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11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

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Critical thinking activities encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to develop informed opinions and make reasoned decisions. Engaging in such exercises cultivates intellectual agility, fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues and honing problem-solving skills for navigating an increasingly intricate world. Through critical thinking, individuals empower themselves to challenge assumptions, uncover biases, and constructively contribute to discourse, thereby enriching both personal growth and societal progress.

Critical thinking serves as the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, enabling individuals to dissect challenges, explore diverse perspectives, and devise innovative solutions grounded in logic and evidence. For engaging problem solving activities, read our article problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest.

52 Critical Thinking Flashcards for Problem Solving

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a 21st-century skill that enables a person to think rationally and logically in order to reach a plausible conclusion. A critical thinker assesses facts and figures and data objectively and determines what to believe and what not to believe. Critical thinking skills empower a person to decipher complex problems and make impartial and better decisions based on effective information.

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Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills cultivate habits of mind such as strategic thinking, skepticism, discerning fallacy from the facts, asking good questions and probing deep into the issues to find the truth. Acquiring critical thinking skills was never as valuable as it is today because of the prevalence of the modern knowledge economy. Today, information and technology are the driving forces behind the global economy. To keep pace with ever-changing technology and new inventions, one has to be flexible enough to embrace changes swiftly.

Today critical thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills by the companies. In fact, critical thinking skills are paramount not only for active learning and academic achievement but also for the professional career of the students. The lack of critical thinking skills catalyzes memorization of the topics without a deeper insight, egocentrism, closed-mindedness, reduced student interest in the classroom and not being able to make timely and better decisions.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills in Education

Certain strategies are more eloquent than others in teaching students how to think critically. Encouraging critical thinking in the class is indispensable for the learning and growth of the students. In this way, we can raise a generation of innovators and thinkers rather than followers. Some of the benefits offered by thinking critically in the classroom are given below:

  • It allows a student to decipher problems and think through the situations in a disciplined and systematic manner
  • Through a critical thinking ability, a student can comprehend the logical correlation between distinct ideas
  • The student is able to rethink and re-justify his beliefs and ideas based on facts and figures
  • Critical thinking skills make the students curious about things around them
  • A student who is a critical thinker is creative and always strives to come up with out of the box solutions to intricate problems

Read our article: How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples

  • Critical thinking skills assist in the enhanced student learning experience in the classroom and prepares the students for lifelong learning and success
  • The critical thinking process is the foundation of new discoveries and inventions in the world of science and technology
  • The ability to think critically allows the students to think intellectually and enhances their presentation skills, hence they can convey their ideas and thoughts in a logical and convincing manner
  • Critical thinking skills make students a terrific communicator because they have logical reasons behind their ideas

Critical Thinking Lessons and Activities

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

We have compiled a list of 11 activities that will facilitate you to promote critical thinking abilities in the students. We have also covered problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest in our another article. Click here to read it.

1. Worst Case Scenario

Divide students into teams and introduce each team with a hypothetical challenging scenario. Allocate minimum resources and time to each team and ask them to reach a viable conclusion using those resources. The scenarios can include situations like stranded on an island or stuck in a forest. Students will come up with creative solutions to come out from the imaginary problematic situation they are encountering. Besides encouraging students to think critically, this activity will enhance teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills of the students.

Read our article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

2. If You Build It

It is a very flexible game that allows students to think creatively. To start this activity, divide students into groups. Give each group a limited amount of resources such as pipe cleaners, blocks, and marshmallows etc. Every group is supposed to use these resources and construct a certain item such as building, tower or a bridge in a limited time. You can use a variety of materials in the classroom to challenge the students. This activity is helpful in promoting teamwork and creative skills among the students.

It is also one of the classics which can be used in the classroom to encourage critical thinking. Print pictures of objects, animals or concepts and start by telling a unique story about the printed picture. The next student is supposed to continue the story and pass the picture to the other student and so on.

4. Keeping it Real

In this activity, you can ask students to identify a real-world problem in their schools, community or city. After the problem is recognized, students should work in teams to come up with the best possible outcome of that problem.

5. Save the Egg

Make groups of three or four in the class. Ask them to drop an egg from a certain height and think of creative ideas to save the egg from breaking. Students can come up with diverse ideas to conserve the egg like a soft-landing material or any other device. Remember that this activity can get chaotic, so select the area in the school that can be cleaned easily afterward and where there are no chances of damaging the school property.

6. Start a Debate

In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science. Encourage students to participate in the debate by expressing their views and ideas on the topic. Conclude the debate with a viable solution or fresh ideas generated during the activity through brainstorming.

7. Create and Invent

This project-based learning activity is best for teaching in the engineering class. Divide students into groups. Present a problem to the students and ask them to build a model or simulate a product using computer animations or graphics that will solve the problem. After students are done with building models, each group is supposed to explain their proposed product to the rest of the class. The primary objective of this activity is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills among the students.

8. Select from Alternatives

This activity can be used in computer science, engineering or any of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) classes. Introduce a variety of alternatives such as different formulas for solving the same problem, different computer codes, product designs or distinct explanations of the same topic.

Form groups in the class and ask them to select the best alternative. Each group will then explain its chosen alternative to the rest of the class with reasonable justification of its preference. During the process, the rest of the class can participate by asking questions from the group. This activity is very helpful in nurturing logical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

9. Reading and Critiquing

Present an article from a journal related to any topic that you are teaching. Ask the students to read the article critically and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the article. Students can write about what they think about the article, any misleading statement or biases of the author and critique it by using their own judgments.

In this way, students can challenge the fallacies and rationality of judgments in the article. Hence, they can use their own thinking to come up with novel ideas pertaining to the topic.

10. Think Pair Share

In this activity, students will come up with their own questions. Make pairs or groups in the class and ask the students to discuss the questions together. The activity will be useful if the teacher gives students a topic on which the question should be based.

For example, if the teacher is teaching biology, the questions of the students can be based on reverse osmosis, human heart, respiratory system and so on. This activity drives student engagement and supports higher-order thinking skills among students.

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

Silence is a great way to slow down thinking and promote deep reflection on any subject. Present a driving question to the students and divide them into groups. The students will discuss the question with their teammates and brainstorm their ideas on a big paper. After reflection and discussion, students can write their findings in silence. This is a great learning activity for students who are introverts and love to ruminate silently rather than thinking aloud.

Finally, for students with critical thinking, you can go to GS-JJ.co m to customize exclusive rewards, which not only enlivens the classroom, but also promotes the development and training of students for critical thinking.

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4 thoughts on “ 11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class ”

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Thanks for the great article! Especially with the post-pandemic learning gap, these critical thinking skills are essential! It’s also important to teach them a growth mindset. If you are interested in that, please check out The Teachers’ Blog!

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Logic Puzzles for Kids: fun ways to teach critical thinking in 1st and 2nd grade

Susan Jones January 4, 2022 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate ads at no cost to you. See my disclosures for more information.

