Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust
That’s Not Fair!
As part of a series of critical thinking exercises, kids consider issues of social justice, especially the factors that must be considered when trying to balance conflicting rights and freedoms.
Curated OER
Lesson: Creative Containers
Even functional everyday objects can be highly ornate and thoughtfully designed. Art analysts look at the form and function of an Inca jug used to transport liquid. They consider this jug in relation to other jugs fashioned throughout...
Curated OER
Tiles, Blocks, Sapphires & Gold: Designing a Treasure Map
Young cartographers in groups hide treasure at school and then create a map to find it using pattern blocks and tiles. They make paintings with clues to create a visual representation of the location of their treasure. Groups present...
K12 Reader
An Independent Nation
If your kids are curious about the American Revolution, help them understand more about its background with a reading passage and comprehension questions. Kids use context clues to answer each question, some of which require more...
University of Kansas
Newspaper in the Classroom
Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...
Curated OER
Old Wisdom: New Learnings
Students explore proverbs and idioms. In this integrated arts lesson, students collaborate to analyze proverbs and idioms. Students discuss their findings.
Curated OER
Smiles Change the World
Students discuss and write about groups that need friends. In this friendship lesson, students create a banner for someone who needs a friend. students pair share to chose a recipient for the banner.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Analyzing Gender Stereotypes in Media
Why might toy advertisers use gender stereotypes to sell their products? Young people think critically about media messages and its role in gender stereotyping with a thought-provoking lesson plan.
Curated OER
Reading Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers
Students discover the impact "Lady Bird" Johnson had on America by reading a short biography. In this historical persons lesson, students read a multi page biography of the former first lady and write a summary of her life's work....
Curated OER
Let's Look at Legends: Oregon quarter reverse
Analyzing historical legends is a fun way to develop critical-thinking skills. Pupils will use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two historical legends relating to volcanoes. While this lesson focuses on the image of Crater...
Curated OER
Growing on My Own, Kids on the Grow
Learners participate in an after school program that promotes critical thinking, concern for others, recognizing differences, accepting differences, self-motivation and personal safety. They cover how kids develop, expressing different...
Curated OER
Philanthropic Literature Lesson 1: The Lonely Fish
Students investigate the concepts of sharing and good citizenship, and how they contribute to a peaceful society. They work on problem solving and critical thinking skills after listening to Marcus Pfister's, The Rainbow Fish.
Scholastic
Thanksgiving Lessons Grades PreK-2
A quintessential resource for teaching an elementary unit on the first Thanksgiving addresses a variety of skills, including informational reading, critical thinking, comparing and contrasting facts, technology tools, and historical...
Critical Thinking Cooperative
Doing Our Share
Whether at home or in the classroom, each member of a community has certain responsibilities they must tend to. With the help of the children's story Piggybook by Anthony Browne, kids learn how to assign jobs in a fair and safe manner...
Curated OER
Barnyard Protest: Cows, Chickens & Fundamental Freedoms
Here is an ambitious and engaging lesson that should help elementary schoolers begin to develop a basic understanding of human rights. Pupils are asked to think about their own rights, the rights of others, and how an individual's voice...
Curated OER
Cooperative Building
Students increase listening comphrehension and use critical thinking skills. They take turns and show respect for the work of others. They cooperatively build a block structure.
Curated OER
Teamwork Puzzle
Students take the opportunity to discover how teamwork can be used for problem solving and critical thinking skills. They use a duplicated picture of The Colossal Head which is cut into puzzle pieces and reassemble.
Yummy Math
2015 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
Take a seat on the parade route with a holiday-themed set of word problems. Young mathematicians answer questions based on the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City, including finding the average number of members in a...
K12 Reader
Color the St. Patrick’s Day Adjectives
Who needs luck when you've got grammar skills? Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in language arts class with a fun coloring activity that prompts young readers to color all adjective sections green.
Institute for Humane Education
Selling "Boy" and "Girl"
Monster trucks, action figures, and video games. Are these toys designed for boys or girls? Scholars work in small groups to find and categorize examples of boy and girl toys from catalogs. Next, learners analyze the two sets of pictures...
Curated OER
Digital Values: Internet Safety
Students explore digital communication by participating in a critical thinking activity. For this Internet safety lesson, students discuss ways to protect their identity on the Internet as well as preserving friendships. Students...
Curated OER
Lesson: Nimble Symbols
Comparative thinking is one way to build critical analysts. Budding artists discuss symbols and how they represent concepts, beliefs, or ideas. They compare the symbols found on an ancient Egyptian mummy case to those found in...
Garden of Praise
George Washington Carver Test
This is a standard multiple-choice assessment on the life and ideas of George Washington Carver. It includes 20 questions on topics covering information about his birth and education, major career moves, teaching principles, ethics, etc.
Curated OER
Communicate with a Truck Driver
Learners research ways truck drivers communicate. In this critical thinking lesson, students explore websites for information. Learners communicate with truck drivers using Twitter and listen to transportation related podcasts.