Organizers
for
Thoughtful
Teachers
“Never let it be said that a handful
of thoughtful people cannot make
a difference, they are in fact the
only thing that can.”
Margaret Mead
1
Three’s Company
Explanation
Interpretation of Text
2
Three’s a Crowd
Explanation
Which word does not belong? Why?
3
Boggle
Individual Information Retrieval
Individual Information Retrieval
Missed Information
Points
Earned
Missed
4
Top Hat
Similarities
Differences
Differences
5
Differences
Similarities
Differences
6
Are the items
more alike or
more different?
What might be
the causes for
the differences?
What
conclusions or
generalizations
can you now
make?
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8
Facts, Details
Reactions, Feelings
Questions
New Ideas, Connections
What is most important here?
9
Grouping and Labeling
10
Hypothesis
Evidence to Support Evidence to Refute
11
Priority Pyramid
Most Important
Least Important
12
What is the big idea?
What important details support the big idea?
What is a connection you made?
What questions do you have about the big idea?
13
Physical
Understanding
Emotional
Understanding
Word/Concept
Linguistic
Understanding
Visual
Understanding
14
Collaborative Summary
Topic:_________________________________
My Key Ideas:
Partner’s Key Ideas:
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Consensus
Our Key Ideas
_____________________
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_____________________
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Collaborative Summary
______________________________________________
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Etch-A-Sketch
Sketch
Big Ideas and Details
1
2
3
4
16
Spider
17
Questions
Main Idea
Details
Monitor
18
Content
What is it?
What does it look like?
What are the parts?
What is the purpose?
How does it operate?
How did it originate?
What is it part of?
What is its importance?
19
Comparison Y
Differences
Differences
Similarities
20
Comparison Conclusion
1. Are the items more alike or more different?
2. What might contribute to the causes for the
differences?
3. What generalizations or conclusions can you now
make based upon your comparison?
21
Analogies
the focus
the target
Is to
relationship in structure
What are other things that have similar
relationships in structure?
Is to
Explanation
22
23
Picture
Question
Feelings
Prediction
24
Category
Comparatives
Word
Defining Attributes
Examples
My Definition
25
Content
Term:
Level of Understanding: 1
2
3 4
My description:
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Visual
Association
26
Word:
My educated guess:
Dictionary Meaning
How close was I to the meaning?
4 ---------3----------2--------1--------0
Comparison of my meaning to dictionary meaning:
Show you know:
27
people
oxygen
as
in order to survive, need
plants
carbon dioxide
as
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Term and
Description
doleful
General
Description
Term and
Description
Unhappy,
miserable
forlorn
extremely
sad
Example
forsaken,
abandoned
desperate
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I learned…..
I wonder….
I appreciate…..
I truly understand….
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Step 1: Read the question.
Ask yourself, “What am I trying
to prove here?”
Make a
Case
Step 2: Find specific evidence
to support your case.
Step 3: Analyze why, in other
words prove the evidence and
make your case.
What are you trying to prove?
Specific Evidence
Why?
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What? So What? Now What?
What have I learned?
__________________________________________________
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So What?
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Now What?
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34
Attribute Importance Item
Item
Item
Total
Score
Rating Scale:
3-Completely
2 Considerably
1 Somewhat
0 Not at All
35
The Facts
The Steps
What are the facts?
What steps can you take to
solve the problem?
What is missing?
The Question
What question needs to be
answered?
The
Diagram
How can you
represent the
problem visually?
Are there any hidden
questions to be answered?
The Solution
36
Alls Well That Ends
Well
Word
Root
Ending
New Word
Meaning
37
Reflective
Writing
Topic__________________________ Date_________
Essential Question Addressed:
__________________________________________________________
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Key Ideas Presented:
__________________________________________________________
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Connections I Can Make to Other Ideas:
__________________________________________________________
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Questions I Still Have:
__________________________________________________________
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38
Mastery
What did I do to get my homework
done?
What steps did I follow? Where did I
work? When did I get it finished?
Interpersonal
What have I learned about my work
habits?
How do my work habits affect my
school performance?
Understanding
Self Expressive
How did I do?
How can I plan to improve next
time?
How do I know?
What is a goal I need to work on?
39
NOTES
MY RESPONSES
How did you do? Fill in the face to show how you feel about what
you know. What do you need to do to improve?
40
Application 1
Generalization
Application 2
How do you know?
Application 2
41
Standards:
The Hook
Mastery Style
Understanding
Interpersonal Style
Self Expressive
42
Coaching Guide B
Questions Player B
Coaching Guide A
Player B’s Sheet
Player A’s Sheet
Questions Player A
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44
3
2
Attention Meter
4
1
The Wanderer
My thoughts are
all over the place
or I am sleepy or
not paying
attention.
The Worker
I am working to
pay attention,
but I keep having
to bring myself
back to the
topic.
The Disciple
The Master
I am in control of
my attention. I
am focused on
the topic. It
makes sense
and I rarely have
to refocus.
I am incredibly
well focused and
everything
makes sense. I
am having a
good time
learning and I
feel like I could
pay attention for
a long time.
What is currently strengthening or weakening my powers of
attention?
Goals for Improving my Attention:
45
Four Styles of Attitudes
Mastery
Interpersonal
• “I love the facts.”
• “I sweat the details.”
• “I can remember
anything.”
• “ I can make anyone my
friend.”
• “I can understand other
people, no matter how
difficult they are.”
• “Nothing can get me
down.”
Understanding
Self Expressive
• “There is no problem
too big for me to solve.”
•“I know how to love the
questions.”
• “There is nothing I can’t
make interesting.”
• “Bold Ideas R’ Us”
• “There is nothing I can’t
imagine.”
• “Mr./Ms. Creativity
whenever I want or need
to be.”
46
What are today’s class
goals?
How would others know
you have made
progress toward those
goals?
What steps do you
think the class will go
through?
What goals do you want
to work on today?
Share your goals with
someone else in the
room.
What obstacles might
stand in your way?
How can you overcome
those obstacles?
How did you do in
meeting the class goals
today?
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