Eureka! Implement thinking routines with Classroomscreen

9 min

New year, new thinking! Get started with these three thinking routines in just a couple of clicks with Classroomscreen. Learn how they work, why they are so popular in classrooms around the world, and how you can implement them in your teaching today.

What is a thinking routine?

Thinking routines are simple frameworks that help support students in their thinking and reasoning about a certain topic, prompt or issue. Each routine aims to frame the problem a certain way so that students learn different strategies for problem solving and discussions in the classroom. 

They are designed to help students explore different ideas, reflect on their learning and collaborate in meaningful ways. They can also be used at different learning levels and in any subject so are a perfect addition to any teacher's toolkit - think smarter, not harder right? 

See, Think, Wonder

Create thoughtful questions in response to a visual prompt.

This framework helps students examine visual materials, think critically about them, and spark further discussions. It can be used at the beginning of a new unit to start relevant discussions about a topic, or as a reflective exercise to help them understand what they have learned. 

See: What do you see?

Think: What do you think about them?

Wonder: What are you wondering about?

This thinking routine is especially useful in group discussions. Our ready-made screen - I see, I think, I wonder - is designed to guide your class through every step of examining an image (or video if you add a Video widget!)

To keep students engaged and on track, why not add a Timer? Set an amount of time for individual reflection, then come back and discuss as a wider group or with the whole class. 

tip:

Think, Pair, Share

Work together to solve a problem or answer a question

This strategy requires students to think through a problem by themselves, then share in pairs, then share with class. This progression not only helps build confidence in working independently, but it inspires students to embrace and learn from each other’s perspectives - the best of both worlds! It's a great way to get everyone involved, no matter what you're teaching.

Think: Give students a few moments to reflect on the question or problem.

example:

You can write it on the board and add a Timer widget so that everyone can stay on the same page (and hopefully focused!) then add a Group maker widget to the screen.

Pair: Activate the widget to put everyone in pairs or small groups so the discussions can begin!

Share: Once everyone has chatted, invite students to share their partner's ideas with the class.

It can be used at any point in any lesson when you want to encourage problem solving and focused discussion. For example, you can apply it when tackling a math problem, after conducting a science experiment or even after reading a passage or chapter of a book. 

tip:

Connect, Extend, Challenge

Make connections between new ideas and existing knowledge

This thinking routine helps students to connect new concepts to what they already know, deepening their understanding. It also helps show that there is still more to learn and reflect on how much they have learned so far. 

This routine is super versatile and can be used with your whole class, in small groups or individually. To use it in class, divide your screen into three separate blocks (or use our handy template) to get started. Students, either on their own version of the screen, on a piece of paper or in front of the class, write down their thinking at each step before moving onto the next one: 

Connect: How are the ideas and information presented connected to what I already know?

Extend: What new ideas did you get that extended or broadened your thinking in new directions?

Challenge: What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented?

tip:

Color, Symbol, Image

Represent big ideas using simple visuals

Looking for a more artsy approach? This thinking routine is great for challenging students to think outside of the box and learn how to translate verbal or written texts into visual takeaways.

Color: Choose a color that best represents this idea.

Symbol: Create a symbol which best represents this idea.

Image: Draw an image which conveys the essence of this idea.

The key part of this thinking routine is to document why each color, symbol or image was chosen. It is not about the quality of the drawing or shading but about the reasoning behind each choice.

example:

Let’s get thinking!

Implementing thinking routines into your teaching has never been easier, so why not have a go today - there are so many to explore! 

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