critical thinking activities for gifted students

Critical and Creative Thinking: The Joy of Learning!

Step-by-step critical and creative thinking strategies are discussed in this article.

“Children do not develop their thinking skills by memorizing the products of adults’ thinking. Children develop these thinking skills by manipulating ideas, critically examining them, and trying to combine them in new ways. Data become meaningful only when individuals perform certain mental operations on those data.” (Taba, 1971, pp. 240–241)

We recognize the need for gifted learners to develop and practice higher-order critical and creative thinking skills that go beyond fundamental acquisition of information. Gifted students need to be involved with analysis, evaluation, and creative synthesis of data and information, asking new questions and generating innovative ideas, solutions, and products because of their advanced cognitive development, preference for complexity, questioning of the status quo, idealism, and need for social action. This is particularly true of the creatively gifted learner who must find relevance and opportunities for creative synthesis and expression in order to truly engage in the learning process. We also know that, in order to develop these critical and creative thinking skills as thinking habits, students must engage in these kinds of thinking activities frequently, in meaningful, appropriate contexts.

To what extent is this happening? Are gifted students being given opportunities for exploring ideas and developing skills of critical analysis, evaluation, and creativity in classrooms today? Not so much, according to a study reported in  Newsweek  (2010) by Bronson and Merryman. The findings of this study indicate a significant decline of creativity among American students in recent decades, which the authors describe as a “creativity crisis.” They attribute this decline to overemphasis on standardization in curriculum, instruction, and assessment in American schools—with emphasis on acquisition of information, facts and details, and finding “the right answer” rather than critical analysis and evaluation of content or creative exploration of ideas and innovative thinking. The answer to this crisis, they say, is teaching critical and creative thinking skills in context of content instruction.

Critical and creative thinking strategies are not merely “fun” or “cute” activities to be pulled out at the end of the week or semester, or after the state tests are over for the year in order to fill time and entertain students. They are ways of deeply engaging and interacting with ideas and concepts in meaningful context, building meaning and understanding through multiple processing of ideas and information in increasingly sophisticated levels of thinking, adding depth and complexity to the content being learned, and finding personal relevance in the learning process. In order to teach any skill or content effectively, we must first have a clear understanding of the nature and purpose of the skills and/or content to be taught. Employing critical and creative thinking strategies without first understanding what is involved in these skills and processes or without connecting these thinking skills to appropriate content is likely to result in missing the point and wasting time. Students may have fun playing around with such activities, but may not actually address content in a meaningful, purposeful way, nor actually engage in the higher order thinking intended.

Critical thinking involves analysis and evaluation rather than merely accepting ideas or information: understanding of relationships, similarities, and differences; looking for patterns; classifying and categorizing; understanding cause/effect; seeing trends and big ideas; predicting outcomes; considering multiple perspectives; making judgments; and questioning and reasoning. Creative thinking requires all of these critical thinking skills and goes beyond, generating something new and useful in a particular context: generating innovative ideas, products, and solutions; expressing ideas in innovative ways; and communicating ideas, solutions, or products to an appropriate audience. These, of course, are the higher order thinking skills of Bloom; these are the thinking skills necessary for meaningful learning in all disciplines.

How can we manage all this within the constraints of assessment-driven standardized curriculum and instruction? How can we truly engage even our most creative and advanced thinkers in analytical thinking, making informed judgments and evaluation based on critical analysis, and the creation of innovative ideas, perspectives, and products that actually solve problems? How can we encourage students to express unique and original points of view and communicate with audiences in valid and defensible ways to increase truly meaningful, personally relevant learning? The answer is that we must incorporate effective critical and creative thinking strategies appropriately into content instruction. When thinking skills are taught in relevant content, students practice higher order thinking skills to the point of developing creative thinking habits, while at the same time playing with ideas and processing content information in multiple ways. They find personal meaning and relevance in the learning. They experience the joy of learning!

APPLYING TABA’S STRATEGIES FOR CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

One sequence of critical and creative thinking activities that incorporates some of Taba’s strategies for concept development can be effectively applied to many different content topics and purposes. This sequence of activities involves students in playfully generating and examining data in a variety of ways, requiring both divergent thinking (fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality) and convergent thinking (evaluation, providing justification for choices, drawing conclusions based on evidence presented). The activities can be adapted for almost any content at various levels of complexity: literary or historical events or characters, contemporary or historic issues or problems (literature, social studies); concepts or operations, inventions or discoveries (math or science); or almost any other content that is a focus of study.

Basically, the activities involve generating or gathering data. This means that students are evaluating and prioritizing data, analyzing and organizing that data into data sets and naming the sets, generating questions, drawing conclusions based on data analysis and evaluation, and communicating the results. In general, the process includes these steps and thinking processes:

• Step One: Data Generation/Data Gathering.  Knowing, understanding information or data
• Step Two: Ranking.  Evaluating, prioritizing, justifying, defending data choices
• Step Three: Grouping, Labeling, Regrouping, Subsuming, Re-labeling.  Categorizing, analyzing, synthesizing data
• Step Four: Asking Questions.  Knowing, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing information and ideas
• Step Five: Drawing Conclusions.  Knowing, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing data and ideas
• Step Six: Communicating Results.  Creating an appropriate format or product to share the results or express major ideas to an audience

Depending on the complexity of the concepts and/or data to be used as a basis for the activities, all of these steps could be used in a single lesson, or the sequence could be broken into several subsequent lessons over time, with more time for reflection, sharing, and elaborating on first thoughts with more complex ideas and more time for creative incubation as the content demands.

Consider how this sequence of critical and creative thinking activities might be applied with math content in a study of percents. This idea was suggested by one of my graduate students, a middle school math teacher, to encourage students to play with the concepts related to understanding and using percents while developing recognition and understanding of many of the ways in which percentages are used in everyday life and how this affects them personally.

Step One: Listing (Individual Brainstorming)

Begin by having students quickly list as many situations as they can think of in which percents may be used in real life. This step could be a short timed activity, perhaps 3 minutes, with no talking or sharing allowed during this step. Set a goal based on the time allowed (eight listed items in 3 minutes, for example). Keeping the time short for this initial listing of data keeps students on task. When time is called, ask for a show of hands for students who achieved the goal that was set, and then tell students that from this point on, they are encouraged to add to their original list if they think of any new ideas or if they hear any good ideas they hadn’t thought of. The more data students have to work with on the topic, the better. Unique or original ideas that fit are especially valued as they reflect flexibility in thinking.

Step Two: Ranking and Prioritizing

Next, tell students to consider the items on their list and, without any discussion or sharing, to rank them in order of most significant to least significant (they may determine “significance”). They must be prepared to explain and justify their top two or three choices. Allow a few minutes for this ranking process. When students have completed ranking at least through their top three items, have students volunteer to share their top one or two items and explain their reasons for those choices. To stimulate discussion based on the reasons they provide, and to add to the playfulness of the activity, this could be put in the form of a game (Top That!) in which a student offers a number one item from her list and explains the reasoning for the choice, and then other students take turns trying to “top that” with their own choices, with emphasis on their reasoning for their decisions. Anticipate some lively discussions at this stage, which is a good thing as students defend their reasoning and hear others’ points of view. Again, encourage students to add anything that they hear and like to their own lists (fluency, flexibility). Remind students that unique or original ideas are particularly valued, but all items offered must actually fit the parameters that were set for the database.

Step Three: Grouping and Labeling

Students are now told to group the items on their list according to whatever criteria they choose. They are then to create an appropriate label for each group they create that encompasses all of the items in that group according to the criteria they have determined for their sets. These groups and labels will then be shared, discussed, and evaluated by the whole class, as other students consider the appropriateness of sets formed and comprehensiveness of labels. Sharing and discussing different ways of grouping their ideas and evaluating the appropriateness of their labels expands flexibility in thinking, while expanding everyone’s understanding and realization of how often they encounter percents in their own world and in what contexts they might occur. This step might be an activity for which the teacher would choose to allow additional time for display and review of individual groupings and their labels, perhaps a gallery walk so that students can share and consider the ideas of their peers. Grouping is, of course, creating categories based on analysis of similarities or differences – critical thinking skills that are inherent in every discipline. Observing, discussing, and critiquing various ways in which students have chosen to create and label these data sets offers opportunities to expand the flexible thinking of all students.

Students might then be asked to try to find ways in which they can subsume one or more of their groups within another group. This increases the analytical thinking involved, requiring students to process the same ideas again in multiple ways, to look at that data from multiple perspectives to find new, hierarchical relationships, and to synthesize new labels as appropriate. A discussion of the various ways in which the data were grouped and the appropriateness or uniqueness of the labels given helps students think more analytically and flexibly about their own ideas as well (fluency, flexibility, and elaboration).

Step Four: Asking Questions

Students are encouraged to generate as many questions as they can about percents, with emphasis on why, how, why not, when, what if, etc. questions that require higher order thinking. Asking such questions elicits critical analysis and evaluation or creative synthesis thinking and provides teachable moments to clarify misinformation and misunderstandings. As with the previous step, this could be a simple class activity or could be expanded over time with students encouraged to add their questions to a growing list on the wall or board. As before, particular value is given to unique or original questions that go beyond the simple or obvious (elaboration, flexibility, and originality). Asking good questions is a critical and creative thinking skill requiring all levels of Bloom and requires both modeling and practice; questions generated by students are likely to show what they know or need to learn or want to understand about the topic.

To make the “game” more interesting, try presenting an answer (e.g., .25) and allow students to generate as many possible questions or computations as they can for that answer (fluency, flexibility, elaboration). Any reasonable question that fits the answer is acceptable, but again, unique or original questions that encourage divergent thinking are most valued. If points are awarded as in a game, all correct questions might receive 1 point, but unique questions are worth 3 points. Unique could be determined by the criterion that “no one else thought of that” or “we agree as a group, that question is unique.”

Step Five: Drawing Conclusions

Students are asked to consider what conclusions they might reasonably draw about the topic of percents based on the discussions and activities to this point. This process of drawing conclusions and developing generalizations requires synthesis of ideas and concepts, the highest level of Bloom (create). Any reasonable conclusion that can be supported by the student based on evidence to this point or original reasoning may be accepted as valid.

Step Six: Communicating Results

As a further creative elaboration, encourage students to express their conclusions and supporting evidence in an original product or appropriate format of their choosing. They may consider a concrete or metaphorical expression to communicate their ideas. For example, they may create cartoons, drawings, scenarios or dramatizations, speeches, rap, rhyme, or song. Or they may develop presentations using technology, art, or whatever form of creative expression the student finds personally interesting or most appropriate to communicate their generalizations and ideas to an audience.

Through this series of activities, students conclude that knowing and understanding percents and how to compute and compare them and use them is useful, personally relevant, and significant in their lives. Students have been engaged in higher order analysis, evaluation, and synthesis in the learning process, and they have had fun playing with the data and concepts in multiple ways.

The same sequence of activities could be applied to almost any content in any discipline and modified for any grade level. Playing with information, ideas, or data sets in these ways involves students in processing information in multiple ways. It allows for a reexamination of the data and their own understanding, analyzing, and evaluating and justifying their choices and ideas. They are observing and thinking about how others view the same information from different perspectives, and they can raise new questions and elaborate on their own original ideas. Even though the curriculum content determines parameters for the initial data-gathering or listing, encouragement of unique or original ideas throughout the series of activities encourages divergent thinking within those parameters.

A CREATIVE WRITING STRATEGY: CAUSE/EFFECT AND PROBLEM/SOLUTION

Another strategy, often used in creative writing to examine narrative structure and sequence of plot development, could also be adapted to enhance critical and creative thinking about concepts in many content areas with a particular focus on cause/ effect and problem/solution relationships. Engaging in this strategy in a variety of appropriate contexts can be useful in developing skills for creative problem solving.

The process is simple. One student writes an opening line from a story she would like to read at the top of a page, folds it down, and hands the page to another student. That student then writes the closing line of a story he would like to read at the bottom of that same page. The two students then work together to fill in the plot points necessary to develop the story from the opening line to the closing line. This creative writing activity engages students in developing narrative structure, cause/effect, and problem/solution; predicting reasonable outcomes; and using elaborative thinking as well as divergent, convergent, and higher order thinking skills.

This strategy could be adapted to science, social studies, math, music, and art. Student One could be asked to write an event from the past, a historical situation or problem (social studies, science); number, number equation, musical line, or figural drawing (math, music art) at the top of the page and fold it down. Student Two could then write a contemporary event, situation, issue (social studies, science); another problem, number, equation, musical line, or figural drawing (math, music or art) at the bottom of the page. Then the two students could work out the cause-effect, problem-solution steps, and make the connections necessary to go from the first statement to the final statement.

