YOUR MINUTES || USING KAPLAN'S DEPTH AND COMPLEXITY IN THE CLASSROOM
Welcome to another Your Minutes post that features YOU! Here you will see educators sharing how they spend their minutes doing what they do best.
This one is powerful- especially for those of you who don't have experience with depth and complexity. The first time I walked into Meghan Hornbecker's room and saw her putting the icons to use, I was captivated. I have been preaching the benefits of the icons for years, but seeing Megan bring them to life with her students was fascinating. Enjoy!
Sometimes adding depth and complexity to lessons can be a challenge, especially if you are in a test subject, are trying to differentiate and modify for different ability levels, or are just in general a busy, active teacher.
One of the things that has been very powerful for me has been using Kaplan’s Depth and Complexity Icons.
If you are unfamiliar with the icons, they are pictures that correspond with questions or ideas that encourage critical thinking.
I start by introducing the icons to my students. I pass out a handout that my students glue into their interactive notebooks. We read about each icon and its associated questions then apply the icon to something we have read recently.
After this whole class discussion, I split the students into small groups and give them short articles to read. I ask the group to do the Big Idea icon together and then each member of the group picks an icon and analyzes the article for that icon. Then the group members share their icons with each other and each group shares out to the class.
After they have been introduced to the concept, we have a discussion about how these icons are designed to get students thinking and digging deeper into the text as well as relating the text to other texts and the real world.
Typically, I use these as part of my study questions for a novel and let students know that these icons are not going to have answers that are “right there” in the text. They know that they are expected to give a longer answer on those questions. We do a few chapters of the novel with me providing the icon questions and then there are a few chapters where the students are to pick their own icon and analyze the chapter through that lens.
These icons are great because it translates from assignment to assignment and across grade levels. The icons encourage students to make connections across disciplines and to think critically about the topic.
Finally, the icons are also a great way to differentiate for gifted students. For example, you might ask your gifted students to do the Big Idea icon and two icons of their choice for a chapter while the other students complete comprehension questions. By asking the students to think differently about the topic, you are challenging them while not increasing their workload.
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to also check out 3 Tips for Implementing Depth and Complexity. And, be sure to check out the Depth and Complexity bookmarks in my TPT store.
MEET MEGHAN
Meghan Hornberger currently teaches English I and English honors classes at Leonard High School. Originally from small-town Pennsylvania, she has been a teacher for 7 years with experience in English, Creative Writing, and Theater Arts. She received her Bachelor's in English and Education at Grove City College and her Master's in Gifted Education at Arizona State University.