Introduce this session and start with a discussion around a controversial item of news using today's newspaper. It needs to be about something that you know your students will not all agree on. As they discuss the issue, write down their views on the board. Categorize them as reasoned argument, stereotyping and bias. Go through the sections and ask the students if they can see the differences in the sections. Ask them to write up their views on the story during the discussion and conclude with any change to their view after the discussion and demonstration.
Divide the students into pairs. One is a salesperson, one is an accountant. Give them a scenario of a sale that has been made at a discounted price. By giving the discounted price, the salesperson believes he will get more orders. The accountant is unhappy because the price is only 1 percent higher than cost, and he feels that even if they do get more orders, the discount is not a good profit-making policy. Have the pairs discuss the disagreement and come up with a solution.
Split the class into two groups. Choose a controversial topic to debate, such as euthanasia. One group has to be for and the other against. Each group has to offer reasoned argument and explanations for its views. Each group chooses a speaker to voice the group's opinion. Each speaker is given the opportunity to put his view forward without interruption. The other group does the same. Each group then has the opportunity to ask questions of the other. The teacher is the "referee" and must remain unbiased; she rules on who has won the debate at the end of the lesson. The students need to write up their part in the debate and describe how they used critical thinking.
Choose dilemmas appropriate to the class, for example, "If your best friend were cheating on exams, would you tell the teacher?" or "You know your best friend is cheating on his girlfriend and this girl is a friend of your sister's. What would you do?" Ask your students to think about their responsibilities and emotional reaction to the problems. Create a class discussion on each dilemma and write on the board the suggestions given. Add the number of votes for each suggestion to see which is the most popular. This activity can involve some very deep discussion and use of critical thinking, depending on how controversial are the dilemmas that you choose.