CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Imagination - How Imagination Can Take Kids Anywhere

Our imagination is a powerful tool that can help us develop creative solutions and see the world in a different way.

Imagination
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Responsibility
SEL Skills
  • Relationship Skills
  • Self-Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion
  • Diligent Learner

Definitions

Responsibility
  • Do what you are supposed to do. Try your best.
  • Persevere. Keep on trying.
  • Be self-disciplined.
  • Think before you act. Consider the consequences.
  • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes.
Relationship Skills

Create positive relationships and meaningful connections with family members, classmates, and teachers.

Self-Awareness

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes .

Curiosity and Passion

Enthusiastic to understand more about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Diligent Learner

Exhibit a growth mindset and willingness to learn from mistakes.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
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The Ray Center at Drake University

Students will explore the power of imagination from a class of first graders who are taking a trip to Mexico.

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activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?
  • What is the definition of imagination?
    • Imagination is the act of forming new ideas and picturing things you may not have experienced before.
  • With imagination, anything is possible. Could you use your imagination to travel somewhere? Why or why not?
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

Think about the video.

  • In the video, Steve says “Imagination isn’t just child’s play. As we get older, it fuels our creativity and helps us solve problems.” How can imagination help you solve problems as you get older?
  • Why do you think people may stop using their imagination as they get older?
  • How can your imagination help you understand something you have not personally experienced?
  • Do you think imagination is something you are born with, or something that you develop over time? Explain your answer.
  • Why do you think imagination is so powerful?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Pencils and paper
  • Travel guides or internet access (optional)
activity

Activity: Where Do You Want to Go?

  • Students will use their imagination to travel somewhere they have not been. Depending on the interests of your students and curricular topics, this place can be real, from a fictional story, or entirely made up by them.
  • Instruct students to pick the place they want to travel to in their imagination. They will create a poster to share with their classmates about their imaginary trip. Their poster should include:
    • Where they traveled to
    • How they got there
    • 4-5 experiences they had while traveling (things they saw, activities they did, etc.)
    • Three things they ate
    • A statement about why someone else should travel there
  • Optional: Allow students to use the internet to research where they are traveling to.
  • Follow-up questions:
    • How did it feel to imagine traveling to a new place?
    • What parts of your trip were easy to imagine? What parts were challenging to imagine?
    • Would you travel to this place in real life? Why or why not?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • What is something you have imagined that you wish could come true?
  • When has your imagination helped you solve a problem?

6-12

  • How can you use imagination as a tool to help you reach a goal?
  • How do you imagine yourself in 10 years? What can you do to help you achieve this vision?
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch

Discuss

Use these questions to start meaningful conversations about imagination.

  • What kinds of things do you imagine?
  • How can using our imagination make our family stronger?
  • How can we commit to being more imaginative at home?

Activity

  • Each family member will write down three goals. These can be short-term or long-term goals.
  • Give everyone time to share their goals and share what they imagine it would feel like to reach these goals.
  • Talk about how you can support one another in accomplishing them.

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