Developing critical and creative thinking: in...

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Developing critical and creative thinking: in science


First published in 2008

Ref: 00054-2008DVD-EN

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1 The National Strategies | Secondary Developing critical and creative thinking: in science

Contents

How to use this study unit 2

Introduction 3

What is critical and creative thinking? 5

But I’m just a science teacher… 9

Strategies for developing critical and creative thinking 13

Appendix 1: Elements of critical and creative thinking in existing materials 32

Appendix 2: Thinking words 36

Appendix 3: Task 12 Full Moon causes car accidents – some prompt questions 37

Appendix 4: Evidence decision maker 38

© Crown copyright 2008 00054-2008DVD-EN


How to use this study unit

This study guide offers practical suggestions for you to use in the classroom when considering the teaching of How science works within the department and classroom. All the strategies suggested have been tried and tested by teachers in their classrooms. They draw on both academic research and the experience of practising teachers. You may have looked at Teaching and learning in secondary school materials (DfES 04232004); although there are similarities with these materials, you will find that this unit gives specific advice that will be immediately relevant for use in your science lessons.

Your science consultant can help you work through this unit or you could pair with a colleague who also wishes to enhance the progress of pupils. This way of working will build capacity within the department and capitalise on peer support.

The unit is structured so that the tasks listed towards the beginning are simple and quick to implement; more challenging activities come towards the end. It contains case studies and tasks for you to undertake, and ‘reflection’ activities which will help you revisit an idea or change your own practice. Practical tips and tasks allow you to consider the advice or try out new techniques in the classroom. The final page invites you to reflect on the experience of having tried out new materials and set some personal targets for the future. You can work through the materials in several ways:

● Start small – choose one class to work with. Ask another teacher or your subject leader to help by providing a sounding board for your ideas.

● Work with your science consultant on developing and planning your approach to creating a progress culture. After three weeks meet together to review how it is going. Discuss which strategies have been most effective with one class and plan how to use this with other classes.

● Find another science teacher to pair with and team teach. Design the activities together and divide the teacher’s role between you.

● Work with a group of teachers in the department. Use the unit as a focus for joint working, meet regularly to share ideas and then review progress after a few weeks.

● Identify the sections of the unit that are most appropriate for you and focus on those.

You may find it helpful to keep a journal of events. For some tasks you may want to make a video recording of yourself in action so you can make a realistic appraisal of your performance. You could add this, along with any other notes and planning that you do as you work your way through the unit, to your continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio.

00054-2008DVD-EN © Crown copyright 2008


Introduction

Recent research1 about pupils’ perceptions and attitudes reveals that many agree that science is important for society and for making a positive contribution to everyday lives. However, this same positive view is not reflected in their perceptions of school science. Many pupils feel that science lessons are content heavy with transmissive pedagogy. Some felt much of the science curriculum was irrelevant, aimed mainly at preparing students for a career in scientific research at university. These concerns are echoed by employers.

‘Science in schools is dull. It bears no resemblance to what goes on in the real world … Here science is incredibly creative, there’s lots of problem solving that goes on, and there’s none of that in school science.’

‘Engineers need to be creative and innovative in solving problems.’ Work related learning in science (2006), University of Warwick

‘The key thing is thinking ability and problem solving.’ Leading petrochemical company, Work related learning in science (2006), University of Warwick

Critical and creative thinking underpin the new programmes of study at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

‘By providing rich and varied contexts for pupils to acquire, develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, understanding and skills the curriculum should enable pupils to think creatively and critically to solve problems and to make a difference for the better.’

National Curriculum Handbook p11–12

Pupils who are critical and creative thinkers will be prepared for a rapidly changing world where they may have to adapt to several careers in a lifetime. Many employers want people who can see connections, have bright ideas, are innovative and are able to solve problems. Good critical and creative thinking abilities provide pupils with the tools needed for independent and life-long learning.

Helping pupils improve the skills of critical and creative thinking cannot be a ‘bolt-on’ activity but should permeate each lesson. Teachers should structure activities that build on pupils’ abilities, interests and experiences. This creates opportunities for pupils to develop these skills in a ‘safe’ environment where they feel able to take risks. 1 Different Countries, Same Science Classes: Students’ experiences of school science in their own words by Terry Lyons International Journal of Science Education Vol. 28, No. 6, 12 May 2006, pp. 591–613; also The Relevance of Science Education Project (ROSE) in England: a summary of findings by E.W Jenkins and R.G Pell, Centre for Studies in Science and Mathematics Education, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK



The goal of incorporating critical and creative thinking processes into lessons is to develop individuals who value knowledge and learning. They are able and willing to think for themselves.

Critical and creative thinking are interrelated and complementary aspects of thinking that are combinations of abilities, knowledge, values, attitudes, skills and processes.

Critical thinking could be described as reasonable, reflective, responsible and skilful thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do. A person who thinks critically can ask appropriate questions, efficiently gather and sort relevant information, reason logically from this information and come to reliable and trustworthy conclusions about the world. It is an important part of analytical ability.

Creative thinking is generally considered to be involved with the creation or generation of ideas, processes, experiences or objects. It is sometimes thought that creative people are rare and that creativity involves some unusual talents. There are people with exceptional creative talent who need to be nurtured. However, everyone is capable of creative thinking in different areas of activity if the conditions are right and they have the relevant knowledge and skills.

This booklet is one of four study guides that are provided as part of a suite of materials to increase the number of pupils who reach L6+ at Key Stage 3 and A*/ B at Key Stage 4. The four booklets are:

● Talking science pedagogy

● Creating a progress culture

● Going for gold: securing attainment

● Developing critical and creative thinking: in science.



What is critical and creative thinking?

Task 1: What is critical and creative thinking?

With a colleague, or as a department, use the quotes below to help you discuss what is meant by critical and creative thinking.

The definitions offered are meant only as a stimulus to the discussion.

It is important that the department has an agreement on what these terms mean.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is applying well-known criteria to a problem, turning the handle and producing an answer

What do you think? Critical thinking is when you balance everything in question to reach a judgement

Critical thinking is when you set out to find faults

Critical thinking is when you examine the ‘item’ in question to find its good and bad points

Creative thinking

Creative thinking happens when you come up with something no-one else has ever thought about

What do you think? Creative thinking is about linking existing ideas together to form a new idea

Creative thinking is finding a new application of existing knowledge and understanding

Creative thinking is being inventive, expressive and showing imagination as well as routine skills

le Penseur, Auguste RODIN, S. 1295, bronze, 180 x 98 x 145 cm, Jerome Manoukian, Musee Rodin, Paris.



Science teachers are generally more at ease with critical thinking because it is closely linked with the analysis and evaluation of data. Indeed many people do not associate science with creativity and creative thinking although scientists:

● create new products;

● solve problems;

● create models to help explain phenomena.

Science is often taught in a very structured and organised way which can leave little room for creativity.

In the publication All our futures: Creativity, culture and education (DfEE 2001) creativity is broken down into four characteristics.

● Thinking or behaving imaginatively.

● Purposeful imagination – the imaginative activity is aimed at achieving an objective.

