This graphic organizer from Bank Street Graduate School of Education prompts candidates to use a developmental frame for reflecting on and describing cognitive competencies that develop during the adolescent years. The elements of adolescent thinking are based on the Piagetian theory of cognitive development, focusing on the formal operational developmental phase. Using this resource for self-reflection, lesson planning, or discussion can assist candidates who will be working with adolescents and preadolescents in understanding cognitive competencies from a developmental perspective and thus adjust their instruction to be developmentally appropriate. This resource can also help candidates reflect on the zone of proximal development for fostering cognitive development in their adolescent and preadolescent students.