MS6+Activities+and+Resources


 * Activities**


 * What do we need to know about developing critical thinking and problem solving skills in readers? How should we teach students to use critical thinking skills to develop purpose for determining importance of information? What are the obstacles that get in the way of students actually using their critical thinking skills to determine importance of information?

Our challenge is to identify strategies to help students develop and use critical thinking skills to determine importance of information.**

Research: (Think in terms of middle school readers)

[] Applicable set of values re : critical thinking: Using reason to investigate questions, evaluate ideas, advocate positions, and resolve conflicts. Applicable critical thinking skills: Inquiry Skills—the ability to frame questions and gather information. Understanding and Evaluation Skills—the ability to understand others’ ideas and evaluate arguments offered in support of them. Advocacy Skills—the ability to formulate positions and support them in a manner that promotes reasoned discussion. When one wants to explore a topic or solve a problem, framing key questions is an important first step //[|www.p21.org] // //Reason Effectively // //Use Systems Thinking // [|www.criticalthinking.org] Critical Reading versus Critical Thinking
 * What do we need to know about developing critical thinking and problem solving skills in readers?**
 * Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation
 * Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Articles/Books: Mendelman, Lisa. “Critical Thinking & Reading.” //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.// Dec. 2007 Kaplan, E. Joseph. "An Interactive Strategy for the Instruction of Critical Thinking in the Middle School.” Wilhelm, Jeffery D., Ph.D. //Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Stretegie.// Scholastic 2001

importance of information?** Below is a list sites that have 21st Century ideas for teaching critical reading and thinking skills. Although these sites are helpful, they are not enough to teach our students the critical reading and thinking skills needed to determine the importance of a text. In order to teach our students the skills needed to be critical readers and thinkers, we must model a variety of strategies we use when we are being criticial readers and thinkers ourselves. It is important that this type of teaching is very specific and that we take nothing that our students understand or don't understand for granted.
 * How should we teach students to use critical thinking skills to develop purpose for determining

Some issues that could Interfere with determining importance of information could be due to the following: word attack skills, vocabulary issues, schema, comprehension, and level of language acquisition for English Language Learners and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse learners. Teachers will need to address individual student needs to provide support so that students could determine importance of information within a text. Variations in content would also determine types of strategies needed to provide support for students.
 * What are some obstacles that could get in the way of students actually using their critical thinking skills to determine importance of information?**

__Books__:
 * Resources**

Blokker, Bill. __Literacy First Content Area Teacher's Manual__. Professional Development Institute, Inc. 2007 Provides specific strategies to address comprehension needs of students to include determining importance of information.

Buehl, Doug. __Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning__. International Reading Association, Inc., 2009. A multitude of strategies are provided to promote comprehension skills needed to determine importance of information.

Conrad, Lori; Matthews, Missy; Zimmerman, Cheryl; Allen, Patrick. __Put Thinking to the Test__. Stenhouse Publishers: Portland, Maine, 2008. Chapter on "Determine the Most Important Ideas and Themes".

Haynes, Judie. __Getting Started with English Language Learners__. ASCD: Alexandria, Virginia, 2007. Provides information about Second-Language acquisition and strategies for differentiating instruction so that students can comprehend content material.

Harvey, Stephanie and Goudvis, Anne. __Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement__. Stenhouse Publishers, 2007. Much cited source for strategies that help determine importance of information.

Keene, Ellin Oliver and Zimmerman, Susan. __Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction__. Heinneman, 2007. Provides strategies for determining importance of information.

Marzano, Robert; Pickering, Debra; and Pollock, Jane. __Classroom Strategies that Work__. ASCD: 2001. Provides strategies for determining importance of information.

McGregor, Tanny. __Comprehension Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading__. Heinemann: Portsmath, NH, 2007. Chapter providing strategies for determining importance of information.

Pinnell, Gay Su and Fountas, Irene C. __The Continuum of Literacy Learning: Behaviors and Understandings to Notice, Teach, and Support__. Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH, 2007.

Tovani, Chris. __I Read It, But I Don't Get It: Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers__. Stenhouse Publishers: Portland, Maine, 2000. Provides strategies developing critical thinking skills needed for reading comprehension.

__Internet Sources__:

Carr, Kathryn S. "How Can We Teach Critical Thinking?" Eric Clearing House, 2003-05. [] Emphasizes critical reading and uses writing to develop critical thinking skills. "Determining Importance." PUSD curriculum and Instruction Central, Poway Unified School District, Poway, CA, 2008. [] Cites two lessons using two different methods for assisting students in determining importance for non-fiction and fiction passages: cross-out strategy and vertical arrow graphic organizer

Elder, Linda and Paul, Richard. "Critical Thinking and the Art of Close Reading (Part Two). The Critical Thinking Community: Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2009. http://www.criticalthinking.org/articles/sts-ct-art-close-reading-p2.cfm Cites guided questions that help students determine the importance of a text by using their prior experiences and summarizing skills

Johnson, Larry and Lamb, Annette. "Graphic Organizers." Teacher Tap: Professional Development Resources for Educators and Librarians, 2007. [] Provides a variety of graphic organizers.

Haag, Karen. "Determine Importance." LiketoRead.com, 2003-2010. [] Cites information from Mosaic of Thought (Ellin Keene) and Strategies that Work (Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis). Lists strategies and lessons to teach determining importance of information.

Mr. Maith. "Determining Importance." Skaith Accelerated School, St. Joseph, MO. [] Helps the reader identify important information by referring to specific text features and textual clues.

Sass. Edmund J., Ed.D. "Creativity/Problem Solving / Problem Solving / Critical Thinking Lesson Plans and Resources." School Day Rewards.com, 2010. [] Provides lesson plans across content areas that help students develop their problem solving skills.

"Six Thinking Hats: Looking at Decision Making from All Points of View." Mind Tools. [] Cites an activity that helps students prioritize.

Zimmerman, Susan and Hutchins, Chryse. "Key 5: Determining Importance." Seven Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It! New Augusta Public Academy South, Indianapolis, IN. [] A list of questions to reveal thinking help determine importance