Develop advanced reading skills using the 6 Thinking Hats

By using the 6 Thinking Hats, children will develop their higher reading skills and every book will be looked at a lot longer, and in greater depth than by using any other method.

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Here is an example, using an excerpt from “A Puzzling Picnic” (available from www. beyondpotentialkids.co.za)

“The warthogs heard the call and trotted back to help the sable antelope kick sand over the fire and put it out.

The rhino used her great horn to spike the papers and tidy the area. 

The giraffe and her son picked up all the cans and threw them into the rubbish bins. 

Even the silly monkeys came down from the trees to help the guinea fowl pick up every last bit of rubbish left in the picnic spot.

Soon, with all the animals, large and small, lending their helping paws, claws, hooves and hands, the place was tidy and beautiful again.

“I hope the next carload of humans look after our park!” remarked the young giraffe to the baby warthogs. “If they all make such a mess, we will eventually have nowhere to live, and that would be a shame.”

White Hat: Logic and information.

·         What did the sable antelope do?

·         Describe what you see in the picture.

·         List the different animals that helped to clean up the picnic spot.

Red Hat: Feelings and emotions.

·         How did the young giraffe feel about having nowhere to live?

·         How did the animals feel when they saw the fire?

·         Describe how you would feel if you were one of the animals.  

Yellow hat: Pluses and positives

·         Which character did you like the most?

·         What was the best part of the story?

·         What are the advantages of game reserves?

 Black Hat: Negatives and problems.

·         What problems are faced by animals in game reserves as a result of people?

·         What are the negative impacts on the environment?

·         List the problems you can see in the picture.

Green Hat: Creative thinking

·         What would have happened if the baboons had not seen the smoke?

·         Write a thank you note from the guinea fowl to the giraffe who found her babies.

·         Design an animal-friendly picnic spot.

Blue Hat: Thinking about Thinking.

·         Draw a “Puzzling Picnic” Mind Map.

6 Thinking Hats for kids is a wonderful new way into a whole new reading experience.

Begin by using it to help your children to read – soon they will be using the thinking hats to write better stories, design better machines, resolve conflicts, solve problems   and make important decisions!

Use these hats as a guide to reflect upon thinking types when.....

·           Brain-storming new ideas for classroom management, classroom rules and discipline strategies.

·           Planning class projects such as assembly items, performances

·           Class meetings

·           Problem solving techniques

·           Group projects

·           Book reports / character profiles (how do others think)

·           Discussing cause and effect