● Originality – pupils have ideas that are new to them.

● Outcome of value – this is where critical thinking is important as pupils need to judge the value of what they and others have done.

This is an interesting starting point. While imagination is a key part of creativity, it must have some purpose – imagination without purpose is not creativity.

Originality in science could be the discovery of a new scientific principle but this is unlikely in the classroom. However, when teachers help pupils to tackle questions, solve problems and have ideas new to them this is creative behaviour.

Imaginative activity with a purpose is only creative if it has value in relation to its purpose. There are many instances of this type of tension in science. Pupils need to explore the moral and ethical implications of scientific and technological developments.

There is no consensus on a definition of critical thinking. However, Ennis (1987) 2

describes it as ‘reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on what to believe or do’. Most definitions suggest the process is:

● active;

● persistent and careful, i.e. not jumping to conclusions;

● about reasoning, and evaluating reasoning.

2 Ennis, R. H. (1987) A Taxonomy of Critical Thinking Dispositions and Abilities



Task 2: Two sides of the same coin?

Draw two large overlapping circles (Venn diagram).

Both Creative Critical

Copy and cut up the characteristics below. Decide if the characteristics belong to pupils who are thinking creatively, critically or both.

enquiring and analytical mind proposes new ideas when something captures their imagination

generalises and identifies patterns makes connections between different areas

shows perception and intuition not satisfied with simple explanations and readily identifies inconsistencies in them

thinks logically ingenuity

thinks divergently creates ideas for change

needs logical proof imaginative

visualises a concept a problem solver

motivated when dealing with abstract concepts and links them together in creative ways

uses ordered thinking to enable him/ her to wonder and ask pertinent questions

a deep desire to understand how and why things are

determination to process information to find answers

makes choices good evaluation skills

judges evidence seeks validity in reports

produces multiple solutions responds to serendipity

keen observation skills



The aim of the exercise is not to find a definitive answer but to think more deeply about how closely the two are intertwined. While critical thinking and analysis is readily seen as an important skill in science few teachers will have considered the creative thinking aspect of this.

Although critical and creative thinking can contribute to problem solving they are not the same thing. Not all problems call for creative solutions and not all creative thinking is about solving problems although it needs to have an outcome of value.

The new National Curriculum 2007 places a strong emphasis on the development of skills for life and work. The framework for personal, learning and thinking skills3 has been built into the curriculum.

Appendix 1 contains lists of critical and creative thinking skills from three areas:

● How science works ;

● Secondary National Strategy Leading in learning materials (DfES 0035-2005G);

● Personal, learning and thinking skills

These are offered in three columns as a possible result of using the approach in task 2.

3 Personal, learning and thinking skills framework (PLTS) has six areas: Independent enquirers, Creative thinkers, Reflective learners, Team workers, Self-managers and Effective participators. www.qca.org.uk



But I’m just a science teacher…

There are many pupils who think that they only need to learn about science if they are going to be a scientist. For many pupils ‘a scientist’ is still viewed as that narrow stereotypical model of a mad, male professor in a white coat.

The purpose of How science works is not about teaching pupils to be scientists. It is about developing flexible problem solvers and good critical and creative thinkers. While it is important that scientists have these skills they are not exclusive to scientists. If more pupils understood this distinction then they would see the wider relevance of their science lessons in developing transferable skills.

Creativity is most effective when it is developed and adopted by the whole department. Through science many of the skills that underpin creativity can be taught, such as questioning, challenging, making connections, keeping options open and problem solving.

The new programmes of study and the attainment targets have a clear focus on the importance of critical and creative thinking.

‘Experimentation and modelling are used to develop and evaluate explanations, encouraging critical and creative thought’

Importance of science QCA National Curriculum

Task 3: Explicit or implicit?

Look at a copy of the new science programme of study: Key Stage 34 which includes the attainment targets.

Highlight in one colour where creative thinking is explicit or implicit. Repeat using a different colour for critical thinking.

Try this for your Key Stage 4 examination specification.

4 See www.qua.org.uk/curriculum



Task 4: What happens in my classroom?

Use the list in appendix 1 and find the area with which you are most familiar. Choose up to three of the skills.

Over the next two weeks keep a record of which pupils, in which lessons, 1. demonstrated these skills.

Consider whether the task, context or organisation of the lesson made a 2. difference.

Consider if there were missed opportunities for pupils to develop/demonstrate 3. these skills.

Building opportunities into lessons for pupils to develop these skills is important. In many instances this requires some changes in approach rather than rewriting lesson plans and finding new resources. For example, a typical Year 7 lesson on change of state sees pupils melting an ice cube, taking the temperature and drawing a graph. Pupils could be asked to work in pairs to find an explanation for the graph and then to evaluate each other’s explanations.

Task 5: Identifying the opportunities in a lesson

Use one of your lesson plans or the outline lesson plan below on the medicinal use of illegal drugs.

Working with a colleague, or as a department, identify opportunities within this lesson for the development of creative thinking skills and critical thinking skills.

Use appendix 1 to identify which particular aspects of the skills could be developed.

Devise a learning objective for this lesson that would develop one of the aspects identified.

Outline lesson plan: medicinal use of illegal drugs

How science works focus

1b How interpretation of data, using creative thought, provides evidence to test ideas and develop theories

Breadth of study context

5e Human health is affected by a range of environmental and inherited factors, by the use and misuse of drugs and by medical treatments

Learning objective(s) To develop a balanced argument for or against the use of illegal drugs in medical treatment



Planned sequence of Starter activities, including Discussion using a newspaper article or clip from a starter and plenary media report on use of cannabis as a treatment for MS

Describe the purpose of each activity in the teaching sequence

Main activity Provide pupils with a few suitable websites and/or articles which will provide a range of evidence about the use of cannabis

Legislation – why is it illegal? ●

Effects of cannabis on the body ●

Statistics on misuse of cannabis ●

Research on the use of cannabis in medical ●

treatments

Statistics on the use of cannabis in medical ●

treatments

Class to have a quick vote on those for and against. Split into groups accordingly

Time to prepare arguments with the evidence to back it up

Debate on the issues

Plenary Draw an imaginary line the length of the classroom with the ends of the line representing the two extremes of the argument. Pupils have to choose and justify their position on the line based on the ideas presented

Significant or uncommon resources

Access to ICT facilities and suitable websites that have been agreed with the ICT technician as available and not blocked

Any particular advice or instructions for the teacher

Maintain a balanced argument throughout

Ensure pupils are familiar with the process of argumentation and debate5

Other notes

Opportunities to develop critical and creative thinking need to be planned into the scheme of work. The rest of the guide provides a range of ways for doing this. It may be as simple as planning in some open questions or increasing the amount of discussion time. You may decide to introduce some different activities. 5 Osbourne, J. Eduran, S and Simon, S (2004) Ideas, Evidence and Argument in Science (IDEAS) Project, King’s College, London



Task 6: Identifying the opportunities in your scheme of work

Consider a module of work, either at Key Stage 3 or Key Stage 4, and use the grid below to see where the individual lessons may be located. If the whole department is involved in this activity different pairs of teachers can analyse different modules to give a key stage overview.

