introducton to six thinking hats at elementary level

8/10/2019 Introducton to Six Thinking Hats at Elementary Level

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The Six Thinking Hats

-- A Teachers Resource Guide to

Using the Six Hatsin Your Classroom

Developed and Presented at the Second Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Undergraduate Scholars Conference

by

Kathleen Drevitch, Rae Lynn Kosarik, Jennifer Minner, Sarah Steele

Table of Contents

Introduction

How to teach The Six Hats

to your students

The Six Hats

Authentic Assessment

Integration of The Six Hats

in other content areas

Constructing your own Six Hats Key Ring


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Six Thinking Hats

The Six Thinking Hatsis a tool that has been used by people in the business world and

the educational community. This methodology of thinking was invented by Dr. Edward De

Bono. He is considered an expert in the field of creative thinking and the direct teaching of

thinking as a skill. He has written sixty-two books which have been translated into thirty-seven

languages. Dr. de Bono has earned, (M.D., Ph.D.), degrees in medicine, psychology, physiology,

and philosophy, and Rhodes Scholar. He has held faculty positions at the universities of Oxford,

Cambridge, London, and Harvard.

Dr. de Bonos Six Thinking Hatsis a tool that can empower teachers of any grade and

or subject matter to motivate students to use critical thinking and problem solving skills, while

expressing inner creativity. You can teach the Six Hatsto your students by focusing on a

specific thinking skill. Students associate the colored hats with key words and questions that will

direct or redirect their thinking resulting in a richer learning experience. By implementing the

Six Hatsto every lesson, teachers can help students explore their own potential by taking an

active role in their learning andenhance their creative thinking!


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The Six Thinking Hats (by Dr. Edward de Bono) -- How to teach the Six Hatsto your students!

Materials:

1. White, red, yellow, black, green, blue poster board for Six Hats

2. White, red, yellow, black, green, blue shower curtains

3. Magnets for the back of the hats (optional)

Getting Started:

1. Before teaching the hats, you need to construct all of your hats. Cut out six hats from the

poster board.

2. Write the words below on the hats: (I found these words to be the easiest for the children

to understand.)

White hat-Facts Yellow hat- Good

Red hat-Feelings Green hat- Create

Black hat-Caution Blue hat- Understanding

3. Cut six shower curtains into large hats, approximately 6 feet by 5 feet. These will be used

for the children to stand on while learning about each hat.

Procedures:

Day One:

1. Pick a topic in which the entire class is interested. (Gym, sports, bugs, toys, candy, etc.) I

used gym/sports. What child does not like gym?

2. Introduce a new hat to the children each day. This way they wont be overwhelmed.


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3. Begin by holding up the white hat. Ask the children, what word is on the white hat? Tell

the children you are going to ask them all white hat questions. For example, Who throws

the football during a football game? What is it called when you score a point in football?

Every time a child answers the questions correctly, tell them to come stand on the hat

with you.

4. Next, tell the children that they need to ask the questions now. Tell them they can only

ask white hat questions. Have them ask to one another. Once they ask a white hat

question they can come up on the hat. (Continue until everyone has a turn.)

Day Two:

1. Review the white hat. Ask the students white hat questions and have them ask white hat

questions. Introduce the red hat. Hold up the hat and ask the students what word is on thered hat? Tell the children all of these questions are red hat questions. Begin asking

questions.

2. For example,How do you feel when you are hit with a ball in dodge ball? How do you

feel after gym class?Continue asking questions. If the children seem to understand, let

them begin asking questions. Every time a child answers a question correctly, they canstand on that hat.

3. When dismissing the children to retrieve their things for home, review the hats. Askthem red and white hat questions and have them tell you if it is a red hat or white hat

question. This helps to see if children truly understand.

Day Three:

1. Review the white and red hats. Next, ask the students to tell you if you are asking themwhite or red hat questions and have them ask you questions.

2. Hold up the black hat. Ask the children what the black hat means. Then begin asking

black hat questions. For example, why should you be cautious in gym class? What should

you be careful about when running with your shoes untied? After asking the studentsquestions, if they understand move onto letting them ask the questions. Every time a

child asks or answers a question, they may come and stand on that hat.

