TeachersFirst Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition) - Habit of the Mind - Resources
Welcome, educators! This collection of resources is designed to help you and your students cultivate the Habit of Mind of Metacognition, or "Thinking about Thinking." This crucial skill is all about "knowing your knowing"—the powerful practice of being aware of your own thoughts, strategies, feelings, and actions, and understanding how your thinking shapes your outcomes. This foundational habit helps students reflect on their learning processes, recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses, and monitor their understanding as they work through tasks like reading comprehension or problem-solving. In this collection, you'll find video tutorials explaining metacognitive strategies and self-monitoring techniques, interactive think-aloud activities that make thinking processes visible, reflection journals and self-assessment checklists for tracking learning progress, lesson plans, digital journals and self-assessment checklists for tracking learning progress, and comprehension monitoring tools like reading trackers and confusion cards. Resources such as digital journals and reflection prompts encourage students to reflect on their learning processes, as well as online diagnostic tools that help them identify their own strengths and weaknesses. By utilizing these resources, you can equip your students with the tools to pause and reflect on their own thinking. In no time, you'll be equipping them with the self-awareness and skills they need to become confident, independent problem solvers.
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TED Talk- Are you really as good at something as you think? - Robin Kramer
Grades
4 to 12
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tag(s): brain (59), emotions (72), social and emotional learning (198), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Have students choose a simple classroom task (reading aloud, drawing a shape, solving a math problem). They rate how well they think they'll do, try it, and then rate how they actually did. Compare the two and discuss why the ratings might differ. Give students colorful cards with prompts such as "One skill I want to improve is...," "One thing I'm confident about is...," and "Feedback helps me when...." Students can complete the cards and share with a partner to practice metacognitive thinking. Assign students to pick one skill they want to get better at over a week (typing speed, multiplication facts, drawing, fitness). They make a simple improvement plan, collect daily evidence, and reflect at the end on whether their predictions matched actual progress.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Metacognition - SlideShare
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): presentations (33), professional development (318), questioning (37), social and emotional learning (198), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
During work time, have students pause for a quick "Check My Strategy" moment to note whether their plan is working and what they might adjust. After completing an activity, ask students to create a Metacognition Mini-Poster using Canva for Education, reviewed here that shows one strategy they used, how it helped them, and an example of when they might use it again. Begin a lesson with a "Think About Your Thinking" warm-up and have students briefly write how they plan to approach a task, such as a reading assignment or math problem set.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Habits of Minds Kids - Habits of Minds Kids
Grades
4 to 6tag(s): empathy (66), senses (22), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can complete the lessons from the website. Students can create a comic showing responsibility, understanding, or empathy using Free Comic Strip Maker by Adobe, reviewed here. Students can use ScreenPal, reviewed here to create short videos modeling the different Habits of Mind.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition PowerPoint and Google Slides Template - SketchBubble
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): infographics (70), presentations (33), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Show one simple slide from the template, such as a diagram about planning or monitoring. Ask students to turn and talk about what the picture makes them think of in their own learning. Print a few icons or graphics from the template and give each group a set. Have students sort the icons into categories such as "planning," "monitoring," and "reflecting," then explain how each icon matches their thinking process during reading or writing. After reviewing a few sample slides, have students create a slide of their own using Google Slides, reviewed here that shows a metacognitive idea they use in school, such as rereading, questioning, or checking their work. Combine students' slides into a class slideshow.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Activities for Metacognition - DePaul University
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): critical thinking (179), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115), visual thinking (13)
In the Classroom
During reading or writing, call a "strategy pause." Have students stop for one minute and write down which strategy they are using, why they chose it, and whether it is helping them build monitoring and mid-lesson adjustment skills. Provide a new reading or writing task and ask students to select one strategy from a previous lesson to apply. Afterward, have them write a short explanation of how the strategy worked in a new situation to encourage long-term skill transfer. Students can create a simple flowchart showing how they approached a challenge: what they knew before starting, what strategies they tried, how they monitored progress, what they changed, and what they learned. Display students' charts to demonstrate visual thinking skills and strategies, or use Padlet, reviewed here to create a digital gallery walk of students' explanations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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5 Metacognitive Tools to Reveal Hidden Learning - MiddleWeb
