As mentioned by Kuhn, Browns’ community of learners method, prioritizes metastrategic skill building through debate, we are encouraging discussion, criticism, and constructive dialogue (2000). Not only do our lessons include a debate assignment, but we also plan to have students analyze their narratives in connection to the subject matter, in hopes of getting them to internalize a healthy self-critiquing thinking style.
Also, parts of our lessons call for students to analyze relevant topics and make blog entries about them critically. Lee Wantanabe-Crockett (2014) explains that online discussions allow students to think critically as they write their entries and gain deeper understandings of concepts after they are initially presented in class. Sustained dialogue through online forums where students can provide sources, organize their thoughts, and challenge each other with less inhibition than a person-to-person setting can prove beneficial with some set parameters.
The unit final challenges students to answer level-3 questions in a creative and original answer through critical thinking. We may also consider asking them about how their opinions on the branches of government and other relevant aspects of politics have changed after having developed better metacognitive and critical thinking skills through studying this unit. Keeping in mind that we will likely coach them on good faith arguments, fallacies, and negative thought patterns, we may grade responses with consideration to how well they include or refrain from those concepts.
Critical Thinking in Social Science 