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When Too Much Depth Leads To Simplicity

The most common mistake I see in implementing the Depth and Complexity thinking tools (and one I made myself) is to rely on a graphic organizer like this:

2017 07 27 at 10 03 AM

Here are three problems with this worksheet:

1. Too many prompts!

In this case, there are so many prompts of depth, that students will rush through to complete it all, leading to (ironically!) shallow thinking. This worksheet becomes a checklist rather than a tool for deep-thinking. After all, how can a kid possibly go deep with nine different tools at once?

2. No directions!

In this worksheet, there’s just a prompt sitting there by itself: “rules”. What are students supposed to do with the prompts? How should they be thinking about “rules”? If you don’t make this clear, many students will default to the lowest level of thinking. They’ll just list three rules, three details, three patterns, and so on. Listing three rules is not very deep thinking.

3. No connection to content.

Students should use prompts that best connect to the content, not a generic “use as many as we can” worksheet. If you’re cooking, you don’t always use all of your spices, right? When using the prompts of depth and complexity, consider which prompts will draw out the most interesting thinking about the content.

How To Do It better

  1. Pick the perfect prompts for the task. Sometimes it might be two or three, but never nine or ten! If I’m studying Rosa Parks, I’ll probably pick ethics, rules, and multiple perspectives. Sure, I could use all the prompts (they all “work”), but these three set the stage for a specific task I have in mind. You might pick three different prompts to focus on – but do pick that focus with purpose.
  2. Always pair Depth and Complexity prompts with a thinking skill. Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help you rise above the “find three examples” level of thinking. Never let the prompt sit by itself or kids will default to “listing”.
  3. Think about your learning goal. Is it for students to fill in a worksheet? That’s neither deep nor complex. Instead, consider how to set the stage for slow, deep learning, using the prompts as a tool to get there.

Questions? Examples? Anecdotes? Send them to ian@byrdseed.com.

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More about Depth and Complexity Icons
  1. Four Ways to Differentiate Objectives
  2. The Differentiator!
  3. Introducing Depth and Complexity
  4. Differentiate Lessons With The Content Imperatives
  5. Go Deeper! Get More Complex!
  6. A Deep, Complex Extension Menu For Character Analysis
  7. Reflecting With Depth and Complexity
  8. Content Imperatives And Conflict
  9. Depth or Complexity Alone Isn’t Deep Enough
  10. Depth and Complexity: Iconic Statements
  11. Unlock The Real Power of Content Imperatives
  12. My Thoughts on the “New” Depth and Complexity Icons
  13. Depth, Complexity, and Graphic Organizers
  14. Moving Between Depth and Complexity Prompts
  15. Graphic Organizers Aren’t The End
  16. The Least Popular Depth and Complexity Prompt
  17. When Too Much Depth Leads To Simplicity
  18. Depth and Complexity: Misconceptions About The Big Idea
  19. Ethics In Math
  20. How To Introduce Depth and Complexity
  21. Depth and Complexity: Big Idea and Details
  22. Depth and Complexity: Patterns and Rules
  23. Depth and Complexity: Ethics and Multiple Perspectives

Get In Touch

Please contact me with questions or comments at: ian@byrdseed.com

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