Here’s What!... So What?... Now What?
Thinking youth (ozgurdonmaz, iStockphoto)
Thinking youth (ozgurdonmaz, iStockphoto)
Format
This strategy helps students challenge and reflect on ideas, understandings and perspectives.
Why use it?
- To gain new perspectives
- To clarify assumptions
- To focus on reasoning
- To support taking action
Tips for success
- Consider using this strategy in the middle of a project or after a larger assignment to help students reflect on what they’ve learned and decide what to do next.
How do I use it?
- Have students work in pairs or small groups to record the following:
- Here’s What!
- What is known - specific facts or information.
- Prompts could include:
- What happened?
- What is the problem you are provided with?
- What new information did you receive?
- So What?
- What this means - interpretation of the information from the first column.
- Prompts could include:
- Why does it matter?
- What are the consequences and meanings of your experiences?
- How do your experiences link to this idea?
- Now What?
- What is next - implications or questions for further investigation.
- Prompts could include:
- What are you going to do as a result of your learning?
- What will you do differently?
- How will you apply what you have learned?
- Here’s What!
Variations
- This can be done as a small group or whole class activity.
- Students could share their reflections with a pair or small group.
Using this Strategy
- Here’s What!... So What?... Now What? Recording Sheet reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
Create Your Own
- Here’s What!... So What?... Now What? Recording Sheet reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
References
Adapted from: Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (1998). Pathways to Understanding (p. 40). MiraVia.