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What Do You Do With An Idea by Koby Yamada

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What Do You Do With An Idea by Koby Yamada

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Yamada, K. (2014). What do you do with an idea? (M. Besom, Illus.). Compendium Inc.
Summary: In What Do You Do With An Idea? an idea is represented as an egg with a crown. This idea follows the child in the story around seeking attention and growing bigger and bigger. The idea is met with resistance by others but in the end, the more attention given to the idea the more impact the idea had. The story encourages the reader to take their ideas seriously, sit with them, allow them to grow and sometimes ideas could lead to changing the world.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-do-you-do-with-an-idea-kobi-yamada/1117006312?ean=9781938298073

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Saltzberg, B. (2010). Beautiful Oops! Workman Publishing Company.
Summary: Beautiful Oops! encourages readers to turn mistakes into creative projects. Each page features a new "mistake" such as a spill, tear or smudge on a piece of paper and then the author turns these mistakes or "oops!" notions into intentional paintings. For example, a smudge becomes a rabbit or a spill becomes an elephant. I love how this book encourages readers to look at mistakes differently and highlights the importance of using creativity to change our outlook and help us turn mistakes into something beautiful.
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Oops-Barney-Saltzberg/dp/076115728X

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A Day With No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch

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A Day With No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch

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Rusch, E. (2007). A day with no crayons. (C. Cameron, Illus.). Cooper Square Publishing.
Summary: A Day With No Crayons is about a girl named Liza who loves coloring. When she runs out of paper and decides to color on her wall, her mom takes away her crayons and Liza's world (and the illustrations in the book) become literally and figuratively gray. Without crayons, Liza becomes aware of colors in the world around her. She gains a new creative perspective and her art flourishes.
https://www.amazon.com/Day-No-Crayons-Elizabeth-Rusch/dp/0873589106

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The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

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The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

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Spires, A. (2014). The most magnificent thing. Kids Can Press.
Summary: The Most Magnificent Thing is about a girl who has an idea for an invention that she loves but putting it into action takes much trial, error and frustration before it becomes a successful product.  This story tells the process of seeing an idea through and the hardships one might experience during that process. In the end the girl is able to see her idea and creative pursuit come to life (in the form of a scooter and a small seat for her dog to ride along side her).
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Magnificent-Thing-Ashley-Spires/dp/1554537045/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1489153247&sr=8-1&keywords=the+most+magnificent+thing&linkCode=sl1&tag=kidmonles-20&linkId=37ca9a0a53e779f50bd095dfbacf0775

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Portis, A. (2011). Not a box. HarperFestival.
Summary: Winner of a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor, Not A Box is a simple story, appropriate for Pre-K or Kindergarten classrooms about what a simple box could become if we use our imagination. Not A Box is like a creativity "starter story" to introduce students to look at objects around them with a critical eye in order to foster creativity. In Not A Box the box becomes a car, a building, a robot amongst other things.
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Box-Antoinette-Portis/dp/0061994421

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Frazier, C. (2010). Lots of dots. Chronicle Books.
Summary: I like Lots of Dots for a Pre-K or Kindergarten class because it inspires students to look at the world around them with a creative eye. In the book the reader will become aware that there are dots everywhere if we open our eyes to look for them. I think this book would help students become aware of the power of observation and its ability to push us to see the world in creative and new ways.
https://www.amazon.com/Lots-Dots-Craig-Frazier/dp/0811877159

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Beaty, A. (2007). Iggy Peck, architect. (D. Roberts, Illus.). Abrams Books For Young Readers.
Summary: Iggy Peck is great for a class discussion about creativity or ingenuity. Iggy Peck is a second grader who has a passion for architecture and has created model buildings using unique materials such as chalk. On a class trip Iggy creates a bridge with unique objects to help his save his teacher and class so that they could cross a stream of water. Iggy's display of creative ingenuity and passion highlight the importance of creative expression and its impact on society, and in this case, architecture or building.
https://www.amazon.com/Iggy-Peck-Architect-Andrea-Beaty/dp/081091106X

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Hopkins, D. (2008). Apples to Oregon. (N. Carpenter, Illus.). Aladdin.
Summary: I like Apples to Oregon as an alternative to a book about the creative arts when it comes to creativity. Apples to Oregon is about creative problem solving in the style of a "tale tale". The book is about the Oregon Trail and a family's journey from Iowa to Oregon on a wagon. Along the way the family encounters many obstacles that they must overcome to successfully reach their final destination. The author playfully describes the book as a "slightly true narrative of how a brave pioneer father brought apples, peaches, pears, plume, grapes and cherries, and children across the plains" (Hopkinson, 2008). The father must think of ways to overcome bad weather and lack of resources through creative ingenuity to make it through the journey. There are also true facts on the back cover on the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Apples-Oregon-Slightly-Narrative-Cherries/dp/141696746X

