From what if to pitch

Goal

Students use idea techniques (what if, mash-ups, constraints) to generate concepts and pitch one clearly.

Warm-up (5 minutes)

Round-robin "What if?": each student adds a what-if about school. Write the best on the board.

Activity

1. Teach three techniques: What if? (change one rule of the world), Mash-up (combine two unrelated things), Constraint (make it with a strict limit, like only one button).
2. Students make at least six concepts for a game or story in eight minutes, two with each technique.
3. Each student picks one and writes a one-sentence pitch: "It's about ___ who wants ___ but ___."
4. Groups of three give feedback: one thing that's exciting, one question.
5. Students revise their pitch once.

Talk about it

• Which technique gave you the most ideas? Why?
• How did a constraint help instead of limit you?
• How did feedback change your idea?

Going further

Build the pitched game on paper, then test it on classmates.