critical thinking questions grade 8

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Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad Class 8 Sample Papers

Classic Section: Series Completion and Inserting the Missing Character; Analogy and Classification; Coding - Decoding; Blood Relations; Direction Sense Test; Logical Venn Diagrams; Alpha Numeric Sequence Puzzle, Number, Ranking and Time Sequence Test, Logical Sequence of Words, Alphabet Test; Mathematical Operations; Analytical Reasoning; Mirror Images and Water Images; Embedded Figures, Figure Formation, Figure Matrix, Construction of Squares, Grouping of Identical Figures; Paper Folding and Paper Cutting; Cubes and Dice; Dot Situation.

Scholar Section: Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Classic Section

Sample Papers of Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad for Class 8:

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Other Classes Sample Papers (Year 2024-2025)

• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 2
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 3
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 4
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 5
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 6
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 7
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 9
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 10
• UCTO Sample Papers for Class 11

Other Subjects Sample Papers (Year 2024-2025)

• UMO Sample Papers for Class 8
• UEO Sample Papers for Class 8
• USO Sample Papers for Class 8
• UCO Sample Papers for Class 8
• UGKO Sample Papers for Class 8
• UNRMO Sample Papers for Class 8

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85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens

Have you ever thought about using fun questions to practice critical thinking?

Students may need a little guidance to think their way through questions that lack straightforward answers.

But it is that process that is important!

How the Right Questions Encourage Critical Thinking

Every parent knows how natural it is for children to ask questions. 

It should be encouraged. After all, asking questions helps with critical thinking.

As they grow older, however, training them to answer questions can be equally beneficial.

Posing questions that encourage kids to analyze, compare, and evaluate information can help them develop their ability to think critically about tough topics in the future. 

Of course, critical thinking questions for kids need to be age-appropriate—even better if you can mix a little fun into it!

That’s what I hope to help you with today. I’ve organized the questions below into three different ages groups:

• Upper elementary
• Middle school
• High school 

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Upper Elementary

Students in upper elementary grades can be reluctant to put themselves out there, especially with answers that seem weird. 

In some cases, such hesitancy is actually fear of differing from their peers (and a barrier to critical thinking ). 

But that’s exactly why it’s important to practice answering ambiguous questions. 

We want our children to stand firm for their beliefs—not cave to peer pressure. 

Additionally, students may feel uneasy about answering serious questions, uncertain of tackling “big” problems. 

However, with careful use of creative questions for kids, it’s possible to engage even the most reluctant children in this age group. 

The idea is to simply get them interested in the conversation and questions asked.

If you have an especially reserved student, try starting with the funny critical thinking questions. 

Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. 

Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged.

With that said, here are some great questions to get you started:

1. Someone gives you a penguin. You can’t sell it or give it away. What do you do with it?

2. What would it be like if people could fly?

3. If animals could talk, what question would you ask? 

4. If you were ice cream, what kind would you be and why?

5. Do you want to travel back in time? If yes, how far back would you go? If no, why not?

6. What could you invent that would help your family? 

7. If you could stay up all night, what would you do?

8. What does the man on the moon do during the day?

9. What makes something weird or normal? 

10. Can you describe the tastes “salty” and “sweet” without using those words?

11. What does it feel like to ride a rollercoaster?

12. What makes a joke funny?

13. What two items would you take if you knew you would be stranded on an island and why?

14. Do you have a favorite way of laughing?

15. What noise makes you cringe and cover your ears? Why?

16. If you could be the parent for the day, what would you do?

17. If you could jump into your favorite movie and change the outcome, which one would you pick and why?

18. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

19. What makes a day “perfect”?

20. If you owned a store, what kind of products would you sell?

21. If your parents were your age, would you be friends with them?

22. Would you still like your favorite food if it tasted the same as always, but now had an awful smell?

23. What would you do if you forgot to put your shoes on before leaving home?

24. Who would you be if you were a cartoon character?

25. How many hot dogs do you think you could eat in one sitting?

26. If you could breathe under water, what would you explore?

27. At what age do you think you stop being a kid?

28. If you had springs in your legs, what would you be able to do?

29. Can you describe the color blue to someone if they’re blind?

Middle School

At this point, students start to acquire more complex skills and are able to form their own conclusions based on the information they’re given. 

However, we can’t expect deep philosophical debates with 12 and 13 year olds. 

That said, as parent-teachers, we can certainly begin using more challenging questions to help them examine and rationalize their thought processes. 

Browse the fun critical thinking questions below for students in this age range. 

You might be surprised to see how receptive middle school kids can be to such thought-provoking (yet still fun) questions .

30. What would happen if it really did rain cats and dogs?

31. What does it mean to be lucky?

32. If you woke up in the middle of a dream, where would you be?

33. Is it ever okay to lie? Why or why not?

34. If you were solely responsible for creating laws, what one law would you make?

35. What makes a person a good friend?

36. What do you think is the most important skill you can take into adulthood?

37. If you had to give up lunch or dinner, which would you choose? Why?

38. How much money would you need to be considered rich?

39. If you knew you wouldn’t get caught, would you cheat on a test?

40. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

41. What is your greatest strength? How is that an asset?

42. If you had an opportunity to visit the International Space Station, would you do it?

43. Is it better to keep the peace or speak your mind?

44. Imagine yourself as your favorite animal. How would you spend your day?

45. Would you be friends with someone who didn’t have the same values as you?

46. How much screen time do you think is too much?

47. Can you describe your favorite color without naming it?

48. If you suddenly became blind, would you see things differently?

49. Would you ever go skydiving?

50. Describe the time you were the happiest in your life. Why did this make you happy?

51. If you had a million dollars, what would you do?

52. If you had to move to a new city, would you change how you present yourself to others?

53. What do you need to do in order to be famous?

54. If you could rewrite the ending of your favorite book or movie, what changes would you make?

55. How would you tackle a huge goal?

56. How would you sell ice to an eskimo in Alaska successfully?

57. What makes you unique?

High School

Critical thinking takes on an entirely different role once students reach high school. 

At this age, they have a greater sense of right and wrong (and what makes things so) as well as a better understanding of the world’s challenges.

Guiding teens to delve deeper and contemplate such things is an important part of developing their reasoning and critical thinking skills. 

Whether it’s fun questions about hypothetical superpowers or tough critical thinking questions about life, older teens typically have what it takes to think their way to a logical conclusion . 

