SOLO Hexagons
SOLO Hexagons
(Based on an idea from AM Hodgson. (1992). Hexagons for systems thinking.European Journal of Systems Dynamics 59 (1): 220-30.)
SOLO hexagons is a great way to introduce students of all ages to SOLO as a model of learning outcomes - loose ideas are important - connecting them in different ways makes them more interesting and shows more complex understanding. Sitting outside the clusters and asking - what is it all about? leads to conceptual understanding, big picture thinking and insight.
SOLO hexagons can be used to determine a student's depth of prior knowledge and understanding before starting to learn. It can also be used as a learning experience prompt to increase and deepen understanding, and to create new understanding by introducing hexagons with additional content - ideas, symbols, images etc.
In this strategy for generating and connecting ideas, the students work in collaborative groups. They:brainstorm everything they know about a given topic (presented as a focus question),such as a text, setting, structure, character, poem, text etc. record each idea or thought on a separate blank hexagon. arrange the hexagons by tessellating the hexagons.
The outcome differs according to the SOLO level:
- in a multistructural outcome students can describe the individual hexagons
- in a relational outcome where students can make straight edge connections between simple hexagon sequences and can tessellate the hexagons (making connections) - students can explain why they have linked the ideas together in this way (talk or annotate).
in an extended abstract outcome students can explore the node where three hexagons share a corner (or simply look at a cluster of hexagons)and make a generalisation about the nature of the relationship between the ideas.
SOLO Reverse Hexagons
The SOLO Hexagons process can be usefully reversed in a "what's the connection" thinking strategy.
Strategy 1 – ask students to add annotations to an existing tessellation
Strategy 2 - ask students to choose hexagons to fit a blank tessellation template with existing annotations. (more challenging) – For an example of this refer Figure 5.10: End of unit fraction sum up activity sheet page 40 in Hook, Gravett, Howard and John (2014)SOLO Taxonomy in Mathematics. Strategies for thinking like a mathematician
HookED SOLO Hexagon Generator
Add content to hexagons using the online generator
Download Blank SOLO Hexagon Templates
File:HookED SOLO Hexagons Template Primary Y012.pdf
File:HookED SOLO Hexagons Template Secondary.pdf
Download Sample SOLO Hexagon Templates
File:HookED Hexagons Energy.pdf
Purchase and download a SOLO Hexagon Poster from the HookED store
Also refer
McNeill and Hook 2012 SOLO Taxonomy and Making Meaning Bk3 Extended texts and thematic studies p8
Concentric Hexagons or Connectagons - a SOLO Hexagon Spin Off
Examples
SOLO Hexagon Example from Bridget Casse's class at Halsey Drive School Auckland NZ Concentic Hexagon example from Mrs R Wood - Science Teacher (UK) Twitter @MrsRWood
Blog Posts
SOLO I'm Riding SOLO - Chris Harte
Hexagon Heaven Week - Lisa Jane Ashes
Hexagonal learning - David Didau
SOLO Hexagons for Topic Revision- Emma Rawlings Smith
Triptico goes SOLO - Alex Bellars
SOLO Hexagons - I never realised how much I knew Sir - Ed Mosley
SOLO Taxonomy - The Hexagon Challenge - Tait Coles
- Going SOLO with Charles1 - Kerry Turner
SOLO Hexagons Spanish in Grosvenor
Hexagon Templates - SOLO activities - The Geophyte
Looking beyonnd a lesson in SOLO - David Fawcett
Can SOLO and hexagons help students improve their grades - Data Fiend
Why hexagons are better than square - Chris Harte
My first PE SOLO experiments Wilmslow High School
Going SOLO Learning Matters - Jen Leach
First attempt at using SOLO Taxonomy - The Geography Room
Hexagonal Learning - Julia at Stages of Succession
Hexagonal Learning 2.0 - Kristian Still
Hexagonal Learning - Engage The Minds