the creative sequence
The Creative Sequence is a process through which students progress through various stages of exploring a driving question including:
- Understanding the driving question and who they are (the Observation Stage)
- Exploring what they want and need to know about the driving question (the Investigation Stage)
- Coming up with a variety of ideas and potential solutions to the driving question (the Incubation Stage)
- Developing solutions to the driving question and deciding which works the best (the Solution and Decision Stages)
- Presenting the chosen solution(s) to an authentic audience and obtaining feedback (the Validation Stage)
For more information on each of the stages of the Creative Sequence, including strategies for working with students within each of them, see below.
- Understanding the driving question and who they are (the Observation Stage)
- Exploring what they want and need to know about the driving question (the Investigation Stage)
- Coming up with a variety of ideas and potential solutions to the driving question (the Incubation Stage)
- Developing solutions to the driving question and deciding which works the best (the Solution and Decision Stages)
- Presenting the chosen solution(s) to an authentic audience and obtaining feedback (the Validation Stage)
For more information on each of the stages of the Creative Sequence, including strategies for working with students within each of them, see below.
observation
The Observation Stage of the Creative Sequence is the very beginning of the sequence. Typically this stage is one that is handled by the educator and involves selecting the significant content the unit will cover, the driving question the students will be exploring, and setting up the conditions for students to effectively collaborate with one another. Every once in a while though, students may be given the opportunity to define what they would like to explore and what the guiding question will be that will structure their investigation.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Observation Stage.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Observation Stage.
investigation
The Investigation Stage of the Creative Sequence involves students defining what they need and want to know related to the driving question and begins their exploration of it. Within this stage students are uncovering, researching, and gathering information related to the driving question.
Typically within the Investigation Stage students are working at Level 1 (recalling or reproducing facts, terms, concepts, trends, and theories) and/or Level 2 (describing, interpreting, or explaining issues and patterns, reasons, cause and effect, significance or impact, relationships, points of view, or processes) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Investigation Stage.
Typically within the Investigation Stage students are working at Level 1 (recalling or reproducing facts, terms, concepts, trends, and theories) and/or Level 2 (describing, interpreting, or explaining issues and patterns, reasons, cause and effect, significance or impact, relationships, points of view, or processes) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Investigation Stage.
incubation
The Incubation Stage of the Creative Sequence involves students beginning to come up with various ideas and possible solutions to the driving question based upon the information that they gathered and uncovered in the Investigation Stage. This is the stage in which students try and "brainstorm" or come up with as many different possibilities related to the driving question as possible.
Typically within the Incubation Stage students are working at Level 2 (describing, interpreting, or explaining issues and patterns, reasons, cause and effect, significance or impact, relationships, points of view, or processes) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Incubation Stage.
Typically within the Incubation Stage students are working at Level 2 (describing, interpreting, or explaining issues and patterns, reasons, cause and effect, significance or impact, relationships, points of view, or processes) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Incubation Stage.
solution/decision
The Solution and Decision Stages of the Creative Sequence involve students deciding which of the ideas that they came up within the Incubation Stage best address the driving question. Typically within this stage of the Creative Sequence students focus in on the solution(s) that they will present to their authentic audience at the end.
Typically within the Solution and Decision Stages students are working at Level 3 (drawing conclusions, citing evidence, using concepts to solve problems, and proposing and evaluating solutions to problems) and/or Level 4 (analyzing and synthesizing information from multiple sources and reflecting on, assessing and adjusting plans over time) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Solution and Decision Stage.
Typically within the Solution and Decision Stages students are working at Level 3 (drawing conclusions, citing evidence, using concepts to solve problems, and proposing and evaluating solutions to problems) and/or Level 4 (analyzing and synthesizing information from multiple sources and reflecting on, assessing and adjusting plans over time) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Solution and Decision Stage.
validation
The Validation Stage of the Creative Sequence involves students preparing for how they will present their solution(s) to the driving question and gathering feedback from their authentic audience.
Typically within the Validation Stage students are working at Level 4 (analyzing and synthesizing information from multiple sources and reflecting on, assessing and adjusting plans over time) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Solution and Decision Stage.
Typically within the Validation Stage students are working at Level 4 (analyzing and synthesizing information from multiple sources and reflecting on, assessing and adjusting plans over time) of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
Click here for strategies for working with students within the Solution and Decision Stage.