As a further extension in analyzing and developing ideas constructed in this activity, students might be asked to create a graph or chart to illustrate the plot curve, cause/effect, problem/solution sequence, or connections within the relationships they have constructed. This could be a visual graph or three-dimensional structure, a dramatic performance, or a musical or artistic representation— as long as it represents the sequential or developmental cause/effect relationships involved. Collaboration as well as critical and creative thinking at the highest levels of Bloom are involved throughout these activities.

OTHER STRATEGIES TO EXPLORE

Strategies such as the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model (Treffinger, Isaksen, & Dorval, 2003), SCAMPER (Eberle, 1977), or Six Thinking Hats (de Bono, 1999) encourage flexibility and elaboration as students consider issues or concepts from multiple points of view. These thinking strategies are familiar to many gifted teachers, but are rarely applied in contexts by content teachers. Students can employ the problem-finding step of the CPS model by asking themselves “In What Ways Might We . . .?” to help identify potential problems within larger issues, listing as many ideas as they can relative to the situation and then evaluating those ideas to determine a problem they might pursue. SCAMPER ( S ubstitute,  C ombine,  A dapt,  M odify/Magnify/Minify,  P ut to other uses,  E liminate,  R everse/ Reorder/Rearrange) is a useful tool for encouraging flexible thinking, as students examine and analyze situations or issues and generate innovative ideas and solutions. In small groups or as a class, students might try on de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats as they examine potential issues from multiple perspectives: gathering and examining facts and evaluating sources and objectivity of  facts  (White Hat); considering possible  emotions  involved (Red Hat); considering possible  benefits  (Yellow Hat), as well as possible  negatives  (Black Hat) related to the issue; generating  creative  ideas, even far-out wild and crazy ideas (Green Hat); before finally considering possible solutions and developing a plan of  implementation  (Blue Hat). In each of these strategies, students consider issues and possibilities from multiple points of view, discussing, analyzing, and processing data and information in multiple ways to move from vague, broadly-conceived issues into more clearly-defined problem statements, potentially leading to useful, creative solutions.

PRESENTING THE FINDINGS

In all of these critical and creative thinking strategies, students gather data or information related to issues that they find to be significant or personally meaningful. Students are encouraged to evaluate sources of data and to consider bias and objectivity or accuracy of information—critical thinking skills particularly necessary in today’s world. By analyzing and categorizing data, they can begin to sort through relevant and irrelevant information pertinent to a problem that they might effectively address. By considering multiple perspectives related to the problem, brainstorming, and sharing multiple possible solutions, students can think more fluently and flexibly and then begin to choose among alternative possibilities and propose a likely course of action. All of these processes involve higher order thinking skills of analysis, evaluation, and creative synthesis at every step. Students learn to ask good questions, considering relationships such as cause/effect, make reasonable predictions, draw conclusions, generate innovative ideas and products, and support and defend decisions and choices.

Students should also consider an appropriate audience for presentation of their proposed solutions. How will they communicate the problem they have identified, the pertinent data they have found, and ideas for possible solutions to the target audience? Presentation of an identified problem within a larger issue accompanied by relevant supporting data and a considered approach to a potential solution is an important leadership skill that crosses all disciplines, particularly critical in contemporary times.

When these kinds of critical and creative thinking strategies are practiced frequently in purposeful content instruction, content learning is enhanced, not only in terms of more meaningful development of concepts, but also in terms of skills required for reading, writing, speaking, listening, research, and presentation. Thinking skills of cause/effect, predicting reasonable outcomes, analysis of data and multiple points of view, evaluation, making judgments, and creative synthesis can be developed through frequent opportunities to explore and express opinions and ideas in a receptive, collaborative critical and creative thinking learning environment. Not only are students given opportunity to develop these higher order thinking skills through these kinds of practices, but they also develop leadership skills of teamwork and collaboration and presentation skills in speaking, writing, and use of technology for authentic purposes.

Critical and creative thinking strategies should not be merely an afterthought to instruction. Critical and creative thinking are the ways in which real learning occurs. When strategies for critical and creative thinking are tied to appropriate content learning objectives, content learning becomes more meaningful, more challenging and interesting, and therefore, more engaging. By engaging students frequently with a variety of critical and creative thinking strategies applied to appropriate curriculum content, we encourage students to think more divergently and meaningfully about content. We also enhance skills of analytical and evaluative thinking and creative problem solving. This implies a classroom atmosphere of inquiry, discovery, and acceptance of expression of new ideas and exploring questions. In this atmosphere, gifted learners are better prepared for authentic problem-finding and developing innovative solutions and products, and for communication of those results and ideas to appropriate audiences: the Joy of Learning!

Benny Hickerson, Ph.D. , a former TAGT President (1998) and TAGT board member, is an adjunct professor of gifted education at Southern Methodist University. She is also a presenter and speaker for G/T staff development and serves as a consultant in gifted education in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area. Dr. Hickerson has been a K–12 G/T district administrator, a campus administrator, and a classroom teacher in both public and private schools, including having taught at every grade level K–12. She has also taught both undergraduate and graduate levels in college, in both reading and gifted education. She can be contacted at [email protected] or [email protected].

Permission Statement

Permission to reprint this article has been granted to The Davidson Institute for Talent Development from  Tempo Magazine , a publication of the Texas Association of the Gifted and Talented (TAGT)  http://www.txgifted.org/ . This material may not be reproduced without permission from TAGT.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit  www.DavidsonGifted.org .

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Foundations for Thinking Curriculum for grades 4-8 available now!

Critical Thinking

Free resources.

Stories With Holes - Students are presented with a story that doesn't quite make sense. They must ask yes or no questions to figure out what is really happening. Check difficulty and solutions to see which one will suit your students.

Try Stories with Holes logic with things like a map! Pick a state/country. Students ask yes or no questions to figure out the location. Example: Are you East of the Mississippi River? We try to do it in 8 questions, then 7, then 6, and so on.

Enrichment Rooms for Critical and Creative Thinking

K-2 3-5 6-8

3. Conference Time Choices - I wrote this article about provid ing students with free choice time, and I included lists of some of my favorite games and brainteasers!

Critical Thinking Units

Logic for Littles Part 1 and Logic for Littles Part 2 - Great intro to deductive thinking for grades K-2.

Socratic Smackdown - I typically use this with grades 4+. Basically a gamified way to debate and discuss topics.

4 wonderful starting discussions to try !

Philosophy Unit - This unit encompasses a lot of different standards. Very fun unit for grades 5-8 to get them thinking about various philosophical scenarios.

Strategy Game Design Unit - Student go through mechanics, theme, conflict, and prototyping their own board games. I created a Strategy Game D esign Slideshow , so all the resources were in one place.

Bell Ringers

Warm Up Slideshow

Erich Friedman Puzzles - Older site, but it w ill keep students busy for hours! Or check out the Puzzle Palace or Math Magic from the same author.

My District GT Site - Puzzles, virtual rooms, and more for students in grades K-8.

Math Pickle - Amazing problems for grades K-12.

Balance Puzzles - D etermine values to make the scale balanced. 3 difficulty levels, 200 puzzles, and you can build your own! Or see Who Am I? Puzzles from the same author.

Bell Ringer Problems - Slideshow with various types of problems. G rades 4-8.

Escape Rooms

Medieval Mayhem (Grades 3-5)

Adventuring Across America (Grade 4-6) H as social studies, simple math, & cipher practice. 

Hogwarts (Grades 4-8)

Escape Boredom Room (Grades 5-8)

The Case of the Museum Mischief (Grades 5-8)

Or have students create their own escape rooms on a topic you're learning about!

Purchase Curriculum

Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS ™ ) - Now with an easier to use virtual formatting. Best for grades K-3. 24 lessons per book that will truly stretch students and get them thinking critically and creatively to solve complex problems.

Looking for resources similar to PETS ™ for grades 4-8 ? Check out t he Foundations for Thinking curriculum that covers convergent, divergent, visual, and evaluative thinking.

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2. Cooperative Problem Solving - I love cooperative problem solving games where each student is given a clue that helps solve the problem.

Group Solutions - Grades K-3

Group Solutions, Too - Grades K-3

Get It Together - Grades 4-12

United We Solve - Grades 5-10

3. Stories With Holes - Students are presented with a story that doesn't quite make sense. They must ask yes or no questions to figure out what is really going on. Typically, it is best to ask general questions and get more specific as you go and never make assumptions!

What Is Critical Thinking?

• November 9, 2021
• No Comments

By the Duke Talent Identification Program

Critical thinking is a skill that focuses on using logic and analysis—and not just memorized facts—to answer questions and solve problems. Essentially, critical thinking relies on practicing how to think, not what to think. For example, asking, What makes biology a science? requires far more thought and reflection than asking, What is the definition of biology? Many scholars argue that teaching critical thinking is essential for the effective education of children, especially gifted children, and point out that the traditional classroom may not provide enough opportunities to develop deep critical thought.

Why Does Critical Thinking Matter?

Critical thinking is an important skill for anyone to build because it helps people make better decisions in situations that do not have a clear answer. When children become better critical thinkers, they are more prepared to make better decisions in their personal or professional lives later on. We do not want to teach children to believe everything they hear (even if that means that they start to question their own parents). Critical thinking has a purpose. Students are not just reciting memorized facts or spotting the easy answers; critical thinking prepares children to think beyond opinions and basic facts so that they can make more informed and independent decisions.

How Can I Practice Critical Thinking With My Child?

Critical thinking is an ongoing process that requires practice. Even when you aren’t actively thinking about encouraging critical thinking, small changes in your communication with your child can inspire more critical and independent thought.

Foster Open-Ended Conversation

Children can learn critical thinking strategies by engaging in conversations or friendly debates with parents. Children find critical thinking exercises more interesting when they relate to their interests and real-world situations. You can base your discussions on Supreme Court cases, news stories, social conflicts, or even characters or plots in your child’s favorite television programs and movies. If children reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of their own opinions, as well as their counterarguments, they can make more logical decisions. During your debate or discussions, encourage your child to consider alternative explanations and solutions to problems.

Your gifted child may bring up ethical or philosophical questions that may not have a clear answer. Sometimes, admitting that you do not have the answers to certain questions can give children the chance to consider different viewpoints and beliefs. When your child comes to a conclusion that is different than yours, ask them about what led them to that conclusion rather than choosing a right or wrong side of the argument. This way, they can approach hard questions without being worried about having the wrong answer.

Example: Next time you watch a television show or movie together, discuss the main character’s dilemma. You can ask questions like, What is another way the character could have handled the situation? How would you have handled the situation?

Promote Exploration

The curiosity of gifted children can sometimes be overwhelming, and we might want to brush off their questions with answers like, “Because I said so.” Helping children work through their questions by encouraging them to seek answers, consider alternatives, and come to their own conclusions can help them to create better problem-solving strategies. If their questions can’t be answered immediately, making them responsible for scheduling research at a more convenient time can help them develop time management responsibilities.

Example: Your child asks you a question to which he or she can find the answer, e.g., What causes meteor showers? or you can promote exploration by asking a guiding question, e.g., What are some resources that we can use to find the answer?

Ask for Explanations

Studies show that having an audience can help children better evaluate their arguments. Children can learn by giving reasons for their own conclusions and considering alternative points of view. In a study of children’s learning through self-explanation, children were more likely to present alternative ideas, provide more detail, and include more justifications for their argument when they explained a concept to a parent. Additionally, children who play video games and regularly explain their strategies show more evidence of learning than children who do not explain their strategies.

Example: Ask your child about his or her strategies and planning during activities (this includes video games, computer games, and board or card games). Point out parts of their strategies that use logic, probability, and economic principles.

Promote Personal Decision Making

Critical thinking requires children to make decisions on their own, and parents can provide safe situations for them to practice this. When children are given the opportunity to figure out the answers and consider alternatives, this allows for more innovation, exploration, and retained knowledge.

Example: If your child comes to you with a problem (e.g., whether to save or spend last month’s allowance, what book to choose for a book report, etc.), help your child consider the pros and cons, but don’t be afraid to let him or her make a wrong choice. The two of you can evaluate the decision later with questions such as, “How do you feel about your decision?” or “What would you do differently next time?”

Support Participation in Activities that Foster Critical Thinking

Your child may already engage in critical thinking exercises through extracurricular activities like Odyssey of the Mind, chess club, and debate or forensic teams. Recent research shows that children who play video and computer games in moderation often engage in exercises that promote critical thinking. In particular, many games enable children to face challenging logic or probability puzzles, make decisions and evaluate their outcomes, learn from and collaborate with peers, and consider alternative strategies.

Examples: Numerous websites provide free critical thinking exercises through math puzzles, philosophical writing prompts, and logic puzzles.

Further Reading

• Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Surkes, M. A., Tamim, R., & Zhang, D. (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78 (4) , 1102-1134.
• Blumberg, F. C., Rosenthal, S. F., & Randall, J. D. (2008). Impasse-driven learning in the context of video games. Computers in Human Behavior, 24 (4) , 1530-1541.
• Hamlen, K. R. (2011). Children’s choices and strategies in video games. Computers in Human Behavior, 27 (1) , 532-539.
• Legare C. (2012). Exploring explanation: explaining inconsistent evidence informs exploratory, hypothesis-testing behavior in young children. Child Development, 83 (1) :173-85. Rittle-Johnson, B., Saylor, M., & Swygert, K. E. (2008). Learning from explaining: Does it matter if mom is listening? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 100 (3) , 215-224.

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Unique Lesson Plan: Push Your Gifted Students to Independent Critical Thinking

• Linda M. Rhinehart Neas
• Categories : Tips & strategies for teaching the gifted student
• Tags : Special ed information for teachers & parents

Teaching the Basics

Objective: to encourage independent critical thinking to gifted students through objectivity, open-mindedness, analysis, discerning

bias and honesty.

Prior Knowledge: Brainstorm with students what they know about the process of thinking. Make a mind map of their answers. Encourage them to think of all the aspects of the thinking process.

Discussion before assignment : Give students a handout on critical thinking (click here) . Discuss with the students the various aspects of critical thinking. Ask them to give you examples for each.

Assignment: Using the handout and the information discussed prior to the assignment, find two opposing examples of opinions in advertising. For instance, an ad where a woman is objectified and an ad where a woman is held in esteem, or an ad that promotes the image of privilege and an ad that shows concern for the underprivileged.

Make a list of how each ad proves the point of view of the advertiser. Do they use the same strategies? How do they differ?

Research the advertiser. What is their purpose for the ad? Is it successful? Whom are they targeting?

Write an opinion paper on the two ads. Do not forget to explain how you came to your conclusions. Show facts to justify your opinions.

Bringing Learning Into Life

After the opinion paper is written, ask students to pick an issue they feel passionately about. Have them create their own ad campaign for that issue. Have them discuss how they will reach others, why they feel others will want to know about the issue, who they will be trying to reach, what information they think is important to share, where and when they think their ad(s) will need to be publicized.

This part of the assignment should take several weeks. Have students work independently or in small groups . Allow them time to research. Use this timetable.

• Week one: submit a proposal for your ad campaign
• Week two: have a draft of ad with photos (like the one below of AmeriCorp volunteers cleaning up in Tennessee), a logo or badge, handouts and proposed give-a-ways
• Week three: have a proposed unveiling ready suggesting time and place (This can anything from a table in the cafeteria during lunch hour or a full assembly for the school.)
• Week four: have ad campaign finished and ready for the public

After the presentation of their ad campaigns, have students write a reflection paper on the process. They should be able to answer the questions:

• Was this campaign successful?
• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• What could I do differently?
• Was there any information I missed or was unable to discuss with the public?
• What can I predict will be the outcome of the campaign?

Critically Thinking

Remember, the purpose of this lesson plan - encourage independent critical thinking ; gifted students should be given every opportunity to work without the intersession of the teacher. Grasping the concepts of critical thinking will help students build the skills to become thoughtful and capable adults.

CriticalThinking.org

Socratic Questioning adapted from Richard Paul, Critical Thinking

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• Oct 4, 2023

Creative thinking, engagement, and perseverance: How puzzles directly support gifted students

Updated: Jan 26

Creative thinking sparks innovation and problem-solving. When coupled with perseverance, creativity becomes an unstoppable force. For gifted children, whose minds are brimming with potential, fostering creative thinking, engagement, and perseverance is paramount.

Gifted children are a unique group who possess exceptional cognitive abilities. These abilities can span various domains, such as mathematics, science, language, music, and the arts. Gifted children often exhibit an insatiable curiosity, a penchant for deep exploration, and a voracious appetite for learning.

The Significance of Creative Thinking, Engagement, and Perseverance

Creative Thinking ignites innovation. It enables children to approach problems from unconventional angles, generate new ideas, and connect seemingly unrelated concepts. Creative thinking is the bridge between knowledge and innovation, and it is vital for solving complex, real-world problems.

Engagement in learning is the driving force behind sustained interest and motivation. When children are engaged in their learning, they are more likely to invest time and effort, leading to deeper understanding and higher achievement. It fosters a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Perseverance is the ability to persist in the face of challenges and setbacks. It is the fuel that keeps the creative engine running. For gifted children, who often encounter complex problems and high expectations, perseverance is a critical trait that leads to long-term success.

Puzzles, like those Solving Fun creates, are a applicative tool for nurturing creative thinking, engagement, and perseverance in gifted children. Here's why:

Cognitive Stimulation: Logic puzzles challenge the mind and promote creative problem-solving. They require solvers to use their critical thinking skills to deduce patterns and solutions, enhancing their cognitive abilities.

Versatility: Puzzles come in various levels of difficulty, allowing parents and educators to tailor the puzzles to a child's abilities. This adaptability ensures that the puzzles remain engaging and challenging.

Enjoyment and Engagement: Puzzles from Solving Fun are specifically designed to be interesting and engaging for various types of thinkers. When children find learning fun, they are more likely to be motivated and deeply engaged in the problem-solving process.

Perseverance Building: Logic and wordplay puzzles inherently require perseverance. They present challenges that may not have immediate solutions, teaching solvers the value of persistence and the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles; a lesson that generalizes to many different situations.

Incorporating Logic Puzzles into Gifted Education

To effectively harness the benefits of logic puzzles in your class and to promote perseverance, consider the following strategies:

Identify Interests: Recognize the areas of interest and strengths of the child. Select puzzles that align with their passions to foster engagement and perseverance.

Gradual Progression: Begin with puzzles of moderate difficulty and gradually increase complexity as the child's skills improve. This progression ensures that the child remains challenged and engaged, promoting perseverance.

Encourage Reflection: Encourage gifted children to reflect on their problem-solving strategies and creative thinking processes. This self-awareness promotes metacognition, which is valuable for lifelong learning and perseverance.

Celebrate Achievements and Effort: Celebrate both small and significant achievements. Praise the child's effort and perseverance in tackling challenging puzzles. Positive reinforcement encourages continued engagement and perseverance.

Creative thinking, engagement, and perseverance are the cornerstones of nurturing the potential of gifted children. Puzzles provide an exciting and effective means to enhance creative thinking skills, promote engagement, and build perseverance in these young minds. By fostering creative, engaged, and persistent learners, we empower gifted children to tackle future challenges, make meaningful contributions to society, and continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge and innovation.

For more strategies to help facilitate creative thinking, check out Solving Fun’s Solving Guide at www.solvingfun.com/solvingguide or contact us at [email protected].

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Creative Thinking Skills in Gifted Students

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Torrance, E. P. (1979). The search for satori and creativity . New York: Creative Education Foundation.

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Cramond, B. (2020). Creative Thinking Skills in Gifted Students. In: Peters, M., Heraud, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_181-1

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How I’m making learning more engaging for my gifted students

With a targeted model and edtech supports, students of all ages and abilities will enjoy learning activities and develop critical thinking skills.

Key points:

• The Talents Unlimited model and edtech resources play a role in this educator’s strategy
• 5 of the biggest education trends in 2024
• Edtech tools to beat our state of emergency in reading and math achievement
• For more news on instructional strategies, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub

Keeping gifted students focused and engaged in learning can be challenging. They complete tasks quickly, are often motivated to dig deeper into a subject, and are prone to boredom if not sufficiently challenged. This can lead to disengagement, especially for gifted students.

To better support my gifted and talented students, I have integrated the Talents Unlimited approach into my classroom practice. The Talents Unlimited approach to education was created by Dr. Calvin Taylor, who researched the thinking skills people need to be successful in the world of work. Specifically, the Talents Unlimited model identified the following five key thinking abilities that lead to success: Productive Thinking, Communication, Forecasting, Decision Making, and Planning. Nurturing and expanding these talents can help students develop creative and problem-solving skills.

Here are some examples of how I am helping my gifted students by combining the Talents Unlimited approach and using Discovery Education Experience to ensure engagement for all students no matter their learning level:

Productive Thinking

Productive Thinking refers to a student’s ability to think up many, varied, and unusual or one-of-a-kind ideas. To support my students’ ability to undertake Productive Thinking, I use the Z Chart, which is one of Discovery Education’s research-based Spotlight on Strategies. The Z Chart is a graphic organizer that helps students summarize information using linguistic and nonlinguistic representations. The Z Chart strategy provides a quick way to present ideas. One of the best parts is that it works well as an individual reflection tool and as a tool for cooperative groups to use when discussing a jigsaw activity. This makes sure that students across abilities can dive deep into a topic together or through self-directed learning.

Communication

• The Communication skills Talents Unlimited seeks to develop are:
• Giving many, varied, single words to describe something.
• Giving many, varied, single words to describe feelings.
• Thinking of many, varied things that are like another thing in the form of a simile
• Letting others know that you understand how they feel.
• Making a network of ideas using many, varied, and complete thoughts.
• Telling your feelings and needs without using words.

Discovery Education Experience’s DEmystified series features short videos (most are around two minutes long) that answer questions in a plain and simple, straightforward fashion. I use these videos to model several excellent communication skills addressed by Talents Unlimited.

For example, when my students watch the video “Characteristics of Stars,” I challenged them to complete the simile “Stars are as hot as _________.” Students brainstormed about things that may be hot in order to compare to the heat of stars. These are perfect for grabbing attention as a hook into a unit of study, a brain break, or even a rainy-day recess!

Forecasting

The Forecasting Component of the Talents Unlimited framework asks students to think of many, varied and unusual ideas to examine cause and effect by answering one of two questions: What might have caused…? and What might happen if…?

I address this component of the Talents Unlimited framework using Discovery Education Experience’s Life Skills Channel. For example, I have shared with my 2nd grade students the video entitled “Bang the Drums”, which is a story about the passion of making music. Following the video, the class discussed and described the effects of finding our own passions, and what steps need to be taken to pursue our own passions.

In addition, there are videos on goal setting, which helps students see the importance of setting realistic goals. In both cases, my students have a great opportunity to think through essential forecasting as it relates to their own lives.

Talents Unlimited seeks to help students develop their planning skills, and their ability to discern and the steps necessary to develop a comprehensive plan to carry out a decision.

To support the growth of student’s planning abilities, I utilize Discovery Education’s Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) to transport my students beyond the classroom. Before the “trip” my class and I discuss what things we would need to bring with us if we were actually going on a trip to one of the VFT destinations. Together, we have traveled to places like the Arctic, and Washington, D.C.

We then talk about what we are planning to do on the trip, the order of the steps they need to take to do them, and we identify potential problems. These projects can become very detailed. For instance, for my 6th graders planned “trip” to Washington, D.C., they created detailed budgets and researched flights, lodging, and food. After the field trip they used their communication talent and created travel brochures to encourage others to visit Washington, D.C.

Decision Making

Helping students build their decision capabilities is the most complex challenge of using the Talents Unlimited framework. It involves helping students think of things they could do, which are called alternatives. Then students develop questions that serve as a guide between choosing alternatives, then they weigh those questions to make decisions, and ultimately, support that decision with varied reasons.

To support the development of my students’ decision-making skills, I have created a simple chart that I use for decision making lessons. Students will consider each alternative and apply it to the criteria in a process called weighing. This will lead them to the final decision. Finally, they give reasons for reaching this decision.

I have used two Discovery Education channels, National Parks, and Sharks, to teach with this talent. Discovery Education’s channel on the national parks has informational videos about several of the parks. After viewing a few of these, we completed a decision-making activity about deciding which park to visit. The alternatives were three of the parks: Yellowstone, Everglades, and Olympic. The criteria for visiting each included: Liking the temperature there, the proximity of the park to home, and if there are things there that students would like to see. After weighing these, students could arrive at a decision on which park to visit. There are many other videos that this model could be applied to. Another of my 4th grade’s favorites is the Shark Channel, where we have used decision making to determine the most dangerous shark.

I am a firm believer in using the Talents Unlimited framework and Discovery Education can be used with all students in any grade level. Students of any age and ability level will enjoy activities like these and develop some critical thinking skills along the way.

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5 Critical Thinking Activities That Get Students Up and Moving

More movement means better learning.

It’s easy to resort to having kids be seated during most of the school day. But learning can (and should) be an active process. Incorporating movement into your instruction has incredible benefits—from deepening student understanding to improving concentration to enhancing performance. Check out these critical thinking activities, adapted from Critical Thinking in the Classroom , a book with over 100 practical tools and strategies for teaching critical thinking in K-12 classrooms.

Four Corners

In this activity, students move to a corner of the classroom based on their responses to a question with four answer choices. Once they’ve moved, they can break into smaller groups to explain their choices. Call on students to share to the entire group. If students are persuaded to a different answer, they can switch corners and further discuss. 

Question ideas:

• Which president was most influential: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, or Abraham Lincoln?
• Is Holden Caulfield a hero: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree?

Gallery Walk

This strategy encourages students to move around the classroom in groups to respond to questions, documents, images, or situations posted on chart paper. Each group gets a different colored marker to record their responses and a set amount of time at each station. When groups move, they can add their own ideas and/or respond to what prior groups have written.

Gallery ideas:

• Political cartoons

Stations are a great way to chunk instruction and present information to the class without a “sit and get.” Group desks around the room or create centers, each with a different concept and task. There should be enough stations for three to five students to work for a set time before rotating.

Station ideas:

• Types of rocks
• Story elements
• Literary genres

Silent Sticky-Note Storm

In this brainstorming activity, students gather in groups of three to five. Each group has a piece of chart paper with a question at the top and a stack of sticky notes. Working in silence, students record as many ideas or answers as possible, one answer per sticky note. When time is up, they post the sticky notes on the paper and then silently categorize them.

• How can you exercise your First Amendment rights?
• What are all the ways you can divide a square into eighths?

Mingle, Pair, Share

Take your Think, Pair, Share to the next level. Instead of having students turn and talk, invite them to stand and interact. Play music while they’re moving around the classroom. When the music stops, each student finds a partner. Pose a question and invite students to silently think about their answer. Then, partners take turns sharing their thoughts.

• How do organisms modify their environments?
• What is the theme of Romeo and Juliet ?

Looking for more critical thinking activities and ideas?

Critical Thinking in the Classroom is a practitioner’s guide that shares the why and the how for building critical thinking skills in K-12 classrooms. It includes over 100 practical tools and strategies that you can try in your classroom tomorrow!

Get Your Copy of Critical Thinking in the Classroom

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What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a skill that focuses on using logic and analysis—and not just memorized facts—to answer questions and solve problems. Essentially, critical thinking relies on practicing how to think, not what to think. For example, asking, What makes biology a science? requires far more thought and reflection than asking, What is the definition of biology? Many scholars argue that teaching critical thinking is essential for the effective education of children, especially gifted children, and point out that the traditional classroom may not provide enough opportunities to develop deep critical thought.

Why Does Critical Thinking Matter?

Critical thinking is an important skill for anyone to build because it helps people make better decisions in situations that do not have a clear answer. When children become better critical thinkers, they are more prepared to make better decisions in their personal or professional lives later on. We do not want to teach children to believe everything they hear (even if that means that they start to question their own parents). Critical thinking has a purpose. Students are not just reciting memorized facts or spotting the easy answers; critical thinking prepares children to think beyond opinions and basic facts so that they can make more informed and independent decisions.

How Can I Practice Critical Thinking With My Child?

Critical thinking is an ongoing process that requires practice. Even when you aren’t actively thinking about encouraging critical thinking, small changes in your communication with your child can inspire more critical and independent thought.

Foster Open-Ended Conversation

Children can learn critical thinking strategies by engaging in conversations or friendly debates with parents. Children find critical thinking exercises more interesting when they relate to their interests and real-world situations. You can base your discussions on Supreme Court cases, news stories, social conflicts, or even characters or plots in your child’s favorite television programs and movies. If children reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of their own opinions, as well as their counterarguments, they can make more logical decisions. During your debate or discussions, encourage your child to consider alternative explanations and solutions to problems.

Your gifted child may bring up ethical or philosophical questions that may not have a clear answer. Sometimes, admitting that you do not have the answers to certain questions can give children the chance to consider different viewpoints and beliefs. When your child comes to a conclusion that is different than yours, ask them about what led them to that conclusion rather than choosing a right or wrong side of the argument. This way, they can approach hard questions without being worried about having the wrong answer.

Example: Next time you watch a television show or movie together, discuss the main character’s dilemma. You can ask questions like, What is another way the character could have handled the situation? How would you have handled the situation?

Promote Exploration

The curiosity of gifted children can sometimes be overwhelming, and we might want to brush off their questions with answers like, “Because I said so.” Helping children work through their questions by encouraging them to seek answers, consider alternatives, and come to their own conclusions can help them to create better problem-solving strategies. If their questions can’t be answered immediately, making them responsible for scheduling research at a more convenient time can help them develop time management responsibilities.

Example: Your child asks you a question to which he or she can find the answer, e.g., What causes meteor showers? or you can promote exploration by asking a guiding question, e.g., What are some resources that we can use to find the answer?

Ask for Explanations

Studies show that having an audience can help children better evaluate their arguments. Children can learn by giving reasons for their own conclusions and considering alternative points of view. In a study of children’s learning through self-explanation, children were more likely to present alternative ideas, provide more detail, and include more justifications for their argument when they explained a concept to a parent. Additionally, children who play video games and regularly explain their strategies show more evidence of learning than children who do not explain their strategies.

Example: Ask your child about his or her strategies and planning during activities (this includes video games, computer games, and board or card games). Point out parts of their strategies that use logic, probability, and economic principles.

Promote Personal Decision Making

Critical thinking requires children to make decisions on their own, and parents can provide safe situations for them to practice this. When children are given the opportunity to figure out the answers and consider alternatives, this allows for more innovation, exploration, and retained knowledge.

Example: If your child comes to you with a problem (e.g., whether to save or spend last month’s allowance, what book to choose for a book report, etc.), help your child consider the pros and cons, but don’t be afraid to let him or her make a wrong choice. The two of you can evaluate the decision later with questions such as, “How do you feel about your decision?” or “What would you do differently next time?”

