Resources for P4C

The P4C method can be used in conjunction with any resource that encourages critical and creative thinking. This may include stories, articles, poems, photos, artwork or music already held by the school.

The following are intended as useful ideas for additional resources, if you are thinking of developing P4C further.

Thinking Citizens: How to Make PSE Philosophical

This is WCIA’s own bilingual resource, produced in 2005 with support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. A basic photocopiable pack, it provides an introduction to P4C and highlights links between P4C and Attitudes and Values covered in the pre-2008 PSE Framework. It includes both practical warm-up activities and sample stimuli for philosophical enquiries.

Download Thinking Citizens KS2 Pack

Download Pictures for Activity 4

Other recommendations

You could also try the following links for lists of recommended resources:

SAPERE
Challenging Learning – James Nottingham’s list of online and printed resources
P4C in Science – Ulster University

Resources held by WCIA

This is a list of all the resources we currently hold at our office, and which we use for teacher training sessions and classroom demonstrations. Please contact us if you’d like to call in and view the resources.

Picture books
Many of these books can be used with a range of age groups. We also have an excellent introduction to using picture books in P4C – Storywise by Karin Murris and Joanna Haynes (Dialogue Works, 2000).

Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish by Michael Foreman (Puffin, 1974)
Emily’s Art by Peter Catalanotto (Aladdin, 2001)
Fox Eyes by Margaret Wise Brown and Garth Williams (Lions, 1980 edition)
Frog Is Frog by Max Velthuijs (Andersen, 1996)
How to Live Forever by Colin Thompson (Red Fox, 1998)
Not Now, Bernard by David McKee (Red Fox, 1990 edition)
Something Else by Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell (Puffin, 1995)
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson Axel Scheffler (Macmillan, 1999)
The Last Noo-Noo by Jill Murphy (Walker, 2006 edition)
The Rabbits by John Marsden & Shaun Tan (Lothian, 1998)
The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer (Phaidon, 2008)
Tusk Tusk by David McKee (Andersen, 2006 edition)
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (Red Fox, 2000 edition)
Would You Rather… by John Burningham (Red Fox, 1999 edition)
Zoo by Anthony Browne (Red Fox, 1994)

Foundation Phase

But Why? Developing philosophical thinking in the classroom by Sara Stanley with Steve Bowkett (Network Educational Press, 2004)
First Stories for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 1999)

Key Stage 2 or 3

Caribbean Stories/Central and South American Stories retold by Robert Hull (Wayland, 1994)
Games for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 1997)
I Was Only Asking by Steve Turner (Lion, 2004)
Poems for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 1997)
Songs, Games & Stories from Around the World (UNICEF, 1990)
South & North, East & West: The Oxfam Book of Children’s Stories by Michael Rosen (editor) (Walker, 1992)
Stories for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 1996)
Tales of Wisdom & Wonder retold by Hugh Lupton (Barefoot, 1998)
Talking Points: Homelessness by Kaye Stearman (Wayland, 1998)
Values for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 2001)
Wake Up, World! A Day in the Life of Children Around the World by Beatrice Hollyer (Oxfam/Frances Lincoln, 1999)
World of Festivals, The by Philip Steele (MacDonald Young, 1996)

Key Stage 4 / Post-16

Citizenship in Focus: Human Rights by Simon Foster (Collins Educational, 1999)
Great Speeches/Poets/Interviews of the 20th Century (Guardian series, 2007-2008)
Philosophy Files, The by Stephen Law (Dolphin, 2002)
Pig That Wants To Be Eaten, The (and ninety-nine other thought experiments) by Julian Baggini (Granta, 2005)
What If? (450 questions to get teenagers talking, laughing, and thinking) by Les Christie (Youth Specialties, 1996)

General

Analyse It! 10 Minute Activators by Jean Edwards (ThinkShop, 2001)
Archive: Photographs 1985-2005 by Mark Howard (Base25 Editions, 2005)
Big Book of Blobs, The by Pip Wilson and Ian Long (self published, 2005)
Developing Thinking Across the Curriculum (book & DVD – BBC Wales/Estyn/Welsh Assembly Government, 2006)
Improving Thinking in the Classroom by Ralph Pirozzo (2nd edition, Hawker Brownlow, 2007)
Little Book of Thunks, The – 260 questions to make your brain go ouch! by Ian Gilbert (Crown House, 2007)
M.C. Escher: Taschen Portfolio (Taschen, 2004)
P4C: A Mixed-Age Approach (VHS, Age Concern Barrow & District, 2004)
Philosophy in 30 Days by Dominique Janicaud (Granta, 2005 translation)
Regarding Religion: Ideas for School, Classroom and Community (Bradford Education, 1998)
SAPERE Samples DVD (SAPERE, 2006)
Starters for Thinking by Robert Fisher (Nash Pollock, 2006)
Tidying Up Art by Ursus Wehrli (Prestel, 2003)

Theory

Education and Democracy – Principles and Practices by A V Kelly (Paul Chapman, 1995)
Philosophy of Childhood, The by Gareth B. Matthews (Harvard University, 1996)
Teaching Thinking: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom (3rd edition) by Robert Fisher (Continuum, 2008)
“Thinking globally: The challenges of global education” in Teaching Thinking & Creativity, Volume 8:2, Issue 23 (2007)
Philosophy for Global Citizenship project report (Cumbria Development Education Centre, 2005)