Section 3: Relevance to Course Content

Relevance to Course Content

As previously mentioned, I have designed a creativity crash course which will include two specific creativity challenges that students will engage in. I designed the creativity challenges to match the content discussed in our course this semester and have related them to specific events that occurred throughout history. Having designed each challenge to match course content, I will divide this section into two parts and describe how each challenge relates to what I have learned this semester. (Key terms are bolded and numbered for convenience)

Part 1

1. Food in abundance – Mesopotamia

            Food in abundance is exactly what the phrase implies: a sufficient amount or abundance of food within a given civilization. A sufficient supply of food is the very first step in establishing a functioning civilization and is absolutely necessary for lasting creativity. It allowed the early tribal groups to localize and work together in harmony. This localization of food and agriculture increased a populations density and built a foundation that led to the institution of labor specialization, the organization of society, and the eventual creation of writing systems. Without the foundation of agricultural success, a civilization could never advance further in this process (p. 3).

One of the earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia, demonstrated their capacity to create a successful agricultural system and provide food in abundance. Living between the Tigris and Euphrates river, Mesopotamians are credited with one of the most significant accomplishments in history as they mastered the domestication of grains. One early problem faced by the Mesopotamians was the annual flooding of these two great rivers. These floods were dangerous because they left a layer of silt across the land which destroyed crops and threatened civilization. Thinking creatively, they developed irrigation systems which solved the annual problems caused by the floods and successfully domesticated grains and other forms of agriculture (p. 9-10). 

2. Labor Specialization - Egypt:

            Labor specialization is the idea that individuals can divide responsibilities in a civilization. Humans began a transition from a generalist to specialist as they began to specialize in a particular division of labor. This increased their efficiency, and often meant that individuals could work in areas of expertise that they liked. Labor specialization was a natural consequence of a societies success in cultivating their agriculture. As families were able to produce more food than that which was needed, they were able to make profitable returns and created a market which opened up many divisions of labor specializing in “distribution, finance, bookkeeping, and marketing” (p. 3). As individuals specialized in specific areas of labor, it opened the doors for great creative projects. 

The Pharaoh’s of Egypt, rulers believed to be demigods, began to exploit the talents and time of their people that was made possible by labor specialization. He convinced those who were not working, to engage in strenuous projects building great pyramids which served as burial tombs and ensured the Pharaoh a successful transition to the after life. Burial was an important part of religiosity in Egypt and the adherence to Pharaohs admonition to build a tomb was likely successful because of the division of labor and other parts of FLOW (p. 27-28). Students fulfilling this first creativity challenge, will be expected to use their skills and interests to divide up and specialize in particular aspects of labor in order to complete the project on time.

Creativity Challenge #1 - Building Pharaoh's Tomb

My First creativity challenge was inspired by multiple events occurring in early civilizations but will have specific reference to Egyptian creativity displayed in the construction of the great pyramids. In this creativity challenge, I split the students up into four groups of 6-7 students and gave them each a "mystery bag" which contained many random artifacts they had to use to build a unique and elegant tomb for pharaoh. Each artifact had historical significance and related to a key term in the course content. Although all had significance, I will only discuss six of the artifacts below.

3. Silk Road - Creativity through trade

            Although trade between cities isn’t a part of the FLOW acronym, I do believe that it holds a necessary role in the the continual development of creativity and innovation within a civilization. As noted in the textbook and in class on multiple occasions, civilizations that became closed off to the outside world and new ideas remained stagnant in their ability to be creative and innovate. Trade plays an integral role in creativity as it opened their eyes to more ideas and materials which could be adopted and innovated. One of the great symbols of trade in the ancient world was the Silk Road which bridged the gap between China and Europe. The Silk Road opened the door to trade between these civilizations for centuries. It stretched from the China’s capital in Xi’an, clear to the Black Sea and was traveled by many explorers (p. 45-46). China was known for it's silk fabrics which were only available in that country until the 7th century. Central Asian countries would come to China to trade for it and would bring livestock, different types of foods, and other luxuries which were introduced into China for the first time. This route hosted some of the worlds most famous explorers such as Marco Polo. (Read More). To integrate this key characteristic of creativity into my first challenge, I will encourage students to trade with other groups in order to build their tomb the way they hope to build it. As a part of the creativity challenge, I invited and encourages students to trade materials with other groups in order to come up with a design that was pleasing to them.

4. Tacitus - Creative Historian

I wanted this scroll of paper to represent the writings of Tacitus, a Roman historian. As we all know, Rome was great at taking a Greek tradition, concept, or art and changing it just enough to justifiably claim it as their own. This is seen in all forms of Roman art and was no different in the case of Tacitus who creatively altered the approach of Thucydides in recording important history. Greek Historian, Thucydides, took a very objective approach to history and wrote “masterful” histories of the “Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta” always being careful to record fact and not include his own opinions. Tacitus, on the other hand, would add lots of opinion and exaggerated details hoping that he would be able to entertain or excite “the average Roman reader.” I loved the creative approach that Tacitus took which must have been a fresh air to history students used to reading dry history books. He was willing to entertain ambiguous ideas and even squeezed in stories from “dubious sources” not only to teach history, but to excite the mind and explore new possibilities (p. 256). 

5. Jesus of Nazareth – "one eternal round" of creativity and life

I chose this round ball to represent Jesus of Nazareth who’s teaching are believed to bring eternal life and described as “one eternal round” (Read More). Jesus was born in the meridian of time and is the central figure in Christian religions around the world. His teachings are accepted and taught in and estimated 30,000-40,000 Christian denominations world-wide (Read More). He grew up in the Jewish tradition and practiced Jewish norms until He began His own ministry at the accepted age of 30. Jews held strongly to the belief and many prophecies that a Messiah would come to save their people and bring peace and deliverance. They observed strict obedience to the Law of Moses which was established hundreds of years before Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.  When Christ came, however, He taught that He came as the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and Redeemer of all mankind. His teachings conflicted and arguably fulfilled the Mosaic law which caused great controversy among the Jews. His life and eventual death marked the beginning of a new life for Christians, and has proved to be a great symbol of creativity as His teaching have impacted an estimated 13.5 billion followers over the centuries (Read More). 

6. Five Basic Pillars of Islam –  Creativity in Islam

Although these wood skewers would make menial pillars at best, I put 5 wood skewers in each bag to represent the Five Basic Pillars of Islam. Islam was founded by their believed to be Prophet, Mohammad, an incredibly intelligent, creative, and spiritual man who had a unique connection to the divine. Islam is based on his teachings and writings, in particularly those found in the Holy Qur’an. A basic understanding of Islam, however, can be achieved by learning of the Five Basic Pillars which represent the most basic “believes and practices that all Muslims should accept” (p. 303). These beliefs include:

·         Shahadah: The Muslim belief in one God and His Prophet, Mohammad. Muslims must sincerely profess their acceptance of this belief upon conversion

·         Salat: Muslims are required to perform ritual prayers five times a day at specific times outlined for them. Muslims prostrate themselves upon the earth in humble adoration and remembrance of their God.

·         Zakat: This includes “paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy” when they fast and at other appropriate times.

·         Sawm: Completing the entire 40 day fast during the month of Ramadan which is decided by their specific religious calendar. They are not allowed to eat, drink, or engage in any other “worldly” pleasures during the time while the sun is up.

·         Hajj: Muslims at some point in their life must visit Mecca on a pilgrimage and participate in the five day ceremony of “spiritual cleansing and rebirth” (p. 303). 

7. Guilds – Merchants "held" together to creatively form guilds 

I wanted the glue stick to represent the Medieval association known as a guild. During the middle ages, we can see a pretty unique and creative transition from Labor Specialization to Order and Organization of Society, parts two and three of the FLOW pattern of prosperous civilizations. Recognizing the danger of traveling alone and other difficulties of trade and business during this time, individual merchants of all kinds began to come together and organize what we now call a guild. Guilds helped to “regulate quality and prices for their goods,” “control the many people… moving in,” and helped run apprentice programs within a society (p. 345). It’s amazing to see the growth and creativity that took place in these guilds since they started off as a simple gesture to ensure safety when traveling to the market. Although they are not called guilds today, almost all professions have an association tied to them which perform some of the many functions the guilds of the middle ages carried out. 

8. Monastic Life and Learning – "Elastic" bands

The “elastic” bands reminded me of the new “Monastic Life” that initiated in the early Middle Ages. As Christianity became more widespread across Europe, many Christians began building and seeking serenity in Monasteries. Many of these were Benedictine Monasteries which required their residents to obey strict orders of abstinence from worldly pleasures and complete adherence to theological doctrines. The main purpose of a Monastery was to obtain “salvation” or “deliverance from the powers of evil that arise from original sin” and hold us back from achieving our potential (Read More). Monasteries began to be extremely wealthy and turned into a great symbol of learning and knowledge in Christianity. The Monastic Learning method, later used in Universities, typically just involved one monk speaking or reading in a lecture format with little to no discussion. It was also known as glossing and was a popular form of learning, in particularly among Saint Bernard and his Monasteries. 

9. Christopher Columbus –  He "stuck" to the task at hand

After his ideas were first rejected by the Portuguese and Columbus was turned away, he then went to Spain trying to convince them that he could “reach India and the Far East more quickly by sailing west.” He was also turned down in Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however, to the credit of Columbus and friends who “stuck” to the task, they eventually received funding for this new journey which would prove to be revolutionary in many ways. After many preparations were made, and the journey began, things didn’t look good for Columbus and his crew who nearly had to turn around and head home. But in a spark of good fortune and just the right time, the crew spotted land which they believed was Eastern Asia. We know and are grateful for how the story ends, but the unique thing about it is that it was actually a big failure. Columbus hadn’t come even close to doing what he intended to do, but his creative mind allowed him to make one of the most recognized discoveries of the western world (p. 471-472). We can learn from Columbus how essential failure is to creativity and the life blood of creativity is resilience. 

10. Gothic Architecture  - The "Pointed Arch"

The form of architecture most commonly referred to as “Gothic” architecture quickly became accepted in Europe for a period of time. It's earliest beginnings were on the church of St-Denis and spread rapidly from there. Perhaps the most famous representation of Gothic architecture is the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France. Gothic architecture used what they called a “pointed arch,” which would “allow much higher and thinner walls” than what they were able to make before that time period. It became a competition all throughout Europe to see who could use this form of architecture to make the largest, tallest, and most memorable Cathedrals to demonstrate power, prestige, and welcome tourists and pilgrims. The tallest of these buildings, the cathedral in Strasbourg, reached to be 466 feet tall and brought great pride to the city and it’s inhabitants. The walls were “filled with windows” which allowed a lot of light to come through and provide a unique atmosphere inside the buildings. Inside the buildings, the structure was organized and arranged to fit a very symbolic mold which would remind patrons of theological doctrine and principles (p. 390 – 392).

11. Appian Way – The "colored" history and Creativity among Christians

I chose these colored popsicle sticks lined up to represent the Appian way and it’s “colored” history. The Appian way was known as one of the “most important Roman roads of the ancient republic” and is still visible in Italy today. It was originally built for the transportation of military personnel and materials and later used for many more purposes. Lots of other roads built off of this central route which gave birth to the common phrase, “all roads lead to Rome” (Read More). Although it was creatively constructed and put to great use, it also became a dark symbol of death for Christians during their early days. It was there on the Appian Way, that Emperor Nero “went so far as to crucify Christians… then set them afire to provide lighting to the road” (p. 269). Because of this, the Christians had to demonstrate excellent creativity as they came up with secret signs and symbols that were intended to be recognized only among followers for obvious safety reasons. Christians throughout history would have to overcome many persecutions from the Roman and Islamic empires.

Part 2

12. Order and Organization of Society – India

            Before civilization existed, humans typically survived in small, family based groups of people known as tribes. The merging and unification of these tribes took great effort and creativity to satisfy the needs and wants of each tribe, often requiring sacrifice or compromise to create a functioning society. As the division of labor became more prevalent, social hierarchy’s and early forms of government began to take form. Groups with power began to regulate economic processes, organization of law and law reinforcement, living standards, the protecting of the people, and other important decisions to maintain order within their society. 