Do some of the lessons need to be adjusted so that the students can experience, practise, improve and engage with the skills associated with critical and creative thinking?


Not much of …

Not much of …

Lots of …

Lots of … Creative thinking

Critical thinking


Strategies for developing critical and creative thinking

Critical and creative thinking is fostered in classrooms that:

● focus on inquiry teaching;

● encourage questioning and use open-ended questions to challenge;

● deal with controversies thereby encouraging discussion, debate and discourse;

● bring students in to contact with real world problem solving;

● allow pupils to take risks, make connections and see relationships;

● allow for quiet reflection;

● make the most of unexpected events;

● allow pupils to ’take a lead’;

● help pupils to develop criteria to make informed judgements;

● help pupils value different ways of working;

● give opportunities to explore ideas, keep options open and envisage what might be.

Once opportunities have been identified in lessons, teachers need to identify strategies that can help foster critical and creative thinking. Examples include:

● using the vocabulary of critical thinking themselves. For example, asking questions such as ‘What can you infer about the effects of acid rain on sedimentary rocks?’;

● involving students in role-plays or simulations of historical events where people held conflicting views. For example, the 1926 symposium on continental drift;

● organising for ‘structured controversy’. This involves students in discussions and debates which address more than one side of an issue and require students to back arguments with evidence and reference to consequences;

● encouraging students to recognise when material presented in texts, films etc. over-simplifies or distorts reality;

● asking students to watch television programmes or read newspaper articles which express different viewpoints, then analyse the relative strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, including possible motivation of the authors;

● asking students questions with multiple answers or several equally correct answers and discussing if there is a ‘right’ answer;

● asking students to solve a real-life problem where there is a possibility of more than one adequate solution and where several different types of information are required. For example, construction of a wind farm at a site of special scientific importance.



Reflection

Appendix 2 contains a list of thinking words. Which of these words do you use regularly with pupils? How confident are you that pupils know what they mean? Are there any words that are key to critical and creative thinking that you don’t use with pupils?

Most pupils do not have the vocabulary needed for critical and creative thinking or may use the words without clarity of meaning. Think of all the pupils who have written for their evaluation: ‘I could of done it better!’



Strategies to try

Living graphs and fortune lines Living graphs and fortune lines relate to graphical representation. Both require pupils to think about how one variable relates to another and moves them from the world of plotting points and reading off values.

In ‘Living graphs’ a line graph is presented together with a set of related statements. Pupils have to position the statements on the graph and give reasons to justify their decisions. They are encouraged to suggest hypotheses and to give reasons for opinions or deductions based on what they think the graph represents. It reinforces the importance of explanation and reasoning and encourages pupils to realise that a variety of answers may be possible.

‘Fortune lines’ start with a narrative and use the plotting of points as a route to explore meaning. Pupils are asked to suggest a scale and then to plot the fortunes or emotions of one or more individuals over a sequence of episodes in time, then to justify their decisions.

This is an example of a fortune line from a religious education lesson about how Peter, Mary and Judas might have felt during the death of Jesus.

Events

Very happy

Judas

Mary

Peter

Very unhappy

Feelings

The

last

sup

per

Juda

s’ ki

ss

Arr

est

Tria

ls

Moc

king

Cruc

i�xi

on

Buria

l

Resu

rrec

tion



Task 7: Living graphs

Reproduce the graph below on A3 sheets. Pupils work in small groups and use the cards in table A to tell the story for the graph shape below. There are two possible scenarios to try. The blank cards can be used by pupils to add their own suggestions.

Small groups can then join together to critically assess, evaluate, agree or disagree with the inferences that have been made.

Time

V e l o c i t y



Table A. These cards should be copied and cut up and attached to the graph at appropriate points to tell a ‘possible story’ for that graph.

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

The pull of gravity is much stronger than any air resistance.

There is a sudden increase in air resistance.

A dog runs out in front of the car.

This section of road has a 60mph speed restriction.

The sky diver The sky diver It is 8.30 in the The driving force reaches a top jumps out of the morning. equals the drag speed of plane. forces. 45m/s.

The sky diver The first parachute The driver is late The mobile practises fails to open for work. phone rings. free-fall properly. acrobatics.

The sky diver is The sky diver has The traffic light There is an travelling at a to avoid a huge changes from accident on a constant flock of birds. red and amber busy route. speed. to green.

The wind is The sky diver hits The route goes Police are at the stronger than the ground. past a local side of the road predicted. nursery school. with a mobile

speed camera.

Task 8: Fortune lines

Read through the story below or use your own version. Ask pupils to plot/chart how they think the people closely linked to this story felt at each stage.

Edward Jenner (in red) ●

James Phipps (in green) ●

Mrs Phipps, the mother of James (in blue). ●

Pupils can compare and justify their lines with another group.



Edward Jenner vaccinates against smallpox (1796) Jenner: Smallpox is stemmed, Robert Thom, American, (Grand Rapids, MI, 1915–1979, Michigan), oil on canvas, 102.87cm x 83.82cm (40½in. x 33in.), Collection of the University of Michigan Health System, Gift of Pfizer inc. UMHS. 23.

Infectious diseases can spread easily from one person to another. Just over 200 years ago many people, mainly infants and young children, died from a disease called smallpox.

1. Edward Jenner, a British doctor, noticed that milkmaids who often caught a mild disease called cowpox never seemed to catch the deadly disease smallpox.

2. He decided to do some experiments to test his ideas of how to prevent someone from catching the deadly smallpox.

3. He took some pus from a scab on the arm of a milkmaid who had cowpox.

4. He scratched this cowpox pus into the arm of a young boy called James Phipps.

5. James caught cowpox, and was ill for a while, but soon he was well again.

6. Jenner then took some smallpox pus from a dying victim of the deadly disease.

7. The doctor then scratched this deadly pus into the arm of James Phipps.

8. James did not catch the deadly smallpox disease.

9. Jenner was the first person to discover that people can be protected from one deadly disease by vaccinating them with germs from another related disease that is not deadly.

10. His work saved many lives and led others to develop vaccines.



Feelings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Time

Role-play and debate Teachers can foster critical and creative thinking by involving students in role-play or simulations of historical events where people held conflicting views. In this example, the Scopes trial in 1925 debated the issues around teaching only creationism as an explanation for the existence of life on Earth.

This structured controversy will involve students in discussions and debates which tackle more than one side of an issue and requires them to back arguments with evidence and reference to consequences. There is a wealth of research materials available on the Internet to provide the background to the trial. A book about the trial, Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, was made into a film of the same name in 1960. The DVD of the film is readily available and could be used as a stimulus for discussion about the issues raised.

Task 9: Role-play and debate

Compare the two lesson plans for the Scopes trial below.

How could you incorporate more critical or creative thinking into lesson 1?

What would you need to do to ensure that lesson 2 was successful?

Sample lesson plan 1: The Scopes trial Starter activity

● The teacher provides an explanation of the background to the Scopes trial in 1925.

● Pupils are given a brief written background on the trial. There are several websites with student-friendly information:

www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/evolut.htm



www.bradburyac.mistral.co.uk/tennesse.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug97/inherit/1925home.html

● Pupils read through the information and answer the following questions.

