Thinking Skills's Blog

Thinking Skills with Mrs. Barringer

Todd Hall students participate in a year-long thinking skills program (PETS - Primary Education Thinking Skills).  The program has two purposes: to identify academically talented students and teach all students higher-level thinking skills.  Children receive whole-group lessons in their classrooms, where they practice deductive logic, analysis, inventive thinking, creative thinking, visual/spatial perception, and evaluative thinking.  I have the pleasure of teaching these lessons with my "friends" from Crystal Pond Woods - Dudley the Detective, Isabel the Inventor, Jordan the Judge, Max the Magician, Yolanda the Yarnspinner, and Sybil the Scientist!  Based on teacher observation and a review of work from the class sessions, children who appear to be most ready for more challenging work receive additional enrichment in small-group meetings.  Check this blog weekly for updates on the Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade thinking skills program!

Weekly Update: March 15-19

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten classes began a new thinking skills unit this week. The purpose of this week's lesson was to introduce students to evaluative thinking, which is criterion-based, critical reasoning. Students learned to base decisions on factual, observable, or measureable considerations (or criteria) resulting from logical inquiry and reasoning. Criterion-based evalutive thinking focuses on these concepts:

  • There is no one right answer.
  • From among many possible choices, considerations (or criteria) help guide students to the best choices.
  • Decisions are based on factual or observable considerations -- not opinions.
  • Students must support and justify their choices.

I asked the children if they have ever asked their parents for something and were told "no." I explained how different reasons are considered when parents tell them "yes" or "no" -- and those are called considerations or criteria. Then they heard a story about a boy who invents many creative reasons why his mother should let him have a stegosaurus. The children listened while I read an entertaining story called Can I Have a Stegosaurus? Can I? Please?! After I finished reading, I asked the children to draw a reason why they need a pet stegosaurus!

Your child's teacher and I are looking for students who grasp concepts quickly and can logically support their responses. We are looking for unusual considerations and the ability to draw conclusions, as well as the ability to see situations from more than one viewpoint.

Check back next week for another update!

First Grade:

First graders began a new thinking skills unit this week! The purpose of this week's lesson was to combine analysis and synthesis (learned earlier this year) to solve spatial problems. Students met Max the Magician, who fools kids' brains by what their eyes perceive! Students learned...

  • Spatial perception combines various thinking skills.
  • Shapes can be manipulated mentally.
  • Visual patterns are predictable.
  • The eyes and brain must work together to think about given information.
  • Finally, perseverance is important with this higher-level thinking skill!

Students solved several visual/spatial tasks, including Rabbit Reversal and Designer Details. Each task gave children an opportunity to use spatial intelligence and reasoning.

Your child's teacher and I are looking for students who grasp concepts quickly, combine visual clues to solve problems, manipulate shapes mentally, and intuitively see answers. Check back next week for another update from first grade!

Second Grade:

Second grade enrichment groups on evaluative thinking began this week. The purpose of this week's lesson was to practice creating measureable, factual criterion questions and applying them on a creative problem-solving matrix.

I borrowed backpacks from the children for this activity. I asked the groups to describe what makes a good backpack. We recorded ideas, including...straps of sturdy material, many pockets for storage, a loop for hanging on a hook, adjustable straps, etc. I asked them to select criteria they consider most important and write them in measureable form. Then, individually, students compared each backpack according to his/her criteria and chose the best one! This was great thinking practice!

Some students are especially fluent and creative while brainstorming ideas! Check back next week for another update!

Weekly Update: March 8-12

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten enrichment groups on visual/spatial thinking concluded this week. We reviewed the traits of this thinking skill and enjoyed two group games: Pattern Play and Block Buddies. Both games require the use of mental manipulation...an important trait of visual/spatial perception! I look forward to returning to the Kindergarten classrooms next week for whole-group lessons on evaluative thinking! Check back next week for an update.

First Grade:

First grade enrichment groups on creative storytelling concluded this week. We reviewed the traits of creative thinking and how they are applied to storytelling. The use of rich vocabulary is a characteristic of a creative writer. So this is exactly what we did this week...use colorful words!!! We played a group game called Smart Mouth, which required children to generate interesting and unusual words. The game was terrific fun! I look forward to returning to the first grade classrooms next week to begin a new thinking skills unit on visual/spatial perception. Check back next week for an update!

Second Grade:

Second graders completed whole-group lessons on evaluative thinking. The purpose of this week's lesson was to combine evaluative thinking and visual thinking. I reinforced the concept of using good factual criteria to judge multiple solutions. We reviewed the main points of evaluative thinking:

  • Decisions are based on valid, factual criteria, not opinions.
  • From among many choices, criteria can help guide students to the best solution.

We played "Card Sharks" together, which asked students to use criteria to narrow the field of choices and choose the best solution. Next, I gave the second graders some independent assignments. They were asked to examine three picture cards and then choose an additional card to complete the set. They had to explain their criteria for their selection.

Over the last three weeks, your child's teacher and I observed students who grasped concepts very quickly and could logically support their answers. We looked for students who offered unique solutions/criteria and drew valid conclusions based upon criteria. Students who appear most ready for further enrichment will meet with me in small groups beginning next week. Check back next week to hear about enrichment group work!

