Develop critical thinkers and awareness of the media's techniques. Impressionable minds analyze advertisements they see all around them in this potentially 3-week long unit of five complete lesson plans. Extended discussions, outside...

Develop the techniques needed to analyze and synthesize literature well. No matter what students read, they need to be able to think critically about the material. Give thinkers these tools to effectively ponder and consider the world...

This lesson will focus on the aspects of Shakespeare's comedy that become more evident in performance. By viewing clips of the same Shakespeare scene in different film versions, high schoolers have the opportunity to engage in a close...

The post-Revolutionary Period of 1781-1787, also known as the Critical Period, is the focus of a series of lessons that prompt class members to examine primary source documents that reveal the instability of the period of the...

Kids take a good look at what the Internet has done to "old media" industries, such as newspapers, magazines, and books. They analyze the editorial comments made in a political cartoon and answer three critical thinking questions related...

An entire packet of reading passages, critical thinking questions, graphic organizers, and web links is here for the taking. Here is a 12 page activity focused on document analysis, reading comprehension, and critical thinking, related...

While these worksheets are specific for use while visiting the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, they could be used to guide nearly any museum trip. Questions focus on human activity, symbolism, culture, religion, and society as...

Encourage learners to think deeply about the information they read or hear. Through a series of life skills worksheets, your pupils will consider the need for objectivity, identifying missing information, and problem solving.

Encourage your young learners to analyze and think critically about how media portrays people or events. Upper graders analyze a political cartoon depicting President Obama as a Muslim and the First Lady as a revolutionary. Guided by...

Stress the importance of authenticating online resources and understanding the sources of websites' information with this activity. Using a Web-based activity, the lesson plan prompts young learners to think critically about determining...

Turn your 6th graders into detectives while growing their love of reading. Using critical thinking skills, they will be able to describe the five basic elements of detective fiction, read detective novels, make predictions, use the...

Young economists engage in a series of activities designed to develop their critical thinking skills including identifying the main idea of a passage, cause and effect relationships, and making generalization based on the data included...

A wonderfully graphic cartoon entices learners to read more about issues near the Arabian Peninsula. They will use the provided cartoon and critical thinking question to practice building their analytical and critical thinking skills....

Political cartoons are interesting and motivating, and they provide a great opportunity for critical informational analysis. This resource includes background information on the current credit crisis, a political cartoon, and three...

Make connections with past history and current events with this critical thinking exercise. Kids read background information relating to Alaska's statehood as well as information on oil drilling and Alaska's economy. They put it all...

Read to learn all about the religion and belief systems of the Arctic-dwelling Inuits. This resource includes an easy-to-follow reading passage that is seven paragraphs in length, and five great critical thinking questions.

Have pupils explore the Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest sets of laws. They get into groups to read, analyze, and answers 5 critical-thinking questions about 2 of the provided laws. Then they report what they have learned. Great...

"African Phoenix" is a poem with strong imagery and voice. The class will read two poems then draw an image of what they feel the poems mean. This is a good way to spark critical analysis.

Primary source documents provide a realistic context for pupils to explore. Included are 5 experts relating European ideals and methods for colonizing and controlling the African continent. Middle schoolers answer 4 critical-thinking...

Warm up the class with this political cartoon analysis. They use the provided guiding questions to analyze a cartoon depicting issues of debate regarding Federal debt. Critical thinking is a must with this worksheet.

With the BP oil spill still fresh on your scholars' minds, take the opportunity to analyze various perspectives on it through political cartoons. This critical-analysis handout features 2 cartoons on the incident. Background information...

Trying to expand your scholars' perspectives to think globally? Use this critical-analysis handout. A poignant political cartoon points out the devastation required to get U.S. attention focused on helping Haiti. Background information...

Learners take a critical look at the ways in which the president interacts with Congress in order to make political and economic decisions. They use a series of well-constructed discussion questions to guide their thinking as they...

The octopus is a commonly used symbol in political cartoons. Help your scholars examine why it has been used in this way throughout history. Three cartoons depict different uses of the octopus. Background information helps gives context...