Teaching Creativity With Doodle 4 Google
by Sophie Diao, The Google Doodle Team
We all have the ability to think creatively, whether or not we’d identify ourselves as creative people. Creativity is a process, more than a natural spark, and like any skill, it must be developed and nurtured. Through Doodle 4 Google, students across the country are meeting professional creators – the Google Doodle team – and learning how they harness and channel their imaginations to make some of the world’s most-seen drawings.
The creative process that the Doodle team employs can apply to almost any subject. For the Doodle team, every Google Doodle starts with an idea, just like any English paper or sculpture for art class. Through lesson plans and activity packs tailored to each class’s grade level, Doodle 4 Google helps teachers walk their students through the brainstorming stage to identify their idea; the creation stage to bring it to life; and the sharing and collaboration stage to provide peer review and constructive feedback.
Throughout, lesson plans are reinforced by videos and Connected Classroom sessions with Google Doodle team members, who walk the classes through one stage and demonstrate how this creative process works at Google – check out my Connected Classroom session here.
The Scholarship Part
In addition to the winning doodle being shared with the world for one day on our home page, the contest winner will receive a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 Google for Education technology grant for his or her school. He or she also will be an honorary Doodle team member for a day and work with the Doodle team to animate the doodle. Most importantly, thousands of students will try their hands at the creative process and channeling their imaginations into creations they can take pride in.
Here a few more details: you can download entry forms and K-12 lesson plans on the Doodle 4 Google site; doodles can be uploaded digitally or mailed in; there’s no limit to the number of doodles from any one school (just remember, only one doodle per student); go here for more info: google.com/doodle4google.
Now, start doodling!
Teaching Creativity With Doodle 4 Google; Image attribution 2103 Doodle 4 Google winner