Using VTR's (Visible Thinking Routines) to Deepen Conceptual Understanding in the IB PYP

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

In a PYP classroom, inquiry goes beyond remembering facts, it is about exploring how we know, why we think, and what connections we can make. A practical way to surface this thinking is through Visible Thinking Routines (VTRs)- flexible strategies developed by Harvard Project Zero that make thinking visible, shareable, and usable.

When paired with the seven IB PYP Specified Concepts- Form, Function, Causation, Change, Connection, Perspective, and Responsibility- VTRs become powerful tools to structure inquiry. They help learners dig deeper, build ATL skills, extend agency, and embody Learner Profile Attributes.

With the 2018 PYP enhancements (by 2025 fully integrated), where agency, LPAs, and ATLs are woven into everyday practice (and “attitudes” are integrated within LPAs), VTRs act as practical thinking scaffolds to support progression from concrete noticing in early years to abstract reasoning and global responsibility in upper PYP.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗧𝗥?

Visible Thinking Routines (VTRs) are short, repeatable sets of questions or prompts that guide learners to observe, analyze, reason, and reflect. They make invisible thought processes visible to both learners and teachers.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:

See-Think-Wonder – for observation and curiosity
Think-Puzzle-Explore – for generating questions and direction
Connect-Extend-Challenge – for linking and extending thinking
Circle of Viewpoints – for considering multiple perspectives

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗩𝗧𝗥𝘀 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗱?

VTRs are used to:

Support inquiry: They prompt curiosity and new questions.
Deepen conceptual understanding: Each PYP key concept can be unpacked through aligned routines.
Grow agency: Students choose or adapt routines suited to their needs.
Connect with LPAs and ATLs: Routines nurture attributes like reflection and skills like communication.
Document thinking: Learners show progression with visible evidence over time.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗧𝗥𝘀

1. 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲?

Suggested VTRs

See-Think-Wonde
Parts-Purposes-Complexities
Looking 10×2
Color-Symbol-Image

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Encourage slow looking with prompts to notice details.
Break objects/systems into visible parts and functions.
Use repetition (10×2) to notice beyond the obvious.
Invite students to express understanding symbolically.
Document observations for pattern spotting later.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

2. 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?

Suggested VTRs

Think-Puzzle-Explore
What Makes You Say That?
Function-Mechanism-Purpose
Why-How Ladder

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Begin with “I think…” statements to draw prior knowledge.
Collect puzzles (questions) for inquiry direction.
Encourage learners to cite evidence for claims.
Explore systems repeatedly: ask “Why?” and “How?” deeper each time.
Use diagrams to map out processes.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

3. 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀?

Suggested VTRs

Claim-Support-Question
Cause & Effect Mapping
Why-Why-Why Chain
Think-Explain-Evidence

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Teach learners to make claims supported by evidence.
Map out sequences visually (cause → effect).
Use “Why?” repeatedly to trace root causes.
Connect causal thinking to research and reflection.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

4. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Suggested VTRs

I Used to Think – Now I Think
Creative Questions
Think-Compare-Connect
Before-Then-Now-Next

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Collect learners’ prior ideas, then revisit (reflection).
Pose creative questions to imagine alternative changes.
Encourage comparing before/after states.
Use timeline mapping to sequence transformations.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

5. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀?

Suggested VTRs

Connect-Extend-Challenge
Headlines
Think-Share-Compare
Concept Mapping

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Invite prior knowledge links explicitly.
Ask: “How does this extend your thinking?”
Pose challenges that stretch perspective.
Create maps showing interrelationships.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

6. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁?

Suggested VTRs

Circle of Viewpoints
Step Inside
Think-Feel-Care
Perspective Taking Maps

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Help students role-play different stakeholders.
Use sentence stems: “From this view…”
Build empathy by imagining feelings and needs of others.
Encourage respectful listening to all sides.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

7. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲?

Suggested VTRs

Compass Points
Tug for Truth
Option Explosion
Action Mapping

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲

Ask learners to reflect from emotional, practical, and ethical angles.
Use “for vs. against” discussions for truth weighing.
Generate many possible choices → narrow to best ones.
Create maps showing personal, local, global responsibilities.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀, 𝗩𝗧𝗥𝘀, 𝗟𝗣𝗔𝘀, 𝗔𝗧𝗟𝘀

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

Progression: EYP–Gr2 observe concrete things; Gr3–5 analyze abstract/global.
Alignment with Enhancements: Attitudes now integrated into LPAs, action seen in small everyday choices (not only big projects).
Documentation:
Agency: Allow learners to co-select VTRs; they are thinking tools, not checklists.
Integration: Always link routines with specific ATLs & LPAs to strengthen the “why.”

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Visible Thinking Routines are powerful allies in the PYP classroom. They connect to key concepts, surface progression in thinking, and empower agency while building IB Learner Profile and ATL skills. When thoughtfully embedded, they help learners move from seeing details → reasoning deeply → connecting ideas → considering perspectives → acting responsibly. This is the essence of PYP education: growing inquirers, thinkers, and caring citizens who make their thinking and their learning visible.

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

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