3. When dismissing the children, ask them white, red, and black hat questions to see if they

can say which color hat question that is.

Day Four:

1. Review the white, red, and black hats. Ask the students to tell you if you are asking

white, red, or black hat questions.


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2. Hold up the yellow hat and ask the students what the yellow hat means. Begin by asking

all yellow hat questions. (Inform the students that this is the opposite of the black hat.)

For example, What do you like about gym? Why do you like playing kick ball? Etc. Keepasking questions until students appear to understand. Then allow them to ask the

questions. Every time they ask or answer a question, they can stand on the hat.

3. When finishing the review of all of the previous hats, ask questions to see if they know

what color hat question you are asking; however, this time tell them that they have to

answer the question and tell the color of the hat.

Day Five:

1. Review the white, red, black, and yellow hats. Have the students ask questions and tell

what hat question they asked.

2. Hold up the green hat and ask the students what the green hat means. This hat is more

difficult to understand, but persevere and they will comprehend the process of creativity.

Ask only green hat questions. For example, how could you create your own ball for agame of kick ball? What if I was running around during gym class and my friend pushed

me, what should I do?(Ask plenty of green hat questions to make sure the children

understand.) Make sure the students are coming up to stand on the hat when they answeror ask a question.

3. Have the children begin asking green hat questions to their classmates.

4.

Finish by asking the students hat questions. Tell the students you are going to ask themquestions, and they have to first answer it and then tell what color hat question it is. Askwhite, red, black, yellow, and green hat questions.

Day Six:

1. Review all of the previous hats. Ask the students a few questions and have themanswer. Ask a few students to ask questions and have fellow classmates answer.

2. Move to the last hat, the blue hat. This is the most complicated hat, so just go slowly.Hold up the blue hat as you stand on a chair/table. Ask the children what I may see that

is different now? You are trying to get the students to look at things from anotherperspective, nicknamed out of the box. Tell them to pretend they are a bird in the skylooking down. Get them to look at things deeply and differently. If desired, stand next to

a child and let them stand on the chair to experience looking at things differently.

3. Ask the children what the blue hat means. Begin blue hat questions. For example,

explain to me how to play Martian, Martian? Ask them to sequence the events in their


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prior gym class. Continue asking them questions, and then let them proceed with the

questioning.

4. When dismissing the class, ask a few students to create a blue hat question.

Day Seven: Culminating Experience

1. Review six hats by asking the students all different colored hat questions. (Make sureyou cover all of them.) Have the students answer and tell which color hat it is.

2. Pick a student and tell him/her to ask a particular color hat question. For example,Ask a

green hat question?This will also check for complete understanding.

3. After reviewing, tell the children we are going to play a game. Pick a particular place

like Kennywood. Call six children up and have them pretend they are at Kennywood.

They can only speak being the particular color hat that they received. They are not

limited to questions; they can make statements as well.

4. Continue this with other children and other places. Have the children who have had aturn hand their hat off to someone new and pick a new topic.

5. Everyone should have a turn. Let the children know that if they are struggling, they canask for help.

Tips:

1. Do this at the end of the day. The children get very excited and motivated.

2. Allow fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the day for the HATS.

3. Suggested time is about seven days, one hat per day and a culminating experience.

4. Ask about five questions when teaching each hat. If they do not seem to understand,

wait and ask more questions.

5. If you have a large area, put all six shower curtain hats out, present a question, and have

the children run to the corresponding question.

6. Each day remember to put out the new shower curtain hat.

7. This works with any age level. My second graders really understood and used the

concept!

8. Have fun, and do not be afraid! Jump right in!

The Six Thinking Hats


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White HatThe White Hat calls for

information known or

needed.

Black HatThe Black Hat is

judgment-the devil's

advocate or why

something may not work.

Red HatThe Red Hat signifies

feelings, hunches, and

intuition.

Green HatThe Green Hat focuses on

creativity: possibilities,

alternatives, and new

ideas.

Yellow HatThe Yellow Hat

symbolizes values and

benefits and why

something may work.

Blue HatThe Blue Hat is used to

manage the thinking

process.

Introduction: Construct the six different colored hats out of large pieces of construction paper.

On each of the hats, choose a word that describes the types of questions each hat focuses on. For

example, the White Hatcalls for information known or needed, so Facts is a good word to

place on the White Hat. Some examples for the other hats are as follows:

Red Hat- Feelings

Black Hat- Caution

Yellow Hat-Benefits

Green Hat- Creative

Blue Hat- Thinking about Thinking

Display The Six Thinking Hats in the room for the students to see. This will immediatelyget the students thinking, without anything even being said. They will have many questions right

from the start. Prior to each week, construct hats for each child in the class. For example, a White

Hat (with facts written on it) will be made for each child during the first week. A Red Hat

(with feelings written on it) will be made the second week and so on.

Procedures:

Day one of each week: Explain to the students that the hats are going to help them to think on a

higher level. Briefly introduce the hats, utilizing the word placed on each hat. Choose a subjectthat can easily incorporate the hats. Science is a good example. Then pick a topic, relating to that

subject, to base the questions on. The relating top may be insects. Explain to the students that


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over the next six weeks, at the beginning of science class, they are going to learn a new thinking

hat. Begin by teaching the White Hat. Share some sample White Hat questions with the

students and allow them to respond. One question may be, What insect does a caterpillar turninto? Another question may be, What are the three main body parts of an insect?

After giving sample questions, tell the students that they will receive their very own hat, if theyask a White Hat question correctly. Give them time to think of a question. Next, have them

ask their questions to the class. Have the others students signal thumbs up or thumbs down.

If correct, place a White Hat on their head. If wrong, guide the student to think of a betterquestion. Then give them their hat. This is a good way to informally assess each of them.

Day Two of each week: On the following day, give each child an index card with their name onit. Explain to them that they will play a round of Hat Tricks. Have them work with a partner to

think of a White Hat question. Give them a few minutes to come up with one. Go around the

room and have students ask their questions. Again, have the rest of the class signal whether ornot the question is accurate. If correct, give each child a stamp. Repeat until all students have

their turn

Do this on the second day for each of the six hats. During the first week of teaching the hats,

only White Hat questions can be asked. Once more hats are introduced; different colored hat

questions can be incorporated. The teacher can ask a variety of hat questions and the studentswill have to identify which color hat the question asks. Every time a student answers correctly,

give them another stamp on their stamp card. After the six weeks are finished, count the total

number of stamps on student cards. The student with the most stamps will win a Top HatPrize.

The Six HatsAuthentic Assessment

Directions: Place a check beside the appropriate hat color question that the student answered.

Integrating Six Thinking Hatsinto every lesson deepens comprehension and allows students to

take an active role in learning.


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Students Name

White

Hat

Yellow

Hat

Black

Hat

Red

Hat

Green

Hat

Blue

Hat

Sample Reading Lesson

The following is an example of how Six Thinking Hats

might be incorporated into a dailylesson.

RATIONAL AND BACKGROUND

The reason for teaching the lesson is to give students a better understanding of how important

interacting with text can enhance comprehension, expand vocabulary, model fluent reading and

enhance oral language.


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LESSON OBJECTIVES

TLW The learner will develop an understanding of how to interact with Cloudy with a Chance

of Meatballs.

P.I. When presented with the story the students will verbally answer preset questions that fallunder each of the Six Thinking Hats

. This is an individual activity during the lesson.

TLW The learner will enjoy read-aloud anthology Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

P.I. While listening to the story, the student will be able to monitor his or her own

comprehension as they hear the story read aloud.

TLW be able to describe what they are picturing in their heads as the story was being read to

them. This is an individual activity during the lesson.

TLW The learner will display his or her understanding of listening comprehension.

P.I. When given a piece of paper the student will draw a picture of his or her favorite part of the

story then verbally explain what they drew to the class. This is an individual activity that is done

after instruction.

STANDARDS

Connection to State Standard: The Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards

for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening that is appropriate to this reading lesson is 1.6.3

A. Listen to others

1 Ask questions to aide understanding.

Connection to State Standard: The Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standardsfor Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening that is appropriate for this reading lesson is 1.6.3

B. Listen to a selection of literature (Fiction)

2 Relate it to similar experiences.

3 Predict what will happen next.

4 Identify and define new words and concepts.

Connection to State Standard: The Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards

for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening that is appropriate for this reading lesson is 1.6.3


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D. Contribute to discussion

5 Asks relevant questions.

6 Respond with appropriate information or opinions to questions asked.

7 Identify and define new words and concepts

8 Display appropriate turn-taking behaviors.

RESOURCES & MATERIALS

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Read-Aloud Anthology

Vocabulary words

Overhead transparency

Umbrella

Paper and crayons

Teacher model

CONCEPTS

The students learn how interacting with text that they are reading can enhance

comprehension, fluency and vocabulary.

