HABITS OF MIND – THINKING FLEXIBLY ACTIVITIES

Key Concepts

 Thinking flexibly is a life skill that can be applied in school and outside of it
 Being able to think flexible helps students to problem solve challenges they may face and
to innovate in creative situations
 Thinking flexibly and persistence are Habits of Mind that build upon each other

Do Now Bank

 Show a Calvin and Hobbes panel without the caption. Ask students to create a caption for
the comic strip.
 An anagram is a word that can be formed out of the letters of another word. Form as
many anagrams as you can out of the following: daerstan.
 Answer this riddle: I stay in the corner, but travel the world. What am I?

Activity Bank

 Show students a range of Rorschach blots. Ask students to share out as many things that
they see as possible.
 Ask students to get into groups of 3-4. Present each group with an image of a different
object: a paperclip, a newspaper or a water bottle. Ask groups to come up with as many
uses for each object as possible. Groups will share their brainstorms with the whole group
once time is up.
 Generate randomized group using app. Give students 10 minutes to discuss the following:
You have a matchbox, a candle and a box of tacks. How can you fix the candle to the
wall and get it lit?
 Think about the many ways we have looked at or practiced using the Habit of Mind of
flexibility. How would you teach your parents or best friend to think flexibly? Create an
activity (or modify one that we have done before) that accomplishes this task.

Guiding Question Bank

 What do you think is another approach to…

 Let’s think flexibly about this…
 What might be a similar pathway for…
 Is there a different method for…
 How else could you…