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Critical Thinking Collaborative Inquiry Project

might have missed.missd.
How to Edit: Click on the "Edit" tab in the top right hand corner of this page. The page will turn into a document that you can edit. You'll see an "Editor" bar on the top of the screen where you can format your text in bold, italics or underline it. When you're done editing, be sure to click on "Save" in the Editor bar at the top of the screen.
Critical Thinking Collaborative Inquiry Project

Critical Challenges around math
Hi Lisa and Trish,

I wondered if that was the approach you were taking for your critical challenges around math- instead of an integrated unit, more of a series of critical challenges. And yes, I think that is totally appropriate. I think that it lines up with what this collaborative inquiry project is all about.... investigating ways to embed critical thinking into our regular teaching practice to see what impact it has on young children's ability to think critically! I think this is a good way to continue to refine and embed critical challenges into your everyday teaching to continue this inquiry. I'm looking forward to the session on February 8th when we will have a chance to come together again to learn more about critical thinking in the early years. Thanks for posting your challenges. I'll be interested to hear how they are going. I like Usha's suggestion for the room layout by having the kids draw out the criteria by having some extreme examples to help them narrow down the criteria. I remember Garfield mentioning in the January session that we should look at only 1-2 criteria for K. and about 3 for Gr. 1

thanks for your feedback Usha
After we posted our ideas it became clear that we weren't explicit enough about our ideas. Sorry if it felt very disconnected.
We really appreciate that you were able to read our ideas and provide some very helpful feedback.
We liked your idea of first presenting a rediculous room layout. We always struggle between giving the kids enough and giving them too much, so that idea was helpful.
With respect to the "decoding the puzzle" activity where kids reveal the city market picture, I understand where you're coming from. Our idea (although not clearly stated) was to have them figure out what the picture is about, with the thought that most kids would never have had experience at this kind of market. However there are enough clues to help them figure out what was happening. The brainstorming of 'what is money used for" would evolve from that idea of a market. We were then going to set up some sort of market at one of our learning centres. Their ideas of what money can be used for will drive some of our other learning centres as well.

The 2 and 3-D shapes challenges are all independent critical thinking challenges that we tried to incorporate into our existing lessons.

Thanks again Usha. I hope we're on the right track!
Lisa

new critical challenge - looking for feedback
I too am looking forward to hearing more about how your critical challenges are going!

Critical Challenges around math
Hi Lisa,

You've got some neat ideas here. Can I chime in with a few comments and suggestions?

1. Your challenge re: design a functional room is looking good. You've clearly described a design to specs and you have good criteria for "functional". I like how you are planning to first model the thinking by using the shapes to describe the classroom layout. You might also want to have students uncover the criteria by then using the shapes to create a non-functional room - e.g. all the furniture in the middle, the bed in front of the closet, etc.

Then, as students protest at the ridiculous layout, you can show them that they are coming up with the criteria for a functional room and capture their response and "massage" them so they look like the criteria you've come up with.

You might also want to have them use a quick and simple thinking strategy as they consider various layouts - e.g. checkmarks or a rating scale next to each criteria as they test out their ideas to decide which layout is best.

I really like this one - I think it has a lot of potential.

2. The challenge around "what is money used for?" is an interesting idea. I really like the thinking strategy of revealing the picture slowly by removing puzzle pieces in order to encourage them to be attentive to detail. The piece I'm worried about here is whether this is truly a decode the puzzle. It might be - I'm not sure yet. Usually, decode the puzzle has students coming up with plausible interpretations and there is more than one plausible interpretation and they can then decide which interpretation of what's going on is most plausible based on criteria. Here, it seems like they are examining the picture to make a list of what money is used for. I'm trying to think how this might be tweaked to require reasoned judgement - or maybe it does in the way you see it playing out and I just don't have enough of the explanation here. What do you think?

3. I was going to comment on the 3D shape ideas but I wasn't sure if they were all mini parts of the same challenge or separate mini-challenges. Let me know and I might be able to offer some comments on those too.

Sounds like you're doing some great work with your kids and that the ideas are coming fast and furious now! Very exciting.

Usha

Critical Challenges around math
Hi Kristin,
Thanks for your response. There is no connection between 'Money' and '2 and 3-d shapes'. After reflecting on our last critical thinking challenge we realized we may have started out too big, both for us and for the kids. Our thinkingthis time, was that we were trying to simplify our critical challenges and come up with a few smaller, more manageable challenges. the two lessons are not connected and will not be done at the same time. They are just small critical thinking challenges that are being incorporated into our math units.
After our last session with Garfield, we felt that it was totally appropriate to approach our critical thinking challenges in this way.
What do you think?
Lisa

Critical Thinking article
Thanks for your thoughtful reflections on the article response. It's true that collaboration between grade partners can greatly support the planning and teaching process we undertake daily!

Critical Challenges around math
Hi Lisa, Hanne, and Trish,

I'm just wondering what the connection is between your critical challenge in math for "what is money used for" is to looking at 2 and 3 dimensional shapes? By reading your critical challenges, I wasn't sure how they were linked.

new critical challenge - looking for feedback
Hi folks,

This is a really interesting task to have students determine and maybe ultimately create "powerful questions". You have a great start on criteria and have set an interesting context (i.e. creating a product for younger students).

Here are some resources you might find useful (why reinvent the wheel!). At the website below, you'll see many critical challenges framed around getting students to identify and create powerful questions. Check out the second one on the list ("Modelling the tools: Asking powerful questions") for a great overview, some specific lesson ideas and some more ideas around criteria.

Can't wait to hear more about it!

Usha

http://www.learnalberta.ca/Search.aspx?lang=en&search=powerful+questions&grade=&subject=&sudience=&language=&type=