This quantitative quasi-experimental study, adopting a pretest/post-test control/treatment group design, investigated the efficacy of instructional strategies for developing divergent thinking in gifted and talented students within K-6 heterogeneous cluster classes. It specifically explored the problem of insufficient evidence-based approaches for…

Eighteen academically gifted elementary students were randomly assigned to either a figural treatment or verbal treatment condition. Analysis of pre and post tests of creative thinking suggested that unbalanced programing of figural creative thinking abilities and verbal creative thinking abilities over time may cause significant decrements in…

Changes in creative thinking, as measured by Torrance's Thinking Creatively with Pictures, and in dance/movement skills were investigated in 20 hearing impaired students, aged 9 to 14. Analysis of covariance showed that students given dance training improved significantly in originality, elaboration, total thinking creatively score, and…

The first step in helping students to think more creatively is to create a safe and inviting atmosphere. A discussion of the basic skills of creativity: fluency, originality, flexibility and elaboration, lays the foundation for suggestions for developing creative thinking within the framework of the existing curriculum. (JD)

"Creating a superhero", a minicourse for gifted elementary children, is described. (CL)

Defining creativity as a process that draws upon talents, education, skills, thinking and working styles, and inherent intelligence, and pinpointing motivation as the single most important ingredient in the creativity recipe, this book provides dozens of concrete, hands-on exercises and techniques that can help a parent or teacher keep creativity…

An enrichment program based on the Purdue Three-Stage Model (creative thinking abilities, creative problem solving, and independent study and research skills) resulted in no significant differences in self-concept scores for 199 gifted elementary participants compared to control Ss. Participants did, however, show significant differences in…

The article describes two one-hour sessions in image making, which serves as the foundation of the creative language arts program used by the author in teaching poetry and writing to children (grades K through 5). (SBH)

Uses a case-study approach to examine the role of belief as a catalytic quality in the artistic making and the thinking processes used by children. Describes the processes encountered by children when presented with artistic tasks. Discusses the relationship between belief and the three other main dimensions of artistic thinking and making: social…

Describes an entertaining approach to use in stimulating creative thinking in elementary science. (JMB)

Creative thinking and problem solving processes were studied in 233 gifted elementary students. (Author/DLS)

This manual presents instructional design strategies and sample student activities for creative problem solving. The ideas and suggestions are intended to support both students' mathematical attainment and their development of creative ability. The book begins with an introduction followed by discussions of unit design strategies and activity…

Briefly summarized in this literature review are definitions of curriculum, creativity, the creative process, the creative teacher, creative teaching, and creative adults and children. The curriculum as it relates to creativity and pertinent research on curriculum structure are also described. Lists of 9 obstacles to creativity and 12 aids to…

Eliciting creativity in every student in the classroom can be a realistic goal for classroom teachers. Teaching creatively can include: embracing a student-centered learning approach; using thematic approaches to content area subjects, which also promotes motivation; using a cooperative learning group process; and utilizing creative arts.…

This study compared the creative thinking areas of flexibility and fluency of fifth grade Japanese and American children. A new instrument for cross-cultural settings, consisting of ten flexibility items and six fluency items, was constructed and administered to fifth graders. The results indicated that there were no differences in fluency between…