Artful Thinking

Artful Thinking Approach

Thinking Dispositions

Artful Thinking Palette

Thinking Routines

Curriculum Connections

Read the final report, from November 2006.

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CLAIM / SUPPORT / QUESTION

A Reasoning Routine

1.	Make a claim about the artwork or topic	Claim: An explanation or interpre-tation of some aspect of the art-work or topic.

2.	Identify support for your claim	Support: Things you see, feel, and know that support your claim.

3.	Ask a question related to your claim	Question: What?s left hanging? What isn?t explained? What new reasons does your claim raise?

WHY

To help students develop thoughtful interpretations of an artwork or topic by encouraging them to reason with evidence.

WHEN

Use Claim / Support / Question with works of art and with topics in the curriculum that invite explanation or are open to interpretation.

HOW

Model the routine for the whole class, then work in small groups or individually. Take turns using the routine so that each member of the group makes a claim, identifies sup-port and asks a question. Following each person?s report, take a moment as a group to discuss the artwork or topic in relation to the claim before moving on to the next person. After everyone has had a turn, reflect on the activity. Ask students to discuss what new thoughts they have about the artwork or topic.

The Artful Thinking Program is in development by Traverse City Area Public Schools and Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education.