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): learning styles (22), personalized learning (13), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Start a lesson with a "What I Think Will Be Hard Today" prompt, in which students jot down possible challenges before beginning a reading or math task. After completing an activity, have students fill out a brief reflection slip describing one strategy they used to learn, solve a problem, or understand a text more clearly. Create a Metacognition Journal on paper or using Book Creator, reviewed here where students record moments of confusion, document how they resolved them, and track patterns in their thinking over time to build ongoing learning habits.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition - Khan Academy
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): critical thinking (179), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Read a short paragraph from a class text and model your thinking out loud. Pause to say things like "I am confused," "This reminds me of...," or "I need to reread this sentence." Then have students practice with a partner using a new sentence or poem. Students can color-code their learning during a lesson. Green means "I understand this," yellow means "I understand some of it," and red means "I need help." At the end, they write one sentence explaining why they chose that color. Have students choose one metacognitive skill, such as planning, monitoring, or reflecting, and create a poster that explains the skill and shows an example from their own reading or writing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition in the Primary Classroom - Kent Educational Psychology Service
Grades
K to 6tag(s): critical thinking (179), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
During reading or problem solving, pause at key moments and ask students to share what is going on in their thinking. This quick routine helps students notice the strategies they use and hear new ones from classmates. Ask students to create a page (or a digital slide in Google Slides, reviewed here) that shows three strategies to help them learn. They include when they use each strategy and why it works for them. Combine these pages into a class strategy handbook. In small groups, have students design a short lesson to teach younger students about metacognition. They explain one strategy, give an example, and practice it with the younger class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How to Teach Metacognition in a Few Simple Steps - Kid Minds
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): behavior (50), game based learning (304), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Give students simple cards with the five steps: Assess, Gather, Analyze, Implement, and Note. As they begin a task, they can hold the card and quickly walk through each step to plan their approach. Select a short reading passage or math problem and model your thinking aloud. Then have students try a short "student think-aloud" with a partner, describing what is happening in their minds as they read or solve. In small groups, students can create a kid-friendly guide to help younger students reflect on their own thinking. They can make posters, mini-books, or slides using Canva for Education, reviewed here that explain the A.G.A.I.N. steps with examples from real classroom tasks.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mindfulness - Class Dojo
Grades
K to 5tag(s): emotions (72), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Begin class with a one-minute mindful breathing exercise from ClassDojo. Afterward, have students share one word that describes how their body feels. This helps them transition into learning with calm and focus. After each mindfulness lesson, have students write a quick journal entry in Book Creator, reviewed here describing what strategy they learned and when they might use it. Encourage students to make connections to school, home, recess, or sports. Assign rotating student "Mindfulness Leaders" who choose a mindfulness activity for the class to do at the beginning or end of the day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition--The Missing Link in Reading Instruction - Benchmark Education
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): podcasts (161), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can use Book Creator, reviewed here as a journal to take notes during reading of a text. Students can create a comic after reading a text using Witty Comics, reviewed here. Students can create their own podcast using Adobe Podcast, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching How-to: Chapter 4.1: Metacognition - Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning
Grades
K to 12tag(s): collaboration (112), critical thinking (179), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can use Seesaw, reviewed here for weekly journal entries. Students can use Google Forms, reviewed here for Mid-Semester Check-Ins. Students can use Lino, reviewed here to share challenges faced during an assignment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition - The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can use Stormboard, reviewed here when completing the Minute Reflections or Question of the Day Exercise. Students can use Google Sheets as a template for their Learning or Reading Log. Finally, students can use Plickers, reviewed here while conducting a Visible Classroom Opinion Poll.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Exam Wrappers and Test Analyses - Virginia Tech
