WELCOME TO DAY TWO

OF CAMP CREATIVE

 

 

Today we're talking about how to create hexagonal thinking decks. 

 

You're going to want at least twenty terms and ideas on your first deck, but you could have many more. 

 

Let's start by talking about what types of terms and ideas will help ignite good discussion, and then we'll talk about ways to put those terms and ideas onto your decks. 

 

​Finally, today is a pretty epic day for resources! Be sure you grab your copies of all the different types of decks at the bottom! 

 

 

 

 


 

Don't let your blank hexagons intimidate you, OK? The exact same kinds of things you would normally bring up in discussion can go on your hexagons, plus you can play around with adding more connecting ideas related to current events, historical events, and interdisciplinary topics.

 

For example, when thinking about a novel or play, you might add some of these core components to your hexagons:

  • character names

  • themes

  • symbols

  • literary devices that are important to the text

  • key elements of the author's style

  • quotations

  • setting elements

And then you might think beyond the core components, considering connections like these:

  • related ideas from the art of the period

  • related events, movements, novels, films, or figures from the modern day 

  • related events or movements from history

  • related characters, themes, or concepts from elsewhere in your curriculum

Your goal with your hexagons is to stir up discussion about how all these puzzle pieces can fit together.  Once you get started, it will be easy for you to fill a deck with at least twenty of these terms and ideas. 

Today's first resource is a set of blank hexagon sheets labeled with categories. Once you've done some activities with a teacher-created set (like the one from yesterday's materials), you can easily branch into student-created sets using these templates. When you get to this point, prepping for a hexagonal thinking activity is as quick and easy as printing the category sheets and assigning groups. Be sure to have scissors at the ready! 

 

Interested in going paperless? The digital hexagonal thinking kit makes it easy to try this activity in Google Slides. With three editable sets, complete with students instructions and examples, and the ability to either plug in your terms or let students create half or all of them, this activity is very doable online. 

This set of blank rainbow hexagons is perfect for laminating. Once you have blank group decks, you can easily put a list of core terms on the board for students to add to their decks, then let them brainstorm the remaining terms. You could also put magnets on the back of the cards if you'd like students to be able to move them around on a magnetic surface. After the activity, snap photos of the final webs before having students wipe them clean with paper towels or cloths. 

Hexagonal one-pagers mix two of my favorite strategies in a beautiful display of critical thinking. This is an advanced version, so be sure you've done both hexagonal thinking and one-pagers separately before diving in. Students need to divide up your terms list, create their one-pagers, and then launch into a hexagonal thinking conversation like any other, except with visual cues that inspire even deeper conversation and connection. Be sure to find a way to display their final webs! 

 

Now you know how to create beautiful, varied hexagonal thinking decks! Way to go! Tomorrow, we'll be talking about how to help your students make deep, worthwhile connections in their hexagonal thinking conversations. So be sure to watch your inbox.