LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify health benefits associated with creativity; brainstorm ways to spark creativity.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 7: Practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Self-management, self-awareness

KEY VOCAB

cognitive

chronic

Lesson Plan: Your Body on Creativity

Tapping into your inner artist can benefit your mental and physical health.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “Your Body on Creativity,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

How does being creative affect your mind, body, and mood?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the article “Your Body on Creativity”; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION AND VOCAB

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz with vocabulary questions

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following extension activity:

Have students challenge themselves to A WEEK OF CREATIVITY! Over the course of the week, have your class engage in three creative activities, tracking the activities they chose by using the provided table and by taking photos. For students who already have regular creative habits, encourage them to complete the challenge by flexing their creativity in new ways. After the challenge is over, have students use the provided prompts to create and share short visual presentations about their week of creativity.

Print the Lesson Plan

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