Brainstorming allows students to share ideas about a particular topic. Use brainstorming to get your students thinking about possible answers to questions, approaches to solving a problem or to come up with a thesis for science experimentation. Brainstorming can be done as a whole class or in a small group. Present the question or problem and write student responses on the board or have someone in the class take notes. Encourage the entire class to participate, but narrow the focus of the responses when students get off-topic. For small group brainstorming, give one person the job of leading the brainstorming session and one person the job of taking notes on the ideas presented. Set a time limit for both classroom and small group brainstorming to help keep students on task.
Reverse brainstorming is an effective tool to encourage higher-level thinking in students. Begin the session by presenting the problem or challenge and writing it down so all can see. Then continue the session by asking the question, "How could I cause this problem," or "How could I make the opposite happen?" Give students plenty of time to share their ideas. When the conversation slows, have students reverse their answers into ways to solve the original problem or answer the original question.
Starbursting is a type of brainstorming that focuses on generating questions rather than answers. Generating important questions about a topic, problem or question helps students focus their thoughts on not only how to solve a problem, but on what other problems might arise from the given situation. Have students offer their questions and write them on the board under the original problem or question. After a few minutes of starbursting, talk about the possible answers to each question and how they can change or improve the original problem or question.
The random input tool helps students learn how to come up with fresh ideas for old problems. Use this tool as a way to encourage creative thinking in your classroom. Begin the activity by writing a problem on the board, like "How to reduce greenhouse gases in the environment." Then choose a noun that relates to that problem, like the word "plant." Students have to brainstorm solutions to the problem using this word. For example, a student might contribute, "Use more plants in areas around factories that release pollutants into the air," or "Require people to have a certain number of plants around their homes to help clean the air." Forcing the brainstorming to be centered around one word challenges students to think in new ways about ongoing issues.