Baylor College
Infectious Disease Case Study
Small groups of life science learners look at Allison's symptoms and discuss a diagnosis. They use a chart of illnesses and draw symptom clues from an envelope to determine what illness she has. A instructional activity like this gives...
Curated OER
Reflecting a Rectangle Over a Diagonal
Use the handout as guided or independent practice in drawing a reflection of a rectangle over a line. Three rectangles are provided for practice in addition to a critical thinking question.
Curated OER
Congruent Rectangles
Very simply, geometers examine a pair of rectangles on graph paper and find a translation and rotation to demonstrate their congruence. A couple of questions follow to stimulate critical thinking about other possibilities.
Carolina K-12
Doing Democracy
How do you explain democracy to a middle school classroom? A social studies resource breaks elections and the democratic process down for your class. Discussion questions, worksheets, activities that build critical thinking skills, and a...
Cornell University
Polymers: Instant Snow
Is it easy to make snow? Scholars use critical thinking skills as they investigate the concept of polymers by making snow. The class tests several different variables and takes measurements over the course of several days. They then...
GLSEN, Inc.
Ready, Set, Respect!
Instill the importance of respect in your classroom with a comprehensive unit that focuses on positive behavior in and outside of school. Three parts, each separated into four grade-specific lessons, cover bullying, bias, name-calling,...
Curated OER
Understanding and Fighting Stereotypes through Words and Images
Use some provocative modern art to get your class considering stereotypes and the impact they have on us all. Your class will discuss the print art Indian Look-Alike by Melanie Yazzie and stereotypes in general before...
Roald Dahl
The Twits - Muggle-Wump Has an Idea
If a bar of chocolate was on the floor, would you try to pick it up? What if it was covered with glue? The eighth lesson in an 11-part unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl has scholars imagine crazy scenarios. The...
Curated OER
What's Missing? Making Room for Multiple Perspectives
Students identify missing characters from a text, particularly a school text. They increase critical thinking by supplying missing perspectives in a text an build empathy through surveying different points of view. They reflect on the...
Curated OER
Basic Polynomial Operations
For this basic polynomial operations worksheet, students identify polynomials by degree and number of terms, and perform operations of addition, subtraction, and multplication. There are also a few critical thinking questions included....
Curated OER
Learning with Roald Dahl
Engage critical thinking, comparison skills, and 21st century learning while celebrating a beloved author. Each idea found here provides ways to incorporate beloved Rol Dahl titles and new learning mediums.
Curated OER
Metaphors Are Like Similes...Right?
Build the basis for critical thinking by increasing mastery of metaphors, similes, and analogies. Clear up the confusion that often marks lessons on figurative langauge. A very insightful article, full of great links.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Teaching the 9/11 Anniversary
Here is a lesson on terrorism and 9/11. While outdated, it could be easily revised for today's teens. It includes targeted vocabulary, a background information activity, critical thinking questions, and step-by-step procedures for...
Curated OER
DR-TA Reading Strategy
Foster critical thinking skills by using the DR-TA Strategy with Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Class members read portions of the essay, stop and discuss what is happening, make predictions based on evidence from the text, and...
Curated OER
Scientific Detectives
Middle schoolers examine the legitimacy of advertisers' claims about products using science and critical thinking. They view and discuss ads, read a case study, and conduct an experiment to demonstrate whether a product lives up to its...
Curated OER
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Classroom
Inspire critical thinking and facilitate collaboration with opportunities for entrepreneurial innovation!
Scholastic
The Science of Marijuana—How THC Affects the Brain
Marijuana can affect every part of a user's life—starting with the delicate nervous centers of the brain. An informative article and worksheet prompt teenagers to learn more about how the THC found in most forms of marijuana can...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Curated OER
"Truth, War and Consequences"
View a film called "Truth, War and Consequences," available for purchase on PBS, with your class. They answer comprehension questions and practice their critical thinking skills as well.
Curated OER
Crazy for Cubes: Art and Science
Learners discuss Sol LeWitt and conceptual art, then analyze the differences in expressing a concept through model-based inquiry and aesthetic art criticism. They develop a geometric, scientific, or mathematical concept, then create an...
Curated OER
Pandora's Box
Some of today's technologies are controversial, in vitro fertilization being one of them. Mature high school biology classes examine the technology involved in and dilemmas created by this procedure. They play different roles in an...
Curated OER
Layers of the Rainforest
What a great way to discuss the rainforest! Learners discuss the importance of adaptation in the environment and how it is linked to survival. They use critical thinking and inference skills to place animals and insects in the different...
Curated OER
An Electron's Address
Where does an electron reside? Chemistry scholars determine an electron's "address," that is, what orbital it can be found in. This resource is both instructional and practical, providing a thorough explanation of energy levels and...
Curated OER
Rate and Concentration
Experimental data for a chemical reaction is available in a table. Chemistry cohorts use critical thinking skills to analyze the data and answer questions about reaction rates and reaction order. This worksheet is neatly formatted,...