Visible Thinking

THOUGHT ROUTINES

Francisco Javier Martín de la Fuente

franciscojaviermartindelafuen@[Link]

Emilio Torres González

Begoña Revenga
María Merino Chamón
Maribel Corrales Pulido
@DIDAC_FORMACION

David Expósito García

Project Coordinator
 THOUGHT ROUTINES - JUSTIFICATION

[Link] provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable content.

VisibleThinking
Simple protocols to explore ideas

Create in schools a "culture where thought is

part of the airDavid Perkins,the main
challenge of today's education. To achieve this, he says, one must
they require 'smart schools' that are maintained day by day
attentive to all possible progress in the field of teaching and
of learning

Visible Thinking is a flexible methodological approach

for the integration of teaching and development of
thought with the content of any subject and plan of
studies.

Every committed educator wants the best learning and the greatest possible number of
reflective students in their classrooms. The framework of 'Visible Thinking' is a way
to contribute to achieving "thinking skills" from the curricular contents,
without the need to hold specific sessions about it for our students.
It is a broad and flexible framework to enrich learning within the classroom in
the different areas, fields or disciplines and promote the intellectual development of the
students at the same time.
These are some of their key objectives:
ñ A deeper understanding of the contents.
ñ A greater motivation to learn.
ñ Development of thinking and learning skills in students.
ñ Development of positive attitudes towards thinking, learning, and well-being
from alert to opportunities for thought and learning (the
disposition of thought.
ñ A change in the culture of the teaching staff towards a community of
"thinker-educators" committed with enthusiasm and with their students.

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One of the resources or tools for achieving these objectives is to use with the
students a series of 'thinking routines' around ideas or propositions that
are important for each subject, for example arithmetic fractions, the Revolution
Industrial, World War II, the meaning of a poem, the nature of
democracy, the seasons of the year….
Visible Thinking includes attention to four ideal 'aspects of thinking':

COMPRENSIÓN - VERDAD - JUSTICIA - CREATIVIDAD

The range of 'thinking routines' covers some of these depending on which one we use.
ideals or aspects of thought. What we intend is to work with thought
from the students to make them visible to themselves and to each other, to
that they can improve it.
The idea of visible thinking helps to define what a 'thinking classroom' is.
reflexive”. At any moment, we can ask ourselves: "Is thought
visible at this moment? Are my students explaining the ideas and content to each other?
Yes? Are my students offering creative ideas? And if they are, what about me as their
Educator, am I using the language of your thoughts? Is there presence in the walls?
Ideas about the interpretations of my students? Are they debating among themselves about their...
ideas and interpretations of the content worked on?
When the answers to questions like these are always YES, it shows that the
students are more likely to show interest and commitment in how it develops
learning in their classroom. They find more meaning in the content of the subjects and
more meaningful connections between school and everyday life. They begin to show
attitudes towards reflection and learning that we would like to see more in young people
open-minded students, not closed-minded ones, not of boring curiosity or gullible.
negatives but rather of skeptical basics that are not satisfied with the 'only the
facts, but they want to understand them.

THE RESEARCH ON 'VISIBLE THINKING'

This framework is the product of years of research on children's thinking and
learning, along with constant research on the development process of
classes in schools and universities.
An important finding was that skills and abilities are not enough. They are
important, of course, but the state of alert to the situations that require
positive attitudes towards thinking and learning are tremendously
important.
Often, we encounter children (and adults) who think superficially.
not for lack of ability to think more deeply, but simply because
They do not realize the opportunity to think better, they simply do not care.
because they are unaware of the benefits of doing it.

We say that really good thinking involves skills, attitudes, and 'state of being.'
of alert,” all three at once. Technically, this is called point of view of
willingness to think. This teaching approach is designed to promote the three.