Weekly Update: March 2-5

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten enrichment groups on visual/spatial thinking continued this week. The purpose of this week's lesson was to use visual/spatial perception skills to solve puzzles. I introduced the children to Tangram puzzles. These were a big hit with the Kindergarteners! They analyzed spatial relationships to solve animal Tangram puzzles. Remember....

  • Visual thinking does not occur in isolation! Spatial perception requires the use of convergent AND divergent thinking skills.
  • Shapes must be manipulated mentally.
  • Visual patterns are predictable.
  • The eyes and brain must work together to think about given information.
  • Perserverance is important!

The children practiced ALL of these parts of visual/spatial perception this week, particularly the mental manipulation of shapes. Tangram puzzles require students to flip shapes around to solve them. I look forward to seeing the Kindergarten groups for one final enrichment session next week!

First Grade:

First grade enrichment groups on creative writing continued this week! The purpose of this week's lesson was to review and reinforce the concepts of creative thinking in the storytelling process. I asked students to create a poem, and we had some wonderfully creative ideas!!!! We began by reviewing these concepts:

  • There are many possibilities in creative thinking.
  • Ideas branch divergently from a common stem.
  • Storytellers have creative imaginations.
  • Storytellers use colorful words and phrases.

Next...the students learned how to create onomatopoeia poems! Onomatopoetic words imitate the sounds they describe. Examples include boom, crunch, and drip. What wonderful words! I gave the students a sound words list, and they each wrote a poem describing a NOISY place. I enjoyed the colorful phrasing, rich word use, humor, and interesting ideas!

I am keeping the poems for a few weeks because I am entering them into a national poetry contest. You will be contacted if your child's poem is chosen for publication.

Check back next week for another update about storytelling enrichment!

Second Grade:

Second graders continued whole-group lessons on evaluative thinking. The purpose of this week's lesson was to introduce the creative problem-solving process. The emphasis was on using factual criteria to determine the best solution when there is a choice to be made. We reviewed the main points of evaluative thinking:

  • Decisions are based on valid, factual criteria -- not opinions.
  • From among many choices, criteria can help guide students to the best solutions.

Children observed as I read a story and modeled using criteria to evaluate possible solutions to a problem in such a way that one best solution can be determined. I used a creative problem-solving matrix to demonstrate. Then I gave the students an opportunity to do the same (use a matrix to choose the best solution for a problem).

Your child's teacher and I are looking for students who are able to use the creative problem-solving matrix correctly and independently. We are looking for students who generate unique solutions and criteria and who can phrase criteria correctly. Students who appear most ready for further enrichment will meet with me in small groups beginning the week of March 15th.

Check back next week for another update!

Weekly Update: February 22-25

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten enrichment groups on visual/spatial thinking began this week! The purpose of this week's lesson was to apply visual/spatial thinking to two activities: Combination Cards and Block Buddies. We reviewed visual/spatial thinking...

  • Spatial perception activities use convergent AND divergent thinking strategies.
  • Shapes can be manipulated mentally without concrete devices.
  • Visual patterns are predictable.
  • Your eyes and brain must work together to think about given information.

Next...children used their combination cards to make whole pictures. For example, I said, "Can you put the edges of two cards together to make a bow?" Then we played a wonderful thinking game called BLOCK BUDDIES! Children had to replicate pictures using different shaped blocks. What great thinking practice! Check back next week for another update!

First Grade:

First grade enrichment groups on creative writing began this week! The purpose of this week's lesson was to give students the opportunity to display their creative thinking with word play. Creative thinkers display these traits: fluency; flexibility; originality; and elaboration -- and, of course, sense of humor! This week's lesson provided an outlet for all these traits!

Students wrote riddles about animals. Here are some examples from the first graders this week:

  • Where does a rhino stay when he visits the North Pole? (A: A BIG-loo!)
  • What does a dolphin use when he dreams? (A: His swim-agination!)
  • What does a cheetah say when he's impressed with something? (A: RUN-believeable!!!!)
  • How do injured pigs get to the hospital? (A: In a HAM-bulence!)

Check back next week for another update!

Second Grade:

Second graders began a new thinking skills unit this week. The purpose of this week's lesson was to reinforce the concepts of EVALUATIVE thinking that we began in first grade. I emphasized developing factual criteria when making decisions and judging multiple solutions. The main points of evaluative thinking are:

  • Decisions are based on valid, factual considerations rather than opinions.
  • From among many choices, criteria can help guide you to the best solution.

I modeled this process for the children, and then we practiced developing criteria together. The question was: Where should you take her mother for her birthday dinner? I encouraged the children to list several criteria and ways to measure or observe the criteria. Finally, they tried one on their own: What should your family consider when purchasing a new car?

What great thinking practice, second graders!!!! I look forward to returning to the classrooms again next week for more EVALUATIVE thinking! Stay tuned!

Todd Hall School
3925 W. Lunt Avenue
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
[Ph] 847-675-8235 | [Fax] 847-675-9378


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