With the barrage of mainstream news, advertising, and social media content out there, it’s vital for students to think independently and learn to differentiate between fact and fiction.
This series of critical thinking activities, STEM-based design challenges, engaging Math puzzles, and problem-solving tasks will support students in thinking rationally and understanding the logical connection between concepts.
1. Teach Students How to Obtain Verifiable News
There’s probably no 21st-century skill more important than differentiating between real and fake sources of news. This editable PowerPoint bundle covers traditional media, social networks, and various target audiences and teaches students how to find verifiable facts.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
2. Watch and Discuss a Critical Reasoning Video
This kid-friendly video teaches students to break arguments down into claims, evidence, and reasoning. Armed with this lifelong learning tool, they will be able to make more informed decisions when consuming all types of information.
Learn More: Brain Pop
3. Complete a Critical Design Challenge
This science and designed-based classroom activity challenges students to find ways to prevent a falling egg from breaking. Pairing it with the classic Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme is sure to inspire many creative ideas.
Learn More: Education
4. Critical Community Engagement Activity
This community engagement activity requires analytical skills to determine what items can be recycled in the classroom and in their neighborhood. By creating recycling bins from reusable cardboard boxes, students have an opportunity to contribute to the environmental well-being of their community while practicing social responsibility.
Learn More: Kaboom
5. Develop Logical Skills with a Then and Now Activity
We may no longer use candles for reading or quill pens for writing, but can your students identify the objects that have replaced them? This activity engages their writing, drawing, and logical skills while giving them a chance to reflect on all the changes in our modern world.
Learn More: Education
6. Play a Critical Thinking Game
This active learning activity requires students to use their critical thinking skills to make comparisons and create meaningful analogies. The fun animal safari theme is sure to inspire many funny and creative ideas!
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
7. Develop Social-Emotional Problem-Solving Skills
Through this lesson, students will understand that while conflicts are a normal part of life, it’s vital to have problem-solving skills to resolve them. This is also an excellent opportunity for developing their social awareness and relationship skills.
Learn More: ED Foundations
8. Desert Island Survival Game
This classic game is sure to inspire student engagement, as they use their critical thinking skills to survive being stranded on a desert island. Students have to watch out for ideological assumptions and question ideas in order to determine the appropriate items to bring.
Learn More: ED Foundations
9. Play a Problem-Solving Treasure Hunt Game
This exciting game for kids requires them to use key math skills to break a series of codes. With ample time, designated progress monitors, and sharp critical thinking skills, students are sure to find the hidden treasure.
Learn More: Twinkl
10. Use Writing to Increase Critical Empathy
This activity builds writing fluency while giving students a chance to show appreciation for each other. As they reflect emphatically on their classmates’ contributions and character, their base level of kindness and sense of ethical responsibility is bound to increase.
Learn More: Edutopia
11. Learn How to Make Logical Inferences
This activity for kids teaches the critical academic skill of making inferences from a series of texts. Students will surely enjoy playing the role of detective in order to draw their own logical conclusions.
Learn More: Study
12. Think Critically About Cultural Assumptions
This engaging activity for students challenges them to think critically about why people from a variety of cultures decorate their bodies. It helps them to break through cultural assumptions while comparing and contrasting the different forms of hand and body painting around the world.
Learn More: Harmony
13. Big Paper Silent Reflection Activity
After posing some open-ended questions, students silently write their responses with colored markers on large chart paper. After each group has circulated around the room, students can share their critical reflections and learn from the various perspectives of their classmates.
Learn More: Slideshare
14. Watch a TED Video About the Socratic Method
Socrates is one of the forefathers of critical thinking, who focused on making his students thinking visible by questioning their logic and reasoning. The accompanying quiz and discussion questions are an excellent way to reinforce student learning.
Learn More: Ted Ed
15. Brainstorm Ways to Help a Homeless Person
This lesson in civic responsibility teaches students about the causes of homelessness and guides them to find ways to help the homeless in their communities. It develops key problem-solving skills while building critical empathy.
Learn More: National Homeless.org
16. Guess the Object Game
This video features a series of twenty zoomed-in mystery objects. Students will love using their critical thinking skills to guess each one!
Learn More: Andy – The ESL Guy
17. Solve Some Challenging Math Brain Teasers
This abundant series of brain teasers is the perfect choice if you’re looking to test your children’s memory and problem-solving skills. Encourage them to use their knowledge of numbers to complete these tricky math problems that are not only designed to challenge your little brainiacs but are also compiled in an easy-to-use format.
Learn More: Mental Up
18. Complete a STEM Elevator Challenge
In this design and engineering-based lesson, students have to build a functional elevator that can carry an object to the top of a structure. It’s a terrific way to encourage cooperative learning while sharpening their problem-solving skills.
Learn More: Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers
19. Create the Perfect Farm
There’s no better way to develop critical thinking skills than by solving real-world problems. This video encourages students to think about ways to feed a growing global population in an environmentally sustainable way.
Learn More: Ted Ed
20. Solve Logic Grid Puzzles
These logic grid puzzles will motivate students to use logical reasoning skills and the process of elimination to solve a series of clues. But be warned, they are highly addictive and difficult to put down once you get started!
Learn More: Puzzle Baron’s Logic Puzzles
29 Inclusion Based Activities For Students