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WHY DO VISIBLE THINKING?
The central idea of Visible Thinking is very simple: to make thinking visible.
We learn better what we can see and hear. 'Visible thinking' means
generally that an idea is available for more than one meaning, not just what
we can see with our eyes, or what we can hear. We see, we hear, we
we imitate, adapt what we find to our own styles of understanding the
things and our interests, and this way we can build from there.
Imagine learning a sport if the players who already know the game and from whom
you can learn they cannot be seen. As strange as it may seem, something like this happens
all the time in a very important area of learning: learning to think. Think
is almost invisible. To be sure that someone understands us, sometimes, people
we explain the thoughts behind a particular conclusion, but it does not happen
often, we do not do it. Above all, the thought that has gone through
beneath that wonderful engine that is our mind-brain.
"Visible Thinking" includes a number of different strategies to make thinking visible.
students' thoughts about themselves, their peers, and the teacher, in a way
that a greater commitment is achieved among them, allowing for better management
of learning and other purposes involved in the educational process.
When thinking is visible in the classrooms, students are in a position to
be more metacognitive, to think more about their way of thinking. When thinking
It is visible, it becomes evident that the school does not aim for mere memorization of
contents, but the exploration of the ideas that underlie those contents and make them
understandable. Educators benefit when they can see if the thoughts
the mistakes of their students are generated by previous incorrect knowledge, by
prejudices, due to their reasoning ability or due to their low level of understanding of
the ideas that intend to teach. When the student's thinking becomes visible, the
teachers can face the challenge of improving and expanding it from where they are.

STARTING WITH ROUTINES

The easiest way to get started in this teaching-learning framework is to begin
simply using thinking routines in the daily classroom.
Routines are a central element of the practical, functional, and accessible nature of
methodological framework of Visible Thinking. The thinking routines are easy to
use, they are mini-strategies that are repeatedly used in the classroom. They are a small
a set of questions or a short sequence of steps that can be used
in the different educational levels and with all kinds of content. Each routine is
directs to a different type of thinking and can train thought sequences
different.
Routines help students with direct thinking and discussion.
content structures in class. For example, if your students are reading a
A novel about colonial America could use the routine 'Here-Now' or 'Circles'.
from points of view." With this routine, students' ideas can be obtained about
how the role of women has changed from the 18th century in the United States until the
news

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About a story or a novel, among other routines one could also choose 'Circle of
viewpoints" to help students explore different viewpoints or
perspectives of the characters within the narrative. Thought becomes visible
from these different points of view and is expressed documented, discussed and
reflected.
There is no routine that is the "best" to start with, but they are all quite easy to.
address. Start by thinking about the topic you need to address. Try to identify
among all the routines available to you that can provoke the type
particular thought that you want to bring to the forefront for your students.

INTRODUCTION TO THINKING ROUTINES

What we must do with routines is that students get used to them time and time again.
in the classroom to involve them in the classroom culture, in the structure of their classes,
of our classes. Routines become the way in which students progress.
about their learning process.
What makes these work routines promote the development of thinking in the
students and create a classroom culture based on it?
ñ They are oriented towards the objectives of specific types of thinking.
ñ They are used over and over again in the classroom.
ñ They consist of only a few steps
ñ They are easy to learn and teach
ñ The students focus their attention
ñ They can be used in a variety of contexts.
ñ They can be used in small, large groups or individually.

Routines are just guidelines for action that can be integrated and used in a
variety of subjects and educational contexts, including in the family. It can be used
more than one routine in the teaching of the same work unit or topic and in the same
work session. They focus on the integration of thought with the content that is
approach.
Due to their simple nature, routines do not need to be taught explicitly,
they can simply be used as a means to research and work with the subject of
moment. However, in the initial experiences with each of the routines, they
you can choose to experience them with one of the topics of the subject or do it earlier with
a simple content.
For example, the routine 'I see, I think, I wonder' or 'Why do you say that?' can be
introduced with a participatory image or photograph, although later you use it with
a poem or a scientific experiment. With all the routines, the teachers will have to
think about which topics are most appropriate for their introduction and continuous use.

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 THINKING ROUTINE: 3-2-1 BRIDGE
3-2-1 BRIDGE
A routine to activate prior knowledge and make connections
Your initial responses to the topic Your new answers to the topic

3 Thoughts/Ideas 3 Thoughts/Ideas

2 Questions 2 Questions

1 Analogy or metaphor 1 Analogy or metaphor

Bridge:

How do your new answers connect with your initial answers?

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

This routine asks students to discover their thoughts, ideas, and questions.
initial ideas on a topic and then connect them with new thoughts about it
theme, after having received some instruction. This routine can be used when the
Students are developing an understanding of a concept over time. It can
it is about a concept that they know well in one context but that the training that
they will receive pursue focusing their learning in a new direction, or it may be about
a concept that students have only an informal understanding of.
Whenever new information is obtained, bridges can be built between the
new ideas and prior understanding. The focus is on understanding and connecting
the thought of one, more than pushing it towards a concrete result.

