Making Thinking Visible: Building Understanding through Critical and Creative Thinking

How can we activate students’ thinking to build understanding in the subject areas? And how can we help students to think more critically and creatively at the same time? During this course, you will learn to personalize and apply a research-based framework called Visible Thinking that is being used effectively in a number of schools. Adaptable to any subject area, Visible Thinking allows getting started almost at once with ‘thinking routines’ that help students ponder ideas from the subject areas. These routines, together with other ‘cultural forces’ such as language and expectations, and often with the use of art and artifacts as conversational foci, create a vibrant culture of thinking and understanding in the classroom. Documenting students’ work and reflecting on it both with colleagues and the students, make students more aware of their thinking and feeds professional conversations that foster collegiality and collaboration among teachers.

THROUGH LINES

The core questions we will investigate during this course are:

• How can we build students' understanding, increase engagement in the subject areas through thinking, and improve students' thinking?

• How can we foster positive thinking and learning attitudes as well as abilities?

• How can we use the arts and artifacts as foci of thoughtful learning for understanding across the subject areas?

• How can we document student thinking so that both teachers and students are better able to understand and develop it?

• How can we foster a culture of thinking and regard for thoughtful learning in the classroom?

• How can we build teacher collegiality and collaboration around a culture of thinking and thoughtful learning?  

Trying out the CEC Visible Thinking Routine with G4 Health and Fitness

 

I started the unit by writing down three questions for the students to think about and then answer on a post-it note.

1. Our bodies change and feel different when exercising - why?
2. How do we count heartbeats?
3. What do we know about heartbeats?

After reviewing the students answers across three G4 classes I picked six post-it note answers from the Question 1. that I thought would extend the students thinking and deepen their understandings of the connections between exercise, their bodies and health.

The next step was to slightly adjust their answers and turn them into questions. As you can see I picked six different answers to make sure I extend their thinking in order to deepen their understanding in a way that gives them a rounded knowledge of the subject matter.

To summaries what I have done so far:

Feedback from the Course: Making Thinking Visible: Building Understanding through Critical and Creative Thinking - February 2015

The Next Step...

Addressing the gaps and misconceptions in the students answers and wonderings. In the connection stage I chose six student questions that need to be explored in more detail. The plan in the extension stage is to devote 10-15 minutes of the next six lessons to address the six questions in order to fill those gaps and address those misconceptions regarding the human body and exercise.

Addressing Question No.1: "When you are running not enough oxygen gets into you and your heart beats faster, why?"

Scooters & Balls - Team Games (Grades KG - 1)

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Top 5 go to applications on the iPad for Physical Education

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G1 Relationships/Problem Solving Skills & Scooter Skills

This unit has seen us focus on developing our relationships and our problem solving skills.

 

This Unit is an excellent opportunity for the students of Grade 1 to work and develop their cooperation and collaboration skills, their understanding of roles within a team, space awareness and communication and language skills.

The unit started with the class having to complete basic obstetrical courses as one team. As we have progressed through the unit I have picked certain skills to focus on. 

An example of a the students specialising in a particular skill can be seen below:

During the unit the students discovered one of the best methods for traveling long distances across the floor has been the scooters. This lead to a lesson where we experimented with various methods of traveling short and long distances. We concluded with a short discussion on the best/preferred methods of travel and the pros, cons and safety considerations of using the scooters over a course.

After practicing our scooter skills we moved onto the roller racers (which I've called roller rockers... not sure why? lol) The roller races give the students a good upper-body workout whilst having fun. The riders move the handlebars side to side to propel themselves forward. I combined the racers with a bean bag toss into a net, just to add a competitive edge to the lesson and a bit of throwing and aiming practice. At the end of the lesson as a challenge the students got into partners to experiment to see if two of them could ride one roller racer... in the photo collage below top left are the only two boys that managed to achieve success and get themselves moving forward :)

Still working on our scooter skills with some more aiming and throwing development. It works something like this:  

Scooter Ball Scramble

The class is divided into four equal teams. Red, Yellow, Green and Blue. Each team has a corresponding net that they have to throw a ball into (the colour of the balls doesn't matter). The only way to travel is via scooter, be it a rocker racer or a connect-a-scooter. The balls are piled in the middle of the room with the teams corresponding net positioned far away from them.

The rules are simple. On the word GO, the teams have to rush forward, collect one ball (at a time) and race to the far end of the room, towards their designated goals. A mark on the floor indicates where they have to throw from. The more balls they get in the basket the more points their team gets.

Once all the balls have been taken from the center bucket the teams are allowed to steal from each other (again, one ball at a time). The game continues until the teacher shouts STOP!

Each teams ball totals are counted up.

KG Relationships: Problem Solving/Scooter Madness

This unit has seen us focus on developing our relationships and our problem solving skills.

Inquiring into how to get the maximum out of your scooter!

After practicing our scooter skills we moved onto the roller racers (which I've called roller rockers... not sure why? lol) The roller races give the students a good upper-body workout whilst having fun. The riders move the handlebars side to side to propel themselves forward. I combined the racers with a bean bag toss into a net, just to add a competitive edge to the lesson and a bit of throwing and aiming practice.

Balance... bring out the stand up scooters!

Scooter Ball Scramble

The class is divided into four equal teams. Red, Yellow, Green and Blue. Each team has a corresponding net that they have to throw a ball into (the colour of the balls doesn't matter). The only way to travel is via scooter, be it a rocker racer or a connect-a-scooter. The balls are piled in the middle of the room with the teams corresponding net positioned far away from them.

The rules are simple. On the word GO, the teams have to rush forward, collect one ball (at a time) and race to the far end of the room, towards their designated goals. A mark on the floor indicates where they have to throw from. The more balls they get in the basket the more points their team gets.

Once all the balls have been taken from the center bucket the teams are allowed to steal from each other (again, one ball at a time). The game continues until the teacher shouts STOP!

Each teams ball totals are counted up.

G4 Gymnastics: Bridges

"Bridges" is concerned with balance and an understanding of shape and relationships of the body to floor and apparatus.

"Balance" involves being able to create different shapes by supporting the body weight on different body parts. The size of the balance "base" will affect the stability of the balance e.g. the larger the base - the more stable the balance, and the smaller or narrower the base - the less stable.

"Body tension" is the most important ingredient of balance - strong, tight muscles and full extension of limbs or body parts not being supported on the floor or apparatus. Body tension will produce quality in the balances and the position should be maintained for three seconds before moving on.

To make balanced positions harder to maintain, the size of the base could be reduced, the center of gravity raised, the same position held against or on varied apparatus, the body inverted (put feet higher than the head) or the balance could be held with a partner. A balance can be changed by retaining the base base (e.g. 2 feet and 1 hand) but altering the SHAPE of the balance or it may be changed by altering the RELATIONSHIP of the body to the floor or apparatus (e.g. front towards, back towards, side towards or upside-down.)

Students need to know how to move into and from a bridge balance safely and with control, maintaining body tension. They could come back down to the floor the way they went up or they could put another part of their bodies down for support before moving onto another body part (e.g. into a turning movement or roll).

Making bridge shaped balances with a partner will require co-operation and creativity and enable students to understand the concept of "matching" i.e. same arm and leg doing the same action at the same time as a partner.

G3 Relationships in Team Sports through the Physical Education Learning Lens of Striking & Fielding

This unit will be touching on a number on concepts linked with relationships

What does Fielding mean to you?
Prior Knowledge & Burning Questions: Identifying understandings, burning questions and possible misconceptions...

What does Batting mean to you?
Prior Knowledge & Burning Questions: Identifying understandings, burning questions and possible misconceptions...

 

Batting, Bowling and Fielding Practice

As the lessons and the unit has progressed we've focused on batting, particularly the need to step to the ball and the mechanics of the drive. We've also examined the role of the wicket keeper and how vital their role is to the fielding team.

In addition we have also progressed our game, moving away from kwik cricket to a more elementary version of the true game. This includes adding a batsman, using two wickets that the batsman have to run between and the choice to run or not to run.

As a class we've been inquiring into, what is considered intelligent play in cricket?
This inquiry has lead us to a handful of key questions:

1. When do you run, when don't you run? 
2. How do you communicate with your batting partner?
3. Where do you want to hit (place) the ball?
4. How do you position your fielding team?
5. When you field the ball, who do you throw it to: Wicket Keeper or Bowler?

