THINKING TOOLS: Differentiating the Content Based on training by: S. Kaplan, USC, 2008 Nanci Cole, Michelle Wikle, and Sacha Bennett - TOSAs Sandi Ishii,

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

Research says… (GRR) Teacher directed To… Student Centered To… Independent Thinkers

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



Language of the Discipline

•Jargon

•Terms

•Terminology

•Lingo

•Phrasing

•Lexicon



Patterns•Cyclical

•Predictive

•Systematic

•Repetitive

•Sequential

•Structural



Big Idea

•Global Idea

•Principle

•Tenet

•Theme

•Theory

•Thesis



Multiple Perspectives

•Careers

•Experts

•Fields

•Points of View

•Roles

•Disciplines



Ethics

•Conflicts

•Dilemmas

•Positions

•Principles

•Standards

•Values



Trends

•Direction

•Force

•Influence

•Mode

•Style

•Tendency



Rules

•Code

•Method

•Order

•Protocol

•Structure

•Theorem



Across the Disciplines

•Associate

•Connect

•Correlate

•Integrate

•Intersect

•Link



Change Over Time

•Compare past

& present

•Note change across time

•Study past, present, future



Contribution

The affect or impact

one person or event has on others.

Origin

The beginning, root,

foundation, source, or basis for something.

Parallel

How something is similar, matching,

comparable, or analogous.

Paradox

Things that are opposite, contradictory,

ironic or illogical.

Convergence

How ideas or events meet,

intersect, concur, merge, join or

unite.

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.

Reflection Why would this be important to you?

Why would this be important to a school?

Why would this be important to the world?

THINKING TOOLS: Differentiating the Content Based on training by: S. Kaplan, USC, 2008 Nanci Cole, Michelle Wikle, and Sacha Bennett - TOSAs Sandi Ishii,

Documents

thinking ethics slide

rigorous slide

single thinking tools

independent research

thinking pairs

academic language slide

critical thinking skills

content imperatives