Of course, use your discernment as you choose discussion topics, but here are some questions to help get you started:

58. How can you avoid [common problem] in the future?

59. Do you think it’s okay to take a life in order to save 5, 10, 20 or more people?

60. If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

61. Is it better to give or receive a gift?

62. How important is it to be financially secure? Why?

63. If it was up to you, what one rule would you change in your family?

64. What would you do if a group of friends wanted to do something that you thought was a bad idea?

65. How do you know that something is a fact rather than an opinion?

66. What would it take to get you to change your mind?

67. What’s the most important thing in your life?

68. If money were of no concern, what job would you choose and why?

69. How do you know if you’re happy?

70. Do you think euthanasia is moral?

71. What is something you can do today that you weren’t able to do a year ago?

72. Is social media a good thing or not?

73. Is it right to keep animals in a zoo?

74. How does your attitude affect your abilities?

75. What would you do if you found out a friend was doing something dangerous?

76. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?

77. What will life on Earth look like in 50 years?

78. Which is more important, ending world hunger or global warming?

79. Is it a good idea to lower the voting age to 16? Why or why not?

80. If the electrical power went out today, how would you cook if using wood wasn’t an option?

81. If you could magically transport yourself to any other place, where would that be and why?

82. When should teenagers be able to stay out all night?

83. Does the number zero actually exist?

84. What defines a generous person?

85. Does an influential person influence everyone?

Feel free to print out these fun critical thinking questions and incorporate them into your homeschool week!

will your children recognize truth?

About the author.

Jordan Mitchell

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85 Critical Thinking Questions to Carefully Examine Any Information

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The ability to think critically will often determine your success in life.

Let’s face it. Every day, we are bombarded by news, social media updates, and an avalanche of information. If you take all of this at face value, it’s easy to be deceived, misled or ripped off.

That’s why it’s important to  develop a mindset that focuses on critical thinking . This is a skill that needs to be developed in the classroom. But it’s also a valuable life skill.

With that in mind, the following post will share 85 critical thinking questions you can use to increase your awareness about different problems by carefully examining available information. 

Let’s get started…

Table of Contents

What Are Critical Thinking Questions?

Critical thinking questions are inquiries that help you think rationally and clearly by understanding the link between different facts or ideas. These questions create a seemingly endless learning process that lets you critique, evaluate, and develop a depth of knowledge about a given subject. Moreover, you get to reinforce your viewpoints or see things in a new way.

We make decisions every day, whether at work or home. Adopting logical, rational, and practical approaches in addressing various issues requiring critical thinking is essential in decision-making. Therefore, before arriving at a decision, always ask yourself relevant questions and carefully analyze the matter’s pros and cons.

Critical Thinking Questions When in an Argument

When you make an argument using a critical thinking approach, you focus on justified claims that are valid and based on evidence. It helps one establish a strong argument.

• Do I disagree with the other person? Might the person I'm arguing with be misinformed on what they are saying?
• Would I be comfortable saying what I am telling him/her if I was in front of a group of people? 
• What would happen if I lose this argument? Is engaging in this argument worth my time and energy? How will I feel if I lose?
• Is there room for ambiguity or misinterpretation? Are we arguing because I didn't make my point explicit? Should I take my time to understand his school of thought?
• Do I need some rest before saying something? Am I arguing because of other reasons other than the issues at hand? Do I need to take some time and cool down?

• Is it more important that I’m right? Am I trying to ask to prove an unnecessary point?
• Is this argument inductive, deductive, or abductive? Is it a weak or strong argument that I need to engage in? Is it compelling or sound? 
• Is my opponent sincere? Given that they are wrong, are they willing to admit that they are wrong? Can they depend on available evidence, wherever it leads?
• Are my opponents only trying to shift their burden to me? What is the best way to prove them wrong without making them feel bad?
• Are the people I'm arguing with only interested in winning, or are they trying to pass some information across and help me discover the truth?

Critical Thinking Questions When Reading a Book 

When you read a book, you probably ask yourself many “why” questions. Why is this a problem? Why did the character say that? Why is this important? The most challenging part of reading a book is assessing the information you are reading. These questions can help.

• If I learn only two things from this book, what will they be? How will they help me? How will I apply them in my daily life?
• What message are the authors trying to pass across? Are they making suggestions or providing evidence for their arguments?
• Given that almost every book is about solving problems, what is the most prevalent issue that the author is trying to solve?
• What is the author’s writing style? What strategy or master plan does the author employ to convey his/her main ideas throughout the book?
• Do I have background information about the book’s topic? If so, how is what the author is saying different from what I already know?
• What didn’t I understand from the book? Should I re-read the book to understand everything the writer is trying to convey?
• Which sections of the book do I love the most, and why? Generally, do I like this book? Should I look for more books that are written by the same author?
• If I had a chance to meet this book’s author, what questions would I ask him/her? What would I tell the writer about the book? Is it a great book worth recommending to your friends and family members?
• Who are the main characters of the book? If there is only one main character, what overarching goal does the character accomplish?
• In what ways did the protagonist change from the start of the book to the end? What caused the changes? Was the protagonist reckless in some ways? Which ways?

Critical Thinking Questions to Spot a Scam

Asking questions when you feel that a fraud or a scam is being presented to you is a good way to stretch your critical thinking muscles. Are you being emailed or messaged by a stranger? Or maybe there are other red flags you are unsure about. If so, ask these questions.

• Does it seem to be too good to be true? Is this stranger pushy or trying to lure me into making a poor decision?
• When trying out online dating: Is my new “friend” professing strong feelings towards me although we’ve only interacted for a few hours?
• Why is a stranger calling me to ask about my Social Security Number (SSN), personal contact information, or bank details while claiming they are from the bank or a phone company? 
• When buying products online, why does the seller ask me to pay for goods using an insecure payment option like Bitcoin or money order?
• Does the email I have received have any spelling or grammatical errors? Is the language used overly formal or informal?
• If I do a quick search about the exact words of the email I received, does Google indicate it's a fraud or scam?
• Why should a stranger manipulate me using obvious questions like “Would you want to be rich or poor?” While they already know the answer?
• Is the email asking me to download an attachment? Or click a link to some insecure website? 
• Is the person trying to make me feel selfish or guilty for not sending them money, whether for a donation or buying a product? 
• Is the stranger portraying a sense of urgency and using pressure tactics? Are they telling me that their family member needs urgent medical attention?

Critical Thinking Questions About Your Life

It can also help to ask yourself a few critical thinking questions about your life. This way, you can gather basic information and uncover solutions to problems you might not have otherwise thought of.

• Where do I wish to be in a few years, probably two, three, or five years? What short-term and long-term goals should I set?
• What have I achieved so far from the time I set my previous goals? What should I be grateful for?
• Do I have any values that guide me in life? If so, what are these values? Am I always true to these values?
• Am I always worried about what people around me think? Can I act independently without the need to meet social expectations?
• What should people say about me at my funeral? Would they talk about how good I made them feel or how rich and flashy I was?
• If I wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, what would I have done? What if I didn't have any fear in me?
• If today was my last day, what extraordinary thing would I do? Can I do it right now?
• What should I do with the things that matter the most to me? 
• What things will make the greatest difference in my future life if I take action now?
• How should I react when I feel unwanted by the people I love the most? Should I tell them?

