Try this: The Logic Wheel

Looking for a ready-to go classroom tool for critical thinking?  Try the logic wheel.  

 

The wheel is made up of the 8 elements of thought from the Foundation for Critical Thinking and can be applied to just about anything to gain a deeper analysis.  The questions it prompts can be questions that students begin to ask themselves automatically as they become more sophisticated critical thinkers.

 

 

Here’s an example for ELA:

Read the Malcolm X’s speech at the Oxford Union and ask the following questions:

 

• What is Malcolm X’s purpose in this speech?
• What is the question at issue?
• What information does he present?
• What inferences does he make?  How does he interpret that information?
• What concepts and principles does cite to support his purpose?
• What are his assumptions?
• What are the implications of his speech?
• What is his point of view?

 

Try it out yourself and let us know how it works!