Critical thinking

Critical thinking has become a hot topic in education today. Not only is it

introduced as a subject of study unto itself, the concept of critical thinking is applied in

all subject areas. It is currently taught as an integral learning tool for teachers in training

at schools of teacher education. Peter Facione states, “Education is nothing more, nor

less, than learning to think!”

The common feeling in education today is that students must become critical

thinkers in order to assimilate and accommodate information, thus becoming a true

learner.

The ideas and activities set forth in the following pages will help elementary school

students develop a variety of critical thinking skills in grades two through six. Teachers

using these activities will encourage and foster critical thinking among their students.

It may be easier to understand the concepts of critical thinking as it is discussed in

terms of student behavior and performance. Ferrett in Peak Performance (1997).

proposes the following:



Attributes of a critical thinker

asks pertinent questions

assesses statements and arguments

is able to admit a lack of understanding or information

has a sense of curiosity

is interested in finding new solutions

is able to clearly define a set of criteria for analyzing ideas

is willing to examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts

listens carefully to others and is able to give feedback

sees that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self assessment

suspends judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered

looks for evidence to support assumption and beliefs

is able to adjust opinions when new facts are found

looks for proof

examines problems closely

is able to reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant



Definitions

The term has become so widely used that critical thinking may mean different

things depending on its context and application. Some useful definitions appear on the

web site “Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum Project” Longview Community

College; Definitions of Critical Thinking .



Critical thinking is the development of cohesive and logical reasoning patterns.



Critical thinking is deciding rationally what to or what not to believe.



The purpose of critical thinking is to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and

solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that

critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand,

evaluate, or resolve.

Critical thinkers: distinguish between fact and opinion; ask questions; make detailed

observations; uncover assumptions and define their terms; and make assertions

based on sound logic and solid evidence.



No matter what definition the teacher wishes to use for critical thinking, the

underlying idea is that teachers can teach students to think.



Thinking is a skill ... it can be taught.



Thirteen essential thinking skills:

Observing

Comparing

Classifying

Imagining

Hypothesizing

Criticizing

Looking for Assumptions

Collecting and Organizing Data

Summarizing

Coding

Interpreting

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Author Unknown



Bloom's Taxonomy

Finally, the teacher must understand Bloom’s Taxonomy of educational objectives

. Bloom lists these “abilities” in ascending order:

I. Knowledge: remembering of previously learned material; recall (facts or whole

theories); bringing to mind

II. Comprehension: grasping the meaning of material; interpreting

(explaining or summarizing); predicting outcome and effects

III. Application: ability to use learned material in a new situation; apply rules, laws,

methods, theories

IV. Analysis: breaking down into parts; understanding organization, clarifying,

concluding

V. Synthesis: ability to put parts together to form a new whole; unique communication;

create abstract relations

VI. Evaluation: ability to judge value for purpose; base on criteria; support judgment

with reason.



Ways to Encourage Critical Thinking



Awards: Good Question - Good Thinking - I Found The Answer

Three ways to improve critical thinking is by encouraging students to ask good

questions, practice good thinking, and find answers using resources. I have created a

small trophy and certificate for students who exhibit each of these positive critical

thinking behaviors. These awards may be used in all subject areas and at anytime. For

example, when a students asks a “Good Question”, the trophy goes on the student's desk

for the day, or until another student earns it. Also, the student is given a paper certificate

to be taken home.



Good Question Award

A “Good Question” is a question that shows the student is thinking about the

subject, concepts, or ideas under study. Generally, these questions are in the higher areas

of Bloom’s Taxonomy; application (in the lower grades), analysis, synthesis, or

evaluation. A “Good Question” may also show creativity.

As the award is used, students will begin to identify “Good Questions” posed by

fellow students and direct the teacher to give the award.



Good Thinking Award

“Good Thinking” reveals that the student is entering the higher thought

processes; analysis, synthesis, or evaluation. “Good thinking” may also entail solving a

multi-step problem or coming up with an original idea or creative way to solve a

problem.

Of course, the teacher must challenge the students with questions that require

higher order reasoning.



I Found The Answer Award

The “I Found The Answer” award is given when a student has taken the initiative

to look for and find an answer using a resource other than the text. This award will

motivate students to find answers, rather than simply accepting “I Don't Know” as the

answer. Students through application and practice will learn to use the dictionary,

almanac, thesaurus, encyclopedia, index, glossary, maps, and the internet. Also, students

should learn to ask people for answers.

The best questions for research come out of daily classroom lessons and discussions in

all subject areas. The teacher may also pose a “Question of the Day” to be researched.



In order to use these awards to their highest potential, the teacher must be

competent and comfortable in asking higher order questions, accepting more than one

possible answer to a question, and practice not answering all student questions.



Games and Puzzles

Games can be a useful learning tool. While playing games students may apply

their knowledge and skills while interacting in a small group. Most games involve

planning, observation, logic and reasoning, calculations of chance, observing, using

information, and creating and testing possible solutions. All of these “game skills” are

components of critical thinking.

Puzzles come in a wide variety of types from purely academic, which rely on

knowledge

or reasoning skills, to those which require acute observation, such as a jigsaw puzzle. No

matter what the puzzle, the one commonality of all puzzles is they require critical

thinking.

Why jigsaw puzzles? In order to complete a jigsaw puzzle students must observe

and compare size, shape, color, and patterns; use trial and error to complete the task; and

develop visual memory. Students experience working together toward a common goal,

and participate in an activity that requires days or weeks to complete.



Encourage Creativity

SCAMPER is an excellent classroom activity which encourages students to think

creatively. In this activity the student looks at an object and develops original ideas

about the object and different uses of the object. SCAMPER is an acronym which helps

direct students in this process.



Substitute some aspect of it

Combine elements with something else

Adapt or Alter an aspect of it

Minify or Magnify an aspect of it

Put some part of it to other uses

Eliminate an aspect of it

Reverse an aspect of it



Scamper may be used as an independent, small group, or whole class activity.

Students must be allowed to brainstorm ideas, making it clear that all ideas must be

accepted. I usually have the students work independently for 5 - 7 minutes, then share

their ideas with the class. Teachers may use small groups and develop a scoring system,

giving a point for each idea that no other group has written. [See Appendix for blank

Scamper worksheet]



Visit “Robert Alan Black’s Creativity Challenges”, Creativity Challenge Table of

Contents,

an excellent site of 52 challenges which will increase your creativeness, expand your

creative thinking skills, spark your creativity, and encourage you to learn fun ways to tap

and improve your creativity.



What Do They Have in Common?

A simple activity that promotes critical thinking and creativity is listing 2 words

and asking “What do they have in common?” While students may easily see differences

among items, finding similarities will be much more challenging. This activity also

promotes oral communication and explaining your answer. This may done individually,

with a partner, small groups, or even as a whole class brainstorming session. This

activity is part of my students’ first assignments as they come in the morning. Students

are asked to write an answer and then we discuss their responses as a whole class.

Teachers should accept any answer that may be explained as a commonality,

being sure students only deal with the attributes of the items and not what they could be

or do. For example, for “bell and whistle” I would accept both are “made of metal” or

“make a sound” but would not allow “I own both of them.”

For a real challenge, have students write names of objects on a small piece of

paper and put them all in a bag. Each day select a pair of words and challenge the

students to recognize “What do they have in common?”



Another Version

“What Do they have in common?” may be taken one step farther. Using a pair of

words, the commonality must be expressed in one word. Students must think of multiple

meanings and multiple uses of the words.



For example: clothes and money > change record and down > break



The game TriBond lists three words and the player must recognize what word is common

among all three.



Word Chains

Words Chains is an oral language game that encourages critical thinking by

requiring students to think about items and classify items into categories. The teacher

gives a category, and selects a volunteer for the first word. Then each next word must

start with the ending letter of the preceding word.



Category - Things found in the ocean

fisH > HerrinG > Ghost craB > BasS > SanD > Darkness



To speed the game along, change the category once either group is unable to quickly

answer.

Words Chains may be played in a variety of ways: one vs. one, small group vs.

small group, half of class vs. half of class, or whole group.

Scoring: If you wish to keep score:

1 Point - correct response

-1 Point - incorrect or repeated response or unable to answer



Words Chains encourages creativity as students try to connect words they know

into a classification. I use Word Chains as a short filler when the class is waiting in line

and as a whole group thinking activity.



Word Chains Category Ideas

Something you would find in (at) a(n)

school grocery store garage carnival mall doctor’s office laboratory hospital

kitchen sports stadium restaurant campsite beach television station barber shop

desert skating rink art class purse computer toy store library car

post office amusement park arcade museum cruise ship National Park

fire station rodeo zoo



things made of: glass, plastic, metal, wood, cloth

things that are soft, hard, fragile, strong, bendable, smooth, heavy, light

things that are bigger than ..., smaller than ..., heavier than ...

things that are connected with a holiday

subject area or the topic under study

geographic names people’s jobs cars plants

electronic devices transportation furniture clothing

things you wear inventions names plants

capitalized words games/toys music/songs animal



Words with Multiple Meanings

A critical thinker looks at words and realizes many words may be used in

different ways. Introducing this skill to students will improve their reading and writing.

When discussing word meanings the concepts of literal and figurative meanings must be

taught.



Classroom Use

Word A Day - Put a new word on the board each morning. Allow students time to

think about or look up the word. Discuss later in the day.



Spelling or Vocabulary Lists - Look at the list (word) and ask students what words

could have more than one meaning.



New Words - As new words are encountered in class, list them on the blackboard.

When you have that extra minute ask students if they remember the meanings or

can use them in a sentence.

Keep this ongoing list in a corner of the blackboard. Do not erase the words daily.

Erase the “old” words when the list becomes more than 5 - 7 words. As the

“old” words come down you may add them to a Word Wall, a writing bulletin board, or

make a small card for each and put them in a box for future use.



Acronyms

“Acronyms” is a linguistic critical thinking activity which requires some

creativity. Students must create their own meanings for common acronyms. Acronyms

are words made up of the initial letters of its meaning, such as SCUBA, self-contained

underwater breathing apparatus and SNAFU, situation normal all fouled up. Acronyms

may be pronounced letter by letter, such as CPR. Initialism is the term for an

abbreviation pronounced as the names of the individual letters.

This idea originated when I was wearing a shirt that said “NYC” in my fourth

grade class. Most students did not know what the letters represented and started coming

up with their own ideas. Their responses included; “Nice Young Children”, “Never Yell

Chocolate”, “Nine Yummy Cookies”, and my favorite, “No You Cant”.

These abbreviations are everywhere and are part of our everyday life. They are

businesses (ATT, IBM, TWA), government agencies (NASA, CIA, FEMA), television

networks (ABC, CNN, ESPN), organizations (NATO, UN, NOW), items (BMW, CRT,

VCR), jobs (EMT, CPA, RN), and a mainstay in sports (RBI, TKO, TD).

Acronyms

WWW Worldwide Web AOL America Online

ESP Extra Sensory Perception ASAP As Soon As Possible

CIT Counselor In Training AKC American Kennel Club

PDQ Pretty Darn Quick GPA Grade Point Average

GNP Gross National Product ZIP Zone Improvement Plan

SRO Standing Room Only RSVP Respondez S’il Vous Plait

CD Compact Disc DJ Disc Jockey

AM Amplitude Modulation FM Frequency Modulation

TBA To Be Announced ETA Estimated Time of Arrival

AKA Also Known As YMCA Young Men’s Christian Association

RPM Revolutions Per Minute MPH Miles Per Hour

ATV All Terrain Vehicle SWAK Sealed With A Kiss

IQ Intelligence Quotient CPA Certified Public Accountant

GOP Grand Old Party CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

CIA Central Intelligence Agency DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid

TNT Trinitrotoluene RAM Random Access Memory

VHS Very High Speed URL Uniform Resource Locator

VIP Very Important Person HMO Health Maintenance Organization

RN Registered Nurse ACLU American Civil Liberties Union

POW Prisoner Of War VISTA Volunteers In Service To America

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration