I was confused when I first found this web page. In parts, it reads like an advertisement for a book on HOTS. Yet the page goes into great detail defining what higher order thinking skills are. I kept this bookmarked for parent-teacher conferences. Before each, I’d give this a quick read so I can answer the inevitable questions about what is HOTS.
Higher order thinking skills are one of those things that can be easy to understand and very difficult to explain. When my district mandated more HOTS in the classroom, I was worried how to show I was doing that. This .PDF of a slideshow was a lifesaver. Because it was a slideshow, terms and sentences had to be short and sweet. It even gave examples with Bloom verbs to make it easier to see in lesson plans and from students.
One of the more valuable ideas I received from my teacher training was the use of non-examples to teach. It’s not like I didn’t know about them, but until I saw it explained, it never really clicked. When I read this long web page on HOTS, it finally clicked for me. I especially loved the beginning with different levels of questioning. Seeing how not to encourage HOTS in middle school students helps me see when I’m doing it right.
This is a new video for me but one that I wish I had seen earlier. (It just hadn’t been made yet.) It not only includes a teacher explaining how she brought HOTS into her 6th-grade classroom, but it shows the students actually asking critical questions and showcasing those skills. Research and bullet points are great stuff but give me a living example any day. It references Common Core a lot, but it can easily be used with any curriculum.
Yes, this is it. Sure, I enjoy reading theory and case studies. I want to know why something is good. That way, I understand how to use it with my students. This list is exactly the kind of thing I truly love. It gives concrete examples (with taxonomy) of learning objectives that support HOTS. It even breaks it down for Science, Math, and Social Studies. When you teach multiple subjects in middle school, these can be just what you need.