Elementary School Bundle

These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 2-5 about superstitions, different perspectives, facts and opinions, the false dilemma fallacy, and probability.

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The Building Critical Thinkers lesson plans and worksheets are designed to assist educators in effectively teaching critical thinking skills to their students. With some modifications, these lessons can also be suitable for home use.

The elementary critical thinking bundle is for grades 2 to 5. It includes 45 pages of lesson plans and worksheets covering five topics:

  1. Busting Superstitions
  2. Real Life Probability
  3. Another Perspective
  4. Fact vs. Opinion
  5. False Dilemma

1. Busting Superstitions

This lesson introduces students to the idea of superstitions and how to begin thinking critically about them. Students will explore various superstitions, differentiate between superstitions and facts, and reflect on the concept of “luck”. They’ll do a bit of detective work by researching the origins of a particular superstition.

2. Real Life Probability

Students will develop an understanding of probability and be able to use terms like "likely" and "unlikely" to describe the chances of events happening. The lesson starts by having students reflect on the rare event of seeing a shooting star, and the more common event of seeing a full moon.

3. Another Perspective

This lesson provides students with practice in taking different perspectives. Being able to honestly and sincerely consider other perspectives is an essential critical thinking skill, and important in resolving conflict, being media literate, and analysing our own arguments.

4. Fact vs. Opinion

This lesson introduces students to the difference between facts and opinions, and has them separate various statements into the two categories. It then has them generate some statements which they identify as being fact or opinion. Students will also differentiate between facts that are true and facts that are false.

5. False Dilemma

This lesson aims to familiarize students with the concept of a false dilemma. The fallacy manifests when individuals are presented with two options as if they are mutually exclusive when they are not, or as if they are the only options when there may be other possibilities. This highlights the oversimplification of complex situations that often demand more nuanced considerations.