Critical Thinking Skills Lessons

Critical thinking skills are the most important skills to hone.

Critical thinking skills are an important part of our knowledge base that we are never too old to practice or add to. Critical thinking begins when we possess enough information to form coherent thoughts; it continues throughout our entire life. Our level of critical thinking skills determines how well we make decisions. The more we practice critical thinking, the better equipped we are to make intelligent decisions.

Critical Thinking Lessons at the Preschool and Kindergarten Level

Read a story and discuss the main character's feelings or what happens next. Practice listening games. Have the children sit in a circle. Whisper a short sentence to one child who whispers it to the next. The last child should say out loud what he hears. Discuss how the sentence changes. Ask your students why they think the sentence changed.

Critical Thinking Lessons at the Elementary Level

Let your children draw a human skeleton the way they conceive it to be and with as many bone names as possible. Now spend time with the children learning about skeletons and the names of the different bones. Have the children draw a skeleton again, letting them correct their previous misconceptions. This will teach your students to research their preconceptions and correct them on their own, thus encouraging independent critical thinking.

Critical Thinking Lessons at the Middle School Level

Create a code and let children code secret messages and then decode the messages by cracking the code. Have children practice writing poetry. Encourage each child to keep a journal about his life.

Critical Thinking Lessons at the High School Level

Major critical thinking begins after a student graduates from high school.

Encourage your high school students to practice critical thinking every day. Encourage them to compare and contrast people, art, opinion and objects. Have them discuss why they chose particular similarities or differences in their comparisons. Have students distinguish fact from opinion in speeches, advertising and other public statements.

References

• Foundation for Critical Thinking; K-12 Instruction Strategies & Samples
• North Central Regional Educational Laboratory; Critical Thinking Skills

Resources

• Teachnology; Critical Thinking Worksheets