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Inventions - Brick wall - Construction - Different UseForced relationship - Interpretation - BrainstormingCommonality - Alternative - Questioning - RidiculousPicture - Prediction - Reverse - What if? - DisadvantageCombination - Bar - Alphabet - Variations
"We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself." (Lloyd Alexander)
There are 20 different ‘Thinking Keys’ each designed to unlock different parts of the thinking process. Use of the keys helps to develop flexible problem solving and thinking habits
www.tonyryan.com.au
www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/thinking.htm
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To find a manageable way to use ‘thinking keys’ in our weekly programme.
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To create a format that can be applied to different topics/themes/inquiries
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To use the thinking keys to enable further exploration by students as theybecome more flexible with the use of a variety of thinking skills
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To use thinking keys for ongoing assessment during a unit
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First we created a range of thinking keys by:
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Creating a range of different thinking key questions
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Typing these questions onto a key template
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Printing the keys off on colour paper
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Laminating all the keys
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Cutting the keys out
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Displaying the keys in the class
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Very ‘nice’ looking thinking keys
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A large amount of time being used for the making of the keys
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Large resource needs
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How can we reduce the time needed to make the keys?
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How can we ensure a more reasonable use of classroom resources?
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How can we achieve a mix of teaching how to use specific keys (where everystudent needs a copy) and a free choice approach?
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The internet provided a wide range of different options for the use of thinkingkeys in the classroom
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In particular these web sites were great!
“I liked the alphabet key the best because it really got me thinking about the subject.”
Student A
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Early finisher’s choice of keys
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Whole class teaching on the use of specific keys
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Thinking keys as a follow up reading activity - children’s free choice or teacher directed
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Creating a work sheet template for the manageable use of time and resourceswhich also enables all children to have immediate access to each key activity
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At the Kath Murdoch seminar we developed our understanding of using thethinking keys to assess where kids are at during a unit
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Using the question key to assess students growing understanding of topicalwork
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E.g. ‘Tell me a question, where the answer would be Jupiter’.
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We found that this was a quick and easy way to gauge students understandingand plan the next step.
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The thinking keys provide a flexible and dynamic way to engage students infurther learning
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They are a great way to do informal assessment during the unit for measuringstudent understanding
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The students really enjoy the range of activities that the keys enable them tochoose from and subsequently produce interesting and thoughtful work
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Continue to develop a range of thinking key activities for different areas of theclassroom day based on the model that we have developed
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Change and develop our model as we learn ways of enhancing it
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Further develop the use of thinking keys as a tool for informal assessment
“ It tested our knowledge to see how much we know.”
Student B
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