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can use Infographics Presentation Templates, reviewed here to create a top five list as to why and how to use exam wrappers. Students can track their progress using Google Sheets. Students can use Google Keep, reviewed here to track exam dates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Habits of Mind Explorer - Habits of Mind Insitute
Grades
K to 12tag(s): critical thinking (179), preK (322), problem solving (273), social and emotional learning (198), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Include this resource as part of a project-based learning unit by having students choose one habit to focus on as they work through a complex challenge. For a social studies project exploring historical figures, students can analyze which habits, like Taking Responsible Risks or Striving for Accuracy, were most critical to their subject's success. After conducting research, students can organize their insights and provide examples of these habits in action by creating a collaborative digital board with Lino, reviewed here. To take the reflection deeper, ask students to map out their own growth in that specific habit by creating a visual journey or mind map using MindMup, reviewed here shifting focus from just learning facts to understanding the mental behaviors that drive achievement, helping students become more self-aware and intentional learners.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Goal Setting - Easy Teacher Worksheets
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): behavior (50), classroom management (135), social and emotional learning (198), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Have students use completed goal sheets during conferences to explain growth, challenges, and next steps. This will help to build accountability and show progress. Use the goal planner before large projects (book reports, Reading Trek maps, research papers, robotics builds). Students can break the assignment into mini-deadlines and checkpoints to strengthen executive functioning skills. After quizzes or benchmark tests, students can analyze their results and set targeted improvement goals to gain ownership of their learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching With Habits of the Mind - The Institute for the Arts Integration and STEAM
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): professional development (318), social and emotional learning (198), teaching strategies (68), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Have students create a habit of mind character sketch with Google Drawings, reviewed here. They can choose a character from a book and identify which habits the character uses or lacks. They can write a short explanation and illustrate the character demonstrating the habit in a key scene. Assign students to design a toolkit for a habit of mind. In small groups using Canva for Education, reviewed here, they create posters, bookmark reminders, or short scripts for morning announcements that teach their classmates how to use a specific habit. These tools are shared with the grade level or displayed in the classroom as ongoing reminders. Choose one habit of mind, such as persisting, and give students a quick challenge, such as building a tower from index cards and tape. Pause halfway through and ask students to reflect on how they are using the habit in real time, this helps them experience the habit through action.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Metacognition: An Important Skill for Modern Times - Brendan Conway-Smith
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brain (59), professional development (318), social and emotional learning (198), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Give students a simple puzzle (a word scramble, a math riddle, or a pattern). Before solving, ask them to write or say, "How do I plan to solve this?" Afterward, they reflect on what worked and what didn't. Set up a short activity, such as a reading passage or drawing task, and pause halfway to let students check in with themselves. They can answer quick prompts like "Is my mind wandering?" and "What can I do to refocus?" Students will begin to see how awareness affects performance. Have students create a set of colorful cards that teach strategies such as "Take a brain break," "Ask yourself questions," "Notice your emotions," and "Check your work." They can decorate, explain, and practice each strategy, then use their cards during class for future learning tasks.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The 10 Metacognitive Strategies That Will Empower All Primary And Secondary Students - Third Space Learning
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Students can create goals using Google Drawing, reviewed here and track their progress. Students can use Word Clouds, reviewed here to ask questions while reading a story. Students can use the Timelines Tool by ReadWriteThink, reviewed here to break down problems step by step.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Habits of Mind - Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): critical thinking (179), problem solving (273), thinking routines (34), thinking skills (115)
In the Classroom
Introduce one habit, such as Thinking Flexibly, and give students a quick scenario in which they choose among different ways to solve a problem. Have them vote and explain their choices. Give students cards with prompts like "A time I persisted today..." or "A moment I listened with understanding..." to build awareness of habits in real time. Set up stations tied to different habits, such as puzzles for persisting partner tasks for listening with understanding or creative challenges for thinking flexibly. Have students rotate and practice each habit as part of your ongoing classroom routines.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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