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Eight Instructional Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking

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(This is the first post in a three-part series.)

The new question-of-the-week is:

What is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom?

This three-part series will explore what critical thinking is, if it can be specifically taught and, if so, how can teachers do so in their classrooms.

Today’s guests are Dara Laws Savage, Patrick Brown, Meg Riordan, Ph.D., and Dr. PJ Caposey. Dara, Patrick, and Meg were also guests on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

You might also be interested in The Best Resources On Teaching & Learning Critical Thinking In The Classroom .

Current Events

Dara Laws Savage is an English teacher at the Early College High School at Delaware State University, where she serves as a teacher and instructional coach and lead mentor. Dara has been teaching for 25 years (career preparation, English, photography, yearbook, newspaper, and graphic design) and has presented nationally on project-based learning and technology integration:

There is so much going on right now and there is an overload of information for us to process. Did you ever stop to think how our students are processing current events? They see news feeds, hear news reports, and scan photos and posts, but are they truly thinking about what they are hearing and seeing?

I tell my students that my job is not to give them answers but to teach them how to think about what they read and hear. So what is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom? There are just as many definitions of critical thinking as there are people trying to define it. However, the Critical Think Consortium focuses on the tools to create a thinking-based classroom rather than a definition: “Shape the climate to support thinking, create opportunities for thinking, build capacity to think, provide guidance to inform thinking.” Using these four criteria and pairing them with current events, teachers easily create learning spaces that thrive on thinking and keep students engaged.

One successful technique I use is the FIRE Write. Students are given a quote, a paragraph, an excerpt, or a photo from the headlines. Students are asked to F ocus and respond to the selection for three minutes. Next, students are asked to I dentify a phrase or section of the photo and write for two minutes. Third, students are asked to R eframe their response around a specific word, phrase, or section within their previous selection. Finally, students E xchange their thoughts with a classmate. Within the exchange, students also talk about how the selection connects to what we are covering in class.

There was a controversial Pepsi ad in 2017 involving Kylie Jenner and a protest with a police presence. The imagery in the photo was strikingly similar to a photo that went viral with a young lady standing opposite a police line. Using that image from a current event engaged my students and gave them the opportunity to critically think about events of the time.

Here are the two photos and a student response:

F - Focus on both photos and respond for three minutes

In the first picture, you see a strong and courageous black female, bravely standing in front of two officers in protest. She is risking her life to do so. Iesha Evans is simply proving to the world she does NOT mean less because she is black … and yet officers are there to stop her. She did not step down. In the picture below, you see Kendall Jenner handing a police officer a Pepsi. Maybe this wouldn’t be a big deal, except this was Pepsi’s weak, pathetic, and outrageous excuse of a commercial that belittles the whole movement of people fighting for their lives.

I - Identify a word or phrase, underline it, then write about it for two minutes

A white, privileged female in place of a fighting black woman was asking for trouble. A struggle we are continuously fighting every day, and they make a mockery of it. “I know what will work! Here Mr. Police Officer! Drink some Pepsi!” As if. Pepsi made a fool of themselves, and now their already dwindling fan base continues to ever shrink smaller.

R - Reframe your thoughts by choosing a different word, then write about that for one minute

You don’t know privilege until it’s gone. You don’t know privilege while it’s there—but you can and will be made accountable and aware. Don’t use it for evil. You are not stupid. Use it to do something. Kendall could’ve NOT done the commercial. Kendall could’ve released another commercial standing behind a black woman. Anything!

Exchange - Remember to discuss how this connects to our school song project and our previous discussions?

This connects two ways - 1) We want to convey a strong message. Be powerful. Show who we are. And Pepsi definitely tried. … Which leads to the second connection. 2) Not mess up and offend anyone, as had the one alma mater had been linked to black minstrels. We want to be amazing, but we have to be smart and careful and make sure we include everyone who goes to our school and everyone who may go to our school.

As a final step, students read and annotate the full article and compare it to their initial response.

Using current events and critical-thinking strategies like FIRE writing helps create a learning space where thinking is the goal rather than a score on a multiple-choice assessment. Critical-thinking skills can cross over to any of students’ other courses and into life outside the classroom. After all, we as teachers want to help the whole student be successful, and critical thinking is an important part of navigating life after they leave our classrooms.

‘Before-Explore-Explain’

Patrick Brown is the executive director of STEM and CTE for the Fort Zumwalt school district in Missouri and an experienced educator and author :

Planning for critical thinking focuses on teaching the most crucial science concepts, practices, and logical-thinking skills as well as the best use of instructional time. One way to ensure that lessons maintain a focus on critical thinking is to focus on the instructional sequence used to teach.

Explore-before-explain teaching is all about promoting critical thinking for learners to better prepare students for the reality of their world. What having an explore-before-explain mindset means is that in our planning, we prioritize giving students firsthand experiences with data, allow students to construct evidence-based claims that focus on conceptual understanding, and challenge students to discuss and think about the why behind phenomena.

Just think of the critical thinking that has to occur for students to construct a scientific claim. 1) They need the opportunity to collect data, analyze it, and determine how to make sense of what the data may mean. 2) With data in hand, students can begin thinking about the validity and reliability of their experience and information collected. 3) They can consider what differences, if any, they might have if they completed the investigation again. 4) They can scrutinize outlying data points for they may be an artifact of a true difference that merits further exploration of a misstep in the procedure, measuring device, or measurement. All of these intellectual activities help them form more robust understanding and are evidence of their critical thinking.

In explore-before-explain teaching, all of these hard critical-thinking tasks come before teacher explanations of content. Whether we use discovery experiences, problem-based learning, and or inquiry-based activities, strategies that are geared toward helping students construct understanding promote critical thinking because students learn content by doing the practices valued in the field to generate knowledge.

An Issue of Equity

Meg Riordan, Ph.D., is the chief learning officer at The Possible Project, an out-of-school program that collaborates with youth to build entrepreneurial skills and mindsets and provides pathways to careers and long-term economic prosperity. She has been in the field of education for over 25 years as a middle and high school teacher, school coach, college professor, regional director of N.Y.C. Outward Bound Schools, and director of external research with EL Education:

Although critical thinking often defies straightforward definition, most in the education field agree it consists of several components: reasoning, problem-solving, and decisionmaking, plus analysis and evaluation of information, such that multiple sides of an issue can be explored. It also includes dispositions and “the willingness to apply critical-thinking principles, rather than fall back on existing unexamined beliefs, or simply believe what you’re told by authority figures.”

Despite variation in definitions, critical thinking is nonetheless promoted as an essential outcome of students’ learning—we want to see students and adults demonstrate it across all fields, professions, and in their personal lives. Yet there is simultaneously a rationing of opportunities in schools for students of color, students from under-resourced communities, and other historically marginalized groups to deeply learn and practice critical thinking.

For example, many of our most underserved students often spend class time filling out worksheets, promoting high compliance but low engagement, inquiry, critical thinking, or creation of new ideas. At a time in our world when college and careers are critical for participation in society and the global, knowledge-based economy, far too many students struggle within classrooms and schools that reinforce low-expectations and inequity.

If educators aim to prepare all students for an ever-evolving marketplace and develop skills that will be valued no matter what tomorrow’s jobs are, then we must move critical thinking to the forefront of classroom experiences. And educators must design learning to cultivate it.

So, what does that really look like?

Unpack and define critical thinking

To understand critical thinking, educators need to first unpack and define its components. What exactly are we looking for when we speak about reasoning or exploring multiple perspectives on an issue? How does problem-solving show up in English, math, science, art, or other disciplines—and how is it assessed? At Two Rivers, an EL Education school, the faculty identified five constructs of critical thinking, defined each, and created rubrics to generate a shared picture of quality for teachers and students. The rubrics were then adapted across grade levels to indicate students’ learning progressions.

At Avenues World School, critical thinking is one of the Avenues World Elements and is an enduring outcome embedded in students’ early experiences through 12th grade. For instance, a kindergarten student may be expected to “identify cause and effect in familiar contexts,” while an 8th grader should demonstrate the ability to “seek out sufficient evidence before accepting a claim as true,” “identify bias in claims and evidence,” and “reconsider strongly held points of view in light of new evidence.”

When faculty and students embrace a common vision of what critical thinking looks and sounds like and how it is assessed, educators can then explicitly design learning experiences that call for students to employ critical-thinking skills. This kind of work must occur across all schools and programs, especially those serving large numbers of students of color. As Linda Darling-Hammond asserts , “Schools that serve large numbers of students of color are least likely to offer the kind of curriculum needed to ... help students attain the [critical-thinking] skills needed in a knowledge work economy. ”

So, what can it look like to create those kinds of learning experiences?

Designing experiences for critical thinking

After defining a shared understanding of “what” critical thinking is and “how” it shows up across multiple disciplines and grade levels, it is essential to create learning experiences that impel students to cultivate, practice, and apply these skills. There are several levers that offer pathways for teachers to promote critical thinking in lessons:

1.Choose Compelling Topics: Keep it relevant

A key Common Core State Standard asks for students to “write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.” That might not sound exciting or culturally relevant. But a learning experience designed for a 12th grade humanities class engaged learners in a compelling topic— policing in America —to analyze and evaluate multiple texts (including primary sources) and share the reasoning for their perspectives through discussion and writing. Students grappled with ideas and their beliefs and employed deep critical-thinking skills to develop arguments for their claims. Embedding critical-thinking skills in curriculum that students care about and connect with can ignite powerful learning experiences.

2. Make Local Connections: Keep it real

At The Possible Project , an out-of-school-time program designed to promote entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, students in a recent summer online program (modified from in-person due to COVID-19) explored the impact of COVID-19 on their communities and local BIPOC-owned businesses. They learned interviewing skills through a partnership with Everyday Boston , conducted virtual interviews with entrepreneurs, evaluated information from their interviews and local data, and examined their previously held beliefs. They created blog posts and videos to reflect on their learning and consider how their mindsets had changed as a result of the experience. In this way, we can design powerful community-based learning and invite students into productive struggle with multiple perspectives.

3. Create Authentic Projects: Keep it rigorous

At Big Picture Learning schools, students engage in internship-based learning experiences as a central part of their schooling. Their school-based adviser and internship-based mentor support them in developing real-world projects that promote deeper learning and critical-thinking skills. Such authentic experiences teach “young people to be thinkers, to be curious, to get from curiosity to creation … and it helps students design a learning experience that answers their questions, [providing an] opportunity to communicate it to a larger audience—a major indicator of postsecondary success.” Even in a remote environment, we can design projects that ask more of students than rote memorization and that spark critical thinking.

Our call to action is this: As educators, we need to make opportunities for critical thinking available not only to the affluent or those fortunate enough to be placed in advanced courses. The tools are available, let’s use them. Let’s interrogate our current curriculum and design learning experiences that engage all students in real, relevant, and rigorous experiences that require critical thinking and prepare them for promising postsecondary pathways.

Critical Thinking & Student Engagement

Dr. PJ Caposey is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, consultant, and author of seven books who currently serves as the superintendent of schools for the award-winning Meridian CUSD 223 in northwest Illinois. You can find PJ on most social-media platforms as MCUSDSupe:

When I start my keynote on student engagement, I invite two people up on stage and give them each five paper balls to shoot at a garbage can also conveniently placed on stage. Contestant One shoots their shot, and the audience gives approval. Four out of 5 is a heckuva score. Then just before Contestant Two shoots, I blindfold them and start moving the garbage can back and forth. I usually try to ensure that they can at least make one of their shots. Nobody is successful in this unfair environment.