Tips for starting and using this routine

This routine can be introduced by having students do an initial 3-2-1.

individually and in writing. For example, if the topic is 'democracy', then
the students would write 3 thoughts, 2 questions, and 1 analogy or metaphor.
students should then read an article, a fragment of the textbook, watch a
video or participate in an activity related to democracy. The best
they are the provoking experiences that push students to think in new ways
directions. After the experience, the students will complete another 3-2-1. Then,
they will share their initial and new thoughts, explaining to their peers how and
Why has his thinking changed? It must be made clear to the students that their
initial thought is neither correct nor incorrect, it is just your starting point. The new
experiences lead thought in new directions that will be discovered.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: I SEE, I THINK, I
QUESTION

I SEE-THINK-I WONDER

A routine to explore art and other interesting things. This routine helps to the
students to make careful observations and reflective interpretations, as well as to
stimulate curiosity and pave the way for research.

Be part of the following questions:

What do you see?

What do you think about that?

What questions do you ask yourself?

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

The educator should use this routine when they want their students to think.
carefully how something looks, why it looks this way or what makes the image this way. It
should encourage students to observe the image or the graphic document and to
to develop what they think about her or the topic she addresses. The teacher can encourage the
group to justify their explanations or reasoning and ask them about their
reflections and questions.

Tips for starting and using this routine

It works better when we have the student respond by outlining the three steps.
followed, at the same time, that is: I see... I think... I wonder; without
embargo, you can start by using the first step in the sharing and then
proceed with the following.

The routine is more effective in a discussion group without the need to write, but
it can also be used individually, on paper, or as a form of internal reflection that
Later it is shared with the rest of the class and left exposed. When the answers
they can be made verbally, can be written and recorded in an observation sheet or
interpretations, and they are listed so that they are available to everyone and to be able to
return to them during the development of the topic.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: I THINK, I AM INTERESTED, I RESEARCH

Purpose: Why this routine?

The routine I think, I am interested, I investigate stimulates the curiosity of the students and establishes the foundations.
to deepen knowledge of new content in learning. It is used to
focus students on reflecting and exploring their ideas, to deepen what
they know and do not know encouraging them to investigate issues or aspects that arouse their
interest regarding the content they will have to learn.

ñ Step 1: Ask the students, 'What do you think you know about...?'

ñ Step 2: Ask the students, 'What doubts or questions do you have about...?'

ñ Step 4: We will end by asking the students, 'What would you like to research about...?'

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

Using it at the beginning, before introducing the new content to be worked on, helps to
students to link the topic to be studied with their prior knowledge and stimulates their
curiosity, thereby encouraging them to explore new ideas based on the thoughts that
share, even if they are not included in the work unit.

Tips for starting and using this routine

All students will participate in the question-and-answer round for the three questions. We can
to hold a discussion in two different ways: the students after thinking about what
everyone will express out loud the thoughts they have on the topic so that the
the teacher can write them on the board or on the display board that he has prepared to collect them
(see Image 1) or alternatively, they will write their thoughts on post-it notes so they can later stick them on
the corresponding mural. I think, I'm interested, I research it can be worked on in a group, although
it is advisable to allow time for each student to previously explore their own
thoughts. In these groups, after the sharing session, they can select and note down
what they think, what interests them, and what they want to research on different papers or post-its and
Then paste them on the mural during the general sharing.
It is important that during the development of the teaching unit or even later
try to address all the questions or concerns that have arisen and what they were interested in
investigate.
Image 1: Graphic organizer or recording table to create the mural for the common sharing.

I think - I am interested - I investigate

I think I am interested I investigate
What do you think you know about it? What doubts or questions do you have? What would you like to investigate or explore?

verb? do you have about the verbs? to know about the verb?

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: TEN TWICE
TEN TIMES TWO

A routine to observe and discover

Purpose: Why this routine?

Helps students relax and make detailed observations about an object or
graphic image. It requires them to think in words or phrases to describe the work and
encourages going beyond the first impression or basic description.

This routine consists of three steps:

The image is observed silently for a

less than 30 seconds. The eyes are allowed to travel.

A list of ten words or phrases is created.

about any aspect of the image.
3. The previous two steps are repeated to observe
the image again and try to add ten
words or phrases added to the list.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

It can be used with any type of theme, artwork, visual art, or images.
non-artistic objects. It is used to encourage students to think carefully.
before delving into a topic or even before using another routine. It can also
to apply oneself after a debate about a topic, a concept, or a work of art
to emphasize and summarize some of the ideas and observations made during the
conversation. The routine is also useful before a writing activity, as
It motivates thinking in descriptive language and helps formulate observations.

