Activity Template – Think Outside the Box
This is a “Soft” Skills Integration activity template from the National FFA Organization titled “Think Outside the Box.” It provides two short creativity-building exercises—brainstorming uncommon uses for common items and devising creative solutions to everyday problems—designed to help students think innovatively and approach situations in new ways.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Develop innovative approaches to traditional practices.
- Identify creative uses for everyday products.
- Time required
- 20 minutes
- Materials
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- Each student should have access to a piece of paper and writing utensil.
- The following items are recommended, but can be changed based on resources available in the classroom: Pencil, Post-it note, Paperclip, Dry erase marker
- Resources
- FFA.org
- Suggested Use
- Incorporate any of these activities into the class curriculum before and during the following: 1. Team building activities. 2. Collaborative or group projects. 3. Ice breaker activity. 4. Career exploration activities.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills
- Collaboration; Communication; Social and Cross-Cultural Skills; Work Creatively with Other
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
AFNR Career Ready Practices
Common Core – Language
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
FFA Precept
- FFA-CS-M.CommunicationEffectively interact with others in personal and professional settings.
FFA Precepts
- FFA.CS-N.Decision MakingAnalyze a situation and execute an appropriate course of action.
Next Generation Science
- HS-ETS1-3Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.