I thank them and send them back to their seats and then explain that this little activity was akin to student engagement. While we all know we want student engagement, we are shooting at different targets. More importantly, for teachers, it is near impossible for them to hit a target that is moving and that they cannot see.

Within the world of education and particularly as educational leaders, we have failed to simplify what student engagement looks like, and it is impossible to define or articulate what student engagement looks like if we cannot clearly articulate what critical thinking is and looks like in a classroom. Because, simply, without critical thought, there is no engagement.

The good news here is that critical thought has been defined and placed into taxonomies for decades already. This is not something new and not something that needs to be redefined. I am a Bloom’s person, but there is nothing wrong with DOK or some of the other taxonomies, either. To be precise, I am a huge fan of Daggett’s Rigor and Relevance Framework. I have used that as a core element of my practice for years, and it has shaped who I am as an instructional leader.

So, in order to explain critical thought, a teacher or a leader must familiarize themselves with these tried and true taxonomies. Easy, right? Yes, sort of. The issue is not understanding what critical thought is; it is the ability to integrate it into the classrooms. In order to do so, there are a four key steps every educator must take.

• Integrating critical thought/rigor into a lesson does not happen by chance, it happens by design. Planning for critical thought and engagement is much different from planning for a traditional lesson. In order to plan for kids to think critically, you have to provide a base of knowledge and excellent prompts to allow them to explore their own thinking in order to analyze, evaluate, or synthesize information.
• SIDE NOTE – Bloom’s verbs are a great way to start when writing objectives, but true planning will take you deeper than this.

QUESTIONING

• If the questions and prompts given in a classroom have correct answers or if the teacher ends up answering their own questions, the lesson will lack critical thought and rigor.
• Script five questions forcing higher-order thought prior to every lesson. Experienced teachers may not feel they need this, but it helps to create an effective habit.
• If lessons are rigorous and assessments are not, students will do well on their assessments, and that may not be an accurate representation of the knowledge and skills they have mastered. If lessons are easy and assessments are rigorous, the exact opposite will happen. When deciding to increase critical thought, it must happen in all three phases of the game: planning, instruction, and assessment.

TALK TIME / CONTROL

• To increase rigor, the teacher must DO LESS. This feels counterintuitive but is accurate. Rigorous lessons involving tons of critical thought must allow for students to work on their own, collaborate with peers, and connect their ideas. This cannot happen in a silent room except for the teacher talking. In order to increase rigor, decrease talk time and become comfortable with less control. Asking questions and giving prompts that lead to no true correct answer also means less control. This is a tough ask for some teachers. Explained differently, if you assign one assignment and get 30 very similar products, you have most likely assigned a low-rigor recipe. If you assign one assignment and get multiple varied products, then the students have had a chance to think deeply, and you have successfully integrated critical thought into your classroom.

Thanks to Dara, Patrick, Meg, and PJ for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

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• Poster 3 - Elements of Thought
• Poster 4 - Elements, Standards, and Traits
• Poster 5 - Parts of Thinking
• Chapter 1 - The Critical Thinking Movement in Historical Perspective
• Chapter 2 - Critical thinking Basic Questions and Answers
• Chapter 3 - The Logic of Creative and Critical Thinking
• Chapter 4 - Critical Thinking in North America
• Chapter 5 - Background Logic, Critical Thinking, and Irrational Language Games
• Chapter 6 - A Model for the National Assessment of Higher Order Thinking
• Chapter 7 - Using Intellectual Standards to Assess Student Reasoning
• Chapter 8 - Why Students - and Teachers - Don't Reason Well
• Chapter 9 - Critical Thinking Fundamentals to Education for a Free Society
• Chapter 10 - Critical Thinking and the Critical Person
• Chapter 11 - Critical Thinking and the Nature of Prejudice
• Chapter 12 - Ethics Without Indoctrination
• Chapter 13 - Critical Thinking, Moral Integrity, and Citizenship Teaching for the Intellectual Virtues
• Chapter 14 - Dialogical Thinking Critical Thinking Thought Essential to the Acquisition of Rational Knowledge and Passions
• Chapter 15 - Power, Vested Interest, and Prejudice On the Need for Critical Thinking in the Ethics of Social and Economic Development
• Chapter 16 - The Critical Connection Higher Order Thinking that Unifies Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning
• Chapter 17 - Dialogical and Dialectical Thinking
• Chapter 18 - The Art of Redesigning Instruction
• Chapter 19 - Using Critical Thinking to Identify National Bias in the News
• Chapter 20 - Socratic Questioning
• Chapter 21 - Strategies Thirty-Five Dimensions of Critical Thinking
• Chapter 22 - Critical Thinking in the Elementary Classroom
• Chapter 23 - Critical Thinking in Elementary Social Studies
• Chapter 24 - Critical Thinking in Elementary Language Arts
• Chapter 25 - Critical Thinking in Elementary Science
• Chapter 26 - Teaching Critical Thinking in the Strong Sense A Focus on Self-Deception, World Views, and a Dialectical Mode of Analysis
• Chapter 27 - Critical Thinking Staff Development The Lesson Plan Remodeling Approach
• Chapter 28 - The Greensboro Plan A Sample Staff Development Plan
• Chapter 29 - Critical Thinking and Learning Centers
• Chapter 30 - McPeck's Mistakes Why Critical Thinking Applies Across Disciplines and Domains
• Chapter 31 - Bloom's Taxonomy and Critical Thinking Instruction Recall is Not Knowledge
• Chapter 32 - Critical and Cultural Literacy Where E.D. Hirsch Goes Wrong
• Chapter 33 - Critical Thinking and General Semantics On the Primacy of Natural Languages
• Chapter 34 - Philosophy and Cognitive Psychology Contrasting Assumptions
• Chapter 35 - The Contribution of Philosophy to Thinking
• Chapter 36 - Critical Thinking and Social Studies
• Chapter 37 - Critical Thinking and Language Arts
• Chapter 38 - Critical Thinking and Science
• Chapter 39 - Critical Thinking, Human Development, and Rational Productivity
• Chapter 40 - What Critical Thinking Means to Me The Views of Teachers
• Chapter 41 - Glossary An Educators Guide to Critical Thinking Terms and Concepts
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5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)

Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them.

Little kids love to ask questions. “Why is the sky blue?” “Where does the sun go at night?” Their innate curiosity helps them learn more about the world, and it’s key to their development. As they grow older, it’s important to encourage them to keep asking questions and to teach them the right kinds of questions to ask. We call these “critical thinking skills,” and they help kids become thoughtful adults who are able to make informed decisions as they grow older.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking allows us to examine a subject and develop an informed opinion about it. First, we need to be able to simply understand the information, then we build on that by analyzing, comparing, evaluating, reflecting, and more. Critical thinking is about asking questions, then looking closely at the answers to form conclusions that are backed by provable facts, not just “gut feelings” and opinion.

Critical thinkers tend to question everything, and that can drive teachers and parents a little crazy. The temptation to reply, “Because I said so!” is strong, but when you can, try to provide the reasons behind your answers. We want to raise children who take an active role in the world around them and who nurture curiosity throughout their entire lives.

Key Critical Thinking Skills

So, what are critical thinking skills? There’s no official list, but many people use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help lay out the skills kids should develop as they grow up.

Source: Vanderbilt University

Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom providing a base for more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require much critical thinking. These are the skills kids use when they memorize math facts or world capitals or practice their spelling words. Critical thinking doesn’t begin to creep in until the next steps.

Understanding requires more than memorization. It’s the difference between a child reciting by rote “one times four is four, two times four is eight, three times four is twelve,” versus recognizing that multiplication is the same as adding a number to itself a certain number of times. Schools focus more these days on understanding concepts than they used to; pure memorization has its place, but when a student understands the concept behind something, they can then move on to the next phase.

Application opens up whole worlds to students. Once you realize you can use a concept you’ve already mastered and apply it to other examples, you’ve expanded your learning exponentially. It’s easy to see this in math or science, but it works in all subjects. Kids may memorize sight words to speed up their reading mastery, but it’s learning to apply phonics and other reading skills that allows them to tackle any new word that comes their way.

Analysis is the real leap into advanced critical thinking for most kids. When we analyze something, we don’t take it at face value. Analysis requires us to find facts that stand up to inquiry, even if we don’t like what those facts might mean. We put aside personal feelings or beliefs and explore, examine, research, compare and contrast, draw correlations, organize, experiment, and so much more. We learn to identify primary sources for information, and check into the validity of those sources. Analysis is a skill successful adults must use every day, so it’s something we must help kids learn as early as possible.

Almost at the top of Bloom’s pyramid, evaluation skills let us synthesize all the information we’ve learned, understood, applied, and analyzed, and to use it to support our opinions and decisions. Now we can reflect on the data we’ve gathered and use it to make choices, cast votes, or offer informed opinions. We can evaluate the statements of others too, using these same skills. True evaluation requires us to put aside our own biases and accept that there may be other valid points of view, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

In the final phase, we use every one of those previous skills to create something new. This could be a proposal, an essay, a theory, a plan—anything a person assembles that’s unique.

Note: Bloom’s original taxonomy included “synthesis” as opposed to “create,” and it was located between “apply” and “evaluate.” When you synthesize, you put various parts of different ideas together to form a new whole. In 2001, a group of cognitive psychologists removed that term from the taxonomy , replacing it with “create,” but it’s part of the same concept.

How To Teach Critical Thinking

Using critical thinking in your own life is vital, but passing it along to the next generation is just as important. Be sure to focus on analyzing and evaluating, two multifaceted sets of skills that take lots and lots of practice. Start with these 10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical Thinkers . Then try these critical thinking activities and games. Finally, try to incorporate some of these 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students into your lessons. They’ll help your students develop the skills they need to navigate a world full of conflicting facts and provocative opinions.

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

This classic Sesame Street activity is terrific for introducing the ideas of classifying, sorting, and finding relationships. All you need are several different objects (or pictures of objects). Lay them out in front of students, and ask them to decide which one doesn’t belong to the group. Let them be creative: The answer they come up with might not be the one you envisioned, and that’s OK!

The Answer Is …

Post an “answer” and ask kids to come up with the question. For instance, if you’re reading the book Charlotte’s Web , the answer might be “Templeton.” Students could say, “Who helped save Wilbur even though he didn’t really like him?” or “What’s the name of the rat that lived in the barn?” Backwards thinking encourages creativity and requires a good understanding of the subject matter.

Forced Analogies

Practice making connections and seeing relationships with this fun game. Kids write four random words in the corners of a Frayer Model and one more in the middle. The challenge? To link the center word to one of the others by making an analogy. The more far out the analogies, the better!

Learn more: Forced Analogies at The Owl Teacher

Primary Sources

Tired of hearing “I found it on Wikipedia!” when you ask kids where they got their answer? It’s time to take a closer look at primary sources. Show students how to follow a fact back to its original source, whether online or in print. We’ve got 10 terrific American history–based primary source activities to try here.

Science Experiments

Hands-on science experiments and STEM challenges are a surefire way to engage students, and they involve all sorts of critical thinking skills. We’ve got hundreds of experiment ideas for all ages on our STEM pages , starting with 50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box .

Not the Answer

Multiple-choice questions can be a great way to work on critical thinking. Turn the questions into discussions, asking kids to eliminate wrong answers one by one. This gives them practice analyzing and evaluating, allowing them to make considered choices.

Learn more: Teaching in the Fast Lane

Correlation Tic-Tac-Toe

Here’s a fun way to work on correlation, which is a part of analysis. Show kids a 3 x 3 grid with nine pictures, and ask them to find a way to link three in a row together to get tic-tac-toe. For instance, in the pictures above, you might link together the cracked ground, the landslide, and the tsunami as things that might happen after an earthquake. Take things a step further and discuss the fact that there are other ways those things might have happened (a landslide can be caused by heavy rain, for instance), so correlation doesn’t necessarily prove causation.