Tips for starting and using this routine

Time is essential, the teacher must allow the observation of the image without
interruptions, indicating that he will count that time. One can work with all the
class, in small groups or individually. The way of can also be varied.
work among the students, for example, they can generate the first list of
words individually, writing their ideas in small notes so that they can
being glued to an observation list. The second list can be worked on in a group.
Students should try to write down their ideas or, during the discussion with the whole
class, the teacher can write comments on the board, making sure that the
Words and phrases should be visible to the group. Ideas should be added to the list as many as possible.
sometimes necessary during the sharing.
Other routines like "What makes you say that?" or "Claim, Argumentation and
The question can be a good continuation of 'Ten times'. It can also be.
adapt according to the age of the students to "Five twice" and even be used with
auditions.
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 THINKING ROUTINE: THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
A routine to distinguish between true and false parts in information

Purpose: Why this routine?

Encourages critical thinking. Promotes deeper thinking that goes beyond what
obviously. It makes students focus on the true parts of a topic and on the ideas
preconceived notions that exist and are questioned in a more critical way. To master this
Routine, like many others, is necessary to apply in different areas and subjects.

This routine consists of four steps:

They are provided with the source they must analyze individually, in
couples or in groups.

They must extract at least one true idea.

It is good to classify all ideas with one of the three criteria.
3. These ideas will be written down on post-it notes or different pieces of paper.

4. It will be shared and placed on 3 poster boards that simulate the

colors of a traffic light.

5. When sharing it with your colleagues, before sticking the post-it on the
they should read the poster out loud ensuring that everyone has
I have heard your contribution or justification.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

It is about discovering the true and false aspects of some reality, concept,
principle or fact. It is used to probe the prior ideas of a topic. It generates
implication, curiosity, and it sparks a lot of interest in contrasting its successes.
It is used in those topics where there may be truths and parts that are
susceptible to being questioned or directly to provoke reflection on different
possibilities for students to deepen their reasoning and knowledge.
A newspaper article, TV news, political speeches, a demonstration
mathematics that have weak points, conversations or conflicts in the playground, articles
Science communication is an excellent resource for this routine. The source must be the
sufficiently extensive and rich so that true ideas can be extracted,
doubtful and false. In this way, students learn to discern between the different
types of information; true, doubtful, and false.

Tips for starting and using this routine

Explain to the students that they should put in the green color of the traffic light those parts.
what are certain or true about the topic being discussed. In yellow put the
doubtful issues or those that may contain part truth and part lie. And finally,
in red the issues that they consider absolutely false or incorrect.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: CSI
CSI (Color, Symbol, Image)

A routine to extract the essence of ideas non-verbally.

Purpose: Why this routine?

This routine trains to identify and extract the essence of the ideas obtained from
read, see or listen but in a non-verbal way, using a color, symbol or image
the three main ideas that have been selected as main.

This routine consists of three steps:

As you are reading/listening/watching, take note of the things that you

seem more interesting or important.
When you finish, choose the three that you think are the most outstanding.
° For the first one, choose the color that you think is best.
represent it or what reflects the essence of that idea.
° For the second, choose a symbol that you feel can represent
to reflect the essence of this idea.
° And for the third, choose an image that can represent it or that
reflect the essence of this idea.
3. With a partner or with the group, first share your color and then
share the element of your reading that represents. Explain why you have
chosen that color as a representation of this idea. Repeat the process of
sharing until each member of the group has shared
its Color, its Symbol, and its Image.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

This routine can be used to enhance the understanding of something they see, read, or
listen. It can also be used as a reflection of events or learning
previous. It is very useful if the students have had some prior experience with the
underlining of texts of ideas, connections, or important events. The synthesis
It takes place when students select a color, a symbol, or an image for
represent three important ideas. This routine also facilitates the discussion of a text or
event when students present colors, symbols, and images.

Tips for starting and using this routine

After the class has read a text, students are asked to identify
some of the interesting, important, or revealing ideas of the text can be written
in a post-it or they write it on the board, writing CSI: Color, Symbol, Image in the
board. Afterwards, you can select one or more of the ideas and work on them.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: CIRCLE OF POINTS OF VIEW

CIRCLE OF VIEWPOINTS

A routine to explore various perspectives

Purpose: Why this routine?

