One of the more popular things I do is post “Look to Learn” activities. These are a combination of Thinking Routines with rich media. The main idea of Thinking Routines is:
… it’s not enough for students to learn “critical thinking strategies,” but research from the Visible Thinking group at Harvard’s Project Zero has found that students also need to develop the disposition to engage in such a process. One approach is to promote a culture of questioning and thinking in the daily life of the classroom.
What I like to do is apply these great Thinking Routines to rich media stimulus. I do this using a Tumblr Web site. Below is a screengrab of the latest posts. Enjoy! And let me know how students like them!
So glad to see these back Tom. I have been a huge advocate for Look to Learns after learning from you at a PD in Melbourne in 2012. I prepare and write my own look to learns and share them wit the world. I use your explanations to promote rich tasks that all classrooms should be using. I am currently writing a certification program for an international global platform about how teachers can build their own Look to Learns and use them successfully in their classrooms. You have been a huge inspiration to me and my classroom. I have prepared about 160 different look to learns on my website http://www.ourglobalclassroom.com thanks to the thinking stems you shared at your PD.
Hi Bronwyn, Nice to hear from you and thanks for seeing the value and using Look to Learns. It’s a simple approach with a good research base from Harvard’s Project Zero. Well done with all the great things you’re posting for your students and peers. Take care, Tom
Hi, Look to Learn is a wonderful activity, want to try it in class with my university students! How do I filter posts according to a topic? Can I project an image on the screen in class? May be find image/video first? How do I do this?
Sorry for asking stupid questions! I’m not very good with technology!
Regards,
Helen Baguzina
Hi Helen,
Not stupid questions at all. Try this little tool I made just for the things you’re asking about: TubePrompter – https://www.ozline.com/electraguide/prompter.php
All the best, Tom