            In the ancient civilization discovered in India, two cities were founded which are each believed to have hosted nearly 50,000 citizens. The Dravidians are known as the people that built these cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. You can imagine the organization it would have taken to control these kinds of masses. Evidence in the textbook supports their ability to create order and organize a functioning society. A “logical city grid” was used to organize streets, houses, and government buildings in an orderly manner. They also innovated building materials which allowed them to build a “Great assembly hall and very large public bath” and provide these basic services for their inhabitants. Another example of their unique creativity was the development of a city sewage and “sanitation system” which was connected to every building in the city and hidden underneath the streets. In addition, the Dravidians decided on a standardized method of weighing materials in order to ensure “uniformity in amounts and trade” (p. 37-38). We can begin to see how civilizations strategically worked together to establish order and organization in their society which is a critical part of team building and creativity. 

13. Writing System – China

            The success of a civilization greatly depended on the effectiveness of their communication. Oral forms of communication were well established, however, written forms evolved over time and became more effective throughout history. It was critical to have a writing system in order to responsibly pass down information from generation to generation and to ensure accuracy in trade and other forms of business. Ancient written languages have been generalized into three categories in our textbook. These categories include “logograms, syllabaries, and alphabets.” Each one of these writing systems used symbols which were used to represent words, phrases, ideas, syllables, and sounds (p. 5). Certainly these systems required tedious labor and meticulous attention to detail. 

            The Chinese writing system which used over 50,000 symbols, is an ideal representation of the power that a good writing system can have within a civilization. This system made it possible for the Chinese to make incredibly accurate ancestral records which helped structure the way they worshiped in their religious practices. The development of written communication also influenced social hierarchies which were determined and measured by literacy. Those that were literate typically found roles as “government bureaucrats” and were given power over those that were illiterate. China’s writing system proved to be incredibly successful and is still in place today (p. 42-43). 

                                             Creativity Challenge #2 – Mystery Message

  The purpose of this challenge is to help students express their creativity to create a new form of communication and understand the importance of transferable knowledge in creativity. I will be giving each group a “mystery message” which they will need to communicate to another group without using written or spoken English. All other mediums of communication such as representative symbols, song, dance, etc.… will be accepted. In congruence with this challenge, I will teach them about creativity in Greece and discuss Greek Philosophy, the Greek Alphabet, the development of paper, important texts such as the Iliad and Odyssey, and the institution of the university. As they participate in this creativity challenge it is my hope that they will recognize the importance of clear communication and explore creative methods to forming an accurate medium to convey an important message.

Mystery Messages:

1. "A sympathetic friend can be quite as dear as a brother." - Homer

2. "Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a disgrace" - Hesiod

3. "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop

4. "there is no innovation and creativity without failure" - Brene Brown

14. Greek Alphabet

            The Greek Alphabet is believed to have been created at the end of the Greek Dark ages around the year 800 B.C. There is no telling how far the influence of this creation has reached and likely cannot be measured. Believed to be the worlds first fully phonetic alphabet, it made possible some of the most significant creations of Greek Civilization. The alphabet led to creative changes in Greek civilization, ethics, religion, philosophy, and science which have all continued to influence the world even until today. The creation of this alphabet with only 24 symbols made it possible for the Greeks to “write as they thought” and create “new words” which “were used to represent the new ideas” as they gained more knowledge (p. 69).

            This meant that the Greeks learning was uncapped and had infinite boundaries. Their creativity certainly had the constraints of a written alphabet, but its phonetic characteristic allowed them to explore and explain new hypotheses, philosophies, and eventually establish theories in religion, nature, and other forms of institutional knowledge. Their ability to effectively record and communicate their findings resulted in the eventual development of science and other forms of creative thinking. 

15. Homers Writings

Symbol: “A sympathetic friend can be quite as dear as a brother.” – Homer

            One of the greatest fruits of the Greek Alphabet was the recorded editions of two famous Greek poems written by a blind poet named Homer. These poems, the Iliad and Odyssey, had a huge impact on literature and created an entire genre, “the epic”, which has been used throughout the centuries by our worlds greatest poets and authors. For the Greeks who didn’t have any religion, they served a similar purpose as the Bible did in Christianity. They helped to form belief systems, “basic values”, and ethics which were later adopted by the Greek. These books provided the Greek citizens with a standard of morals to live up to and brought them great pride because the stories told were of great victories and courageous warriors (p.72).

