Concrete+Operational+Towards+Abstract

Concrete Operational Thinking toward Abstract Thinking Throughout grades 3-5, students’ cognitive processes reflect concrete operational thought. During this stage of development, students demonstrate a greater ability to reason logically and apply mental concrete operations to everyday situations and to problem solving. In addition, students organize information in more complex ways. They can now apply principles of hierarchical classification to the world around them. Some fifth grade students may demonstrate threads of abstract thinking, which will develop more fully as they move into the middle school years. (http://faculty.weber.edu/jabird/chf2750/Psychological/CarolTribe.pdf) **__Expressions / Examples__** //1) Cognitive Bloom// As they think about the world around them in more complex ways, students make connections between current learning and previous knowledge. They understand interrelationships between subject areas and apply skills across a broader range of situations.  (Decentration- the ability to stand back from a situation and take note of several features and their interrelationships instead of focusing on only one aspect at a time. Carol Tribe, p. 1) //2) Perspectives// Students move away from the egocentricity that characterizes previous stages of  development, and they understand that others may have a different viewpoint. //3) Logical Thinking// Students become more logical thinkers and grasp ideas of conservation and reversibility. As a result, there is less emphasis on “magical” reasoning and more emphasis on thinking that is creative yet logical.   (Conservation- objects may change shape without adding or losing mass)  (Reversibility- ability to restore an object or situation to its original state)  **__How Do We Teach__**  • Creativity and the incorporation of logical thinking into our creative activities