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Critical Breaks

Professional Inquiry Project

4/13/2015
University of Lethbridge
Alex Kathol

Miss. Alex Kathol


2015

Thank you to everyone at Westmount School for taking me in and making me feel welcome! You
have all been a wonderful support, and I have truly felt like a staff member over the last four
months.
This is meant to be a short resource for the teachers at Westmount school, and any other
teachers interested in implementing critical thinking in their classrooms. Hopefully this helps
bring critical thinking into the classroom, in a fun and easy manner. Enjoy!

-Alex Kathol

Miss. Alex Kathol


2015

Question
How can critical thinking be integrated into engaging brain breaks and energizers, used in
elementary classrooms?
Summary
The keyword in defining critical thinking is the term criteria. Therefore, we must teach students
to understand and develop criteria, before they can begin to consciously think critically. While
students naturally think critically, teaching them to apply their nature skills to their school work
can be a challenge. There are a number of ways critical thinking can be taught, but specifically
this project focuses on developing critical thinking skills through adapted brain break; thus,
critical breaks. The adaptations of the breaks are intended to help students develop their natural
critical thinking skills and use them in an academic setting. Overall, these integrated breaks will
provide students with a fun and engaging way to learn and apply critical think strategies; in
addition, these breaks will serve their original purpose of providing students a break from sitting
and content.
Brain breaks and energizers can be a powerful tool for classroom teachers when students need
refocusing, review, or even reward! Brain breaks and energizers can often be adapted to fit
curriculum content or class ability, which can make them a welcomed tool in the classroom.
Such adaptability also makes these tools perfect to critical thinking integration!
Rationale
Westmount School has set a focus on teaching critical thinking skills and strategies crosscurricular. Teachers and staff have received instruction and professional develop on how to use
critical thinking when teaching curriculum content. By providing opportunities for additional
exposure to critical thinking strategies, students may further develop critical thinking skills.
This project was completed as a part of Alex Kathols internship requirements, in collaboration
with Ann Cheek.
Data/experience was collected from k-6 elementary classrooms at Westmount school.

Miss. Alex Kathol


2015

Critical Breaks List


Traditional Break Activities

Adapted Critical Breaks

Possible Applications

Would you Rather?

Would you Rather Debate1


Based on the content/subject the class is learning
about, as a class (or as the teacher) choose 2-3
elements from the class and compare them! Have
students pick sides and work together to formulate an
appropriate argument/defence; in addition, students
should be able to provide a rationale for why they
chose that side. At the end of the discussions the class
can assess the quality of the arguments presented.

ELA

A traditional compare and contrast game that


poses contrasting options. A selection must be
made only from the proposed options. This
game challenges individuals to take a side
(make a decision), and often defend or explain
their decision.
This game can be played with thoughtful or
amusing topics.

Tips:
- Have 5 Ws posters up for students to reference.
-Make sure students are aware of how to be
respectful during debates and presentations.
- It is important to retain the fun and competitive
elements of the game.
-Have students move around the room, to separate
areas for each side, to get them up and moving.

Story Zoom

Story Zoom

A classic cooperative game, where students


form a circle and are each given a picture,
object, or other prompt.

Guess Who/Where

Based on the content or subject the class prompts can


be chosen by students or the teacher. As the story is
developed students must continually assess:

if the focus of the story is remaining true to


the subject

if the story is following story criteria

proper connections to previous prompts


appropriate additions and direction
Tips:
-set criteria for what makes a good story before
activity as a class; in addition, this criteria can be
applied to other lessons and activities.
-set specific actions or sounds for assessments so
students know when something needs to be adjusted.
-Set requirements for length of each student segment
(quality over quantity).
Where am I/ Who am I?

Guess Who/Where uses yes or no questions to


aid a deductive process. This game is based on
the process of elimination. Based on an image
or prompt individuals, can use questions to
discover a location or identity.

Students become image detectives, by combining


previous knowledge with present facts and clues to
make inferences about a picture. Students must
assess which elements of the picture provide the most
information for inferences.

A story is then developed as each student in the


circle incorporates their prompt into the story.

Critical Prompts may include:

What are the 5 most important clues in this


picture? Why?

Draw plausible conclusions from the image.


How do you know?

Assess what is happening in this picture?

Create a realistic conclusion about the picture.


(who/what/where)
Tips:
- Choose an image of a person or recognizable place to
show students
1

TC2 Workshop/Discussion

Math

Social

Compare characters/events from a


story.
Compare two similar pieces of
literature.
Taking different perspectives.
Comparing strategies or answers.

Taking different perspectives,


opinions, etc.

Science

Comparing different hypothesises,


predictions or even results
General

Further discuss controversial


topics, build on problems and
solutions, or to just have fun!
ELA

Learning how plot is developed


and how events are connected in a
story.
Build on or redevelop story.
Writing prompts.

Social/Science

Cause and effect

ELA

Writing Prompts
Book inquiry (looking at the book
cover)

General

This activity is easily adaptable to


almost any topic/subject (book
cover, movie poster, famous
image, text book or worksheet
image, etc.).

