Bright Ideas Lesson Plans
Critical ThinkingBrief Description: I have chosen to use NIE to help students improve critical thinking skills. Using the newspaper, each student focuses first on the content of five articles, one from the business section, and four from sections of the student´s choice. Students are required to provide detailed answers to questions regarding author bias, evidence that one side of an issue is favored (or given more treatment) over another, limited information, questions they still have, and additional comments from their personal perspectives. What students enjoyed most: They enjoyed keeping up to date on current events coupled with the freedom to intelligently express their points of view on the material presented. They question more, and this carries over into every other aspect of our course! Success: I have been most impressed with the questions students still have after reading the articles. This activity affords them the opportunity to write about topics of interest to them. Equally as important, is the fact that they are no longer merely absorbing information. They are being selective as to what they take in and what still needs more clarification or validity. Ursula Scott English Advanced Technology Center
|