Making Thinking Visible

Share / assign

Why it works

Because thinking is internal and invisible, it is hard to teach, assess, and improve. Research on visible thinking (Project Zero) developed thinking routines, short, memorable, repeatable structures (such as See-Think-Wonder, Claim-Support-Question, I used to think and now I think) that prompt and structure specific kinds of thinking, make students' thinking visible (to themselves, peers, and teacher), and, used regularly, build thinking dispositions and deeper engagement with content. They work across ages and subjects. The key is using a few routines consistently as part of how content is explored, not as occasional add-ons, so thinking becomes a visible, valued, habitual part of learning.

The research: Visible Thinking and thinking routines (Project Zero).

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: use a thinking routine with your content

Teachers leave with a thinking routine to use consistently with their content.

Pick a thinking routine (See-Think-Wonder, Claim-Support-Question, etc.) that fits a kind of thinking you want.
Use it with your actual content, not as an add-on.
Make student thinking visible (shared, recorded).
Use it consistently so it builds a thinking habit.

Make thinking visible, routinelyThinking routines, simple repeatable structures, prompt and make visible specific thinking. Use a few consistently with your content to build the dispositions of good thinkers.

Facilitator notes

Use named, repeatable routines, integrated with content.
Make thinking visible.
Use consistently to build dispositions.

Occasional thinking activities don't build thinking dispositionsA one-off thinking task does little. Use thinking routines consistently, integrated with content, so making thinking visible becomes a habit.

Adapt it

Elementary: See-Think-Wonder, simple routines.
Secondary: reasoning and questioning routines, across subjects.
All settings: a few routines, consistent, integrated.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Making Thinking Visible: routines

Build thinkers: use a few thinking routines consistently with your content to prompt and make thinking visible.

The thinking routine I choose and the thinking it prompts:
The content I will use it with (not as an add-on):
How I make student thinking visible:
How I use it consistently:
A routine to start with:

Make it stick

Make thinking visible:

Use thinking routines.
Make thinking visible.
Bring a thinking routine that deepened thinking to the next PLC.

Common questions

What is a thinking routine?

A short, repeatable structure (like See-Think-Wonder) that prompts a specific kind of thinking and makes it visible. Used regularly, routines build thinking habits and deepen engagement with content.

How is this different from just asking questions?

Routines are consistent, named structures students internalize, used across content, that reliably prompt and make visible specific thinking (observing, reasoning, questioning), building dispositions over time, not one-off questions.

How do I start?

Pick one or two routines, use them consistently with your content (not as add-ons), and make students' thinking visible and valued. Consistency builds the habit.