These logic puzzles are so much fun for kids to practice their critical thinking skills. In this post, I share 5 different types of logic/critical thinking activities that are great for young students to practice! Before I dive in, I wanted to let you know you can watch or listen to all this information in video format below:

Research has shown that critical thinking skills do not develop naturally. Humans need to be put in situations where they can practice these skills in order to get better at them, just like any other subject we teach in school!

The difference is with most subjects, we teach the skills in concrete linear ways (addition, for example). This makes it important to also teach our students how to think outside the box and pose questions in a different way to practice their critical thinking skills. In this blog post, I am going to share some of my favorite logic and critical thinking puzzles that your students can use to solve problems thoughtfully in all areas of learning!

Odd One Out!

Odd One Out! is a fun puzzle game where students have to look at a set of 4 pictures and decide which one doesn’t belong. After they determine the odd one out, they must explain why it doesn’t fit . As you can see in the example below, all four items are body parts, however, three go on your face. Therefore, the foot is the “odd one out.”

Your students will have to give their answer and their explanation when solving the puzzle!

critical thinking activities for grade two

This activity is great for developing vocabulary, characterizing uses, and comparing and contrasting various parts of the different items. You can group pictures together based on their shape, or items that all start with the same letter, or a group of items that all rhyme, to practice a bunch of different skills using this same type of logic puzzle!

Combinations and Pattern Completions:

In these types of logic puzzles, students will combine shapes or complete patterns in their head. For example, in the puzzle below, students have to use spatial reasoning to determine what shape will be made when they add the line with the triangle. All three options show triangles with lines, but only the middle triangle makes sense based on the size and direction of the line. 

critical thinking activities for grade two

Spatial reasoning has so many real-world applications and it’s great for all of us, young and old, to practice developing that skill!

Similarly, in the complete the pattern puzzle below, students will look at the pattern on the top of the page and have to figure out which option comes next based on what they see. Pattern puzzles are great because students need to use their logic and evidence of what has already come before to make predictions about what comes next!

critical thinking activities for grade two

There are a lot of different critical thinking skills used for solving analogies. Students must figure out the meaning of the words, the uses of the objects, how the words in the first comparison are related, and how the first relationship relates to the second comparison in the analogy! Below is an analogy that I would use with my students:

critical thinking activities for grade two

The most important part when solving these analogies with your class is having them explain how they got their answer. In the example above, it might be easy for a student to say “rain”, but you really want them to verbalize why they knew that. That way, they will have to explain all the relationships and definitions in the analogy and explain the thought-process behind their answer. 

Anyone who has played sudoku knows that the more you practice, the better you get at it. That is why it is so important to keep practicing these logic puzzles with your students!

Sudoku puzzles are great for your students because they need to make quick decisions when determining which number or object goes where. They also need to be able to quickly recognize their mistakes along the way and fix them in order to progress with the puzzle.

Below are two kid-friendly sudoku puzzles you can use in your classroom using numbers or objects:

critical thinking activities for grade two

The above is a “classic” sudoku puzzle with numbers, but you can also use objects like shown below! Students will need to understand the basics of this type of game which is that each image or number can only appear once in each row, column, and block.

critical thinking activities for grade two

Classic Logic Puzzle

Last but not least, I love using a classic logic puzzle. Now listen… these were my nemesis! My brain would get so boggled thinking about how to solve these when I was a kid (and realistically, still now).  Here is an example of a kid-friendly puzzle so you know what I am talking about:

critical thinking activities for grade two

As you can see in the problem above, students can see the age of one child. Then, they have to use logic and reasoning based on the clues to determine the ages of the rest of the children in the puzzle.

Problems like this can be challenging because students need to organize their thoughts and develop a strategy first before they can solve the problem. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, these are skills that don’t come naturally, so we need to make sure that our students are able to consistently practice these logic puzzles in order to develop their skills. We also need to model how we would solve some of these problems so our students can see the strategies in action. We can’t expect them to just solve them on their own!

All the puzzles and examples above are part of a new unit I created to help students develop their critical thinking and logic skills. I made 40 puzzles for each of the 5 categories above, so this unit has 200 critical thinking and logic puzzles to use in your classroom. What’s great is each puzzle can be displayed to work through in a whole group setting and they are also available in black and white printable versions so students could paste them in a journal and solve on their own!

FREEBIE ALERT : if you follow the link below and preview the product, you can download 10 free puzzle slides from the unit!

critical thinking activities for grade two

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Reader Interactions

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February 7, 2022 at 5:28 am

I am so excited to introduce these logic games to my class!! Thank you so much Susan

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March 28, 2022 at 4:27 am

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June 22, 2022 at 2:01 am

I can not wait to start my new class. These will be part of their morning work tubs.

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January 6, 2023 at 11:52 pm

I would like the Logic Puzzles please.

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January 25, 2023 at 7:31 pm

These logic puzzles will be great warm ups! Fantastic!!

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March 10, 2023 at 2:59 pm

I love these! Such great activities to boost young minds.

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critical thinking activities for grade two

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Hello friends.

Welcome to Susan Jones Teaching. When it comes to the primary grades, learning *All Things* in the K-2 world has been my passion for many years! I just finished my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and love sharing all the latest and greatest strategies I learn with you through this blog and my YouTube channel! I hope you'll enjoy learning along with me :)

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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.

Examples of critical thinking skills like correlation tick-tac-Toe, which teaches analysis skills and debates which teach evaluation skills.

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.

A diagram showing Bloom's Taxonomy (Critical Thinking Skills)

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

Forced Analogies: A Critical thinking Activity

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

Collage of students performing science experiments using critical thinking skills

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

Two 3 by 3 grids of pictures showing mountains, islands, and other landforms, with Xs drawn in each grid to form tic-tac-toe lines.

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

Pile of board games that encourage critical thinking skills

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 ..

Get ideas and activities for teaching kids to use critical thinking skills to thoughtfully question the world and sort out fact from opinion.

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Critical thinking is making decisions about what to believe or do , which is reasonable and introspective. It is founded on fundamental intellectual principles, including relevance, soundness, accuracy, precision, consistency, depth, breadth, and justice.

See the fact file below for more information on Critical Thinking , or you can download our 28-page Critical Thinking worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Activities requiring critical thinking.

  • Assessing Online Media and Historical Sources. It is the practice of questioning the truthfulness of media to identify disinformation and misinformation.
  • Business Process Improvement. It is a practice in which leaders examine their business processes to find opportunities to increase accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency. 
  • Strategic Planning. It is a process where leaders develop their future vision and set their organization’s goals and objectives.
  • Root Cause Analysis. It is the process of identifying the underlying causes of issues to find suitable solutions.
  • Performance Management. It is the ongoing process of enhancing performance through setting individual and team goals that are in line with the organizational strategy.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A CRITICAL THINKER

  • Curious. One of the most important aspects of critical thinking is curiosity. According to research, our desire for knowledge propels us to constantly seek out new information. This curiosity fosters critical thinking since, in order to make wise decisions, we must constantly increase our knowledge.
  • Analytical . Analytical skills are necessary since research is a key element of critical thinking. Analytical thinking entails distilling complicated concepts into their most basic components.
  • Introspective. Critical thinking requires introspection since it makes us more self-aware. Self-awareness pushes us to confront our own prejudices, biases, and selfish impulses. If we know our assumptions, we can question them and suspend judgment until we have all the facts.
  • Making Inferences. It is making logical conclusions based on an examination of the facts, events, and ideas available. You can find relationships and base your decisions on what is likely to happen by analyzing the information that is available and noticing patterns and trends.
  • Observant. Using all five senses, observation is more than just looking; it also entails synthesizing, organizing, and categorizing data to create insight. Sharp observers pick up on the smallest detail and detect subtle changes in their surroundings.
  • Open-minded and Compassionate. Being open-minded entails giving other concepts and viewpoints a chance, even when they disagree with your own. This enables you to consider several perspectives on a subject without instinctively rejecting them. Likewise, even when they disagree, compassionate people can understand others. Finding common ground and understanding is possible when you comprehend the views of another individual.

LOGIC: CRITICAL THINKING

  • Logic is the study of inference, reasoning, and proof. Using logic, we can assess a line of reasoning or a thought to see if it is sound or not.
  • Propositions , often known as statements, serve as the foundation of a logical argument. A proposition is a statement that can either be true or false.
  • An argument is a connected set of statements that together form a logical, coherent, and defined proposition.
  • The premise identifies the reasons or pieces of evidence that support your claim. At this point, we create a new assertion based on one or more accepted statements of fact, which is the inference . Lastly, a statement that wraps up an argument is its conclusion . The validity of the premises statement and the inference statement confirm the validity or truth of the argument.

EXAMPLES OF A LOGICAL THOUGHT

  • Statement: Individuals under 18 years of age are not eligible to vote. Ryan cannot vote because he’s just 15 years old.
  • Premise 1: Individuals under 18 cannot vote.
  • Premise 2: Ryan is 15 years old.
  • Conclusion: Ryan is not eligible to vote.

CRITICAL THINKING BARRIERS

Egocentric thinking.

  • A natural tendency of people is to see everything in terms of oneself, which is known as egocentric thinking – “ego” meaning self, and “centric” meaning at the center. This way of thinking makes it difficult to understand other people’s viewpoints or examine and weigh other points of view.
  • This can produce poor decision-making behaviors. In order to break the cycle, people must take a position against the group and contest prevailing ideas.

DRONE MENTALITY

  • This refers to a lack of awareness of your immediate surroundings. Daily routines can prevent or contribute to the loss of critical thinking skills and frequently result in a drone mindset. 

SOCIAL CONDITIONING

  • Unwanted preconceptions and stereotypes bring it on. It does this by obstructing our ability to see that we are even developing assumptions and imposing stereotypes.

BIASED THINKING

  • Personal biases can make it difficult to think critically because they make it difficult to be impartial, curious, and open-minded.

SCHEDULE PRESSURES

  • Integrating learning opportunities that encourage critical thinking skills is sometimes hampered by time restraints.

ARROGANCE AND INTOLERANCE

  • With a narrow perspective, it is quite difficult to come up with the appropriate solution to a problem. People who lack critical thinking abilities frequently respond to situations carelessly and foolishly.

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

  • The process of locating the underlying causes of problems in order to choose the best solutions is known as root cause analysis (RCA). RCA bases its premise on the idea that systematic prevention and root-cause analysis yield superior results than spot-treating symptoms and “putting out fires”.
  • Benefits and Goals. Finding the underlying cause of a problem or incident is the first objective of root cause analysis. The second objective is to completely comprehend how to address, make up for, or take advantage of any underlying problems inside the root cause. The final objective is to use the knowledge gained from this research to duplicate or systematically prevent past problems.

BASIC TYPES OF CAUSES

  • Physical Causes. These are tangible, material things that failed in some way, like a machine failing to function as expected.
  • People Causes. People either made a mistake or failed to take the necessary action. Usually, physical causes result from human causes (for example, no one filled the machine with engine oil, which led to its malfunction).
  • Organizational Causes. A broken system, procedure, or policy affects how people make decisions or carry out their daily tasks (for example, no one person was responsible for machine maintenance, and everyone assumed someone else had filled the engine oil).

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS PROCESS

  • Step 1: Define The Problem. Define the issue you are dealing with, then collect the information and proof you need to understand the situation at hand. Make a problem statement that includes details about the issue, such as the impact that the issue has already had or could have, its focal point, etc.
  • Step 2: Data Collection. The collection of key information about an incident or a problematic event is a critical step in root cause analysis. You can find the answers to questions like “What are the contributing factors?” by recording all the details and characteristics of the incident. Also ask questions like “When did the issue start?” “Is it a recurring occurrence?” “What effect has been noticed?” etc.
  • Step 3: Determine Potential Causal Factors. Find as many causal factors as you can at this point. It’s all too common for people to name one or two variables before stopping, but that’s often insufficient. When using RCA, you should look beyond the visible reasons and treat the underlying issues as well.
  • Step 4: Identify the Root Cause. You can pinpoint as many causes as you can. Use the methods like the 5 Whys, Fishbone analysis, or a Pareto chart to focus in on the main contributing elements and any potential underlying causes of the problem.
  • Step 5: Recommend and Implement Solutions. Analyze your cause-and-effect connection and determine which systems require adjustments. Planning ahead will help you anticipate the outcomes of your solution. In this manner, possible faults can be identified before they occur.

Critical Thinking Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Critical Thinking across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Critical Thinking, which is making decisions about what to believe or do based on reasonable and introspective thinking.

critical thinking activities for grade two

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Critical Thinking Facts
  • What’s Stopping You?
  • Life is Full of Premises
  • Fact or Opinion
  • Rebus Puzzle
  • Think It Right
  • Connect Me if You Can
  • RCA Process
  • 5 Whys: Part 1
  • 5 Whys: Part 2
  • Under the Microscope

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Link will appear as Critical Thinking Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 24, 2022

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critical thinking activities for grade two

Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2

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Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2 play an indispensable role in nurturing young minds to become adept problem solvers and critical thinkers. As children step into Grade 2, they are at a crucial developmental stage where their cognitive abilities can be significantly enhanced through structured and engaging exercises. Here's why these worksheets are so beneficial:

Foundation for Critical Thinking : Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2 lay down the groundwork for critical thinking skills. These activities challenge students to go beyond memorization and encourage them to understand the 'why' and 'how' behind various concepts.

Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills : Through puzzles, sequence solving, and pattern recognition exercises, children learn to approach problems systematically. This not only enhances their academic performance but also prepares them for real-life situations where logical reasoning is key.

Boosts Confidence : As children successfully solve the challenges presented in the worksheets, their confidence in their abilities grows. This newfound confidence can encourage them to tackle more complex problems and participate more actively in class discussions.

Encourages Independent Learning : Logical Thinking worksheets activities are designed in a way that students can often work through them independently. This promotes self-learning and helps children understand the importance of perseverance and self-motivation.

Develops Mathematical Thinking : Many of the skills honed through these activities directly correlate with mathematical concepts. By understanding patterns, sequences, and logical sequences, children find it easier to grasp more abstract mathematical ideas as they progress in their education.

In summary, Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2 are not just about solving puzzles or getting the right answers. They are about nurturing a generation of thinkers who can critically analyze information, solve problems efficiently, and approach learning with curiosity and confidence. Engaging students with these activities from an early age sets a strong foundation for their academic and personal success.

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Evan-Moor Skill Sharpeners Critical Thinking, Grade 2 Workbook, Problem Solving Skills, Fun Activities, Higher-Order, Open-Ended Questions and Challenges, Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts

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Evan-Moor Skill Sharpeners Critical Thinking, Grade 2 Workbook, Problem Solving Skills, Fun Activities, Higher-Order, Open-Ended Questions and Challenges, Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts Paperback – Student Edition, December 30, 2016

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  • Reading age 7 - 8 years
  • Part of series Skill Sharpeners Critical Thinking
  • Print length 144 pages
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  • Publisher Evan-Moor Educational Publishers
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  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Evan-Moor Educational Publishers; Activity Book edition (December 30, 2016)
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  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1629383507
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 8 years
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Customers find the book a great teaching tool that helps children develop critical thinking. They also describe it as easy to use and intuitive for the student.

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Customers find the book to be a great teaching tool that helps children develop their critical thinking. They also appreciate the fun information and engaging crafts at the end of each chapter.

"It really gets the kids to think critically . Its been a great activity to get my 6.5-Year old off devices, during these shelter-in-place times...." Read more

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20 Critical Thinking Activities For Elementary Classrooms: Navigating Fact And Fiction (+Resources)

December 1, 2023 //  by  Seda Unlucay

With the barrage of mainstream news, advertising, and social media content out there, it’s vital for students to think independently and learn to differentiate between fact and fiction.

This series of critical thinking activities, STEM-based design challenges, engaging Math puzzles, and problem-solving tasks will support students in thinking rationally and understanding the logical connection between concepts.

1. Teach Students How to Obtain Verifiable News 

There’s probably no 21st-century skill more important than differentiating between real and fake sources of news. This editable PowerPoint bundle covers traditional media, social networks, and various target audiences and teaches students how to find verifiable facts.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

2. Watch and Discuss a Critical Reasoning Video

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This kid-friendly video teaches students to break arguments down into claims, evidence, and reasoning. Armed with this lifelong learning tool, they will be able to make more informed decisions when consuming all types of information.

Learn More: Brain Pop

3. Complete a Critical Design Challenge

This science and designed-based classroom activity challenges students to find ways to prevent a falling egg from breaking. Pairing it with the classic Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme is sure to inspire many creative ideas.

Learn More:  Education

4. Critical Community Engagement Activity 

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This community engagement activity requires analytical skills to determine what items can be recycled in the classroom and in their neighborhood. By creating recycling bins from reusable cardboard boxes, students have an opportunity to contribute to the environmental well-being of their community while practicing social responsibility.

Learn More: Kaboom

5. Develop Logical Skills with a Then and Now Activity

We may no longer use candles for reading or quill pens for writing, but can your students identify the objects that have replaced them? This activity engages their writing, drawing, and logical skills while giving them a chance to reflect on all the changes in our modern world.

Learn More: Education

6. Play a Critical Thinking Game

This active learning activity requires students to use their critical thinking skills to make comparisons and create meaningful analogies. The fun animal safari theme is sure to inspire many funny and creative ideas!

7. Develop Social-Emotional Problem-Solving Skills 

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Through this lesson, students will understand that while conflicts are a normal part of life, it’s vital to have problem-solving skills to resolve them. This is also an excellent opportunity for developing their social awareness and relationship skills.

Learn More: ED Foundations

8. Desert Island Survival Game 

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This classic game is sure to inspire student engagement, as they use their critical thinking skills to survive being stranded on a desert island. Students have to watch out for ideological assumptions and question ideas in order to determine the appropriate items to bring.

9. Play a Problem-Solving Treasure Hunt Game 

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This exciting game for kids requires them to use key math skills to break a series of codes. With ample time, designated progress monitors, and sharp critical thinking skills, students are sure to find the hidden treasure.

Learn More: Twinkl

10. Use Writing to Increase Critical Empathy

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This activity builds writing fluency while giving students a chance to show appreciation for each other. As they reflect emphatically on their classmates’ contributions and character, their base level of kindness and sense of ethical responsibility is bound to increase.

Learn More: Edutopia

11. Learn How to Make Logical Inferences

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This activity for kids teaches the critical academic skill of making inferences from a series of texts. Students will surely enjoy playing the role of detective in order to draw their own logical conclusions.

Learn More:  Study

12. Think Critically About Cultural Assumptions 

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This engaging activity for students challenges them to think critically about why people from a variety of cultures decorate their bodies. It helps them to break through cultural assumptions while comparing and contrasting the different forms of hand and body painting around the world.

Learn More:  Harmony

13. Big Paper Silent Reflection Activity 

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After posing some open-ended questions, students silently write their responses with colored markers on large chart paper. After each group has circulated around the room, students can share their critical reflections and learn from the various perspectives of their classmates.

Learn More:  Slideshare

14. Watch a TED Video About the Socratic Method

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Socrates is one of the forefathers of critical thinking, who focused on making his students thinking visible by questioning their logic and reasoning. The accompanying quiz and discussion questions are an excellent way to reinforce student learning.

Learn More:  Ted Ed

15. Brainstorm Ways to Help a Homeless Person

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This lesson in civic responsibility teaches students about the causes of homelessness and guides them to find ways to help the homeless in their communities. It develops key problem-solving skills while building critical empathy.

Learn More:  National Homeless.org

16. Guess the Object Game

This video features a series of twenty zoomed-in mystery objects. Students will love using their critical thinking skills to guess each one!

Learn More:  Andy – The ESL Guy

17. Solve Some Challenging Math Brain Teasers

This abundant series of brain teasers is the perfect choice if you’re looking to test your children’s memory and problem-solving skills. Encourage them to use their knowledge of numbers to complete these tricky math problems that are not only designed to challenge your little brainiacs but are also compiled in an easy-to-use format.

Learn More: Mental Up

18. Complete a STEM Elevator Challenge

In this design and engineering-based lesson, students have to build a functional elevator that can carry an object to the top of a structure. It’s a terrific way to encourage cooperative learning while sharpening their problem-solving skills.

Learn More:  Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers

19. Create the Perfect Farm 

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There’s no better way to develop critical thinking skills than by solving real-world problems. This video encourages students to think about ways to feed a growing global population in an environmentally sustainable way.

20. Solve Logic Grid Puzzles

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These logic grid puzzles will motivate students to use logical reasoning skills and the process of elimination to solve a series of clues. But be warned, they are highly addictive and difficult to put down once you get started!

Learn More:  Puzzle Baron’s Logic Puzzles

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Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets: Improve your child's thinking skills

Hello, and welcome to our engaging math resource! Today we will discuss a vital topic for Grade 2 students: logical reasoning. This article will provide many learning opportunities and areas in Mathskills4kids.com , where you'll find the best Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets online. These worksheets are designed to improve your child's thinking skills and apply them in math and the real world.

Logical reasoning involves using facts, rules, and patterns to solve problems and make decisions . Logical reasoning skills are essential for academic success and everyday life.

Our major objective in this resource is to show you why logical reasoning is important for grade 2 students , how to introduce logical reasoning concepts to your child , fun and engaging activities to practice logical reasoning skills , the benefits of logical reasoning worksheets for grade 2 , tips and tricks to help your child solve logical reasoning problems , etc.

Let's get started!

Why logical reasoning is important for Grade 2 students

Logical reasoning is important for grade 2 students because it helps them develop their thinking skills and prepares them for more advanced math and science topics in the future.

Logical reasoning also helps students improve their reading comprehension, writing skills, and creativity. With logical reasoning skills, students can understand different perspectives, evaluate arguments, and draw conclusions.

Logical reasoning also fosters curiosity, confidence, and independence in learning.

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Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets: Improve your child's thinking skills - Guess the number word problems

Start practice on Second Grade here

How to introduce logical reasoning concepts to your child.

The best way to introduce logical reasoning concepts to your child is to use everyday examples and situations they can relate to.

For example, you can ask your child questions like:

  • What do you think will happen if you leave your ice cream outside on a hot day?
  • How do you know that this is a triangle?
  • What is the rule for making this pattern ?
  • How can you sort these objects into different groups ?
  • How can you prove that this statement is true or false?

You can also use games, puzzles, stories, and experiments to introduce logical reasoning concepts to your child. For example, you can play games like tic-tac-toe, chess, sudoku, or riddles with your child.

You can also read stories that involve logic puzzles or mysteries with your child. You can also do simple experiments with your child using household items like water, vinegar, baking soda, or food coloring.

Mathskills4kids fun and engaging activities to practice logical reasoning skills

There are many fun and engaging activities found in Mathskills4kids that you can use to practice logical reasoning skills with your child. Here are some examples:

  • Make a treasure map with clues and directions for your child to follow.
  • Create a secret code with symbols or letters and have your child decode it.
  • Build a model or a structure with blocks or Lego and have your child explain how they did it.
  • Make a collage or a picture with shapes and colors and have your child describe it.
  • Invent a new game or a toy with rules and instructions for your child to play.

The benefits of Mathskills4kids logical reasoning worksheets for Grade 2: Improve your child's problem-solving and critical thinking abilities

One of the best ways to practice and improve your child’s thinking skills is to use logical reasoning worksheets for grade 2 from Mathskills4kids.com . These Logical reasoning worksheets are designed to challenge and stimulate your child's mind with different problems and questions requiring logic and reasoning. Logical reasoning worksheets for grade 2 can help your child improve their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities by:

  • Developing their analytical and deductive skills
  • Enhancing their memory and concentration
  • Expanding their vocabulary and knowledge
  • Increasing their creativity and imagination
  • Boosting their confidence and motivation

Tips and tricks to help your child solve logical reasoning problems

Solving logical reasoning problems can be tricky sometimes, but some tips and tricks can help your child solve all the exercises in our Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets and more.

Here are some of them:

  • Encourage your child to read the problem carefully and understand what it is asking.
  • Help your child identify the relevant facts, rules, and patterns in the problem.
  • Guide your child to use different strategies like drawing diagrams, making tables, using examples, or eliminating options.
  • Support your child to check their answers and explain their reasoning.
  • Praise your child for their efforts and achievements.

What are some real-life situations where logical reasoning skills are useful?

Logical reasoning skills are useful in real-life situations and school. Here are some examples of how logical reasoning skills can improve your child’s thinking skills in everyday life:

  • Planning a trip or an event
  • Following directions or instructions
  • Making choices or decisions
  • Solving conflicts or disputes
  • Learning new skills or hobbies

Where to find the best grade 2 logical reasoning resources online

There are many ways to practice logical reasoning with your kids at home or in the classroom. Hence we want to help you discover where to find the best grade 2 logical reasoning resources online to print and use with your Grade 2 students at any time.

These activities are interactive, colorful, and varied, so your kids will always feel excited. They also cover different logical reasoning skills that will readily improve your child’s thinking skills, such as pattern recognition, picture analogy, picture matching, odd one out, and more.

Here are some of the best online Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets and fun activities that we have found for you:

This website offers a variety of printable logic grid puzzles for kids of different ages and levels. Logic grid puzzles are a type of logic puzzle that require you to use clues and deductive reasoning to fill in a grid with the correct information.

For example, you might have to figure out who likes which color, has which pet, or plays which instrument. These puzzles are great for developing logical thinking, attention to detail, and concentration skills.

This website provides interactive worksheets that you can do online or print out.

The worksheets are based on the topic of animals and their habitats. They involve matching animals to their habitats, finding the odd ones, completing patterns, and more.

These worksheets are perfect for practicing visual discrimination, categorization, and spatial reasoning skills.

These puzzles enhance logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and math skills.

Thank you for sharing the links of MathSkills4Kids.com with your loved ones. Your choice is greatly appreciated.

math worksheets for kindergarteners or kinders

We hope you enjoyed our Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets and saw the amazing results in your child's thinking skills .

Thank you for reading, and happy reasoning!

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Work sheet library: critical thinking, 100 ready-to-print student work sheets organized by grade level.

Click on a grade level folder below to find a library of work sheets that you can use with your students to build a wide variety of critical thinking skills. All the work sheets in this library were provided to Education World by our partners at CriticalThinking.com . 

Visit Education World's Work Sheet Library for a wide variety of free printables for use across the curriculum and across the grades.

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critical thinking activities for grade two

Second Grade Thinking Skills & Key Concepts

Teaches beyond most state & common core standards.

Critical Thinking

Full curriculum

Components Sold Separately

Second Grade Thinking Skills & Key Concepts: Teacher's Manual

Second Grade Thinking Skills & Key Concepts: Answer PDF

  • Paperback Book - $21.99
  • eBook - $21.99

Description and Features

This highly-effective, standards-based, 160-page book is a research-based instructional program that teaches beyond most state and Common Core standards by:

  • Improving children's observation and description skills
  • Developing academic vocabulary
  • Developing thinking skills that underlie content learning (describing/defining, identifying similarities and differences, sequencing, and classifying)
  • Improving students' understanding of key concepts in mathematics, social studies, and science
  • Students completing structured exercises to write sentences and paragraphs
  • Carefully sequencing lessons to develop thinking skills
  • Employing language integration techniques to teach thinking skills and key concepts

Academic Vocabulary Development The program builds academic vocabulary using these important concepts: describe, compare and contrast, and classify shapes, position, patterns, matter, water, weather, land forms, bodies of water living and non-living things, communities, our country. Observation Skills Observation lessons involve concrete examples using detailed photographs to develop observation skills. The student book provides activities that students may use to clarify their thinking and learning by peer and class discussion. Spatial Thinking Skills     • Describing Shapes – naming shapes, finding shapes to match a description, describing characteristics of a shape     • Similarities and Differences – matching and combining shapes, producing equal figures, figure completion     • Sequences – recognizing and producing the next figure in a sequence     • Classification – classifying by shape and/or color, forming classes, depicting overlapping classes     • Using positional and directional words

Verbal Thinking Skills     • Describing – matching a picture to a description, describing people, animals, or objects shown in pictures, part/whole analysis     • Similarities and Differences – selecting similar people, animals, or objects, explaining similarities and differences     • Sequences – ranking objects or people by a significant characteristic     • Classifications – explaining characteristics of a class, exceptions, sorting into classes     • Analogies – naming the kind of analogy or completing the analogy

Mental Models This book teaches the characteristics outlined in its mental models needed to describe or define a concept. How We Know It Works     • Increased scores on language proficiency and cognitive abilities tests     • Increased scores on normed or criterion-referenced achievement tests     • Proficient student writing     • Increased number of students placed in advanced classes and subsequent successful performance

Teaching Support This student book can be used with a free, downloadable, answer PDF ( get it here ) or with a detailed, 192-page Teacher's Manual which can be purchased separately . The Teacher's Manual provides instructions to teach the lessons using research-proven methods that promote students' thinking:  direct instruction, cooperative learning, whole sentence responding, and language integration activities. The Teacher's Manual physical book is in black and white, but the eBook version is in color.

Watch a short presentation on this highly effective product. View Online | PowerPoint | PDF

Product Details

10403PBP
Sandra Parks and Howard Black
-->
Critical Thinking
Student Book
Paperback Book
Reproducible
1-60144-844-9
978-1-60144-844-6
160, color

General License - Download

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This is a legal agreement between you (a single entity, company, or educational institution) and The Critical Thinking Co.™ for the software accompanying this agreement, which includes computer Software and associated Documentation. By installing this Software on a computer, you agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. If you do not agree to the terms of this agreement, promptly erase all copies of the software in your possession and return any Software packaging associated with this order within sixty (60) days of purchase to the place from which you obtained it for a full refund.

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1. GRANT OF LICENSE. The Critical Thinking Co.™ grants you the right to install and use this Software Product, provided that this software will be installed only in the quantity and for the computer system(s) indicated at the time of your order for the Software.

2. COPYRIGHT. The Software Product and Documentation are protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Therefore, you must treat the Software Product like any other copyrighted material. You may not remove, modify, or alter any of The Critical Thinking Co.'s™ copyright or trademark notices from any part originally contained in or otherwise created by the Software Product, including any notices contained in the Documentation.

3. RESTRICTIONS. You may not modify, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the Software, or any portion thereof. The Software Product is licensed as a single product. This Software Product can be installed on a computer as a whole and shall not be separated in parts or disassembled to parts or pieces. You may not rent, lease, or lend the Software or Documentation to any other party without the written permission of The Critical Thinking Co.™. The License is in effect until terminated. The License will terminate automatically if you fail to comply with the limitations described herein. On termination, you must destroy all copies of the Software and Documentation.

4. WARRANTIES. The Critical Thinking Co.™ expressly disclaims any warranty for the Software Product. The Software and Documentation is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties or merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the Software remains with you. If media within this package is defective, remove the software application from your device(s) and return any software packaging associated with this order to The Critical Thinking Co.™ within 60 days of the date of purchase, and they will replace it at no charge.

5. NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. In no event shall The Critical Thinking Co.™ or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use this Software Product, even if The Critical Thinking Co.™ has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.

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9 Summer Learning Activities that Promote School Readiness for PreK-2nd Grade Families

By andy minshew.

  • July 23, 2024

For many families, summertime brings a mix of excitement and anxiety. While the promise of family time and outdoor fun is enticing, the sudden lack of structure can be overwhelming. As a result, parents and caregivers juggle multiple responsibilities: keeping kids entertained, planning activities, and tackling work and other daily responsibilities, too. Plus, there’s an added pressure to prevent what educators call the “summer slide” — the loss of academic skills that can occur during the break.

It can be a lot to handle! You may want your children to enjoy summer, but you also worry about them falling behind academically. The good news is that no family is alone in this struggle, and there are ways to make learning a natural, enjoyable part of summer routines.

This article offers 9 easy, hands-on learning ideas designed for PreK and elementary-aged children. These activities aim to keep young minds engaged without adding stress to your already full plate. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, you’ll find practical ways to incorporate learning into your summer days, helping your child retain knowledge while still having plenty of time for summer fun.

1. Find a Summer Reading Program

Children who read during the summer are more likely to continue building their learning skills. One fun way to encourage your child is with a summer reading challenge. Waterford’s Summer Reading Challenge (which you can download here in English and Spanish) inspires learning with a variety of prompts, including:

  • Read a book that makes you laugh
  • Read a book to a pet or stuffed animal
  • Write your own story and read it aloud

Summer Reading Challenge activity

Another resource is your local library . Librarians have recommendations for readers for all ages and usually have fun activities, including reading challenges, planned for children during the summer.

Like many skills, daily practice is key. Based on recent research , Waterford recommends that children read 15 minutes a day to help strengthen key literacy skills. Whether you and your child snuggle up to read together, or if your older child practices independent reading, a daily reading habit will help your child stay school-ready for the fall and form literacy practices that can last a lifetime. You can also start a summer reading log to keep track of your child’s favorite books to revisit later.

2. Plan a Nature Scavenger Hunt or Other Outdoor Activities

Whether you’re observing backyard birds, finding bugs, or going on a nature walk, there are all kinds of ways to learn about science while getting active. If you can get to a local trail, or even a state or national park, that can make for a great day trip.

If not, there are plenty of fun nature activities you can do in your own neighborhood. Use this outdoor scavenger hunt to get started, or make your own list with local sights. As your child completes the worksheet, they can practice identifying the written names of the items they spot—reinforcing reading and STEM skills together .

Scavenger Hunt activity

3. Use Online Activities to Make Learning Fun

Waterford Upstart is a home learning program that gets children ready for school at no cost to families. It’s designed for PreK-aged learners and uses games, songs, and activities to teach children foundational reading skills. Waterford Mentor is a resource library and family engagement app for families of elementary-aged learners.

You can access thousands of early learning resources that get children ready for school using the Science of Reading by creating a Waterford account. Browse Waterford’s Resources & Activities to find hundreds of engaging activities to build foundational skills in reading, math, and science for your child, available in English and Spanish.

