet. I looked everywhere, but still no one! Then I heard a noise in the gym! I went to explore. There was my answer… What do think might have been happening?

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School Mystery

Common Answers

1. Play practice 2. Gym class 3. Surprise party 4. Baseball practice 5. Weight lifting 6. Band practice 7. Teachers’ meeting 8. Open house 9. Assembly 10. Concert

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A Birdseye View

One day I decided to go exploring in the nearby wetlands! I heard lots of interesting sounds and saw sights that remind me of how beautiful our environment is. How critical the wetlands are to all of us! I climbed high in a tree to get a bird’s eye view! While climbing the tree moved and seemed to walk! What could be happening?

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A Birdseye View Common Answers

1. The tree was falling. 2. A strong man was moving it. 3. It was really the legs of a giant

walking. 4. A UFO was moving it. 5. The tree was really a person

dressed up. 6. A tornado was moving it. 7. A time machine was moving it. 8. A car hit it. 9. A mysterious wind was moving it. 10. I was dreaming!

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Burgers and Fries! Today we are visiting the Rock and Roll Restaurant. It is high on the top of a building in the center of the city. As the tunes play we start to enjoy our burgers and fries! As I bite into mine, something falls to the floor! I stopped chewing immediately! I grabbed my throat! I was afraid to look at the floor and see what had fallen from the burger! What might I have found on the floor?

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Burgers and Fries! Common answers

1. Dead fly 2. Cockroach 3. Tooth 4. Pin 5. Fingernail 6. Ring 7. Hair 8. Coin 9. Fuzz ball 10. Shell

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Home Alone! With my parents at an open house, I found myself home alone. I was sitting around watching television and eating popcorn. Then it happened! What I was not prepared for! A NOISE from upstairs! I was petrified! Suddenly, the house seemed strangely quiet. I could hear myself breathing! What might the noise have been?

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Home Alone! Common answers

1. A pet pounced off the bed 2. The door banged shut 3. A toy fell 4. Pipes creaked 5. The alarm went off 6. The wind 7. Ceiling fell 8. Ball fell off the shelf 9. Toothpaste fell in the sink 10. Mousetrap went off

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It’s hatching! “There it is! What could it be? It looks like an egg!” “But not an ordinary egg!” “It must be from another… the Jurassic Period? Jurassic Park all over again!” “Wait, look, it is starting to wiggle, to crack!” “We’ll soon know! Stand back! Here it comes!” What do you think they saw as the egg cracked open?

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It’s Hatching! Common answers

1. Chicken 2. Dinosaur 3. Duck 4. Turtle 5. Tadpole 6. Butterfly 7. Rainbow 8. Baby 9. Air 10. New idea

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Jungle Safari! At long last the adventure was to begin. Our science class was going to take a field trip to the jungle! Not the jungle at the zoo, but the jungle in Africa! I got off the plane and took a jeep deep into the thickest part of the jungle. I had always loved learning about wild animals, but now I was going to see them up close, right where they live! What do you think I might see there?

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Jungle Safari! Common answers

1. Tigers 2. Lions 3. Rhinoceroses 4. Monkeys 5. Cheetahs 6. Lions 7. Antelope 8. Zebras 9. Giraffes 10. Elephants

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What’s cooking? Check out the stove at my house! I never know what is cooking, and I can tell you one thing, my mom is a health food NUT! She is always insisting that we eat healthy! So imagine this. It is dinnertime. I look into the pot on the stove. What do you think I might see?

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What’s cooking? Common answers

1. Stew 2. Spinach 3. Broccoli 4. Chicken noodle soup 5. Chili 6. Vegetable soup 7. Chicken 8. Fish 9. Peas 10. Carrots

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Trick or Treat! It was autumn. The leaves were falling and the pumpkins were turning into Jack-O-Lanterns. Halloween was just around the corner! I was thinking of the most creative costume that I could make! A monster, dancer, ghost, beetle, lion, tiger, or bear …. I will never tell, so you won’t know when I stop by your house. As I rang the doorbell, a pumpkin answered and gave me some candy! YUM! What kind of candy did I get?