This routine helps students consider diverse perspectives within and in

relationship with a theme, as well as understanding that people can think and feel about
a different way, as a key aspect of coexistence.

This routine consists of four steps:

I am thinking about... (topic)... from the point of

view of...
2. I believe... (description of the topic from that point of
view). Be an actor, take or adopt the role from that
point of view.
3. A question that I have from this point of view
Yes... (formulate the question from this point of view).
4. What new ideas do you have about the topic that you didn't have before?
didn't you have?

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

It is especially useful when tackling a new topic. It helps to make a

brainstorming, to seek new perspectives and imagine different roles and
questions derived from that point of view. It can be used after reading a book or
a chapter. It works very well when students have difficulty seeing the
viewpoints of others or position themselves in extreme visions. The themes or topics
Controversial topics are ideal for working with this routine.

Tips for starting and using this routine

After identifying a topic, the teacher asks the students what their
points of view. It can be done in a group or individually. One must ensure that
give students enough time to think about different points of view
so that later they can position themselves from one of them, well chosen voluntarily
or by assignment of the teacher.

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If you need help finding them, it is recommended to use the following guideline:

1. How does it look from different viewpoints in space, time...?

2. Who or what would be affected by that?
3. Who is involved?
4. Who cares?

After this initial storm of ideas, each student is asked to choose a point from
view or assigned by the teacher. They need time to prepare.
to speak and personify that point of view, using the scheme described in the box
from above to structure what they are going to say.
Once they have prepared their 'characters', the class is ready to form a circle and
stage the different positions. Respecting turns, the teacher will ask them to speak
briefly about the point of view they have selected (always according to the scheme
It should encourage students to stand up and even gesture.
At this point, the discussion should be developed quickly, taking advantage of the immediacy.
from the experience while each student uses the scheme and presents a
perspective. It is expected that the set of responses will be broad and varied, as each
one must strive to present a unique point of view.
If any of the students choose the same character, they should be encouraged to present it from
different way. At the beginning, it will be noticed that each role is usually assumed in a
literal, naming and describing what their characters see. At first, it's fine.
help students with concrete examples, but then it is about encouraging them to
consider the thoughts and feelings of the characters more than to describe the
scene or object.

To make thought visible, ideas can be recorded, written on paper or

on the board in such a way that a list of perspectives is made while being represented
the characters.

The third phase of this routine consists of inviting students to formulate a

question from the selected point of view. The teacher must collect these questions.
or asking the students to write them down and respond while they think more about it
on the topic being studied. Once everyone has spoken, one can begin a
discussion asking: What new ideas do you have now that you didn't have before?, and what
Do you have new questions?

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: THE COMPASS POINTS

THE COMPASS POINTS

A routine for the exam of ideas or proposals

Excited
What do you like, what excites you about this idea or proposal? What is it?
the positive side?
Worried
What do you find concerning about this idea? What is the downside?
3.N = I Need to Know
What else do you need to know or find out about this idea? What information
Will additional help you better assess the proposal?
4.S = Suggestion to move forward
What is your current stance or opinion on the idea? Where do you stand now?
Regarding your initial position? How could you proceed in the evaluation of
this idea or proposal?

Purpose: Why this routine?

To help students think about an idea or proposal and evaluate it.
becoming more personally involved.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

This routine is done well to explore various parts and aspects of a proposal or
idea before taking a position or expressing an opinion about it. Examples for its more use
transversal: that the school might be considering the idea of a code of
coexistence, of clothing, of norms of cordiality, the idea of decorating or creating a
environment in the classroom by agreement, a character from a book to be confronted for
make a choice, a politician...

Tips for starting and using this routine

The routine should be modeled initially with the whole group, the responses must be
registered so that the whole class can see them. This allows students to build
about the ideas of others. The answers can be attached to a drawn compass in the
board or on a poster board, to provide a visual anchor. It is generally easier than
students begin with what is interesting or positive about the idea, or with
suggestions to then move on to what concerns them or what they need to know. They can be asked
that they write their individual stance or suggestions for moving forward after having
worked in a discussion group or in cooperative teams.
They can also be asked to make an initial judgment or evaluate the idea before
make the cardinal points to ask them how their way of has changed
to think after having completed the compass routine in its four cardinal points.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: WORD, IDEA, PHRASE

Purpose: Why this routine?

The routine word, idea, sentence is used to extract the main ideas from any text.
worked in the classroom.

ñ Step 1: Instruct the students to read the text silently and carefully.
he proposes to them.

ñ Step 2: Each student must select the following based on the text read and as a title
personal
A WORD that caught your attention.

An important IDEA that has been provoked by the text, that has a special meaning.
for him or what attracts him in some special way.

A phrase that helps you better understand the text.

ñ Step 3: Request them to write down or say aloud what they have selected so that the
Professor, please collect or note down all the words, ideas, and phrases, serving
this is a compilation of what the whole class has selected.
ñ Step 4: Based on the answers obtained and with the help of the students we will extract:
a) Ideas, aspects or common contents that we have obtained.
b) The implications, interpretations, or consequences that can be drawn from
from the text read.

c) The aspects of the text that have been forgotten, why do they think they haven't
Have you paid attention to these aspects?

ñ Step 5: Sharing how the understanding of the text has changed based on it
what has been worked on during the routine.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

It allows us to delve into those ideas that students pay special attention to and to
from these, explore the meaning of what that text contains from their viewpoints.
It will also allow us to analyze the text in depth based on the words, ideas, and phrases.
what the students have extracted.

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Tips for starting and using this routine

It is advisable for the teacher to gather all contributions from the students based on the development.
from the routine in order to complete the last three questions proposed in step 4
taking into account the contributions from each and every student. We propose two options
to do it:
OPTION A: Use a graphic organizer like the following

Image 1

Word Idea Phrase

What word has caught your attention? What idea is the most important? What phrase is the one that you have
Attention? For you? helped to understand the text?

Image 2: To delve into the sharing

Ideas) What ideas have we shared?

Consequences What implications, interpretations, or consequences can you draw from the text?

Forgotten aspects What aspects of the text have we forgotten in the sharing? Why
Do you believe this has happened?

OPTION B: Use three sheets of colored paper with the titles word, idea, phrase, In
In this case, the students will be able to write what they have selected from the text on papers that they will stick.
on the corresponding cardboard, in this way the students will make their thinking visible and
you will be able to check the diversity of words, ideas, and phrases that can be selected from the text.
From this moment on, a group reflection on ideas, aspects, or
implications that have been forgotten from the text read.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: CREATIVE QUESTIONS

Purpose: Why this routine?

The creative questions routine gives students the opportunity to create their own questions.
about a specific learning content, encouraging them to seek depth in their
approaches, promoting research and increasing curiosity among students. The
The purpose of the routine is to bring forth questions in the classroom of a certain complexity and depth.
By working repetitively with different content, we will ensure that the students become
capable of discarding very simple, contentless, or superficial questions.

Step 1: We will ask the students to think and write down all the questions that come to them.
they occur based on what they know about the topic to be discussed. If due to the characteristics of the group not
they generate many questions or the ones they generate are superficial we can help them
showing them a list of possible questions they can use:
ñ Why...?
ñ What would be different if...?
ñ What are the reasons?
ñ Let's suppose that...
ñ What would happen if...?
ñ How would it change if...?
ñ Imagine that...
ñ What would happen if we knew...?
ñ What is the purpose of...?
ñ…

Step 2: Sharing in the classroom of the generated questions.

Step 3: With the help of the students, we will highlight the questions that are most interesting.
or help us focus on the learning objectives we pursue at this level.

Step 5: Based on all the questions that have arisen regarding the content, we can
pose a new question to the students that serves as self-assessment about the
learning they have done: What new ideas do you have now about the topic that you didn't have before
Did you have?

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

At the beginning of the topic to stimulate curiosity. We will try to answer all these.
questions during the work to be done in the classroom about this specific content. From this
way we will achieve that the content we work on in the classroom is related to the
concerns and respond to the needs of our students.

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Tips for starting and using this routine
Before using this routine, it is advisable to work with the students on simple examples of
Good questions, it is very important that students know what makes a question not.
shallow sea.

The first times the routine is applied may raise questions in small children.
work groups. Before starting to work in a group, each student must have a time
of personal reflection so that it generates its own questions, once they have done this
they will show their questions in the group and everyone can decide whether the submitted questions are useful
they are deep or even resolve them among themselves.

It is very important that the majority of questions raised by the students be

respond, this way education can be personalized and learning linked to
your concerns and needs. We can propose a small modification to the mural of the
Image 1 adding a third column to which we will transfer the questions that
have been answered during the teaching unit (see Image 2) and even include the
found answers.

