Thinking Processes Level 3 (Years 3 and 4)
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Thinking Processes, they explore aspects of their natural, constructed and social world, wondering and developing questions about it. They use a range of sources of information including observations and findings from their own investigations to answer these questions. Students develop strategies for organising and summarising information and reflecting on their thinking. They begin to categorise knowledge and ideas, identify patterns, and form generalisations. They learn to make connections between both new and established ideas and their own knowledge.
With thinking tools to assist them, students begin to ask more focused and clarifying questions. They develop skills in collecting and organising ideas from a range of sources to construct knowledge. They learn to question the validity of sources, communicate and record their questions, responses and thoughts, and give reasons for conclusions.
Students participate in a variety of investigations and activities involving problem solving that encourage them to experiment with a range of creative solutions. They begin to reflect on the approaches they use to assist them to form their solutions. They explore ideas creatively; for example, by engaging with new ideas and other perspectives.
Students give reasons for changes that may occur in their thinking. They begin to recognise that others may have different opinions and understand that reasoning can be influenced by strong feelings. They begin to question arguments presented to them; for example, those based on the assertion that ‘everybody knows’ or ‘I just know’.
Students develop language to describe specific thinking processes and, with support, use thinking tools to assist them to complete a given task. They continue to reflect regularly on their thinking, learning to describe their thinking processes verbally.
Standards
Reasoning, processing and inquiry
At Level 3, students collect information from a range of sources to answer their own and others’ questions. They question the validity of sources when appropriate. They apply thinking strategies to organise information and concepts in a variety of contexts, including problem solving activities. They provide reasons for their conclusions.
Creativity
At Level 3, students apply creative ideas in practical ways and test the possibilities of ideas they generate. They use open-ended questioning and integrate available information to explore ideas.
Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
At Level 3, students identify strategies they use to organise their ideas, and use appropriate language to explain their thinking. They identify and provide reasons for their point of view, and justify changes in their thinking.
Downloads
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Thinking Processes booklet (
PDF - 224KB) - Thinking Processes standards table (Doc - 40KB)
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Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 3 ( PDF - 649KB)