You can sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one:

  • PreK Families : Waterford Upstart
  • K-2 Families : Waterford Mentor

Once you’re signed up, click on the Resources & Activities tab to find fun and educational activities, like picture books, downloadable activities, coloring pages, and more:

  • José Three ( José tres ) (Pre-Reading)
  • Dev and His New Pet ( Dev y su nueva mascota ) (Basic Reading)
  • Violeta ( Violeta ) (Fluent Reading)
  • Coloring Page: Frisbee Fun
  • Name Writing Practice ( Escritura de nombre )

Plus, visit Waterford’s YouTube channel for interactive activities, learning tips, and sing-alongs to practice key skills with your young learner!

4. Go on a Family Field Trip

Take advantage of local museums, community centers and events, and parks! Your child will engage in hands-on learning as they explore, giving them an opportunity for experiential learning (or “learning by doing”).

To find free or low-cost summer activities in your neighborhood, search “family events near me” or “summer activities near me.” You can also get in touch with educators, librarians, and local community centers like the YMCA or Boys & Girls Club. They’ll be able to direct you to local resources.

5. Start a Summer Journal

For children, the benefits of writing are numerous and go beyond just literacy development. Creative writing can encourage kids to expand their imagination, and journaling helps them reflect and think critically.

Here are a few prompts we recommend sharing with your children as they journal:

  • If you could have any pet in the world (even a magical creature), what would you want to have? What name would you give it?
  • Look out of your window. What do you see?
  • Think about your favorite color. What does it remind you of?

Visit our Creative Writing Prompts and Journaling Prompts for more engaging writing inspiration.

Children who have not yet learned to write sentences can draw pictures instead, or you can help them record their thoughts. After they have finished their journal entry, discuss their drawing and its meaning together to practice communication skills .

6. Practice Math and Reading Skills in Your Daily Routine

Every day is a new opportunity for children to practice what they learned last year in school. No change to your family routine is required! Instead, find ways to practice math and reading skills each day at home or on the go.

If you see a sign at the grocery store, for example, you could ask your child what words or letters they recognize and sound them out together. Practicing math can be as simple as counting out groups of things while taking a walk, like flowers or clouds.

These Waterford Learning Together calendars can give you fun home learning ideas throughout the summer months:

  • PreK-K ( Pre-kínder-kínder )
  • 1st-2nd Grade ( 1er-2o grado )

7. Learn New Vocabulary Words Together

Learning new words can help children to practice and grow their vocabulary. Place a new word on your refrigerator and review it for a week. See how often you and your child can use the word in a sentence as you go about your day.

You can also practice spelling a new sight word every week. Although your child may already know what the word means, learning to spell these commonly used words will build their literacy skills. Check out this list of common sight words for inspiration.

Interested in more ways to build vocabulary at home? Waterford Upstart is a proven effective early literacy program that helps children get prepared for school. Follow the link here to view which programs are available for your state and sign up.

8. Play Games, Teach Math Skills

Board games make for perfect summer math activities on afternoons as well as on rainy days inside. Some classic board games, like Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders, help children learn number facts as they move tokens and count out their spaces on the board.

Want a challenging game you can play with your child? Chess is a great classic game that children and caregivers can learn to play together. Find a guide to chess for young learners here . Chess can have a positive impact on critical thinking skills, which are important for STEM subjects .

9. Try Summer Science Experiments

Science experiments can help children learn about the world around us. Many of these experiments can be done with household items, making them easy to set up. Follow the link here for summer STEM experiments perfect for early elementary learners, like:

  • Cloud in a Jar
  • DIY Bird Feeder

By incorporating these fun and educational activities into your summer plans, you can help your child stay school-ready for the fall—and have a great time together as a family. Sign up today for Waterford Upstart to support your child’s school readiness journey with fun songs, cute characters, and interactive learning activities.

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Critical and Creative Thinking Activities, Grade 2

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Description

"We must empower students to become creative thinkers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers—people who are continually learning and who can apply their new knowledge to complex, novel, open-ended challenges." - Educational Leadership, Summer 2008, Volume 65

Engage your grade 2 students in thinking skills practice with Critical and Creative Thinking Activities! 140+ pages of fun, imaginative activities motivate students as they practice thinking in multiple ways about a variety of curriculum and theme-based topics.

46 theme-based units make it easy to find activities that fit your core curriculum:

Through the Year:

Back to School!, Rainy Weather, It's Snowing!, Sunshiny Days, Sick Day, Substitute Teacher, Boo!, Groundhog Day, Baskets and Bunnies, Mother's Day

Feathered Friends, Bugs, Bats, Turtles, Penguins, Mice, Squirrels, Alligators, Dinosaurs, Under the Seat

In the Kitchen, At the Library, At the Zoo, On a Walk, At the Dinner Table

Fairy Tale Fun:

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man, Hansel and Gretel

Time to Eat:

Drink Up!, Cookies, Breakfast, Spaghetti Already!, Peanuts and Popcorn

My Hair, My Eyes, My Teeth, My Hands, My Feet

In My World:

Friends, Balls, Windows and Doors, Our World, Balloons, Wheels, String, Forks and Spoons, Music, Sticks and Stones

This resource contains teacher support pages, reproducible student pages, and an answer key.

Written by Rachel Lynette

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IMAGES

  1. Critical Thinking Worksheet Grades K-2: Syllables

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  2. Critical Thinking Exercises Brain Teasers

    critical thinking activities for grade two

  3. critical thinking worksheets for 2nd grade pdf thekidsworksheet

    critical thinking activities for grade two

  4. Critical Thinking Workbook Grade 2

    critical thinking activities for grade two

  5. Critical Thinking Worksheets For 2nd Grade

    critical thinking activities for grade two

  6. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

    critical thinking activities for grade two

VIDEO

  1. Evan-Moor Critical & Creative Thinking Activities workbook || Level 3 || From Timberdoodle

  2. Synthesize Information

  3. CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS! YOU MUST TRY FOR YOUR KIDS!

  4. Pedagogical Idea Panorama

  5. Sample Activities for developing CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

  6. Grade 2 Excercises Practice

COMMENTS

  1. Work Sheet Library: Critical Thinking: Grades K-2

    Following Directions. Follow the directions to mark the appropriate shapes. (Grades K-2) Combining Attribute Blocks. Determine which figures can be made by combining two different attribute block shapes. (Grades K-2) Naming Foods: Matching. Trace and copy each food name. Then draw a line from each food to its name.

  2. PDF 81 Fresh & Fun Critical-Thinking Activities

    This arrangement will help you and your students more clearly understand and identify the specific critical-thinking skills they are using. For each thinking skill in this book, there are two kinds of activities: (1) those that you, as the teacher, will lead, and (2) student reproducibles for indepen-dent work.

  3. 11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

    6. Start a Debate. In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science.

  4. 10 Great Critical Thinking Activities That Engage Your Learners

    Writing (or drawing) and silence are used as tools to slow down thinking and allow for silent reflection, unfiltered. By using silence and writing, learners can focus on other viewpoints. This activity uses a driving question, markers, and Big Paper (poster-sized is best).