Critical Thinking Questions for a Debate or Discussion

When you are in the middle of a debate or discussion, you need to know that what you are saying is fact, have evidence to support your claim, and position yourself as an expert in what you are saying. Here are some critical thinking questions to ask when you are in a debate or discussion.

• Is there fairness in this discussion? Is the moderator supporting one side? Do they want to make one side look stupid or wrong? 
• What is the aim of this discussion? Is there a major problem that needs to be solved? If so, how can I help solve it?
• Who are the people affected by this discussion? If they were here, what would they say?
• Do my views on this discussion matter? If I raise my point, will I be redundant?
• What am I supposed to learn from this debate, and how can I use what I have learned in my daily life?
• Does the audience seem to be biased towards one side? Are they booing one side? What can I do even if it's our opponents being booed?
• Who are the discussion panel members? What views have they held about this kind of discussion or any other related discussions in the past?
• How can I make my point without being ambiguous? Before I speak, should I take down some notes to avoid any confusion during my speech?
• Am I ready to apologize if I make a mistake during the discussion? If so, what are the limits?
• What information does my team, or I need before this discussion? 

Critical Thinking Questions About Lying

Admitting when you are wrong, choosing not to cheat, and sharing constructive feedback are all ways to show your honesty. Here are some critical thinking skills to ask regarding lying.

• Will the lie hurt those I am telling, or will it help them? What if being honest might cause my friend unnecessary pain?
• Should I be the one telling this person a lie, or I let someone else do it? 
• Will I be the one hurt if I tell this lie? Will my friend feel I am a betrayer? Will it affect our friendship?
• Do they answer my questions in detail, or are they always trying to ignore and dodge the main problem?
• What if I ask these people the same question using different terms and wording? Will they give me the same response?
• Did the tone of my friend suddenly change after I asked him/her this question? Do they sound louder, faster, or slower compared to how they usually speak?
• Does this person have something to gain by lying to me? What is their motive?
• Does this person take a sudden pause or hesitate more than usual when responding to my question?
• When I look at these people's faces, do their facial expressions match what they say?
• Should I believe this person or not? What are my intuitions? Does it look like they are telling the truth?
• Do they blink like other days when I ask them questions? Are they always trying to avoid direct eye contact?
• Why do they seem uncomfortable when it’s just a normal conversation?  

Critical Thinking Questions When Presented With a Claim

Critical thinking is much more than just evaluating whether a claim is true or not. It also means a critical thinker reflects on what follows from true claims.

• What does this claim mean, and what are its implications? What if it's a false claim?
• Which of my morals, values, or beliefs do I have to give up to accept this claim?
• Do professionals in this field agree or disagree with the claim that has been made?
• Do they have evidence to back their claim? Which is the most robust evidence to support the claim?
• What argument can I come up with to refute this claim? Or what is the best view that can support this claim?
• Who is the primary source of the claim being made? Is the basis of the claim reliable?
• Is it a claim, or it's just an opinion?
• Is the claim likely to be 100% false, true, or partially true?
• Am I allowed to refute the claim and table my evidence, or is it one-sided?

Critical Thinking Interview Questions

Critical thinking skills are valuable in any industry or field and for almost all roles. During a job interview, you will be asked questions so the potential employer can assess your skills and see how you use logic. Your critical thinking ability is just one vital part that can play into your professional development.

• Is there a time you had to convince someone to use an alternate approach to solve a problem?
• Have you ever had to make a difficult decision quickly?
• How would you handle a situation where your supervisor handled something wrong or made a mistake?
• What is one of the most difficult decisions you have ever had to make at work?
• How would you solve a disagreement between coworkers when approaching a project?
• Can you describe a time when you anticipated a problem ahead of time and took the appropriate steps to stop the problem from becoming an issue?
• If you discover a cheaper way to do something or a better solution to a problem and try to explain it to your supervisor, but they don’t understand, what do you do?

Critical Thinking Questions for Kids

We can’t leave the kids out either. Critical thinking questions for kids get them thinking and talking. It also allows a parent to get to know their child better.

• How many grains of sand do you think are on the beach?
• What would happen if it stopped raining?
• Do you think there is life on other planets?
• Should children be able to set their own bedtimes?
• How would you describe what a tree looks like without saying green or leaves?
• Can you name five different emotions?
• Can you talk for five minutes without uttering “um?”

What Are the Basic Principles of Critical Thinking?

Your critical thinking skills involve gathering complete information, understanding and defining terms, questioning the methods by which we get facts, questioning the conclusions, and looking for hidden assumptions and biases.

Additionally, we can’t expect to find all of the answers, and we need to take the time to examine the big picture of it all.

Here are the basic principles:

• Disposition: Someone with critical thinking skills is often skeptical, open-minded, and practices fair-mindedness. They can look at different viewpoints and change positions if the evidence and reason lead them to do so.
• Criteria: In order to think critically, one must also apply criteria. Certain conditions must be met before someone believes in something. The information needs to be from credible sources.
• Argument: An argument is simply a statement or proposition that is shown with supporting evidence. When you use your critical thinking skills, you identify, evaluate, and construct your argument.
• Reasoning: With critical thinking comes reasoning. You must examine logical relationships among the statements being made.
• Point of View: Critical thinkers can see things from different perspectives and different points of view.

What Are Good Analysis Questions?

Analysis is a part of critical thinking that allows you to examine something carefully. Someone with analytical skills can examine the information presented, understand what that information means, and then properly explain that information to others. Analysis in critical thinking provides more clarity on the information you process.

When analyzing, you may ask yourself, “how do I know this,” how would I solve this problem,” and “why does it matter?”

Why Is Critical Thinking an Important Skill?

Critical thinking skills allow you to express thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in a better way. It also leads to improved communication while allowing others to understand you better. Critical thinking fosters creativity and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. This is a skill that can be applied to many different areas of your life.

For example, knowing the answers to critical thinking questions for a job interview will better prepare you for the interview. Many employers, during questioning, are likely to ask you critical thinking questions to assess if you have the ability to evaluate information effectively so you can make more informed decisions.

Final Thoughts on Critical Thinking Questions

Although it's common to get torn between making two or more choices, nobody wants to make the wrong decision. The only thing you can do to avoid this is use critical thinking questions to examine your situation. The answers to these questions will help you make informed decisions and help you comprehend crucial matters in your life. 

Want to learn more about critical thinking and decision-making using a real-life example? Here is  how Jeff Bezos uses critical thinking  to make some of the most challenging life decisions.

Finally, if you want to ask better questions, then watch this short, 20-minute course to learn how to have a great conversation with virtually anyone .

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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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30+ Awesome Career-Readiness Activities That Teach Soft Skills

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Using Questions to Foster Critical Thinking in Science (Grades 6-8)

This lesson plan outlines how students can use different questioning techniques to expose logical fallacies in science. Techniques include formulating clear and concise questions that are open-ended and allow for follow up.