For individual or small group


activity, place picture in a sealed
bag of rice. Students can then
reveal small segments of the
picture and make inferences.

Miss. Alex Kathol


2015
Dictionary Deception

Dictionary Deception

A word is chosen that the participating


individuals will not know, and is then written
on the board. Sticky notes or small pieces of
paper are then handed out to each person. Each
person then writes their name and a definition
of the presented word on the piece of paper.
The leader writes the real definition down on a
piece of paper and adds it to the pile of
definitions.

Teacher choses a word that students do not know,


and corresponds with topic/subject. Students must
write what they think a definition of the word could
be. In order to create a definition students must
analyse and break down the word; perhaps, introduce
Latin root words on an anchor chart.
*remember to include the real definition in the
selection of definitions.

Each definition is then read aloud and voted on


by the group. The definition that the group
believes is the real definition is voted for.
Individuals that choose the proper definition
get a point; in addition each time a fake
definition is voted for, the author of that note
gets a point.
The person (or group) with the most points at
the end of the round wins.
Fine it Fast
A leader or a teacher calls out a trait (colour,
shape, etc.), and students must quickly find an
object in the room that matches the description
and go get it or stand by it.
Last person to find an object is out or has to do
10 jumping jacks.

Line Up!
Have students line up using a specific criteria
such as age (use day and month, not just year),
height, alphabetically by middle name, hair
length, etc.

After the Game.


After a new game is play it is often habit to ask
the tudents how the game went, what they
liked, what they didnt.
This allows the teacher to assess interest and
teamwork skills.

General

Can be used to introduce new


vocabulary, or review vocabulary.

Can be used for words that


students come across during
readings that they do not know or
are unsure of

Students must then evaluate and assess the different


definitions to decide which definition is the best/real
one.

Find it Fast
A leader or teacher offers a trait, question, or
character, and students must quickly find an object
that reflects the prompt. Students must then explain
how/why their object reflects or connects to the
prompt.
Tips:

To introduce this activity, objects can be


provided to small groups and they must
discuss how the objects can be connected to
the prompt. Why would these objects be
chosen? Why are they significant?

Criteria Line Up!


Have students line up based on specific criteria
established in class.
For example What are the criteria for being tall?
Then have the group assess which students meet the
criteria.
Sharp Thinking
After finishing a game, allow some time for
reflection about the game (on paper, in small groups,
or as a class). Here are some prompts you could
provide:

What strategies did you (or your group) use


to solve the problems in the game or be
successful?

Was the result of the game different from


what you expected? Why do you think it
was the same or different? (compare)

If you played this game again, what would


you (or your group) do differently? How
would this change the game?

If you were to create a new game, what


parts of this game would you use? Why?

If you had to make a new rule for this


game, what would it be? Why?

ELA

What would a specific character


choose? Why
What could represent a topic,
character, object, event, etc.?
Why?
Symbols

General

Assess if the object relates to the


prompt.

What could replace__________?

In what way could this


represent__________?

General

Introducing how to create criteria:


Assessment.

General

Any problem solving or


cooperative game:
o human knot
o scavenger hunt
o puzzle games
o timed competition
games

Almost any game can be reflected


on using critical thinking
questions.

Miss. Alex Kathol


2015

Summary
Over the course of my final teaching internship have adapted popular classroom brain breaks to include
elements of critical thinking. Many of these activities are versatile and can be used in a variety of age
groups and subjects.
The main element of critical thinking that has been used to adapt the brain breaks is criteria. By adding
criteria, students are able to evaluate, create and apply during the critical break activities. By teaching
students about criteria, natural critical thinking skills will be further developed. Critical breaks offer a
chance for students to get out of their desks, interact with each other, and have fun, all while applying and
developing critical thinking skills.
Tips
After a variety of classroom observations the following has been discerned in regards to the critical
breaks:

Many of activities need to be implemented in small group settings. Small groups allow for better
classroom management of the students during the activities, as well for frequent formative
assessment of understanding and skills.
Setting the criteria of the activity as a class before beginning the activity often results in a greater
understanding and performance by students. This is applicable to almost every activity in every
subject.
Frequent use of the activities in the classroom often helps develop versatility for activities within
subjects.
The critical breaks often serve as a good transition between subjects or activities.

Additional
During the process of development, I had the opportunity to work with Roland Case from TC2. He
showed interest in the topic of my project and provided guidance for formatting and data collection.
Furthermore, he provided me with an opportunity to have my finished project published with the
company TC2 (Critical Thinking Consortium. As of recently, the publishing staff from TC2 have been in
contact with me about where and how my work will be published and any edits that need to be made. This
will be a work in progress but it is a very exciting and rewarding opportunity to have my work recognized
by a well-established critical thinking organization. Most likely, my project will be published under the
online resource series, on the TC2 website.

Resources

Critical thinking Professional Development Course Feb. 6


Division Collaborative Days Feb. 17-18: In association with TC2
Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2 )

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