EDUA 5470 Activate Creative K-5 ELA Literacy
ACTIVATING CREATIVITY THROUGH LITERACY IN ELA (K-5)
Creativity is often undervalued as a powerful tool in schools because it isn’t a requirement of K-12 education. However, as we standardize the definition of creativity through initiatives like the Partnership for 21st Century Learning, we can propel creative thinking as a skill that helps students meet ELA standards and prepares them for college and careers.
At the elementary level, creativity can be cultivated through reading, writing, drawing, playing, and imagination. Students who are creative can synthesize information to form new ideas, ask complex questions to build on concepts, view problems through multiple lenses, and present innovative solutions to challenges. In this course, you will gain the tools, techniques, and resources needed to build creative literacy into your ELA curriculum. You will also learn strategies to help students become independent, self-directed learners who can use creative thinking to explore, discover, problem solve, and innovate while developing the necessary literacy skills that will allow them to succeed beyond the classroom. By the end of the course, you will be able to design literacy units, projects, and assessments that foster student creativity in your K-5 classrooms, and offer feedback on creative works in ways that support students’ continued growth.