Uncovering Critical Thinking in Social Studies

1. with Wally Diefenthaler, Diane Lander and Karen LaRone Uncovering Critical Thinkingin Social Studies Developed by ERLC/ARPDC as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation

2. Uncovering Critical Thinkingin Social Studies Wally Diefenthaler Diane Lander Karen LaRone

3. What is critical thinking?

4. What is critical thinking:Roland Case http://www.learn Alberta.ca/content/ssogrcp/html/summerinstitute_roland_case_2.html

5. Creating a Critically Thoughtful Classroom • Critical Thinking is not just a goal but a powerful method to teach Social Studies. When critical thinking is used as the framework around which instruction is designed, the learning becomes more powerful and students are more engaged. We need to learn to recognize when we are inviting students to think critically.

6. Think of a Thinker When you think of someone you consider an effective critical thinker, what attributes do you attach to that individual?

7. So…When is someone thinking critically? A person is thinking critically only if he/she is assessing orjudgingthe merits of possible optionsin light of relevant factors or criteria.

8. Community of Thinkers Critical Challenges TC2 Model of Critical Thinking Teach and Assess the Intellectual Tools Critical Thinking Vocabulary Habits of Mind Background Knowledge Criteria for Judgment Thinking Strategies

9. Background Knowledge What information do your students need to know about a topic? Knowledge of purposeful and relevant information about a topic required for thoughtful reflection.

10. Criteria for Judgment On what basis do your students decide what is reasonable or possible when addressing issues or problems? Appropriate criteria or grounds for judging the reasonableness or merits of the options presented by a critical challenge.

11. Critical Thinking Vocabulary What terms and concepts do you teach and use in your classroom to promote critical thinking? Range of concepts and distinctions that are helpful when thinking critically (e.g. bias, point of view and perspective, inference and evidence, premise, conclusion)

12. Thinking Strategies To what extent do you use such strategies as graphic organizers in your classroom? • Procedures, graphic organizers and models that may be useful when thinking through a challenge

13. Habits of Mind: The qualities of a great thinker! Why teach such habits of mind as open-mindedness in your social studies classroom? Values and attitudes of careful and conscientious thinkers

14. Reasons for Embedding Critical Thinking as a Method of Teaching • Fosters an importantlife skill • More motivating for students • Promotes understanding of content • Supports key principles of the new Social Studies program (integration of skills & processes, inquiry-focused, multiple perspectives, identity and citizenship)

15. Asking Powerful Questions As you watch the video consider which question is the most powerful based on the following criteria. Criteria for a powerful question • Informative • Open ended • Relevant Students questions for MLAs. http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=24

16. The most powerful question: • Why is it important to have a government? • What do you think you have done to make things better since you have been elected as an MLA? • What do you think are the 3 most important responsibilities of an MLA? • What is the key role of an MLA? • What is the most important consideration when you vote or make vote or make a decision? 6. How do your decisions affect my life?

17. Community of Thinkers Critical Challenges TC2 Model of Critical Thinking Teach and Assess the Intellectual Tools Critical Thinking Vocabulary 17 Habits of Mind Background Knowledge Criteria for Judgment Thinking Strategies

18. Criteria for a Powerful Question Student Checklist: Are my questions powerful? This is one of my questions:________________________________________________

19. Powerful Questions: Does the challenge work? Reflection: Considering the questions that the students asked take a moment to reflect on the comments in the video. Does critical thinking really enhance student learning? Teacher reflection http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=19

20. www.LearnAlberta.ca “Getting to Know LearnAlberta” Webinars: • Signing Up • Navigation and Personal Workspace • Access these archived Webinars at http://erlc.wikispaces.com

21. Which resources in LearnAlberta.caaddress critical thinking? • Professional Learning Resources • Reference documents, video clips • Teaching Resources • Overarching Critical Inquiries (OCI’s) • Critical Challenges • Modelling the Tools • Support Materials

22. Social Studies

24. Knowledge and Understanding Outcomes Students will: 7.1.4 assess, critically, the economic competition related to the control of the North American fur trade by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues: • How did the First Nations, French, British and Métis peoples interact with each other as participants in the fur trade? • How did the fur trade contribute to the foundations of the economy in North America? • How was Britain’s interest in the fur trade different from that of New France? • How was economic development in New France impacted by the changing policies of the French Royal Government? • What was the role of mercantilism before and after the 1763 Treaty of Paris?

25. Skills and Processes Outcomes Students will: 7.S.1 develop skills of critical thinking and creative thinking: • determine the validity of information based on context, bias, source, objectivity, evidence and/or reliability to broaden understanding of a topic or an issue • evaluate, critically, ideas, information and positions from multiple perspectives • demonstrate the ability to analyze local and current affairs • re-evaluate personal opinions to broaden understanding of a topic or an issue • generate creative ideas and strategies in individual and group activities • access diverse viewpoints on particular topics, using appropriate technologies

26. Assessment in Alberta Social Studies

27. Video Clips • Roland Case: Critical Thinking as an Effective Way of Teaching Social Studies(Part 3) • Roland Case: Critical Thinking as an Effective Way of Teaching Social Studies (Part 4) • Roland Case: A Model of Critical Thinking (Interview Response - Question 5) • Garfield Gini-Newman: Embedding Critical Thinking into the New Social Studies Program of Studies (Part 3)

28. Search Specific Resources

29. Critical Thinking in the Program

30. Programs of Study

31. Find Resources by Programs of Study

32. Social Studies

33. Social Studies K-12 (2005)

34. The Apple and Backpack Icons

35. Locate Critical Thinking

36. Resources Relating to Critical Thinking

37. Resource Listing

38. Teaching Resources

39. Search Particular Teaching Resources

40. Overarching Critical Inquiries (OCIs) OCIs cluster the teaching of many specific outcomes under a central idea

42. Search OCIs

43. What makes up an OCI?

44. OCIs Continued

45. Select a Critical Challenge

46. Critical Challenges

47. Suggested Activities

48. Outcomes

49. References

50. Related Resources