A research-informed instructional framework
Knowledge is the foundation of critical thinking.
Build. Retrieve. Think. helps educators connect what students know with what students can do with that knowledge.
The framework
Three stages. One intentional sequence.
Meaningful analysis requires more than a challenging question. It requires the knowledge and opportunities to retrieve and use that knowledge.
01 / BUILD.
Establish knowledge.
Introduce the concepts, evidence, vocabulary, and context students need to understand a topic.
02 / RETRIEVE.
Activate what matters.
Use purposeful retrieval questions to reconstruct the specific knowledge needed for the next task.
03 / THINK.
Use knowledge deeply.
Ask students to explain, compare, analyze, evaluate, and develop evidence-based conclusions.
Design backward. Teach forward.
Begin planning with the thinking students should accomplish. Identify what they must retrieve to support that thinking, then decide what foundational knowledge to build. In the classroom, students experience the sequence: Build → Retrieve → Think.
Research foundations
Built around how learning works.
Build. Retrieve. Think. integrates established ideas from cognitive psychology into an accessible planning sequence. It is a research-informed instructional framework using well-established methods in educational psychology.
Prior knowledge--
What students already know influences how they interpret and learn new material.
Working memory--
Limited processing capacity makes accessible background knowledge important for complex tasks.
Retrieval practice--
Actively recalling learned information can strengthen retention and make relevant knowledge easier to access.
Intentional questioning--
Retrieval prompts are selected to prepare students for a specific analytical objective.
Classroom resources
Start with one lesson.
Free planning tool
Build. Retrieve. Think. -- Backward Planning Worksheet
Use a simple three-part template to identify a critical thinking objective, the knowledge students need to retrieve, and the instruction needed to build that knowledge.
Founder
Jacob Wells, PhD
Educator · Educational Psychology Researcher · Former School Administrator
Dr. Jacob Wells is an educator, educational psychology researcher, and former school administrator with extensive experience in teaching, instructional leadership, and curriculum development. He is a history, government, and psychology teacher in middle and high schools. His professional background spans independent, charter, and public education, with a focus on history, government, psychology, and the development of critical thinking skills.
He holds a PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Educational Psychology from Grand Canyon University, an MA in History from Washington State University, and a BA in History from the University of Alabama. His academic and professional interests center on the relationship between cognitive psychology, knowledge acquisition, and effective instructional design.
Dr. Wells is the founder of Build. Retrieve. Think., a research-informed instructional framework designed to help educators connect foundational knowledge, purposeful retrieval, and higher-order thinking. He is an active conference presenter on educational psychology and curriculum design.
CONTACT
Let's connect.
Interested in bringing Build. Retrieve. Think. to your school or strengthening your own instructional practice? Get in touch to explore professional development and individualized coaching.
Professional Development
Interactive workshops and conference sessions introduce the research-informed framework, model its classroom application, and guide educators in designing purposeful, aligned lessons. Sessions can be tailored to a school, department, or professional learning community.
One-on-One Instructional Coaching
Personalized coaching for educators seeking practical support with lesson design, retrieval practice, knowledge-building, and higher-order thinking. Together, we can review existing lessons, identify opportunities for stronger alignment, and develop approaches suited to your students and subject area.
Send an Inquiry
Tell me a little about your goals, and I'll follow up to discuss how we might work together.
