#3295. critical-creative thinking

, level: all
Posted Mon Oct 24 16:59:22 PDT 2005 by joseph sguigna (studiesinmeaning@adelphia.net).
redondo beach, CA
Materials Required: selected units from critical-creative thinking studybooks
Activity Time: open ended
Concepts Taught: language arts

See our education website for samples of our critical-creative studybooks: www.studiesinmeaning.com

LANGUAGE ARTS (3rd- 4th grades)

[Grammar-Usage]
CRITICAL THINKING

INSTRUCTIONS
[A ] For each numbered pair of sentences:
(1) Read both sentences carefully.
(2) Decide which sentence is correct English usage by reading the correct rule
in the column at the right; then write the number of the rule in the blank before the correct sentence.
(3) Read the grammar information below the pair of sentences then underline the designated information for the correct sentence.

[B] At the bottom of the page, read the definition and instructions, then answer the exercise.

Sentences
1.
__ Andrew smiles a lot.
__ Andrew smiles alot.
the word that is the name of a person

2.
__ Alaska is the largest of all the states.
__ Alaska is the larger of all the states.
the word that tell what the sentence is about

Definitions
1. The word "where" means "in the direction of."
2. Use the two words "a lot" when you mean "many."
3. Use the word "largest" when you mean more than two of anything.
....

A word that is used to name a person is called a NOUN.

On the line below, write three or more nouns that are the names of a person.

____________________________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR-USAGE
Creative Thinking

INSTRUCTIONS:
For each question or statement, answer it according to the same grammar-usage critical-thinking exercise.

1. Write down three or more reasons why people smile.
2. Write down at least three ideas that come to you when you think of the UNITED STATES.

VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Critical Thinking

INSTRUCTIONS: For each vocabulary word:
(1) pronounce it (use the pronunciation key to help you), (2) read the sentence, and from the meaning of the vocabulary word as it is used in the sentence, choose the correct definition at the right-hand column, and (3) write the number of the definition in the blank before the vocabulary word.
NOTE: ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS DOES NOT FIT IN ANY OF THE SENTENCES.

SET 1

___ ability (uh-BIL-i-tee)
A clown has the ability to make us
laugh.
___ act (AKT)
Don't act like a baby.

Definitions
1. to do; to behave
2. something that happens that is not
planned or expected
3. a skill; talent; know-how
....

VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Creative Thinking

INSTRUCTIONS:
(#1): For each of the 3 vocabulary words taken from the critical thinking exercises, answer the question or statement with an interesting and creative explanation.

For #2 of the odd-numbered units:
Choose any three vocabulary words from the critical thinking exercises; write each word in the blank, and write an original sentence for it with the meaning of the word in your sentence.

For #2 of the even-number units:
Choose any word from the critical thinking exercises and use it as a theme (or topic
idea) for a composition. You can use any other word(s) from the vocabulary exercises
to help develop your theme, Write a title for your composition.

1

ability
Name three or more ways how a clown makes us laugh.

accident
Describe an accident that you, or someone else, has had.

2

word: ________________________ sentence____________________________________

READING TOPICS
Critical Thinking

SECTION 1

INSTRUCTIONS:
Read each of the three topics, and for each sentence below it, if it agrees with - or has the same meaning as-what is being said in the passage, write A in the blank; and if it disagrees with what is being said in the passage, write D in the blank.

SCIENCE
Our bones are covered with muscles. The muscles move them in many directions. That is the job of muscles - to move things.

1. __ Bones move muscles.
2. __ Muscles move things.
3. __ The word "them" in the second sentence takes the place of the word "muscles."

ART
The love of beauty seems to be something that man is born with. More than fifteen thousand years ago, primitive (simple) and ignorant (not knowing very much) cavemen drew pictures on the walls of their caves.

1. __ Man is born with the love of beauty.
2. __ About fifteen thousand years ago, cavemen drew pictures on the walls of their caves.

3. __ This passage seems to say that because earliest man (cavemen) drew pictures on their caves, the love of beauty is born in man.

=======================

ANSWER KEY for The Two Reading Topics

NOTE: I include the answer key for the reading topics to indicate the careful reading (fine distinctions, etc.) that the student engages in order to understand the reading material.

SCIENCE
1. D
EXPLANATION: Muscles move bones.
2. A
EXPLANATION: Even though #2 agrees with what is being said in the passage still ,The sentence "Muscles move things," by itself could mean that muscles move everything.
3. D
EXPLANATION: The pronoun "them" in the second sentence takes the place of the word "bones."

ART
1. D
EXPLANATION: Man seems to be - not is - born with the love of beauty.
2. D
EXPLANATION: Not "about," but more than, fifteen thousand years ago.
3. D
EXPLANATION: It is the other way around: - It is because the love of beauty is born in man, that he drew pictures on his cave walls. Here is a simple example: James is in bed because he is sick; not John is sick because he is in bed.

READING TOPICS
Creative Thinking

INSTRUCTIONS:
From the three reading topics under critical thinking, one of them is titled for your creative thinking exercises. For each creative thinking exercise - other than "ART" - (DESCRIPTION, ASSOCIATION, etc.), write all the thoughts (or ideas) that come to you. Take time to reflect on these exercises so that your answers are interesting and as complete as you can make them.

Science

DESCRIPTION
Think of the inside of your BODY and write down as many parts of it as you can.

ASSOCIATION
Write down some ideas (not things) that go with the BODY.