As a new teacher, I described a complicated, hands-on activity I was planning. One of our veteran teachers warned me:
Beware! “Hands-on” can lead to “brains-off” activities.
She explained that when we aim for hands-on activities too early, we can sacrifice high levels of thinking. Students end up making a colorful, but low-level product.
But a simple worksheet (with great questions) can take students to higher levels of thinking. And then, once we have that thinking, then we can bring in the creative final product.
I scanned my room in horror.
Example: Earth’s Layers
My students each made a model of the Earth to show its layers. Most used styrofoam balls, labeling the core, mantle, and crust… and that’s where their thinking ended.
They just labeled the layers.
Plus it took us two weeks. (And what am I going to do with all of these Earths!?)
I could have checked for that understanding in two minutes and then had time to ask a questions like:
- Which layer contributes the most to Earth’s success. Write from that layer’s point of view.
- Now pick another layer that disagrees. Write its argument for why it contributes the most.
And a plain old worksheet is perfect for this! (Yes, I have sample worksheets for you at Byrdseed.TV)
Plus, once students have their answers (and I approve them), they can go on to make skits, comics, presentations, stop-motion animation, etc showing off their thinking.
By planning for the thinking first, I had time for a high-level “hands-on” project. But, when I aimed for hands-on first, we wasted a lot of time, and I limited my students to merely listing layers.
Example: The Solar System
In 3rd grade, we learned about the planets. My students built a model of the solar system. Again, I limited them to the very bottom of Bloom’s Taxonomy: list the planets in order.
And building these models took up so much time.
Instead, I could have asked questions like:
- Explain which two planets you like most.
- Explain which two planets you like least.
- Pick a planet that feels under-appreciated. Write from its point of view, making the case for why it deserves more respect.
These are brains-on questions – even though the answer is just written on a worksheet. (And, yes, I have the worksheets here)
Then, students could take their answers and turn them into all sorts of interesting products. Imagine a skit in which each student is a planet arguing how it’s the least appreciated. Or a “public service announcement” paid for by Mercury to convince people of its importance.
If I plan for a high level of thinking first (on a plain old worksheet), the hands-on product flows naturally from students’ answers.
Example: Units of Volume
As we learned about the units for measuring volume, my students constructed Gallon Man!
And this “hands on” task stopped my students at the bottom of Bloom’s. My most brilliant mathematician could only show me that there are 4 quarts in a gallon.
What if I had asked:
Which unit of volume should we remove? What would be the consequences?
Then my students could make advertisements convincing people to remove pints or cups. Write a motto! Build out your argument. Use persuasive techniques. Film a commercial!
Gallon Man was “hands-on,” but it limited my students’ thinking. By starting with a worksheet (with a few great questions), my brightest kids’ minds could stretch and stretch.
Bonus Example: My Own Kid
In kindergarten, my child already knew his numbers well past 20. But his teacher made him glue buttons onto a worksheet! He had to glue one button on the number 1, two buttons on 2, all the way up to 8 buttons on the number 8!
These hands-on activities led to behavior problems because he was SO BORED. Plus, my kid hates gluing tiny things. (So do I! In fact, lots of students dislike low-level “decoration” activities.)
But my kid would LOVE to discuss which number is best, or what’s the most interesting way to get to 9, or why subtraction is more important than addition. These questions get his brain going (and reduce behaviors).
So, now I plan for thinking first. I aim for Analyze. I’m fine using a plain old piece of paper. This lets students focus on their ideas.
Then, I let the final product flow naturally out of students’ thinking.