lesson planning and critical thinking

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Integrating Critical Thinking Into the Classroom

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(This is the second post in a three-part series. You can see Part One here .)

The new question-of-the-week is:

What is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom?

Part One ‘s guests were Dara Laws Savage, Patrick Brown, Meg Riordan, Ph.D., and Dr. PJ Caposey. Dara, Patrick, and Meg were also guests on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

Today, Dr. Kulvarn Atwal, Elena Quagliarello, Dr. Donna Wilson, and Diane Dahl share their recommendations.

‘Learning Conversations’

Dr. Kulvarn Atwal is currently the executive head teacher of two large primary schools in the London borough of Redbridge. Dr. Atwal is the author of The Thinking School: Developing a Dynamic Learning Community , published by John Catt Educational. Follow him on Twitter @Thinkingschool2 :

In many classrooms I visit, students’ primary focus is on what they are expected to do and how it will be measured. It seems that we are becoming successful at producing students who are able to jump through hoops and pass tests. But are we producing children that are positive about teaching and learning and can think critically and creatively? Consider your classroom environment and the extent to which you employ strategies that develop students’ critical-thinking skills and their self-esteem as learners.

Development of self-esteem

One of the most significant factors that impacts students’ engagement and achievement in learning in your classroom is their self-esteem. In this context, self-esteem can be viewed to be the difference between how they perceive themselves as a learner (perceived self) and what they consider to be the ideal learner (ideal self). This ideal self may reflect the child that is associated or seen to be the smartest in the class. Your aim must be to raise students’ self-esteem. To do this, you have to demonstrate that effort, not ability, leads to success. Your language and interactions in the classroom, therefore, have to be aspirational—that if children persist with something, they will achieve.

Use of evaluative praise

Ensure that when you are praising students, you are making explicit links to a child’s critical thinking and/or development. This will enable them to build their understanding of what factors are supporting them in their learning. For example, often when we give feedback to students, we may simply say, “Well done” or “Good answer.” However, are the students actually aware of what they did well or what was good about their answer? Make sure you make explicit what the student has done well and where that links to prior learning. How do you value students’ critical thinking—do you praise their thinking and demonstrate how it helps them improve their learning?

Learning conversations to encourage deeper thinking

We often feel as teachers that we have to provide feedback to every students’ response, but this can limit children’s thinking. Encourage students in your class to engage in learning conversations with each other. Give as many opportunities as possible to students to build on the responses of others. Facilitate chains of dialogue by inviting students to give feedback to each other. The teacher’s role is, therefore, to facilitate this dialogue and select each individual student to give feedback to others. It may also mean that you do not always need to respond at all to a student’s answer.

Teacher modelling own thinking

We cannot expect students to develop critical-thinking skills if we aren’t modeling those thinking skills for them. Share your creativity, imagination, and thinking skills with the students and you will nurture creative, imaginative critical thinkers. Model the language you want students to learn and think about. Share what you feel about the learning activities your students are participating in as well as the thinking you are engaging in. Your own thinking and learning will add to the discussions in the classroom and encourage students to share their own thinking.

Metacognitive questioning

Consider the extent to which your questioning encourages students to think about their thinking, and therefore, learn about learning! Through asking metacognitive questions, you will enable your students to have a better understanding of the learning process, as well as their own self-reflections as learners. Example questions may include:

• Why did you choose to do it that way?
• When you find something tricky, what helps you?
• How do you know when you have really learned something?

‘Adventures of Discovery’

Elena Quagliarello is the senior editor of education for Scholastic News , a current events magazine for students in grades 3–6. She graduated from Rutgers University, where she studied English and earned her master’s degree in elementary education. She is a certified K–12 teacher and previously taught middle school English/language arts for five years:

Critical thinking blasts through the surface level of a topic. It reaches beyond the who and the what and launches students on a learning journey that ultimately unlocks a deeper level of understanding. Teaching students how to think critically helps them turn information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. In the classroom, critical thinking teaches students how to ask and answer the questions needed to read the world. Whether it’s a story, news article, photo, video, advertisement, or another form of media, students can use the following critical-thinking strategies to dig beyond the surface and uncover a wealth of knowledge.

A Layered Learning Approach

Begin by having students read a story, article, or analyze a piece of media. Then have them excavate and explore its various layers of meaning. First, ask students to think about the literal meaning of what they just read. For example, if students read an article about the desegregation of public schools during the 1950s, they should be able to answer questions such as: Who was involved? What happened? Where did it happen? Which details are important? This is the first layer of critical thinking: reading comprehension. Do students understand the passage at its most basic level?

Ask the Tough Questions

The next layer delves deeper and starts to uncover the author’s purpose and craft. Teach students to ask the tough questions: What information is included? What or who is left out? How does word choice influence the reader? What perspective is represented? What values or people are marginalized? These questions force students to critically analyze the choices behind the final product. In today’s age of fast-paced, easily accessible information, it is essential to teach students how to critically examine the information they consume. The goal is to equip students with the mindset to ask these questions on their own.

Strike Gold

The deepest layer of critical thinking comes from having students take a step back to think about the big picture. This level of thinking is no longer focused on the text itself but rather its real-world implications. Students explore questions such as: Why does this matter? What lesson have I learned? How can this lesson be applied to other situations? Students truly engage in critical thinking when they are able to reflect on their thinking and apply their knowledge to a new situation. This step has the power to transform knowledge into wisdom.

Adventures of Discovery

There are vast ways to spark critical thinking in the classroom. Here are a few other ideas:

• Critical Expressionism: In this expanded response to reading from a critical stance, students are encouraged to respond through forms of artistic interpretations, dramatizations, singing, sketching, designing projects, or other multimodal responses. For example, students might read an article and then create a podcast about it or read a story and then act it out.
• Transmediations: This activity requires students to take an article or story and transform it into something new. For example, they might turn a news article into a cartoon or turn a story into a poem. Alternatively, students may rewrite a story by changing some of its elements, such as the setting or time period.
• Words Into Action: In this type of activity, students are encouraged to take action and bring about change. Students might read an article about endangered orangutans and the effects of habitat loss caused by deforestation and be inspired to check the labels on products for palm oil. They might then write a letter asking companies how they make sure the palm oil they use doesn’t hurt rain forests.
• Socratic Seminars: In this student-led discussion strategy, students pose thought-provoking questions to each other about a topic. They listen closely to each other’s comments and think critically about different perspectives.
• Classroom Debates: Aside from sparking a lively conversation, classroom debates naturally embed critical-thinking skills by asking students to formulate and support their own opinions and consider and respond to opposing viewpoints.

Critical thinking has the power to launch students on unforgettable learning experiences while helping them develop new habits of thought, reflection, and inquiry. Developing these skills prepares students to examine issues of power and promote transformative change in the world around them.

‘Quote Analysis’

Dr. Donna Wilson is a psychologist and the author of 20 books, including Developing Growth Mindsets , Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains , and Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching (2 nd Edition). She is an international speaker who has worked in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe, Jamaica, and throughout the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Wilson can be reached at [email protected] ; visit her website at www.brainsmart.org .

Diane Dahl has been a teacher for 13 years, having taught grades 2-4 throughout her career. Mrs. Dahl currently teaches 3rd and 4th grade GT-ELAR/SS in Lovejoy ISD in Fairview, Texas. Follow her on Twitter at @DahlD, and visit her website at www.fortheloveofteaching.net :

A growing body of research over the past several decades indicates that teaching students how to be better thinkers is a great way to support them to be more successful at school and beyond. In the book, Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains , Dr. Wilson shares research and many motivational strategies, activities, and lesson ideas that assist students to think at higher levels. Five key strategies from the book are as follows:

• Facilitate conversation about why it is important to think critically at school and in other contexts of life. Ideally, every student will have a contribution to make to the discussion over time.
• Begin teaching thinking skills early in the school year and as a daily part of class.
• As this instruction begins, introduce students to the concept of brain plasticity and how their brilliant brains change during thinking and learning. This can be highly motivational for students who do not yet believe they are good thinkers!
• Explicitly teach students how to use the thinking skills.
• Facilitate student understanding of how the thinking skills they are learning relate to their lives at school and in other contexts.

Below are two lessons that support critical thinking, which can be defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

Mrs. Dahl prepares her 3rd and 4th grade classes for a year of critical thinking using quote analysis .

During Native American studies, her 4 th grade analyzes a Tuscarora quote: “Man has responsibility, not power.” Since students already know how the Native Americans’ land had been stolen, it doesn’t take much for them to make the logical leaps. Critical-thought prompts take their thinking even deeper, especially at the beginning of the year when many need scaffolding. Some prompts include:

• … from the point of view of the Native Americans?
• … from the point of view of the settlers?
• How do you think your life might change over time as a result?
• Can you relate this quote to anything else in history?

Analyzing a topic from occupational points of view is an incredibly powerful critical-thinking tool. After learning about the Mexican-American War, Mrs. Dahl’s students worked in groups to choose an occupation with which to analyze the war. The chosen occupations were: anthropologist, mathematician, historian, archaeologist, cartographer, and economist. Then each individual within each group chose a different critical-thinking skill to focus on. Finally, they worked together to decide how their occupation would view the war using each skill.

For example, here is what each student in the economist group wrote:

• When U.S.A. invaded Mexico for land and won, Mexico ended up losing income from the settlements of Jose de Escandon. The U.S.A. thought that they were gaining possible tradable land, while Mexico thought that they were losing precious land and resources.
• Whenever Texas joined the states, their GDP skyrocketed. Then they went to war and spent money on supplies. When the war was resolving, Texas sold some of their land to New Mexico for $10 million. This allowed Texas to pay off their debt to the U.S., improving their relationship.
• A detail that converged into the Mexican-American War was that Mexico and the U.S. disagreed on the Texas border. With the resulting treaty, Texas ended up gaining more land and economic resources.
• Texas gained land from Mexico since both countries disagreed on borders. Texas sold land to New Mexico, which made Texas more economically structured and allowed them to pay off their debt.

This was the first time that students had ever used the occupations technique. Mrs. Dahl was astonished at how many times the kids used these critical skills in other areas moving forward.

Thanks to Dr. Auwal, Elena, Dr. Wilson, and Diane for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

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• Cornette Library

Critical Thinking

Lesson ideas & tools.

• Confirmation Bias
• Deepfake Videos
• Evaluation Tools & Search Strategies
• Logic Puzzles
• Open Educational Resources
• Quiz and Certificate
• Bloom's Taxonomy Use Bloom's Taxonomy to help your students achieve a higher level of thinking.
• Check Please! Starter Course Five lessons that students can independently work through to improve their fact and source checking skills.
• Covid-19: The First 100 Days of U.S. News Coverage Examines Corona Virus news coverage and provides activities to improve news literacy
• Critical Thinking: Critical for Academic Success Three white papers with information about teaching critical thinking skills
• Everyone Has Invisible Bias. This Lesson Shows Students How to Recognize It.
• Fake News, Lies and Propaganda: The Class 7 week fake news course
• Keepin It Real: Tips and Strategies for Evaluating Fake News This lesson lets students practice evaluating the credibility of news stories.
• Source Credibility Pack Resources and lesson plan ideas for teaching critical thinking
• TEDEd Videos that include lesson and discussion ideas
• Writing Commons This is an open education resource that provides information to help you help students improve their writing, critical thinking, and information literacy skills.
• << Previous: Books
• Next: Open Educational Resources >>
• Last Updated: Jul 31, 2023 4:04 PM
• URL: https://infoguides.wtamu.edu/criticalthinking

Using Collaborative Reasoning to Support Critical Thinking

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• Instructional Plan
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Designed as a starting point to build trust and respect, as well as to encourage and support conversations that evoke emotion and change, this lesson will invite students to participate in small group Collaborative Reasoning about issues of social justice and diversity. Students will read articles and answer questions that spur them to think critically about issues and discuss with others, using evidence and experiences to support their personal beliefs. Each group will create an online Persuasion Map to share whole class.

Featured Resources

• Sample Collaborative Reasoning Participation Guidelines and Conversational Moves : Use this handout to prepare for supporting students in the crucial Collaborative Reasoning aspects of participation and discussion language.
• Sample Think-Aloud Statements and Questions for Amazing Grace :  This handout provides guidance on modeling thinking during and after reading Amazing Grace.

From Theory to Practice

Zhang & Doughtery Stahl (2011) state that “Collaborative Reasoning (CR) effectively provides a forum for extended meaningful communication and promotes language development and thinking skills of all students” (257). Collaborative Reasoning is peer-led with students managing their own discussions and having control over what they say within small groups, which increases personal engagement. The purpose of using this model is for students to “cooperatively search for resolutions and develop thoughtful opinions about the topic” (257). Collaborative Reasoning works well with all kinds of students, no matter their gender, race, socioeconomic status, or other domains of diversity.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Five Smithsonian TweenTribune Junior articles (to be displayed on computers and/or tablets or printed out as class sets of each article)
• Computer and/or tablets with Internet access
• Small sheets of papers that list the title of each article chosen (one per student)
• Sticky notes
• Writing utensils
• SmartBoard or other means of projection
• Ten anchor chart papers and markers (for co-created guidelines, co-created conversational moves, each of the five article titles and some extra on hand in case some groups need to divide)
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
• Sample Collaborative Reasoning Participation Guidelines and Conversational Moves
• Sample Think-Aloud Statements and Questions for  Amazing Grace

This free website by Smithsonian offers current events articles on various topics and complexity levels for students K-12, with specific areas titled TweenTribune Junior for elementary students.  Each article contains text, photos, and a critical thinking challenge question for students to reflect on and respond to. These questions vary based on the articles chosen for the lesson.  For example, an article on the site titled “Life is sweet, but we’re eating too much sugar” and the critical thinking challenge question is "What may make it difficult for the world to cut down on sugar?"

Preparation

• Title two anchor chart papers: one with “Guidelines” and the other with “Conversational Moves.”  Consult the  Sample Collaborative Reasoning Participation Guidelines and Conversational Moves handout and consider how to facilitate the co-construction of charts.
• Locate a copy of Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.  Use the  Sample Think-Aloud Statements and Questions for  Amazing Grace to prepare for the think-aloud and discussion.
• Explore the  Smithsonian TweenTribune Junior website and choose five articles that your students would be interested in based on your knowledge of them and the community.
• Make class set copies of every article set up enough computers and/or tablets so students can read the article online.
• Display the anchor charts for the guidelines and conversational moves in a place that students will be able to access it easily throughout this lesson.
• Write the title of each article on a separate anchor chart. Place these around the room to give adequate space for each group discussion time.
• Gather several sticky notes and place in designated article areas.
• Have enough computers and/or tablets set up in the room for each group. Log onto the  Persuasion Map Student Interactive and familiarize yourself with the tool.

Student Objectives

Students will

• respond individually and reflect critically to an article with a social justice theme.
• use the Collaborative Reasoning model to discuss in small groups.
• develop and consolidate group opinions using an online tool.
• present opinions in a whole group setting.

Session One

• staying on topic
• respecting other beliefs and viewpoints through not interrupting or arguing
• making an effort to look at both sides of the issue (for and against)
• giving all members of the group opportunities to participate and share
• Open the discussion up to the students. Help prompt students by asking a question such as “When you are having a conversation with one of your peers, what is important to you?”

Create together a list of conversational moves , phrases that the students can refer to if they need support in responding to a member of their group or for delving deeper in the conversation. These can include, but are not limited to

• “I agree/disagree with you because…”
• “I can connect to… because…”
• “I was confused when…”
• “I wonder why…”
• “I would like to add that…”

Read Amazing Grace aloud, modeling using a think-aloud strategy with your reactions and feelings to the text and illustrations for the first half of the book. Some ideas for thinking to share include

• I bet that was fun to watch Grace act out all of those stories!
• She is so creative!
• That’s too bad that Mom and Nana don’t want to act out with her.
• I wonder how that made Grace feel with her classmates said she couldn’t be Peter Pan because she was a girl and she was black.

As you continue to read the rest of the story, open the discussion up to the students, reminding them of the  guidelines and conversational moves that were created together. This is a time to start building an environment of trust and respect so students will begin feeling comfortable to share aloud. If students need some prompting, some sample questions include

• How would that make you feel if your classmates told you that you couldn’t do something that you wanted to do?
• Why do you think her Nana is taking her to that play?
• Do you believe that Grace can be anyone she wants to be?
• What do you think changed her classmates’ minds?

When finished, give the students time to think silently about their reactions and feelings.

Have the students turn and talk with a partner, referring to the guidelines and conversational moves for support.

Have students share with the full class their thoughts about the text.

Session Two

Explain to the students that in this session they will be continue their practice with the Collaborative Reasoning model centering around five different articles and a critical thinking challenge question that encourages them to think more deeply about a particular social justice or diversity topic.

Display the five titles of the articles that you have chosen from TweenTribune Junior on the SmartBoard.

Pass out the small papers to the students and have them spend a couple of minutes deciding which article title they feel most passionate about and/or interested in.

Once all of the students have circled an article title, explain the process, writing some key instructions on an anchor chart for students to refer to while they collaborate:

• When they form their groups, students will read the article individually (either with paper copies or on a computer/tablet), reflect on the critical thinking challenge question at the bottom of the article.
• Then they should use sticky notes to record their thinking, remembering to try to use evidence from the article and their own experiences to support. While students fill out their sticky notes, they can place them on the anchor charts at their set location in the room.
• When all group members have had enough time to each read and reflect, they may begin discussing the article, the critical thinking question, and their beliefs with evidence and experience to support, with their group members. They may create new sticky notes during this time as well.
• Point out the different article areas in the room and direct the students to travel to the article they chose. Since the students are self-selecting, there may be uneven numbers of students within a group. If many (say, more than 5) students choose the same article, divide the students into multiple groups. If there is only one student that chose an article, discuss with the student that since he or she had passion for the article, he or she can still have a copy, read it, and talk about it with you later.
• During this time, walk from group to group to listen in on the conversations that the groups are having with each other. Notice if they are sharing their experiences and pulling information from the article in as well. Are they using the guidelines and conversational moves to dive deeper in their conversations? Provide support and redirection as necessary.

Session Three

• Explain to the students that in this session they will be using their discussions and sticky notes from the previous session to map out their ideas in a fun, interactive way. They will informally present these maps to their classmates.

Display the Persuasion Map on the SmartBoard or other projector. Model how to complete the map by typing in the parts (thesis, reasons, examples for each reason, and conclusion) based on the text Amazing Grace that the class read in Session One. Encourage students to help fill the map out based on what was shared during that time or any new ideas that have come to their minds. The beginning of the map may look like this:

Title: Amazing Grace

Goal or Thesis: Grace can be Peter Pan in the play if she wants to.

Reason: Grace has many experiences with acting.

Example: Her mom and nana tell stories and she acts out the parts, no matter who or what the characters are. She was a spider in one story.

• Return students to their discussion groups from the previous session by the anchor chart with their sticky notes.

Each group should then begin creating their Persuasion Map . It is possible that students within the same group will have differing ideas for the thesis. Consider having extra computers for students to complete one for each side simultaneously, or when students complete one persuasion map, they can create another.

• Students should save their work at the end of the session.

Session Four

• Allow each group to group to take turns sharing a summary of their article, critical thinking question, and their Persuasion Map with the whole class on the SmartBoard or other projector.
• The members of the group can encourage other students in the class to interact with their Persuasion Map as well with their own thoughts and beliefs on the topic.
• This same Collaborative Reasoning model can be used with other texts such as picture books, other articles, or students’ choices of what is happening in their own lives, the community, or the world.
• After hearing other groups' presentations, invite students to read one or more of the other articles and share how their thinking is similar to or different from their classmates.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Students will be informally assessed through walking around and observing students while they are in their Collaborative Reasoning groups, as well as with the students’ sticky notes on the anchor charts and their Persuasion Map .
• Were these article topics appropriate for these students?
• Did the students display interest and passion through their discussions?
• Were there other topics or issues that would lead to other discussions?
• Were students able to each have a voice and share their beliefs about the topic?
• Were students able to balance their belief support through both evidence and experience?
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Teaching Critical Thinking

Help your students develop their critical thinking skills with these lesson plans. “Could Lincoln Be Elected Today?” is a resource developed from a Annenberg Public Policy Center political literacy project called FlackCheck. All the other critical thinking lessons were produced by the FactCheck.org education project called FactCheckEd.

Could Lincoln Be Re-elected Today?

FlackCheck.org, a political literacy project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, compares ads from the 2020 presidential election to a series of ads that it created using modern-day tactics for the 1864 Lincoln vs. McClellan race to help students recognize patterns of deception and develop critical thinking skills.

“Could Lincoln Be Elected Today?”

This lesson uses a series of ads that were created using modern-day tactics for the 1864 Lincoln vs. McClellan race. Students will learn to recognize flaws in arguments in general and political ads in particular and to examine the criteria for evaluating candidates, past and present, for the presidency.

Background Beliefs

We’ve all had that experience, the one where we start arguing with someone and find that we disagree about pretty much everything. When two people have radically different background beliefs (or worldviews), they often have difficulty finding any sort of common ground. In this lesson, students will learn to distinguish between the two different types of background beliefs: beliefs about matters of fact and beliefs about values. They will then go on to consider their most deeply held background beliefs, those that constitute their worldview. Students will work to go beyond specific arguments to consider the worldviews that might underlie different types of arguments.

Building a Better Argument

Whether it’s an ad for burger chains, the closing scene of a “Law & Order” spin-off, a discussion with the parents about your social life or a coach disputing a close call, arguments are an inescapable part of our lives. In this lesson, students will learn to create good arguments by getting a handle on the basic structure. The lesson will provide useful tips for picking out premises and conclusions and for analyzing the effectiveness of arguments.

Language of Deception

It’s a phased withdrawal, not a retreat. Except that the terms actually mean the same thing. But “retreat” sounds much worse, so savvy politicians avoid using it. That’s because they understand that there is a difference between the cognitive (or literal) meaning and the emotive meaning of a word. This lesson examines the ways in which terms that pack an emotional punch can add power to a statement – and also ways in which emotive meanings can be used to mislead, either by doing the reader’s thinking for him or by blinding her to the real nature of the issue.

Everything You Know Is Wrong 1: Us and Them

Good reasoning doesn’t come naturally. In fact, humans are instinctively terrible reasoners. Most of the time, the way our brains work isn’t rational at all. Even with exceptional training in analytical thinking, we still have to overcome instincts to think simplistically and nonanalytically. In this lesson, students explore some of the irrational ways in which humans think, and learn to recognize and overcome the habits of mind that can get in the way of good reasoning. Here we focus on the ways that people define themselves and others — how we develop our personal and group identities, how we treat people whose identities are similar or different, and how this affects our perceptions and our ability to reason.

Everything You Know Is Wrong 2: Beliefs and Behavior

Good reasoning doesn’t come naturally. In fact, humans are instinctively terrible reasoners — most of the time, the way our brains work isn’t rational at all. Even with exceptional training in reasoning skills, we still have to overcome instincts to think simplistically and non-analytically. This is the second of two lessons focusing on the instincts and habits of mind that keep us from thinking logically. In the first one, we looked at how people define themselves, alone and in groups, and how this affects behavior. This time around, we will focus on how people reconcile their beliefs with the world around them, even when the evidence doesn’t seem to agree with those beliefs.

Monty Python and the Quest for the Perfect Fallacy

If you weigh the same as a duck, then, logically, you’re made of wood and must be a witch. Or so goes the reasoning of Monty Python’s Sir Bedevere. Obviously, something has gone wrong with the knight’s reasoning – and by the end of this lesson, you’ll know exactly what that is. This lesson will focus on 10 fallacies that represent the most common types of mistakes in reasoning.

Oil Exaggerations

Ever notice how political speeches and ads always mention “the worst,” “the best,” “the largest,” “the most”? It’s effective to use superlatives, but it isn’t always accurate. For instance, President Barack Obama has said that “we import more oil today than ever before” – but do we? How can you find out? What do the numbers really mean? And why would he say it if it wasn’t true? In this lesson, students will weigh Obama’s superlative claim against the facts.

The Credibility Challenge

The Internet can be a rich and valuable source of information – and an even richer source of misinformation. Sorting out the valuable claims from the worthless ones is tricky, since at first glance a Web site written by an expert can look a lot like one written by your next-door neighbor. This lesson offers students background and practice in determining authority on the Internet – how to tell whether an author has expertise or not, and whether you’re getting the straight story.

