Conceptual Learning
Guided Tour (5)
Activity Tutorials (21)
- Synonyms & Similarities - Sex vs. Gender
- Conceptual Learning
- One Problem...Multiple Perspectives
- Thinking About Business
- Enduring Ideas: Sense of Place
- Self-similarity and Thinking
- Understanding Ecosystems
- Controllable Factors
- Perspectives on Art
- Deconstructing Distinctions: Sex and Gender
- Us and Them
- Metaphors and Similes
- Building Analogies
- Multiplying, Dividing and Factoring Units
- Number Line
- Using Dry Erase and Stickers
- Organizing Systems
- Distinction: Context Matters
- The Content and Context of a Distinction
- Making A Relationship Explicit
- 3 Types of Perspective Taking
Expert Talks (13)
Customer Testimonials (10)
Video Summary
Age: 4 years to Adult
Transcript of video: When a child sits down to study or do research for their homework they frequently refer to books or websites to “get the facts” on their topic of interest. This material is used to memorize and recall facts. This factual learning is non-interactive, and may fail to create the vivid conceptual impressions that lead to a deeper understanding of any topic. In contrast, many schools are exploring “conceptual learning” to encourage a deep understanding and develop thinking skills all students need throughout their education. ThinkBlocks help a child’s mind grasp and retain facts by turning critical ideas into tangible structure. You can use ThinkBlocks to give shape to facts, and improve your ability to create conceptual models of information. In this example we analyze the history of Horatio Gates and the Battle of Saratoga, but you can use any events or ideas. Make a timeline of the important events with ThinkBlocks, to make the events tangible. Let’s look at the Battle of Saratoga in more detail. The Battle of Saratoga was actually two smaller battles at Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights. At Freeman’s Farm the British lost two soldiers for every one American loss, and at Bemis Heights the British lost four to one. The total number of British casualties in the Battle of Saratoga was 9000. Now let’s look at the aftermath of the battle from different perspectives. The common belief is that Horatio Gates was responsible for America’s success in the battle. But historically we see that Horatio Gates was not in Saratoga, and did not command troops. Benedict Arnold and a few other commanders led the American armies. Horatio Gates’ credit for the battle was mostly a result of political maneuvering. You can bring the history to life even more with ThinkBlocks. Use this model of events to construct a diorama or reenactment of the battle, and integrate the blocks into the play.
Try this for any events or ideas. You can use ThinkBlocks to build physical models of the structure of facts, to stimulate mental imagery of important factors. This conceptual learning increases understanding and retention by putting the real structure of knowledge in your hand.