Week+8+-+Higher+Order+Thinking+Skills


 * Day 1 (30 minutes of instructional time)**


 * Lesson Objectives:**


 * 1) TLW identify “Thinking Hats” as a way to think about and analyze topics and problems from multiple points of view.
 * 2) TLW identify the concept of higher order thinking skills.
 * 3) TLW identify different ways to think.


 * Materials:**


 * 1) “Thinking Hats” Hand-outs [[file:Thinking Hats.doc]][[file:Thinking Hats Image.doc]]
 * Guided Practice:**


 * 1) Place “Thinking Hats” hand-out under document camera or make class-set copies, as needed.
 * 2) Explain that “Thinking Hats” help learners think about and analyze topics, problems, and situations from multiple points of view. “Thinking Hats” also help learners think about and look at a given topic systematically (with a method), objectively (without bias), and creatively. Each hat represents a different mode of thinking. This gives students a hands-on way to view “how to think.”
 * 3) Go through what each “Thinking Hat” represents. There are six hats: white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue. The hand-out goes over what each one represents.


 * Closure:**
 * 1) Explain to students that on the block day, they will be divided into groups and given a “hat.” They will have to think from that hat’s point of view to solve a problem.
 * 2) Call on students to repeat what each “hat” represents.


 * Day 2 – (45 instructional minutes)**


 * Lesson Objectives:**


 * 1) TLW identify different ways to think about and solve a problem.
 * 2) TLW identify the concept of higher order thinking skills.
 * 3) TLW identify “Thinking Hats” and their individual characteristics.
 * 4) TLW analyze ways to solve a problem.


 * Materials:**


 * 1) “Thinking Hats” hand-outs [[file:Thinking Hats.doc]]
 * 2) Bulletin board paper
 * 3) Markers or colored pencils
 * 4) Colored Hats or colored construction paper (white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue) to represent the hats.
 * 5) A particular topic or problem for the students to solve (use something from your content area or something that you’re familiar with).


 * Guided Instruction:**


 * 1) Use the “Thinking Hats” hand-outs to remind students of the characteristics of each “Thinking Hat.”
 * 2) Let students briefly recall and discuss what each hat represents and why they’re all important.


 * Instructional Activity:**


 * 1) Divide your students into 6 groups.
 * 2) Give each group a colored hat or construction paper (white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue).
 * 3) Leave the hand-out on the document camera or have students use class-set copies, so that they can see what questions/methods their “hat” is supposed to use to solve the problem. Each “hat” has a list of questions they’re supposed to answer – refer back to “Thinking Hats” hand-outs.
 * 4) Each group will receive a piece of bulletin board paper/markers to record their findings.


 * Closure:**


 * 1) Have students share what they have learned so far about their “Thinking Hat.”
 * 2) Ask them how they could use this hat in their every day classes or projects. How could they apply this in class work, homework, or Science/Social Studies Fair projects?


 * Day 3 (45 instructional minutes)**


 * Lesson Objectives:**


 * 1) TLW identify different ways to think about and solve a problem.
 * 2) TLW identify the concept of higher order thinking skills.
 * 3) TLW identify “Thinking Hats” and their individual characteristics.
 * 4) TLW analyze ways to solve a problem.


 * Materials**:


 * 1) “Thinking Hats” hand-outs [[file:Thinking Hats.doc]]
 * 2) Bulletin board paper
 * 3) Markers or colored pencils
 * 4) Colored Hats or colored construction paper (white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue) to represent the hats.
 * 5) A particular topic or problem for the students to solve (use something from your content area or something that you’re familiar with).


 * Guided Instruction:**


 * 1) Use the “Thinking Hats” hand-outs to remind students of the characteristics of each “Thinking Hat.”
 * 2) Let students briefly recall and discuss what each hat represents and why they’re all important.
 * 3) Have each group share their findings – how they used their “Thinking Hat” to answer the questions/solve the problem from **THEIR** hat’s perspective.


 * Instructional Activity:**


 * 1) Have students get back into their groups and give them a **NEW** “Hat” to wear. Have them solve the problem and answer the questions from their NEW hat’s perspective.
 * 2) You may use the problem/topic from Day 1’s Lesson or give them a **NEW** problem/topic to solve.
 * 3) Again, refer to the “Thinking Hats” hand-outs for students to analyze/solve the problem from their hat’s perspective.


