Synectics
1) Place several interesting, strange, or fun pictures in each
team area.
2) Have each person select a picture that looks interesting to
him or her.
3) Present a topic, concept, or vocabulary term the students
should understand.
4) Students complete this statement:
My picture (substitute what their picture is and show the class)
is like (substitute the concept, topic or vocabulary term)
because…
EXAMPLE: My picture of a pig on a go cart is like carrying
capacity because the go cart can function with one or even a
few pigs riding it, but there is a point where there are too many
pigs for the cart to run. An area of land can support some
organisms but there is a limit.
Options:
Conduct the activity with a partner or team
Have the students pick an unusual word and complete the
analogy with the given concept or term
Tell students the term or concept and a category for their
analogy completion.
Example: What musical instrument is the Marshall
Plan most like? Why?
