All Those Thursday Thunks
Fill Yer Boots
Over the past few years, we've worked with our friends at Crown House to put out a Thunk a week during term time.
(and if you're not sure what a Thunk is, check out the Thunks Origin Story!)
That's over 140 fantastic provocations to get everyone thinking and their brains hurting.
However, like Gavin and Stacey and American democracy, all good things come to an end so we'll be doing something else this academic year.
While we work out what that might be, you can now help yourself to all 142 'Thursday Thunks'.
You can't be wrong... or right!
From the typically trivial (Can you count the stripes on an imaginary tiger?) to the sadly topical (Can a homeless child do homework?) to the deeply philosophical (Is equality the same as fairness?) to the ones just aimed at politicians (Is it a lie if you believe it?), there is something for everyone.
Use them as lesson starters, to provoke debate in tutor time, as part of your RSHE programme, to kick off staff meetings or even as curveball during an interview.
However you use them, just remember, there are no rights or wrongs.
After all, it's not about what you know, it's about what you think.
- Are you responsible for the actions of your democratically-elected leaders?
- Are you better at marriage the more you do it?
- Can a pregnant woman be alone?
- Is a strong opposition more important to democracy than the government?
- Is being strong the same as refusing to be weak?
- Would you rather have no money than no emotion?
- Is a cat rude for not expressing gratitude?
- Should prisons be nice places?
- Do you use your imagination when you dream?
- Is It easier to dance for ten minutes than to run for ten minutes?
- Is black a colour?
- Is a West End musical more like real life than a Shakespearean tragedy?
- Can you fit a crowd into a phone box?
- Is it a lie if you believe it?
- Is a dog always honest?
- Should parents be fined for having unfit children?
- Is it worth watching the match if you don't care who wins?
- Are you ever thinking what I am thinking?
- Can you miss a train if you don't know when it's leaving?
- Are we free to say anything we want?
- Is 'Home ' more of a feeling than a place?
- Can you know if your dog thinks about you while you are at work?
- Is busking begging for music?
- Do you control your emotions?
- Can we solve problems we can't state?
- Should everyone be made to be a nurse for a year when they're 18?
- Does the cup of tea taste the same in a different mug?
- Would your life be different if you'd had the internet in your school exams?
- Is school the place to go to learn your place?
- Is 'Climb a tree' a suitable task to be given to a child as homework?
- Is the real you the one your family sees on holiday?
- Should all the money in the world be redistributed equally at the beginning of every new year?
- Does it matter who you love?
- Is love scientific?
- Do rats have integrity?
- Do you need to be a good parent to be a good teacher?
- If the teacher knows what is going to happen, is it still an experiment?
- Can you dance to silence?
- Are there any unskilled jobs?
- Is equality the same as fairness?
- Can a homeless child do homework?
- If railway tracks did actually converge on the horizon, could you tell?
- Would there be more peace in the world if we didn't teach history?
- Do flags divide more than they unite?
- If you found contraceptive in your teenage child's room, should you be pleased?
- Has anyone who owns a Ferrari made the world a better place?
- Are you the same person at the end of the day as you are at the beginning?
- Can being sad make you happy?
- If you'd spent more time learning the piano and less time learning algebra at school, would you be spending more time playing the piano than using algebra as an adult?
- Does a computer think?
- Are some lives worth more than others?
- Is always doing what you believe to be right always the right thing to do?
- Are school holidays as important as school?
- Can the best school have the worst results?
- Do you have to accept an apology?
- Is a flood a natural disaster?
- Do they know it's Christmas?
- Is optimism a form of stupidity?
- Is a 'Miracle of Science' an oxymoron?
- Would Disney run better schools than McDonalds?
- If the US president is the 'Leader of the Free World' should the rest of the world get a vote?
- Did dragons come before dragonflies?
- Can you become stronger after you die?
- Do you love more people than you hate?
- If I say 'Meet me a year from today' will you know when to meet me?
- Is it ever better to lose?
- Can you turn water upside down?
- Is it right to bully a bully?
- Can you be a little bit racist?
- Am I outdoors when I am inside a cave?
- Can you count the stripes on an imaginary tiger?
- Is war an act of God?
- Can anyone take charge?
- Is a strong opposition more important to democracy than the government?
- Is any sound not music?
- Would the world's longest line be a circle?
- Is not voting a political act?
- If we all grew our hair, would the world weigh more?Is a flood a natural disaster?
- Would Disney run better schools than McDonald's?
- If the US President is the 'Leader of the Free World' should the rest of the world get a vote?
- Is optimism a form of stupidity?
- Is 'miracle of science' an oxymoron?
- Did dragons come before dragonflies?
- Can your voice become stronger after you die?
- If I say 'Meet me a year from today' will you know when to meet me?
- Do you love more people than you hate?
- Is it ever better to lose?
- Can you turn water upside down?
- Can you be a little bit racist?
- Am I outdoors when I'm inside a cave?
- Can you count the stripes of an imaginary tiger?
- Is war an Act of God?
- Can anyone take charge?
- Is any sound not music?
- Would the world's longest straight line be a circle?
- Is not voting a political act?
- If we all grew our hair, would the world weight more?
- Do your exam results make you who you are?
- Is a photo more real than a reflection?
- Is my love the same as your love?
- Should we take 'the vote' from the 85+ and give it to te 16+?
- Are we born hopeful?
- Can you lose and still be a winner? And vice versa
- If you put your speaker by a fan do you hear the music quicker?
- Should you get a lifetime copyright for your face when you get a birth certificate?
- Are children more creative than adults?
- Is it ever ok to cheat?
- Should you feel bad for killing a fly?
- If you have bad thoughts are you a bad person?
- Does a spider's web have a design?
- Do ghosts get scared?
- Does democracy work?
- Are you faster than your shadow?
- Is watching a bully bully bullying?
- Does your computer know you better than your family?
- Should we thank God for cathedrals?
- Can schools do 'whatever it takes' to ensure students get the best exam results?
- If you placed a Christmas candle next to a mirror would there be twice as much light?
- Could it be Christmas everyday?
- Would you rather live in a democracy than a dictatorship run by Santa?
- If snow was a different colour would Christmas feel different?
- If you were arrested for bringing joy to the world, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
- Does ChatGPT know anything?
- Are you lucky if you're not the superstitious type?
- Is a school an oligarchy?
- Is being cruel to be kind being kind?
- Was anything telescopic before telescopes?
- Can it be the best of times and the worst of times at the same time?
- Is an unanswered prayer proof there is a God?
- Have men in suits done more harm than men in uniform?
- Are the holes part of the net?
- Does a plane fly up and over the equator and down the other side?
- Is it easy to be a fascist?
- Does a charitable act become more charitable the less you enjoy doing it?
- Is there someone for everyone?
- Is your love my love?
- Is wisdom different from knowledge?
- Is your home part of the family?
- Are people born wicked?
- Is your life your own?
- Are trees made of wood?
- Is it the same beach the following day?
If you've enjoyed these Thunks by our Ian Gilbert, check out his other resources on the subject – including teh wonderful Tin of Thunks for every teachers drawer! – and also do get in touch if you would like him to work with you - children, students and staff – modelling these thinking skills in the classroom. [ITL]
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About the author
Ian Gilbert
Ian Gilbert is an award-winning writer, editor, speaker, innovator and the founder of Independent Thinking. Currently based in Finland, he has lived and worked in the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East, South America and Asia and is privileged to have such a global view of education and education systems.