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Free Printable Comprehension Questions Worksheets for 8th Grade

Comprehension Questions: Discover a vast collection of free printable worksheets for Grade 8 Reading & Writing teachers, aimed at enhancing students' understanding and skills in a fun and interactive way.

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Comprehension Questions worksheets for Grade 8 are an essential tool for teachers to help their students improve their reading and writing skills. These worksheets cover a wide range of topics and genres, ensuring that students are exposed to diverse materials and ideas. By incorporating reading comprehension strategies into these worksheets, teachers can effectively guide their students in understanding complex texts and developing critical thinking skills. Moreover, these Grade 8 worksheets also focus on enhancing vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, which are crucial for students to excel in their reading and writing abilities. In conclusion, Comprehension Questions worksheets for Grade 8 provide a comprehensive and engaging approach to improving students' literacy skills.

Quizizz, an online platform that offers interactive quizzes and games, is an excellent resource for teachers to supplement their Comprehension Questions worksheets for Grade 8. With Quizizz, teachers can create customized quizzes that align with the content of their worksheets, allowing students to practice their reading comprehension strategies in a fun and engaging way. In addition to quizzes, Quizizz also offers various other resources, such as flashcards and interactive presentations, which can be used to reinforce students' understanding of key concepts and vocabulary. Furthermore, Quizizz provides teachers with valuable insights into their students' progress, enabling them to identify areas where students may need additional support or practice. Overall, incorporating Quizizz into the classroom alongside Comprehension Questions worksheets for Grade 8 can greatly enhance students' reading and writing skills, while also keeping them motivated and engaged in their learning.

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20 Math Critical Thinking Questions to Ask in Class Tomorrow

• November 20, 2023

The level of apathy towards math is only increasing as each year passes and it’s up to us as teachers to make math class more meaningful . This list of math critical thinking questions will give you a quick starting point for getting your students to think deeper about any concept or problem. 

Since artificial intelligence has basically changed schooling as we once knew it, I’ve seen a lot of districts and teachers looking for ways to lean into AI rather than run from it.

The idea of memorizing formulas and regurgitating information for a test is becoming more obsolete. We can now teach our students how to use their resources to make educated decisions and solve more complex problems.

With that in mind, teachers have more opportunities to get their students thinking about the why rather than the how.

Table of Contents

Looking for more about critical thinking skills? Check out these blog posts:

• Why You Need to Be Teaching Writing in Math Class Today
• How to Teach Problem Solving for Mathematics
• Turn the Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs into Engaging Math Activities

What skills do we actually want to teach our students?

As professionals, we talk a lot about transferable skills that can be valuable in multiple jobs, such as leadership, event planning, or effective communication. The same can be said for high school students. 

It’s important to think about the skills that we want them to have before they are catapulted into the adult world. 

Do you want them to be able to collaborate and communicate effectively with their peers? Maybe you would prefer that they can articulate their thoughts in a way that makes sense to someone who knows nothing about the topic.

Whatever you decide are the most essential skills your students should learn, make sure to add them into your lesson objectives.

When should I ask these math critical thinking questions?

Critical thinking doesn’t have to be complex or fill an entire lesson. There are simple ways that you can start adding these types of questions into your lessons daily!

Start small

Add specific math critical thinking questions to your warm up or exit ticket routine. This is a great way to start or end your class because your students will be able to quickly show you what they understand. 

Asking deeper questions at the beginning of your class can end up leading to really great discussions and get your students talking about math.

Add critical thinking questions to word problems

Word problems and real-life applications are the perfect place to add in critical thinking questions. Real-world applications offer a more choose-your-own-adventure style assignment where your students can expand on their thought processes. 

They also allow your students to get creative and think outside of the box. These problem-solving skills play a critical role in helping your students develop critical thinking abilities.

Keep reading for math critical thinking questions that can be applied to any subject or topic!

When you want your students to defend their answers.

• Explain the steps you took to solve this problem
• How do you know that your answer is correct?
• Draw a diagram to prove your solution.
• Is there a different way to solve this problem besides the one you used?
• How would you explain _______________ to a student in the grade below you?
• Why does this strategy work?
• Use evidence from the problem/data to defend your answer in complete sentences.

When you want your students to justify their opinions

• What do you think will happen when ______?
• Do you agree/disagree with _______?
• What are the similarities and differences between ________ and __________?
• What suggestions would you give to this student?
• What is the most efficient way to solve this problem?
• How did you decide on your first step for solving this problem?

When you want your students to think outside of the box

• How can ______________ be used in the real world?
• What might be a common error that a student could make when solving this problem?
• How is _____________ topic similar to _______________ (previous topic)?
• What examples can you think of that would not work with this problem solving method?
• What would happen if __________ changed?
• Create your own problem that would give a solution of ______________.
• What other math skills did you need to use to solve this problem?

Let’s Recap:

• Rather than running from AI, help your students use it as a tool to expand their thinking.
• Identify a few transferable skills that you want your students to learn and make a goal for how you can help them develop these skills.
• Add critical thinking questions to your daily warm ups or exit tickets.
• Ask your students to explain their thinking when solving a word problem.
• Get a free sample of my Algebra 1 critical thinking questions ↓

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Critical Thinking Questions

Describe one of the reasons that made the garden pea an excellent choice of model system for studying inheritance.

Use a Punnett square to predict the offspring in a cross between a dwarf pea plant (homozygous recessive) and a tall pea plant (heterozygous). What is the phenotypic ratio of the offspring?

Use a Punnett square to predict the offspring in a cross between a tall pea plant (heterozygous) and a tall pea plant (heterozygous). What is the genotypic ratio of the offspring?

Can a male be a carrier of red-green color blindness?

Could an individual with blood type O (genotype ii ) be a legitimate child of parents in which one parent had blood type A and the other parent had blood type B?

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Mental Maths Worksheet for Class 8

Mental Maths worksheet for class 8 is a practice sheet designed to help students develop their mental arithmetic skills. The worksheet contains a series of math problems. The purpose of this worksheet is to enhance students' ability to perform quick calculations in their minds and increase their overall speed and accuracy in solving Math problems.

Mental Maths worksheet for class 8 is an excellent way to reinforce mathematical concepts learned in class, as well as help students develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This can also be used as a pre-assessment tool to gauge students' understanding of a particular topic before moving on to more advanced concepts.

Students can benefit greatly from regular practice of Mental Maths questions for class 8. Hence, we recommend students to practice following questions.