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Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. Clarion Books.
Summary: Flotsam is a Caldecott Medal winner (2007). I think Flotsam is a wonderful book for students to be exposed to when it comes to the idea of creativity because of the book itself. Flotsam enables students to experience a unique style of a picture book. Flotsam is all pictures, no words about a curious boy who finds an underwater camera, develops the film in the camera enabling him to view a fantasy underwater world including a mechanical fish. I think this book helps students to be in touch with the world around them enabling them to foster a creative outlook.
https://www.amazon.com/Flotsam-David-Wiesner/dp/0618194576

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Reynolds, P. Ish. (2004). Candlewick.
Summary: Ish is on one level about Ramon and his drawings but on another level it's about the ability to creatively look at the world around us. When Ramon's brother criticizes his drawings for not looking exactly like the objects he's drawing he gets discouraged. However, his sister turns his discouragement around when she helps him to see that it's okay for his drawings to look "almost" like the objects he's drawing or "ish-ly" like them. This notion of "ish" allowed Ramon's "ideas to flow freely" (Reynolds, 2004) and Ramon was able to draw what he felt "without worry" (Reynolds, 2004). Ish is great because it's not just a story about art, it's about ideas. Ramon realizes that an idea doesn't need to be fully formed in order for it to carry meaning, purpose or beauty. If an idea is almost or "ishly" formed it's still worth something to Ramon and hopefully the readers of this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Ish-Creatrilogy-Peter-H-Reynolds/dp/076362344X

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Reynolds, P. (2003). The dot. Candlewick.
Summary: The Dot is about Vashti and her works of art that are simple dots. When Vashti expresses frustration to her art teacher because she feels she "just can't draw" (Reynolds, 2003), Vashti's teacher suggests she draws a dot. From this small dot Vashti creates an entire art show of dot paintings. I like this book because it acknowledges that creativity, beauty and meaning when it comes to Art or to life has no rules. Vashti takes a simple idea and builds something huge from it, inspiring other students in her class at the end of the story to do the same.
https://www.amazon.com/Dot-Peter-H-Reynolds/dp/0763619612

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Papa's Mechanical Fish by Candace Fleming
Fleming, C. (2013). Papa's mechanical fish. (B. Kulikov, Illus.). Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Summary: Papa's Mechanical Fish is a book about creativity, invention, ideas failure and trying again. Papa's inventions have always failed until his daughter Virena asks him if he ever wonders what it's like to be a fish. This new idea and prospective propels Papa to create a new invention. Papa creates an underwater vessel, a mechanical fish that enables the entire family to explore life under the ocean.
https://www.amazon.com/Papas-Mechanical-Fish-Candace-Fleming/dp/0374399085

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Jeffers, O. (2020). What we'll build. Philomel Books.
Summary: What We'll Build together looks at creativity and life as a venture that a child and a parent could embark on together. I like this book because it portrays how creativity is an aspect of life and something that exists within the family dynamic. In the story the father and daughter use idea's to build practical objects such as a watch, tunnels and roads but also nontangible ideas together such as "building love" (Jeffers, 2020).
https://www.amazon.com/What-Well-Build-Together-Future/dp/0593206754

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Reynolds, P. (2014). Going places. (P. Reynolds, Illus.). Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Summary: Rafael's class each gets a "going places kit" with instructions and tools necessary to build a go-cart. Everyone in the class receives the same exact kit to build the same go-cart. Rafeal's friend Maya however, observes a bird and decides she's going to create an individualized go-cart that looks nothing like the go-carts in the kit, but more like a plane. Maya uses her imagination to create her own "go-cart" inspiring Rafael to team up with Maya and create an even better go-cart that flies! Maya's idea sparked an idea in Rafeal that propelled them to create something interesting and exciting that could better the world.
https://www.amazon.com/Going-Places-Paul-Reynolds/dp/1442466081

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The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert

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The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert

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Ehlert, L. (2014). The scraps book: Notes from a colorful life. Beach Lane Books.
Summary: The Scraps Book is the true story about Lois Ehlert, her life and art and it's written by the artist. Ehlert talks about finding ideas in the world around her, for example, in her garden or while food shopping (Ehlert, 2014) and using these ideas to spark her creativity. This book helps the reader to keep an open mind around them because inspiration is all around us even in mundane places. Ehlert's art technique is collage and she uses many "scraps" to make her collages. The book is great because the illustrations make the reader feel like they're in Ehlert's actual workshop!
https://www.amazon.com/Scraps-Book-Notes-Colorful-Life-ebook/dp/B00DA9KHK6

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A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant

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A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant

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Bryant, J. (2013). A splash of red: The life and art of Horace Pippin. (M. Sweet, Illus.). Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Summary: A Splash of Red is an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book. The book tells the true story of Horace Pippin, an African-American painter, his love for drawing as a child and his life as an adult painter after experiencing an injury in WWI. This book is about perseverance as well as the meaning that creative endeavors and art bring to our lives. Pippin's work has been displayed in museums across the United States. This story is a wonderfully researched portrayal of Pippin's life and his ability to work on his art despite his injury.
https://www.amazon.com/Splash-Red-Horace-Schneider-Childrens/dp/0375867120

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Shana, C. (2016). The secret subway. (Red Nose Studio, Illus.). Schwartz & Wade.
Summary: I chose Shana Corey's book about the true story of Alfred Ely Beach's idea to create a fan-powered train (the beginnings of the NYC Subway system) that would move underground. This story is great because it's about creativity and invention, put into practice and subway trains are a mode of transportation that many students will be familiar with. I also know that Corey's books are always well researched. The Secret Subway is about the beginning of the creation of the New York City subway in the 1800s based on Beach's ideas. At the end of the book Corey provides a two page author's note about how the original idea for the Subway system in NYC was created. The illustrations make the reader feel that they're a part of the underground system. This book was chosen as the NYPL's Best Book for Kids in 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Subway-Shana-Corey/dp/0375870717

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Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse by Marjorie Blain Parker

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Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse by Marjorie Blain Parker

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Parker, M. (2012). Colorful dreamer: The story of artist Henri Matisse. (H. Berry, Illus.). Dial Books.
Summary: Colorful Dreamer is about Henri Matisse and the importance of dreaming and the ways in which creativity and art add meaning and joy to our world. The illustrations in the book are gray yet Henri's dreams and art are in color. Henri's ability to dream enabled him to pursue his passion and a creative life brought meaning to his days and color to his world and the pages in the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Colorful-Dreamer-Story-Artist-Matisse/dp/0803737580/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1486049999&sr=8-1&keywords=colorful+dreamer&linkCode=sl1&tag=kidmonles-20&linkId=7e62c70adc2211a6d366fedf0300c75e

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1. What is an idea?
2. How can ideas be used to create something?
3. Why is creativity important in our lives and in the world?

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Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions by Don Wulffson

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Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions by Don Wulffson

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Wulffson, D. (2014). Toys!: Amazing stories behind some great inventions. (L. Keller, Illus.). Square Fish.
Summary: This book is a great way to help students gain a greater understanding about how creativity, ideas, and inventions play a role in their everyday lives. This book helps readers to make the connection from idea, to creative endeavor to end product. The book tells the story of the origins of about thirty toys that many students will be very familiar with such as Pokémon, Play-doh, Hot Wheels, Legos, Checkers and even Bicycles. Much like many of the fiction books about creativity and ideas, this book tells stories of how toys have sometimes started as mistakes or different ideas that with the help of creative thoughts, have become new ideas and eventually toys. I think this is a great book to keep in the library and also fun for read alouds. This book is a great link between, ideas, creativity, inventions, mistakes and tangible final products (toys!).
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toys-don-wulffson/1111651486

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Things Seen From Above by Shelly Pearsall

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Things Seen From Above by Shelly Pearsall

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Pearsall, S. (2020). Things seen from above. Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Summary: Things Seen From Above is a great book about creativity and perspective. April Boxler is a sixth grader who volunteers to be a "Buddy Bench" monitor for the fourth-grade recess at her school. During recess she observes a fourth grader, Joey Byrd, playing in the dirt. It's unclear what Joey is creating, it seems like he's just kicking dirt around. It's not until  Joey's creations are viewed from the roof of the school (by the custodian) that the reader realizes he's creating beautiful, and intentional spirals - works of art. The book is about perspective, acceptance and unique ways of both creating art and appreciating art and appreciating people. Joey's unique creative ideas not only impact April but they impacted many of his classmates. Joey's art had the powerful ability to impact students who were not always included.
https://www.amazon.com/Things-Seen-Above-Shelley-Pearsall/dp/1524717398

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The teacher will read to the class the book Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg. This lesson is geared toward a kindergarten or first grade class. The students will first listen to the story, and after, participate in a class discussion describing a time when they turned a mistake into a positive opportunity or experience. Students will then participate in an art project similar to the mistakes-turned-art portrayed in Saltzberg's book. The students will use construction paper to create an intentional "oops!" by either smudging or tearing a piece of paper and then using paint and paint brushes to turn their mistakes into intentional pieces of art. These pictures will help students to reflect upon the importance of creativity, ideas and an open mind.

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Please click on learning objective to enlarge photo.

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Activity two will be based on the book What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada. First the teacher will read Yamada's book to the class as a read aloud. The students will then participate in a class discussion and will be encouraged to identify examples of objects or inventions that have positively contributed to the world based on a ideas. Students will also write examples of times when they had ideas and how the ideas made them feel. Students will then list ideas or inventions that they're able to recall that have contributed positively to society and our world.

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Please click on learning objective to enlarge photo.