Learn more: Critical Thinking Tic-Tac-Toe at The Owl Teacher

Inventions That Changed the World

Explore the chain of cause and effect with this fun thought exercise. Start it off by asking one student to name an invention they believe changed the world. Each student then follows by explaining an effect that invention had on the world and their own lives. Challenge each student to come up with something different.

Learn more: Teaching With a Mountain View

Critical Thinking Games

There are so many board games that help kids learn to question, analyze, examine, make judgments, and more. In fact, pretty much any game that doesn’t leave things entirely up to chance (Sorry, Candy Land) requires players to use critical thinking skills. See one teacher’s favorites at the link below.

Learn more: Miss DeCarbo

This is one of those classic critical thinking activities that really prepares kids for the real world. Assign a topic (or let them choose one). Then give kids time to do some research to find good sources that support their point of view. Finally, let the debate begin! Check out 100 Middle School Debate Topics , 100 High School Debate Topics , and 60 Funny Debate Topics for Kids of All Ages .

How do you teach critical thinking skills in your classroom? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out 38 simple ways to integrate social-emotional learning throughout the day ..

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Home » SEL Implementation » Developing Critical Thinking: Problem Solving Scenarios for Elementary Students

Developing Critical Thinking: Problem Solving Scenarios for Elementary Students

Key takeaways.

• Developing critical thinking skills in elementary students enhances their cognitive abilities, academic performance, and prepares them for future challenges.
• Problem-solving scenarios are effective tools for fostering critical thinking and can be categorized into everyday life, academic, and social scenarios.
• For successful implementation, scenarios should be relatable, age-appropriate, encourage open-ended thinking, and promote collaboration.
• Incorporating problem-solving scenarios into the curriculum improves students’ analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, empathy, and social skills.

Introduction: Developing Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving Scenarios for Elementary Students

In today’s post, we will explore the importance of developing critical thinking skills in elementary students and how problem-solving scenarios can be an effective tool for fostering these skills. As educators and parents, it is crucial to provide opportunities for children to think critically and solve problems independently. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Critical Thinking

Before we delve into problem-solving scenarios, let’s first understand what critical thinking is and why it is essential for elementary students. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make reasoned decisions. It involves skills such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Developing critical thinking skills in elementary students has numerous benefits. It enhances their cognitive abilities, improves academic performance, and prepares them for future challenges. Critical thinkers are more likely to excel in problem-solving tasks, communicate effectively, and exhibit creativity.

Problem Solving Scenarios for Elementary Students

Problem-solving scenarios are real-life or hypothetical situations that require students to think critically and come up with solutions. These scenarios provide a practical and engaging way for students to apply their critical thinking skills. By presenting them with challenging problems, we can encourage them to think deeply, analyze information, and make informed decisions.

When creating problem-solving scenarios, keep in mind the following tips:

• Make the scenarios relatable to students’ lives and experiences.
• Ensure the scenarios are age-appropriate and aligned with the curriculum.
• Encourage open-ended thinking by avoiding simple “yes” or “no” answers.
• Provide opportunities for collaboration and discussion among students.

Types of Problem-Solving Scenarios

Problem-solving scenarios can be categorized into three main types: everyday life scenarios, academic scenarios, and social scenarios. Let’s explore each type and discuss how they promote critical thinking in elementary students.

Everyday Life Scenarios

Everyday life scenarios are situations that students encounter in their daily lives. These scenarios can range from simple problems, such as deciding what to wear on a rainy day, to more complex issues, such as resolving conflicts with friends. By presenting students with everyday life scenarios, we can help them develop problem-solving skills that are applicable to real-life situations.

Here are a few examples of everyday life scenarios for elementary students:

• You are at the grocery store, and you realize you don’t have enough money to buy everything on your list. What do you do?
• Your friend is upset because someone in your class said something mean to them. How can you help your friend feel better?
• You are playing a game with your friends, and they want to change the rules. What should you do?

To encourage students to analyze and solve everyday problems, ask open-ended questions such as:

• What are the possible solutions to this problem?
• What are the consequences of each solution?
• Which solution do you think is the best, and why?

Academic Scenarios

Academic scenarios focus on challenges related to school subjects and learning. These scenarios help students apply critical thinking skills to academic tasks and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter. By engaging students in academic problem-solving, we can enhance their analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Here are a few examples of academic scenarios for elementary students:

• You are given a math problem that you don’t understand. How can you figure it out?
• You are reading a story, and there is a word you don’t know. What strategies can you use to figure out the meaning?
• You are working on a science experiment, and your results are different from what you expected. How can you troubleshoot the problem?

To guide students in applying critical thinking to academic challenges, encourage them to:

• Break down the problem into smaller parts.
• Identify relevant information and resources.
• Generate multiple possible solutions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of each solution.

Social Scenarios

Social scenarios involve situations that require students to navigate social interactions and relationships. These scenarios help students develop empathy, perspective-taking, and conflict resolution skills. By engaging students in social problem-solving, we can foster their emotional intelligence and promote positive social behaviors.

Here are a few examples of social scenarios for elementary students:

• You and your friend want to play with the same toy. How can you solve this problem without fighting?
• You see someone being left out during recess. What can you do to include them?
• Your classmate is being teased by another student. How can you support your classmate?

To teach students to navigate social situations using critical thinking, encourage them to:

• Consider the feelings and perspectives of others.
• Brainstorm possible solutions that are fair and respectful.
• Reflect on the consequences of their actions.
• Seek guidance from trusted adults when needed.

Implementing Problem-Solving Scenarios in the Classroom

Now that we understand the different types of problem-solving scenarios, let’s explore how we can effectively implement them in the classroom.

Integrating problem-solving scenarios into the curriculum can be done through various methods:

• Designing specific lessons or activities around problem-solving scenarios.
• Incorporating scenarios into existing subjects or projects.
• Using scenarios as prompts for class discussions or debates.

Strategies for facilitating student engagement and participation include:

• Encouraging collaboration and group work.
• Providing scaffolding and support as needed.
• Allowing for student choice and autonomy in problem-solving approaches.

Assessing and evaluating students’ critical thinking skills through scenarios can be done through:

• Observation and anecdotal notes.
• Student self-reflection and self-assessment.
• Performance-based assessments, such as presentations or projects.

Developing critical thinking skills in elementary students is crucial for their academic and personal growth. Problem-solving scenarios provide an effective and engaging way to foster these skills. By incorporating everyday life, academic, and social scenarios into the curriculum, we can help students develop the ability to think critically, solve problems independently, and make informed decisions.

I encourage educators and parents to incorporate problem-solving scenarios into their teaching and parenting practices. By nurturing critical thinking in elementary students, we are equipping them with lifelong skills that will benefit them in all areas of life.

How Can We Further Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in Elementary Students?

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Home » Tips for Teachers » Critical Thinking Strategies for Elementary Students: 7 Exercises and 5 Activities to Help

Critical Thinking Strategies for Elementary Students: 7 Exercises and 5 Activities to Help

Teaching students to think critically from an early age is essential. In order to excel in school and beyond, students need to learn and practice critical thinking skills.Being a critical thinker will aid students in making good decisions, both related to learning and to their personal lives. It will also be extremely helpful in helping them solve problems and overcome the various challenges that they are faced with.

As teachers, we always hear a lot about how important it is to help our students learn to think critically. What I’ve noticed, however, is that teachers don’t get enough support with the “how” of actually teaching their students to become critical thinkers.

I would like to help you learn more about what you can do to help impart these essential skills on your students. Continue reading, and I’ll share:

• Critical thinking games and activities you can play with your students →
• Why critical thinking is important →
• Critical thinking strategies for elementary student →
• Critical thinking exercises to use with elementary school students →

5 Critical Thinking Games and Activities

The games and activities shared below are great for helping your students develop and fine tune their critical thinking skills.

1. The Barometer

This activity can help students see that there are more than simply two opinions for any given topic. For this activity, come up with a list of semi-controversial issues appropriate for the grade you teach. Some examples include giving students no homework, setting limits on screen time, removing specials or recess, etc.

Then, label each side of the classroom with one of the two most extreme opinions related to the topic. Tell students that they need to place themselves on the continuum to designate where their opinion falls.In order for students to decide exactly where they should be standing, they’ll need to have discussions with other students to compare their opinions. This process will help expose them to the logic and reasoning that others are using to form their own opinions, even if they are different from those held by the student.

This could be an interesting lesson to record and reflect back on. You can discuss the different conversations students had with one another and how those conversations helped them decide where to stand.

2. Debating the Accuracy of a Globe vs a Map

This activity is ideal for older elementary school students studying geography. For the lesson, you can have students compare the relative sizes of Australia and Greenland on a map vs a globe. Then, discuss how one representation makes Greenland appear to be larger, and how the other makes Australia appear larger.

Encourage students to think about why this difference in representation may occur. Then, have a classroom debate about which geography tool is more accurate and why.You may want to project a world map using your document camera and have a few different globes available for students to examine.

This video shows a teacher leading his students through this critical thinking exercise. Watch it to see the lesson in action and see one teacher’s approach to using it with his students.

Do you think your students could benefit from this lesson? How do you see using it in your classroom?

3. Media Bias Scavenger Hunt

This activity can be especially beneficial in today’s world. Students will need to identify media bias in news stories and separate fact from fictionFor this activity, provide students with a few different news stories and hoaxes. Students will need to conduct research and determine which of the stories are real news and which are simply made-up hoaxes.

Encourage students to find at least two legitimate sources to back up the stories they classify as real news. After students have completed their work, you can have them share the sources they found to back up each true story on your interactive whiteboard.

This video shares more about this critical thinking activity. You can also learn more about a few additional activities you may want to try with your students.

4. Brain Teasers

Brain teasers are an excellent way to help students improve their critical thinking skills. In order to solve a brain teaser, students need to combine information from multiple sources, consider their background knowledge, and think outside of the box.

You can use this video with a brain teaser about a rooster laying an egg on the roof of a barn with your students. It sets up the scenario and even helps explain the correct solution and why such a ‘simple’ solution is overlooked by many.

Were you able to come up with the correct solution to the brain teaser? Or, did the misdirection with all the unnecessary key details take your focus off the fact that roosters can’t lay eggs?

5. Take a Side

For this activity, students will need to choose one of two sides representing opposing views to a question. For example, you can ask students to agree or disagree to a statement about a text they have read.Students should stand on one side of the room to show their opinion. Then, you can call on different students to share their reasoning for selecting whether they agreed or disagreed with the question.

After each student shares their rationale, provide an opportunity for students to switch to the other side of the room if they have changed their opinion.

Why Critical Thinking is Important

Critical thinking is important well beyond the school years. Students need to learn how to think critically and evaluate different options in order to make the right decision.Of course, these decisions could be related to academics, as with choosing the most logical answer to a question. However, critical thinking skills will also serve your students well as they grow older and need to decide about a future career, how to treat a friend, or even whether they should drink and drive.

Everyone has inherent biases. Teaching critical thinking to your students will allow them to identify these biases and try to focus on the facts of a situation. It also helps remove some of the emotions from a decision and allows students to clearly see the different points of views of others.Of course, part of your job as a teacher is to prepare your students for the real world and life after school. This includes helping them gain the skills they’ll need to be a successful candidate.