– Where and when did the Scopes trial take place? – Who was John Scopes? – What was the trial about? – Who were the main opponents in the trial?

Main activity

● Ask pupils to feed back their answers to the set questions.

● Explain that the main task is to write a brief paragraph about the reason for the trial, the key events of the trial and the outcome of the trial.

● Ask a few of the students to read out one of the paragraphs.

Plenary activity

● Remind pupils of the key arguments of the trial and ask the following questions.

– What was the verdict at the end of the trial? – What happened to William Jennings Bryan shortly after the trial finished? – What happened to the verdict a year later? – Do you agree with the verdict? Explain your answer.

Sample lesson plan 2: The Scopes trial Starter activity

● Watch selected clips from the DVD Inherit the Wind (MGM, 1960, Spencer Tracy). This is a black and white film readily available at a budget price.

● Ask pupils to work in pairs to write down three key points from the clips they have watched.

● Pupils now share these key points with another pair. Are there points of agreement? What are the differences? Can they explain why the specific key points were selected?

Main activity

● Provide pupils with a brief written background on the trial (see lesson plan 1 above).

● Divide the class into three groups. Explain that their task will be to role-play what arguments might be used if a similar trial were held today. The emphasis should be on using valid scientific arguments, countering arguments from the opposing view and explaining why each argument was selected. One group will enact the opening statements from each side; a second group will enact questions the prosecution and defence teams might ask of their opponents. The final group should prepare and enact the closing arguments to support each side of the case. Pupils representing the prosecution and defence can meet briefly to agree on the arguments/points they would make in each section of the trial.


The National Strategies | Secondary 21 Developing critical and creative thinking: in science

● Each group enacts their section of the trial.

Plenary activity

● Pupils work in pairs to select the arguments for and against evolution which they believe are the strongest arguments used in the mock trial.

● Pupils share these arguments with another pair and then another group of four students.

● Take feedback from each group of four or eight and ask them to justify their selection of the strongest arguments.

As well as consulting your English and humanities departments, help for setting up a debate can be found at:

www.planet-science.com/sciteach/debating/index.html

www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wkst_debate.pdf

Concept cartoons TM

Concept cartoons TM are cartoon-style drawings that offer a range of viewpoints about the science in everyday situations. This new way of looking at a situation can make it problematic and provide a stimulus for discussion and developing ideas further.

The faster we go the more energy

the car uses.

The car uses fuel, not

energy.

The wheels make energy from the fuel.

They are available from the Association for Science Education or from the Internet (www.conceptcartoons.com) and can be used or adapted in a variety of ways. For example, asking pupils to devise their own cartoons can stimulate creative thinking; discussing alternative viewpoints can develop critical thinking.

Disassemble If we take a question like ‘How many uses can you think of for a biro?’ most people would think of perhaps four or five. If we disassemble the biro into its constituent parts, or characteristics, and think of uses for each part then the possibilities are increased. Examples might include:


4 5


● hollow tube – straw for drinking; musical instrument; pea shooter; walkway in ant farm and so on;

● spring – conductor in a circuit; piece of jewellery; fixing to hold paper together; unwound and used to clean small pores in shower heads and so on;

● transparent case – glue together and make a window for a doll’s house; insert light-emitting diodes to make a Christmas decoration; aquarium for a pet water flea and so on.

Task 10: Disassembling

Model the process for pupils. Let them try one of the following.

Make ‘flubber’ ● 6 using borax and PVA glue.

Make ‘slime’. ● 7

Grow crystals. ●

Use disassembling to think about creative uses for the product.

Link this to the discovery of celluloid which was originally used for replacing ivory in the production of billiard balls and then was found to have many other applications. Another example is the way that ‘sticky notes’ were created.

Using thinking grids and organisers There are many examples of concept maps, mind maps and graphic organisers that can be used to structure pupils' critical and creative thought processes. A few examples are given below.

a) Morphological analysis

Features are listed as column headings and variations are listed in the columns. For example, this table lists some features of a torch and identifies some possible variations.

Power supply Bulb type Light intensity Size

Battery

Mains/ rechargeable

Fuel cell

Halogen

Energy saving

Coloured

Low

Medium

High

Variable

Hand held – small

Medium

Large

Combinations are then selected from each column (randomly or otherwise) to create a new mixture of components which pupils then evaluate or think of a purpose for. For example, a large torch that uses a fuel cell, energy saving bulb and variable light intensity could be used in the African bush.

Pupils could use this technique when designing an organism to live on another planet.

6 Instructions for making Flubber can be found at www.muddlepuddle.co.uk/Science/Kitchenscience.htm 5 Instructions for making Slime can be found at www.nclark.net/ChemistryRecipes.pdf



b) PMI analysis Pupils discuss and agree the positives, minuses and interesting aspects about an object, e.g. glass umbrella; wooden coffee mug or issue e.g. human cloning; staging the Olympics on the Moon in 2200.

Positives Minuses Interesting aspects

c) Similarities and differences

Pupils discuss and agree the similarities and differences between examples such as:

● an electric circuit and a flowing river (to decide if it is a good model/analogy).

● a euglena, plant and animal cells (to decide what euglena should be classified as).

● natural selection, artificial selection and genetic modification.

This could be investigated using a Venn diagram or organiser similar to the one below.

Different Different

Same River Circuit

d) SWOT analysis Pupils discuss the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses or threats of a scientific development or issue, for example, irradiated food.

Strengths Opportunities

Weaknesses Threats



e) Risks, benefits, consequences grid Pupils discuss the risks, benefits and consequences of a scientific development or issue, for example, organ transplantation, space exploration or stem cell technology.

Risks Benefits Consequences

Task 11: Use a ‘thinking’ grid

Decide on an appropriate grid to use with one of your classes. If they have not used one before model the process using a simple everyday context.

At the end of the lesson discuss with pupils whether they found this a useful tool or not, and why.

Build up a range of these grids so that pupils can select the most appropriate one for their needs.

Top tip

Talk to other departments to see what types of grids they already use that pupils could apply to science lessons.



Recognising the pitfalls The table below outlines a few common pitfalls on the way to becoming a good critical thinker.

Pitfall Definition Example Tip

Selective thinking Tend to only take Pupils only look for Evaluate all evidence and bias notice of things that sources of evidence before making a

confirm your belief that confirm their judgement viewpoint or prediction

Ignorance Lack of background knowledge to make an informed judgement

Making judgements about issues such as GM crops on limited information and understanding

Make appropriate knowledge available

Emotive subject Use of words intentionally to arouse feelings

A discussion on animal experimentation

Learn to recognise and distinguish the emotive content of language

False implication Language that is clear and accurate but actually suggests something false

Dairy products express fat content as a percentage of weight, not calories: for example, 2% low fat milk (weight) becomes 31% (when expressed as a percentage of calories)

Make pupils aware of how statistics can be presented in a biased way

Biased reporting Published research that only reports positive and not negative effects

An advert that states that research shows the product had beneficial effects on health but not other research that shows no benefit from the same product

Check for other research evidence

Check how well the ‘positive’ research was conducted

Making Articles that lack Accepting ideas and Evaluate the logic in assumptions detail but are cleverly evidence written by the argument

phrased or written by ‘scientists’ as true presented and how ‘experts’ different scientists

often disagree



Task 12: Developing your critical thinking

Work with a colleague on the article below. Critically evaluate what has been written. Are any of the pitfalls present?

Discuss how you would model the process for pupils.

Full Moon causes car accidents Car accidents occur 14% more often on The company, which an international average during a full Moon than a new Bank agreed to buy in June, speculated Moon according to a study of three that Eastern philosophical concepts of million car policies by a well known yin and yang may explain the accident insurance company. rate. It cited feng shui expert Pauline Yip,

saying that the full Moon radiates more The data show a rise in all types of of the Sun’s yang energy onto the Earth accidents involving single and multiple making people aggressive and impatient. cars, the company said in a press release

today. The next full Moon will be The insurer said it will not be changing tomorrow night. its underwriting criteria to take the full

Moon into account. ‘We know the Moon is a strong source of energy as it affects the tides and weather patterns but we are surprised by this bizarre trend,’ Stuart Henfield, head of car insurance at this company, said today.

Appendix 3 contains some comments about the article that you might like to refer to.

After modelling the process for pupils, give different groups articles to read and critically evaluate and list the questions they would need to ask.

Appendix 4 contains an ‘evidence decision maker’ that pupils might find helpful in the task.

Task 13: Helping pupils to progress

The grid below shows some steps in developing reasoning and evaluation skills and suggests activities to help pupils progress. Read this and then work with a colleague to complete the similar sheet for developing creative thinking on p 31.



Way

s to

mak

e pr

ogre

ss in

the

thin

king

are

as o

f rea

soni

ng a

nd e

valu

atio

n

Thin

king

are

a Re

ason

ing

Thin

king

skill

G

etti

ng st

arte

d A

ctiv

ity

to m

ove

stud

ent o

n O

n th

e w

ay

Act

ivit

y to

mov

e st

uden

t on

Beco

min

g se

cure

Giv

e re

ason

s for

opin

ions

and

actio

ns

Stat

e a

reas

on fo

r an

opin

ion

or a

ctio

n

Exam

ple:

Show

the

stud

ents

som

e ord

inar

y ba

tter

ies a

nd so

me

rech

arge

able

bat

terie

s and

as

k the

m w

hich

they

wou

ld

choo

se fo

r a re

mot

e con

trol

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u w

hat t

hey

cons

ider

ed in

reac

hing

th

eir o

pini

on

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to co

mpl

ete t

he se

nten

ce

‘I cho

se th

is ty

pe o

f ba

tter

y for

this

part

icul

ar

use b

ecau

se …

’

Expl

ain

why

they

ha

ve re

ache

d th

at

opin

ion

or c

arrie

dou

t the

ir ac

tion

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o ta

lk y

ou

thro

ugh

the

step

s the

y to

ok in

re

achi

ng th

eir o

pini

on

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt to

ex

plai

n to

you

wha

t dat

a th

ey

thou

ght t

hey n

eede

d to

ans

wer

th

e que

stio

n ‘A

re re

char

geab

le

batt

erie

s bet

ter f

or th

e en

viro

nmen

t?’, w

here

they

foun

d it

and

wha

t the

y did

with

it to

co

me t

o th

eir fi

nal d

ecisi

on

Expl

ain

the

proc

ess

of re

achi

ng th

eir

opin

ion

or c

arry

ing

out t

heir

actio

n

Dra

w in

fere

nces

and

dedu

ctio

ns

Stat

e on

e or

two

rele

vant

po

ints

Exam

ple:

In th

e disc

ussio

n on

the u

se o

f ene

rgy i

t is

wid

ely a

ccep

ted

that

the

wor

ld ca

nnot

carr

y on

usin

g fo

ssil f

uels

in th

e way

w

e hav

e in

the p

ast

The s

tude

nts m

ay w

ell

stat

e tha

t we m

ustfi

nd

alte

rnat

ive s

ourc

es o

f en

ergy

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u w

hat t

hey

thou

ght

abou

t whe

n th

ey

cons

ider

ed th

eir c

hose

npo

ints

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to te

ll you

abo

ut th

e re

lativ

e lik

ely c

osts

of t

heal

tern

ativ

e sou

rces

of

ener

gy a

nd th

eir e

ff ect

on

the e

nviro

nmen

t

Can

sele

ct se

vera

lre

leva

nt p

oint

s and

ex

plai

n w

hy th

ey

have

bee

n ch

osen

Usi

ng th

e st

uden

t’s in

fere

nce/

dedu

ctio

n di

scus

s how

the

data

co

uld

be u

sed

to co

me

to a

n al

tern

ativ

e vi

ew

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt to

now

carr

y out

the t

ask o

f fi nd

ing

alte

rnat

ive e

nerg

y sou

rces

for a

ra

nge o

f diff

eren

t cou

ntrie

s with

ve

ry d

iff er

ent e

nviro

nmen

ts

Can

prop

ose

seve

ral a

ltern

ativ

e vi

ewpo

ints

eac

h of

w

hich

they

can

defe

nd



Thin

king

are

a Re

ason

ing

Thin

king

skill

G

etti

ng st

arte

d A

ctiv

ity

to m

ove

stud

ent o

n O

n th

e w

ay

Act

ivit

y to

mov

e st

uden

t on

Beco

min

g se

cure

Mak

e in

form

ed

judg

emen

ts a

nd

deci

sion

s

Stat

e a

piec

e of

evi

denc

e to

supp

ort t

heir

judg

emen

t

Exam

ple:

In d

iscus

sions

abou

t was

hing

up

liqui

ds

the s

tude

nt sa

ys th

at b

rand

X

is us

ed a

t hom

e bec

ause

th

e adv

erts

supp

ort i

t

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

lly o

u ho

w th

eypr

iorit

ised

in re

achi

ngth

eir d

ecisi

on

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to ta

lk a

bout

the c

ost o

f th

e pro

duct

and

its

clea

ning

effe

ct

Expl

ain,

usi

ng a

t l e

ast t

wo

piec

es o

f su

ppor

tive

evid

ence

, why

they

have

reac

hed

the

judg

emen

t

Usi

ng th

e st

uden

t’s e

vide

nce

ask

her/

him

to e

xpla

in h

ow

impo

rtan

t eac

h pi

ece

is

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt to

giv

e w

eigh

tings

to ea

ch p

iece

of t

he

deci

sion

mak

ing

proc

ess,

i.e. c

ost,

eff ec

tiven

ess,

eff ec

t on

envi

ronm

ent,

etc.

Expl

ain

clea

rly,

u sin

g al

l the

pro

san

d co

ns, h

ow th

eyha

ve w

eigh

ed u

p th

e ev

iden

ce a

nd

arriv

ed a

t the

ir ju

dgem

ent

Expl

ain

wha

tth

ey th

ink

Say

wha

t the

y th

ink

with

a

reas

on

Exam

ple:

In a

disc

ussio

n ab

out w

ays o

f get

ting

to

scho

ol a

stud

ent m

ay sa

y th

at 4

x4 ve

hicl

es sh

ould

be

bann

ed b

ecau

se th

ey

pollu

te th

e atm

osph

ere

Ask

the

stud

ent t

ode

fend

thei

r ide

a us

ing

‘bec

ause

’

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to co

mpa

re th

e pol

lutin

g eff

ect o

f a 4

x4 en

gine

to

an o

rdin

ary c

ar en

gine

.Th

en a

sk a

bout

the f

uel

cons

umpt

ion

of d

iff er

ent

form

s of t

rans

port

Say

wha

t the

y th

ink

with

reas

ons a

nd b

y us

ing

supp

ortiv

e ev

iden

ce

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

ll yo

u ab

out t

he ‘a

ccep

ted

idea

s’ th

ey

have

con

side

red

in b

uild

ing

upth

eir e

vide

nce

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nts t

oco

mpa

re th

e wid

er im

plic

atio

ns

of u

sing

diff e

rent

form

s of

trans

port

to g

et to

scho

ol in

ad

ditio

n to

pol

lutio

n, e.

g. so

cial

he

alth

, env

ironm

enta

l, eco

nom

ic

Use

a w

ider

ba

ckgr

ound

kn

owle

dge

to sa

y w

hat t

hey

thin

k an

d ex

plai

n th

eir

choi

ce o

fsu

ppor

tive

evid

ence



Thin

king

are

a Ev

alua

tion

Thin

king

skill

G

etti

ng st

arte

d A

ctiv

ity

to m

ove

stud

ent o

n O

n th

e w

ay

Act

ivit

y to

mov

e st

uden

t on

Beco

min

g se

cure

Eval

uate

in

form

atio

n Ca

n sa

y, si

mpl

y, h

ow th

e in

form

atio

n ha

s bee

n of

valu

e

Exam

ple:

A st

uden

t cou

ld

com

men

t on

how

use

ful

they

foun

d th

e new

food

labe

lling

syst

ems.

Ask

the

stud

ent t

oex

plai

n w

hat t

hey

cons

ider

ed in

dec

idin

g w

heth

er th

e in

form

atio

n ha

d so

me

use

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to te

ll you

how

the

info

rmat

ion

coul

d be

of

valu

e to

som

eone

tryi

ngto

cut d

own

on th

eir s

alt

inta

ke

Can

expl

ain

why

t h

e in

form

atio

n is

of so

me

valu

e in

the

part

icul

ar c

ase

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u a

num

ber o

f ‘te

sts’

they

cou

ldap

ply

to h

elp

deci

de if

the

info

rmat

ion

is o

f an

y va

lue

Exam

ple:

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

ll you

how

they

wou

ld co

nvin

ce a

n ov

erw

eigh

t rel

ativ

e,

who

is tr

ying

to lo

se

wei

ght,

of th

e val

ue o

fth

ese n

ew la

bels

Can

appl

y a

rang

e of

crit

eria

s u

ch a

s rel

iabl

e/va

lid/

accu

rate

in o

rder

to ju

dge

the

valu

e of

the

info

rmat

ion

Judg

e th

e va

lue

of w

hat t

hey

read

, hea

r and

do

Abl

e to

stat

e on

e re

ason

in

favo

ur a

nd o

ne re

ason

ag

ains

t

Exam

ple:

In d

iscus

sions

abou

t alte

rnat

ive e

nerg

y re

sour

ces t

he st

uden

t is

able

to st

ate o

ne re

ason

in

favo

ur o

f win

d fa

rms a

nd

one a

gain

st

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u ho

w th

ey w

ould

prio

ritis

e th

eir r

easo

ns

agai

nst t

he g

iven

cr

iteria

Exam

ple:

Ask

the s

tude

nt

to lis

t the

des

ired

requ

irem

ents

of a

nal

tern

ativ

e ene

rgy s

ourc

e an

d th

en co

mpa

re th

e ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

w

ind

farm

app

roac

h to

th

at lis

t

Abl

e to

com

pare

th

e ‘it

em’ t

o a

set o

f gi

ven

crite

ria a

nd to

ju

dge

its w

orth

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u ho

w th

ey c

ould

rank

and

wei

gh a

nyin

form

atio

n/op

inio

ns

Exam

ple:

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o pu

t the

bene

fi ts o

f the

win

d fa

rm in

an

orde

r of

impo

rtan

ce in

rela

tion

to th

e pro

blem

to b

e so

lved

Abl

e to

exp

lain

how

they

ha

ve w

eigh

ted

diff e

rent

pa

rts o

f the

evi

denc

e in

or

der t

o re

ach

thei

r ju

dgem

ent



Thin

king

are

a Ev

alua

tion

Thin

king

skill

G

etti

ng st

arte

d A

ctiv

ity

to m

ove

stud

ent o

n O

n th

e w

ay

Act

ivit

y to

mov

e st

uden

t on

Beco

min

g se

cure

Dev

elop

crit

eria

fo

r jud

ging

the

valu

e of

wor

k or

id

eas

Stat

e on

e cr

iterio

n th

ew

ork/

idea

has

to m

eet

Exam

ple:

Stud

ents

iden

titfy

on

e crit

erio

n th

ey w

ill u

se

to a

sses

s the

mod

el/

anal

ogy t

hey d

evise

d to

expl

ain

chro

mat

ogra

phy.

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o te

llyo

u ho

w th

ey w

ould

judg

e w

heth

er th

e w

ork/

idea

was

of a

ny

use

Exam

ple:

Ask

the

stud

ents

to id

entif

y fu

rthe

r crit

eria

they

coul

d us

e to

asse

ss th

e mod

els/

anal

ogie

s oth

ers d

evise

d to

exp

lain

ch

rom

atog

raph

y.

Abl

e to

dec

ide

on

t wo

or m

ore

crite

ria

in o

rder

to ju

dge

the

valu

e of

the

wor

k/id

ea

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o ta

lkyo

u th

roug

h ho

w th

ey

mig

ht d

ecid

e on

the

mos

t im

port

ant

crite

ria to

cho

ose

Exam

ple:

Ask

the

stud

ent t

o de

cide

if th

e cr

iteria

coul

d be

appl

ied

to o

ther

m

odel

s and

ana

logi

es

and

whe

ther

this

mig

ht

infl u

ence

thei

r dec

ision

.

Abl

e to

cho

ose

from

a ra

nge

o f c

riter

ia th

e m

ost s

uita

ble

to a

pply

whe

n ju

dgin

g th

e va

lue

of th

e w

ork/

idea

(Cop

yrig

ht E

ssex

CC)

show

s one

inte

rpre

tatio

n of

the

diff e

rent

leve

ls o

f eng

agem

ent w

ith th

e th

inki

ng sk

ills,

cham

pion

ed b

y th

e N

atio

nal S

trat

egy

Lead

ing

in le

arni

ng p

roje

ct. T

his d

ocum

ent a

lso

sugg

ests

som

e w

ays i

n w

hich

the

stud

ents

mig

ht b

e m

oved

on

in th

eir d

evel

opm

ent.



Tabl

e fo

r Tas

k 13

Thin

king

are

a Cr

eati

ve th

inki

ng

Thin

king

skill

G

ettin

g st

arte

d Ac

tivity

to m

ove

pupi

l on

On

the

way

Ac

tivity

to m

ove

pupi

l on

Beco

min

g se

cure

Gen

erat

e an

d ex

tend

id

eas

Hav

ing

been

giv

en a

n id

ea c

an e

xten

d it

sim

ply

in th

e sa

me

cont

ext

Abl

e to

app

ly a

n id

ea

into

a n

ew c

onte

xt

Abl

e to

app

ly se

vera

l co

nnec

ted

idea

s int

o a

new

con

text

Sugg

est h

ypot

hese

s Ca

n su

gges

t a si

mpl

e re

latio

nshi

p be

twee

n ‘it

ems’

stud

ied

infa

mili

ar c

onte

xts

Abl

e to

exp

lain

why

th

ey th

ink

are

latio

nshi

p m

ay e

xist

be

twee

n th

e ‘it

ems’

bein

g st

udie

d in

rang

e of

con

text

s

Abl

e to

use

ba

ckgr

ound

kn

owle

dge

and

unde

rsta

ndin

g to

pr

opos

e re

latio

nshi

ps

betw

een

‘item

s’ in

new

si

tuat

ions

Appl

y im

agin

atio

n A

ble

to p

ropo

se a

no

vel a

ppro

ach

or

inte

rpre

tatio

n

Abl

e to

link

seve

ral

nove

l app

roac

hes o

r in

terp

reta

tions

inre

gard

to th

e si

tuat

ion

Abl

e to

cons

truc

t a

linke

d se

t of

appr

oach

es to

ge

nera

te a

n al

tern

ativ

efr

amew

ork

for

cons

ider

atio

n

Look

for a

ltern

ativ

e in

nova

tive

outc

omes

Ca

n su

gges

t one

al

tern

ativ

e A

ble

to e

xpla

in a

nal

tern

ativ

e ou

tcom

e A

ble

to co

nsid

er th

e po

ssib

le co

nseq

uenc

es

of a

ltern

ativ

eou

tcom

es



Appendix 1: Elements of critical and creative thinking in existing materials

The table below suggests where aspects of critical and creative thinking occur in How science works, Leading in learning and the Personal, learning and thinking skills framework. This table also enables you to see links between the three aspects.

All schools are teaching How science works as part of the Key Stage 4 curriculum. Some schools are familiar with thinking skills from the previous National Curriculum or Leading in learning. Other schools might want to engage with the new Personal, learning and thinking skills framework. It is expected that departments select the one they are most familiar with or would like to develop for task 5.



Crea

tive

thin

king

Bo

th cr

eati

ve a

nd cr

itic

al th

inki

ng

Crit

ical

thin

king

How

scie

nce w

orks

Q

uest

ioni

ng●

Gen

erat

ion

of●

idea

s

Theo

ries

●

Mod

ellin

g●

Expl

anat

ion

of e

vide

nce

●

Appl

icat

ion

of e

vide

nce

●

Argu

men

t●

Corr

elat

ion

●

Des

ign

of ta

sk●

Hyp

othe

sis/p

redi

ctio

n●

Tech

nica

l fea

sibili

ty/e

thic

s●

Que

stio

ning

●

Rese

arch

and

dat

a ●

colle

ctio

n

Anal

ysis

●

Eval

uatio

n of

evi

denc

e●

Accu

racy

●

Caus

atio

n●

Pe

er re

view

by

indi

vidu

als

●

and

scie

nce

com

mun

ity

Relia

bilit

y●

Risk

ana

lysis

●

Valid

ity●

Five

thin

king

skill

s fro

m N

atio

nal

Curr

icul

um 2

000

Han

dboo

k an

d us

ed in

Se

cond

ary

Nat

iona

l Str

ateg

y Le

adin

g in

le

arni

ng m

ater

ials

Appl

y im

agin

atio

n●

Look

for

●

alte

rnat

ive

inno

vativ

e ou

tcom

es

Gen

erat

e an

d●

exte

nd id

eas

Sugg

est

●

hypo

thes

es

Dev

elop

crit

eria

for j

udgi

ng th

e va

lue

of w

ork

or●

idea

s

Test

con

clus

ions

and

impr

ove

idea

s●

Pred

ict o

utco

mes

and

ant

icip

ate

cons

eque

nces

●

Pose

and

defi

ne p

robl

ems

●

Plan

wha

t to

do a

nd h

ow to

rese

arch

●

Ask

rele

vant

que

stio

ns●

Dra

w in

fere

nces

and

ded

uctio

ns●

Anal

yse

part

/who

le re

latio

nshi

ps

●

Co

mpa

re a

nd c

ontr

ast

●

Sort

and

clas

sify

●

Eval

uate

info

rmat

ion

●

Judg

e th

e va

lue

of w

hat

●

they

read

, hea

r and

do

Mak

e in

form

ed●

judg

emen

ts a

nd d

ecisi

ons

Expl

ain

wha

t the

y th

ink

●

Giv

e re

ason

s for

opi

nion

s ●

and

actio

ns

Sequ

ence

●

Loca

te a

nd co

llect

●

rele

vant

info

rmat

ion



Crea

tive

thin

king

Bo

th cr

eati

ve a

nd cr

itic

al th

inki

ng

Crit

ical

thin

king

Pers

onal

, lear

ning

an

d th

inki

ng sk

ills

Gen

erat

e id

eas

●

and

expl

ore

poss

ibili

ties

Ask

que

stio

ns to

●

exte

nd th

eir

thin

king

Conn

ect o

wn

and

●

othe

rs’ id

eas a

nd

expe

rienc

es in

inve

ntiv

e w

ays

Seek

out

●

chal

leng

es o

r new

re

spon

sibili

ties

and

show

fl e

xibi

lity

whe

n pr

iorit

ies c

hang

e

Iden

tify

ques

tions

to a

nsw

er a

nd p

robl

ems t

o ●

reso

lve

Plan

and

car

ry o

ut re

sear

ch, a

ppre

ciat

ing

the

●

cons

eque

nces

of d

ecisi

ons

Expl

ore

issue

s, ev

ents

or p

robl

ems f

rom

diff

eren

t ●

pers

pect

ives

and

cons

ider

the

infl u

ence

of

circ

umst

ance

s, be

liefs

and

feel

ings

on

deci

sions

an

d ev

ents

Que

stio

n ow

n an

d ot

hers

’ ass

umpt

ions

, try

out

●

alte

rnat

ives

or n

ew so

lutio

ns a

nd fo

llow

idea

sth

roug

h

Adap

t ide

as a

s circ

umst

ance

s cha

nge

asse

ss

●

them

selv

es a

nd o

ther

s, id

entif

ying

opp

ortu

nitie

s an

d ac

hiev

emen

ts

Eval

uate

exp

erie

nces

and

lear

ning

to in

form

futu

re

●

prog

ress

Com

mun

icat

e th

eir l

earn

ing

in re

leva

nt w

ays f

or

●

diffe

rent

aud

ienc

es

Co-o

pera

te w

ith o

ther

s to

wor

k to

war

ds co

mm

on

●

goal

s

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h ag

reem

ents

, man

agin

g di

scus

sions

to

●

achi

eve

resu

lts

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t beh

avio

ur to

suit

diff e

rent

role

s and

situ

atio

ns●

Anal

yse

and

eval

uate

●

info

rmat

ion,

judg

ing

itsre

leva

nce

and

valu

e

Supp

ort c

oncl

usio

ns u

sing

●

reas

oned

arg

umen

ts a

nd

evid

ence

Set g

oals

with

succ

ess

●

crite

ria fo

r the

ir de

velo

pmen

t and

wor

k

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ew p

rogr

ess,

actin

g ●

on th

e ou

tcom

es

Invi

te fe

edba

ck a

nd d

eal

●

posit

ivel

y w

ith p

raise

, se

tbac

ks a

nd c

ritic

ism



Crea

tive

thin

king

Bo

th cr

eati

ve a

nd cr

itic

al th

inki

ng

Crit

ical

thin

king

Show

fairn

ess a

nd co

nsid

erat

ion

to o

ther

s●

Take

resp

onsib

ility

, sho

win

g co

nfi de

nce

in

●

them

selv

es a

nd th

eir c

ontr

ibut

ion

Prov

ide

cons

truc

tive

supp

ort a

nd fe

edba

ck to

●

othe

rs

Wor

k to

war

ds g

oals,

show

ing

initi

ativ

e,

●

com

mitm

ent a

nd p

erse

vera

nce

Org

anise

tim

e an

d re

sour

ces,

prio

ritisi

ng a

ctio

ns●

Antic

ipat

e, ta

ke a

nd m

anag

e ris

ks●

Dea

l with

com

petin

g pr

essu

res,

incl

udin

g pe

rson

al●

and

wor

k-re

late

d de

man

ds

Resp

ond

posit

ivel

y to

chan

ge, s

eeki

ng a

dvic

e an

d ●

supp

ort w

hen

need

ed

Disc

uss i

ssue

s of c

once

rn, s

eeki

ng re

solu

tion

whe

re

●

need

ed

Pres

ent a

per

suas

ive

case

for a

ctio

n●

Prop

ose

prac

tical

way

s for

war

d, b

reak

ing

thes

e●

dow

n in

to m

anag

eabl

e st

eps

Iden

tify

impr

ovem

ents

that

wou

ld b

enefi

t oth

ers

●

as w

ell a

s the

mse

lves

Try

to in

fluen

ce o

ther

s, ne

gotia

ting

and

bala

ncin

g●

dive

rse

view

s to

reac

h w

orka

ble

solu

tions

Act a

s an

advo

cate

for v

iew

s and

bel

iefs

that

may

●

diffe

r fro

m th

eir o

wn



Appendix 2: Thinking words

adapt examine realisation

analogy experience recall

apply experiment recognise

assess explain reconstruct

assumption extrapolate refine

attitude formulate reflect

belief hypothesise reorganise

clarify identify response

classify image scan

combine imagine sequence

compare implement short-term memory

compose interpret skim

consider interrelate specification

context judge stereotype

contradict(ion) justify stimulus/stimulate

contrast juxtapose structure

convert link summarise

decide long-term memory symbol

decipher meaning synthesise

decode metaphor transform

define model translate

design negotiate trigger

develop organise visualise

differentiate paraphrase

distinguish plan

evaluate predict

evidence prioritise



Appendix 3: Task 12 Full Moon causes car accidents – some prompt questions

● There is only one explanation given for the ‘data’.

● A full Moon is bright which would suggest better visibility.

● Is this a single study?

● How was it designed?

● Was it a short-term study which could give skewed results? (For example, if the full Moon occurred at a weekend.)

● Why didn’t the company take the results seriously?

● What is a ‘study of three million policies’? How many of them had accident claims? How many were at night? How many of those at night were on nights with a full Moon? How many accidents were there?

● Was any account taken of other weather conditions?

● Is it a replicable study?

● Incorrect science – the Moon is NOT a strong source of energy.

● If you believe in the effects of the Moon or yin and yang then this study confirms your beliefs.



Appendix 4: Evidence decision maker

This is a simple framework to help pupils think about the reliability of a piece of research or article. Pupils select either A, B or C for each question and then use the list below to make their decision.

● Mainly As indicates good source of data.

● Mainly Bs indicates the source should be used cautiously and only when it accompanies other ‘A’ sources of data.

● Mainly Cs indicates the source should not be considered as evidence.

A B C

Is the evidence Data has clear Data has some Data has weak or based on links to widely links to scientific no links to accepted accepted thinking or scientific thinking scientific scientific thinking knowledge or knowledge knowledge? or knowledge

Are other sources of data/studies used or referred to?

There are clear links between the sources of data. Other sources of data are based on accepted scientific thinking; other sources are credible

Conclusions or assumptions are drawn from weak or controversial data

Assumptions have been plucked from ‘thin air’ when linking the sources of data. Other sources may represent an idiosyncratic/ minority view

How much of the Very little – any Some opinions Most – there is no evidence is based opinions are are used in the guidance as to on opinion? clearly identified

as such evidence and could be taken as ‘facts’

whether these opinions are held by large or small numbers of people



A B C

If statistics/graphs Statistics are easy Statistics sound Statistics cannot are used as part of to verify plausible but be verified and the evidence … Graphs do not

have misleading

need to be checked out

appear to be a work of fiction

scales Scales on the Graphs are graphs could meaningless or cause over or based on underestimation incorrect data

Is the evidence Results from Some concerns No, or weak, based on proper experiments are about the way the experimental experimental valid and reliable, experiment was evidence procedure? (e.g. e.g. carried out by carried out which large sample size, respected means that the sufficiently long scientists/ results may not period of study) organisations be fully reliable or

valid

Is the information The information is There are some The information is relevant to the very relevant relevant aspects interesting but original question but I need to find not really relevant or theory? out more to be

sure

Do the inferences The inferences The inferences The inferences are drawn link to the drawn clearly link drawn need to be questionable observations? to the

observations checked further – other inferences

could be drawn

Is the author of Yes – definitely Possibly but I Unlikely the article need to check to credible? find out more

about them

Is the evidence Yes – it may be a No – but it No – newspaper the original summary contains extracts or other research? from the original

research individual’s interpretation



Acknowledgements

Page 5, le Penseur, Auguste RODIN S. 1295, bronze, 180 X 98 X 145 cm, Jerome Manoukian, Musee Rodin, Paris.

Page 18, Jenner: Smallpox is stemmed, Robert Thom, American, (Grand Rapids, MI, 1915 –1979, Michigan), oil on canvas, 102.87 cm x 83.82 cm (40 ½ in. x 33 in.), Collection of the University of Michigan Health System, Gift of Pfizer inc. UMHS.23.

Page 27 – 30, Ways to make progress in the thinking areas of reasoning and evaluation. © Essex County Council. Used with kind permission.


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