Blank stares and creaking silence? You might wonder what went wrong. Were the questions too hard? Were your students shy or nervous to speak? Or maybe they were just bored to tears with the discussion?
Hexagonal thinking could be particularly helpful. Developed by curriculum designer Betsy Potash, it’s all about connecting topics, ideas, and subject areas. This is a great way to bring classroom conversations to life. You begin by placing different ideas on hexagons, and your students will discuss where and how to connect them. Each hexagon can link to up to six others, and students can keep rearranging them until they are satisfied with the hexagonal web.
Still unsure how it works? Let’s break down exactly how to use hexagonal thinking for deeper student discussions.
| Step | What to Do | Key Actions & Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a Topic | Select a broad, open-ended theme | Use topics like climate change or justice that allow for connections. Avoid narrow or purely factual subjects. Brainstorm key terms with students. |
| Set Up Groupings | Pair or group students | Use small groups for deeper discussion. Tools like ClassPoint’s Name Picker Wheel help assign groups easily. |
| Arrange & Connect | Prepare and distribute hexagons | Use a hexagon generator or printable templates. For digital use, try ClassPoint’s drag-and-drop. |
| Facilitate Discussion | Encourage explanation and dialogue | Ask students to explain connections. Use Think-Pair-Share or ClassPoint’s Short Answer for responses. |
| Pause & Reflect | Wrap up with reflection and feedback | Assess group work. Let students share their roles and contributions. Highlight key takeaways as a class. |
1. Choose a Topic
Start with a central theme or concept that aligns with your lesson. Choose something broad like climate change, character development, or systems. These kinds of topics open the door to multiple perspectives and invite thinking that goes beyond the surface.
Avoid topics that are too narrow or factual, such as photosynthesis or decimal places, as they can limit connections and stall discussion. Instead, go for ideas that prompt your students to analyze, compare, or debate.
Once you’ve chosen your topic, list out related words or key terms to place on the hexagons. These will guide your students in weaving connections. You can also brainstorm the terms together with them to boost engagement.
Here are a few examples by subject:
- Literature: identity, justice, loyalty, change
- Science: energy transfer, ecosystems, innovation
- Social studies: civil rights, leadership, power, trade
With your topic and terms ready, you’re all set to group your students and get the conversation flowing.
2. Set Up Groupings
Based on your topic and discussion goals, organize your students into pairs or small groups. Smaller groups work well for deeper discussion and give each student a chance to contribute.
Check out our full guide on Grouping of Students for Engaged Classrooms (Examples, Steps, Tools and Strategies).
If you’re using PowerPoint, tools like ClassPoint can help streamline the process. Its Name Picker Wheel lets you randomly assign students into groups, with an adjustable number of participants up to 10.
Besides promoting a richer conversation, group work also encourages your students to hear insights aside from their own and enhance their collaboration skills. This makes it a strong fit for hexagonal thinking.
Looking for tools to use for collaboration? Here are 6 Brainstorming Applications for Student Collaboration.
3. Arrange and Connect Hexagons
To get started, you can use this free online hexagon generator or download our printable and customizable template.
Hexagonal Thinking Graphic Organizer PowerPoint Template
Transform these hexagon graphic organizer into interactive activities right inside PowerPoint with this template powered by ClassPoint!
Then, insert your chosen topic and terminologies. If you’re doing the activity in person, here’s a simple setup:
- Print the hexagonal thinking template
- Cut out the hexagons
- Distribute them to your students
- Ask them to arrange and connect the pieces based on their understanding
For PowerPoint activities using ClassPoint, follow these steps:
- Insert your hexagon shapes on a slide
- Turn each hexagon into a draggable object using ClassPoint’s drag-and-drop feature
- In class, have students drag, arrange, and connect the hexagons to show how the ideas relate right at front
More on how to turn PowerPoint slide elements into ClassPoint Draggable Objects.
4. Facilitate Student Discussion
Now it’s time to dive into the why. For each connection, ask your students to share their rationale. Encourage follow-up questions and let them respond to each other to build a more dynamic discussion.
You can approach this in two ways:
- Live sharing: Let students present their ideas aloud in class.
- Virtual responses: Have them submit written explanations digitally.
If your students are working in pairs, try the Think-Pair-Share method. It offers them space to reflect individually, discuss with a partner, and then share with the group. For small groups, step back and act as a facilitator. Let the conversation flow naturally, but remember to keep a timer running to stay on track and prevent it from going overtime.
For digital activities, use ClassPoint’s Short Answer activity directly in your PowerPoint slide. Students can type and submit their responses in real time. You can then highlight thoughtful answers, award stars to select students or the entire class, and allow them to earn badges to recognize their participation.
5. Pause and Reflect
Last but not least, take a moment to pause and reflect on how the activity went. In the bigger picture, how did hexagonal thinking help your students engage with the topic? Did it lead to a productive discussion? Did it broaden the conversation? Did everyone get the chance to voice out their thoughts? Did they engage in a meaningful debate of their viewpoints? These are some important questions to consider.
Classroom activities often don’t leave much room for genuine collaboration. Hence, hexagonal thinking becomes more relevant. It gives students a space to build interdependent skills such as communication, problem-solving, and collective decision-making.
Want to foster student collaboration further? Here's 15 Fun Team Building Activities to Strengthen Classroom Collaboration.
To wrap up, you can assess your students based on their final group hexagonal web. Each student brings something different to the table. One might lead the discussion, another may spot patterns, while others contribute quietly but meaningfully in the background.
After the activity, ask students to reflect on their roles and how their unique strengths contributed to the group’s success. Then, guide them through a quick debrief to highlight key insights and takeaways from the discussion.
Bottom Line: Hexagonal Thinking Pushes the Envelope
Literally and figuratively, hexagonal thinking expands student discussion by creating a visual web of connections. Each hexagon becomes a conversation starter, inviting students to explore relationships between ideas, justify their reasoning, and engage with one another more meaningfully.
This strategy goes beyond traditional Q&A formats. Instead of relying on one “correct” answer, it gives students the space to think critically, collaborate, and take ownership of their learning. It encourages quieter voices to speak up, stronger thinkers to lead, and all students to see how ideas interlink in complex, thoughtful ways.
At its core, hexagonal thinking shifts the classroom dynamic. Students move from passive listeners to active participants. They create their own meanings, challenge assumptions, and shape the direction of the discussion together.
FAQs
What is hexagonal thinking in the classroom?
Hexagonal thinking is an instructional strategy where students connect related concepts, terms, or ideas using hexagon-shaped cards or visuals. Each hexagon can connect to up to six others, helping students visualize relationships and spark deeper discussions.
How does hexagonal thinking benefit student engagement?
Hexagonal thinking boosts engagement by turning discussions into collaborative problem-solving. Students must justify their connections, listen to different viewpoints, and build a shared understanding, all of which promote critical thinking and active participation.
Can I use hexagonal thinking in digital classrooms?
Yes. You can create hexagons using free online generators or design them in presentation tools like Google Slides or PowerPoint. Students can then drag and connect the shapes during virtual lessons or submit their responses through your preferred online platform.
How do I choose the right topic for hexagonal thinking?
Start with a broad, open-ended theme such as justice, ecosystems, or change. These kinds of topics encourage debate and idea connections. Avoid narrow or factual topics, which may limit discussion.
How should I assess students during a hexagonal thinking activity?
You can evaluate the final hexagon web as a group product, looking for depth of connections and clarity of reasoning. Encourage students to reflect on their individual roles and contributions, which supports both accountability and metacognition.
