MS6+Questions

//Twentieth Century Literacy Skills Reason Effectively// //Use Systems Thinking//
 * Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

//Make Judgments and Decisions// //Solve Problems//
 * Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs
 * Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view
 * Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments
 * Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
 * Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes
 * Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
 * Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

KCK Standards: Identify and interpret the topic, main idea(s), supporting details, theme(s), and point of view in grade-level-appropriate passage across the content areas and from a variety of sources (R8.1.4.10)

ACT Strands: Identify a clear main idea or purpose of straightforward paragraphs in uncomplicated literary narratives. Locate simple details at the sentence and paragraph level in uncomplicated passages. Draw simple generalizations and conclusions about people, ideas, and so on in uncomplicated passages.

Questions: Why do students struggle to identify clear main idea and supporting details? Are students struggling with the identification of the implied main idea? In order to find the implied main idea, one needs to be able to recognize the supporting details. How do we help students identify supporting details? Once students learn to identify supporting details, how do they identify the main idea? How do we help students sift through details to determine importance of supporting details and unimportant information? How do we support English Language Learners and Culturally Linguistic Diverse Learners in determining importance? What is it about the text that gets in the way of students actually using their critical thinking skills to determine importance of information? Do students understand the intent for determining importance? How do we ensure that students understand the expectation for determining importance of main idea and supporting details? How can we use failure to help students reevaluate the process of using critical thinking skills? What does it actually mean to be a critical thinker/reader? How can students use critical thinking skills to be a good critical reader?

__Focus__
 * 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?**