            The fame and widespread of these two written poems was immediate and impactful. It was widely accepted throughout all of the city states in Greece and regularly quoted or memorized.  It also had a huge impact on the way that the Greek language was solidified. As the book become more popular, the Greek which was used in these two epics created a pattern for Greek linguistics that would stick. The way that I have integrated the creativity of Homer into my project is by choosing a quote from Homer that I hope will be meaningful and shape the way that the students think for the rest of their lives. The quote that is chose is “a sympathetic friend can be quite as dear as a brother” and my hope is that they will not only understand this thought conceptually, but experience friendship as they work together in groups to create a new medium of communication to relay this message accurately.

           

16. Hesiod’s Writings – Greek Religion

Symbol: “Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a disgrace” - Hesiod

            Shortly after the development of the Greek alphabet, another great Greek writer would put his penmanship to the test as he recorded Greek myths. Hesiod is known for his creative literary contributions which impacted the religious life of Greece. His most famous work, knows as Theogony, told of the ancestral “decent of the gods” which separated deity from man. Another one of his other very important works is titled Works and Days, which includes many creation stories that describe the relationship between man and the Greek gods. These myths weren’t meant to describe “patterns for proper living” but were written with the intent to provide “explanations for events that were not readily understood” by man. Many have heard a tale or two thanks to Hesiod’s written works. The connection we typically don’t make, however, is the contribution his tales had on modern day athletics (p.73).

            In honor and celebration of Zues, the most powerful and prominent Greek God, the citizens of Greece established a traditional sporting event we now recognize as the Olympics. Although this Greek sporting event isn’t traced explicitly to Homer, his records recorded important myths which motivated the event in the first place (p.74). It goes to show how important the written word was in providing ideas for creativity which was displayed in the origination of the Olympics. To integrate Hesiod’s important works into my project, I have also included a quotation from him that I believe exemplifies one of his great contributions to creativity, and attitude of hard work and determination. His contribution has inspired individuals and particularly athletes all over the world to work hard and be resilient. My hope is to pass that message on to my 6^th grade students.

           

17. Aesop’s Fables – Greek Ethics

Symbol: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop

            A few hundred years after Homer and Hesiod, another famous author by the name of Aesop arose. A number of differences can be detected between Aesop and the others. One of those is the interesting detail that Aesop was actually a slave. I love that detail because it is one of the first recorded examples of an individual who overcame inequality and hardship whose influence had a lasting impact on society. Another notable difference, in particularly between the works of Hesiod and Aesop, is the writing approach and purpose of Aesop. Whereas Hesiod wrote to provide explanations for unresolved phenomena, Aesop wrote fables which each taught moral principles and prescribed patterns of living that equated to a good life (p. 74).

            Aesop wrote many fables which are still widely accepted and quoted in modern society. Some of the fables highlight principles which parallel theological doctrine in worldwide religions such as Christianity. Some of his most famous works include, “The Lion and the Mouse,” the “Tortoise and the Hair,” and “The Greedy Dog” (p. 74). His creative approach to writing not only taught meaningful moral principles, but used a medium of fun and unique stories that people would remember. This is why I chose to let the students use any form of communication other than written or spoken English to communicate their mystery message. In addition, I will use a powerful quote by Aesop which teaches a meaningful message I hope the students remember. The quote I will use is, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

           

18. Greek Science

            One of the greatest thinkers of all time was a Greek many by the name of Thales. As a result of many Greek myths which used the gods as scapegoats for the unexplainable, people often drew conclusions that explained natural phenomena in superficial ways. Thales, however was different in his approach to explaining the unknown. Thales argued that “All events, even extraordinary ones, can be explained in natural terms that can be understood by humans.” His approach proved to be incredibly innovative and sparked not only the beginnings of, but foundation for scientific and philosophic models and discovery.

            The teachings of Thales were openly accepted and “this paradigm shift in thought provided the blueprint for the explosion of Greek thought and creativity.” The way by which I will be integrating this project into place is by purposefully holding back my own ideas that might provide a scapegoat for the students’ creativity. I won’t be suggesting ideas for how I think this challenge could be completed, but will simple describe the constraints and set them free to create. I hope that by doing so, they will experience a paradigm shift in their own thought and as they look around the classroom they will discover new ways to accomplish it.