Creating Collaborating & Problem-Solving

A cornerstone of the Framework for 21st Century Learning is the assertion that how children learn is equally as important as what they learn. Content knowledge alone does not prepare students for success in work, life, and citizenship. They also need practice thinking creatively and critically, solving problems, communicating their ideas effectively, and collaborating with others. This lesson addresses the challenge of how to teach those essential cognitive and social skills in the elementary years. Taking the lives and work of two artists as models, students observe and describe examples of creative problem-solving and collaboration. They then synthesize their learning by working together to create original artworks inspired by the artists’ examples