Monarch Elementary teachers have so many great ideas for inquiry instructional strategies and how that increases student engagement, rigor, and critical thinking! @voverman2 @markloach @MeganHoefe pic.twitter.com/z3AItMHnGQ — Katie Delloso (@Katie_Delloso) March 24, 2021

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Affordable - Easy to Use - Proven Effective Homeschool Curriculum

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We design critical thinking into ALL of our homeschool curriculum and supplemental educational products. This not only helps students transfer critical thinking skills to other areas of their lives, it improves the effectiveness of the lessons. Critical thinking requires deeper analysis of the lesson. Deeper analysis produces deeper understanding, resulting in greater engagement and retention of the lesson.

Testimonials from Homeschooling Parents:

Featured success stories & testimonials:.

"I especially like the way students get a deeper understanding of the words used and improve their thinking and writing skills." - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer (regarding Vocabulary Smarts)

"This product provides a challenging yet engaging means to assess necessary, basic word usage skills, and includes important, meaningful writing connections." - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer

"This product provides a challenging yet engaging means to assess necessary, basic word usage skills, and includes important, meaningful writing connections." - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer (regarding Complete The Picture Math)

"[The Complete The Picture Math] activities were a great way to practice reading and following directions while reviewing math concepts." - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer

"I've become a Critical Thinking convert. I tell everyone who asks that if I were starting all over from scratch I'd focus my whole curriculum on materials from The Critical Thinking Co.™. That may sound extreme, but I've seen [students] make phenomenal progress since I de-emphasized rote memorization." - Kathe, Educator, Marshall, MO

"[P]eople often ask me what to order from The Critical Thinking Co.™. I tell them, not even jokingly, that I can't help them. I'd advise them to order everything." - Melanie, Educator, Garland, TX

"The Critical Thinking Co.™ has uniquely captured the method of teaching students not only how to think logically, but to apply logic to the process of learning in every subject area. [M]any companies have begun to jump on the bandwagon and produce materials that use the critical thinking label, but the contents are the same old drill and practice, and our students know the difference right away." - Peggy, Educator, Tucson, AZ

"Your publications help to make significant learning happen for my students, and I have promoted your products in countless speeches and workshops I have given to teachers around the country. You have found ways to engage students in thinking and performance and the interactive approach is one I recommend highly and often." - Jeff, Professor of Education, Tampa, FL

"[This] company offers every imaginable means of teaching critical thinking to every student. I have found no other company that offers such specialized materials and that is so totally committed to such a difficult task in today's society." - Elizabeth, Educator, Richmond, VA

"My students really enjoyed the mental challenge that the problems posed them. The excitement that I saw coming from [their] faces as they worked cooperatively to solve problems was mind-boggling to me." - Leska, Educator, Charleston, WV

"We see great results in Thinking Skills from using your products. Your work has produced positive results and, I believe, higher test scores." - Luine, Educator, Baytown, TX

"I credit you in helping both my [students] and me to learn the thinking skills needed for success." - Michelle, Educator, Broad Run, VA

"The standard curriculums weren't working as well as I had hoped. The students were becoming impatient with all the repetition, but with these books, they've become eager to learn again." - Priscilla, Educator, Walpole, MA

"For 12 years, I've recommended your company to my teacher-training students. Your materials are exceptionally valuable to teachers. The Critical Thinking Co.™ not only produces quality materials, but your fine company is unusually responsive to needs and questions of the individual teacher as well as of the big school districts." - Dr. Leonard Martin, Teacher Education Program, University of Denver

"In my 17 years in the district, I haven't seen anything work the way [the Building Thinking Skills®] program did. The improvement was phenomenal, especially for our at-risk populations and second-language students. - Gayle Polk, Guidance Counselor, East Elem. School, Monroe, NC

"I have been teaching for 38 years. I started using Midwest Publication materials in the 1970's while working with gifted students. The critical thinking materials have provided a constant challenge for my students. The Mind Benders® were one of their favorite activities. I have continued to use your curriculum materials for more than 30 years. I have made it a point of sharing your critical thinking books with other teachers. Thank you for enhancing the minds of youngsters." - Dennis Schuman

"The books are easy to follow and allow kids to jump around... My son's teacher loved it, as well, saying the math concepts are age appropriate for him." - iParenting Media Reviewer

"I purchased Language Smarts, Mathematical Reasoning™, Visual Perceptual Skill Building®, and Dr. Dooriddles. My son is homeschooled in first grade and this is perfect for him. The Critical Thinking Co.™ products are a 'must-have' for any homeschooling family. Your child will be taught essential academic skills beyond rote memorization. Each activity encourages my child to use higher-level thinking and I see this overlap into his everyday problem solving skills. The Critical Thinking Co.™ truly does 'empower the mind!' I will be ordering from this company for years to come! Thank you again!" - Krista Bulger

"When my son is done with his schoolwork, he asks to do 'the fun books,' by which he means Building Thinking Skills®, Mind Benders®, and Red Herrings! What parents doesn't want to hear that?!" - Anne Ling, M.S. Ed.

"What a fun and family friendly way of making your brain grow. As a homeschooled family we're not always home so we keep Red Herring Mysteries in the car and everyone participates. The helpful guide at the beginning explains how to get the children to think in a deductive way rather than just guessing the answer, The answers at the back will surprise you. When the older children think they have the answers they then can ask leading questions until the younger ones get it as well. While it is probably meant for an overhead projector, the quality of the questions are well worth it. Time in the car melts away as the kids learn and laugh." - Joan Schleh, Mt. Vernon, WA

"My child really enjoyed learning math and being able to work on her art skills at the same time. What a great concept, especially with art being cut out of so many schools do to budget cuts." - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer (regarding Complete The Picture Math)

"I just wanted to let you know how grateful our family is for the resources you offer. Six months ago, our family adopted six children from Liberia, West Africa. The children are war orphans. They range in age from 8 to 16 years. There are many academic milestones that they have missed, although they are able to do much more than I expected. I was able to speak with Tim via customer service. He was so knowledgeable. (Most folks I speak with think Liberia is in Russia!) He was able to dialog with me and gave terrific advice. He recommended some products but was also able to offer practical suggestions on how to fill in the gaps for these children. I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have found real help. I have chased so many rabbit trails that led nowhere. My hope is renewed and my kids are excited! Thanks so much!" - Kaitlyn MacMillan

"This product [Mathematical Reasoning™] incorporates so many skills into one activity that it can be used across the curriculum. Not only are math strategies and skills taught, but it also helps with reading and deciding what is being asked. I love this product!" - Teachers' Choice Award Reviewer

"The most positive characteristic of these books are the higher order thinking skills that the content encourages. As an educator, I can appreciate that the skills involve multi-steps and hands-on manipulation." - iParenting Media Reviewer

"Parents who home school students will find the books extremely helpful when introducing mathematics skills and all NCTM concepts and strands. For the money, the books are excellent buys and worthy supplements to any early childhood student's education." - Maxine Pincott, Oliver Ellsworth School, Windsor, CT, Teaching Children Mathematics (NCTM)

"As a homeschooling mother of five, I wanted to thank you for such wonderful products. We have changed our homeschool curriculum to focus on your Critical Thinking Co.™ products--after spending a small fortune on materials that were watered down and not effective--and couldn't be happier. I wish we had found your products earlier. Our younger children that have used your full curriculum products since preschool are all performing above their age groups and loving the challenge of learning!Language is not my son's strong point, but by using Language Smarts™, he is writing complete sentences, recognizing grammatical errors, and learning Language Arts like never before. Mathematical Reasoning™ presents math in a way that makes it not only simple to learn, but also practical to apply to everyday circumstance --obviously making math more meaningful to him. I cannot brag enough on Building Thinking Skills® and how it starts students out at a young age with organizing thoughts, brainstorming, and categorizing, all of which are crucial as college students and adults but unfortunately these skills tend to be overlooked in other curriculums. Our whole family enjoys the riddles and brain teasers from Thinker Doodles and Dr. DooRiddles that fill our van with giggles and discussion on long trips. Thank you for such wonderful products! Three cheers for exceeding the status quo!!!" - Katherine David, MS

"Our school had a low rate of children qualifying for advanced math. I started using Math Ties with them, and we had over 10 students in one class qualify for 7th grade math as 5th graders! I know that the key was the higher level thinking required in Math Ties." - Cassandra, VA

"I have been using The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials for 17 years. Our 1st son is an honor student at the University, and our 2nd son, a senior in high school, just scored a perfect 800 on the critical reading section of the SAT. He says, 'After all of those Editor in Chief® books, how could I not do well, Mom!' Thanks The Critical Thinking Co.™." - Melissa, OK

"My four-year-old daughter and I began slowly working through [Mathematical Reasoning™] together this fall. I figured we'd do a little here and there to start building some pre-math and math skills before jumping into a real curriculum next year. Well, she fell in love with the book! She would beg to 'do math' everyday, and want to work on it for 30-40 minutes at a time. Her math skills are now blowing me away! After the section about dividing quantities in half, she started talking about halves all the time. And she even figured out what half of 3 was all on her own. She is now in a 1st grade math curriculum and breezing through it at age 4-1/2. [Mathematical Reasoning™] really did what it promised — it built her mind up for future math experiences. Thanks so much for a great product!" - Katie, MO

"Our family loves your Mathematical Reasoning™ series. My son will be completing Level C by the end of this school year. As a former public school teacher and now a home school mom, I have looked at many math curricula and yours is by far the best I have seen and used. I am so glad you are continuing this series and can't wait to see the next book." - Park, TX

"I am a very experienced teacher and cognitive trainer. I own and direct a learning center and I have used the Building Thinking Skills® materials with my students. The success of developing the critical thinking skills is outstanding with these materials. One of my students was in the Special Education program for years; after working with the Building Thinking Skills® books he returned to grade level in seven months. I have worked with various brands of thinking skills materials, but The Critical Thinking Co.™ has the best on the market. I highly recommend these materials." - Claudette, Prescription for Success Learning Center, CO

"I am a certified teacher in math and history. My 13-yr-old niece and her friend homeschool with me, and I was looking for curriculum materials in language arts, since I had accumulated very little in that area. Thanks to a friend, I was introduced to your products, and we now use both the Word Roots series and the Editor in Chief® series. They now look forward to their grammar sessions, instead of dreading the boring drills in their previous books." - Jane, FL

"My sons have benefited tremendously from your products. Calvin (10) is in a gifted program and Jack (14) is in an advanced curriculum . They both score in the high 90th percentiles in all standardized tests. As a mom and a university professor I can't thank The Critical Thinking Co.™ enough." - Marinilka, WA

"When my daughter was 13, I began using the Editor in Chief® Series as part of our homeschool curriculum. She enjoyed the challenge of looking for errors even if at times she became frustrated that she missed a few. Only to go back and look harder until she found them! These skills have helped her be able to express her thoughts well throughout high school and college. She, now 20, was approached by the dean of students at her university and asked if she would be interested in being the senior editor for the school newspaper! She immediately jumped at the chance! This is a paid position complete with an office, a budget, photographers, writers, layouts, printers, etc. She now has truly become an 'Editor in Chief.' Thank you!" - Lisa-Jean, NJ

"My daughter, age 14, has PDD/Autism. Also, she has an accompanying non-verbal learning disorder (this doesn't mean she doesn't talk; it means that she has trouble interpreting body language and other non-verbal information). Something she has always struggled with has been visual problem solving. We have been using The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials since she was small, as they were the only materials that broke down tasks into small enough chunks for her. As she has grown older, we have also been using the software, most recently the new Building Thinking Skills® software. The Mind Benders® software also presented many challenging visual-puzzle activities, and we have used all of the Math and Reading Detective® software to help her fine-tune her critical thinking skills in the content areas. When she was 12, I purchased the Lexia Cross Trainer software. It was hugely expensive, and helpful, but The Critical Thinking Co.™ activities were just as useful and more varied to hold her interest, and much more reasonably priced.The materials haven't 'cured' my daughter, of course, but they have helped her stick with practicing her skills even when it is difficult. She 'asks' to play the second Building Thinking Skills® software nearly every day. Thank you!" - Sandy, MD

