Hexagonal Thinking
Hexagonal Thinking & Critical Thinking
What is "Hexagonal Thinking"?
Hexagonal thinking is a critical thinking exercise where students connect concepts placed on hexagons. There are multiple concept connection possibilities - Students take the concepts beyond the surface to make deeper connections and then must defend their connections and explain how it connects to an overall essential question or theme.
Hexagonal Thinking morphed from the need for more rigorous metacognitive strategies and the use of concept maps in high school classrooms.
In metacognitive thinking, "students (are) realistically aware of their own cognitive resources in relation to the task demands and the to plan, monitor, and control those resources," (Ritchart, Church, & Morrison).
Concept mapping "graphically (depicts) the structure of complex maps...based on the observation that pictures and line drawings are often more easily comprehended than the abstract words that represent complex concepts," (Harris & Zha).
How does Hexagonal Thinking work?
After the study of a major work (poetry or prose, long or short), students are given color-coded hexagons.
Working in pairs or small groups, students discuss the connections they make between the hexagons. In literature, students would connect characters to major themes, symbols, quotations, etc.
Students then cement their connections by gluing down the hexagons in their connected configurations. Then, they write their connections onto the paper, demonstrating the connections verbally.
Finally, students present their findings to the class. The class can then discuss the commonalities and differences they found in their analysis. The teacher can use this discussion as an assessment or they can assign a written assessment to demonstrate mastery.
What are the benefits of using this in my class?
There is no right or wrong answer - students can get away from binary choices and feel safe to make and defend innovative connections.
This activity works as both a formative and a summative assessment. The task, when properly scaffolded, is appropriate for all achievement and accommodated levels.
Hexagonal thinking builds a positive classroom environment and student rapport - students learn how to discuss, defend, and disagree in a positive, constructive manner.
It's fun! Students are fully engaged in the process and often ask to continue it past the class period. Engaged students are learning students!
Teacher Testimonials - What do the experts say?
“Hexagonal thinking gives students who are not naturally strong writers or good test takers an alternative way to demonstrate their knowledge - and even those students who are generally good at traditional assessments enjoy the opportunity to do something creative.”
“For many years I used a traditional multiple-choice and true and false test for my nonfiction text. Many students would have a failing grade. I realize that I was assessing them on mostly memorizing facts, not understanding the text. The hexagonal activity provided me an opportunity to test them on their critical thinking abilities instead.”
“We have used it as a summative assessment, and it allows the students to show what they have learned in a better way than traditional exam formats. Not all students learn the same, so this meets the students (where) they are.”