Students can be given the opportunity to answer their classmates' questions.

without yet delving into the unit's contents. If the question has been answered
In a satisfactory manner by a colleague, we can consider it worked on if the rest of the
students express their understanding. In this way, we encourage the involvement of everyone.
the students and the attention to the questions generated by their own peers.

Graphic organizers can be used to collect your reflections:

Image 1

CREATIVE QUESTIONS NOTABLE CREATIVE QUESTIONS

Image 2

CREATIVE QUESTIONS CREATIVE QUESTIONS CREATIVE QUESTIONS

Highlighted answered

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: COLORS, SHAPES AND LINES

Purpose: Why this routine?

The routine colors shapes and lines allows students to observe in detail a
image and accurately describe the colors, shapes, and lines present in it
image.

Step 1: Allow students to observe the image for at least one minute.

Step 2: Without the image in front of them, the students must answer the following three questions.
explaining each of your answers when necessary.
ñ What colors do you see? Describe them.
ñ What kind of shapes do you see? Describe them.
ñ What type of lines do you see? Describe them.
The answers are not unique. We will ask them to write down all the colors they see, the
types of different shapes that distinguish and the types of lines that identify.

Step 3: Sharing, students will describe to their classmates the colors, shapes and
lines that have been identified, providing the explanations they consider appropriate.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

This routine will make students aware of different colors, shapes, and lines.
existing for example in the image of a landscape, of a scene, of a painting, of a
photography and this will allow them to identify more easily what the educator intends, thus
how to compare them to extract the common and different characteristics of that in
what is intended to be deepened.

Tips for starting and using this routine

Notify the students that when observing the image, they should not focus solely on the small ones.
existing things within it, but rather observe the image letting their gaze "fly".
by the same.
It is advisable to have on a mural the colors, shapes, and lines that have been identified.
students, what will provide us with a very detailed description of the image that has
observed, allowing us to classify and differentiate the different aspects or objects
existing.

COLORS FORMS LINES

What colors do you see? What kind of shapes do you see? What kind of lines do you see?

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 THINKING ROUTINE:
PARTS, PURPOSES, COMPLEXITIES

Purpose: Why this routine?

This thinking routine helps students to create a multidimensional mental model.
about a concept, the different aspects and implications. It offers us the possibility of
consider the different degrees of complexity of any concept.

ñ Step 1: We ask the students to think about the topic to be addressed.

ñ Step 2: We ask the students: what are the parts, pieces, or components of...?
students, after thinking about what they know, will express out loud the thoughts that
they have, so that the teacher can write them on the blackboard or on the bulletin board that has
ready to collect them (see Image 1), without correcting or rectifying their thoughts.

ñ Step 3: Ask the students: What is it used for...? They are given some time to reflect and are
repeat the round of individual contributions and the notes on the mural.

ñ Step 4: We will finish by asking the students, 'What things are difficult in...?' A space is left
time for reflection and the round of contributions is repeated.

ñ Step 5: After sharing the responses, students are invited to reflect.

asking them: What do I understand about...? What new questions do I have about...?

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

At the beginning of a didactic unit or a topic of which the students have some knowledge, it is
It is necessary for the student to have prior knowledge of that concept, that is why
It is advisable to employ this routine after having minimally worked on the curricular content.
However, if it is content worked on in previous courses, it is also possible to carry this out.
routine before explaining the concept with the aim of exploring prior ideas.

The concept of 'purpose' refers to how something works, what it is used for, what it does, and what it
what purpose it has. Questions about 'purposes' can be applied to the general topic, such as
for example multiplication, or its parts (numbers, factors, …)

Tips for starting and using this routine

- This thinking routine can be used in any format, large group, small or
individually.

If desired and the group of students has sufficient maturity for it, we can add in the
second question a nuance more What are the parts of ... for? In this case it is
It is advisable to leave time between each question so that students can think them over.
independently and in depth.

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE: RELATE, EXPAND, QUESTION

Purpose: Why this routine?

This routine helps students make connections between new ideas and prior knowledge.
It also helps them create a reserve of questions, interests, and difficulties on which they will go.
reflecting as they learn the content being worked on. With its use
we stimulate curiosity and promote independent research.

Step 1: We will give the students some time to reflect on what they have learned.
during the development of a work unit, a project, or a specific content.

Step 2: We will ask you the first question: How do you relate this new information to
the one you already knew? The students must write down their answer individually in the
place chosen by the teacher.

