Curriculum and InstructionIndianapolis Public Schools

Thinking Stems

Reading Comprehension Strategy to Promote Higher Level Thinking and Student Discussion

Stems from Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor

Metacognition
(thinking about our thinking)
  • I’m seeing…
  • I’m thinking…
  • I’m noticing…
  • I’m wondering…
  • I’m feeling…
Suggested books:primary: Tuesday by David Wiesner, The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, David books by David Shannonintermediate:Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco / Visualizing
(creating mental images)
  • I’m picturing…
  • I can see…
  • I can hear…
  • I can smell…
  • I can taste…
  • I can touch…
  • I can feel…
Suggested books for primary: Pancakes for Breakfast by TomiedePaola, Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, One Love by Cedella Marley with Bob Marley’s “One Love” song
intermediate:Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by TomiedePaola, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett / Questioning
(generate questions before, during,
and after reading)
  • I wonder…
  • What if…
  • Why…
  • I don’t understand…
  • It confused me…
  • How could…
Suggested books for primary:Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James, informational texts
intermediate: Looking Closely Along the Shore by Frank Serafini, Winter’s Tail by Hatkoff, Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, informational texts
Inferring
(schema + evidence = inference)
  • My guess is…
  • Maybe…
  • It could be that…
  • This could mean…
  • I predict…
  • I infer…
Suggested books for primary: Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Sattler, Miss Nelson Is Missing by James Marshall, intermediate:The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, Dear Mrs. LaRue, Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague, The Mary Celeste by Jane Yolen / Determining Importance
(what matters most)
  • One thing we should notice…
  • What’s important here…
  • What matters to me…
  • I want to remember…
  • It’s interesting that…
Suggested books for primary: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Clifford’s Good Deeds by Norman Bridwellintermediate:Legend of the Bluebonnet by TomiedePaola, Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull, Barack by Jonah Winter / Synthesizing
(changing your thinking along the way)
  • Now I understand why…
  • I’m beginning to think…
  • My new thinking is…
  • I’m changing my mind about…
  • I used to think ____, but now I think ____…
Suggested books for primary: First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg, White Dynamite and Curly Kidd by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, primary & intermediate: Our Children Can Soar by Michelle Cook (use with The Historic Journey),Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen intermediate: Dolphin Tale by Emma Ryan, A Spoon for Every Bite by Joe Hayes, Encounter by Jane Yolen, The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco