Visible Thinking

Visible Thinking is a
flexible and systematic
research-based approach to
integrating the development
of students thinking with
content learning across
subject matters.

Sarah Cheney
EDI 430 Student Showcase Handout

Think Puzzle Explore

{Deeper Inquiry}
1. What do you think about this topic?
2. What questions or puzzles do you
have?
3. How can you explore this topic?

What Makes You Say That?

Visible Thinking cultivates
students thinking skills and
dispositions (curiosity,
concern for truth and
understanding, creative
mindset) and deepens
content learning.
Resources:
http://www.oldpz.gse.harvard.edu/vt/Visible
Thinking_html_files/VisibleTh
inking1.html

{Interpretation with Justification}

1. Whats going on?
2. What do you see that makes you say
that?

Color Symbol Image

{Distilling the Essence of Ideas NonVerbally} As you are reading/watching,
make note of things that are interesting,
important or insightful. Choose 3 items
and pick a color, symbol and image
separately that best represents that idea

See Think Wonder

{Exploring Works of Art and Other
Interesting Things}
1. What do you See? Think?
Wonder?

Circle of Viewpoints
{Exploring Different Perspectives}
Brainstorm a list of perspectives and use
this script to explore each one:
1. I am thinking offrom the point of
view of
2. I think(describe the topic from
your viewpoint take on the
character)
3. A question I have from this
viewpoint is

I Used To ThinkNow I Think

{Reflection on How and Why Our
Thinking has Changed} Remind students
of the topic you want them to consider.
It could be the ideal itself fairness,
truth, understanding, creativity, or unit
studying. State response using these
stems:
1. I used to thinkBut now, I think

Compass Points
{Examining Propositions}
E = Excited W = Worrisome
N = Need to Know S = Stance or Suggestion

ARTFUL THINKING
Exploring Viewpoints
What different ways could you look
at it? How does it look from different
points of view?

Reasoning
What do you think is going on? What
makes you say that? What is your
reasoning?

Finding Complexity
How is it complicated? What are
its different layers and pieces?

Comparing and
Connecting
What else is it like and not
like? How does it connect to
other things?

Observing and Describing

What do you notice? What
are the details?

Questioning and Investigating

What do you wonder about? What
would you like to find out?

Resources:
http://www.pzartf
ulthinking.org/ove
rview.php

Artful thinking takes

the image of an
artists palette as its
central metaphor. It
is comprised of 6
thinking dispositions
basic colors or
forms of intellectual
behavior that are
powerful ways of
exploring works of
art and subjects
across the school
curriculum. The Artful
Thinking palette
comes alive through
thinking routines.