1. What is the equivalent fraction for 0.75?

a) 3/4 b) 4/3 c) 7/5 d) 5/7

Answer : a) 3/4

2. What is the value of the?      1, 4, 7, 10, 13

a) 16 b) 14 c) 15 d) 19

Answer : a) 16

3. What is the slope of the line y = 2x + 1?

a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 d) 5

Answer: a) 2

4. What is the formula for finding the volume of a cylinder?

a) πr 2 h b) πr 3 h c) πrh 2 d) πr 2 h 2

Answer : a) πr 2 h

5. What is the median of the following set of numbers: 3, 4, 7, 8, 9?

a) 6 b) 7 c) 8 d) 9

Answer : b) 7

6. What is the probability of rolling a 4 on a standard dice?

a) 1/6 b) 1/5 c) 1/4 d) 1/3

Answer : a) 1/6

7. What is the length of a rectangular room measuring 7 meters by 4 meters?

a) 11 meters b) 28 meters c) 31 meters d) 35 meters

Answer : b) 28 meters

8. What is the volume (capacity) of a rectangular prism with a length of 10 cm, a width of 5 cm, and a height of 2 cm?

a) 100 cm 3 b) 60 cm 3 c) 20 cm 3 d) 10 cm 3

Answer: a) 100 cm 3

9. What is the area of a triangle with a base of 8 cm and a height of 5 cm?

a) 20 cm 2 b) 40 cm 2 c) 30 cm 2 d) 50 cm 2

Answer : a) 20 cm 2

1. What is the volume (capacity) of a rectangular prism with a length of 10 cm, a width of 6 cm, and a height of 5 cm?

a) 120 cm³ b) 350 cm³ c) 300 cm³ d) 700 cm³

2. What is the area of a circle with a radius of 6 cm?

a) 113.1 cm² b) 36 cm² c) 72 cm² d) 28.26 cm²

3. What is the volume of a cylinder with a height of 8 cm and a radius of 4 cm?

a) 101.13 cm³ b) 402.12 cm³ c) 40.45 cm³ d) 80.90 cm³

4. Which of the following shapes is a sphere?

a) Cube b) Cylinder c) Rectangular prism d) Ball

5. How many sides does a triangle have?

a) 4 b) 5 c) 3 d) 6

6. What is the product of 5/6 and 4/5?

a) 1/3 b) 1/2 c) 4/5 d) 2/3

7. What is the sum of 4/5 and 2/5?

a) 6/5 b) 1/2 c) 3/5 d) 2/3

1.  c) 300 cm 3 2 . a) 113.1 cm² 3 . b) 402.12 cm³ 4 . d) Ball 5 . c) 3 6.  d) 2/3 7.  a) 6/5

Mental Maths Worksheet PDF for Class 8

Mental Maths worksheet PDF for class 8 is readily available to download and that too is free. This worksheet is a great way to practice and develop Mental Maths skills by practicing given questions daily. Also, answer key for the questions is provided.

This worksheet carries a structured approach which is particularly important for students who may find Mental Maths challenging, as it allows them to work through the exercises at their own pace. With the smooth accessibility, one can download the pdf for class 8 Mental Maths worksheet by the given link below:

Download PDF for Mental Maths Worksheet for Class 8

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CBSE Competency Based Questions for Class 8

Competency based questions for class 8.

CBSE Competency Based Questions for Class 8: Competency based education is the new approach of focusing on students’ overall development. CBSE board has included it in school exams and board exams according to the NCERT curriculum. CBQ emphasises more on what students do in their learning sessions than their learning expectations. It is mainly designed to increase students’ practical skills and competencies through basic learning. Students were limited to their textbook based learning and used to feel satisfied about their learning with exam scores. But time has changed which requires every students to be skilful for getting better opportunities in life. Class 8 Competency based, critical questions & creative questions learning aims to prepare students for their skill development purpose where they can easily understand their learning efficiency. In this article, competency based questions for class 8 will be discussed with all parts and its importance.

CBSE Class 8 Science Competency Based Questions chapter wise PDF

Cbse class 8 math competency based questions chapter wise pdf, format of competency based questions:.

Competency based questions are designed to assess students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills. CBQ covers 40% of the entire question in class 7 subject wise questions. Different parts of CBQ are multiple choice questions, case study based questions and source based intrigued questions. Students mainly asked about problems from real life scenarios and complicated situations. They have to think, analyse and solve the problems by their own practical learning and critical thinking skills. It is also scoring part for students where they can carry maximum marks in exams.

Importance of CBQ in learning:

CBQ based learning is a comprehensive approach to develop students practical learning skills and vocational skills along with basic education. Both teachers and students feel encouraged to get chances of learning new things every day. Students are often asked to prepare video assessments, digital graphs, and answer papers by their own. In this process, they get chances to learn adequate things for developing their practical based learning. Students get acquainted to new method of learning where they can meet their learning goals with changing environment be prepared for future career.

Class 8 Competency based, creative questions & critical questions are the method of evaluating students practical skills which they achieve through learning. Students should practice solving CBQ during their exam preparation. They will be given some real life situations in questions which they have to solve with their instant presence of mind, problem solving and critical thinking skills. The whole approach of CBQ will sharp students’ knowledge their expectations towards learning. They will feel more encouraged to get options of exploring their skills and talents through learning.

• Where will students find CBQ for class 8?

Answer. Students will easily find CBQ of class 8 in this article.

• What are the skills that are evaluated in CBQ?

Answer. Students practical skills like critical thinking, problem solving etc. are evaluated through CBQ.

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A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
• Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
• Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

• Why do I believe what I believe?
• Are my views based on evidence?
• Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
• Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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8.3.9: Critical Thinking Questions

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Compare and contrast food chains and food webs. What are the strengths of each concept in describing ecosystems?

Describe freshwater, ocean, and terrestrial ecosystems.

Compare grazing and detrital food webs. Why would they both be present in the same ecosystem?

How does the microcosm modeling approach differ from utilizing a holistic model for ecological research?

How do conceptual and analytical models of ecosystems complement each other?

Compare the three types of ecological pyramids and how well they describe ecosystem structure. Identify which ones can be inverted and give an example of an inverted pyramid for each.

How does the amount of food a warm-blooded animal (endotherm) eats relate to its net production efficiency (NPE)?

A study uses an inverted pyramid to demonstrate the relationship between sharks, their aquatic prey, and phytoplankton in an ocean region. What type of pyramid must be used? What does this convey to readers about predation in the area?

Describe what a pyramid of numbers would like if an ecologist models the relationship between bird parasites, blue jays, and oak trees in a hectare. Does this match the energy flow pyramid?

Describe nitrogen fixation and why it is important to agriculture.

What are the factors that cause dead zones? Describe eutrophication, in particular, as a cause.

Why are drinking water supplies still a major concern for many countries?

Discuss how the human disruption of the carbon cycle has caused ocean acidification.

