Curated OER
The Lion and the Mouse
Students write a story. In this critical thinking and writing lesson, students read a fable, answer the provided thinking skills questions, and write their own fable.
Curated OER
Pulling It All Together
Students review data about a health problem and prepare an investigative report. Teams trade reports and utilize skills developed from previous lessons to evaluate the critical thinking evident in the reports.
Roald Dahl
Matilda - The Platinum-Blond Man
Before reading Chapter Six, "The Platinum-Blond Man" in Matilda, readers preview the illustration of Mrs. Wormwood dropping her plate of food, and think about what may have happened to cause the scene. After reading the chapter, class...
Curated OER
Parrot in the Oven: Think Aloud
A think aloud activity is a great way for readers to develop critical thinking skills. This resource models for readers how to use this strategy to think critically about a passage from Victor Martinez's Parrot in the Oven.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Sarcasm, Irony, and Satire
Satire, sarcasm, or irony? Editorial cartoons have long been the tool artists use to express their opinions about politics and politicians. Kevin "Kai" Kallaugher's four-panel cartoon offers readers an opportunity to examine how he uses...
Curated OER
Interpreting & Verifying the News in an Era of Info Overload
Students practice their critical thinking skills. In this media awareness lesson, students read articles about media overload and interpretation of media. Students respond to discussion questions and discuss how they verify...
Curated OER
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust: Headlines
Learners examine newspapers to research public opinion about the Holocaust. In this critical thinking lesson, students research the information Americans received in U.S. newspapers about events like Kristallnacht, the Berlin Olympics,...
Curated OER
Reaction Time 2: Zap!
Learners explore critical thinking by conducting a reaction time experiment. In this human brain lesson, students utilize a timed Internet worksheet activity to research how fast their brain works when answering questions. Learners share...
Curated OER
Making History....Literary
Connect the Common Core ELA standards with history by employing a balanced literacy approach to reading.
Curated OER
Lesson: Unmonumental: Yesterday's News
Upper graders are tasked with developing a social consciousness as they analyze the impact of the news media. They view a presentation depicting various media events in order to understand threshold moments in history. There are three...
Curated OER
Earth Moon Scaling
A wonderful lesson incorporating math and physics skills along with specific details about the planetary bodies. The cross-curricular approach makes for a valid activity to challenge multiple ages and abilities. Your class could work in...
Curated OER
The Summer of the Swans
The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars, is a 160-page chapter book about a family going through a difficult time. Complement your reading of Byars' book with this detailed outline of each chapter. Every section includes comprehension...
Curated OER
Film Festival: Documentaries for Hispanic Heritage Month
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the New York Times provides links to five short documentary films depicting Hispanic themes and culture. Learners can click on each embedded link to view the films, then answer each set of related...
Curated OER
Lesson: Urban China: Contemporary China
The urbanization and consumerism of modern China is the hot topic up for critical analysis. Kids view a series of photographs that specifically describe Chinese modernization, urbanization, consumerism, and waste. They discuss each...
Education Bureau of Hong Kong
Fundamentals
"Fundamentals," the first lesson in a series of eight, introduces the basic concepts and strategies covered in a series of resources designed to teach high schoolers critical thinking skills. The worksheets and activities in this first...
Media Education Lab
Propaganda Techniques
In an age of fake news, alternative facts, and biased reporting, it is more important than ever that 21st century learners develop the critical-thinking skills necessary to recognize, analyze and resist the propaganda techniques used in...
Curated OER
Section 1: Analogies
Introduce your freshmen to analogies with this packet of prompts that also includes strategies for solving these critical thinking puzzles.
Curated OER
Virtual Field Trip: The Dust Bowl
Take the class on a first-person field trip through the Dust Bowl. They pretend they are living in the 1930s as they respond to images and critical thinking questions to help them best understand the issues that faced people during that...
Curated OER
Sentence Completion 13: Low-Advanced SAT Level
It's an erroneous assumption that vocabulary practice must be tedious. Rather than a draconian approach, tantalize your learners with a sentence completion exercise that will enthrall them. A detailed answer key makes the seemingly...
Curated OER
Word Pair Analogies: High-Advanced Level
Analogy worksheets are a great way to encourage critical thinking and develop vocabulary. Consider using this resource as enrichment or as a group work assignment. Learners craft a bridge sentence that expresses the relationship between...
Curated OER
The Brain Teaser Five Pack
In this critical thinking worksheet, students explain in their own words the answers to 5 mentally challenging brain teasers asked on the worksheet.
Curated OER
Historical Events of the Civil War
Fifth graders research the Civil War through the use of primary documents. In this historical events of the Civil War instructional activity, 5th graders write about the information gotten from the primary document. Students answer...
Curated OER
Curriculum Connections with Keiko Kasza
Students read books by the author Keiko Kasza and complete critical thinking skills, and connections to different subjects. For this language lesson plan, students connect the books to language arts, social studies, science, math,...
Curated OER
Testing... Testing...
Students demonstrate critical- and creative-thinking skills to develop test questions. They write clear test questions or statements using correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.