LWW Color Symbol Image

CSI Reflection from Courtney Humphreys on Vimeo.

Ever since I learned about the thinking routine "Color Symbol Image" at Harvard this summer, I have been excited to try it in the classroom. I wasn't sure how the boys would respond to this routine because it seemed like it might be too complex, but yet again, I was wrong. The routine involves choosing a color, a symbol (a very simple icon), and an image to represent a concept. The only way I have used it so far is to have the boys choose a character from the novel we are reading. We started with a character from Frindle (they chose either Mrs. Granger or Nick Allen), and today they chose either Aslan or the White Witch. The boys wrote their colors, symbols, and images on Post-its, and we arranged them on butcher paper. We talked through the responses and found connections among them. I was impressed with the complexity of the students' responses-- after doing the routine just once, they demonstrated a deeper understanding of character traits. I've encouraged them to go "beneath the surface", and I definitely saw that today. The video above is one student's reflection on the routine and how it enhanced his understanding of the characters.