THE TOOLKIT SERIES
Cultivating Innovation and Originality through Student Creativity
Access brainstorming routines, design-thinking frameworks, and innovation toolkits engineered to spark original student production.
Unlocking Divergent Thinking
Creativity is a deliberate, learnable competency that extends far beyond innate artistic talent. By integrating divergent thinking into everyday classroom learning, we empower students to discover compelling problems, navigate ambiguity with confidence, and transform existing knowledge into entirely fresh, valuable insights.
The Core Definition
“Creativity is an individual’s capacity to generate novel and effective solutions to challenges, rearrange schemas to construct new meaning, and sustain an investigation through iterative trial, error, and reflection.”
The Divergent Path of Innovation
01
| Inquiry & Problem Finding
02
| Ideate & Imagine
03
| Risk & Experiment
04
| Iterate & Refine
The 5 Dimensions of Creativity
This framework charts how learners build and scale their creative competency. By grounding the innovation process in self-awareness, students learn to safely navigate the vulnerable phases of idea cultivation, intellectual risk-taking, and active experimentation, ultimately building the metacognitive habits needed to monitor, adapt, and refine their original work independently.
Formative Tip:
To build a safe space, explicitly recognize students who attempt a non-traditional, highly complex strategy—even if it fails. This actively supports true divergent thinking.
1. Self-Awareness
How am I using my curiosity, personal interests, and past learning to build my skills and confidence when taking on creative challenges?
2. Cultivating & Evaluating Ideas
How do I come up with new ideas or solutions and then decide which ones will work best for the situation or show my best ideas?
3. Tolerating Risk & Ambiguity
Am I willing and able to take risks, try alternative ideas, and stick with an unfamiliar challenge throughout the creative process?
4. Experimenting & Validating
What is my process for developing, testing, and refining my creative products or solutions to make them more clear, more imaginative, or more effective?
5. Monitoring & Adapting
How do I use feedback and new learning to evaluate progress, modify an approach, or redesign a product to better reflect my personal ideas?
Extending — Self-Directed / Leads Others: Advanced creators can articulate how their novel ideas solve personally meaningful challenges. They evaluate alternative design approaches to maximize product quality, analyze mistakes to inform future projects, and identify exactly what mindsets—including self-confidence and self-doubt—helped them persist through ambiguous moments. New Hampshire’s progressions call this level “Extending.”
Applying — Independent & Consistent: Strategic creators carry out complete execution plans for personally meaningful solutions. They actively seek and apply targeted inputs to refine their ideas, modify familiar strategies using personal observations, and explicitly summarize the exact processes, tests, and feedback loops that drove their progress. New Hampshire’s progressions call this level “Applying.”
Developing — With Structured Guidance: Developing creators can evaluate the raw novelty of an idea and plan a solution path that incorporates unfamiliar approaches. With structured guidance or collaboration, they can build prototypes for testing, use feedback to make iterative improvements, and integrate new information to rethink their understanding of a problem. New Hampshire’s progressions call this level “Developing.”
Emerging — Requires Direct Prompting: Beginners rely on explicit modeling and step-by-step guidance to navigate creative tasks. They can collaboratively brainstorm novel entry points to a problem, suggest basic ways to reframe a challenge around their personal interests, and identify foundational learning goals when safely supported by a structured framework. New Hampshire’s progressions call this level “Emerging.”
Developmental Progressions by Grade Span
Select a grade band below to view the targeted performance matrix. Note: Dimensions 1 (Self-Awareness) and 5 (Monitoring & Adapting) are student-led reflective self-assessments rather than traditional teacher-led assessments.
Extending
SELF ASSESSMENT
Self-Awareness
How am I using my curiosity, personal interests, and past learning to build my skills and confidence when taking on creative challenges?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Cultivating & Evaluating Ideas
How do I come up with new ideas or solutions and then decide which ones will work best for the situation or show my best ideas?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Tolerating Risk & Ambiguity
Am I willing and able to take risks, try alternative ideas, and stick with an unfamiliar challenge throughout the creative process?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Experimenting & Validating
What is my process for developing, testing, and refining my creative products or solutions to make them more clear, more imaginative, or more effective?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Monitoring & Adapting
How do I use feedback and new learning to evaluate progress, modify an approach, or redesign a product to better reflect my personal ideas?
I can also…
Self-Directed / Leads Others
Applying
describe how I used my interests or skills to complete a creative problem-solving task.
I can also…
add more details or make changes to my/our plan for the final product or solution after getting feedback from others.
I can also…
explain how getting stuck or trying different ideas helped me solve a creative problem.
I can also…
show or explain the process I used: start with an idea, make a product, and then change or improve it.
I can also…
describe how I meet learning goals when I complete a creative problem-solving task.
I can also…
Independent & Consistent
Developing
work with others to figure out how to use our ideas, skills, or tools to solve a new creative problem-solving task.
I can also…
make connections to past problems and explain why some ideas would not work well for this situation or the problem-solving task.
I can also…
figure out when to move or try a new idea when something isn’t working.
I can also…
develop a solution or product and use feedback from others to make it better.
I can also…
make a list and explain the three most helpful things I/we did to solve a creative problem-solving task.
I can also…
With Structured Guidance
Emerging
pick a creative problem-solving task that interests me from a list of choices.
I can…
describe how someone else’s ideas can help me to complete my challenge.
I can…
listen to the ideas of others and ask questions to understand how their ideas might help to solve a new challenge.
I can…
change an example and explain how it reflects my own ideas or interpretation.
I can…
describe a good idea that could help solve a challenge.
I can…
Requires Direct Prompting
describe how one of my ideas or questions connects to a problem we want to solve.
share creative ideas that reflect my interests or my “curious questions”.
try working on a creative problem with others, even if it’s not like problems we’ve had in the past.
follow steps provided to our group to develop an idea into a final product or solution.
describe something I might learn when I work on a problem-solving task.
Extending
SELF ASSESSMENT
Self-Awareness
How am I using my curiosity, personal interests, and past learning to build my skills and confidence when taking on creative challenges?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Cultivating & Evaluating Ideas
How do I come up with new ideas or solutions and then decide which ones will work best for the situation or show my best ideas?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Tolerating Risk & Ambiguity
Am I willing and able to take risks, try alternative ideas, and stick with an unfamiliar challenge throughout the creative process?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Experimenting & Validating
What is my process for developing, testing, and refining my creative products or solutions to make them more clear, more imaginative, or more effective?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Monitoring & Adapting
How do I use feedback and new learning to evaluate progress, modify an approach, or redesign a product to better reflect my personal ideas?
I can also…
Self-Directed / Leads Others
Applying
explain how creative challenges helped me learn new skills or make new connections (e.g., expand my interests or see a pattern or alternative solution).
I can also…
use feedback from others to
elaborate on or make changes to my/our plan to develop a final product or solution.
I can also…
explain how a challenge helped me try new approaches or tools and what I did to stick with it and not give up.
I can also…
analyze how changes made to my final product or solution made it better (more clear, more imaginative, or more effective).
I can also…
explain what I learned from doing this challenge that will help me when I try new challenges.
I can also…
Independent & Consistent
Developing
describe how building on ideas from different approaches or sources helped me make a plan to solve a creative challenge.
I can also…
list multiple ways to work on a challenge and explain how choices for this plan use our personal skills and ideas to find a solution.
I can also…
carry out a plan for a creative solution and learn from mistakes if an idea didn’t work the way I wanted it to.
I can also…
describe my creative process: develop a plan, get feedback, or test a solution, and decide what changes were needed to make
it better.
I can also…
summarize what helped me to make progress at each step: planning, getting feedback, testing, or making changes to a solution.
I can also…
With Structured Guidance
Emerging
investigate a creative challenge: make observations, locate related information, or adapt strategies that might work.
I can…
evaluate why some ideas used in the past would not work well for this creative challenge.
I can…
identify strengths and limitations of ideas suggested before I develop a plan (e.g., lack of skills, time, materials, tools, or
originality; not practical / useful).
I can…
explain how I got feedback from others to make improvements to a draft product or solution.
I can…
explain how I used feedback from others to improve a product or solution.
I can…
Requires Direct Prompting
choose a creative challenge when given options and explain how my interests, strengths, or past experiences helped me make the choice.
suggest ways to use familiar skills or approaches to solve a new challenge.
work with others to suggest imaginative possibilities or practical solutions for creative challenges that are not like problems we’ve had in the past.
follow a process provided to develop or adapt an example into a final solution or product that reflects my own ideas or interpretation.
identify new skills or learning I might need to solve a creative challenge.
Extending
SELF ASSESSMENT
Self-Awareness
How am I using my curiosity, personal interests, and past learning to build my skills and confidence when taking on creative challenges?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Cultivating & Evaluating Ideas
How do I come up with new ideas or solutions and then decide which ones will work best for the situation or show my best ideas?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Tolerating Risk & Ambiguity
Am I willing and able to take risks, try alternative ideas, and stick with an unfamiliar challenge throughout the creative process?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Experimenting & Validating
What is my process for developing, testing, and refining my creative products or solutions to make them more clear, more imaginative, or more effective?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Monitoring & Adapting
How do I use feedback and new learning to evaluate progress, modify an approach, or redesign a product to better reflect my personal ideas?
I can also…
Self-Directed / Leads Others
Applying
identify moments of new insights, self-confidence, or self-doubt when working on creative challenges and determine what helped me to persist.
I can also…
describe how I was able to convey my interests, personal insights, or novel ideas in solving a personally meaningful challenge.
I can also…
analyze how this challenge helped me try new approaches or tools and learn from mistakes or missteps that could be applied to future challenges.
I can also…
use what I’ve learned to analyze alternative approaches that could have made the overall quality of my final product better (clarity, effectiveness, or uniqueness).
I can also…
use examples from this challenge to describe how solving it is a personally meaningful challenge.
I can also…
Independent & Consistent
Developing
develop a creative solution by modifying familiar strategies and using personal insights, observations, and feedback.
I can also…
seek and use input on specific elements of my plan (materials/tools used, final product, testing ideas, etc.) to refine my approach or solution.
I can also…
carry out my plan for developing a creative solution that reflects my ability to work through challenges and is personally meaningful.
I can also…
summarize the process I used for developing a plan, testing or getting feedback on a solution, and deciding what changes were needed to make it better.
I can also…
summarize what helped me to make progress at each step: using input on specific elements of my plan.
I can also…
With Structured Guidance
Emerging
use new information related to a creative challenge to rethink my understanding of how to work on the problem.
I can…
evaluate the novelty or the effectiveness of approaches or possible solutions.
I can…
plan a solution path for solving an imaginative or practical challenge that requires using some new or unfamiliar approaches and addresses possible risks or constraints.
I can…
make a plan to develop a prototype of my final product and test it or get feedback from others to make possible improvements.
I can…
get feedback from others to develop further or make improvements.
I can…
Requires Direct Prompting
suggest ways to reframe a creative challenge to make meaningful connections with my interests, strengths, or questions.
collaboratively brainstorm novel ways to approach a new challenge from different perspectives.
work with others to brainstorm approaches to imaginative products or practical real-world solutions, and determine possible limitations for each creative challenge.
identify how my skills and familiar techniques and materials might be used to develop a creative solution that reflects my own ideas or interpretation.
identify a learning goal for completing a new creative challenge.
Extending
SELF ASSESSMENT
Self-Awareness
How am I using my curiosity, personal interests, and past learning to build my skills and confidence when taking on creative challenges?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Cultivating & Evaluating Ideas
How do I come up with new ideas or solutions and then decide which ones will work best for the situation or show my best ideas?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Tolerating Risk & Ambiguity
Am I willing and able to take risks, try alternative ideas, and stick with an unfamiliar challenge throughout the creative process?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Experimenting & Validating
What is my process for developing, testing, and refining my creative products or solutions to make them more clear, more imaginative, or more effective?
I can also…
SELF ASSESSMENT
Monitoring & Adapting
How do I use feedback and new learning to evaluate progress, modify an approach, or redesign a product to better reflect my personal ideas?
I can also…
Self-Directed / Leads Others
Applying
analyze how using creative problem-solving processes helps me to pursue interests, seek out supportive resources or environments, and share ideas or products that positively affect others.
I can also…
describe how I was able to
convey my interests, personal insights, or novel ideas in solving a challenge.
I can also…
evaluate the effects of approaches used and decisions made throughout the creative process and suggest how my learning might be applied to challenge established
social, cultural, or artistic norms.
I can also…
analyze alternative approaches that could have increased applying my personal insights or advanced the overall quality of my final product (clarity, effectiveness, or uniqueness).
I can also…
use examples from this challenge to evaluate how solving a personally meaningful challenge can be used in future challenges.
I can also…
Independent & Consistent
Developing
use examples of decisions made during the creative process to describe how I’m applying new learning, developing personal insights, or overcoming limitations.
I can also…
seek input on specific elements of my plan (materials/tools used, final product, testing ideas, etc.) and describe why this approach or solution is personally meaningful.
I can also…
carry out my plan for developing a creative solution that reflects my ability to work through challenges and is personally meaningful.
I can also…
summarize the process I used at each step: developing a product, testing it or getting feedback, and deciding what changes were needed.
I can also…
analyze what helped me to make progress at each step: using input on specific elements of my plan and refining or personalizing my solution.
I can also…
With Structured Guidance
Emerging
develop a meaningful solution path to a challenge by integrating what I already know (familiar approaches or problems) with new ideas or information from other sources.
I can…
evaluate the novelty or the effectiveness of approaches or possible solutions.
I can…
plan a solution path for solving an imaginative or practical challenge that requires modified or unfamiliar approaches and addresses possible risks or constraints.
I can…
develop a prototype of my solution and test it or get feedback from others to determine possible improvements.
I can…
make a plan to get feedback from others so I can make possible improvement to a proposed solution.
I can…
Requires Direct Prompting
with peers, use individual interests, skills, and motivations to define a creative challenge in different ways or to generate alternative approaches.
collaboratively brainstorm novel ways to approach a creative challenge from different perspectives.
generate approaches to imaginative products or practical real-world solutions and determine possible limitations for each creative challenge.
identify how my personal skills and familiar techniques, materials, and resources can be used to develop a creative solution or product that reflects my own ideas or interpretation.
select a creative challenge to work on from options generated by others.
Creativity Progressions
Select and download the target performance progressions for your specific grade span:
Planning & Design
Access lesson design frameworks for teachers alongside student baseline assessments and roadmaps:
Feedback & Iteration
Guide active dialogue, peer review, mid-task progress tracking, and strategy pivots: