HS.24 Critical Thinking Skills
This is a National FFA Organization LifeKnowledge high school lesson (HS.24) on critical thinking skills. Students learn to define critical thinking, examine methods critical thinkers use (such as accepting new evidence, resisting propaganda, simplifying confusion, asking questions, basing judgments on evidence, and looking for connections), and classify evidence, argument, and persuasion. The lesson includes an interest approach using a magazine advertisement, teaching strategies, transparency masters, an article-analysis activity, and a written assessment.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Define critical thinking skills.
- Examine methods of critical thinking.
- Classify evidence, argument, and persuasion.
- Time required
- Instruction time for this lesson: 50 minutes.
- Grade level
- High School
- Materials
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- Writing Surface
- Transparencies
- Overhead projector
- Assortment of markers
- Copies HS.24.Assess—one per student
- Copy of a full-page magazine advertisement
- Copies of HS.24.AS.A—one per student
- Red, blue, and yellow markers—one each per student
- Index cards
- Unit
- Stage One of Development—ME
- Problem Area
- How Do I Begin to Grow?
- Precepts
- J1: Think critically.
- Key Terms
- Argument, Critical thinking, Evidence, Opinion, Persuasion, Propaganda, Skills
Downloads & Links
Lesson plan
Presentation
Aligned Standards
National Standards
- NS.9-12.1Science as Inquiry — Develop understanding of scientific inquiry.