Crop Production and Management Class 8 Important Questions and Answers

Important questions of Class 8 Science Chapter 1 Crop Production and Management is given below. These important questions will help students while preparing for the exam.  Practising these important questions will analyse their performance and work on their weak points. Score well in exam of Class 8 Science by going through these important questions. Students of Class 8 can download important questions of Class 8 Science Chapter 1 Crop Production and Management PDF by clicking the link provided below.

Important Questions of Class 8 Science Chapter 1 Crop Production and Management

Here you can get  Class 8 Important Questions Science  based on NCERT Text book for Class 8.  Science Class 8 Important Questions  are very helpful to score high marks in board exams. Here we have covered Important Questions on  Crop Production and Management  for Class 8 Science subject.

Very Short Answer Questions

1. How green plants synthesize their own food? Answer:  Green plants synthesize their own food by the process of photosynthesis.

2. Where do animals get their own food? Answer:  Animals get their food from plants and other animals.

3. What do you mean by crop? Answer:  When plants of same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called crop.

4. Name two broad cropping patterns. Answer:   (a)  Kharif crops (b)  Rabi crops

5. Mention the names of two kharif crops. Answer: (a)  Paddy crops (b)  Maize crops

6. Write the names of two rabi crops. Answer:  (a)  Wheat crops (b)  Gram crops

7. What are agricultural practices? Answer:  The various steps to grow crops and storage of grains are collectively known as agricultural practices.

8. What do you mean by the tilling or ploughing? Answer:  The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing.

9. What is plough? Answer:  The device used for tilling or ploughing is called plough.

10. Name two materials used to make a plough. Answer:  Wood and iron.

11. What are crumbs? Answer:  The big pieces of soil are called crumbs.

12. Name some tools used in agriculture. Answer:  Plough, hoe, cultivator.

13. Write two uses of plough. Answer:  (a)  It is used for tilling of soil. (b)  It is used to remove the weeds.

14. Write two uses of hoe. Answer: (a)  It is used to remove the weeds. (b)  It is used to loosen the soil.

15. What is traditional tool used for sowing? Answer:  The tool used traditionally for sowing is funnel-shaped tool.

16. What is manure? Answer:  Manure is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant and animal wastes.

17. What do you mean by manuring? Answer:  The process of providing manure to replenish the soil with nutrients is called manuring.

18. What are fertilisers? Answer:  Fertilisers are the chemical substances which are rich in a particular nutrient.

19. Which is better to use manure or the fertilizers? Answer:  Manure is better than the fertilizers.

20. What do you mean by the term irrigation? Answer:  The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation.

21. Is the time and frequency of irrigation same for all the crops? Answer:  The time and frequency of irrigation varies from crop to crop.

22. Write some sources of irrigation. Answer:  Wells, tubewells, ponds, rivers and canals are the main sources of irrigation.

23. Mention traditional methods of irrigation. Answer: (a)  Moat (b)  Chain pump (c)  Dhekli (d)  Rahat.

24. What is the use of pumps? Answer:  Pumps are commonly used for lifting water.

25. What are the modern methods of irrigation? Answer: (a)  Sprinkler system (b)  Drip system.

26. What are weeds? Answer:  The unwanted plants growing naturally with the main crop are called weeds.

27. What is weeding? Answer:  The process of removal of weeds is called weeding.

28. What are weedicides? Answer:  The chemical substances which are used to control the weeds are called weedicides.

29. Name a weedicide which is commonly used by the farmers. Answer:  The weedicides commonly used by the farmers are 2, 4 D.

30. Define harvesting. Answer:  The cutting of crop after it is mature is called harvesting.

31. What is threshing? Answer:  The process by which grains are separated from the chaff is called threshing.

32. Name a machine which is combined harvester and thresher. Answer:  Combine.

33. What is winnowing? Answer:  It is a process of separation of grain and chaff.

34. Name some harvest festivals. Answer:  Pongal, Baishakhi, Nabanya, and Bihu are some harvest festivals.

35. What do you mean by storage? Answer:  The process to keep grains for a longer time by saving them from moisture, insects, rats and microorganisms is called storage.

36. Why is it necessary to dry grains before storage? Answer:  The grains are properly dried in the sun to reduce the moisture in them. This prevents the attack by insects, pests, fungi and bacteria.

37. Name two devices which are used to store grains at large scale. Answer: (a)  Silos (b)  Granaries

38. Name some animals which provide food. Answer:  Cow, buffalo, hen, pig and fish, etc.

39. Name two milk yielding animals. Answer: (a)  Cow (b)  Buffalo

40. Mention the name of three animals which provide meat. Answer:  Goat, pig and fish.

41. What do you mean by animal husbandry? Answer:  Animal husbandry is the process to provide proper food, shelter and care to animals at large scale.

42. Name a vitamin which is found in cod liver oil. Answer:  Vitamin D.

43. Name any two fertilizers. Answer:  NPK, Diammonium phosphate.

44. What is combine? Answer:  Combine is a machine which is used for harvesting as well as threshing of crops or simply we can say combine is a combined harvester and thresher.

45. Name some crop plants. Answer:  Some of the crop plants are wheat, rice, maize, sugarcane, cotton, vegetables, fruits etc.

46. Name the following shown traditional methods of irrigation: Answer:  Moat Dhekli, Sprinkler system, Drip system

47. Name three natural methods of adding nutrients to soil? Answer:  Field fallow, crop rotation and mixed cropping

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Define crop along with examples

Answer:   Plants of same kind that are grown and cultivated at one place on large scale are called a crop. Some of the crop plants are wheat, rice, maize, sugarcane, cotton, vegetables, fruits etc.

2. Differentiate between kharif and rabi crops Answer:  

3. What do you mean by preparation of soil?

Answer:  Preparation of soil is a very important step in agriculture before cultivation of crops. It includes loosening of soil, removing weeds from the soil and levelling of soil before sowing of seeds. Loosening of soil improves the air circulation in soil and enhances the water retaining capacity of the soil.

4. Why loosened soil is important for cultivation of crops?

Answer:  It is necessary to turn and loosen the soil because only loose soil allows the roots to penetrate freely deeper into soil. The roots can breathe easily in loose soil. The deep roots hold the plants more firmly. The water also can reach easily up to more depth in loose soils. Microbes and worms can also grow in loose soil.

5. Write a paragraph in your own word on each of the following: (a) Tilling (b) Weeds

Answer: (a) Tilling:  The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing and is carried on by using a plough. Ploughs are made by wood or iron material, it is being used since ancient time for different purposes like tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to crops, removing weeds etc. this implement is drawn by a pair of bulls or other animals like camels, horses etc.

(b) Weeds:  Weeds are unwanted plants that grow along with crop plants and compete with them for water, nutrients, space and light, thus they affect growth of crop plants. Some of the weeds are poisonous for animals and human beings and they interfere even in harvesting of crop plants and the removal of weeds is called weeding.

