Critical Thinking Activities and Resources
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Six Thinking Hats:
Edward De Bono's 6 Thinking hats is a thinking process in which someone changes their perspective on a problem to make sure that all angles have been thought about and considered. Students "put on their ____ hat" when it is time to use that kind of thinking.
Coil, Carolyn. (2013). creAtivity x 4. Pieces of Learning. Marion IL.
Edward De Bono's 6 Thinking hats is a thinking process in which someone changes their perspective on a problem to make sure that all angles have been thought about and considered. Students "put on their ____ hat" when it is time to use that kind of thinking.
- White Hat Thinking (Facts): Students pay attention to information that is present and also missing. Students look ONLY at facts about the topic being discussed. No emotions or opinions are allowed.
- Yellow Hat Thinking (Benefits): Students discuss the benefits and positives of a topic or issue. Only optimism is allowed with the yellow hat on.
- Black Hat Thinking (Flaws or Problems): Students discuss things that might not work or what the flaws are. Students look at all the challenges and problems related to the topic. Only pessimism is allowed with this hat on.
- Red Hat Thinking (Feelings): Students discuss the topic and give attention to their feelings and gut instincts (intuition). This discussion will be emotional and will take into consideration their feeling and the feelings of others involved with the topic.
- Green Hat Thinking (Creativity): Students open the floor for new innovative approaches to the topic or problem focusing on growth or possibility. They look for ways to be creative with the subject, question, or project under discussion. They can improve, change, or extend an idea. The possibilities are endless.
- Blue Hat Thinking (Summarizing): This is the final activity and focuses on organizing, combining ideas, evaluating possibilities, actions, or products, and come to conclusions.
Coil, Carolyn. (2013). creAtivity x 4. Pieces of Learning. Marion IL.
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Remote Associations:
"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things" (Steve Jobs).
The exercise of Remote Associations trains the brain to find connections. Just like lifting weights...the benefits for the brain and the process for thinking extends way beyond the actual exercise. For example: take the trio of FLOWER: FRIEND: SCOUT. The connection is the word "girl." I tell my students to imagine a slot machine with the three options rolling and then one by one locking into place. They have to mentally create flexible lists for each word until something lines up.
Here is a harder one: DUST: CEREAL:FISH.
Go to this Remote Associations site for more.
"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things" (Steve Jobs).
The exercise of Remote Associations trains the brain to find connections. Just like lifting weights...the benefits for the brain and the process for thinking extends way beyond the actual exercise. For example: take the trio of FLOWER: FRIEND: SCOUT. The connection is the word "girl." I tell my students to imagine a slot machine with the three options rolling and then one by one locking into place. They have to mentally create flexible lists for each word until something lines up.
Here is a harder one: DUST: CEREAL:FISH.
Go to this Remote Associations site for more.
Debates:
Debates require students to think on their feet and switch tactics based off of an opponents comments or actions. Where this could easily fall under "Creativity" as well...it requires both to be successful. Check out this GREAT resource to help you get started.
Debates require students to think on their feet and switch tactics based off of an opponents comments or actions. Where this could easily fall under "Creativity" as well...it requires both to be successful. Check out this GREAT resource to help you get started.
Debate Introduction | |
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Scholastic Scope Magazine is a great resource that provides high level articles that inspire deep learning. Also, each issue has a debate piece included on hot topics such as cell phones and participating in reality TV, etc...
The magazine does have a cost attached to it but it can be used over and over.
The magazine does have a cost attached to it but it can be used over and over.
Decision Matrix:
Teaching students to first, think of more than one solution, and then, decide on the best solution is imperative. A decision matrix can provide the structure needed to choose the best solution. Students are to decide the solutions AND decide on the criteria by which to judge them by. One way to start them off is to fill out a decision matrix for a family vacation or where to go out to eat tonight.
Teaching students to first, think of more than one solution, and then, decide on the best solution is imperative. A decision matrix can provide the structure needed to choose the best solution. Students are to decide the solutions AND decide on the criteria by which to judge them by. One way to start them off is to fill out a decision matrix for a family vacation or where to go out to eat tonight.
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