Support Participation in Activities that Foster Critical Thinking

Your child may already engage in critical thinking exercises through extracurricular activities like Odyssey of the Mind, chess club, and debate or forensic teams. Recent research shows that children who play video and computer games in moderation often engage in exercises that promote critical thinking. In particular, many games enable children to face challenging logic or probability puzzles, make decisions and evaluate their outcomes, learn from and collaborate with peers, and consider alternative strategies.

Examples: Numerous websites provide free critical thinking exercises through math puzzles, philosophical writing prompts, and logic puzzles.

Further Reading

• Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Surkes, M. A., Tamim, R., & Zhang, D. (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78 (4) , 1102-1134.
• Blumberg, F. C., Rosenthal, S. F., & Randall, J. D. (2008). Impasse-driven learning in the context of video games. Computers in Human Behavior, 24 (4) , 1530-1541.
• Hamlen, K. R. (2011). Children’s choices and strategies in video games. Computers in Human Behavior, 27 (1) , 532-539.
• Legare C. (2012). Exploring explanation: explaining inconsistent evidence informs exploratory, hypothesis-testing behavior in young children. Child Development, 83 (1) :173-85. Rittle-Johnson, B., Saylor, M., & Swygert, K. E. (2008). Learning from explaining: Does it matter if mom is listening? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 100 (3) , 215-224.

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Reader Interactions

December 5, 2017 at 8:35 am

Hi Vids! I have passed your request for websites that offer critical thinking exercises on to our web researcher and we will most certainly post those resources once we have compiled a list. Thanks for the suggestion. – KM

November 29, 2017 at 3:44 pm

Thank you for such a beautiful explanation. Could you please let us know some good websites that could be used for critical thinking exercises?

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Logic Puzzles for Gifted Students

Do you ever ask yourself “How can I challenge my gifted and talented students in math?”

Gifted and talented students make up approximately 10% of students in each class. As educators, it’s our responsibility to provide these students with challenging and engaging learning opportunities to help them reach their full potential!

One way to challenge gifted and talented students is by incorporating math logic puzzles into the classroom. Math logic puzzles are fun and engaging challenges that require critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, and logic skills. They come in many forms, including Sudoku, brain teasers, algebraic reasoning puzzles and more. These puzzles provide a great opportunity for gifted and talented students to develop their skills and to be challenged in a way that is both fun and rewarding.

Make sure you scroll to the end for some FREE logic puzzles for gifted and talented students to try in your classroom!

What are Logic Puzzles?

So, what’s the deal with math logic puzzles?

Alright, let’s break it down: math logic puzzles are basically fun little challenges that make you think critically and logically.

You might have done Sudoku, brain teasers or algebraic reasoning puzzles before. Those are all examples of math logic puzzles.

But why are these puzzles so great? Well, they’re like brain workouts, they help improve your critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, and reasoning skills.

Plus, they’re just plain fun! There’s something satisfying about finally cracking a tricky puzzle after working on it for a while.

Not only are they fun, but the challenge of solving a logic puzzle produces dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s associated with feelings of pleasure and reward, and it’s released when we accomplish something challenging or exciting. This means that solving a puzzle makes you feel good!

This means that incorporating math logic puzzles into the classroom can increase engagement among gifted and talented students. When students are engaged in their learning, they’re more likely to participate, stay focused, and retain information. By providing challenging and fun math logic puzzles, you can help keep your gifted students engaged and motivated to learn.

How Can I Use Logic Puzzles?

Here are some tips for using math logic puzzles to challenge gifted and talented students in your classroom:

Warm-up:  Include a problem in a whole class warm-up to help engage students in the math lesson and switch on students’ critical thinking skills.

Whole Class Lesson: When I first introduce logic puzzles to my students I do it in a whole class lesson. I display the full-sized version on my Interactive Whiteboard, and we work through each line together. I use lots of think aloud statements e.g. “We know that the llama equals 5 and the answer is 15, so what could the missing value be?”

Math Centres: I print out the task cards and have them ready to go for independent math centres. Having the different levels makes it so easy to give each group a level that not only challenges them, but also allows them to work independently.

Early Finishers:  We’ve all had that student that finished their work super-fast and craves a challenge! These logic puzzles are perfect early finisher tasks that engage and challenge students in meaningful work.

Plenary:  End a math lesson on operations using logic puzzles to review the lesson objectives and consolidate learning.

By incorporating math logic puzzles into your teaching practices, you can challenge and engage your gifted and talented students in a fun and meaningful way. Happy puzzling!

Examples of Math Logic Puzzles for Gifted and Talented Students

There are many types of math logic puzzles that can be used to challenge gifted and talented students . Here are some examples:

Sudoku: This classic number puzzle requires players to fill in a grid with numbers so that each row, column, and sub grid contains every number from 1 to 9. These can also be visual pictures rather than numbers.

Brain teasers: These puzzles involve a question or statement that requires critical thinking and problem-solving to solve. For example, a riddle might ask “What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?” (Answer: the future).

Arithmetic puzzles: These puzzles require players to use basic arithmetic operations to solve problems. For example, a puzzle might replace number using pictures and students need to determine the missing numbers in a sequence of equations using given information.

Algebraic reasoning puzzles: These puzzles require players to use algebraic concepts to solve problems. For example, a puzzle might ask students to determine the value of a variable based on an equation and a set of given conditions.

“What number am I?” riddles: These puzzles involve a set of clues that students use to determine a number that satisfies all of the given conditions. For example, a riddle might ask “I am a two-digit number. I am a multiple of 3. The sum of my digits is 9. What number am I?” (Answer: 27)

As a teacher, you can find many resources for logic puzzles that you can use in your classroom in my tpt store and on my website.

So there you have it! Math logic puzzles can be a great way to challenge and engage your gifted and talented students in the classroom. By using puzzles like Sudoku, brain teasers, algebraic reasoning puzzles, and more, you can help your students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills while also having a bit of fun with maths.

The best part? Research has shown that challenges like math logic puzzles can actually produce dopamine in the brain, which can boost motivation and engagement in the classroom.

You can find a heap of resources to support you to challenge you gifted students on my website

and TPT store .

If you want to try out some FREE logic puzzles you can grab them here.

So why not give it a try and see what your students think? They might just surprise you with their logic and problem solving skills.

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