Scratch Your Brain:
Novel Ways to
Interest Students in Critical Thinking
Objectives





Briefly discuss definitions of “critical
thinking.”
Consider arguments and critical thinking.
Consider characteristics of critical thinkers.
Explore some novel critical thinking
exercises.
Discuss ways to use resources in teaching.
Definition
What is YOUR
definition of
critical thinking?
Common Definitions
Thinking “outside” the box
“Unlimited” thinking
Divergent thinking
Another Definition
“The intellectually disciplined
process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, analyzing,
synthesizing, and evaluating information.”
The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987
Another Definition
“Critical thinking is the
art of analyzing and
evaluating thinking with
a view to improving it.”
The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts And Tools, 5 ed.
Quote – Henry Ford
Thinking is the
hardest work
there is, which
is probably why
so few engage
in it.
Arguments
Inductive Reasoning
 Deductive Reasoning


Syllogism – major premise, minor premise,
conclusion
Humans are mortal
Greeks are human
Therefore, Greeks are mortal
Resource
http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/
main.html
Make Your Argument
Monty Python: Argument Clinic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDj
CqjzbvJY&playnext=1&list=PL8263C81
EE53E94FA
Visual Argument
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG
p0WWfEadg&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Critical thinking is . . .
•
•
•
Self-disciplined
Self-monitored
Self-corrective
thinking
Thinking Critically Means …
 Examining
viewpoints
 Learn
different
to think from different
perspectives
Young girl?
or
Old woman?
Man playing horn?
or
Woman’s silhouette?
A Native American face?
or
An Eskimo’s back?
What/Who Doesn’t Belong?
And Why?
whale, shark, zebra
 camera, photographer, pilot
 Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Rick Perry
 Aristotle, Plato, Frank Fair
 Monet, Renoir, Einstein
 Copland, Mozart, Bach
 De Castro, Muehsam, Harman

What Do They Have in
Common?
Aristotle, Plato, Frank Fair
 Milton Friedman, Robert Solow, Carl
Menger
 Zimbardo, Bandura, Milgrim
 Door-in the face, foot-in-the-door, lowball
 Vera Wang, Sarah Burton, Carolina
Herrera

The Camels

An Arab sheik tells his two sons to race
their camels to a distant city to see
who will inherit his fortune. The one
whose camel is slower will win. The
brothers, after wandering aimlessly for
days, ask a wise man for advice. After
hearing the advice, they jump on the
camels and race as fast as they can to
the city. What does the wise man say?
The Wise Man Says…
Switch camels.
Train Wreck
One train leaves from NYC heading
towards LA at 100 mph. Three hours
later, a train leaves from LA heading
towards NYC at 200 mph. Assume
there’s exactly 2000 miles between LA
and NYC. When they meet, which train
is closer to NYC?
When they meet…
they’re both at the same
spot, so they are both the
same distance from NYC.
Going to St. Ives
As I was going to St. Ives I
met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks.
Each sack had seven cats. Each
cat had seven kits. Kits, cats,
sacks, and wives, how many
were going to St. Ives?
 Some
months have 31 days;
how many have 28?
 How many outs are in an
inning?
 There are 3 apples and you
take away 2. How many do you
have?
Common Phrases
DECI
ANOTHER
SION
ONE
Common Word
A duck, a goose, a goat, and a
horse all entered the barn at
different times one day last week.
1) A mammal entered the barn
first.
2) The duck entered before the
goose.
3) The goose entered ahead of the
horse.
Who entered the barn first?
Common Phrases
CHIEDITOREF
T 2222
Word Fun
Determine both one-word answers.
The floor of ship or boat,
They walk on me at sea;
Where there’s a C, make it an S,
At school you sit on me.
What Economic Phrases?
advantage
demchangeand
History Terms?
ISM
Poetry Terms?
coo
Phrase
+
s
+
t+
r
Fun Theory
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=cbEKAwCoCKw&NR=1
Discuss
How might you use some of these ideas
in your classroom?
Could students use critical thinking in
generating critical thinking activities to
share with the class?
How Not to Be Stupid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9B
MyaftZ1A
Thank You
Contact me:
harman@shsu.edu