#64 on my 100 Ways To Be Creative list is to spend a day focusing on similarities between people, things, etc. I made this my lesson plan for my Promoting Creativity class, which is also where I’ve worked on other 100 Ways projects like throwing an unbirthday party, drawing mandalas, and changing your handwriting.
 
We talked about the features of objects you can identify similarities in, such as color, texture, function, size, category, and location. We decided that it’s good to be able to identify similarities in things because then you can find common ground with other people more easily, and this leads to more understanding and less hate.
 
For their assignment, they had to walk around the building and find pairs of objects to compare. They had to write down five similarities the items had and share it with the class. I did the same assignment.
 
Pair #1: Branch & Netting
Both:
+ were found outside
+ are green
+ can be squished
+ fit into the palm of my hand
+ are easily torn apart
Pair #2: Penny & Sweet’n Low
Both:
+ have either “zero” or “0”, and “one” or “1” written on them
+ were found under the vending machine
+ have a specific front and back
+ have predominant colors that aren’t in the ROYGBIV rainbow
+ are gluten free
+ were made in the US
Pair #3: Bow & Tack
Both:
+ have silver coloring
+ involve hanging
+ has a hole or makes a hole
+ can be fit together
+ are shiny
+ have points
+ have a cinched point
Another activity that I did by myself, was to ask my coworkers for random pairs of items and from that I had to identify one thing that they had in common. Some of them were really hard. I’m really reaching on a lot of these. But it’s good to be able to get your brain thinking outside the box and searching for similarities.
sticky notes they gave me their words on
Christmas lights and cards –> if one part breaks, it might stop working altogether
Lindt chocolate and bubble bath –> things that can be considered romantic
Hoodie and M&M’s –> protective coating
Computer and paint –> you can mix parts of their own kinds together
Yarn and tree –> easy to measure & my favorite form of street art
Chips and shoes –> using one at a time isn’t nearly as satisfying
White people and Black Eyed Susans –> both are mentioned on the info/demographics page for Maryland
Grocery bags and ceiling tiles –> when you see them they’re usually in very high multiples (lots at once)
Coffee and Legos –> hurt if you step on them (and Matt came up with “they stimulate your brain”)
Corvettes and Snickers –> you can get through life without either, but maybe not through a mid-life crisis
Cereal and paint –> come in a variety of colors
Cats and nail polish –> make what they’re on more beautiful
Car and panties –> provide setting of many teenager’s sexual experiences
There were three that I couldn’t even pretend to make a connection between.
1) Sour Patch Kids & calendars
2) St. Patrick’s Day & women
3) Leggings & eyeballs
Can you figure them out?