The See, Think, Wonder strategy has significantly improved my students’ ability to think critically about the text. As a result, their reading comprehension has also improved. But what is this strategy and how can you use it with your students? Read on to find out more! Be sure to download the FREE See Think Wonder template at the end of this post!
What is the See, Think, Wonder strategy?
The See, Think, Wonder thinking routine was established by Harvard University’s Project Zero. I first heard about this strategy from Kristin Ziemke at a conference and it has completely transformed the way I teach. I now spend an extensive amount of time using this strategy with my remediation groups to help them think about the text. Because if they aren’t thinking as they read, they won’t be successful with any other reading tasks they are asked to complete. Essentially it can also be another way for students to annotate the text.
As the name implies students are encouraged to see, think, and wonder about an image or text as they read.
I See… Students discuss or record what details they notice in the text.
I Think… Students discuss or record their thinking as they read. This may be making inferences, predictions, or connections to the text.
I Wonder… Students discuss or record the questions they are wondering as they read.
Why Use the See, Think, Wonder Strategy?
In order for students to be successful as readers, we must teach them to actively THINK about the text as they read. Good readers ask questions, make connections, predict, and monitor their comprehension as they read. We all know this does not happen naturally for all students, so we must model and explicitly teach what this looks and sounds like during reading. Through ample modeling and practice, students begin to independently implement this type of thinking while reading thus allowing them to comprehend the text at a deeper level.
How to Use the See, Think, Wonder Strategy?
It is easiest to introduce the See, Think, Wonder strategy using pictures. Images are easier for students to understand and practice this type of thinking. It’s exciting because they predict, infer, and make connections naturally without even realizing it!
After students can discuss and record their thinking using images, you’ll then want to move into using animated shorts to practice See, Think, Wonder. You’ll want to move students beyond just discussing their thoughts and encourage them to record their thinking using a See, Think, Wonder template.
The students should then be able to apply this thinking to texts. You’ll first want to model your thinking with the text using a See, Think, Wonder template as shown above. Students can sometimes struggle to make the transition from images/videos to text. It’s usually beneficial to find high-interest nonfiction texts to use for this strategy. These types of articles naturally engage students and get them wondering more about the information. Plus you can pair it with images or videos to help build background knowledge to make the text more accessible for students. Find out more specific See, Think, Wonder Examples that you can easily implement with your students.
Additional Note: When discussing an image, video, or text with students, it is important to explicitly name the thinking strategies students are implementing (such as: “You predicted…” “You made a connection to…” “You inferred that…”). By bringing their awareness to what they’re doing, it helps them transfer that thinking to other images, videos, or text they’re viewing.
Students love using these engaging images!
Download the FREE See, Think, Wonder anchor chart and graphic organizer using the form below. Thank you to my amazing friend Sarah @positively.reading for collaborating with me to create these forms for our students. We are thrilled to share these See, Think, Wonder templates with you to use with your students!
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