ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

deBonos Thinking Hats
 ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

deBonos Thinking Hats

Jaime Tollefson
History / Womens Suffrage
6th Grade
Womens Suffrage: To Vote or Not to Vote
 ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

deBonos Thinking Hats
Goals:
Students will identify reasons for womens suffrage.
Students will identify reasons against womens suffrage.

Objectives:
Content/Knowledge:
Students will research womens suffrage and use their
resources to back up their argument for or against
womens suffrage.
Process/Skills:
Students will put on the thinking hat and act out the role
of that character, according to what they would do during
the fight for womens suffrage.
Values/Dispositions:
Students will write a journal about if they think womens
suffrage benefits or harms our country. They must use 3
facts to back up their opinion.
 ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

deBonos Thinking Hats
Rationale:
Womens suffrage was a major decision that the US
government had to make during the late 1800s and early
1900s. They had to weigh the positives and negatives of
this issue to determine the best solution for the entire
country.

Standards:
State Illinois Common Core or Learning Standards
SS.IS.2.6-8: Ask essential and focusing questions that will
lead to independent research.
SS.IS.3.6-8: Determine sources representing multiple
points of view that will assist in organizing a research plan.
National NCSS Themes
Culture, Time and Change, People, Groups, Governance,
Society, Civic Ideals
Objective
 Objective

The students will put on the white hat and pretend to be a

male politician that doesnt see a need for change because
voting has always worked out as it already was. He resents
the idea of change.
He needs to find more information that would convince him
that Womens Suffrage is a good idea.

Materials: White hat, computer

Intuitive
 Intuitive

Students will put on the red hat and pretend to be a woman

who worked in a school as a teacher or in a factory as a
worker. She will see how earning money has changed how
she feels about independence and the rights she deserves as
a woman. She will create a poster about the reasons why she
deserves the right to vote.

Materials: red hat, poster board, markers

Positive/Strengths
 Positive/Strengths
Students will put on the hat and debate with someone
wearing a black hat. They will support womens
suffrage and use details and reasons why womens
suffrage should be made a law. The debate will be
recorded.

Materials: Yellow and black hats, two podiums,

speaker notes, video recorder
Negatives/Weaknesses
 Negatives/Weaknesses

Students will put on the hat and debate with someone

wearing a yellow hat. They will NOT support womens
suffrage and use details and reasons why womens suffrage
should NOT be made a law. The debate will be recorded.

Materials: Yellow and black hats, two podiums, speaker

notes, video recorder
Creative
 Creative

The students will put on the green hat and pretend to be

someone who is beginning to learn more about politics and
has the crazy idea that women should have the right to
vote. This is the person who brings the idea to the politicians.
This person will create a PowerPoint that they will show to
Congress, explaining their new idea.

Materials: green hat, PowerPoint, projector

Thinking About Thinking
 Thinking About Thinking
The students will put on the blue hat and will pretend to be
the person who organizes the supporters.
This person goes door to door to gather supporters, writes
speeches that their leaders will give to crowds, and will
organize protests. They must consider the consequences of
each action and what will come next.
They must create a schedule of events and why these events will
be successful.

Materials: blue hat, calendar, event plans, protest sign

 ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

deBonos Thinking Hats
Visual Learning, Assessment, and Online Resources:
Visual Learning: Each student will participate in a role
playing activity. They will watch each group act out their section and
give the information for their character.
Assessment:
1.I will use the products of each character (video of debate, schedule
of events, etc.) to ensure that each student has fulfilled the
requirements and provided accurate information.
2.Students will write journals that must include at least 3 facts about
womens suffrage to back up their answers.

Online Resources:
These are located on my weebly webpage under the Bookmarks
tab.