K-12. Scenarios from BC classrooms, Primary to Secondary, where thinking is infused throughout the lesson. Providing the context, modelling thinking, and presenting tasks that require thinking enable students to self assess with the core competencies.

1. It’s All about Thinking
PSA Super Conference 2017
Oct 21 Vancouver
Faye Brownlie
Slideshare.net/
fayebrownlie.superconference.thinking

2. Now that creaFve thinking and criFcal thinking are listed as
core competencies in our redesigned curriculum, they are
resurfacing as areas of interest for teachers.
How does a focus on thinking permeate an English/Language
Arts class?
What does this look like in a highly diverse class?
Is this focus possible for English Language Learners and
students who require addiFonal learning support?
Come and see how to design units and lessons that are woven
together by thinking. See examples of what student work
looks like in these lessons. See how to use the core
competency profiles to support student self-assessment.

3. Narrative Writing – Gr 2/3
with Marnie Manners, Burnaby
• Students have been reading and retelling Lars, the polar
bear stories by Hans de Beer
• The story plot is that Lars, the polar bear, is bored/lonely in
his home at the North Pole. Something unexpected
happens (an iceberg floats away, he gets caught in a fishing
net/trap and travels by boat/plane/train) and is taken to
another place (jungle/city). He meets another animal in the
new seXng. The new friend takes him to meet another
animal who helps him to get home by some sort of
transportaFon. Lars safely arrives home, is reunited with his
family and tells them about his adventure.

4. • Goal: move beyond retelling to create a story following his
recipe
• Class had idenFfied the recipe
• Review recipe
• Introduce the ‘story necklace’ – 3-4 recipe cards, 1 for each
chunk
• Model, with their help, the wriFng
• Students leave the carpet, having idenFfied:
– The new animal
– The new seXng
– The method of transportaFon

5. • Aber wriFng:
• Voice: Provide evidence of how your wriFng sounds
like you
• PPCI: How did you keep on wriFng? What did you say
or do to show such stamina?
• Circle 2 words that are unique or specialized in your
wriFng

18. Developing Perspective – gr. 7
• With KrisF Corbee, Vancouver
• Consider how the lesson sequence is constructed:
– Engagement of all
– Gradual release
– Whole class, small group, individual response
– Core competencies
• CommunicaFon
• CriFcal and creaFve thinking
• Personal and social

19. • An intro/foundaFon to ancient civilizaFons
• Key QuesFon:
– How does power, its use and misuse, alter the
civilizaFon?
• Consider while gaining knowledge:
– PerspecFve
– Comparison of lives
– What is gained? What is lost?

20. Learning IntenFons
• I can read visually, carefully, considering
details presented.
• I can write with detail and descripFon.
• I can grow my thinking through talking with
others.

21. How does the voice of the person telling a story change our
understanding of an event?
• EssenFal quesFon – present & discuss
• Examine the picture as a class
– See? Know? Evidence? EssenFal quesFon connecFon? CapFon?
• Repeat
• Examine your picture in your group
– See? Know? Evidence? EssenFal quesFon connecFon? CapFon?
• Share with class
• Write from a perspecFve
• Reflect with core competencies
• Read the text
• Oral exit slip: “I used to think…but now I think…because…”

33. The mother, grandma and their two children have lost the
group and are in the forest alone. Meanwhile their
husbands and others are slaves who are moving things.
Even some children have been caught. A sister and
brother tried to escape, but it didn’t go too well. The
other slaves steal a boat and escape the labour camp.
They reach their place and celebrate. They’ve escaped
and are now free. They celebrate the rising of the sun
as a key of their freedom.
**When Fmes are tough never give up, the happiness
will soon come. Jabarvir

35. Core Competencies:
Choose 2 statements and provide your
evidence
• CriFcal Thinking
– I can use observaFons, experiences and imaginaFon
to draw conclusions, make judgments and ask new
quesFons.
• CommunicaFon
– When I talk and work with peers, I express my ideas
and encourage others to express theirs.
– I share my ideas and try to connect them to others’
ideas.
– I contribute to planning and adjusFng a plan.

36. • I used to think…but now I think…because…

37. Gr 5/6 – Joanne Fournier & Christy
Rollo, Richmond
• ProvocaFons
• Range of materials
• Modeling and guided pracFce
• CollaboraFon
• Clear criteria, oben co-constructed
• DescripFve feedback
• Open-ended strategies and acFviFes

38. Sample Provocations
❖ What possibilities live in these materials?
❖ How do the materials inspire you to tell stories about
yourself?
❖ What gifts do you bring to the classroom?
❖ How do the materials inspire you to tell stories about a time
you’ve been “Stuck”?
❖ What stories are inspired by your problems?
(What Do You Do With a Problem?)

39. First Peoples

40. First Peoples

41. Feedback Frames
From Brooke Douglas

42. Self ReflecFon

43. Humanities 9 Curricular Foci…
Content:
– SS: early contact and the conFnuing effect of
colonizaFon on indigenous peoples
– ELA: wriFng process & presentaFon techniques
Curricular Competencies:
– SS: cause & consequence, perspecFve
– ELA: synthesizing ideas from a variety of sources;
use the wriFng process to plan, develop, and
create engaging meaningful texts

44. Lesson Sequence
DAY 1:
• 4 Quadrant Thinking + Encounter by Jane
Yolen

46. HOMEWORK:
• On-line research about Christopher Columbus
and the Taino people to learn about the goals,
moFvaFon & consequences of each as a result of
Christopher Columbus’ discovery of ‘India’
– Videos
– InformaFonal texts
– Historical maps
– MacNeill Library Website Links

48. DAY 2:
• Introduce the cri?cal task:
– Write a postcard from the perspecFve of a Spanish sailor to his
family describing his first encounter with the Taino people.
• Introduce the criteria for an effec?ve historical diary
– Take into account both perspecFves to paint a plausible (likely
to be true), historically accurate and believable account
(conveys the thoughts, feelings, acFons and reacFons to the
sailor).
• Complete drab using their 4 Quadrant paper, videos and
research organizer as reference.

49. DAY 3:
• Peer Review (checklist)
• Examine postcards to determine features &
layout
• Revise drab #1 incorporaFng feedback
• Complete good copy

53. Essential Conditions that Support
Student Self-Assessments – Kelli Vogstad
• Caring RelaFonships
• Process-Oriented Engagement
• The Language of ReflecFon
• kellivogstad.com/2017/04/22/core-
competencies-its-not-about-the-checklist

54. Strengths-based!!!
We are NOT searching for what kids are NOT
good at.
We build on strengths, not fill in holes.

55. • No checklists
• No rubrics
NoFce – Name - Nurture

56. • Students need opportuniFes to
– Talk, share, and listen to each other’s ideas
– Connect what they know to what they do
– Communicate their understanding
– Provide concrete examples and evidence of their
learning