A high-engagement, low-prep creative thinking activity that encourages students to solve real-world problems. This open-ended thinking activity encourages creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, and reflection — all within a structured, easy-to-use lesson.

Save The Planet Invention is an engaging global problem-solving scenario where students design an invention to help protect the planet.

Students must think creatively, justify their ideas, and refine their solutions while working through meaningful environmental challenges.

There is no single correct answer — just powerful thinking.

What Students Will Do

Students will:

✔ Invent something that helps save the planet

✔ Choose a real-world environmental problem

✔ Design how their invention works

✔ Explain how their idea solves a problem

✔ Improve their invention when new challenges appear

✔ Create an advertisement or pitch

✔ Reflect on their thinking

This structured thinking sequence helps students generate ideas, justify decisions, and refine solutions.

Why Teachers Love This Resource

✔ High engagement

✔ Low prep

✔ Flexible implementation

✔ Real-world learning

✔ Encourages discussion and collaboration

✔ Promotes deeper thinking

✔ Works across subjects

What’s Included

✔ Engaging scenario introduction

✔ Creative & critical thinking challenge

✔ Real-world constraints to deepen thinking

✔ Plan & create design prompts

✔ Explain-your-thinking questions

✔ Problem-solving extension scenario

✔ Persuasive extension challenge

✔ Reflection prompts

✔ Teacher notes and implementation ideas

✔ Curriculum Alignment (AU, US, UK)

✔ Differentiation suggestions

✔ Extension and enrichment ideas

Skills Developed

Students develop:

• Creative thinking

• Critical thinking

• Problem solving

• Reasoning and justification

• Reflection and metacognition

• Real-world thinking skills

Flexible & Easy to Use

Use this resource as:

• Whole-class thinking launch

• Small group collaboration

• Independent thinking task

• STEM or inquiry lesson

• Enrichment or extension activity

• Early finisher task

Quick Option: 20–30 minutes

Extended Lesson: 45–60 minutes

Perfect For

✔ Upper Primary

✔ STEM / STEAM

✔ Inquiry-Based Learning

✔ High-Potential & Gifted Education

✔ Extension

✔ Critical Thinking Lessons

This resource supports:

Australian Curriculum General Capabilities

US Common Core & 21st Century Skills

UK National Curriculum

STEM / STEAM Learning

Inquiry-Based Learning

High-Potential & Gifted Education

This engaging, open-ended scenario is designed to stretch student thinking, encourage creativity, and promote meaningful problem solving.

Low Prep. High Engagement. Deep Thinking.

Perfect for teachers looking to stretch student thinking while tackling meaningful real-world challenges.

If You Love This Resource…

If you enjoy this scenario, explore other MindStretch Thinking Scenarios:

✔ The Ultimate Sandwich Challenge

✔ Save The Planet Invention

✔ Traffic Jam Escape

✔ The Perfect School

Collect the series to build a consistent thinking routine and develop confident, flexible learners.

Low Prep. High Engagement. Deep Thinking.

Perfect for teachers looking to stretch student thinking with meaningful, engaging learning experiences.

Want the complete set?

Save money with the full MindStretch Thinking Scenarios Bundle — perfect for building flexible thinking, discussion, creativity, and problem-solving across the year.

Includes multiple engaging scenario challenges designed to deepen student reasoning and engagement.