1 How to brainstorm

First, you should reflect on any previous experiences you or your have had in taking part in a brainstorm. Note that in this unit, ‘brainstorm’ is used as both a noun (the brainstorming session) and as a verb (participating in the process of brainstorming).

Pause for thought

  • Have you tried brainstorming yourself?
  • Is it something that you think your students will be familiar with?

It is likely that you will have worked with colleagues to share ideas. In a ‘true’ brainstorm, the thinking is open and broad. Some of the initial ideas will eventually be rejected, but in the first stage it is important that everyone has the chance to contribute anything they think of. If they have never done it before, it might take your students a few attempts before they get used to this way of thinking and working.

Brainstorming is an informal process and only has a few simple rules. It does not require a lot of setting up or advance preparation. It can be done at any time during a lesson or sequence of lessons, and there is no optimum or fixed time limit for it. Brainstorming works best when done in a group.

The process is started off with a prompt, which can be in the form of a question, a word, a statement, a photograph or a picture. Students are then encouraged to think about anything they can that is related to the prompt. All their ideas are recorded without judgement. Only after the ideas-generation session has ended are the responses discussed and evaluated, and then either kept or discarded.

Brainstorming rules

  1. Criticism is not allowed: Adverse judgement of ideas must be withheld until later.
  2. Being unconventional is welcomed: The wilder the idea, the better. Inappropriate ideas can be rejected later.
  3. Quantity is good: The greater the number of ideas, the better the process works.
  4. Combination and improvement are sought: In addition to contributing ideas of their own, students should suggest how the ideas of others can be turned into better ideas, or how two or more ideas can be joined into yet another idea.

Activity 1: Brainstorm ‘force and laws of motion’ with your colleagues

This activity is for you to do on your own or with other teachers. You will need a piece of paper, a pen, and of course your imaginations – that’s all!

The purpose of this activity is for you to learn how to brainstorm. As you brainstorm, you will also be able to think creatively about how the ideas that students will learn about forces and motion apply to their everyday lives, and use these ideas in your lessons.

Write ‘Forces and motion in everyday life’ in the centre of the piece of paper. Think about the daily lives of your students and write down as many examples as you all can think of where the things they will learn about in this topic are relevant to what they are doing. Examples are: opening a door, lifting a wheelbarrow or oiling a bicycle. All of these demonstrate scientific principles, such as levers and friction. Think about the sports they play, the tasks they do at home, and the transport they use. You could extend it to include things that they don’t necessarily do, but that they might see on television or in films, such as parachute jumping, streamlined trains or space travel.

Hopefully your piece of paper will soon be covered in ideas. The process will have been helpful, because it will have encouraged you to think more creatively about teaching the topic of ‘Force and laws of motion’. You will be able to use these examples when you are explaining some of the scientific principles. However, there is more to brainstorming than gathering ideas. You need to use the ideas to support learning.

Underline all the ideas that are associated with your students’ daily routine. These could be the basis of a homework exercise. For example, you could ask your students to explain the science behind certain activities that they are likely to do. They should draw force diagrams and include force arrows.

Draw a circle around all the ideas associated with sport. Are there any of these that you could demonstrate in the classroom, or by going outside the classroom? Look at the syllabus and work out two or three simple demonstrations that you could get your students to take part in.

Pause for thought

  • How did your brainstorming activity go? Did you find it an easy or difficult experience?
  • How creative were you able to be about ‘force and laws of motion’ using brainstorming?
  • How can you use the results of your brainstorming session to help you plan your lessons on ‘force and laws of motion’?

Why this approach is important

2 What makes a good brainstorming prompt?