1st Edition
21 Visual Thinking Tools for the Classroom Developing Real-World Problem Solvers in Grades 5-10
This resource is for any busy teacher looking to enrich their lesson planning and support the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and metacognition skills. Designed for use in Grades 5–10, each of these 21 tools is paired with a real-world issue or ethical dilemma to guide students through complex social, emotional, and intellectual topics and can even be used within your existing lessons.
Every chapter introduces a different visual thinking tool and a step-by-step approach for a range of topics from challenging bias and promoting self-awareness to reflecting on social interactions. Stories from the classroom and world, a range of ethical issues, and student and educator examples illustrate how the tools can be used.
Ideal for in-service teachers in Grades 5–10 across content areas regardless of curriculums, these tools will inspire your students to be open-minded and actively engage in classroom discussions while developing new and different perspectives about themselves, your lessons and the world around them.
The 21 Harbord & Khan Thinking Tools © featured in the book are available to download for classroom use at www.routledge.com/9781032662923.
Introduction 1. The Bias and Fairness Toolⓒ: Mindset Measure 2. The Building Blocks Toolⓒ Understanding My World 3. The Circles Toolⓒ: Digging into Dilemmas 4. The Clock Toolⓒ: Time is Ticking 5. The Design For The Need Tool©: Criteria Checklist 6. The Detective Toolⓒ: Gathering Evidence 7. The Ethical Charter Toolⓒ: Package Your Ideas 8. The Ethical Equation Toolⓒ: Find a Solution 9. The Go Earth Toolⓒ: Which Way Do I Go? 10. The Inquiry Builder Tool©: Adding It All Up 11. The Knowledge Twister Toolⓒ Truth and Lies 12. The Myself Toolⓒ: Same or Different? 13. The Orange Sun Tool©: Shine a Light 14. The Plus-Minus Toolⓒ: Game of Numbers 15. The Points of View Toolⓒ: No Judgment 16. The Polka Dot Toolⓒ: Spots Before My Eyes 17. The Snowman Toolⓒ: An Emotional Scale 18. The Thinking Generator Tool©: Problem-Solver 19. The Time Tunnel Toolⓒ: Looking Forward, Looking Back 20. The Transfer Toolⓒ: Making Connections 21. The Zig-Zag Toolⓒ: Everything to Gain
Biography
Meredith J. Harbord is an adjunct professor for the International Graduate Programs for Educators SUNY, Buffalo State University and Core 21 Education Services US, teaching courses in holistic curriculum, the reflective teacher, design thinking, maker spaces and game-based learning together with ethical leadership and navigating gender in a global world. She also teaches middle and high school. Meredith is the co-founder of Harbord & Khan Educational Consultants.
Sara Riaz Khan is an educator and visual artist who has taught middle years program art and design. She has been a school artist-in-residence and exhibited internationally since 2004. Sara has developed community art projects as well as supported hospital outreach, disaster relief, and literacy initiatives. Sara is the co-founder of Harbord & Khan Educational Consultants.
