Organizing Your Thinking

As I was looking online for tools/resources for some current projects, I came across this nice little clutter free resource for thinking maps.  I haven’t used the “double bubble” map much, and it intrigued me.  I’ll be looking for a way to use it in the near future.

Remember that mind maps/graphic organizers help organize thinking.  This builds metacognition when we are strategic with the organizers we select.  Often times, high ability learners struggle with organization (not just their desks).  They swim in conceptual thinking and can have trouble organizing all those ideas.  Pairing purpose with organizers will give the high ability learners tools for becoming more of an autonomous learner.  It’s important for study skills, note taking, and articulating thoughts.  What a great reminder of thinking about thinking!

I’ve missed this blog! 🙂

Thinking Maps

DBQ (plus curriculum compacting)

Bet you don’t know what THAT means.  Neither did I.  I was doing some digging online, looking for resources to help teachers learn more about Curriculum Compacting because the 5th grade teachers at Cason Lane and I are planning to get together this week to collaborate.  I ran into this website, and I really liked what she had to say about curriculum compacting.  So I decided to continue to explore her webpage.

Then I saw the DBQ.  I scrolled through the document because I had never heard of it.  It stands for Document Based Question.  Okay.  The concept isn’t new.  Got it.  But listen to this!!  The assignment was about comparing and contrasting.  The students were given a brief description of an event at the mall.  Several “witnesses” had comments.  The students had to compare and contrast all the statements to decide what REALLY happened at the mall and write a thesis.  How cool is that!!

DBQ_Mall

Since I also mentioned compacting…here’s some good information about it and Carolyn Coil’s website.

Curriculum Compacting

Engaging Ideas

In Educational Leadership (Vol. 70, No.1), I ran into some pretty nifty ideas for spicing up the classroom.    The article was “How to Know What Students Know” by Himmele and Himmele.

The Ripple Effect:  Picture a ripple in the water…the initial plunk is when each student is given time to individually process the prompt.  The next ripple is when they break into small groups after the individual think time.  In the outer circle of the ripple, the discussion comes back to whole group.  This allows for more meaningful discussion and forces all to participate.  “The quickest way to turn off the minds of shy students, English language learners, or students receiving learning support is to ask your questions in the form of a traditional Q & A.  If you want to reach all students, ripple your questions.”

Chalkboard Splash:  Starting with a question or prompt, students are given a quick write that invites higher order thinking.  Then all students are asked to summarize or find key points and write it in a sentence or two (or given # of words).  Students are then asked to write their work on the board. This gives a quick formative assessment in one activity, students get out of seats, and students get to share their ideas with each other.

The Debate Team Carousel:  LOVE this one.  Four squares on the paper and each square has a different question or prompt.  One student starts with box #1.  Everyone will pass the paper.  On the second round, students respond to box #2 which ties back to the first student’s response.  Third and fourth rounds follow the same idea.  Students will not write more than once on a piece of paper.

Questions Samples (page 60):

1. Write your opinion and give a reason why you think that way.
2. Read your classmate’s response.  In this box, add another reason that would support what your classmate wrote.
3. Write a reason that might be used to argue against what is written in boxes 1 & 2.
4. Read what is written in the 3 boxes.  Add your own opinion and your reason for it in this box.

Let me know how it turns out if you use one of these strategies!

Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Shout out to Bradley Academy!!!  I was working with amazing ladies at Bradley as we brainstormed ways to continue raising the level of thinking in the classroom…for ALL students.  (Bradley has AMAZING things happening!  Check them out!)  It was so much fun collaborating and growing each other.  We talked about giving the unit end test as a pretest or conferencing as a pretest.  The 5th grade history test was so challenging they have to finish it tomorrow!  (You know I love to hear that!!)  The 5th and 6th grade team there couldn’t wait to get their hands on the resources…holding Mrs. Allison to those promised copies!  It was so refreshing being surrounded by knowledge seekers, and I’m not talking about the kids.  I’m talking about the teachers.  I can honestly say, I think every teacher in the building loves collaborating and growing!  I know I LOVE collaborating and growing with them.  They love their jobs, and it shows!

Okay…so back to the resource I wanted to share…as we discussed divergent and convergent thinking, we looked at ways to make this thinking visible for students.  The use of graphic organizers can be helpful, but are we making them as useful as they can be?  Do you name the graphic organizers, use them for specific purposes with clear explanations?  Do your students know which organizers to use independently?  While researching, could they decide which graphic organizer would help them to make sense of the information?

When our students get accustomed to these tools with specific purpose and strong metacognition, they begin to read informational text through the organizational formats…making sense of the information.  They can also start to build tools to help them learn how to push their own thinking.  Do they know how to formulate their own questions to drive a deeper understanding?

Well, this website had some really good explanations of some graphic organizers, templates, and samples.

graphic_organizers

I know it’s for economics, but we are teachers!  We create NEW (synthesize) all the time.  See what you think.  Share ideas. Comment.  This blog can be a useful tool for all of us.  (Or it can be a place to hear Lea Bartch ramble.  That’s not a comforting thought to me.)  I’d like to hear some of YOUR ideas.

(Thanks to those who have commented! It’s nice to know there are people out there!)

Group for Differentiation with Ease

(Should I tell you the names of the individuals sharing the ideas?  I haven’t been, but I’ve decided I can no longer keep the secrets.  I must tell you from this point on!  This entry comes from Mrs. Strevel at Scales.)

It’s amazing to me how the things teachers do are “just what we do” to the point we don’t even realize how wonderful they really are!  That happened today.  During a conversation, Mrs. Strevel referenced putting Post-it notes on the desks of her student to make small groups for further instruction based on needs.  I asked her to explain how that worked.

While she teaches her lesson, she places different color Post-it notes on the desks according to how the students are performing (need help, almost have it, got it, etc.).  After the lesson, this system provides her with immediate groups ready for small group instruction based on the previous lesson.

That’s not all.  As exit tickets, she gives a slip of paper with a small task from the lesson.  Those exit tickets give her one more peek at levels of performance.  She then groups according to student needs, and again the next morning, codes the desk for small group instruction.  In addition to Post-it notes, she uses instructional tools, such as pattern blocks or money.  Calling groups then becomes another instructional review.

Brilliant.

Why do we insist on making our job harder?  This is so easy.  And why didn’t I think of this???  To her, it’s just “what she does.”  We should share more of what we do!!

So…let’s get some comments going here…what do YOU do?

Questions You Would Never Think to Ask…

Got your attention, didn’t I?

While at Hobgood, I was talking with an Academic Interventionist.  She has been using Jacob’s Ladder (leveled stories that have leveled questions) and has found that the questions are working in other places, not just at the end of story.  My inquisitive nature…you should be predicting right now…I said, “Like what?”

Ahhh…another idea.  Let’s start a list of questions you’d never think to ask, but if you do, you’ll push thinking!!

Our List.

1.  If you had to choose a color to represent the emotion, what color would you choose?

2.  Give an answer, draw a picture, design, etc., of something no one else will think to make/answer.

Your turn.  Comment with questions for our list.

Multiplying Fractions by Fractions…

Since I’ve been spending time with Rebecca Few (math coach for MNS and BR) creating Tier 2 math plans for the system, I have really started understanding math differently.

I grew up with algorithms.  I know how to multiple fractions because of the algorithm.  But when my 6th grader came home working on this, I wanted to understand more.  I wanted a visual of what was happening, and I wanted words to explain it.  So I Googled it.

That’s when I saw this!

http://www.mathmammoth.com/videos/fractions_2.php#divide_fractions_mental_math

I get it!!!  I love how she walked me through the entire process, adding piece by piece.  I can see these practices being very helpful for CRA.

Begin Here…

Need a tool to help you wrap your head around higher order thinking?  This chart is my favorite place to begin.  Thinking should be a process.  Fluid.  Because of this, it can be difficult to pinpoint thinking and to keep it in a definite category.  Becoming familiar with different types of thinking will help you monitor your thinking…and your students’ thinking.  (Metacognition!!)

When you are planning your lesson, use this tool to check your questioning.  Try to move your questions to analyze, evaluate, or create.  You’ll notice more student engagement and a depth of discussion that is addictive.

Try it.

posters for blooms

What works for you?  How do you push higher order thinking?