 

G5 Athletics: Health & Fitness/Track & Field

This unit is all about introducing the students to Athletics (Track & Field). With a focus on achieving personal bests (PBs). The events we will be covering are the two jumps, high and long. Two of the throws, shot put and modified javelin. Three track, 100m, 400m, and 1500m. In the build up to the 1500m event we will examine our own personal fitness levels,in order to set achievable goals in the run up to the event.

The approach to each event will usually consist of the students watching a clip from an athletics meet, a brief discussion on rules, techniques and our own biomechanics, and then one or two practice drills in the gym followed by a complete lesson up at the HS track where the students get to put all they have learnt and practiced into action/context.

 

 Student questions will help shape the Athletics Unit this semester

100, 200 & 400m Sprints.

Key Physical Objectives:

• High Knees.
• Powerful, Active Arms.
• The Sprint Start
• "ON YOUR MARKS" measuring your starting position and placing your hands.
• "SET" bums in the air, leaning forward, looking up.
• "GO!" Drive & Acceleration.
• Don't SLOW DOWN until you cross the finish line.
• Run in your lane & NO physical contact with other participants.
• Introduction to staggered starts.

Each individual students personal best (PB) was recorded.

400m

400m

Shot Put

Key Physical Objectives:

• Holding the Shot "seeing daylight"
• High elbows.
• Clean Palm, Dirty Neck.
• Weight transfer - Back to front.
• Travel - From low to high.
• Add a twist (the coiled spring)
• Throw high!
• Flick your wrist on the release.
• Grunting is optional :)
• Enter and exit from the back of the circle (Throw and Collect only when Mr. Weston tells you to). 

Again, each individual student will be recording their best throw.

Shot Put

Javelin

Key Physical Objectives:

• Holding the Javelin "different grips & laying it down the hand, rather than across, palm facing up".
• Delivery "non-throwing arm at approx 45 degrees, throwing hand remains facing up, pull through the Javelin".
• Transfer of weight.
• Throw high and flick your wrist.
• Don't over step the line!

Record PB

Javelin

Javelin

Long Jump

Drills:

• Warm Up: Hopping for Height & Distance
• Standing Long Jump with 2 leg take off
• Standing Long Jump with single leg take off
• Distance jumping competition - 3 continuous and successive 2 footed jumps
• Circle (Hoop) Jumping
• Box Jumping
• Elementary Long Jump techniques with 3 bounding strides

Key Physical Objectives:

• Use your ARMS!
• Jump for height as well as distance
• Jump 1 foot to 2 feet
• Take of behind the line
• Fall sideways or forwards when you land
• Keep your head high

Long Jump Practice in the Gym

Long Jump Practice in the Gym

Long Jump

Long Jump

High Jump

Drills & Key Objectives:

• Warm Up: Hopping for Heigh
• Jump back onto the mat - flicking hips high, bringing knees to chest, keeping chin on chest and landing on your upper back
• Introduction to the Scissors and which foot do you prefer to take off from?
• Using the Scissors to clear a low line.
• Remember: Always take off from the foot furthest away from the mat & and run in at an angle.
• The Fosbury Flop - will be introduced when we get to the HS on the professional High Jump equipment (American athlete Dick Fosbury first brought it to the world's attention in 1965 and won a gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics).

High Jump Practice

High Jump Practice

High Jump

High Jump

More Photos:

400m

Modified Javelin

Shot Put

High Jump Practice - Gym

High Jump Practice - Gym

Long Jump Practice - Gym

The Unit concludes with the Middle Distance: 1500m

In preparations for the run students have used the Cooper 12 minute run (flat and as an obstacle course) to help them judge their pace and to get an idea of distance (I have the Cooper course measured - so the students can track and compare how far they travel in 12 minutes). Most of the students are surprised how far they travel during the test! In addition getting them to run and possibly pass the 1500m mark helped dispel the rumors that the 1500m is a near impossible distance to achieve!

In the build up to the run we discussed pacing, and the different body position we run in compared to short distance sprints. The need for staying re-hydrated when running in the sun, and some simple strategies they could possibly use to help make their running efficient with the goal of achieving a PB.