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Trick or Treat!

1. Sweet tarts 2. Kit Kats 3. Milky Ways 4. Skittles 5. M & Ms 6. Snickers 7. Babe Ruth 8. Tootsie Rolls 9. Twix 10. Nerds

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Oceanic Adventures! Jump Aboard … to See the Sea!

A yachting adventure waits! Off we go to enjoy an adventure at sea! As we relax on our yachting cruise, we have time to focus on the creatures that call the sea their home! And with our scuba gear we can become a part of their underworld family. As we peer into the sea, what do we see?

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Oceanic Adventures! Jump Aboard … to See the Sea!

Common answers

1. Minnows 2. Sea foam 3. Jelly fish 4. Plankton 5. Coral 6. Dolphins 7. Sharks 8. Whales 9. Blue fish 10. Waves

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Snowball Magic

It’s a snowy day! The kids are outside playing in the newly fallen snow! Snowmen greet you as you hike through the forest. And then, of course, there is the GREAT SNOWBALL BATTLE! As the snowballs start flying, one magically changes! Right before my eyes, it moves, squirms, wiggles, changes … What might it become?

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Snowball Magic Common answers

1. Snowbird 2. Dinosaur 3. Robot 4. Elf 5. Alf 6. Snow puppy 7. Snow chick 8. Snow kitten 9. UFO 10. Frosty

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Safe at Last! The forest was dense with trees with little light getting into help me find the trail. But I hiked on and on. I got lost in the beauty of the woods, imagining all of the people who had been there before me. In front of me a strange looking animal appeared. I wandered off the trail to follow him. Soon I found myself face to face with a fierce cougar-like creature. He had me trapped against a rocky ledge. Something came swinging on a vine and scooped me to safety! What might it have been?

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Safe at Last!

Common answers 1. Tarzan 2. Jane 3. Snake vine 4. Monkey 5. Baboon 6. Orangutan 7. Swarm of friendly bees 8. Flying squirrels 9. Forest fire 10. Jungle boy

The Search! The Eureka!

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School kept me very busy. My favorite class is Odyssey of the Mind. During one of our spontaneous sessions, my teacher asked me to get something special out of my desk. I knew I had it! But I also knew that the creative search was to begin! Organization was not my thing! Soooooooooo…. When I opened the lid, there were lots of things inside, but not what I needed. That is always the way! Eureka! To my surprise what do you think I found in my desk instead?

The Search! The Eureka!

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Common answers 1. Pencils 2. Erasers 3. Papers 4. Books 5. Notes 6. Magic markers 7. Scissors 8. Pens 9. Crayons 10. Candy

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Fall into the Spirit of Change!

Last Fall I had a wonderful time playing outside and watching all of nature’s changes! There are so many things to see and do during this season! The squirrels prepare for the long winter, and I spend as much time as I can outdoors knowing that the long winter is approaching! What things can you imagine that change?

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Fall into the Spirit of Change! Common answers 1. Soccer plays 2. Leaf colors 3. Weather 4. Schools 5. The grass 6. Your mind 7. Vegetables when cooked 8. Television shows 9. Front page of the newspaper 10. Teachers in the new school year

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Stay Away! Safety First! “Danger lurks around every corner!” Have you ever heard this phrase? It is a warning to you to be careful! Stay away from dangerous situations! Safety first everyday of your life! Stop! Look! Listen! What situations have you learned about or can imagine that might present a DANGER!

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Stay Away! Safety First! Common answers

1. Taking candy from strangers 2. Talking to strangers 3. Walking in the street 4. Being close to sick people 5. Being close to poisonous snakes 6. Swimming in water that is too deep 7. Swimming in shark infested waters 8. Smoking 9. Alcohol 10. Drugs

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Take One! Take Two! Take BLUE!

Color is so important in our lives! Everywhere you look you will find the colors of the rainbow and more! Artists use colors to show their thoughts, ideas, and feelings! Architects use colors to entice us to come to school! We use colors all day, everyday! Some people have favorite colors! Do you? What things could be BLUE?

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Take One! Take Two! Take BLUE!

Common answers

1. Sky 2. Ocean 3. Eyes 4. Sweater 5. Dress 6. Carpet 7. Walls 8. Song 9. Sad moment 10. Suede shoes

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Behind the Door! One night in a dream I found myself in a room with a mysterious glowing door! It seemed to draw me closer and closer! I could not resist knowing what was behind that door! But shaking, I carefully opened it! There I saw some unusual objects! What do you think they were?

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Behind the Door! Common answers

1. Ghost 2. Spotlight 3. Christmas tree 4. Star 5. Glow-in-the-dark Frisbees 6. UFO 7. Another glowing door 8. Fire 9. Alien 10. Candles

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Thankful for …

It was a traditional Thanksgiving – turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and sweet potatoes. I loved chowing down with my family and friends! I also like giving thanks for all of the things for which I am thankful! What things might be on my list? Which would also be on yours?

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Thankful for …

Common answers

1. Family 2. Health 3. Home 4. Clothes 5. Friendships 6. Toys 7. Cars 8. Bike 9. World peace 10. Vacations

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Fireworks and the 4th Summertime brings lots of special times. One that I am thinking of it the birthday of the United States of America! The Fourth of July!! A day for FIREWORKS! It is just like celebrating your own birthday. What might you see and do on this special day?

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Fireworks and the 4th Common answers

1. Fireworks 2. Patriotic songs 3. Radios playing 4. Sparklers 5. Firecrackers 6. Fire trucks 7. Picnics 8. Bands 9. Parades 10. People eating and walking

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Super Scooper

Happy Days! Celebrating Invention!

Creativity! New Ideas! Eureka! My invention, the super duper music scooper was chosen to be on the Dr. Fad Invention Show! It was so exciting to share my new idea with so many creative people. For being on the show, I won a shopping spree at the mall! In which stores do you think I shopped?

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Super Scooper

Common answers

1. Penney’s 2. Sears 3. Gap 4. K-Mart 5. Target 6. Toys-R-Us 7. Circuit City 8. The Limited 9. Old Navy 10. Lerner New York

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The Witness A youngster went to mail a letter for his mom. All of a sudden a stranger jumped from a passing car and grabbed the youngster. You witnessed the scary event. Even though you only had seconds, what could you look for that might help the police?

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The Witness

Common answers

1. Kind of car 2. Color of car 3. License number 4. Eyes 5. Face 6. Hair 7. Clothes 8. Marks on the stranger 9. Other people in the car 10. Stuff on the seat

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Extra! Extra! Inventor Visits School

This headline describes a special day in you life! You have the power to bring any inventor to your school. You scan your memory to select just the right person! Someone who shares your passion for creativity! Someone who will be interesting to the students… Which inventors stand out in your mind as being interesting and important to our country?

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Extra! Extra! Inventor Visits School

Common answers 1. Edison 2. Bell 3. Eastman 4. Whitney 5. Ford 6. Wright brothers 7. Otis 8. Howe 9. Franklin 10. Westinghouse

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Turn on the Spotlight!

You have the opportunity to go any place you want, learn whatever you want, and do whatever you want! You can be like the beacon on the lighthouse and explore things that have never been explored before. Where might you go? What might you do? What might you learn?

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Turn on the Spotlight!

Common answers

1. Explore space 2. Explore the ocean 3. Fly faster than anyone else 4. Learn about medical discoveries 5. Learn about genetics 6. Learn about interesting inventions 7. Learn about the stars and other

galaxies 8. Learn about satellites 9. Visit a space station 10. Talk with the animals