Step 3: We will ask you the second question: What new ideas have changed your
opinion about something you already knew? The students will write the answer in the indicated place to
Hello.

Step 4: We will ask the final questions: What continues to be difficult or confusing?
for you? What do you ask yourself from now on? It may be advisable to give some time between the
two questions and pose them separately. The students will write the answer in the place
indicated for that purpose.

- Step 5: Group classroom sharing. Students will present to their classmates their
ideas.

Application: When and where can I use this routine?

The logical use of this routine is after the students have learned new content.
curricular, what we aim for is for them to be able to make the connection with what they learned
in previous topics, relating the learnings with the intention that they integrate what they are
studying within a whole.

Tips for starting and using this routine

It is important to dedicate some time after completing the routine to resolve doubts or
difficulties that students have expressed when answering the routine questions.
A graphic organizer like the following can be used:

RELATE EXPAND ASK

How do you connect this new What new ideas have What continues to be difficult or
information with which you have already changed your opinion about something confusing?
Did you know? What did you already know? What do you ask yourself from now on?

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 THOUGHT ROUTINE
GENERATE, CLASSIFY, CONNECT AND ELABORATE

A routine to organize the understanding of a topic through a concept map

What type of thinking does this routine promote?

This routine activates prior knowledge and helps generate ideas about a topic. It also
it facilitates the connection between ideas. This routine is a support for generating a mind map or a map
conceptual. Both help students discover new mental models about a topic.
in a 'non-linear' way, which allows them to establish relationships and structures of knowledge
more enriching and profound.

Select a topic, concept, or problem for which you want to create a map of
comprehension.

Step 1: Generate a list of initial ideas and thoughts that come to your mind.
when you think about this particular topic.

-Step 2: Classify your ideas based on how central or peripheral they are. Place
the central ideas in the center and the more peripheral ones towards the margins of the page.

Step 3: Connect your ideas through the union with lines of the ideas that they have.
something in common. Explain and write in a short sentence how these ideas are
they connect.

Step 4: Develop from the ideas/thoughts you have written by adding

new ideas that broaden, extend, or add to your initial ideas.

Continue generating, connecting, and developing new ideas until they have a
good representation of the understanding of the selected topic or concept.

Image 1: A graphic organizer like the following can be used.

GENERATE CLASSIFY CONNECT DEVELOP

What ideas or
What ideas are What ideas are What ideas What new ideas
thoughts
Do you have about...?
centrals? peripherals? Can you join? do you have?

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APPLICATION: When and where can it be used?
This routine can be useful as a pre-assessment before the start of a work unit,
checking if the students have prior knowledge about the topic and what type
son. In addition, it can be useful as a process evaluation, during the development of the unit and of
achievement, at the end of it, allowing to see what the students remember and how
they establish the connections between the initial ideas and the new ones. The individual maps that
generators can be used as a basis for building a conceptual or mental map
set of the class. Maps can also be built progressively, adding the
Ideas and connections that day by day are contributed by the students.

START: Some tips to start and use this routine.

Depending on the students' familiarity with concept and mind maps, it can be
a demonstration of this routine is necessary by making a simple map using an example of the
everyday life with the whole class. If the students are familiar with these tools, they
you can start directly by telling the students that they are going to create a concept map or
mental following a structured process. To do this, students can be given a
graphic organizer like the one in Image 1, or create a mural-sized one if preferred
distribute post-its or independent strips of paper for them to fill in each stage. In that case,
During the sharing session, they will take turns sticking them on the common mural.

It is essential to give students time to complete each phase of the routine before
move on to the next one. It is not necessary for them to generate a comprehensive list with all their ideas.

initially, but we must ensure that everyone has time to generate a rich list and
varied before proceeding. We will inform the students that they can do so at any time.
add new ideas to the list and incorporate them into the map, using a pencil or colored sticky note
different. This will allow for greater visibility of the enrichment of their initial thoughts.
The comparisons, explanations, and analyses of the individual maps among the peers, and
with the resulting map from the common mural, help to consolidate thoughts, expand
perspectives and achieve deeper learning.

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 LINKS OF INTEREST

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Project Zero from Harvard University where all routines are presented in perfect English.
On the left menu, they are classified by categories.

VIDEOS TO REFLECT AND MOTIVATE

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DOCUMENTARIES
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multiple to personalized education.
[Link] Create the schools today
of tomorrow.
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