  5. Free Critical Thinking Grade 2 Worksheets

    Tricky Problems Worksheet: Part 1. Visualizing word problems can help students solve them. This fun PDF worksheet encourages students to create mental images using math facts, then check boxes to match the equations for basic addition problems. It's a great way to build confidence in solving math. Download (PDF) Complete online.

  6. Logic Puzzles for Kids: fun ways to teach critical thinking in 1st and

    These logic puzzles are so much fun for kids to practice their critical thinking skills. In this post, I share 5 different types of logic/critical thinking activities that are great for young students to practice! Before I dive in, I wanted to let you know you can watch or listen to all this information in […]

  7. Critical Thinking Activities That Get Students Moving

    By fusing critical thinking activities with movement, teachers can promote better student engagement and deeper learning. ... Grades 6-12; School Leaders; Search for: Grades Grades. All Grades K-5 All Grades 6-12 PreK 6th Grade Kindergarten 7th Grade 1st Grade 8th Grade 2nd Grade 9th Grade 3rd Grade 10th Grade 4th Grade 11th Grade 5th Grade ...

  8. PDF THE CRITICAL THINKING

    It also means thinking in a self-regulated and self-corrective manner. It's thinking on purpose! Critical thinking involves mindful communication, problem-solving, and a freedom from bias or egocentric tendency. You can apply critical thinking to any kind of subject, problem, or situation you choose.

  9. Critical Thinking Skills for Kids (& How to Teach Them)

    Debates. 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!

  10. Free Critical Thinking Worksheets for Kids

    Critical Thinking Worksheets are an invaluable educational tool designed to enhance students' critical thinking skills. These worksheets are the perfect platform for students to practice applying logic, reasoning, and evaluation techniques, honing their analytical skills in all subject areas. ... Critical thinking is vital for Grade 2 students ...

  11. Critical Thinking Worksheets & Facts

    Critical Thinking Worksheets. This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Critical Thinking across 28 in-depth pages. ... Grade 2 (age 7-8) Grade 3 (ages 8-9) Grade 4 (ages 9-10) Grade 5 (ages 10-11) Grade 6 (ages 11-12) Addition; Numbers; Money; Times Tables; Technology. Transportation;

  12. Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2

    Foundation for Critical Thinking: Logical Thinking worksheets activities for Grade 2 lay down the groundwork for critical thinking skills. These activities challenge students to go beyond memorization and encourage them to understand the 'why' and 'how' behind various concepts. Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills: Through puzzles, sequence solving ...

  13. Critical and Creative Thinking Activities, Grade 2

    Engage your grade 2 students in thinking skills practice with Critical and Creative Thinking Activities! 140+ pages of fun, imaginative activities motivate students as they practice thinking in multiple ways about a variety of curriculum and theme-based topics. 46 theme-based units make it easy to find activities that fit your core curriculum:

  14. Free 2nd grade critical thinking worksheet pdfs

    The Critical Thinking Co. This 59-page ebook for Grades 1-5 is a sample collection of our most popular quick, fun thinking math puzzles. The wide variety of activities build deductive, inductive (inferential), and creative thinking skills in mathematics. The puzzles are perfect for quick, fun, brain-teasers in the classroom or at home.

  15. 2nd grade critical thinking resources

    Created by. Christy Howe. Math Logic Puzzles for 2nd grade includes 16 higher-order thinking puzzles designed to challenge and engage your high flyers and fast finishers. Your students will utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills while building a solid understanding of essential math concepts and skills.

  16. Critical Thinking Grade 2 Worksheets & Teaching Resources

    66. $11.00. $8.80. Bundle. Zip. This bundle contains three products to teach your primary students to use critical thinking, logic, and mathematical reasoning. They are perfect for Gifted students and High Achievers and can be used as a morning warmup activity, daily challenge, math center, or for early finishers.

  17. Evan-Moor Skill Sharpeners Critical Thinking, Grade 2 Workbook, Problem

    Grade 2 activities include puzzles, word problems, riddles, and drawings that involve critical thinking skills such as: - Analyze - Solve - Justify - Categorize - Create, and more! Plus, each page lists the critical thinking skill(s) so that you know what your child is practicing. Includes answer key.

  18. 20 Critical Thinking Activities For Elementary Classrooms: Navigating

    6. Play a Critical Thinking Game . This active learning activity requires students to use their critical thinking skills to make comparisons and create meaningful analogies. The fun animal safari theme is sure to inspire many funny and creative ideas! Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers. 7. Develop Social-Emotional Problem-Solving Skills

  19. Grade 2 logical reasoning worksheets: Improve your child's thinking skills

    These worksheets are designed to improve your child's thinking skills and apply them in math and the real world. Logical reasoning involves using facts, rules, and patterns to solve problems and make decisions. Logical reasoning skills are essential for academic success and everyday life. Our major objective in this resource is to show you why ...

  20. Skill Sharpeners: Critical Thinking, Grade 2

    The 100+ activities are organized around these 2 nd grade themes: Animals: Alligators and Turtles; Bats and Bugs; My Body: Eyes, Teeth, and Hair; Hands and Feet; Things: Things We Use; Things We Like; Places: Oceans and Forests; Deserts. Grade 2 activities include puzzles, word problems, riddles, and drawings that involve critical thinking ...

  21. Spectrum Critical Thinking for Math, Grade 2

    Critical Thinking Math Grade 2 workbook for kids ages 7+ Support your child's educational journey with Spectrum's Critical Thinking 2nd Grade Math Workbook that teaches essential 2nd grade math skills. 2nd grade critical thinking math workbooks are a great way for 2nd graders to learn critical thinking skills such as fractions, geometry, addition and subtraction with 3-digit numbers, and ...

  22. Work Sheet Library: Critical Thinking

    100 Ready-to-Print Student Work Sheets Organized by Grade Level. Click on a grade level folder below to find a library of work sheets that you can use with your students to build a wide variety of critical thinking skills. All the work sheets in this library were provided to Education World by our partners at CriticalThinking.com .

  23. Second Grade Thinking Skills & Key Concepts

    Spatial Thinking Skills. • Describing Shapes - naming shapes, finding shapes to match a description, describing characteristics of a shape. • Similarities and Differences - matching and combining shapes, producing equal figures, figure completion. • Sequences - recognizing and producing the next figure in a sequence.

  24. Fun Summer Learning Activities for Kids

    4. Go on a Family Field Trip. Take advantage of local museums, community centers and events, and parks! Your child will engage in hands-on learning as they explore, giving them an opportunity for experiential learning (or "learning by doing").. To find free or low-cost summer activities in your neighborhood, search "family events near me" or "summer activities near me."

  25. Critical and Creative Thinking Activities, Grade 2

    Engage your grade 2 students in thinking skills practice with Critical and Creative Thinking Activities! 140+ pages of fun, imaginative activities motivate students as they practice thinking in multiple ways about a variety of curriculum and theme-based topics. 46 theme-based units make it easy to find activities that fit your core curriculum: