Raise your hand if you use thinking aloud as a strategy with your
students!
students!
I do!
All. The. Time.
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opinions are my own and I promise to only share what I truly love- cross my
teacher’s heart!)
affiliate links which means I may receive some pocket change to help support
this blog and fund teaching expenses when you make a purchase. As always, the
opinions are my own and I promise to only share what I truly love- cross my
teacher’s heart!)
I think aloud during reading, math, science, social studies…
solving behavior problems. I often worry that my students are missing the
point. I wanted to create a cue that would remind students of when I was
sharing what was in my head, and when I was really talking.
solving behavior problems. I often worry that my students are missing the
point. I wanted to create a cue that would remind students of when I was
sharing what was in my head, and when I was really talking.
I like to use a lot of visual cues with my students so I decided
to create a ‘thought bubble’ to hold above my head when I’m modeling my think
aloud.
to create a ‘thought bubble’ to hold above my head when I’m modeling my think
aloud.
To create my ‘thought bubble’, I purchased a gold paint pen, blackposter board and some wooden dowels. I also found a super cool gold
marker that had a blade already inserted in the tip that was awesome but proved
difficult to use for this project.
marker that had a blade already inserted in the tip that was awesome but proved
difficult to use for this project.
To begin, I hand drew a thought bubble and a speech bubble on the
black poster board. I cut it out and used the gold paint pen to outline
the bubbles in a thick line to make it stand out. I ended up going over it several
times to get the gold nice and thick so it would stand out!
black poster board. I cut it out and used the gold paint pen to outline
the bubbles in a thick line to make it stand out. I ended up going over it several
times to get the gold nice and thick so it would stand out!
While I try to have neat handwriting, there is no way I could
write words on the bubbles neatly. Using a font from Teach123, I printed out the words “I think…” and “I
say…”. Using the fancy trick of penciling the back and rubbing it on the
black poster board, I was able to transfer the words to the
poster board.
write words on the bubbles neatly. Using a font from Teach123, I printed out the words “I think…” and “I
say…”. Using the fancy trick of penciling the back and rubbing it on the
black poster board, I was able to transfer the words to the
poster board.
First, I turned the paper over so I could see the blank side. Next, I took a pencil and heavily shaded an
outline of the letters. It helps if you
place it against a window so the sunlight shines through and you can see. For the best results, be plentiful with the
pencil to make the transfer easier to see.
Then, I turned the paper over and placed it on top of the poster board,
with the pencil side down. Last, I used
a wood stick to rub the text and transfer the pencil to the poster board.
outline of the letters. It helps if you
place it against a window so the sunlight shines through and you can see. For the best results, be plentiful with the
pencil to make the transfer easier to see.
Then, I turned the paper over and placed it on top of the poster board,
with the pencil side down. Last, I used
a wood stick to rub the text and transfer the pencil to the poster board.
Using the gold paint pen, I
traced the letters a few times until they were nice and thick.
traced the letters a few times until they were nice and thick.
I hot glued dowel rods to the back so I could hold them in one
hand while I’m teaching.
hand while I’m teaching.
In hindsight, I wish the speech bubble was a little smaller.
I had to do some complicated dowel gluing on the back to make it support
itself. The thought bubble turned out perfectly!
I had to do some complicated dowel gluing on the back to make it support
itself. The thought bubble turned out perfectly!
How do you use think aloud as a strategy? I would love to
hear about it!
hear about it!
