Elementary school critical thinking activities expand off lower level questions found in Bloom's Taxonomy where a student simply "remembers" and asks her to use more complex levels such as "analyzing." One activity idea includes telling a story and asking relevant questions. For example, around the holidays, students are excited by the thought of spending time with family, receiving presents and having time off from school. After asking students simple questions such as "What day is Christmas?" engage them in a story about the spirit of the season. One idea is to spin a tale about a girl, who might not have the joy of such pleasantries as presents and time with family. Aside from making a new association that the holidays are not joyous for everyone, ask higher level questions such as: can they relate to the main character of the story? If so, why? Do they know someone who is also not fortunate? How could they make the holiday better for the main character? These answers may be shared in a group setting, or ask each student to write her answers for a more individualized activity.
Another activity uses basic worksheets which compare and contrast simple items elementary students understand. For example, a worksheet might mention a "car," "bus" and "train" and ask what they all have in common. Another worksheet might list a tree, flower and house and ask which one does not belong. In these instances, students use both analyzing and evaluating levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
If elementary school explored simpler topics along Bloom's Taxonomy scale, the exercises in high school explore more complex ones. For example, you might pose a question to the class asking "Why do we pay taxes?" Students would not only discuss the basic principles of receiving services for tax contributions, but also delve further into more specifics such as the reasoning behind different tax brackets, tax deductions and potentially even current tax debates in the news. After understanding the basic tenants of the questions, students will perform research to analyze, evaluate and form an opinion on the matter. Finish the exercise by asking students to come up with creative solutions on how they would solve a tax issue.
Another idea is asking students to write a paper about a book they're reading in literature class utilizing critical thinking skills. For example, if the class is reading "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, you might pose different topic questions such as "Why do you think Mark Twain set the novel during the time of slavery, even though he wrote it after?" Or, "What does the Mississippi River represent to "Huck" and "Jim?" Students must form an opinion and back it up with evidence from research or by directly citing from the novel.
Elementary creativity games inspire the imagination of students in the class. In one idea, "Class Hike," the teacher leads the students on a hike through the forest. Along the way, students run into plant and animal life. As they come upon these objects students mime and make corresponding sounds. A snake "slithers," dry leaves "crunch" and wind "howls." Additionally, ask students what they should wear when cold wind is howling outside, or what they should do if they come across a snake.
In another idea, "Rhyme Time" students sit around a circle, with one student having a ball. The teacher calls out a word such as "cat" and the student must make a rhyme. He then passes the ball to the next person and the teacher offers a new rhyme.
In high school, creative, critical thinking games serve as an engaging warm-up before the next activity in the period. For example, employ a game known as "Whip-It" where students sit in a circle, a statement is made such as "the best way to describe me is..." and answers "whip" around the circle with students giving the first thought that comes to mind. Another creative game is something called "A Way with Words." Students sit in a circle. The teacher gives one student a blank piece of paper. She must "read" what's on the paper, making up a purpose for it. When she's done it is passed to the next person who invents a completely new letter. Ideas include overdue electricity bill, will or professional contract.