Pieces of Learning PETS™ Webinar Series 4

P ri mar y E duca ti on T hi nki ng

S kil ls

Pieces of Learning © 2000

Dodie Merritt Pieces of Learning • www.piecesoflearning.com • finelines@gmail.com

Resources:

Primary Education Thinking Skills 1 introduces the six characters, each with

a special thinking strategy, through a

variety of problem-solving activities.

Primary Education Thinking Skills 2 develops the thinking strategies further.

The characters blend their thinking skills

to work together to solve problems.

Primary Education Thinking Skills 3 provides more complex challenges for

expanding these problem-solving

strategies in the young learner.

Kindergarten Primary Education Thinking Skills introduces the thinking skills through activities

and questioning strategies aligned to a wide array of kindergarten-level trade books.

List names of students as

each behavior appears.

Add checkmarks after name if behavior is repeated.

Use a different color of ink

or pencil for each whole

group lesson.

Behavioral Checklist _____________________________________________________

Yarnspinner Thinking (creative/divergent thinking)

Teacher ________________ Grade ______ Dates of 1. ________ whole group 2. ________ instruction:

OFFERS MANY IDEAS (fluency)

USES COLORFUL WORDS TO ELICIT IMAGERY OR EMOTION (flexibility)

OFFERS UNIQUE OR UNCOMMON RESPONSES TO ELICIT IMAGERY OR EMOTION (originality)

USES PHRASES RATHER THAN SINGLE WORDS TO EXPRESS IDEAS (elaboration)

DISPLAYS UNUSUAL OR MATURE SENSE OF HUMOR

USES ADVANCED VOCABULARY IN A MATURE, ARTICULATE MANNER

RETAINS INFORMATION FROM

PREVIOUS LESSONS PETS™ CLASSWORK INDICATES AN OUTSTANDING ABILITY TO USE THIS THINKING SKILL

I see these behaviors in these students regularly during class

time as well:

These students did not stand out during the PETS™ lessons, but I see these

behaviors during regular class time:

Notes:

© Pieces of Learning

P E T S™

DIAGNOSTIC NOTES ● YARNSPINNER THINKING OFFERS MANY IDEAS (fluency)

generates many ideas

all responses are acceptable

responses do not have to be creative

USES COLORFUL WORDS TO ELICIT IMAGERY OR EMOTION (flexibility)

uses colorful words

elicits visual images

elicits an emotional response

OFFERS UNIQUE OR UNCOMMON RESPONSES TO ELICIT IMAGERY OR EMOTION (originality)

shares uncommon or unique ideas

elicits visual images

elicits an emotional response

USES PHRASES RATHER THAN SINGLE WORDS TO EXPRESS IDEAS (elaboration)

uses descriptive phrases

DISPLAYS UNUSUAL OR MATURE SENSE OF HUMOR

understands your jokes

makes jokes you appreciate

USES ADVANCED VOCABULARY IN A MATURE, ARTICULATE MANNER

correctly uses words others

do not know

expresses ideas in a more mature, articulate manner

RETAINS INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS LESSONS

shares knowledge accurately during review

applies knowledge during activities

PETS™ CLASSWORK INDICATES AN OUTSTANDING ABILITY TO USE THIS THINKING SKILL

seatwork and/or challenge papers are exceptionally well done

I see these behaviors in these students regularly during class

time as well:

normally great creative thinkers

These students did not stand out during the PETS™ lessons, but I see these

behaviors during regular class time:

normally great creative thinkers who “hid out” during the PETS™ lesson

Notes:

absentees

new students

© Pieces of Learning

be generous — more inclusive than exclusive

names can go in more than one box per answer

be sure to add 3s after names for multiple answers

be sure to use different colors for each whole group lesson

Adap

ted b

y B

eve

rly

Pryo

r, B

ay C

ity

ISD

, B

ay C

ity,

TX

P

rim

ary

Educ

atio

n T

hin

king

Ski

lls 1

© P

iece

s of

Lea

rnin

g

Primary Education Thinking Skills 1 © Pieces of Learning

From Sarah Carlson, Plymouth Elementary School, Plymouth, NH

Primary Education Thinking Skills 1 © Pieces of Learning

Kindergarten PETS™ © Pieces of Learning

A BLOOMin’

Box

What might

happen if

__________ ?

If you were

_____________

in the story,

what would

you do

differently?

How would

you end this

story

differently?

How does

____________

feel about

what’s

happening?

In how many

different ways

could you

describe

__________?

What else

could

___________

have done?

™ Q’UB Divergent/Creative Thinking Tier 1

Stuff this cube with old

plastic bags or styrofoam

peanuts.

Then wrap with packing

tape for durability.

OR

Enlarge cells to desired

size.

Cut out and clue to the

sides of a larger cardboard

box.

Primary Education Thinking Skills 3 © Pieces of Learning

Primary Education Thinking Skills 1 © Pieces of Learning