“Hexagonal thinking” can be a fresh way to energize classroom discussions and propel remote students into a “critical thinking zone,” writes English teacher Betsy Potash. You’ll need hexagons cut from paper, or if you’re teaching virtually, try creating them digitally using tools like PowerPoint or Google Slides. Write key terms and ideas inside each hexagon—for a unit on global warming, for example, terms might include emissions, ice caps, and methane—and then create a set of paper or digital arrows. Instruct students to arrange the hexagons in a grid formation that represents the relationships among your topic’s themes and ideas; each hexagon can touch the sides of up to six others. The arrows are used to signal important connections between key ideas—the connection between fossil fuels and carbon dioxide, for instance. Students can configure and reconfigure the grid until they feel confident that they’ve created the strongest web of interconnected ideas. The activity should be ...