Innovations
The Thinking Skills Framework
Thinking Skills are the Building Blocks of learning at Black Hill Primary School!
Why do we teach the Thinking Skills? Most of the knowledge children will need to work and live in the future has not been invented yet. Flexible and creative ways of thinking will enable the adults of the future to readily adapt to an ever changing world.
At Black Hill we have developed a Thinking Skills Framework that is embedded into our teaching and learning programs from Preps to Grade 6.
The Framework
- Preps and Grade 1 : De Bono's Six Thinking Hats
- The children put on their thinking caps when they use their White Hat for facts, Red Hat for feelings, Blue Hat for reflection, Black Hat for checking ,Yellow Hat for optimism and Green Hat for imagination!
- Grade 2 : Extended Brainstorming
- The Grade 2s can think of lots of ideas and possibilities when working on their topics and can adapt and enrich their ideas as they build on their new knowledge.
- Grades 3 and 4 : Questioning and Thinkers keys
- In these grades the children formulate and use questions to plan and help their thinking. They can use open ended questions that fire their imagination. They can brainstorm solutions to problems and justify their answers.
- Grade 5: Graphic Organisers
- The Grade 5 children and teachers use flow charts, mindmapping, matrixes and simple webs to organise, prioritise and sort information from social science to maths!
- Grade 6 Blooms Taxonomy
- The Grade 6s are blooming as they work on their remembering understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating!
'YardArt'
Starting with 'Arts Week 2006' children have been designing, creating and making various forms of art work that is being displayed around the school. Presentation spaces include the boundary fences, building walls, the garden, in trees and corridors and in the revamped foyer of the gym.
Please make sure that you take the time to look at the wonderful work of our children and their Arts teachers if you are visiting or passing by the school. We are all very proud of it!