6. Write shorts notes on: (a) Sowing of seeds (b) Threshing

Answer:  (a) Sowing of seeds:  One of the important part of crop production is sowing. Good quality seeds are selected and are sown in prepared soil with the help of various tools like traditional tools and seed drill.

(i) Traditional tools:  The shape of this tool is like a funnel which is filled by seeds, then the seeds are passed down through two or three pipes having sharp ends and these ends pierce into the soil and place seeds there.

(ii) Seed drill:  This tool is used for sowing with the help of tractors and it sows the seeds uniformly and at proper distances and depth, it also ensures covering of the seeds from soil after sowing, so that seeds could not get damaged by birds and by other organisms. Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and labour. In order to avoid overcrowding of plants it is very important to leave some space between two seeds. This also allows plants to get sufficient sunlight, nutrients and water from the soil.

(b) Threshing:  Threshing is the process of separating the grains from the straw and chaff. This is carried out with the help of a machine called combine which works as harvester and thresher both.

7. What are the advantages of a cultivator over plough for the purpose of ploughing?

Answer:  Ploughing by cultivators save time and labour as cultivator is driven by tractors whereas plough is driven by pair of bull.

8. How could you separate good and healthy seeds from the damaged ones?

Answer:  Take a beaker half filled with water and put some seeds into it and stir well, wait for some time. You will observe some seeds sink in water while some seeds float in water, damaged seeds become hollow and lighter and thus they float on water.

9. Write a short notes on tools used for sowing seeds.

Answer:  Tools used for sowing of seeds are: (a) Traditional tools:  The shape of this tool is like a funnel which is filled by seeds, then the seeds are passed down through two or three pipes having sharp ends and these ends pierce into the soil and place seeds there. (b) Seed drill:  This tool is used for sowing with the help of tractors and it sows the seeds uniformly and at proper distances and depth, it also ensures covering of the seeds from soil after sowing, so that seeds could not get damaged by birds and by other organisms. Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and labour. In order to avoid overcrowding of plants it is very important to leave some space between two seeds. This also allows plants to get sufficient sunlight, nutrients and water from the soil.

10. What are the advantages of a seed drill used for sowing?

Answer:  Advantages of seed drill are as follows: (a)  This sows the seeds uniformly at equal distance and depth. (b)  It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing. (c)  This protects seeds from being eaten by birds. (d)  Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and labour.

11. How could we supply nutrients to the soil?

Answer:  We can supply nutrients to the soil by adding manure and fertilisers. Manures are organic substances obtained from the decomposition of plants and animal wastes which provides lot of humus to the soil. It is very important for the healthy growth of plants, and Fertilisers are chemical substances which are rich in particular nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, they are produced in factories. Examples: Urea, NPK, Ammonium sulphate etc.

12. Differentiate between manure and fertilizers. Answer: 

13. What do you understand by manuring and what are the harmful effects of improper or insufficient manuring?

Answer:  Farmers add manure to the fields to replenish the soil with nutrients and to increase their crop production, this process of adding manures to the field is called manuring. Improper manuring results in poor development of crop plants and unhealthy crops.

14. How could we prepare organic manure?

Answer:  Organic manure can be prepared in fields. Dump plant and animal wastes in pits at open places and allow it to decompose by some of the microorganisms; the decomposed matter is used as manure.

15. What are the harmful effects of fertilisers?

Answer:  Harmful effects of fertilisers are as follows: (a)  The excessive use of fertilisers makes soil less fertile. (b)  It is also considered as one of the source of water pollution

16. What is crop rotation? How it helps in replenishment of the soil?

Answer:  Crop rotation involves growing two or more crops alternatively on the same piece of land. For example: after growing wheat for a season, farmers prefer to grow crop of legume family such as peas, gram and groundnut. These leguminous plants have nitrogen fixing bacteria on their root nodules. These bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into compound that can be used by plants. This makes the soil rich in nitrogen which is good for crops.

17. State advantages of manure

Answer:  Advantages of manure: (a)  Water holding capacity of soil is increased by adding manure to the soil (b)  It increases the total number of friendly microbes in soil and thus increases soil fertility (c)  By adding manure soil become more porous so that the exchange of gases becomes easy (d)  It improves the texture of the soil.

18. What is irrigation and its importance?

Answer:  Irrigation is the process of applying water to the crops artificially to fulfil their water requirements. The various sources of water for irrigation are wells, ponds, lakes, canals, tube-wells, and even dams. Water is very important for proper growth and development of flowers, fruits and seeds of plants, it plays important role in (a)  Germination of seeds (b)  Transportation of nutrients in different parts of plants (c)  Protects crops from both frost and hot air currents (d)  It maintains the moisture of soil

19. Why we should supply more water to crops during summer season?

Answer:  Because of the increased rate of evaporation of water from the soil and the leaves it is important to increase the frequency of watering in summer season.

20. Explain modern methods of irrigation.

Answer:  Modern method of irrigation help us to use water economically, it involves following methods: Sprinkler system:  In this system the perpendicular pipes with rotating nozzles on top are joined to the main pipeline at regular intervals when water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure with the help of pump, it escape from the rotating nozzles, it gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining, sprinkler is very useful for sandy soil.

Drip system:  In this system water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots. So it is called drip system. It is the best technique for watering plants, trees and garden. This system provides water to plants drop by drop, and water is not wasted at all

21. Why do we have to eat food?

Answer:  Food provides us energy. The energy provided by food is utilised by the organisms for carrying out their various body functions, such as digestion, respiration and excretion. We get our food from plants and animals.

22. Explain various types of crops.

Answer:  Crops are of two types: (a) Kharif crops:  The crops which are grown in the rainy season are called kharif crops (June to September). Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton are some of the major kharif crops.

(b) Rabi crops:  The crops sown in the winter season are called rabi crops (October to March). Wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed are some of the major rabi crops.

23. List various agricultural practices.

Answer: The agricultural practices are listed below:  (a)  Preparation of soil (b)  Sowing (c)  Adding manure and fertilizers (d)  Irrigation (e)  Protecting from weeds (f)  Harvesting (g)  Storage

24. What is plough?

Answer:  This implement is made of wood and iron. It is drawn by a pair of bulls or other animals. It contains a strong triangular iron strip called ploughshare. The main part of the plough is a long log of wood which is called ploughshaft. The plough is used for tilling the soil, adding fertilizers to the crop, removing the weeds and scraping of soil. 

25. What is hoe? What is its use?

Answer:  Hoe is a simple tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil. It has a long rod of wood or the iron. A strong broad and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works like a blade. It is also pulled by animals.

26. Explain the preparation of manure by the farmers.

Answer:  Manure is an organic substance obtained from decomposition of plant or animal wastes. Farmers dump plant and animal wastes in pits at open places and allow it to decompose. The decomposition is caused by some microorganisms. The decomposed matter is used as organic manure.

27. What are fertilizers? How do they differ from manure on the basis of their formation?

Answer:  Fertilizers are the chemical substances which are rich in a particular nutrient. Fertilizers are produced in the factories while manure can be made by farmers themselves in the fields. Some fertilizers are urea, ammonium sulphate, super‑phosphate, potash, N.P.K. (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium). Fertilizers are used to get better yield of crops.

28. What is the role of water in the production of crops?

Answer:  Water is essential for plants. It helps in the germination of seeds because seeds cannot germinate under dry conditions. Nutrients dissolved in water get transported to each part of the plant. It protects the crop from frost and hot air currents. Water is important for proper growth and development of flowers, fruits and seeds of plants. Along with water minerals and fertilizers are also absorbed. Plants contain nearly 90% water. The time and frequency of irrigation varies from crop to crop, soil to soil and season to season.

29. Explain traditional methods of irrigation.

Answer:  The water available in wells, lakes and canals is lifted up by different methods in different regions, for taking it to the fields. Cattle or human labour is used in these methods. These methods are cheaper but less efficient. The various traditional ways are:

30. What is weeding? Why is it necessary?

Answer:  The process of removal of weeds is called weeding. Weeding is necessary since weeds compete with crop plants for water, nutrients, space and sunlight. Thus they affect the growth of crop. Some weeds interfere even in harvesting and may be poisonous for animals and human beings.

31. Explain the various methods of weeding.

Answer:  Farmers use many ways to remove weeds and control their growth. Tilling before sowing of crops helps in uprooting and killing weeds, which may then dry up and get mixed with the soil. The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and seeds. The khurpi is used to remove weeds by uprooting or cutting them from time to time. A seed drill is also used to uproot weeds. Weeds are also controlled by using weedicides like 2, 4‑D.

32. Explain various methods of harvesting in our country.

Answer:  There are mainly two methods which are used to harvest the mature crops: (a) Manual : A device called sickle is used to harvest mature crops manually. (b) By Machine : A machine called harvester is also used to harvest crops. A machine called combine which is in fact, a combined harvester and thresher. This machine does both the functions of harvesting and threshing at the same time.

33. What do you know about Harvest Festival?

Answer:  After three or four months of hard work there comes the day of harvest. The sight of golden fields of standing crops, laden with grains fills the hearts of farmers with joy and a sense of well being. Men and women celebrate this period with great enthusiasm. This period of joy is called Harvest Festival. Pongal, Baishakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya and Bihu are such Harvest Festivals.

34. How do the grains stored and preserved?

Answer:  Farmers store the grains in jute bags or metallic bins. However, large scale storage of grains is done in silos and granaries, to protect them from pests like rats and insects. Dried neem leaves are used for storing food grains at home. For storing large quantities of grains in big godowns, specific chemical treatments are required to protect them from pests and microorganisms.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Describe various methods of agricultural practices involved in crop production and management.

Answer:  Various methods of agricultural practices involved in crop production and management are:

• Preparation of soil by tilling and leveling.
• Sowing of seeds into prepared soil.
• Adding manure and fertilizers for replenishment and enrichment of soil and healthy growth of crops.
• The supply of water to crops at appropriate interval called as irrigation.
• Protecting from weeds by using weedicides.
• Harvesting of crops by machines.
• Proper storage to protect them from harmful effects of pests and microorganisms.

2. Define irrigation and its various methods and explain its two methods which conserve water.

Answer:  Irrigation is the artificial application of water to crops at different intervals. The time and frequency of irrigation varies from crop to crop, soil to soil and season to season.

Two methods of irrigation are

1. Traditional method  of irrigation involves cattle or human labour and thus are cheaper than modern methods of irrigation, various traditional ways of irrigation are: (a)  Moat (pulley system) (b)  Chain pump (c)  Dhekli (d)  Rahat (Lever system)

2. Modern methods  of irrigation helps us to use water economically, it involves following methods:

Sprinkler system:  In this system, perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to the main pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure with the help of a pump, it sprinkles from the rotating nozzles. It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining. Example:  It is used mostly on uneven land.

Drip system:  In this system water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots. So it is called drip system. It is the best technique for watering plants, trees and garden. This system provides water to plants drop by drop, and water is not wasted at all. Example:  watering fruit plants, gardens and trees.

3. Describe the importance of weedicides, manures and fertilizers in good agricultural practice.

Answer:   Weeds:  Weeds are unwanted plants that grow along with crop plants and compete with them for water, nutrients, space and light, thus they affect growth of crop plants. Some of the weeds are poisonous for animals and human beings and they interfere even in harvesting of crop plants. Example:  Wild oat, grass.

Weedicides:  are chemical that are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds, they do not damage the crops. Weedicides are diluted with water and are sprayed in the field by sprayer to kill the weeds. Example:  2,4-D

Manure and fertilizers  are added to the soil to replenish it with nutrients to ensure healthy growth of plants. Manures like animal waste, plant residues and fertilizers like urea, NPK are used for this purpose.

4. Explain harvest festivals.

Answer:  A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. The efforts of the farmer of past season borne fruit in the form of crop, laden with grain, at this point they celebrate harvest festival to express their joy and happiness. Special festivals associated with the harvest season are Pongal, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya and Bihu.

5. Explain how continuous plantation of crops in a field affects the quality of soil.

Answer:  Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. Growing the same type of in the same place for many years in a row disproportionately depletes the soil of certain nutrients. With rotation, a crop that leaches the soil of one kind of nutrient is followed during the next growing season by a dissimilar crop that returns that nutrient to the soil or draws a different ratio of nutrients. For example, rice followed by cotton.

6. Differentiate between mixed cultivation and crop rotation

Answer:  In mixed cultivation, two or more different types of crops are sown in a particular field at the same time. For example,  pea plants can be grown in the same field along with a cereal like wheat.

Crop rotation is a practice of growing two or more dissimilar crops in the same field one after the other. The nutrient requirements of a particular crop are kept in mind when crops are grown on a rotational basis. For example,  it is a known fact that paddy uses up a lot of nitrogen from the soil. When planning for the subsequent crop to be sown, this fact is kept in mind. So leguminous plants like soya bean or pea are purposely sown so that this loss of nitrogen can be replaced naturally by them.

7. Write a brief note on ‘Animal Husbandry’.

Answer:  Animal husbandry is the management and care of farm animals by humans for profit. In animal husbandry, genetic qualities and behavior are considered to be advantageous to humans for further development. Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years since the first domestication of animals. Humans are dependent on animals in many ways. The animals are domesticated by humans for many purposes. Depending on the usefulness of domestic animals they are categorized as:

• Meat and Egg yielding animals like pig, sheep, fish, poultry, goat and duck.
• Milk-yielding animals or dairy animals like cow, buffalo and goat.
• Wool and skin yielding animals like sheep, goat, camel, buffaloes and cow. Skins are used as leather for different articles.