Depth and Complexity Critical Thinking Mats {For all subjects!}
5.0 (394 reviews)These “Thinking Mats” present open-ended and engaging opportunities related to 11 “Thinking Tools” ( Big Ideas, Rules, Trends, Patterns, Language of the Discipline, Ethics, Relationships Over Time, Details, Unanswered Questions, Across Disciplines, and Multiple Perspectives) of critical thinking.…
- Grade
- Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
- Pages
- 21
- Answer key
- N/A
- Teaching duration
- Yearlong Resource
- Digital download
Description
These “Thinking Mats” present open-ended and engaging opportunities related to 11 “Thinking Tools” ( Big Ideas, Rules, Trends, Patterns, Language of the Discipline, Ethics, Relationships Over Time, Details, Unanswered Questions, Across Disciplines, and Multiple Perspectives) of critical thinking. They can be utilized with practically any subject and/or topic in a variety of learning settings (small group, pairs, whole group, independent, etc.). There are 11 double-sided “Thinking Mats”; one for each of the “Thinking Tools”.
Front side of card: students will use “post-its” to make connections to a particular topic and the icon of the card.
Backside of card: provides a reference for the particular icon and examples of how it applies to language arts, science, social studies, and math.
Included in this resource:
•11 color “Thinking Mats”, one for each of the eleven “Thinking Tools”.
•11 black-and-white “Thinking Mats”, one for each of the eleven “Thinking Tools”.
•11 back-side references, one for each “Thinking Tool” (these should be copied on the reverse side of the corresponding “Thinking Mat”)
•Tips and suggestions on how to use these “Thinking Mats” in your class.
Two versions–with and without icons–are now included!!
Instructional Applications:
1. Whole Group Lessons
3. Partner Work
4. Jigsaws
5. Expert Groups
6. Independent Work
➡FREE Depth and Complexity Posters
$AVE: Get this and several other resources in my Critical Thinking MEGA BUNDLE!!!
★CLICK HERE for Critical Thinking Task Cards for Literature, History, and Science★
★CLICK HERE for Teaching Critical Thinking Using Fairytales★
★CLICK HERE for Critical Thinking Literature Circles★
This resource was created based on the Depth and Complexity framework, which was created by Dr. Sandra Kaplan under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Research and Improvement: 1996
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Please read: This is a nonrefundable digital download. Please read the description carefully and examine the preview file before purchasing.
© Copyright 2018 M. Tallman. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to copy pages specifically designed for student or teacher use by the original purchaser or licensee. This is intended to be used by one teacher unless additional licenses have been purchased. The reproduction of any other part of this product is strictly prohibited. Copying any part of this product and placing it on the Internet in any form (even a personal/classroom website) is strictly forbidden. Doing so makes it possible for an Internet search to make the document available on the Internet, free of charge, and is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
Reviews
Showing 516–520 of 83,542 reviews
A very helpful resource
This resource is helpful to review previously learned skills for my 4th grade students. It also helps me determine which skills I need to reteach.
Great Resource
This was a great resource for students to practice with run ons and fragments.
Outstanding Resource for Target Reading Practice!
This freebie is an absolute gem for anyone teaching reading comprehension in third grade! Finding high-quality passages that balance both fiction and nonfiction can be a challenge, but this resource delivers beautiful, age-appropriate text for both genres.The layout is clean, straightforward, and highly engaging for students. I love how the text-dependent questions push students to look back into the passage for evidence without being overwhelming. It works perfectly as a quick diagnostic tool, an independent center activity, or part of a targeted reading intervention block. For a free resource, the quality and alignment to third-grade standards are exceptional. It is an easy, zero-prep way to supplement any reading curriculum!
The Ultimate Resource for Engaging Math Routines!
This year-long math bundle is absolutely phenomenal and has completely transformed how my students interact with math concepts! If you are looking for a way to boost engagement and improve long-term retention, this is the perfect resource.The visual layout of the sketch notes allows my third graders to synthesize complex math skills into bite-sized, digestible parts. My students look forward to completing these doodle pages, and it serves as an incredible tool for both visual and kinesthetic learners. It covers the entire year of third-grade standards seamlessly, making it a highly reliable, zero-prep addition to our weekly math routines or interactive notebooks. The pages are clean, beautifully designed, and highly effective for review and reference. I cannot recommend this bundle enough to any third-grade educator!
Gamechanger!
This bundle has completely transformed how I teach grammar in my classroom! Having a consistent, predictable routine for all 30 topics makes my planning effortless and keeps my students focused on learning rather than figuring out new directions.The weekly structure is perfect: the PowerPoints are highly engaging for introducing skills on Mondays, and the transition through independent worksheets, task cards, and interactive sketch notes keeps the students fully involved all week. My students especially love the sketch notes day! Ending the week with the Friday assessments—including the seamless digital Google Forms versions—makes tracking data and grading incredibly simple. It is comprehensive, perfectly aligned to third-grade standards, and requires absolutely zero prep. I highly recommend it!
Questions & Answers (7)
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Could these be used for a book club if I don't want to do traditional lit circle format with roles?
Hello, Melissa!
Absolutely! It is a bit more open-ended, so if you have students who need more explicit guidance, it might not be the best fit. However, your students might really respond well to the less structured format.
How am I able to print these? I have downloaded and ran through every option of making sure my computer and printer are synced and working, no luck.
Some PDFs with a lot of graphics may look fine on your screen, but may not print out correctly.
Open the PDF file with Adobe Acrobat Reader
Click “Print”
Click on “Advanced”
Check the “Print as Image” box
Print the document
If you are still having issues, please contact TpT so they can troubleshoot this with you directly. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Contact
Hi,
I have a mixed group of 6th to 8th grades. I am asking because I see that the range is from 4th to 10th which is very wide. How do I adjust it to a certain age group?
Thanks.
Eran
You’ll be able to differentiate by using different leveled texts with the materials.
Are these available as Google Docs or Slides?
No they are not.
Hey, just wanted to let you know that the Rules back sheet (p 36) is out of order. I figured that out /after/ I printed 4 sets of these mats! The Rules page comes last in the front section, so it should be moved to page 39 in order to print back-to-back correctly.
Ugh!! So sorry!!!! Will fix today.
Hi I have purchased the resources below but I can't seem to printout the D&C thinking mats and the D&C bookmarks for some reason. I can printout the other two. Please help me - they are such wonderful and useful resources.
Thanks
Natasha Pritchard
-Depth and Complexity Thinking Mats
-Depth and Complexity Bookmarks
-Literature Circle
-Strategy Cards that work
That is so strange. Are you able to open them and view them on your computer okay? What is happening when you try to print them? Do you have the latest version of Adobe? Double check by clicking here: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader.html
Also what type of computer do you have? If you
have a Mac and are using preview, that might be the problem. You'll want to make sure to open in Adobe.
Have your tried printing from another computer and/or printer?
I'm sorry you're having difficulties. We'll get it figured out!
Do you have a blog? I'd love to see these in action in a classroom. They look incredible - and I want to be sure I have a good understanding of them. :)
Thank you for your interest. At this time, I do not have a blog. It's just not something I have the time to manage right now. There are some really great resources online regarding Depth and Complexity. I LOVE byrdseed.com! It's a great site with a lot of information for differentiation. Once you become familiar with the various attributes of each icon, using them in your class becomes pretty natural. This item does include a couple of examples as well as ways to apply the Thinking Mats in your class room.




