If Then Creativity Blog

Debra Lemieux

Embrace This Trait to Nurture Creativity

29 Feb 2016

Cherry Blossoms in the Spring, Created by Joyce, Age 14, Grade 8, Oil on canvas, Art Teacher: Ellen Shlayan

Developing Creative Fluency

26 Feb 2016

A warm-up is a short activity at the start of a lesson. Warm-ups help jump-start students' thinking and have many purposes including:

to introduce a new topic
to reinforce skills
to motivate students
to prepare students to learn
to assess how much students know
to develop students’ creative thinking

A Conversation About Fashion

15 Feb 2016

Library of Congress Image: Illus. in: The Delineator. New York : The Butterick company, inc., v. 109, no. 2 (1926 August), p. 28-29.

Recent Reads

09 Feb 2016

Brun-Cosme, Nadine. Big Wolf & Little Wolf, Such a Beautiful Orange!

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

02 Feb 2016

The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site has much to offer visitors interested in the history of civil rights. It is located in the former Monroe Elementary School, one of four segregated elementary schools established for African Americans in Topeka, Kansas, and it is the only national park named after a United States Supreme Court case. Visitors learn how Brown v. Board of Education ended legal segregation in public schools and how “the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

Exhibits detail the history of segregation in America, the Brown v. Board of Education court decision, and the legacy of the the case throughout the world. A restored early 1950s kindergarten classroom serves as a place for families to connect to history. Artifacts in the classroom, such as a flag with 48 stars, help visitors compare and contrast the classroom to their own memories of kindergarten. I happened to visit the same day as a student who attended the school in the 1950s. It was fascinating to listen to her reminisce about the original classrooms and routines.

To learn more about this historic site, including curriculum-based education programs , visit the Brown v. Board of Education website. Read More...

What Books Comprise Your Ideal Bookshelf?

24 Jan 2016

As a result of their passion for reading, artist Jane Mount and writer Thessaly La Force asked 100+ creative people to assemble their ideal “bookshelves.” This select group represented a variety of disciplines, and many of them cited reading as a gateway to their creative pursuits. My Ideal Bookshelf will inspire you, help you find new books to read, and make you think about your own ideal bookshelf. Included is a template that allows you to create your own bookshelf.

Innovations From a Distant Time

14 Jan 2016

Power and Pathos, the exhibit of bronze sculptures at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., is remarkable. Fifty bronze sculptures, dating from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD, capture the “dynamic realism, expression, and detail that characterize the new artistic goals of the era.” Innovations from a distant time still seem relevant today and offer inspiration for prolonged viewing and future exploration. Only a small fraction of ancient bronzes survives because most were melted down over the centuries. Many of the exhibit’s lifelike masterpieces were discovered via the sea, having washed ashore or pulled up in fishing nets.

How Many Have You Read?

11 Jan 2016

"Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work." - American Library Association Read More...