Critical thinking is a habit: before you believe something, you ask how you know. That is it. It helps with ads, videos, group chats, homework and puzzles, and you can practice it with a pencil. Here are four of our new free sheets, and one puzzle solved step by step.
1. Ten questions for any claim
Three favorites: Who made this? What is the evidence? and What would change my mind? The last one is the hardest and the most honest.
2. Fact or opinion?
A fact can be checked, with a ruler, a clock, a book or an expert. An opinion is what someone thinks or feels, and it often uses words such as best, worst, boring or should. "A triangle has three sides" is a fact. "Math is boring" is an opinion. The worksheet has 12 statements to sort, with an answer page.
3. Eight reasoning mistakes
A fallacy is a reason that sounds convincing but does not really support the claim. Our poster names eight in plain words, with the textbook name in brackets:
- Attack the person (ad hominem): "Don't listen to Sam's idea. He is always late."
- Only two choices (false dilemma): "Either we play soccer or we do nothing at all."
- Everybody does it (bandwagon): "Everyone is buying this game, so it must be the best."
- Lucky socks (false cause): "I wore red socks and we won, so the socks made us win."
Remember: spotting a fallacy does not prove the claim false. It only means that this reason does not support it. The practice sheet has eight new sayings to match, with answers.
4. A truth-teller puzzle, solved
On the island, truth-tellers always tell the truth and fibbers always lie. Three people speak. Ava: "Ben always tells the truth." Ben: "Cy and Ava are different kinds." Cy: "Ben is a fibber." Who is who?
The trick is to pick one person, assume a kind, and follow the consequences. If they lead to a contradiction, that case is out.
Answer: Ava and Ben tell the truth, and Cy is a fibber. Only one case works, so the puzzle has exactly one solution. The free sheet has four more, with answers.
Games mentioned
Logical Fallacies Bundle: Derailing Arguments Escape Rooms
Escape-room decks for ages 11 to 15 that train you to spot dodges, twists and false choices.
See it on Boom Learning
Detective Logic Step by Step Bundle
Eight logic decks for ages 7 to 11, including Truth-Tellers and Fibbers.
See it on Boom LearningDigital download: nothing is shipped.
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