UTPA STEM/CBI Courses/Critical Thinking Skills

Course Title: Critical Thinking

Lecture Topic: Critical Thinking Skills

Instructor: Dr. Crown

Institution: University of Texas - Pan American

It is imperative to develop a child's critical thinking skills. By developing a child's critical thinking, they will be better able to respond to problems presented to them. Through this challenge, one will be better able to analyze the information presented to them and develop an independent solution with reason.

Backwards Design
Course Objectives
 * Primary Objectives: By the next class period students will be able to:
 * Understand the benefits of playing a game with a plan in mind
 * More effectively participate in critical thinking games
 * Sub Objectives: The objectives will require that students be able to:
 * Express their ideas without reserve
 * Increase their desire to triumph in critical thinking games
 * Difficulties
 * At first, students may have difficulty understanding the strategy presented to them.
 * Real-World Contexts
 * Good critical thinking skills benefit one by allowing them to see problems differently and think things through so that they may form a solution.

Model of Knowledge
 * Concept Map
 * Creating a strategy
 * Forming ideas
 * Grouping characteristics
 * Communication skills
 * Expressing ideas
 * Accept the possibility of defeat


 * Content Priorities
 * Enduring Understanding
 * Understand how to solve higher level problems using critical thinking skills
 * Important to Do and Know
 * Formulate ideas independently
 * Worth Being Familiar with
 * Describe a person's physical attributes when presented with a photograph

Assessment of Learning
 * Formative Assessment
 * In Class (groups)
 * Students will play the "Guess Who" game
 * Summative Assessment
 * Students will play "20 Questions"

Legacy Cycle
OBJECTIVE

By the next class period, the students will be able to: The objectives will require that students be able to:
 * Understand the benefits of playing a game with a plan in mind
 * More effectively participate in critical thinking games
 * Express their ideas without reserve
 * Increase their desire to triumph in critical thinking games

THE CHALLENGE

How can one play the “Guess Who?” game and be the first one to guess the person their opponent has chosen? GENERATE IDEAS

The students will be asked to generate questions on their own that would be appropriate when playing the game. Appropriate questions include, but are not limited to...


 * Is your person wearing a hat?
 * Does your person have glasses?
 * Are they wearing earrings?
 * Do they have any accessories?
 * Do they have a moustache?
 * Does your person have facial hair?

Note: Of the 24 faces on the game, 5 are wearing a hat, 4 have glasses, 5 wear earrings, 11 have accessories, 5 have a moustache, and 10 have facial hair.

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Once the student has generated questions that they would potentially ask an opponent while playing this game, they will be lectured on the importance of asking effective questions. They will also be shown how they can do so on their own.

Brief Example: In order to competitively play the game, one should try to eliminate as many people as possible early on. One should ask a question that can eliminate many people regardless of the answer, such as whether or not the person has any accessories. Accessories include hats, glasses, and earrings and eleven people in the game have some type of accessory. As the game progresses, more specific questions should be asked. When there are only three people left, one should take a guess at who the person is because your chances of winning more quickly are far greater if you guess than if you continue asking questions.

RESEARCH & REVISE

Students play the game with the questions they have come up with.

TEST YOUR METTLE

Students will play the game “20 Questions.”

The type of questions asked by the student will indicate their understanding of the previous challenge. A student who has mastered the objectives of this challenge should be able to win the game with a reasonable number of questions.

GO PUBLIC

Students discuss the games, the strategies used, and how they could win more quickly in the future.