PROCEDURES (Part A)

A. Motivation & Introduction

1. Tell students I have an object inside my think bag. Your task will be to guess what the

object is inside my bag. Just reach your hand inside the bag and touch the object, no

peeking! The object inside the bag will be the topic of todays lesson. Once you touch theobject, I want you to make a prediction as to what the object is. Please do not shout out what

you think the object might be. Keep it to yourself until everyone has had a chance. After

predictions are made, I will reveal my umbrella.


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Activate Prior Knowledge

1. Discuss the weather. Ask students (white hat) when do you use an umbrella? A

student might respond by saying when it is raining outside. (blue hat) Why would youwanted to use and umbrella and or rain coat? A student might respond by saying to keep

you dry. Next, the teacher asks students if they have ever played in the rain? If so(red hat) how does the rain feel when it hits your hand? A student might respond by saying

it feels wet.

LESSON BODY

BEFORE READING

1. The teacher tells students that today they are going to need to put on their thinking caps

and listening ears because I am going to read them a story called Cloudy with a Chance

of Meatballs.

2. Next the teacher asks students (green hat) or (blue hat) what do you think this story

will be about just by hearing its title? A student responds by saying it sounds like it is a

book about raining meatballs.

GENRE

3. The teacher explains to students that a fantasy is a form of fiction that contains

characters, settings and events that are not realistic. In this story meatballs rain instead of

water.

EXPAND VOCABULARY

4. The teacher introduces students to the following words before reading either on the board

or overhead

Varied- Includes many different forms or kinds

Abandon- to leave a place because of danger

Stale- No longer fresh

SET PURPOSE FOR READING

5. The teacher tells students You will have to listen to find out what happens to a town

when it rains food.


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DURING READING

6. The teacher begins reading Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

7. The teacher says, Now you need to put on your thinking caps and listening ears. The

teacher reads paragraph one aloud to students then asks the following question. (yellow hat) What are some benefits of eating breakfast? A student might respond by saying

you wont be hungry until lunch.

8. The teacher reads on until paragraph four and asks students. "How many of you like to

read before bed time, raise your hand. (yellow hat) If so what is you favorite bed timestory?" A student might respond by saying Cinderella.

9. After reading paragraph five the teacher models think aloudfor the students by saying

the following, Ive never heard of a town called Chewandswallow! It sounds like,

chew and swallow. I think this is the beginning of a fantasy story that grandpa told me

last night.

10. The teacher reads on to paragraph seven. The teacher then asks student the following

question. (green hat) "How do you think the people who lived in Chewandswallow

might catch their food from the sky?" A student might respond by saying they catch thefood in huge dishes. When the dishes are full the people take the food they need and put

it in containers and zip lock bags.

11. The teacher reads on to paragraph nine. The teacher asks students the following

question: "If it never rains or snows, (black hat) what problems do you think it would

pose to the plants and or people of Chewandswallow?" A student would respond bysaying people and plants wouldnt get the water that they need.

12. The teacher reads to paragraph fourteen. The teacher points out the word know what theword varied. Varied means many different forms or kinds.

13. The teacher reads on to paragraph sixteen. The teacher asks student if they know what

the Frankfurters are. Student might respond by naming different foods; the teacher tells

students they are another name for hotdogs. They were called Frankfurter because theywere founded in the 1800s by a butcher who lived in Frankfurt, Germany.

14. After reading paragraph eighteen the teacher models thinkaloud for the students bysaying the following, Notice how the author is describing meals like a weather report I

would only hear on the nightly news! This makes a strange towns weather seem very

funny.

15. The teacher reads paragraph twenty. Next the teacher asks student the following

question. (red hat) "How do you think you would feel if you were hit by a raining hot


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dog, hamburger, or meatball?" A student might respond by saying it might hut,

especially if it is falling through the sky quickly.

16. The teacher reads paragraph twenty-six. The teacher asks students the following

question. (blue hat) "Why do you think the weather is changing in Chewandswallow?"

A student might respond by saying maybe its globe warming.

17. The teacher reads paragraph thirty the teacher models thinkaloud for the students by

saying the following, "I was able to picture in my mind the mess in this town. I knowhow squishy tomatoes can be, so I can imagine what a mess a whole tornado-worth of

them would make!

18. The teacher reads paragraph thirty-two. Next the teacher points out the vocabulary word

abandon. The teacher asks students if they remembered (white hat) what abandonmeans? A student responds by saying means to leave.

19. The teacher reads paragraph thirty-three. Next the teacher points out the vocabularyword stale. The teacher asks students what does stale mean. A student responds not

fresh. (red hat) "How does a stale loaf of bread feel?" A student responds by sayinghard.

The teacher reads paragraph thirty-seven. The teacher asks students the following

question. (blue hat) "What do you think happened to the little townChewandswallow?" A student might respond by saying it turn into a garbage dump.

21. The teacher reads paragraph Forty-one. The teacher asks students if someone never read

the story Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (blue hat) what would you tell themabout the story? A student might respond by saying it is about two little kids who are

staying with their Grandpa and he cooks them breakfast, but at night he tells them a storyabout a little town name Chewandswallow. The town has raining food, but the weather

turns severe, and the people leave the town. Then the kids wake up and go sled riding.

AFTER READING

22. Retell: The teacher will have students draw a picture of their favorite part of the story,

then stand up in front of the class and describe their picture. The teacher will show

students a model that she created.

23. The teacher passes out paper and crayons.

24. After students create their drawings, they will share them with the class.


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LESSON CLOSURE

Review statement for the closing of the lesson is the following: "In todays lesson we

learned how to be good listeners and interact while being read too. I have modeled how to think

out loud when you read a story. When you interact while reading, you will remember what you

have read or what someone read to you. All of you did a super job!

Constructing Your Own Six Hat Key Ring

Materials Needed

One sheet of the following colors of construction paper: white, red, black, yellow, green, andblue.

Metal ring (that opens and closes)

Hole punch

Copy Six Hatswords and questions

Scissors

Pencil

Hat pattern


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Directions

1. Trace the hat pattern on each piece of paper, white, red, blue yellow, black and green.

2. Cut out the hats from each piece of color paper. (You should have: one white, red, blue

yellow, black and green hat.)

3. Cut out the words and questions from each of the boxes on the next page.

4. Glue words on the front of the hat and questions on the back of the hat. (Make sure the

words and question correspond with the correct hat color.)

5. Take the hole punch and punch a hole in the left corner of each hat.

6. Place hats in this order: white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue.

7. Put hats on the metal ring.

8. Optional: If you want your hats to last, laminate them!

Six HatsWords and Questions for Key Ring

Front of the Hat

WHITE HAT

FACTS

INFORMATION

RESEARCH NEEDED

Back of the Hat

Who? What? When? Where?

What do you know about?

What are the facts about?

Front of the Hat

RED HAT

FEELINGS HUNCHES

EMOTIONS INTUITION

Front of the HatWhat are your feelings now?

Did your feelings change? How?

What is your hunch about?

What does your intuition tell you?


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Front of the Hat

BLACK HAT

CAUTION RISKS

JUDGMENT

Front of the Hat

What should you be cautious about?

What are the consequences of?

Front of the Hat

YELLOW HAT

BENEFITS GOOD

VALUE STRENGTHS

Back of the Hat

What are the benefits of?

What is good about?

What is a positive outcome of?

Front of the Hat

GREEN HAT

CREATIVITY NEW IDEAS

PREDICTING BRAINSTORMING

Back of the Hat

What if?

Can you create other ways to do this?

How would you solve the problem?

Front of the Hat

BLUE HAT

SUMMARIZING METACOGNITION

THINKING ABOUT THINKING

Back of the Hat

Why? Explain? Summarize?

What is the main idea?


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Six Thinking Hats

Pattern for the Key Ring

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introducton to six thinking hats at elementary level

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