Guiding questions

Stage 1: individual work

  • What is the absolute best idea that pops into your brain right now?
  • If you could only pick one thing to draw/write, what would it be?

Stage 2: in pairs

  • Who wants to share their snowflake first? Decide who is Partner A and Partner B.
  • How are your two ideas the same? How are they different?
  • Can you mash your two ideas together to make one new, bigger idea?
  • If you have to pick just one idea to share with the next group, which one do you both agree on?

Stage 3: working in fours

  • Pairs, take turns introducing your best idea to the new pair. Who will be the brave speaker for your pair?
  • Did any pair bring the exact same idea to the group?
  • What is the most surprising thing you just heard from the other pair?
  • Now that you have four brains working together, what are the top two ideas you want to keep?

Stage 4: Whole Class

  • Which group wants to share an idea that everyone in their group agreed on?
  • Did anyone change their mind today because they heard a great idea from a friend?
  • Look at all these ideas on the board! How did working together make our ideas better than when we were just single snowflakes?