"When my two children were 8 and 6, they completed Building Thinking Skills® Level 1 in just a few months. Every day they begged to do 'the thinking book' first, and never wanted to stop after just a couple of pages. Many days they went on and on until I had to make them quit to do something else. My son jumped three grade levels that year in reading comprehension, and my daughter experienced major breakthroughs in her understanding of math concepts. Coincidence? I don't think so! This year we jumped back in to Building Thinking Skills® Level 2. They are now 10 and 8, and the interest level hasn't waned at all. I just love curriculum that the kids can't wait to do and that is obviously so good for their ability to think and process information. Thanks so much for such fun products!" - Cindy, OH

"My daughter is 8, and we had tried several math programs usually stopping in the school year several times to find one that 'clicks.' Some of the programs left her in tears when I would say, 'ok, it's time for math.' She would say they were just too boring. It was the same thing over and over again. After visiting a curriculum fair one year, I had tried a Mind Benders® book because she likes a challenge. She loved it right away. She says each one is different, and it is fun to try and figure them out. So I decided to try Mathematical Reasoning™ Level B. I was not disappointed. She is quite happy with it. They also have different types of math problems, not just the same thing over again. They lay the ground work for higher learning in an easy and fun way. Thanks so much, I am looking forward to trying other products." - Joanne, FL

"Our eleven-year old son has learning disabilities. He struggles to read. He struggles to retain information from day to day. In early January/09, Cat 3 testing rated his reading score as 2.3, his language arts as 2.4, and his math as 3.6. We and he were amazed and totally pleased when his scores in late March were 4.2 for reading, 4.3 for language arts, and 4.9 for math. We wish to thank The Critical Thinking Co.™ for their terrific products which allowed this improvement to happen. These are the products we used: 1. Building Thinking Skills® Primary 2. Building Thinking Skills® Level 1 3. Mind Benders® Book 24. Mind Benders® A1(first half)5. Memory Challenge! Software6. Think Analogies® A1These products have greatly improved our son's academic abilities with only 5-10 minutes per day, per book, and doing two books per day. Next week, our son will be advancing into another new level of readers and will have completed 1/3 of grade 5 math. We will continue to use your products every step of the way. Thanks, The Critical Thinking Co.™" - Valerie, Saskatchewan, Canada

"As a former elementary teacher, and presently a homeschooling mom, I highly recommend Building Thinking Skills®. My daughter is gifted with strong language art skills, but had confidence issues in math matters. I began using Building Thinking Skills® Level 1 in her third grade year as a way to strengthen her critical thinking skills and build her confidence. It only took about 10 minutes of our school day, and she usually completed 2 pages within that time, except when she wanted to keep on working! (You know a product is a success when the students don't want to put it down!) Both her confidence and reasoning skills improved, and along with those, her standardized test score made an amazing leap. As I was choosing curriculum for her fourth grade year, she ASKED to use Level 2. I know I had a big smile on my face as I said 'Of course, you can!' She is now just a few days away from completing Building Thinking Skills® Level 2. We are both very pleased with your products, and are currently poring over your catalogue, enthusiastically choosing more products for next year!" - Amy, TX

"I teach children that have been identified gifted. Your catalog is one of the few that I order from year after year. Wanting to increase vocabulary I decided to purchase Word Roots. It is everything I was searching for and more. It goes beyond 'spelling tests' and teaches students to decipher words based upon prefixes, suffixes, and roots. The focus is on meaning which in turn increases comprehension. My students enjoy watching the buildings appear when they reach 90% mastery. I seldom hear complaints when having to redo activities because of the technology used. This year I had several students so successful that I had to order Level B. I teach fifth grade. Keep up the good work-you are right on target with gifted children." - Cecilia, NC

"I recently purchased the Mathematical Reasoning™ Beginning 1 book for my son who just turned 3 years old. He absolutely loves it! The first day we looked at the book, he completed the first 13 pages and can now recognize when a set has 3 members just by looking at the picture! I love that the instructions are so simple and understandable; it really keeps him engaged. As a math instructor, I am so happy that it looks like I may have a math-brain in my family after all! He asks to do his math schoolwork every day!" - Janelle, LA

"My son hated math. I was using two different popular programs and he didn't like either. It didn't matter if he had manipulatives or a fun, colorful workbook. I saw your curriculum and gave it a try. Wow! What a great fit for my son. He is a child who learns best when analyzing information. Your Mathematical Reasoning™ curriculum gave him a way to learn math that made sense to him. Thank you!" - Amy, Ontario, Canada

"Making the decision to homeschool my son was scary business. Although I had a post graduate degree I'd never taken the first class in education theory. A teacher recommended the Mind Benders® product and I quickly learned about all the other wonderful products offered by The Critical Thinking Co.™. I discovered that I had developed my own educational theories and one most dear to my heart was to encourage my son to think as opposed to memorize temporarily. We have used many of the products for math, reading and language arts, and enjoyed them all, but Mind Benders® remains my son's favorite. 'Please, Mom, can't I do one more?' He asks every time we complete a problem. That truly brings a smile to this homeschool mom's face!! Thank you, thank you to all the writers and illustrators who make these great learning tools that are so much fun." - Elizabeth, TX

"Think-A-Minutes has really allowed me to pinpoint my children's strengths and weaknesses. My second-grade son most often asks for help on pages that contain verbal skills. My fourth-grade daughter most often asks for help on visual/ figural skills. This information has allowed me to fine tune our curriculum. I ask for more math pages to be done of the second-grader and have added the Reading Detective® to stretch his verbal and comprehension skills. I have moved my verbally strong daughter up a level in comprehension and literature analysis as well as slowing down on geometry concepts to allow for more hands on and discussion time. Thank you, Think-a-Minutes for such a valuable and fun diagnostic tool." - Melody

"When my daughter turned 3, we began Mathematical Reasoning™ Beginning... and finished it in less than two months! I was very pleased on how 'advanced' it was towards the end of the book - much better than the workbooks you find at WalMart, for example. She enjoyed the color and pictures and learned a lot of new concepts that really put her at a higher level in math. Now she is starting regular kindergarten math and we already need to skip most of the material since she understood it from her Mathematical Reasoning™ book! I plan on purchasing more math books for next summer!!! Definitely a success for her! Thank you!" - Karin, NY

"I am writing in regards to my student Patrick and his amazing test results with the Reading Detective® B1. Last school year his test scores showed that he had difficulty and scored Low Average in a few particular areas in reading: identify text, locate information, evaluating validity and credibility, and responding to text. His mother found the Reading Detective® and began working with Patrick over the summer. In August, I began working with Patrick and saw how not only he really enjoyed reading the passages, but his skills were growing by leaps and bounds! In September, he did our district MAPs (Measure of Academic Progress) test and every skill he was Low Average on last year he was NOW High Average to High! I cannot be more thrilled with these results! I am recommending the Reading Detective® to all my families who struggle in these areas of reading!" - Aly, KS

"I wanted to let everyone know at The Critical Thinking Co.™ how much your products have helped my four year old daughter. We purchased the Building Thinking Skills® Beginning book back in the spring, and have been working through it. She has learned so much from that book. I'm amazed at how she has caught on and comprehended sequencing, classification, half and whole parts, analogies, and more. I could go on and on about how much I love this book! I think it has placed her ahead for kindergarten next fall. Thank you again for your products. I plan on purchasing more for kindergarten." - Ildephonse, MN

"My mom started me on Building Thinking Skills® when I was about 5. She used the figural book as a special reward for when I'd finished my other homework. During my first year of college at UC Berkeley, we had isometric drawings for an engineering class. Many people found this to be the most difficult part of the course. I had been doing these exercises since kindergarten! I owe my A in that class to The Critical Thinking Co.™!" - Hillary, CA

"I just wanted to let all of you know at The Critical Thinking Co.™ how much your product has helped my 5-year-old daughter. We bought Mathmatical Reasoning™ Level A this summer. We are almost finished with it! Not because it's short and too easy. Far from it!! It is 250 pages of colorful, exciting activities. My daughter loves it! I have to limit the amount of pages she does each day or that is all she would do. She has learned so much! We both get excited when we turn the page just to see what comes next. Thank you for such a great product!" - Wanda & Maleigh, NC

"By using Reading Detective®, my daughter's reading comprehension test scores rose 20 percentile points over 2 years. Amazing! And we only did one book in that time and she has multiple learning disabilities!" - Monique, VA

"Everyone was amazed when my 11-year-old daughter saw a Rubik's Cube for the first time and immediately started working it. She had the first side completed in a flash! Our family thought she was brilliant, but I knew she had been happily developing her mind through Building Thinking Skills® since she was four. She is now finishing Level 2 and has a good head on her shoulders. Thank you for providing such wonderful materials!" - Jatina, OK

"A few weeks ago we introduced Building Thinking Skills® and Mathematical Reasoning™ to our almost three-year-old. He begs to do 'work' like his daddy, and so we finally gave in to some workbooks that would spiral the concepts in a logical order. We do about ten pages each day (he begs for more, though) and already we notice his confidence building with simple counting, line recognition, and problem solving. We are hooked and can't wait to try more books from your company as the pages captivate our son and teach him at the same time, all while he is feeling 'big' and confident in his knowledge. Thank you!" - Katie, MN

"I am a very proud grandma! My six-year-old grandson just loves your Math Detective® Beginning Software. He has even gotten 'in trouble' for sneaking over to 'play' on his computer after bedtime. How can you get mad at that?" - Anne, FL

"I teach 3-6 grade Gifted Math. Coming up with logical thinking for all grade levels is tough, but with the leveled Scratch Your Brain® Series, I can rely on Bell Works as a quick, fun, and challenging way to start each period. Many times, the students take the puzzles home to their parents and work on them together!" - Spencer, AZ

"Recently, we bought the Thinker Doodles Beginning book after having such great success with the Building Thinking Skills® and Mathematical Reasoning® books. Our son, three, has gone from not wanting to color or draw to begging for it each day. In the past, a blank coloring page was too much for him, and he would just sort crayons on top of the page and then call himself done. We were shocked since most kids love to color, and decided to try this book. The moment it arrived he was anxious to try it. We have been working with it daily and not only does he love finishing the pictures, he will actually sit and color the pages now once he completes the drawing! We are so pleased as parents to watch him finally explore his creative side, and take pride in his artwork! Definitely going to continue with this series!" - Katharyn, MN

"Our grade level uses the Dr. DooRiddles books to motivate our students to get ready to start the day. Students must have their backpacks put away, their pencils sharpened, etc. and be in their seats by a certain time in order to submit an answer to the riddle of the day. The responses go into a bucket and the teacher pulls one out-if the answer is correct, the student receives a prize. The teacher continues to pull names out until the correct answer is given. Students who are not seated and ready to start the day cannot participate. This has saved us valuable time because all of the students want a chance to decipher the riddle! As a bonus, we've had many students who have been inspired to write their own riddles for the class to solve" - Karen, TX

"My son is a struggling learner. He has a slight tendency toward dyslexia and he sometimes finds schoolwork frustrating and difficult. We have 2 other children who have grown up with The Critical Thinking Co.™, so we started our youngest on Thinker Doodles. It was his favorite part of the day! We then moved him to Mind Benders®, which helped him to think logically about what he reads. This has also helped him think before he reads words so that he can conquer his reading problems. It takes great concentration to see letters backwards and be able to recognize it and fix it before speaking.Now, we are working on the Building Thinking Skills® series. I have to say, without The Critical Thinking Co.™, my son would be behind on grade level. For many years, I used the Critical Thinking books and software to help my son prep for his standardized testing and for college prep tests. He has amazing grades! But now, I see the benefit of critical thinking for helping my youngest child organize what he sees and process it in his mind. His reading has improved tremendously since we began The Critical Thinking Co.™ products. And the best part of critical thinking is that it is always a favorite part of their school day. It will always be a part of our schedule." - Tammy, LA

"My mom bought our family Memory Challenge! Software a few months ago to play on the computer. Our whole family loves it. It has helped my dad & mom sharpen their memory and also me & my brother. It is fun to do together. We find ourselves laughing & enjoying ourselves, together. It has brought our family hours of enjoyment & helped us with our memory, especially the old folks! Ha!Ha!" - Maleigh, NC

"I have been very pleased to use your Reading Detective® and Math Detective® books in our homeschool this year. My daughter is an accelerated reader, and the Reading Detective® has really helped her learn to adjust her rate of speed, and to read for detail and analysis, as well as enjoyment. The reading selections include wonderful excerpts of children's literature, fiction, and non-fiction. I'm always pleased to hear my daughter giggle as she reads a humorous passage, or her excitement as she shares a newly found nugget of knowledge with me from that day's assignment--two more confirmations of reading comprehension! In regards to the Math Detective®, she has also had great success. The story or charts and graphs are engaging and challenging without being frustrating. The answers to questions and their proofs can be easily located with careful reading and observation. If I needed further "proof" of The Critical Thinking Co.™ product's success, her standardized test scores in both reading comprehension and math problem solving skills each increased by 20+ points this year. (And this only took 20 minutes of our time, two days a week. On alternating weeks we would either do Reading Detective® or Math Detective®.) Once my daughter reaches college and I head back to teach in the classroom, I'll be taking these wonderful resources with me!" - Amy, TX

"My son (10) is on the autism spectrum. He has a brilliant mind for facts and figures, but always struggled with his thought process. Mind Benders® and Building Thinking Skills® have given him solid direction in organizing his thoughts and following logical patterns. The progress my son has made in barely one year is incredible. No therapy or modification has come close to having such an impact in the 6 years since his diagnosis. There are no words to express how thankful we are for The Critical Thinking Co.™" - Carrie, PA

"The other day my son and I were having a discussion and in the middle of it, he pointed out something we have been talking about from our Critical Thinking text. He said, 'Remember what we talked about in Critical Thinking? Two people can have different meanings for the same word.' I love seeing him become a better thinker!" - Amy, AZ

"I have used The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials long before they were Critical Thinking - the company before. I began a system-wide program for the gifted, MERIT, and still use the materials today, as I teach in a school that is a result of my original program back in the l980s. Just ordered Daily Mind Builders™ because achieving value-added scores on standardized tests (Terra Nova) is most difficult with gifted children who score high anyway. I use The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials to reach my highest children as well as my "double exceptional" children - gifted and autistic. They work! And have worked for years and years. Bravo!" - Cynthia, TN

"My five-year-old daughter and I have become superhero 'Math Girls.' We set aside a few minutes several times a week to work on your Mathematical Reasoning™ books. She loves the books and begs me for more "Math Girls!" She calls it our "special time!" She is so proud that she is entering kindergarten in the fall and has completed the entire kindergarten math curriculum. We have just started on the first grade Mathematical Reasoning™ book. She loves mathematics so much because of the fun activities in the books! Thanks!" - Linda, NJ

"As a third grade teacher, I loved the Reading Detective® software. I had 5 computers in my room, and if students made 100 on our practice TAKS test, they were allowed to "play" Reading Detective® while the others had to go over their mistakes on the paper with me. Everyone's goal was to make 100 so they could do Reading Detective®." - Nita, TX

"We tried Word Benders™ in our workbox from our homeschool group recommendation. Oh my gosh....my child loved them. Never seen her have such fun trying to figure them out. I am definitely gonna make this part of our curriculum now." - Renee, TN

"It's been raining ALL day today, but that did not stop us from going outside to drop our shampoo bottles filled with different quantities of sand from a height! (Activity 43 "Falling Bodies-Does Weight Make a Difference" from Developing Critical Thinking Through Science Book 2.) I am SO impressed with this material! I wish I'd had it sooner. Preparation time is minimal and what's required is very reasonable and achievable. The activities invariably lead to more discussion and practical application of the principles demonstrated. It's not just my 15- and 11-year-olds who are learning. I am, too!! I am SO, SO impressed!!!!! We love it!!!" - Jenny, Australia

"We homeschool our children and our oldest daughter (16) is taking dual-credit classes at our local community college. She was in an English class and the teacher asked the class about a meaning of a word and under her breath she was breaking it down like her Word Roots program would have her do. The professor overheard her and asked her what she was saying and she told him she had studied words and she was using the root word to figure out the word. The class was impressed along with the professor. She came home and told us and the other children who made sure to use the program the rest of the semester." - Debbie, IL

"I have purchased numerous amounts of your software down through the years and I have found them to be engaging for the students that I teach. I am a remedial teacher, and the students that I have, had been very successful using some of the following products: Math Detective®, Memory Challenge!,and the Think Analogy™ Puzzles." - Julia, TX

"I home school my two children, ages 7 and 12, and have added Balance Benders™ and Mind Benders® to our curriculum this year. I entered our kitchen the other day, only to find my children in a heated debate, hands waving, pointing, heads shaking. They were working on a Balance Benders™ challenge and were flustered about finding the third correct answer. Finally, after I joyfully watched the scene for a few moments, my son (age 7) said, 'Hey Mom, we found a mistake. This one <pointing> would work, except the square is completely black. It should only be gray and cut in half like the one up here. You should call the company.' So, I did; and they were right. My children had used logic and reasoning, exactly the skills these puzzle challenges develop, to discover the mistake. The best part is, they were confident enough in their decision to question the authority of the book. Can you hear me cheering now?My children love these 'Bender' books; in fact, I would not be exaggerating if I said they were addicted to them. I sincerely thank you for a product that makes what can be extremely difficult skills to master an absolute blast for my children.On a side note, I would like to mention that I am a doctoral candidate in education at Northeastern University, and have recommended these products to peers and colleagues as the best of the best." - Joan, MA

"Just this evening my second-grade son mentioned something was the hardest question ever, and being the typical aggravating older child, my other son said, 'Multiplication is harder; what's 9X4?' I gently said to the younger, 'You don't have to know the answer. Just tell us what 9X4 means.' To which my brilliant mental mathematician shocked us all when he replied, 'Well, what's 40-4?'" - Nicole, NM

"Although my son is quite bright, home school time was a nightmare. He knew how to do what I was asking, but refused to do the work. Then, I switched all of his curriculum to The Critical Thinking Co.™. THIS YEAR IS GREAT!!! He can't wait for school to begin and often wants to do extra work. He loves the challenge that The Critical Thinking Co.™ curriculum provides. He will often let out a huge sigh at the end of our school day and rub his head. Thank you for providing great products for great thinkers!" - Maggie, GA

"Oh, no...not vocabulary again. As a homeschool mom and parent who tries to carefully craft curriculum, vocabulary was not a favorite...UNTIL we found The Critical Thinking Co.'s™ Word Roots workbooks. My son is now looking forward to vocabulary, and even inventing his own words based on roots he has studied. His spelling, also, has been improving because this text breaks down roots, prefixes and suffixes so my son is breaking down words to formulate the correct spelling. We are very happy to have found this product." - Carol, MD

"I have purchased numerous amounts of your software through the years and I have found them to be engaging for the students that I teach. I am a remedial teacher and the students have been very successful using the following products: Math Detective®, Memory Challenge!, and ThinkAnalogy™ Puzzles." - Julia, TX

"My oldest son enjoyed math when he first started school, but soon became frustrated when he couldn't make the connection between the problems on the page and real life. I decided to try Mathematical Reasoning™ Level D because it looked as though it would bridge that gap. Two weeks into it, and my son wants to do more math each day than what I assign him! He is really enjoying working the problems because they now make sense." - Stephanie, TN

"We send our kids to the public school. While the school is great overall, there are some gaps we try to fill at home. Resources from The Critical Thinking Co.™ help us to do this easily, without being a drain to our kids." - Amy, MO

"I am a gifted intervention specialist in a rural public school. About 4 years ago my 7th-grade group read, Nothing But the Truth, by Avi. It is a novel which includes several different points of view. After my first group read it, the discussion did not go well. The students did not try to understand the different points of view of the main characters. The next year, I taught them critical thinking skills using Critical Thinking Book One from The Critical Thinking Co.™. This year, the students were able to have a great discussion as they were able to 'get' the points of view of others. I have continued to use these books." - Barb, OH

"I congratulate The Critical Thinking Co.™ on the superb job you do of preparing children to think in a fun way. Three years ago, my daughter was recommended for advanced placement testing, and my husband and I wanted to do everything possible for her to prepare her for the testing. I called The Critical Thinking Co.™ after doing some research and had an in-depth conversation with you about the materials you would advise us to use in a short amount of time. I found the books to be very helpful, and guided me beyond the in-home instruction I was able to piece together. I am pleased to say that Lauren placed in the advanced program, and has benefited since then from the The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials! Thank you so much." - Leslie, PA

"In January of 2010, I went for a mammogram and came home with not great results. I sat my kids down to tell them the news and what type of cancer I had. Cystosarcoma phyllodes. My daughter blurted out, 'oh, that means it has a leaflike growth structure.' It was so great that she recognized the Greek root from the Word Roots books and that it helped them to understand exactly what was going on. As I went through my procedures, some of my registered nurses hadn't even heard of that type of tumor. Maybe they should use Word Roots as part of their continuing ed. courses." - Shannon, CO

"Using The Critical Thinking Co.™ books since our 7-year-old son was young has enabled him to understand mathematical concepts at an early age. Just 7 years old and he is starting 4th-grade math. Critical thinking skills have given him independence of thought. Thank you!" - Christine, MT

"Thank you The Critical Thinking Co.™. Because of you my daughter scored 98 percentile in the CogAT®. I knew she had potential, but as a first-time mom I didn't know how to challenge her; how to fulfill her needs. The books certainly helped her a lot and gave me a direction for taking appropriate steps. Thank you so much." - SP, TX

"We gave Thinker Doodles to our kids (a 6-year-old girl & a 5-year-old boy) for Christmas. They both love them!! You say it is the SMART Coloring Book. It is that & a whole lot more. It makes them think, but all they know is they are having fun! The books were very affordable & worth every penny. Thank you!" - Wanda, NC

"I use the Mind Benders® and Critical Thinking books a great deal. I used to be a full-time classroom teacher, and then moved into college (adjunct) faculty positions and part-time tutoring. The materials are applicable to all levels and classes--when I start class with a Mind Bender® the students jump right in and are excited about learning. I incorporate the critical thinking skills throughout all the curriculum, and immediately see the students' mathematical reasoning skills improve. It's great to have resources like your company provides, because they augment and supplement the textbook problems--generally, they are more interesting! Thank you for providing the materials!" - Marie, TN

"My 6th-grade homeschooled daughter completed Building Thinking Skills® Level 1 and 2 by the end of her 5th-grade year, so I decided to go ahead and try the Level 3 books her 6th-grade year, despite the suggested age of 7-12th grades. She has been very successful with the challenge, and thanks to consistent practice that these books provide, breezed through her ITBS® and CogAT® tests this month. We use the Level 3 Verbal book daily, one page a day, and the Level 3 Figural book only 3 days a week, one page a day. This schedule isn't overwhelming, and has taken us half-way through each of the books this year, and will allow her to finish them her 7th-grade year. She still looks forward to her 'Thinkers' time every day, and her test scores continue to show measurable improvement on a yearly basis. I have highly recommended this series to other parents, and will continue to do so once I return to teach in the public school classroom!" - Amy, TX

"We use The Critical Thinking Co.™ products as part of our homeschool curriculum. The Mathematical Reasoning™ book has been a wonderful tool. The instructions are easy enough for my kindergartner to read to himself. My son loves math now!" - Elisha, SD

"When my seven year-old daughter emerged from taking the SCAT, I asked her what helped her for the test. Without hesitation she replied: 'Think Analogies®.' Based on her SCAT results, she qualified for the Johns Hopkins CTY with high honors." - Kathleen, NJ

"My daughter was chosen for advanced academics, thanks to the books by The Critical Thinking Co.™. Every fortnight I log on to CriticalThinking.com to find more books for my kids and friends' kids. As a school teacher, critical thinking is a big help in my personal and professional life." - Samrudhi, VI

"We have 'clubs' at our school, and I have made a 'Girls Who Love Science' club. In this club we use the Critical Thinking books, Mind Benders®, and Red Herring Mysteries books. I also use the Red Herrings at the end of the class if we have 5 or 10 extra minutes. The kids love the questions. They try to finish early and remind me to do a Red Herring Mysteries activity." - Melissa, FL

"We have been using Critical Thinking products for three years with our now 7-year-old son. We love the concept of logic and thinking outside the box that critical thinking develops. We bring Mind Benders® and Dr. DooRiddles with us everywhere and enjoy doing them together as a family. I love the Language Smarts™ and Mathematical Reasoning™ curriculum. My son enjoys them very much and can follow the simple instructions with ease. Thanks to critical thinking, my son breezes through and scores high on his standardized and placement tests. Thank you so much for your wonderful material! I always recommend The Critical Thinking Co.™ when I am asked for recommendations." - Brenda, SC

"I am a teacher of the gifted and our primary goal is teaching our students critical thinking techniques. I find your products excellent resources." - Bonnie, GA

"I've used the Building Thinking Skills® sets for 3 of my children (grades 1st, 3rd, 5th) and it has helped immensely in preparing them for our state standardized testing, mandatory for all 3rd graders. My eldest not only passed the exam but received commended ratings. The Word Roots set of books also has helped my 5th grader in her current English class. When asked who had been exposed to Greek & Latin root words, she was ecstatic to be the only one in the class to know what was being introduced in class and has breezed through the subject. Thank you, I plan on using these and other materials for the rest of my children as they progress through school." - Gina, TX

"Brilliant! That is the only word that I could think to use for the mind expanding, creativity building, thinking skills enhancing software! Honestly, I have been homeschooling my two daughters for 5 years and it has taken me this long to find your products!! I am in love with the Editor in Chief®, Word Roots, Math Detective®, and Mind Benders® software. I have spent years trying to get my children to really understand mathematical concepts, this has done it! I can't wait to try Spider Island! Learning to proofread with Editor in Chief®, has made grammar so much easier and entertaining for them! It has been really hard to find good, quality software until now. I thank you for opening my eyes to your curriculum by sending me that first catalog." - Kristy, WA

"We have a 6-year-old boy with both expressive and receptive language disorder. We bought the Hands-On Thinking Skills book as a supplement to his math program. We can't believe what a difference it has made. He had a hard time following directions because he didn't understand in all subjects. Now we can explain it and then show him, as well. He is able to use the manipulatives to follow the directions and now his speech is improving, as well, because he now can see the manipulatives, move them, understands it, and is now verbalizing it. It has carried over and helped him in his current math program. Everyone has been telling us how much more he talks recently. This has only been in 2 months and only 82 pages in. We are excited about finishing the book and buying more." - Jennie, OH

"When my children were 10 and 13, I purchased your Word Roots A1 Software on a whim at a homeschool conference. I intended to use it to strengthen their vocabulary skills throughout the next year. I brought it home and they finished the program in two weeks. I promptly ordered A2 and B1. They finished both of those before the summer was over. My then 10 year old son is now 14, and he announced to me recently that he needed to review the programs. That decision is entirely of his own accord. His younger brother who is now ten requested only two things he really wants. Science Detective® and Math Detective®. We already have Editor in Chief®. My children highly recommend your products based on their own satisfaction." - Barbara, AZ

"My third, fourth, and fifth grade students just love discovering the 'rest of the story' in the Red Herring Mysteries, and I just love how it has taught them to think outside the box. The students now understand that one word can have several meanings. They beg to hear a Red Herring Mystery if we finish a lesson early." - Pamela, GA

"I was struggling with teaching algebra. The Balance Math™ books broke it down into bite size pieces. They finally got it! I like the color and space in the elementary books. I will definitely be buying more." - Twila, Homeschoolbuyersco-op.org Member

"I LOVE The Critical Thinking Co. - I've purchased several items from them in the past, and have NEVER been disappointed.  The materials are always top quality, well written, concise, and easy to use.  I've purchased both software and traditional books for my kids to learn logic, analogies, Latin roots, and critical thinking strategies.  Unlike some websites, the sample pages for TCTCo. always give you a clear example of what you'll get in your purchase, so there's never any doubt about the product you'll be receiving." - Tiff C., Homeschoolbuyersco-op.org Member

"I identified Reading Comprehension as a weakness in my 9 year old son when doing test prep for the Stanfords. I decided to have him work through Reading Detective® RX for a few months leading up to the test. At first he was getting most the questions wrong but after a while he started catching on. I just received his test scores and reading comprehension moved from a weakness to a strength. He scored in the 97th percentile." - Isha Youhas, VA

"I have used the Reading Detective® in my third grade classroom and love the way it is introduced so that my students must go back to text to verify their answer. Kids these days don't want to take the time to go back to text which the state tests require they do." - Debbie McDonald, Indiana

"Our oldest son is starting college this fall on a FULL RIDE academic scholarship! He was home schooled since kindergarten and we heavily used The Critical Thinking Co.™ products since the beginning. He scored in the top 2% in the nation on both the PSAT and SAT. I know it is because of all the critical thinking books we used over the years. Now our second son will be sitting for the PSAT this fall and he is already scoring in the top 1% on his practice tests!" - Sandy, ID

"For over 34 years I have taught gifted and high-achieving children and young adults. When I created MERIT, a program that pulled gifted students for one day a week, I used The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials exclusively. Mind Benders®, Critical Thinking, etc. Today I am retired and use your materials... especially for bright autistic students, and my 'twice exceptional' students. Without a doubt, your company's materials have helped me become one of Tennessee's two National Teachers' Hall of Fame inductees! I owe a lot to your wonderful and unique materials." - Cynthia, TN

"Love these books!! My 6 children have gone from being bored, disinterested students to excited happy learners. It is common for them to ask to do extra lessons instead of wanting to be done as soon as possible. Math is a new favorite subject!" - Sharon, WI

The Critical Thinking Co. carries our favorite critical thinking books.  We love the variety of books they offer which challenge my kids in a variety of ways.  Critical thinking is a favorite subject at our house and my kids look forward to the challenges that are provided in a fun way. I highly recommend them and the Co-op offers them at a good price. - Karri C., Homeschool Buyers Co-op Member

We consider your products to be the best on the market bar none. - Selwyn, New York

I have used critical thinking books with my daughter since she was 3 years old. I like Mathematical Reasoning and Language Smarts books very much because they encourage my child to think. These books are terrific. They are a great way for kids to use math and also think abstractly. My daughter found it fun. These books helped my daughter get accepted into an advanced math class. Thank you so much for creating these amazing books for children. - Maya, CA

"You wouldn't think something so fun could have such a profound effect on your thought process! Mind Benders® sharpen organizational and informational processing skills as well as strengthen reading skills." - Merrilee Defoe, Reviewer

"We didn't know that grammar could actually be fun until we received Editor in Chief®. My son would read a short passage, which also contained a picture and caption, and then he’d correct the passage by using the 'clues' on the right. It’s like detective work, which really appealed to my son." - Leah, Sunny Southwest U.S.

"Word Roots is everything I was searching for and more. It goes beyond spelling tests and teaches students to decipher words based upon prefixes, suffixes, and roots. The focus is on meaning, which in turn increases comprehension." - Cecilia, NC

"We did an experiment to see if Building Thinking Skills® would help students perform better on standardized and state tests. The improvement was remarkable. Test scores went up even after the first few months!" - Joel, Principal, NC

"The fun thing about Mathematical Reasoning™ is that every page is a little different. No rote facts or boredom here! Mix that in with a few game-like activities and lots of colors and pictures, and they had my kiddo hooked." - Michele, Virginia

"U.S. History Detective® is fabulous. You have to do more than just figure out the correct answer -- you have to give the sentence number(s) that best supports your answer. I love that. You have to read the text and support your conclusions." - Debra, CO

"I love the Language Smarts™ curriculum. My son enjoys it very much and can follow the simple instructions with ease. Thanks to The Critical Thinking Co.™, my son scores high on his standardized and placement tests." - Brenda, South Carolina

"Reading Detective® is the best reading comprehension teaching material I have found! I love that your material teaches the student HOW to comprehend, and how to look for the answers in the text. I love your evidence-seeking approach!" - Sarah, MO

"The wealth of game-like activities and colorful illustrations in Fun-Time Phonics!™ make it feel like play rather than work, allowing kids to enjoy themselves while acquiring the skills and confidence that lead to fluency." - Tillywig, Brain Child Award Review

"My children love Balance Benders™; in fact, I would not be exaggerating if I said they were addicted to them. I sincerely thank you for a product that makes what can be extremely difficult skills to master an absolute blast for my children." - Joan, Massachusetts

I've been using your publications since you were Midwest Publications in the 1970s and 1980s. I have used them with both gifted children and in the regular classroom as well. I am retired now but still work with gifted children on a regular basis. I still make use of many of your series and still have Mind Benders (orginally B1-3 and C1-3). They are every bit as wonderful now as they were back then. - Bob Eldridge, Old Tappan NJ

I just want to say, The Critical Thinking Co. is one of the best, highest-quality educational publishers to ever exist. Please do not EVER stop publishing these amazing materials. - Maya Evans, Ohio

I've purchased a number of TCTC products, and I'm highly pleased with each one! They offer creative, engaging materials that get my students thinking in new ways and develop their skills in reading, writing, math, and problem solving. I've spent countless hours in the past creating similar materials for my students, and I'm so thankful to have found The Critical Thinking Co! - Kerri Anderson, Kansas

This is our first year using The Critical Thinking Co. as a full Curriculum for our boys, ages 10, 9 and 6. We are beyond impressed. My boys have never been so happy to do school and it's almost daily they will tell me how much they love their books. They are thriving, loving school, loving all their books, asking for more books to be purchased. This curriculum is so impressive. The way the books are structured helps kids retain the information they are learning, sparks curiosity and its not boring, like some we have used in the past. I will never buy anything else. Thank you for creating a curriculum that kids of any age would find amazing. - Tina Hooker, CO

"Making the decision to homeschool my son was scary business. Although I had a post graduate degree I'd never taken the first class in education theory. A teacher recommended the Mind Benders® product and I quickly learned about all the other wonderful products offered by The Critical Thinking Company™. I discovered that I had developed my own educational theories and one most dear to my heart was to encourage my son to think as opposed to memorize temporarily. We have used many of the products for math, reading and language arts, and enjoyed them all, but Mind Benders® remains my son's favorite. "Please, Mom, Can't I do one more?" He asks every time we complete a problem. That truly brings a smile to this homeschool mom's face!! Thank you, thank you to all the writers and illustrators who make these great learning tools that are so much fun." - Elizabeth, TX

"When my children were 10 and 13, I purchased your Word Roots A1 software on a whim at a homeschool conference. I intended to use it to strengthen their vocabulary skills throughout the next year. I brought it home and they finished the program in two weeks. I promptly ordered A2 and B1. They finished both of those before the summer was over. My then 10 year old son is now 14, and he announced to me recently that he needed to review the programs. That decision is entirely of his own accord. His younger brother who is now ten requested only two things he really wants. Science Detective® and Math Detective®. We already have Editor in Chief®. My children highly recommend your products based on their own satisfaction." - Barbara, AZ

"We use The Critical Thinking Co.™ products as part of our homeschool curriculum. The Mathematical Reasoning™ book has been a wonderful tool. The instructions are easy enough for my kindergartner to read to himself. My son loves math now!" - Elisha, SD

"I recently ordered a few of your books as part of my 1st graders homeschooling curriculum and I am SO IMPRESSED that I just had to let you know. My son loves doing the work and it is really making a difference in his thought process. I could go on and on, I am just so happy to have found your company and look forward to a long relationship with you." - Krista, MD

"My 6th-grade homeschooled daughter completed Building Thinking Skills® Level 1 and 2 by the end of her 5th-grade year, so I decided to go ahead and try the Level 3 books her 6th-grade year, despite the suggested age of 7-12th grades. She has been very successful with the challenge, and thanks to consistent practice that these books provide, breezed through her ITBS and Cogat tests this month. We use the Level 3 Verbal book daily, one page a day, and the Level 3 Figural book only 3 days a week, one page a day. This schedule isn't overwhelming, and has taken us half-way through each of the books this year, and will allow her to finish them her 7th-grade year. She still looks forward to her 'Thinkers' time every day, and her test scores continue to show measurable improvement on a yearly basis. I have highly recommended this series to other parents, and will continue to do so once I return to teach in the public school classroom!" - Amy, TX

Resources for Homeschooling Parents

100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum The Well Trained Mind The Old Schoolhouse The LINK Homeschool Magazine Home-School.com Homeschool.com State Homeschool Associations

This resource list includes websites and companies that are not necessarily affiliated with or endorsed by The Critical Thinking Co.™

Homeschooling Articles & Advice

Are Your Kids Exceeding State And Federal Standards? Involved Parents Make A Big Difference Reading Critically Between The Lines Clever Ideas for Smart Summertime Fun! Parents: A Child's First & Best Resource For Learning Build Confidence And A Love Of Learning! Problem-Solving: What Skills Are Really Involved? Turn Game Time Into Brain Time Learning How To Learn: The Key To Success

• Our Mission

Grappling With Real-World Problems

Project-based learning can focus on real community issues to combine content and student interests.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is integrated at Two Rivers Public Charter School in Washington, DC, at every grade level—pre-K through eighth grade. Students are presented with a real-world problem, undertake a series of investigations, and create a product that they present to an authentic audience as part of the Expeditionary Learning (EL) Education framework. 

PBL enables the school to reach all learners. “There are multiple entry points,” explains Julia Tomasko, a fourth-grade teacher. “It’s easy to scaffold [PBL] for students who need more support, and the sky’s the limit for extensions.”

In Tomasko’s problem-based unit covering Jamestown, her class looked through primary resources like John Smith’s diary. They discussed representation and how all the primary resources are from the English settlers. Tomasko recalls one of her students asking, “‘Out of all the cultures in the world, which culture do you think needs to have its story told more and have its voice heard?’ I was blown away. That’s not typical fourth-grade thinking, but she was clearly thinking through these ideas in a deep way and wondering how [they] can apply to other things.”

How It's Done

1. Backwards plan. Jeff Heyck-Williams, the director of curriculum and instruction, believes that the perfect problem connects content, student interest, and an authentic context. To guide your planning, he suggests asking:

• What content and skills do my students need to learn?
• What would be proof of their understanding?
• In what contexts will they develop understanding?
• What are my students interested in?
• What are real problems that people in my field—ecology, biology, local history—grapple with that are related to the content I need to teach?
• What is the problem that I want my kids to solve?
• What product will my students create?

“Once you have those big pieces in place, you can start to plan: ‘What are the day-to-day things that I'm going to do to get them to face that problem and then move towards an ultimate solution?’” says Heyck-Williams.

2. Find a problem that’s relevant to your students’ interests and appropriate for their age. “Our youngest kids are working on problems that speak to things in their immediate environment,” explains Heyck-Williams, “but as kids move forward, they work with more philosophical problems outside of their direct community.”

First-grade students roamed school fields to investigate spiders. To discover the truth about spiders and help reduce people’s fear of them, each student created a scientific drawing of a spider and wrote a book exploring their characteristics, like eating mosquitos or bugs that harm people’s gardens. Fourth-grade students were asked how they could improve the quality of their local, polluted river. They created a website to teach kids how to take care of it. Eighth-grade students learned about gene editing, explored the ethics around it, and presented policy briefs to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (See 4 Tips on Teaching Problem Solving [From a Student] .)

3. Be flexible with the product. It’s good to have a product in mind that you can guide your students towards, like creating a book, website, or policy brief. If you want your students to create a website, you can introduce websites as great resources in prior lessons. But the product isn’t the learning goal. Solving the problem and understanding the content is. The product is just the avenue to get there. If your students are excited about another product idea, go with it. When planning, think about the variety of products that your students might come up with to solve the problem, suggests Tomasko. Plan for flexibility.

4. Some lessons will be a flop, and that’s OK. “You think that you’re guiding your kids towards a certain idea,” reflects Tomasko, “and not only do they not come up with that, but sometimes they don’t come up with anything.” When this happens, go back to the planning board and think about how you can reteach that content another way. (See 3 Ways Lesson Plans Flop—and How to Recover .)

5. Start small. “When we first started problem-based learning, it was important for people to see that they could do this in small ways,” says Jessica Wodatch, the executive director of Two Rivers Public Charter School. “It’s really about taking your daily routine and thinking, ‘Where could kids have input? Where could kids be asked to solve a problem?’”

Instead of giving your students directions for an in-class assignment, ask them what they should do. If your students are lining up and it’s noisy, tell them what’s not working and ask them how they can solve it. If you create a birthday chart every year, have your students create it.

“It doesn’t need to be a three-week unit. It can be a little part of your day,” says Wodatch. “Part of the shift is thinking, ‘What can I hand to them? What am I deciding for them that I don’t need to?’ It’s about giving them some of that decision-making power, authority, and choice, and that is where we start to see the problem-based learning live.”

6. Use KWI to help your students problem solve. K: What do your kids already know about the problem? W: What do they need to know in order to solve the problem? I: What ideas do your students have to solve the problem? “Even if your students are solving an open-ended math problem, they can think through: What do they know about the problem, what’s being asked, and what different ideas do they have to solve it? Then you can apply that same structure to a more long-term project like a learning expedition,” says Tomasko.

Allowing students to explore ideas and make mistakes is a key element of problem-based learning at Two Rivers Public Charter School. Wodatch explains, “We want kids getting in the practice of weighing information, grappling with difficult problems that don’t have clear answers, considering different points of view and data, asking for expert opinions, and ultimately coming up with the solution. Those are things that we all do every day of our lives, and we want our kids to do that.”

Two Rivers Public Charter School

Per pupil expenditures, free / reduced lunch, demographics:.

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Elementary School Curricula

Browse the fun, free courses and activities that invite you to explore computer science with your elementary school students.

Grades: K-5

Computer Science Fundamentals

Free set of elementary curricula that introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world.

Grades: 3-5

Computer Science Connections

Makes connections between learning computer science (CS) and other subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies.

Grades: 3-12

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Demystify artificial intelligence (AI) by learning how it's changing the ways we live, work, and learn.

Maker education takes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) a step further by inviting hands-on experience and collaboration into the classroom to help teach problem solving and critical thinking.

Grades: K-12

Hour of Code

One-hour tutorials in over 45 languages. No experience needed. Hour of Code activities are available for free year-round.

Explore all of our courses in the Curriculum Catalog

Please select your language

Why Logic and Critical Thinking Matter in the Homeschool

Yes, logic and critical thinking really do matter. A lot, in fact.

We all want children who can stop and think before they act, right? That takes logic and critical thinking. And, I bet at least one of your homeschooling goals is to raise a well-rounded child who can transition into successful adulthood. Well, that adult will need a healthy dose of logic and critical thinking ability.

Purposeful training in thinking skills can go such a long way in the now and later moments!

I received free curricula and compensation from The Critical Thinking Co. for my time spent writing this post. As always, my opinions are strictly my own and from the heart.

What are logic and critical thinking?

Logical thinking and critical thinking are very similar. In logic, a problem or situation is analyzed through pretty straightforward inductive and/or deductive reasoning in order to form a reasonable conclusion. (Picture a detective looking at the evidence.)

Critical thinking tends to be a little more subjective. A conclusion is reached after more than “just the facts” are considered. The inductive and deductive reasoning skills of logic are assessed with an open mind to consider other factors like observations and past experiences. (Picture a detective talking to witnesses and looking at the prior histories of a suspect.)

All of that sounds pretty hifalutin, but it’s really not. In fact, you can begin teaching these thinking skills as early as preschool!

Why do logic and critical thinking skills matter?

We all desire for our children to be able to think and act independently and reasoning skills are one of the keys to that independence. Whether we need our children to make good decisions with friends or simply finish an assignment without our help, arming them with thinking skills makes a huge difference.

The best part – when we offer our children a chance to practice these skills, they eventually become second nature. In other words, our children begin to simply figure things out and act on them clearly without too much serious thought.

I also love that logic and critical thinking naturally promote higher-order thinking skills. We should all strive to include higher-order thinking skills in everyday homeschooling. These specific skills take children from a basic level of remembering something to working with information by applying it, analyzing it, and creating new things. Deep, deep learning happens at these levels.

Where is my favorite place to find the curriculum?

For nearly 15 years now, I’ve used and loved materials from The Critical Thinking Co . They have so many resources targeted specifically toward logical thinking and critical thinking for all ages.

You can find curriculum for children as young as preschool all the way through high school! I particularly love their general logic and critical thinking materials, but you can even target certain subjects like math, language arts, science, social studies, and test prep skills.

We tend to include logic and critical thinking materials in our morning time rotation at least a couple of times a week. We’ve also been known to set regular math lessons aside for the day and just have fun with various types of puzzles and mysteries. I’ve even taught co-op classes using these resources and we often begin each of our STEM classes with at least one puzzle!

A Few of My Favorites

These are in no particular order or age/stage. Many of them are a part of a series and have multiple levels available. Once you click on a picture, you can search for other levels.

Let me know about your favorite logic and critical thinking curriculum in the comments!

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Featured Critical Thinking & Logic Resource

The Bluedorn family, longtime promoters of Christian classical education, encountered content problems in most critical thinking and logic resources. So the Bluedorn brothers, Nathaniel and Hans, put their heads together and came up with this excellent introduction to practical logic from their conservative Christian homeschoolers’ perspective.

Read full review for The Fallacy Detective

Popular Reviews: Critical Thinking & Logic

Note: Publishers, authors, and service providers never pay to be reviewed. They do provide free review copies or online access to programs for review purposes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guidelines Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."