FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES
Thinking skills are always incorporated into the core curriculum. However, there are some strategies and metacognitive methods that can be directly taught to enhance student thought. Listed below are also some activities related to Socratic Seminar or Socratic Dialogue. If you have any questions about any of these resources or have suggestions for additions, please send a MESSAGE.
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RECOMMENDED MATERIALS / CURRICULUM
Socratic Smackdown – a discussion game for Socratic Seminar (see video)
TED Connections (MENSA) for Socratic Dialogue
Philosophy for Kids (see blog post)
Lesson Plans: Center for Philosophy for Children
Design Thinking ~ What is It?
Stories With Holes ~ series by Nathan Levy
Chess Kid ~ online chess lessons and games
Thinker’s Toolbox (blog post)
Socratic Dialogue Guidelines – (see blog post ~ ideas for introducing student-led discussions)
LESSONS and UNITS
Invention Impact (critical thinking strategy)
Unintended Consequences (30 min. lesson)
Lesson with a Twist (paradigm-shifting reading of a text ~ blog post)
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. – Introductory Lesson (FREE) – created for K-3 but could be used up to 5th
“Thinking Outside the Box” ~ A Lesson (blog post)
Classroom Conversations: Video-Prompted Dialogue (blog post)
The Fun Theory: A Lesson in Creative Thinking
Two Puzzles are Better than One: Customize Puzzles for Learning ~ (blog post)
Think Law Sample Lesson: The Chair ~ TPT freebie / critical thinking ~ see blog post
Think-a-Thon ~ Indoor/ Outdoor Field Day (event)
Visual-Spatial and Lateral Thinking Activities and Puzzles
Hexagonal Thinking ~ blog post (Engage Their Minds)
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