Module 5 Using Critical Thinking in Instructional Pre-Planning

Directions: Complete the preplanning worksheet referring to the teaching module found at
http://www.criticalthinking.org/CTmodel/CTModel1.cfm
Introduction
Column 1
Effective instructional planning requires the
use of critical thinking skills. Here is one
strategy used by teachers to apply critical
thinking elements when planning a unit for an
8th grade social studies program.
Directions for the activity:
For this exercise you will use critical thinking
to brainstorm a unit for your grade level.

Example Unit: 8th grade Social Studies

Topic: Civil Liberties: TEKS:
Brainstormed ideas generated by the
team when planning the unit.
A small sample of possible learning
opportunities that would develop
critical thinking throughout the unit.
TEKS Standard alignments (XXX)

1) Column one is the specific element of

critical thinking discussed in the planning
model found at criticalthinking.org
2) Column two is an example of brainstormed
ideas for an 8th grade social studies program.
3) Column three is your space to
brainstorm a hypothetical
instructional unit you would like to
teach guided by the critical thinking
elements.

Point of View

The Tulsa Race Riots of 1922.

What was the general viewpoint of
racial equality held by the citizens of
Tulsa Ok in 1922?
What is the general viewpoint on
racial equality in 2009?
What evidence is there to support
these statements: (i.e. school
integration, Civil Rights, interracial
communities etc.)

Column 2
Your Unit: 4th grade Social Studies
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Topic: Texas Revolution: TEKS:
4.21 The student applies critical-thinking skills to
organize and use information acquired from a
variety of valid sources, including electronic
technology.
4.21(A) differentiate between, locate, and use valid
primary and secondary sources such as computer
software; interviews; biographies; oral, print, and
visual material; documents; and artifacts to acquire
information about the United States and Texas
4.21(B) analyze information by sequencing,
categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect
relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the
main idea, summarizing, making generalizations
and predictions, and drawing inferences and
conclusions

4.21(D) identify different points of view about

an issue, topic, historical event, or current
event
The Battle of the Alamo February 23 March
6, 1836
How many different viewpoints
existed in Texas?
What was the viewpoint of the
Mexican forces?
What was the viewpoint of the
Texians?
Lasting legacy?

Module 5 Using Critical Thinking in Instructional Pre-Planning

Purpose of teaching the unit

How will teaching about the Tulsa

Race Riots provide students with the
opportunity to view history from a
critical standpoint?
How will learning about the events
and historical media portrayal of the
Tulsa Race Riots transfer to other
topics on racial equity and civil
liberties?
How would the Tulsa Race Riots be
portrayed in the media today?
What could explain those changes?

What resources must I gather for

students to research the Tulsa Race
Riots?
What activities will teach/
demonstrate how to evaluate a
resource: i.e. information literacy?
(valid or invalid sources)
What activities will teach students the
importance of reviewing the facts
using data gathered from the current
resources?

What resources must I gather for

students to research the Battle of the
Alamo?

What activities will teach the students

the importance of primary and
secondary sources and how to
properly use them?

What are the main concepts of the

unit? (Civil liberties, racial equality,
segregation, Jim Crow, media bias, US
history, Black American history)

What are the main concepts of the

unit? (Revolution, Texas history,
different historical perspectives,
important historical figures, civic duty)

Am I assuming students have an

adequate understanding of racial
segregation?

Am I assuming students have a proper

understanding of how Texas was
formed?

Question at Issue

Information

Interpretation and Influence

Concepts

Assumptions

How is teaching about the Alamo

enhance teaching the Texan
Revolution and promote critical
thinking from students?
What critical events lead the Alamo to
be a symbol for the Texas Revolution?

Explore the different points of views

present at the battle of the Alamo?
(compare and contrast)
What events happen before the battle
of the Alamo? What happened after?
(cause and effect)

Module 5 Using Critical Thinking in Instructional Pre-Planning

Implications and Consequences

Overall value of the unit

Random notes on cross content

integration:

Some possible ideas for unit

assessment:

Module 5_CT_Pre-Planning_Worksheet

What previous knowledge is necessary

to inform them on the state of race
relations in the US during the early
part of the 20th Century?
How is learning about a single incident
that occurred in Tulsa Oklahoma in the
1922 going to progress their
understanding of civil liberties?
How will this unit connect with other
goals of the TEKS curriculum?
Is this unit/lesson worthy of
instructional time and resources?
Will the content knowledge presented
in the unit meet the standards and
teach critical thinking skills?
Computer skills, expository writing,
internet research, primary/secondary
resources, data interpretation, multimedia presentation, informational
literacy
Multimedia presentation, panel
discussion, poster, dramatic play,
structured debate, podcast,
newspaper report for Tulsa News

How is learning about the Battle of

the Alamo help students understand
the Texas Revolution and what lead for
Texas to separate from Mexico?
How will this lesson connect to this
unit, as well as the next unit, and the
TEKS standards?
Is this lesson/unit worthy of being
taught?
Will the content knowledge promote
critical thinking skills?

Computer skills, expository writing,

internet research, primary/secondary
resources,

Multimedia presentation, dramatic

plays, reenactments, journals,
structured debates,