Critical Thinking Activities Remember to teach the principles of critical thinking along with the content. Introductory Activities We’ve Always Done it This Way Put the following chart up for the students to see. Get their reactions: are these true? How do these help your education? Hinder it? Some Educational Practices that Discourage Critical Thinking ● The student’s role is to be a passive recipient of knowledge. ● The student’s role is to memorize and regurgitate information. ● The teacher’s role is to dispense knowledge. ● Questions on exams should be taken only from what has been covered in class. ● Problems assigned in class should always be clearly formulated. ● There is an adequate answer to everything. ● Everything is just a matter of opinion. Questioning Activities Beginning to Ask Questions 1. Have students brainstorm: What is a stupid question? Present responses to the class. a. Questions that were just answered. b. Questions everyone should know the answer to. c. Others? 2. Have students articulate what they don’t know and know they don’t know. Present responses to class. [These are mostly Type 1] 3. Have students articulate what they think they know, but don’t (use examples from the past, because we cannot know these in the present) 4. Have students articulate what they don’t know but know they don’t know (impossible!). 5. Have students articulate seven wonder: “I wonder…” These can be about anything. How Ignorant Are You? Have students read and annotate article on medical ignorance below. Discuss in class. I Know Something You Don’t Know – getting to know the Elements 1. In groups of four, have each student choose a topic that they feel confident about. 2. A begins by stating the topic 3. B, C, and D then use the questions involved in the Elements to probe the topic. 4. When four Elements are addressed, then B states a topic and A, C, and D question B’s topic using the Elements. 5. When four Elements are addressed, then the group moves to C and then D. This can continue until the end of the exercise. Critical Thinking Activities Questions Within Questions – identifying prior questions 1. Choose a topic to be studied or even the course itself. 2. Ask the topic as a question. (ex. – What is English?) 3. Add questions that come from this question. (Which English are we talking about?) 4. Continue with a question tree that grows (What are the parts of English? How is English used? Why do people use language? How are languages different from each other and how are they the same?) But This is Theology! – asking interdisciplinary questions 1. Posit a question for the class. 2. In groups of three, have students create questions that relate to different domains: economics, politics, sociology, psychology, biology, education Practicing Asking Questions Using the Standards 1. Students form groups of four. 2. Each student chooses a topic that they feel they know quite a bit about. 3. The remainder of the group asks questions about the topic of the student using the nine Intellectual Standards. They use the questions to the right of the Standard or use their own language incorporating the Standards. 4. The next person takes his/her turn when four of the Standards have been addressed. 5. This continues around the group until time has been called. Reading Activities Analyzing the Logic of an Article, Essay or Chapter – an easy form to use when beginning to analyze using critical thinking (see Analytic Thinking, pp. 28-29) How to Assess Your Reading (How to Improve Student Learning, p. 6) ● Will help in asking questions, for clarification and understanding 1. Place students in groups of three, each designated A, B, or C. 2. Teacher models activity: 1. Teacher reads a paragraph or two from the text aloud, slowly, commenting on what is being read while it is read, explaining what is making immediate sense and what needs to be figured out by further reading. 3. Groups then begin: 1. A reads aloud two paragraphs, commenting throughout as the teacher modeled 2. Afterwards, B and C comment on what they do and do not understand of what A has just read 4. Teacher then rereads aloud what A has just read aloud, commenting further 5. Groups continue: 2 Critical Thinking Activities 1. B reads aloud, commenting throughout on what they understand or do not understand 2. A and C comment on the same 6. Teacher then rereads aloud what B has just read aloud, commenting further 7. Groups continue: 1. C reads aloud, commenting throughout on what they understand or do not understand 2. A and C comment on the same 8. Teacher then rereads aloud what C has just read aloud, commenting further An Interview with the Author – helps the student to learn to reason within the point of others 1. Assign the students a text to read for homework. Have them figure out the logic using the Wheel. 2. In class in groups of two, one becomes the author, the other the Interviewer 3. The author’s scenario: (How to Improve Student Learning – p. 41) Imagine yourself as the author of this article. In other words, try to your best to think within her/his logic. Articulate to your partner your reasoning, including your purpose in writing the article, the main issue and the key question you are concerned with in the article, the information you used in reasoning through the fundamental issue, the main conclusions you came ti, the assumptions began with (i.e., whatever you took for granted as you wrote the article), the primary concepts you used in reasoning, and the implications which follow if your reasoning is sound. Try to think through and articulate how the author might answer any objections to her/his line of reasoning in the most insightful way. 4. The Interviewer questions the Author during the process, primarily focusing on clarifying and assessing the accuracy of what the Author is saying, and to probe for depth of understanding. Writing Activities Assessing Writing (How to Improve Student Learning, p. 7) Finding the Best 1. In groups of four, students chose the best paper (using a Standard or multiple standards). 2. Each group then joins with a second group to choose the best of the two (one from each group). 3. The papers chosen are then read aloud to the class. 4. The teacher facilitates a discussion of their strengths and weaknesses, according to the Standards chosen, leading to a vote for the best paper. Team Editing 1. In groups of three or four, students read each other’s papers according to the Standards decided upon. 3 Critical Thinking Activities 2. Students write out recommendations for improvement for each paper. 3. For the next class, students rewrite their paper using the group recommendations and hands in the written recommendations along with the original and the edited papers Talking and Listening 1. In groups of three or four, students read their papers aloud and receive feedback from the group members in relation to the Standards chosen. 2. Students take notes on their paper of the comments given 3. The paper is then rewritten and handed in along with the original draft. Random Standards Application – the quality of the writing is not as important in this activity as is the quality of thought 1. Students bring in papers they have written. 2. While closing their eyes, a student will randomly point to a sentence they have written. 3. Then, according to a Standard either chosen by the teacher or at random by the partner, the student will address the Standard as it applies to the sentence. Learning from the Old – group assessment of papers from former students 1. Employ any of the above strategies, but substitute former student papers that already been graded. After a group has assessed the paper, ask the group for a grade on the paper. Compare the grade the paper received from the teacher with that of the group. Discussion Activities Socratic Discussion Using the Standards and Elements 1. Students form groups of 6-7. 2. One student is the Leader. The person to the Leader’s left is the Recorder. 3. The Leader keeps the discussion on topic, calls on the Questioners, can ask questions to keep the discussion moving, and periodically summarizes the discussion. The Leader also assures that each participant contributes to the discussion. At no time can the Leader answer a question. 4. The Recorder keeps written notes of the discussion for the group and may not participate except to help clarify what has been discussed. 5. After the topic has been chosen, the leader begins the discussion by calling on participants. 6. If the member of the group has a question that is formulated using the standards or elements, then that person raises his/her left hand. These get priority from the Leader over those who raise their right hand for any other type of question or an idea. 7. The discussion begins with the Leader asking a question and ends at the time limit set by the teacher. So What? – applies class theory to the real world 4 Critical Thinking Activities 1. Periodically, ask a student how what is being discussed can be applied to the real world. 2. Ask other students to comment using the Standards. Defending Your Position – backing up opinions with arguments; being open to changing one’ 1. Class decides on a controversial topic 2. Students quietly decide on their opinion along with supportive arguments. 3. Students jigsaw, one-on-one, every two minutes, convincing the other their own position is correct. 4. Students can alter their arguments or position as they go along. 5. Students report in on both the process and the product. Verbal Activities Drilling for Oil – oral test on basic vocabulary 1. Students are given a vocabulary list and given time to study 2. In groups of twos or threes, they take turns explaining the concepts to each other. Begin with being able to use a copy of the vocabulary then take it away. Encourage the students to assess each answer’s answers. 3. Teacher wanders around listening for students prepared to take an oral exam. 4. Stop the class and announce the test is going to begin. Choose two students to take the test. 5. Give these two students the oral exam in front of the class. After they have passed, these are now “certified” test givers. They now test others. 6. However, the teacher then asks each person who has passed the oral test to answer one of the vocabulary items. If a student fails this one concept, then the certified test giver must then be certified again. 7. Continue until all of the students have passed the test. Listening Activities Trust Me, I’m With You – works well with engaged lecture format Call on students regularly and unpredictably, holding them responsible either to ask questions they are formulating or give a summary, elaboration, or example of what others have said. Students can also be asked to restate the instructor’s directions, state the questions at issue, or make connections between related concepts. A great way to keep everyone on their toes is to use 3x5 cards with the students’ names on them. Use the name on the first card each time to call on a person. After each selection, shuffle the deck. Question Log At times during the period, have the students stop and write down a question they have concerning what is being discussed. If they do not have a question, have them write: “I am not 5 Critical Thinking Activities thinking well enough to have a question.” These thinking logs can be collected, discussed in pairs after each prompt, or read aloud by individuals. Self-Evaluation Learning Logs – a formative assessment of one’s thinking While keeping notes, on the right side leave room. Here the student is to note questions, hypotheses, ideas about the material, their own charts or graphs, and comments on their thinking processes and progress. These can be shared in small groups or with the class. They can also be checked periodically for teacher feedback. What I Think – documents student progress At the beginning of a section of the curriculum, have the students write what they think about the topic. Periodically, add to this. After the final entry, have the students assess their progress. One Minute Essay – helps the student to summarize the learning At the end of a class, have the students write for one minute to answer the question: What is the most important thing I learned today? The Next Question – looking at what might logically follow At the beginning of class, tell students that at the end of class they must formulate a question that extends the discussion from class. It could have to do with what research they would want to pursue, what ideas could be explored, definition of terms, or data. The students can post these on the class website, write them on 3x5 cards, or discuss them with another person before they leave. 6
