Saturday December 7
Sunday December 8
Cognitive Tool 21
Word Association
The ‘Ideas’ Launch Pad
Background
Too often students complain that they are not creative. Too often we use recycled ideas as
so-called ‘creative ideas’. This strategy helps learners to generate new ideas or solutions via
associations with a chosen launch-pad word or object.
This strategy assists students to generate new ideas or to find creative solutions to a problem.
Process
A creative tool to allow you to use past experiences to generate new ideas or solutions for a
topic, e.g. thinking of a plot for a story or giving a title to a creative writing piece.
Sample
WORD ASSOCIATION
Topic: The Story of a Bushranger – What’s Your Title?
(English, Yr.7-10: Creating Texts)
The Icing on the Cake –
The Raid at Jerilderie
3
desserts
Lifting the Lid on Kelly Gang Story
2
cold section
Tin
1
supermarket
Launch Pad
Object/Word
2
3
Lid
Can Opener
1
Can of Soup
convenient to cook
boring food
2
bad cook
2
microwave
appliances
electricity
3
3
Ned Kelly – Victim or Villain?
Step 1: Launch Pad
1
DECEMBER
Think of an object not linked to the topic,
such as a can of soup. This is the Launch
Pad to generate ideas associated with a
can of soup, leading to possible solutions
for the topic.
An Electrifying Tale of the Kelly Gang
Step 2: Associated words
2
Let your mind flow and write
associated or linked words out
from the Launch Pad.
Step 3: Ideas/Solutions
3
When you think of an idea, write it
down and place a box around it.
Then start at the Launch Pad again
with new words for more ideas.
This strategy is also very useful for creative writing. Think of a topic or theme, find a launch
word, and zoom ahead with ideas.
Observation
Bring this thinking tool to life!
Watch the video and access the
writable template here!
www.teacherpd.com.au/qr/was
290
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