THINKING TOOLS: Differentiating the Content
Based on training by: S. Kaplan, USC, 2008
Nanci Cole, Michelle Wikle, and Sacha Bennett - TOSAs
Sandi Ishii, Supervisor of Gifted Education
What is Academic Rigor?
Rigor is the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging.
Taking rigorous courses open the doors!
Source: Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Strong, Silver, and Perini, ASCD, 2001
Objectives: Provide an introduction to the academic
language thinking tools of Depth & Complexity and Content Imperatives.
Provide time to understand and practice application of Tools to your content in order to increase the level of inquiry in the classroom.
Agenda Welcome/Overview Introduction- Theory Introduction to Depth & Complexity and
Content Imperatives Differentiated Rotations Quick share/Reflection/Closing
Depth and Complexity Thinking Tools
Recognizes individual diversity among learners
Teaches toward highest level of knowing
Builds expertise
Depth and Complexity Thinking Tools Strengthens critical thinking skills
Makes something abstract more concrete
Allows students to “jump” into the content and make sense of it
Builds in inquiry and academic language
How do you know if someone is an expert?
Novice Expert
How much do cell phones
cost?
Conversations More sophisticated understanding
What are some new trends in cell phones?
Single Thinking Tools
One at a time Depth
To dig deeper Complexity
Greater breadth of understanding
The thinking tool is like a magnifying glass. It gives greater dimension to what is studied.
Single Thinking Tool
To understand RULES, you can study the patterns, details, and ethics
RulesPatterns
Details
Part to whole thinking
Ethics
THINKING PAIRS
Two thinking tools together joined with the word “AND”
What are the details AND trends of the Revolutionary War?
2 Thinking Tools = equation of knowing Changes the intellectual demand The intellectual work is rigorous
How do we know if students know it?
A good answer must include:
Define what they are talking about
Give another example
Cite or reference what stimulated their
ideas (evidence)
Allow individuals to move on Students get tired of learning the same way
using the same thinking.
It is like staying on the same land without moving or cultivating it.
Develop intellectualism Not just to get the right answers Nurture beyond where they currently are
At some point during the lesson…
Teacher dominate
“Ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to look for…”
Student dominate
“Ladies and gentlemen, what and how are you going to look for…?”
Creating Independent Thinkers
You can do this by using these strategies:
1. Create inquiry to get the information
2. Create a task defining what to do
3. Do Independent Research
Allow students to be independent thinkers of the task by increasing responsibility
Here are the details in the Revolutionary War
I want you to find the details in the Revolutionary War.
Investigate and research the significant details in the Revolutionary War.
Moral Imperative Educators need to go beyond their own
level of thinking.
Educators need to transcend their own thinking because they need to open the doors into a student’s mind. It maybe the key to their success.
Students need to know:
The flexibility of the language of depth and complexity
Patterns
This is a prerequisite to go further into the scope and sequence of the thinking tools.
Cyclical
Predictive
Sequence
Repetitive
Do you know the icons? Draw the appropriate icon next to the
definition on the chart. Compare your answers with your
neighbor. Start brainstorming ways you can bring
depth and complexity into your classroom instruction and discussion.
Details
•Elements
•Factors
•Facts
•Features
•Specifics
•Traits
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Unanswered Questions•Dilemma
•Doubtful
•Unclear
•Unknown
•Unproved
•Unsolved
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Language of the Discipline
•Jargon
•Terms
•Terminology
•Lingo
•Phrasing
•Lexicon
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Patterns•Cyclical
•Predictive
•Systematic
•Repetitive
•Sequential
•Structural
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Big Idea
•Global Idea
•Principle
•Tenet
•Theme
•Theory
•Thesis
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Multiple Perspectives
•Careers
•Experts
•Fields
•Points of View
•Roles
•Disciplines
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Ethics
•Conflicts
•Dilemmas
•Positions
•Principles
•Standards
•Values
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Trends
•Direction
•Force
•Influence
•Mode
•Style
•Tendency
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Rules
•Code
•Method
•Order
•Protocol
•Structure
•Theorem
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Across the Disciplines
•Associate
•Connect
•Correlate
•Integrate
•Intersect
•Link
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Change Over Time
•Compare past
& present
•Note change across time
•Study past, present, future
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How can I integrate the thinking tools into Cornell notes?
Teacher generates questions and student matches appropriate thinking tool and answer.
Teacher chooses thinking tool and student generates question and answer.
Student generates question, identifies thinking tool, and answers question.
Other ideas for Cornells & Thinking Tools… Use TE to help write high level questions. Create iconic statements (combination of thinking
tools). Differentiate Cornells to fit the needs of your
students. Write summary/reflection prompts using thinking
tools. Combine Costa’s (and/or the Keys) with thinking
tools. Connect Thinking Tools to Thinking Maps . Layer Thinking Tools with Classics, Think Like a
Disciplinarian, Current Events, Technology, and Metacognition.