We know what makes something a living thing!

We are beginning to explore the amazing world we live in.
The world is a large place so we are beginning broadly by contrasting living vs. non-living.

Critical thinking is an important skill for a child's future success. 

Once developed, critical thinking aides in the ability to evaluate information.

To successfully think critically about an issue or a problem, we need to be open-minded and willing to consider alternative ways of looking at solutions.  

This ability will help children both academically and socially as they grow.  

What  critical thinking seeds do we plant at The Gan?

We assist their critical thought through our explanations about why things happen and encourage them to contribute with their current knowledge. 

Morah Katie: Please think of something you use everyday.

Evan: A cup.

Morah Katie: We use cups everyday. Why? 

Evan: Need to get water for yourself.

Morah Katie: Yes, we need water.   Moshe can you think of something yours everyday that is a tool, that helps you?

Moshe: A marker.  It draws.

Morah Katie:  You use a marker as a tool to express your thoughts as you draw.  Does the marker need water? Or food? 

Moshe: No it doesn't eat.

Morah Katie:  Eli, what can you think of that you use everyday to help you?

Eli: Blocks.

Morah Katie: Blocks helps us express our creativity. Do the blocks change? Do they grow?

Eli: No.

Morah Katie: Do you all need water and food?

Kids: Yes.

Morah Katie: Do you all grow?

Kids: Yes.

Morah Katie: Do you breathe?

Kids: YES!

Morah Katie: IF you can answer Yes to those questions, your are talking about something that is living. 

Morah Katie: Are rocks living or non-living?

Moshe: Rocks don't grow, they don't have babies. They are non-living.

Evan: Rocks don't breathe.

Morah Katie: Are flowers living or non-living?

Evan: They grow and can make more flowers.

Eli: Flowers are living.

 

 

We can enhance our friends critical thinking by asking them how they came to these ideas, and ask for the reasons of their conclusions.

Moshe: The cup is not real. But the turtle is real.

Morah Katie: Explain to me what you mean by real.  

Moshe: It's (the turtle) real, and this isn't real!

Morah Katie: When I think of "real", I think of something I can hold and touch. I can touch the toy turtle and the cup.  When I think of not real I think of things in my imagination. Can you explain to me what you mean by real?

Moshe: Ok. The cup can't breathe or grow.

Morah Katie: I see, you are telling me the cup is non-living, but a turtle is?

Moshe: A turtle is living. It needs water and eats.

Morah Katie: I agree.

We stepped outside to compare living and non-living things.

Morah Katie: Thinking of the qualities that make something living or non-living, describe what you see.

Evie: Flower.

Moshe: Living.

Zoey: Tree, living!

Morah Eden: What are you standing on?

Moshe: Rocks, non-living.

Morah Katie: What else do you see, look all around.

Moshe/Evan: Cars, non-living!

Moshe: Building, non-living.

Hugo: Rocketship!

We encourage the children to guess and make predictions.

Our season is fall.

Morah Katie: What can we expect to see happen to the tree outside?

Evan: The leaves will fall.

Morah Katie: How many days do you think it will take for the leaves to fall off the tree?
Moshe: 13.
Evan: 50.
Eli:100.
Gwen: 60.
Kenya: 6.
Josie: 21.

We made a chart with the wide range of predictions. We are keeping a daily record of the leaf status on the tree.

While reading, we ask questions about what might happen, or why something is happening.

We read The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss.

Morah Katie: The mom, the dad and the brother all told the little boy that seed will not grow.
What do you think will happen to the seed? Do you agree with them, or think something different will happen?
Moshe: I agree with the mom.
Zoey: I think if the boy waters it a little and not too much it will grow.
Evan: I think it will take a year.
Morah Katie: Let's keep reading and find out. 
We discover that the boy waters the seed every day, and waits, and waits..... and waits and eventually the seed grows into a carrot!
He persisted and a good thing happened.

We see problems as opportunities.
We ask, "how", "why"  and " what" questions to help them think through a situation.
Evie was done painting.  She declared: I'm done.
Morah Katie: Thank you for telling me you have finished painting.

Evie remained standing by the easel. Evie began to get grumpy.  Evie was holding scissors. She stomped her foot.
Evie: I'm done.
Morah Katie: I know, you mentioned that.  (Pause) Now that you are done painting what do you need to do?
Evie: Cut it. 
Morah Katie: How will we know who created the art?
Evie: My name.  
She put her name on it and waved the scissors at me.
Evie: I'm done.
Morah Katie: I see you have scissors. Why are you holding scissors? 
Evie: My painting is done. 
Morah Katie:  It is done. How will you get it off the easel?
Evie: Scissors.
Morah Katie: You are holding the scissors. What comes next? 
Evie: Putting it on the drying rack.
Morah Katie: How will it get there?
Evie: I have to cut it.
Morah Katie: Ok.
Evie began cutting.  It is a big process to cut down easel paper. It can be awkward, particularly if you are still developing your cutting skills.  Evie persisted.

Critical thinking also contributes to building empathy for others.

In class, we often reflect to the child what we notice their face doing, how they are standing or how they are using their body.  

Being noticed is often enough to help a child take the needed breath which allows for a moment of calm.

Gwen was feeling angry.
Morah Jillian: Gwen, your face looks like you might be feeling angry. Would you like to go sit with a feeling buddy?
Gwen: Yes.
Morah Jillian asked Gwen to  find the face that looked like how she was feeling. Then asked her how her feeling buddy could solve her problem.
Gwen helped her feeling buddy drain breathe, and replaced the angry face with a happy face.
Gwen: I feel better now.

We can extend this noticing skill and encourage the child to put themselves in their friends place with questions like, “Look at his face, how do you think he feels?”, “What do you think she’s thinking right now?” or “Why do you think he wants to do that?”

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Evie was holding a book and running from Zoey.

Morah Katie: Zoey please look at your friend's face. How do you think she is feeling?

Zoey: Sad. But I want to read a book.

Morah Katie:  Evie looks sad.  Evie are you sad?

Evie: Yes.

Morah Katie: Do you think she likes feeling sad?  (quiet) Do you like being sad?

Zoey: I want a book.

Morah Katie: You want a book.  Where can you get a book to read?  

Zoey points to the bookcase.  Evie looks at the book on her own.
They happily played together later.
Evie: Zoey can you help me?
Zoey: Yes, I can help you.

Developing critical thinking, like collaboration and communication, will help our children create a foundation for thriving now and in the future.