 * Closure:**


 * 1) Have groups share their findings - how they used their **NEW** “Thinking Hat” to answer the questions/solve the problem from **THEIR NEW** hat’s perspective.
 * 2) Have students share what they have learned so far about their “Thinking Hat.”
 * 3) Ask them how they could use **THIS** hat in their every day classes or projects. How could they apply this in class work, homework, or Science/Social Studies Fair projects?

**“Thinking Hats” Hand-out**

White Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the White Hat need to collect data, group those, and interpret information objectively and accurately. __The objectives of the White Hat are:__
• Exposition of statistical data• Concentration on actual facts (and not opinions or beliefs)• Acknowledgement of incomplete or inaccurate knowledge• Suggestion of solutions that logically result from the data 1. What are known facts, data, and other information on hand?2. What are the unknown facts, data, and other information on hand?3. What additional information is needed?4. What is there to be learned from this procedure?5. What is the methodology for obtaining the facts and data needed to reach a solution?6. Based strictly on the data and information collected, what are the possible, logically-derived solutions?
 * Questions asked from a White Hat’s perspective are:****﻿**

==== Red Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the Red Hat think with their “heart”. They need to use their intuition and instinct to evaluate the situation, its outcomes, and the possible solutions (as those get proposed by the other divisions). __The objectives of the Red Hat are:__==== • Adoption of intuitive reactions• Awareness and evaluation of others’ feelings• Promotion of emotional views• Exposition of implied advantages of different approaches• Exposition of implied disadvantages of different approaches• Exposition of contradicting outcomes 1. What is my initial reaction to a suggestion?2. How do I feel about a decision I might make?3. Do I believe I am making the right choice?4. Does anything inside me tell me there is a better option?
 * Questions asked from a Red Hat’s perspective are:**

==== Black Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the Black Hat need to concentrate on the dangers and flaws of each approach, and emphasize the worst case scenarios for any proposed solution. __The objectives of the Black Hat are:__==== • Identification of negative outcomes and their consequences • Identification of flawed or weakly-supported contingency plans• Consideration of inadequate resources• Elimination of pitfalls and non-beneficial ideas 1. What is a serious flaw of this recommendation?2. What is a major drawback to this way of thinking?3. What are the odds of failure? 4. What could be potential worst-case scenarios?5. Are necessary recovery resources in place?
 * Questions asked from a Black Hat’s perspective are:**

Yellow Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the Yellow Hat need to bring forward optimistic ideas which may provide opportunities for success. The objectives of this division are:
• Identification of benefits of recommendations• Evaluation of opportunities within proposed solutions• Assessment of good-case scenarios• Assessment of feasibility of recommendations• Promotion of enthusiasm and motivation 1. What is the best way to approach the issue?2. What is a reasonable and realistic way to make things work?3. What are the positive outcomes of each idea?4. What are the long-term benefits of each action?
 * Questions asked from a Yellow Hat’s perspective are:**

==== Green Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the Green Hat need to vision the problem in a new, open and unrestricted way, in order to generate creative and unusual ideas. __The objectives of the Green Hat problem solving approach are:__==== • Promotion of expanded and elaborate thinking• Application of extended rules (beyond reality restrictions)• Envision of creative and non-habitual solutions• Consideration of new perspectives 1. What alternative solutions are possible?2. Could a recommendation be done in another way?3. What is an unusually unique way of looking at the issue?4. What would constitute “outside-the-box” thinking in this case?5. What if…?
 * Questions asked from a Green Hat’s perspective are:**

==== Blue Hat: Members who are working on the problem under the Blue Hat need to maintain focus. They act as arbitrators between divisions, directors of the problem solving process, and coordinators of the group. __The objectives of the Blue Hat are:__==== • Maximization of efficiency and effectiveness of thinking• Facilitation and direction of the thinking process• Determination of agenda, goals, and responsibilities• Organization of ideas and recommendations 1. What is the best way to define the actual problem?2. What are the goals?3. What are the desired outcomes of the solution-seeking process?4. What is the most effective way of moving forward?5. What is the optimal way out of the current circumstances?
 * Questions asked from a Blue Hat’s perspective are:**