Teaching Critical Thinking (with Dog Food)

Now more than ever students need to learn how to think critically.  So many times when I am teaching middle school students are so concerned with what is the answer?  But, more importantly they need to think about thinking. 

This article discusses an process which uses a box of Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal.  When the students are asked what it is they state “Mini-Wheats” because that’s what the box says.  When the boxes is dumped out, out comes dog food.  In this article Bach uses a 3 word (Huh? Really? So?) to help involve critical thinking to a question:

Huh?

• Do we understand what is being talked about?
• Is it confusing?
• Vague?

Really?

• Is it factually true?
• What hard evidence do we have for it?

So?

• Why does this matter?
• To whom does it matter?
• How much does it matter?

I thought this was an interesting approach rather than always teaching bloom's revised taxonomy in a lesson that involves critical thinking.  Huh? Really? So? are easy words middle schoolers may relate to better and it can easily help them to critically think when a question is ask during class.

Article Citation:

Bach, James (2013, November 30).  Teaching Critical Thinking (with Dog Food).  www.edutopia.org/. Retrieved November 30th, 2013 from:  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-critical-thinking-dog-food-james-bach