48 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind
For example, when studying the American Revolution, students learn
some fundamental facts about the revolution. In addition, they learn
about the concepts associated with a revolution as a means for change.
Lessons and activities bring the students to an enlarged understanding of
what indicators and triggers exist that cause a revolution and consider
whether other options might be possible as we learn from history.
Thinking Skills
Drawing upon state, district, and organizational standards of learn-
ing, teachers begin to select content for its generative qualities (Perrone
& Kallick, 1997). Content, however, is not the end. Standards also apply
to thinking skills and abilitiesthat students are expected to display in such
learnings. Types of thinking are often embedded in subject matter stan-
dards using specific thinking verbsthat describe what students are to do
in meeting the content standard (e.g., “analyzethe differences” between
two kinds of government or “draw conclusions” from a certain kind of
FIGURE 3.1
Four Levels of Educational OutcomesHABITS OF MINDCOGNITIVE TASKS
THAT DEMAND
SKILLFUL THINKINGTHINKING
SKILLSCONTENT