Planning Considerations:
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Content Area: Global Studies
Specific Unit: What does it mean to be a global citizen?
Materials:
Teacher:
Core concept or idea that is connected to standards
Harvard’s Project Zero Thinking Routine: Color-Symbol-Image
Revised Color-Symbol-Image graphic organizer
Student:
Supporting classroom resources connected to core concept or idea
Color-Symbol-Image graphic organizer
Pencil
Time: 15-20 minutes
Instruction:
The Color-Symbol-Image routine can be used in multiple ways in the classroom. To gain prior knowledge and understanding from the student, the routine offers students opportunities to synthesize what they already know and explain their thinking based on the color, symbol, and image they chose as it relates to a specific concept or idea with various content areas.
When giving this thinking routine, the teacher will:
Prompt students to use their unit resources for their claims and supporting evidence.
Have students fill in the section for the topic they are to be thinking about with the keyword as it relates to the concept from the lesson or unit
Discuss with students how they will be thinking about the topic as it is connected to a color, symbol, or image
Discuss the difference between a symbol and image to clarify for students
Include 2-3 sentences of supporting evidence for the explanation of why they think the color, symbol and image is related to the topic. Each response should be specific and different from the others.
Remind students to use capitalization and punctuation skills.
Give feedback to students on their connections made.
Students can also share their thinking with others in the classroom (partners, small group, or whole group). This will allow students to learn from their peers the connections they made and gain multiple perspectives from others in the classroom.
Standards / Content Focus:
National Council for Social Studies Standards
#3 People, Places, and Environments
#9 Global Connections
Student Artifacts:
Recommendations:
This routine can be used in multiple ways, including but not limited to: an entrance ticket, activating prior knowledge, a formative assessment, or a summative assessment. It is important to pick a topic or concept that is broad enough to make connections in multiple ways. A topic or concept that is too narrow, may not provide multiple opportunities and explanations for students to make.
It is also important that throughout the unit of instruction teachers continually ask students to make connections to their own life and others around the world. By doing this throughout the unit, students are able to have practiced making those connections prior to engaging in this formative assessment.
Reflection:
*What went well?
Students were very creative in their responses for each of the areas. I also enjoy seeing what connections they make to each of the three areas. Students who are creative in nature always tend to make connections that are unique.
*What would you have done differently?
Something different I would have done is to model this routine prior to having students do one on their own. I think by modeling this routine and giving specific connections to the thinking in the written responses, I would have gotten more in-depth answers instead of one sentence answers.
Another aspect that can be done with this routine is to have the teacher put up a color, symbol, or image as it relates to the topic or concept and have the students explain how they are connected. This would reinforce students' inferencing skills, while also hearing from the perspectives of their peers.
*What feedback did you get from your students?
Students were familiar with this routine as we had used it several times in our 6th grade units. When the students share their responses with each other, they are always impressed at what their peers come up with in connection to the color, symbol, and image.
*How do you know that this was successful?
I know this routine is successful when students make in-depth connections to the color, symbol, and image as it relates to the topic or concept that is studied. When the connections and their explanations provided are on target with no misconceptions in thinking, I know students are thinking at a higher level.
*How do you plan to incorporate this activity in the future?
I think the Color-Symbol-Image routine can be easily implemented at any point during our unit, and based on the purpose I set for the routine, it will give me insight into the students’ thinking.
*What else should be considered when incorporating this activity into instruction?
This activity can be incorporated in any content level and at any grade level.