Peta Pressure

Persuading an audience requires intensive research and scrupulous fact-checking – or, you could just figure out what your audience wants to hear and tell them that. Politicians, advertisers and others with something to sell choose words and images that will appeal to their target audience, enticing them to accept claims unquestioningly. Some of these manipulators, like the animal activism site peta2.com, focus their attentions on teenagers and young adults. In this lesson, students won’t check peta2’s factual accuracy, but will learn to spot their manipulative tactics and why they should be skeptical about them.

The Battle of the Experts

When we hear a piece of information that surprises us, we often react by saying, “Where’d you hear that?” It’s a good question, and one we should ask more often, because some sources are better – sometimes much better – than others. In this lesson, students will learn to distinguish between credible and not-so-credible types of sources. They’ll explore the biases of different sources and develop tools for detecting bias. In their effort to get to facts that are as objective as possible, students will examine the differences between primary and secondary sources, check the track records of different sources, and practice looking for broad consensus from a range of disinterested experts.

U.S. Generals…Support the Draft

Being drafted hasn’t been much of a concern for anyone born on this side of the Age of Aquarius. But rumors of the return of the draft abound. Those rumors are especially scary when they seem to originate from U.S. military commanders. This lesson examines an anti-war advertisement sponsored by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq asserting that military officials plan to continue the war in Iraq for an additional 10 years and that that plan will require reinstating the draft. Students will examine whether quotations from Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute really do support AAEI’s claims.

In the good old days, back in January 2007, gas cost just $2.20 per gallon. Your parents might even remember those four months in 1998–1999 when it dropped below $1 per gallon. And your grandparents can likely tell you stories about filling the tank for $5 — or about the cost per gallon in some parts of the U.S. in July 2008. That’s when presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain ran an ad promoting his plan for bringing down the cost of gas. According to McCain, gas prices were high because some politicians still opposed lifting a ban on offshore oil drilling. But McCain’s ad left out some basic facts about offshore drilling. In this lesson, students will examine the facts behind McCain’s false connections. This lesson comes in a basic version, for classrooms without internet access and/or students at the 8th-9th grade level, and a more advanced version, which does require internet access and is aimed at students at higher grade levels.

Olly Olly Oxen Free

You find the perfect hiding spot and you wait, hoping to hear that magical sound, to hear whoever is “it” call out in frustration, “Olly Olly Oxen Free!” You know that you’re safe, that your hiding spot – your sanctuary – can be used again the next time you play. But in debates about people who are in the U.S. illegally, the concept of sanctuary is considerably more controversial. In fact, some argue that providing sanctuary to people who are in the country illegally is decidedly wrong. This lesson focuses on an argument between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani over New York’s  alleged  status as a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. Students will explore the meaning of the term “sanctuary city” and determine for themselves whether New York City ought to be designated a sanctuary city.

Made in the U.S.A.

It seems as if fewer and fewer things bear that label anymore. In 2007, Toyota  outsold  two of Detroit’s big three automakers. Our televisions and DVD players are mostly made elsewhere. And Walmart  imports  about 50,000 pounds of merchandise every 45 seconds. As if that’s not bad enough, American companies are shipping many jobs overseas. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wanted to stop U.S. companies from moving jobs offshore, and a group called Working 4 Working Americans ran an ad in support of his plan. But the story the ad tells doesn’t quite give the whole picture. In this lesson, students will examine the facts behind this potentially misleading ad. This lesson comes in a basic version, for classrooms without internet access and/or students at the 8th-9th grade level, and a more advanced version, which does require internet access and is aimed at students at higher grade levels.

Health Care Hooey

“Candidate X will raise your taxes!” “Candidate Y will take away your health care!” In the hotly contested 2008 presidential election, one ad from Democrat Barack Obama created the perfect storm of election themes, accusing Republican John McCain of planning to increase taxes on your health care. But the ad used outdated sources to justify its claims. In this lesson, students will draw on  independent  experts to determine the accuracy of Sen. Obama’s charge. This lesson comes in a basic version, for classrooms without internet access and/or students at the 8th-9th grade level, and a more advanced version, which does require internet access and is aimed at students at higher grade levels.

Combating the Culture of Corruption

It’s a classic American film: the young, idealistic new senator, Jefferson Smith, heads off to Washington where he finds that his boyhood hero, Sen. Joseph Paine, is accepting bribes. Worse still, Mr. Smith finds that none of the other senators really care all that much. In Hollywood, the solution is simple: Jimmy Stewart saves the day. Fast forward 60 years: The corruption is still around, and in a fundraising e-mail, the Democratic National  Committee  claims that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is more Joseph Paine than Jefferson Smith. That charge has little basis in reality. In this lesson students will dig into a bribery scandal to assess John McCain’s real role in rooting out the culture of corruption.

Educircles.org

LOST AT SEA activity (FREE Critical Thinking Lesson Plans)

Lost at Sea Critical Thinking activity last updated Oct 7, 2021:

The Lost at Sea Activity is a fantastic team-building activity. 

Lost at Sea is a classic activity that can be found all across the Internet.

We’ve adapted it in our CRITICAL THINKING lesson plans to help teachers introduce the idea of criterion based decision making

Plus, we made the activity look visually appealing for school. Check it out!

Psst. it’s free 2 hours and 101 slides / pages of free content.

The original activity comes from PACE: Profession of Arms Centre of Excellence which is a dedicated champion to strengthening Air Force culture. 

• The Pace website provides a variety of tools on their teamwork page . 
• These include a series of TEAMBUILDER activities including the  original “Lost at Sea” activity

Information presented on AF.mil is considered public information.

AF.mil is provided as a public service by the Office of the Secretary of Air Force (Public Affairs). Information presented on AF.mil is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested. SOURCE: https://www.af.mil/Disclaimer/

So, in this Educircles version of Lost at Sea, this activity has been adapted to highlight the importance of criteria based thinking (critical thinking), instead of relying solely on emotional intuitive responses.

In the original activity:

• Students are divided into groups. 
• They are given a hypothetical scenario where they are on a yacht in the middle of the ocean. 
• The yacht catches on fire and the students are given a list of 15 items that they need to rank in order of importance. 
• At the end, the answers are given. (Rankings provided by an expert, in this case, the US Coast Guard) 

The original goal according to PACEsetter is a tabletop scenario designed to 

• “help individuals work together in a time constrained environment, 
• collaborate on how a project should best be accomplished and 
• experience pressure to go along with the crowd and see the consequences.” 

Lost at Sea is also a fantastic opportunity to help us think more critically.

In this Educircles version, we suggest three strategies to help students think more critically:

Use criteria 

Be open-minded.

• Be full minded  (have lots of high quality information to help make an informed decision)

We have adapted the original activity for students as follows:

• We provide a high-interest, visually appealing slideshow to introduce and explain the activity, objects, and answers to students.
• We explain with images and words what each of the 15 items are.
• We provide student worksheet that allows students to record their ranking based on their individual thinking, group thinking  and  based on criteria.

At the end of the activity, we invite students to think about strategies that might help them to 

• trick other people, and 
• think about strategies that might help them to think more critically.

Ultimately, the goal is to begin a conversation about what critical thinking is, and what it is not.

Critical Thinking Strategies used in the Lost at Sea Activity

• After students have had an opportunity to rank the 15 items based on their individual ideas, and group ideas, students are then given the criteria that the experts used.
• Criteria are a set of rules that we can use to help us make decisions. 
• In this case, the criteria (according to the US Coast Guard) are to select objects that 1) attract attention to ourselves, and 2)help us to stay alive until we are rescued. 
• in any group scenario, team members can disagree because they’re coming from different perspectives. 
• In critical thinking, it’s important to be able to stay open-minded and accept that other people’s points of view might be equally valid and deserve careful consideration.
• In fact in this scenario, some objects can be used in different ways – and depending on how they are used, they might be rank higher or lower. 
• It’s up to the students to try to remain open-minded and consider opposing points of view. 
• For example, the oil and gas mixture could be used as fuel for an engine. However, the criteria is not to try to get the land, but to stay alive until we are rescued. So from that perspective the oil and gas mixture might not be very useful. 
• On the other hand, the oil and gas mixture can be lit and create a visible signal that can be seen from far away. In this case, this item becomes incredibly useful under the goal of attracting attention to ourselves.

Be full minded (have lots of high quality information to help you make an informed decision)

• One of the challenges of this activity is that students don’t always know what all the items are, or why they might be significant. 
• In our slideshow, we explain what each item is and we provide a little bit of background information to help students make an informed decision about how to use the item. 

LOST AT SEA ACTIVITY LESSON PLAN:

Note:  the slides from this Taste of Critical Thinking come from our larger “ Exploring the 6Cs – Chapter 6 Critical Thinking ” lesson package, specifically the following slides:  1-35, 36-80, 97-101

How to make informed decisions (Critical Thinking Lesson Plans)

Critical thinking lesson plans help students make informed decisions by using strategies: use criteria, be open minded, identify bias, etc. Learn More

LOST AT SEA – DAY/LESSON 1 – Introduction / Lost at Sea Activity (slides 1-35) – 45 MIN 

• Introduce concept of Critical Thinking (slides 1-7) – 5 min
• MINDS ON! Brainstorm strategies to trick people / think critically (slide 8) – 5 min
• Introduction of scenario (slides 9-17) – 5 minutes
• Explanation of handout / items (slides 18-33) – 5 min
• Independent work period (slide 34) – 5 min
• Step 2: IN GROUPS (slide 35) – 20 minutes

LOST AT SEA – DAY/LESSON 2 –  Lost at Sea Activity continued (slides 36-80) – 55 MIN

• Explain criteria (slides 36-39) – 5 min
• Review items (slides 40-54) – 5 min
• Work Period (slide 56) 10 min
• Instructions (slide 57-58)
• Answers with explanations (slides 59-73)
• Step 5: Calculate Individual Scores
• Step 6: Calculate Group Scores
• Step 7: Calculate Criteria Scores
• Discussion (slide 78-79) – 5 min
• Reflection: Brainstorm strategies to trick people / think critically (slide 80) – 5 minutes
• Discussion: Obstacles and strategies (slides 81-85) – 5 minutes

How do you do the Lost at Sea activity with your students?

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Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Lesson Plan: The Quandary Game

This problem-solving lesson plan, adaptable for grades 6-12, centers around an online gamed called Quandary  that engages students in making ethical decisions about a society they are helping to shape.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:.

• Apply critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making skills to online game play and writing tasks.
• Analyze situations from multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
• Distinguish between facts, opinions, and solutions.
• Demonstrate 21st century skills such as global awareness, information literacy, communication, and collaboration.
• Computers or other devices with Internet access
• Copies of the opinion tracker note taking page

Preparation:

Lesson procedure:.

• Tell students that they will be playing a game called Quandary . Ask students what they think the word "quandary" means.
• Play the one minute introductory video to introduce students to the objective of the game and provide context clues about the term "quandary".
• Distribute the opinion tracker page and encourage students to use the page to take notes during game play as needed.
• Pair students (or have them work in groups of threes) and play one episode of the game. Encourage students to discuss the game with their peers and work collaboratively to make decisions. Allow approximately 15-20 minutes for game play. Students who finish early can replay the episode and see how things would have turned out differently when alternate choices are made. Students who don't finish in time can save their progress.
• Bring students back to a whole class discussion. Ask questions such as: What is the difference between a fact, an opinion, and a solution? What options did you have for solving the colony’s problem? What made you choose the solution you chose? Did you find it hard to choose? If so, why? How well did your colony do overall? What do you think the success of the colony depends on? How would you measure success? What are some other possible solutions to the dilemma? You could also have students write their reflections in a journal.
• Provide another 15 minutes for students to explore the same episode, either picking up where they left off if they saved their progress, or starting fresh and making new decisions based on what they learned during the class discussion.
• Have students save their work if they haven't finished and talk with their group for 2-3 minutes: What if there was another colony on Planet Braxos with a different Captain? How would this impact your decisions?
• Assess student learning by asking students to reflect in writing about key concepts. You may want to have them reflect on prompts such as Why do you think it’s important to understand other points of views? or Describe a similar problem you have had in your own life – a problem where there’s no clear answer and you didn’t know what to do? What have you learned from the game that would help you make decisions when you face similar problems in your own life?

Extension Activities:

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Sharing the Depth of Knowledge Framework With Students

Many teachers use Norman Webb’s framework in developing assignments, but it can also be shared with students to help them develop literacy skills.

Educators spend a great deal of time analyzing diagnostic, formative, and summative performance data to individualize instruction for their students. In my current role as a staff developer, I’m often asked about how to do this while meeting curriculum expectations and benchmarks and supporting critical thinking skills. I find myself discussing the concept of critical thinking in many contexts, including curriculum planning, lesson ideas, and assessment.

I like to use Norman Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DoK) framework to unpack what critical thinking might look like in a variety of contexts to support literacy skills, working with teachers to identify links between the Depth of Knowledge levels and the Common Core State Standards .

I often use Gerald Aungst’s “ Using Webb’s Depth of Knowledge to Increase Rigor ” in my work with teachers, because the article explains the four levels outlined in Webb’s framework for cognitive rigor in the classroom. Aungst makes clear recommendations for teachers, including: reflecting on tasks, sorting the tasks we ask students to do, working collaboratively to review student groupings, analyzing groupings, and reworking Level 1 and 2 tasks to Level 3 or 4. One important point he makes is that “DoK levels are not sequential.” In other words, students don’t need to fully master a Level 1 in order to move on to a Level 2.

While Aungst provides actionable ideas for teachers, I would like to propose a road map that includes students in the process. When it comes to enhancing literacy practices in the classroom, there is a great deal of research that supports explicit instruction, as well as the role of student engagement and achievement. The authors of a recent guide to improving adolescent literacy have five recommendations based on this research: Teachers should provide vocabulary instruction, comprehension strategy instruction, opportunities to discuss surrounding texts, work that enhances student motivation and engagement, and individualized intervention resources. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DoK) can be a useful tool in acting on all of these recommendations.

Webb’s DoK provides students with language tools to access text and classroom discourse. I’ve found that helping students develop their understanding of the language within the DoK has been beneficial in supporting literacy and can also support students as they prepare for Common Core–aligned assessments. In fact, helping students review and code sample questions can help them figure out which strategies they might need to apply in order to answer the questions.

In my experience, students like using the DoK framework to figure out how it aligns with their assignments. They also enjoy developing their own questions to ask their peers. These kinds of activities ask students to critically think about what kinds of questions they will ask, and in doing so, engage in rich metacognitive learning experiences.

This can be particularly empowering as students are increasingly faced with the rigors of high stakes testing. Many assessments require students to critically analyze texts, make inferences, prove their responses using textual evidence, develop a claim or analyze an author’s claim, and make comparisons.

Implementing Webb’s Depth of Knowledge With Students

• Explicitly teach students about the different cognitive levels and ensure that they understand what each of the terms means. Then, have them analyze question prompts for DoK level and assess what they are being asked to do—e.g., are they asked to categorize, infer, or predict?
• Work with students on unpacking strategies that help them engage in that cognitive activity. Consider creating process charts with them to identify the skills needed. For example, what kinds of skills and tools might we need to analyze a character’s motivation in a story?
• Give students the opportunity to develop their own questions aligned to the DoK levels that can be used in collaborative settings through group work, in Socratic seminars , or through a carousel , for example.
• Offer students the opportunity to reflect on their strengths—are they really strong in certain areas, but want to further develop in others?
• Have students code their assignments and questions. This is empowering and offers students a chance to reflect on what they are being asked to do.

These suggestions can be implemented with elementary and secondary students. I’ve seen teachers create and display posters and anchor charts using the DoK language and use that language throughout their lessons. This direct linking of the academic language embeds the framework so that it becomes a fluid part of classroom discussions. I’ve seen elementary students adeptly use the language as a way of explaining their own learning. We can view Webb’s framework as one of many tools that can be used to help students develop their own understanding of what rigor means, and in so doing, give them a vocabulary to articulate their own goals and learning experiences. [ Editor’s note: This article has been updated to remove references to an image called the Depth of Knowledge wheel, which misrepresents Norman Webb’s ideas.]

Creativity & Creative Thinking

Steve Debenport / Getty Images

• Famous Inventions
• Famous Inventors
• Patents & Trademarks
• Invention Timelines
• Computers & The Internet
• American History
• African American History
• African History
• Ancient History and Culture
• Asian History
• European History
• Latin American History
• Medieval & Renaissance History
• Military History
• The 20th Century
• Women's History

Lesson plans and activities for teaching about inventions by increasing creativity and creative thinking. The lesson plans are adaptable for grades K-12 and were designed to be done in sequence.

Teaching Creativity & Creative Thinking Skills

When a student is asked to "invent" a solution to a problem, the student must draw upon previous knowledge, skills, creativity, and experience. The student also recognizes areas where new learnings must be acquired in order to understand or address the problem. This information must then be applied, analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated. Through critical and creative thinking and problem-solving, ideas become reality as children create inventive solutions, illustrate their ideas, and make models of their inventions. Creative thinking lesson plans provide children with opportunities to develop and practice higher-order thinking skills.

Throughout the years, many creative thinking skills models and programs have been generated from educators, seeking to describe the essential elements of thinking and/or to develop a systematic approach to teaching thinking skills as part of the school curricula. Three models are illustrated below in this introduction. Although each uses different terminology, each model describes similar elements of either critical or creative thinking or both.

Models of Creative Thinking Skills

• Benjamin Bloom
• Calvin Taylor
• Isaksen and Treffinger

The models demonstrate how creative thinking lesson plans could provide an opportunity for students to "experience" most of the elements described in the models.

After teachers have reviewed the creative thinking skills models listed above, they will see the critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills and talents that can be applied to the activity of inventing. The creative thinking lesson plans that follow can be used across all disciplines and grade levels and with all children. It can be integrated with all curricular areas and used as a means of applying the concepts or elements of any thinking skills program that may be in use.

Children of all ages are talented and creative. This project will give them an opportunity to develop their creative potential and synthesize and apply knowledge and skills by creating an invention or innovation to solve a problem, just as a "real" inventor would.

Creative Thinking - List of Activities

• Introducing Creative Thinking
• Practicing Creativity with the Class
• Practicing Creative Thinking with the Class
• Developing an Invention Idea
• Brainstorming for Creative Solutions
• Practicing the Critical Parts of Creative Thinking
• Completing the Invention
• Naming the Invention
• Optional Marketing Activities
• Parent Involvement
• Young Inventors' Day

"Imagination is more important than knowledge, for imagination embraces the world." -  Albert Einstein

Activity 1: Introducing Inventive Thinking and Brainstorming

Read about the Lives of Great Inventors Read the  stories  about great inventors in class or let students read themselves. Ask students, "How did these inventors get their ideas? How did they make their ideas a reality?" Locate books in your library about inventors, invention, and creativity. Older students can locate these references themselves. Also, visit the  Inventive Thinking and Creativity Gallery

Talk to a Real Inventor Invite a local inventor to speak to the class. Since local inventors are not usually listed in the phone book under "inventors", you can find them by calling a  local patent attorney  or your  local intellectual property law association . Your community may also have a  Patent and Trademark Depository Library  or an  inventor's society  that you may contact or post a request. If not, most of your major companies have a research and development department made up of people who think inventively for a living.

Examine Inventions Next, ask the students to look at the things in the classroom that are inventions. All the inventions in the classroom that have a U.S. patent will have a  patent number . One such item is probably  the pencil sharpener . Tell them to check out their house for patented items. Let the students brainstorm a list all of the inventions they discover. What would improve these inventions?

Discussion In order to guide your students through the inventive process, a few preliminary lessons dealing with creative thinking will help set the mood. Begin with a brief explanation of brainstorming and a discussion on the rules of brainstorming.

What is Brainstorming? Brainstorming is a process of spontaneous thinking used by an individual or by a group of people to generate numerous alternative ideas while deferring judgment. Introduced by Alex Osborn in his book " Applied Imagination ", brainstorming is the crux of each of the stages of all problem-solving methods.

Rules for Brainstorming

• No Criticism Allowed People tend to automatically evaluate each suggested idea--their own as well as others. Both internal and external criticism is to be avoided while brainstorming. Neither positive nor negative comments are allowed. Either type inhibits the free flow of thought and requires time which interferes with the next rule. Write each spoken idea down as it is given and move on.
• Work for Quantity Alex Osborn stated that "Quantity breeds quality." People must experience a "brain drain" (get all the common responses out of the way) before the innovative, creative ideas can surface; therefore, the more ideas, the more likely they are to be quality ideas.
• Hitchhiking Welcome Hitchhiking occurs when one member's idea produces a similar idea or an enhanced idea in another member. All ideas should be recorded.
• Freewheeling Encouraged Outrageous, humorous, and seemingly unimportant ideas should be recorded. It is not uncommon for the most off-the-wall idea to be the best.

Activity 2: Practicing Creativity with the Class

Step 1:  Cultivate the following creative thinking processes described by Paul Torrance and discussed in "The Search for Satori and Creativity" (1979):

• Fluency the production of a great number of ideas.
• Flexibility the production of ideas or products that show a variety of possibilities or realms of thought.
• Originality the production of ideas that are unique or unusual.
• Elaboration the production of ideas that display intensive detail or enrichment.

For practice in elaboration, have pairs or small groups of students choose a particular idea from the brainstorming list of invention ideas and add the flourishes and details that would develop the idea more fully.

Allow the students to share their innovative and  inventive ideas .

Step 2:  Once your students have become familiar with the rules of brainstorming and the creative thinking processes, Bob Eberle's  Scamper  technique for brainstorming could be introduced.

• S ubstitute What else instead? Who else instead? Other ingredients? Other material? Other power? Another place?
• C ombine How about a blend, an alloy, an ensemble? Combine purposes? Combine appeals?
• A dapt What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer parallel? What could I copy?
• M inify Order, form, shape? What to add? More time?
• M agnify Greater frequency? Higher? Longer? Thicker?
• P ut to other uses New ways to use as is? Other uses I modified? Other places to use? Other people, to reach?
• E liminate What to subtract? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Understate?
• R everse Interchange components? Another pattern?
• R earrange another layout? Another sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Transpose positive and negative? How about opposites? Turn it backward? Turn it upside-down? Reverse roles?

Step 3:  Bring in any object or use objects around the classroom to do the following exercise. Ask the students to list many new uses for a familiar object by using the Scamper technique with regard to the object. You could use a paper plate, to begin with, and see how many new things the students will discover. Make sure to follow the rules for brainstorming in Activity 1.

Step 4:  Using literature, ask your students to create a new ending to a story, change a character or situation within a story, or create a new beginning for the story that would result in the same ending.

Step 5:  Put a list of objects on the chalkboard. Ask your students to combine them in different ways to create a new product.

Let the students make their own list of objects. Once they combine several of them, ask them to illustrate the new product and explain why it might be useful.

Activity 3: Practicing Inventive Thinking with the Class

Before your students begin to find their own problems and create unique inventions or innovations to solve them, you can assist them by taking them through some of the steps as a group.

Finding the Problem

Let the class list problems in their own classroom that need solving. Use the "brainstorming" technique from Activity 1. Perhaps your students never have a pencil ready, as it is either missing or broken when it is time to do an assignment (a great brainstorming project would be to solve that problem). Select one problem for the class to solve using the following steps:

• Find several problems.
• Select one to work on.
• Analyze the situation.
• Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem.

List the possibilities. Be sure to allow even the silliest possible solution, as creative thinking must have a positive, accepting environment in order to flourish.

Finding a Solution

• Select one or more possible solutions to work on. You may want to divide into groups if the class elects to work on several of the ideas.
• Improve and refine the idea(s).
• Share the class or individual solution(s)/invention(s) for solving the class problem.

Solving a "class" problem and creating a "class" invention will help students learn the process and make it easier for them to work on their own invention projects.

Activity 4: Developing an Invention Idea

Now that your students have had an introduction to the inventive process, it is time for them to find a problem and create their own invention to solve it.

Step One:  Begin by asking your students to conduct a survey. Tell them to interview everyone that they can think of to find out what problems need solutions. What kind of invention, tool, game, device, or idea would be helpful at home, work, or during leisure time? (You can use an Invention Idea Survey)

Step Two:  Ask the students to list the problems that need to be solved.

Step Three:  comes the decision-making process. Using the list of problems, ask the students to think about which problems would be possible for them to work on. They can do this by listing the pros and cons for each possibility. Predict the outcome or possible solution(s) for each problem. Make a decision by selecting one or two problems that provide the best options for an inventive solution. (Duplicate the Planning and Decision-Making Framework)

Step Four:  Begin an  Inventor's Log  or Journal. A record of your ideas and work will help you develop your invention and protect it when completed. Use Activity Form - Young Inventor's Log to help students understand what can be included on every page.

General Rules For Authentic Journal Keeping

• Using a  bound notebook , make notes each day about the things you do and learn while working on your invention.
• Record your idea and how you got it.
• Write about problems you have and how you solve them.
• Write in ink and do not erase.
• Add sketches and drawings to make things clear.
• List all parts, sources, and costs of materials.
• Sign and date all entries at the time they are made and have them witnessed.

Step Five:  To illustrate why record-keeping is important, read the following story about Daniel Drawbaugh who said that he invented the telephone, but didn't have one single paper or record to prove it.

Long before  Alexander Graham Bell  filed a patent application in 1875, Daniel Drawbaugh claimed to have invented the telephone. But since he had no journal or record, the  Supreme Court  rejected his claims by four votes to three. Alexander Graham Bell had excellent records and was awarded the patent for the telephone.

Activity 5: Brainstorming for Creative Solutions

Now that the students have one or two problems to work on, they must take the same steps that they did in solving the class problem in Activity Three. These steps could be listed on the chalkboard or a chart.

• Analyze the problem(s). Select one to work on.
• Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem. List all of the possibilities. Be non-judgmental. (See Brainstorming in Activity 1 and SCAMPER in Activity 2.)
• Select one or more possible solutions to work on.
• Improve and refine your ideas.

Now that your students have some exciting possibilities for their invention projects, they will need to use their critical thinking skills to narrow down the possible solutions. They can do this by asking themselves the questions in the next activity about their inventive idea.

Activity 6: Practicing the Critical Parts of Inventive Thinking

• Is my idea practical?
• Can it be made easily?
• Is it as simple as possible?
• Is it safe?
• Will it cost too much to make or use?
• Is my idea really new?
• Will it withstand use, or will it break easily?
• Is my idea similar to something else?
• Will people really use my invention? (Survey your classmates or the people in your neighborhood to document the need or usefulness of your idea - adapt the invention idea survey.)

Activity 7: Completing the Invention

When students have an idea that meets most of the above qualifications in Activity 6, they need to plan how they are going to complete their project. The following planning technique will save them a great deal of time and effort:

• Identify the problem and a possible solution. Give your invention a name.
• List the materials needed to illustrate your invention and to make a model of it. You will need paper, pencil, and crayons or markers to draw your invention. You might use cardboard, paper, clay, wood, plastic, yarn, paper clips, and so forth to make a model. You might also want to use an art book or a book on model-making from your school library.
• List, in order, the steps for completing your invention.
• Think of the possible problems that might occur. How would you solve them?
• Complete your invention. Ask your parents and teacher to help with the model.

In Summary What - describe the problem. Materials - list the materials needed. Steps - list the steps to complete your invention. Problems - predict the problems that could occur.

Activity 8: Naming the Invention

An invention can be named in one of the following ways:

• Using the inventor's  name: Levi Strauss  = LEVI'S® jeansLouis Braille = Alphabet System
• Using the components or ingredients of the invention: Root Beer Peanut Butter
• With initials or acronyms: IBM ® S.C.U.B.A.®
• Using word  combinations (notice repeated  consonant sounds  and rhyming words):KIT KAT ® HULA HOOP  ® PUDDING POPS ® CAP'N CRUNCH ®
• Using the product's function: SUPERSEAL ® DUSTBUSTER ® vacuum cleaner hairbrush earmuffs 

Activity Nine: Optional Marketing Activities

Students can be very fluent when it comes to listing ingenious names of products out on the market. Solicit their suggestions and have them explain what makes each name effective. Each student should generate names for his/her own invention.

Developing a Slogan or Jingle Have the students define the terms "slogan" and "jingle." Discuss the purpose of having a slogan. Sample slogans and jingles:

• Things go better with Coke.
• COKE IS IT! ®
• TRIX ARE FOR KIDS ®
• OH THANK HEAVEN FOR 7-ELEVEN ®
• TWOALLBEEFPATTIES...
• GE: WE BRING GOOD THINGS TO LIFE! ®

Your students will be able to recall many  slogans  and jingles! When a slogan is named, discuss the reasons for its effectiveness. Allow time for thought in which the students can create jingles for their inventions.

Creating an Advertisement For a crash course in advertising, discuss the visual effect created by a television commercial, magazine, or newspaper advertisement. Collect magazine or newspaper ads that are eye-catching--some of the ads might be dominated by words and others by pictures that "say it all." Students might enjoy exploring newspapers and magazines for outstanding advertisements. Have students create magazine ads to promote their inventions. (For more advanced students, further lessons on advertising techniques would be appropriate at this point.)

Recording a Radio Promo A radio promo could be the icing on a student's advertising campaign! A promo might include facts about the usefulness of the invention, a clever jingle or song, sound effects, humor... the possibilities are endless. Students may choose to tape record their promos for use during the Invention Convention.

Advertising Activity Collect 5 - 6 objects and give them new uses. For instance, a toy hoop could be a waist-reducer, and some strange looking kitchen gadget might be a new type of mosquito catcher. Use your imagination! Search everywhere--from the tools in the garage to the kitchen drawer--for fun objects. Divide the class into small groups, and give each group one of the objects to work with. The group is to give the object a catchy name, write a slogan, draw an ad, and record a radio promo. Stand back and watch the creative juices flow. Variation: Collect magazine ads and have the students create new advertising campaigns using a different marketing angle.

Activity Ten: Parent Involvement

Few, if any, projects are successful unless the child is encouraged by the parents and other caring adults. Once the children have developed their own, original ideas, they should discuss them with their parents. Together, they can work to make the child's idea come to life by making a model. Although the making of a model is not necessary, it makes the project more interesting and adds another dimension to the project. You can involve parents by simply sending a letter home to explain the project and let them know how they may participate. One of your parents may have invented something that they can share with the class. 

Activity Eleven: Young Inventors' Day

Plan a Young Inventors' Day so that your students can be recognized for their  inventive thinking . This day should provide opportunities for the children to display their inventions and tell the story of how they got their idea and how it works. They can share with other students, their parents, and others.

When a child successfully completes a task, it is important that (s)he be recognized for the effort. All children who participate in the Inventive Thinking Lesson Plans are winners.

We have prepared a certificate that can be copied and given to all children who participate and use their inventive thinking skills to create an invention or innovation.

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A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
• Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
• Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

• Why do I believe what I believe?
• Are my views based on evidence?
• Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
• Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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• Critical What?! – Teaching media literacy to youth filmmakers
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HSPop MPH student Marie Antoinette Perez worked as a research instructor on a documentary film for her practicum project. Critical What?! follows a group of young people (ages 10-15) as they learn media literacy and critical thinking to become changemakers through documentary filmmaking. The youth filmmakers researched and documented their experiences with equity and inequity in areas like homelessness, education, the metaverse, a women’s role in society, and book banning. The film emphasizes how these issues influence the social determinants of health that impact their lives.

Perez contributed by creating lesson plans and giving a series of presentations to the youth filmmakers that covered media literacy and basic research methods. She explained, “During these presentations, I guided conversations with the youth to help develop their understanding of cultural humility and positionality, as well as basic ethics when working with community.”

Perez related how this work connected to what she has learned in her Master of Public Health classes , “This project challenged me to apply coursework frameworks for understanding structural biases to lesson plans for youth. I worked with the Critical What?! team to ensure that I applied these frameworks in an age-appropriate way. I also incorporated what I learned about positionality and cultural humility into the lesson plans to help guide the youth during the research process of their documentaries.”

She was surprised to find that she also gained media skills. “Before starting this practicum, I already really valued the arts, including film, as a way to enact positive change. I always saw myself as more of a consumer and appreciator of art, but after this practicum I found that I can contribute to creating art.”

The practicum is designed to give students field-based experience working in a public health setting to tackle real-world issues . Every student receives guidance from a faculty advisor and a site supervisor. The film’s executive producer Audrey Covner (DNP, JD, BSN-RN), served as Perez’s faculty advisor. In addition to her work as a documentary filmmaker, Dr. Covner is a clinical associate professor at the UW for both the Department of Health Systems and Population Heath and the School of Nursing. Patricia Boiko (MD, MPH), the film’s producer, editor, and co-writer, served as her site supervisor.

“My time working on this project taught me that there is so much potential in youth to enact change in our society. Youth can contribute so much insight and perspective to how we address equity issues that we encounter in our everyday lives.” -Marie Antoinette Perez

Critical What?! was directed by Tifa Tomb (MFA), Sr. Media Producer of Storytelling at the University of Washington. The documentaries were screened on December 9 th , 2023, at Northwest Film Forum. Visit the Critical What?! website  to view the trailer, learn about plans for additional screenings, and donate so the youth filmmakers can complete their feature-length film.

The 26 th annual MPH Practicum Symposium Reception will take place on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 in the HUB Ballroom, and virtual presentations will be conducted over Zoom this week, starting today, Monday, April 8 th . MPH students across all programs in the UW School of Public Health will present their practicum projects at either the in-person or virtual symposiums—except for students from the COPHP MPH program . They will present at a separate event in June.

To explore more projects from 120+ students, visit the:

2024 MPH Practicum Symposium Website

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LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Improve your critical thinking.

Level: Advanced (C1-C2)

Type of English: General English

Tags: education, teaching, and learning ethics and conduct Celebrities and historical figures behaviour, feelings and emotions beliefs, religion and superstition challenges psychology society and change Video talk

Publication date: 30/05/2021

This lesson focuses on a video looking at the Socratic Method of questioning and ends in an opportunity for students to analyse their own beliefs using that method. Students need to be of a very advanced level to deal with this material and think quickly. Exercises focus on related vocabulary, rephrasing and comprehension.

by Joe Wilson

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It’s a great lesson but I’m really disappointed that you include a question about Nazis. Many of my students are German and it’s a subject that should never be discussed in my opinion. My student today was quite upset by this.

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This lesson focuses on a video looking at the Socratic Method of questioning and ends in an opportunity for students to analyze their own beliefs using that method. Students need to be of a very advanced level to deal with this material and think quickly. Exercises focus on related vocabulary, rephrasing, and comprehension.

Linguahouse.com is in no way affiliated with, authorized, maintained, sponsored, or endorsed by TED Conferences LLC.

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More From Forbes

10 vital responsibilities of foundation trustees.

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New CEO at Community Foundation

As you step into the role of a foundation board member, you embark on a journey that is both profoundly impactful and deeply rewarding. This position entrusts you with the responsibility of guiding a charitable foundation's assets towards the betterment of the community. But what exactly are the duties of board members and trustees of grantmaking foundations? Here, we delve into the essential roles that every foundation board member should fulfill to ensure they contribute effectively to their foundation's mission.

1. Guard the Philanthropic Legacy

Foundation board members are the stewards of the foundation's philanthropic vision and assets, tasked with balancing respect for its historical mission with the agility to address contemporary challenges. This role involves a deep dive into the foundation's origins, an assessment of its current trajectory, prudent financial management, and strategic planning for its future impact. By doing so, board members ensure that the philanthropic legacy entrusted to them is not only preserved but also nurtured to flourish for generations to come.

2. Commit to Active Participation

Active participation goes beyond mere attendance; it requires trustees to be fully engaged in the governance and strategic direction of the foundation. This engagement is demonstrated through diligent preparation for meetings, meaningful contribution to discussions, and a proactive approach to fulfilling committee responsibilities. Foundation board members who actively participate bring invaluable insights and drive to the collective decision-making process, enhancing the foundation's ability to achieve its goals.

3. Plan for the Future

Foundation board members must possess the foresight to anticipate and prepare for future challenges and opportunities. This forward-thinking approach ensures that the foundation remains adaptable and resilient, ready to navigate the evolving societal landscape. Strategic future planning by the board safeguards the foundation's relevance and efficacy, enabling it to continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of future generations.

4. Embrace the Role of Ambassador

As ambassadors, foundation board members have the unique opportunity to bridge the foundation with the broader community. This role entails not just promoting the foundation's work but also listening to and learning from the community it serves. By effectively communicating the foundation's mission, successes, and aspirations, foundation board members can inspire support, foster partnerships, and elevate the foundation's profile within the community and beyond.

Why You Should Stop Sending Texts From Your iMessage App

Apple ipad pro 2024 release date latest news on when it will launch, paris 2024 olympics morocco miss out on historic qualification zambia qualifies, 5. engage with the community.

Engagement with the community is crucial for board members and trustees of private, family, and community foundations to grasp the nuanced landscape of needs and opportunities within the areas they serve. This engagement encourages a two-way dialogue, where trustees not only disseminate information about the foundation's work but also absorb valuable insights from community members. Such interactions enrich the foundation's understanding and responsiveness to community needs, making its interventions more targeted and impactful.

6. Foster Collaborative Partnerships

Recognizing the power of collaboration, foundation board members can support the CEO and staff in actively cultivating partnerships with other organizations and stakeholders. These partnerships, built on mutual goals and shared visions, amplify the foundation's capacity to effect change. By leveraging their networks and relationships, they can initiate and strengthen alliances that extend the foundation's reach and impact.

7. Exercise Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a cornerstone of effective trusteeship. Foundation board members should question assumptions, examine opportunities, and ask hard questions. This analytical approach fosters a culture of accountability and innovation within the foundation, encouraging strategies and solutions that are both ethical and effective. Not every new idea, grantmaking initiative, or financial investment is the right one. The board’s commitment to critical inquiry enhances the foundation's integrity and its ability to make a positive, lasting impact.

8. Pursue Continuous Learning

The philanthropic sector is dynamic, with new challenges and innovations emerging regularly. Foundation board members can commit to a continuous learning journey, staying abreast of trends, challenges, and opportunities in philanthropy. This dedication to education and growth enriches their contributions to the foundation, ensuring that their governance and strategic decisions are informed by the latest knowledge and best practices.

9. Resist the Temptation of Ego

It's imperative to always remember that your role as a board member is one of service. You lead through serving others. Indeed, upon joining a foundation board you might feel a surge of influence and authority. (A colleague once humorously remarked that joining a foundation board instantly makes one appear more attractive and intelligent). However, it's crucial to avoid the misconception that the foundation's funds are at your personal disposal, that your individual preferences should dictate decision-making, or that those seeking support must earn your approval.

Arrogance and a sense of superiority are formidable adversaries for any foundation board member. Bear in mind that it is your demeanor, your humility, and your respect for others that will ultimately decide if your foundation acts as a valued community resource and ally, or if it becomes an isolated entity known merely for its wealth.

10. Maintain Ethical and Legal Integrity in Foundation Governance

Foundation board members in the United States are entrusted with three fundamental responsibilities critical to the ethical and legal integrity of their foundations, as detailed in "The Trustee Handbook" by Exponent Philanthropy. These duties are essential for ensuring that the foundation operates within the bounds of the law and adheres to the highest standards of ethical conduct.

• The Duty of Care requires board members to diligently oversee the foundation's management, investments, and charitable activities. This involves making informed and prudent decisions. Fulfilling this duty means board members must stay well-informed about the foundation's operations and financial health, actively participate in all board meetings with thorough preparation, and have a comprehensive understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape affecting foundations. Additionally, they should engage in risk management practices to safeguard the foundation against financial, operational, and reputational risks.
• The Duty of Loyalty is an obligation for board members to prioritize the foundation's interests above their own personal or professional interests. This includes avoiding conflicts of interest and abstaining from decision-making processes when such conflicts are present. Board members must also be familiar with IRS rules regarding "self-dealing" to prevent transactions that could be subject to scrutiny. Given the complexities of these regulations and the severe penalties for violations, it is prudent for board members to seek external legal counsel and engage in educational opportunities to navigate these challenges effectively. Upholding this duty also means maintaining confidentiality and ensuring that all actions benefit the foundation's charitable mission exclusively.
• Lastly, the Duty of Obedience demands that board members comply with both the internal policies of the foundation, such as its bylaws, and the external laws and regulations governing foundation operations. This is crucial for maintaining the foundation's tax-exempt status and avoiding legal pitfalls. Board members must refrain from any illegal activities, including theft, embezzlement, or any form of misuse of foundation assets. This duty extends to ensuring that the foundation's actions are always aligned with its stated mission and purpose, thereby avoiding activities that could detract from or contradict its goals.

By embracing these ten roles, foundation board members can navigate the complexities of philanthropy with wisdom, integrity, and a deep commitment to community service.

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