What are some fun ways to teach critical thinking to students?

3. Conduct Mock Trials or Supreme Court Simulations

Holding a mock trial or Supreme Court simulation is an engaging activity that builds critical thinking, research, and argumentation skills. Students take on roles of attorneys, witnesses, justices, etc., and work together to carry out a simulated legal proceeding.

This could involve:

• Conducting a mock trial of a character from a book or historical figure
• Re-enacting a famous Supreme Court case like Brown v. Board of Education
• Holding a mock Supreme Court hearing on a school policy like dress codes

To prepare, students must analyze the case, research relevant laws and precedents, anticipate counter-arguments, and craft a persuasive case. Participating in the trial requires thinking on their feet, evaluating evidence, and making reasoned arguments.

Discuss the process afterward. How did students decide which evidence or arguments to present? Did their thinking change based on the other side’s case? Simulations like this make the critical thinking process come alive.

Read More – How does problem-solving improve students’ critical thinking? 

4. Solve Real-World Problems Through Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) is an immersive approach where students work in teams to tackle a complex, real-world problem or question. It’s an ideal way to develop critical thinking because it requires researching the issue from multiple angles, evaluating potential solutions, and making evidence-based decisions.

Some examples of PBL critical thinking projects:

• Propose a plan to make your school more environmentally sustainable
• Design a social media campaign to combat cyberbullying
• Develop a business proposal for a new product or service
• Create an exhibit on an era of history for a children’s museum

The open-ended nature of PBL pushes students to think critically throughout the entire process, from initially defining the problem to testing and refining their proposed solution. Hands-on projects like this make the critical thinking process authentic and relevant.

Read More – 10 Benefits Of Teaching Critical Thinking Skills To Students 

5. Play Devil’s Advocate During Discussions

One simple technique to promote critical thinking during class discussions is to play devil’s advocate. Whatever view students take on an issue, challenge them to consider an opposing perspective.

For example, if students generally support a character’s actions in a novel, you might ask, “What if the character was being selfish? Can you find any evidence for that view?” Or, in a science lesson, you could ask, “Suppose someone argued this experiment was flawed – how would you respond?”

Pushing students to examine other viewpoints prevents them from oversimplifying issues and falling prey to confirmation bias (only focusing on evidence that supports their existing beliefs). It fosters intellectual humility and the ability to critique their own arguments. The goal isn’t to undermine students’ views but to push them to question assumptions and strengthen their reasoning.

6. Gamify Logical Reasoning with Puzzles and Paradoxes

Building critical thinking skills doesn’t always have to involve heavy topics – it can be as simple as solving a clever puzzle. Logical reasoning puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments make great critical thinking exercises that feel more like a game than a lesson.

Some examples:

• Logic grid puzzles, where students use clues to deduce the solution to a scenario (e.g. figure out which student owns each pet based on a set of conditions)
• Classic logic paradoxes like the Barber’s Paradox or Ship of Theseus
• Thought experiments that explore abstract concepts, like Schrödinger’s Cat or the Trolley Problem

Puzzles like these may initially seem silly, but they actually push students to carefully analyze the given information, consider different lines of reasoning, and think through problems systematically. They build core logical reasoning skills that transfer to more weighty critical thinking tasks.

7. Analyze the Credibility of Sources

With misinformation and fake news rampant online, the critical thinking skill of evaluating the credibility of sources is more vital than ever. Turn this into an engaging research activity by challenging students to be “fact detectives.”

Give small groups a set of articles on a topic that range from reliable sources to biased or misleading ones. (There are even some bogus “news” websites created for educational purposes, like the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus). Have students work together to investigate each source and determine its credibility, using questions like:

• Who is the author, and what are their credentials on this topic?
• Does the site provide references/citations for factual claims?
• Does the information align with other reliable sources?
• Is the site trying to sell something or promote a particular agenda?
• Are there any apparent signs the story could be fake, like an implausible URL?

Afterward, have groups present their findings and compile a class list of top tips for spotting unreliable information. Practicing source evaluation hands-on builds the habit of thinking critically about information rather than automatically trusting everything we read.

8. Predict and Analyze Outcomes of Real-World Scenarios

Predicting how a scenario will play out based on available evidence is a valuable critical thinking skill. Turn this into an engaging activity by having students analyze real-world situations and forecast outcomes.

Some examples:

• Predict the environmental effects of a proposed construction project
• Forecast how a new school policy will impact student behavior
• Analyze a current political situation and predict how it may be resolved
• Examine a company’s financial data and predict its future performance

Provide students with relevant background information (articles, data, expert opinions, etc.) to analyze. Then, have them make reasoned predictions and justify their conclusions. Discussing the different predictions afterward is an excellent opportunity to examine the reasoning process. 

What factors did students prioritize? 

How did they deal with uncertainty? 

Were there any key pieces of evidence everyone considered? 

Making predictions requires students to think critically about how multiple variables interact in complex systems.

9. Roleplay Different Perspectives

Roleplaying exercises where students embody different perspectives is a powerful way to build critical thinking and empathy. It pushes students to look beyond their own experiences and consider how others may think and feel.

This could involve:

• Roleplaying characters from a novel with differing viewpoints
• Conducting mock interviews of historical figures
• Debating an ethical dilemma from the perspective of various stakeholders
• Simulating a United Nations meeting on a global issue

Embodying a perspective different from theirs challenges students’ assumptions and builds understanding of other points of view. Discussing the experience afterward reinforces critical thinking as students analyze how inhabiting that role affected their thinking. Considering multiple perspectives is critical to thinking critically about complex issues.

10. Brainstorm Creative Solutions to Hypothetical Problems

Brainstorming is a classic teaching strategy for inspiring creative and critical thinking. Make it into a lively critical thinking exercise by having students brainstorm solutions to far-fetched hypothetical problems.

For example:

• How would you survive on a deserted island with only three random items?
• Devise a plan to start a successful business with zero startup money
• Figure out how to throw a birthday party for 100 people on a $50 budget
• Invent a sport that could be played on the moon

The silly scenarios get students thinking outside the box and considering unorthodox approaches. Encourage students to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how wild. Then, have them evaluate the ideas critically based on given criteria (like feasibility, cost, etc.) and select the best ones. This two-part process practices both divergent thinking (generating creative ideas) and convergent thinking (analytically narrowing them down) – essential critical thinking components.