Have you ever thought about what someone who is thinking looks like? If you’re anything like me you might’ve thought about someone that looks like the guy in the previous picture. As a society that is how we view thinking. I will try to change this stereotypes by introducing you into some “Making Thinking Visible” strategies. As educators it is our job to make thinking visible in our classrooms. The three strategies I will use from Ron Ritchhart’s book “Making Thinking Visible”, are Claim-Support-Question, I used to think…, Now I think, and Color, Symbol, Image.
1st strategy: Claim-Support-Question.
For Claim-Support-Question to be successful you will need to draw on your investigation, experience, prior knowledge, or reading. Students will need to make a claim about a topic, issue, or idea being explored. A claim is an explanation or interpretation of something that is being examined. Students will the find support for their claim. Support is things you see, feel, or know will lend evidence to your claim. Finally students will raise a question related to your claim. This question can ask, What’s left hanging? What isn’t explained? What new reasons does your claim raise?
Use in the classroom:
For this Claim-Support-Question, I allow students to read an article that is based on climate change. Students will then make a claim about the article and climate change specifically. Once they have decided on their claim they will describe their support that relates to the claim. Then after the support is finished students will then write up questions they have about of their claims. After everyone has finished we will have a class discussion about each groups Claim-Support-Question. This allows for digging deeper into certain topics.
2nd strategy: I used to think…, Now I Think.
To start the I used to think…, Now I Think, strategy you will need to explain to students that purpose of the activity is help them reflect on their thinking about certain topics and identify how their ideas have changed and developed. Once students have the topic that they will be doing the activity on you will encourage they to write two sentences. One will start by say “I used to think…” and the other will say “Now i think…” After the the students have completed their sentences independently they will then share their responses and explain the shifts in their thinking.
Use in the classroom:
For the I used to think…, Now I Think, strategy I will have taught a lesson on photosynthesis and all of the processes that go with it. After we have went through all of the other steps of the lesson plan I will use I used to think…, Now I Think, strategy as the evaluate. This allows me to have a good idea of how much student learning has occurred.
Another example:
Higher chemistry pupils evaluating their learning of the proteins topic using the 'What I used to think…what I think now' thinking routine🤓🤔💭✍🏻#MakingThinkingVisible #visiblelearning #checkingprogress @TapestryMTV @GCCSecLearning pic.twitter.com/55sQnOuGXS
— Rosshall CLPL (@RosshallCLPL) November 15, 2018
3rd strategy: CSI (Color, Symbol, Image).
For the CSI (Color, Symbol, Image) to be successful you will need to think about the big ideas and important themes in what you have just read, seen, or heard. To start you will choose a color that you think best represents that idea. Create a symbol that you think best represents the idea. Then you will sketch an image that you think fits best with the idea you are capturing.
Use in the classroom:
I will use CSI in the classroom when doing exothermic and endothermic reactions. I will go over each type of reactions and we will do the reaction the reactions in class as well. I will then encourage students to work individually to do the CSI activity. Students will need a color for each endothermic and exothermic. Then they will need a symbol for both endothermic and exothermic. To finish the activity they will also need an image for each endothermic and exothermic reactions. This will allows students to have different ways to remember certain facts that go along with endothermic and exothermic reactions.
https://twitter.com/MissChasteen/status/1067579688300748800
Hey Bailey,
PHENOMENAL post! I think using Claim-Support-Question in the science classroom is a great thing to do. And I I think doing a I Used to Think, Now I Think with photosynthesis would be great because I feel like I’m always learning more about photosynthesis – I still don’t know how it works. What else would you use CSI for? In chemistry, I think it would good to do it with all of the colligative properties. Where in the learning cycle do you think CSI works best?
Bailey, I really enjoyed reading your blog! I like how you put an example of what people typically picture in their head when thinking about what something thinking looks like. That’s so stereotypical!
You have such a good idea for CSI! I would never think about implementing this into a lesson about exothermic and endothermic reactions. The video you included is also very helpful, especially if someone doesn’t understand what CSI looks like. Would you have students do like individually or in groups? What are the benefits of each?
Great blog!
Katie
Thank you Katie, I really appreciate all of the positive feedback. This was a really fun blog post for me! I would have the students work through the CSI in groups. I believe the benefit of working in groups is very high. Every student has the ability to work with their group to create the best CSI (color,symbol,image). Once again thanks for all of the positive feedback!