critical thinking questions grade 9

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Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad Class 9 Sample Papers

Classic Section: Series Completion and Inserting the Missing Character; Analogy and Classification; Coding - Decoding; Blood Relations; Direction Sense Test; Logical Venn Diagrams; Alpha Numeric Sequence Puzzle, Number, Ranking and Time Sequence Test, Logical Sequence of Words, Alphabet Test; Mathematical Operations; Analytical Reasoning; Mirror Images and Water Images; Embedded Figures, Figure Formation, Figure Matrix, Construction of Squares, Grouping of Identical Figures; Paper Folding and Paper Cutting; Cubes and Dice; Dot Situation

Scholar Section: Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Classic Section

Sample Papers of Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad for Class 9:

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Other Classes Sample Papers (Year 2024-2025)

  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 2
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 3
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 4
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 5
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 6
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 7
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 8
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 10
  • UCTO Sample Papers for Class 11

Other Subjects Sample Papers (Year 2024-2025)

  • UMO Sample Papers for Class 9
  • UEO Sample Papers for Class 9
  • USO Sample Papers for Class 9
  • UCO Sample Papers for Class 9
  • UGKO Sample Papers for Class 9
  • UNRMO Sample Papers for Class 9

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critical thinking questions grade 9

85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens

students laughing as they answer critical thinking questions

Have you ever thought about using fun questions to practice critical thinking?

Students may need a little guidance to think their way through questions that lack straightforward answers.

But it is that process that is important!

How the Right Questions Encourage Critical Thinking

Every parent knows how natural it is for children to ask questions. 

It should be encouraged. After all, asking questions helps with critical thinking.

As they grow older, however, training them to answer questions can be equally beneficial.

Posing questions that encourage kids to analyze, compare, and evaluate information can help them develop their ability to think critically about tough topics in the future. 

Of course, critical thinking questions for kids need to be age-appropriate—even better if you can mix a little fun into it!

That’s what I hope to help you with today. I’ve organized the questions below into three different ages groups:

  • Upper elementary
  • Middle school
  • High school 

20 Questions: Exercises in Critical Thinking

Get a Question-Based Critical Thinking Exercise—Free!

Introduce critical thinking gently & easily with thought-provoking exercises.

Upper Elementary

Students in upper elementary grades can be reluctant to put themselves out there, especially with answers that seem weird. 

In some cases, such hesitancy is actually fear of differing from their peers (and a barrier to critical thinking ). 

But that’s exactly why it’s important to practice answering ambiguous questions. 

We want our children to stand firm for their beliefs—not cave to peer pressure. 

Additionally, students may feel uneasy about answering serious questions, uncertain of tackling “big” problems. 

However, with careful use of creative questions for kids, it’s possible to engage even the most reluctant children in this age group. 

The idea is to simply get them interested in the conversation and questions asked.

If you have an especially reserved student, try starting with the funny critical thinking questions. 

Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. 

Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged.

With that said, here are some great questions to get you started:

1. Someone gives you a penguin. You can’t sell it or give it away. What do you do with it?

2. What would it be like if people could fly?

3. If animals could talk, what question would you ask? 

4. If you were ice cream, what kind would you be and why?

5. Do you want to travel back in time? If yes, how far back would you go? If no, why not?

6. What could you invent that would help your family? 

7. If you could stay up all night, what would you do?

8. What does the man on the moon do during the day?

9. What makes something weird or normal? 

10. Can you describe the tastes “salty” and “sweet” without using those words?

11. What does it feel like to ride a rollercoaster?

12. What makes a joke funny?

13. What two items would you take if you knew you would be stranded on an island and why?

14. Do you have a favorite way of laughing?

15. What noise makes you cringe and cover your ears? Why?

16. If you could be the parent for the day, what would you do?

17. If you could jump into your favorite movie and change the outcome, which one would you pick and why?

18. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

19. What makes a day “perfect”?

20. If you owned a store, what kind of products would you sell?

21. If your parents were your age, would you be friends with them?

22. Would you still like your favorite food if it tasted the same as always, but now had an awful smell?

23. What would you do if you forgot to put your shoes on before leaving home?

24. Who would you be if you were a cartoon character?

25. How many hot dogs do you think you could eat in one sitting?

26. If you could breathe under water, what would you explore?

27. At what age do you think you stop being a kid?

28. If you had springs in your legs, what would you be able to do?

29. Can you describe the color blue to someone if they’re blind?

Middle School

At this point, students start to acquire more complex skills and are able to form their own conclusions based on the information they’re given. 

However, we can’t expect deep philosophical debates with 12 and 13 year olds. 

That said, as parent-teachers, we can certainly begin using more challenging questions to help them examine and rationalize their thought processes. 

Browse the fun critical thinking questions below for students in this age range. 

You might be surprised to see how receptive middle school kids can be to such thought-provoking (yet still fun) questions .

30. What would happen if it really did rain cats and dogs?

31. What does it mean to be lucky?

32. If you woke up in the middle of a dream, where would you be?

33. Is it ever okay to lie? Why or why not?

34. If you were solely responsible for creating laws, what one law would you make?

35. What makes a person a good friend?

36. What do you think is the most important skill you can take into adulthood?

37. If you had to give up lunch or dinner, which would you choose? Why?

38. How much money would you need to be considered rich?

39. If you knew you wouldn’t get caught, would you cheat on a test?

40. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

41. What is your greatest strength? How is that an asset?

42. If you had an opportunity to visit the International Space Station, would you do it?

43. Is it better to keep the peace or speak your mind?

44. Imagine yourself as your favorite animal. How would you spend your day?

45. Would you be friends with someone who didn’t have the same values as you?

46. How much screen time do you think is too much?

47. Can you describe your favorite color without naming it?

48. If you suddenly became blind, would you see things differently?

49. Would you ever go skydiving?

50. Describe the time you were the happiest in your life. Why did this make you happy?

51. If you had a million dollars, what would you do?

52. If you had to move to a new city, would you change how you present yourself to others?

53. What do you need to do in order to be famous?

54. If you could rewrite the ending of your favorite book or movie, what changes would you make?

55. How would you tackle a huge goal?

56. How would you sell ice to an eskimo in Alaska successfully?

57. What makes you unique?

High School

Critical thinking takes on an entirely different role once students reach high school. 

At this age, they have a greater sense of right and wrong (and what makes things so) as well as a better understanding of the world’s challenges.

Guiding teens to delve deeper and contemplate such things is an important part of developing their reasoning and critical thinking skills. 

critical thinking questions grade 9

Whether it’s fun questions about hypothetical superpowers or tough critical thinking questions about life, older teens typically have what it takes to think their way to a logical conclusion . 

Of course, use your discernment as you choose discussion topics, but here are some questions to help get you started:

58. How can you avoid [common problem] in the future?

59. Do you think it’s okay to take a life in order to save 5, 10, 20 or more people?

60. If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

61. Is it better to give or receive a gift?

62. How important is it to be financially secure? Why?

63. If it was up to you, what one rule would you change in your family?

64. What would you do if a group of friends wanted to do something that you thought was a bad idea?

65. How do you know that something is a fact rather than an opinion?

66. What would it take to get you to change your mind?

67. What’s the most important thing in your life?

68. If money were of no concern, what job would you choose and why?

69. How do you know if you’re happy?

70. Do you think euthanasia is moral?

71. What is something you can do today that you weren’t able to do a year ago?

72. Is social media a good thing or not?

73. Is it right to keep animals in a zoo?

74. How does your attitude affect your abilities?

75. What would you do if you found out a friend was doing something dangerous?

76. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?

77. What will life on Earth look like in 50 years?

78. Which is more important, ending world hunger or global warming?

79. Is it a good idea to lower the voting age to 16? Why or why not?

80. If the electrical power went out today, how would you cook if using wood wasn’t an option?

81. If you could magically transport yourself to any other place, where would that be and why?

82. When should teenagers be able to stay out all night?

83. Does the number zero actually exist?

84. What defines a generous person?

85. Does an influential person influence everyone?

Feel free to print out these fun critical thinking questions and incorporate them into your homeschool week!

critical thinking questions grade 9

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Class Discussion to Encourage Critical Thinking: Resources for Grades 9-12

For high school educators, this list of resources, guides, and downloads will help you implement Socratic seminars and other classroom discussion models that encourage critical thinking.

critical thinking questions grade 9

About Socratic Seminars

At Mountain View High School in Mountain View, California, teacher Paige Price discusses how she uses Socratic Seminars in her classroom to address the question, “What’s the purpose of poetic language?” Make sure to check out the supporting materials related to the featured activities, including scoring and student preparation guides.

Professional development at KIPP King Collegiate High School includes setting up "fishbowl" classroom configurations, assigning student roles, and other techniques for facilitating successful Socratic discussions. For full coverage of the critical thinking strategies in place at KIPP King, visit Edutopia's Schools that Work package, " Critical Thinking: A Path to College and Career ."

Teachers John Suralik and Blake Wiggs teach at two schools 23 miles apart from each other. But by using Skype and the inner circle and outer circle model, they are bringing 21st-century Socratic seminars to their classrooms, and increasing student participation and engagement.

This guide from Facing History and Ourselves explains five steps to implementing Socratic seminars in the classroom, including considerations for selecting appropriate texts, preparing students, communicating expectations, setting up procedures, and facilitating reflection and evaluation.

ReadWriteThink ’s strategy guide explains Socratic seminars, including the benefits for students, and offers practical methods for applying the approach in your classroom.

Downloads from Schools that Work

This handout from KIPP King includes a reference list of discussion connector statements for high school Socratic seminars, including statements for paraphrasing, acknowledging ideas, affirming, soliciting and responding, asking for clarification, and disagreeing.

This Socratic seminar handout from KIPP King details possible roles and assignments for observation in the outer circle.

This rubric, courtesy of KIPP King, can be used to assess student performance during Socratic seminars for participants in the inner circle and in the outer circle.

This worksheet from KIPP King includes a practice section to help students work on evaluating seminar statements and some examples of discussion connectors.

More Blogs About Class Discussion

Guest blogger Petra Claflin, Digital Media Manager for YES Prep Public Schools , shares four ways that she's introduced her students to and engaged them in academically rigorous discussion as a regular classroom activity.

Edutopia blogger Rick Curwin proposes five strategies, including use of props and questionnaires, to make classroom discussions more exciting.

Edutopia blogger Todd Finley considers whole class discussion and presents ample research about what works best.

Guest blogger Dr. Allen Mendler presents eight strategies for helping your students reclaim and master the lost art of conversation.

Blogger Todd Finley praises the Collaborize Classroom platform and how it can enhance language arts class engagement.

Have you used Socratic seminars or other classroom discussion models in your classroom? Are there other resources you'd like to see included on this page? Please share your feedback in the comments.

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Effective Critical-Thinking Questions to Use in Class

Jessica shaffer.

  • May 17, 2021

Teacher calling on students with their hands up in a classroom.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking does not have just one definition, but one way to explain it is that it is “thinking about one’s thinking.” A critical thinker does not always take things at face value and will question ideas to further understand them. Critical thinkers also have the ability to see past the surface of something, and they possess important skills such as the ability to analyze, interpret, make inferences, and problem-solve. Critical thinkers also tend to be inquisitive about many issues, have a concern to remain well-informed, and embrace and even seek out critical thinking opportunities. Simply stated, critical thinkers think deep thoughts.

What is the Importance of Critical Thinking for Students?

Back in the day, school was different! Honestly, even a year ago, school was far different than it is now, but there is currently so much more emphasis on the “why” and the “how” than just knowing what the answer is. Critical thinking skills are important for students because of the curricula they are exposed to. “Right there” questions are few and far between and students have to rely on their own ability to dig deeper and read between the lines. There is a lot of emphasis placed on college and career readiness, and part of that is to prepare students to problem solve when there is no apparent answer.

Critical thinking provides students opportunities to acquire the higher-level thinking skills that will be needed for career and beyond. It is important to teach students at a young age that you cannot find the answer to everything in a book or through Google. You have to look within yourself to find many answers and, most importantly, justify why that is your answer. There are many ways teachers can incorporate these types of questions throughout the day, you just have to change your mindset a bit!

Critical Thinking Questions to Use in Class

A teacher will ask questions that usually contain one of the following components: who, what, where, when, how, or why. Using good questioning techniques is important and not always as difficult as it seems. Just changing the way that you start a question can change the way students think about an answer or solution. For example, instead of asking students “Who stole the pizza?”, ask students, “Why would that character want to steal the pizza?”

A critical thinking question should aim to make you think. It should lead students to ponder the answer and discuss possible solutions. Critical thinking questions can even lead to disagreements and arguments that can turn into an impressive teachable moment.

One way to incorporate a solid critical thinking question into a math lesson is to have the students solve a problem, and then ask students how they solved the problem. You can have the students talk it out or have each student write down a written explanation and then share it out. Either of these techniques gives various perspectives on how to solve the same problems and can help students to develop math sense.

Another way to incorporate critical thinking questions into math is to present a problem that is solved incorrectly and have students analyze the mistake. Students will have to solve for the correct answer and determine where the mistake occurred. To make this even more challenging, present a word problem or a multi-step story problem to further present critical thinking challenges.

Making inferences is generally one of the most difficult skills for students to learn. This is where students must use their critical thinking skills to understand what is not written or observed. Students must use evidence and couple it with reasoning skills to form a conclusion. A basic example would be looking at a photograph of a dog holding a leash in its mouth and coming to the conclusion that the dog would like to go for a walk.

Morning journals for students can present the perfect opportunity to enhance critical thinking skills. Instead of asking basic questions with basic answers, create questions that force students to think outside the box. For example, ask the question, “Is creativity something that can be measured? Should it be?” Instead of asking what creativity is and giving an example, this question makes a student pause and think about the answer before beginning to respond. These are the types of questions that can frustrate students “in a good way.”

A great way to encourage critical thinking in ELA is to ask students to write an alternate ending to a story. This promotes creativity and deep thinking. Then, students can explain how changing the ending of the story could have an impact on not just the novel, but the world. Encouraging students to think on a more global level also encourages a higher-level of thinking as well as a better understanding of the culture of the world, not just the small bubble they reside in.

Science is a subject perfect for inquiry! Having students think as an engineer would is a critical thinking skill at it’s finest. Students have to design a solution, test it, and then design an even better solution in order to combat weaknesses in the original design. This can be applied at any grade level.

A terrific way to incorporate critical thinking in Social Studies is similar to ELA by changing the outcome of important events in history. For example, have students discuss how our lives would be different if the Civil War had been won by the South. How would it have changed subsequent events in our history and what would life be like today? The opportunities are endless.

Ending Thoughts

All in all, teachers can create many opportunities each and every day for students to use critical thinking skills. It is as simple as starting the day off with a critical thinking question and changing certain techniques. Even if you ask the students a basic question, follow it up with something that requires more depth of thought. As the great Albert Einstein once said, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” Force students to think about their thinking, and get them ready for the real world!

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critical thinking questions grade 9

16 Critical Thinking Questions For Students

critical thinking questions grade 9

Critical thinking is an essential skill that empowers students to think critically and make informed decisions. It encourages them to explore different perspectives, analyze information, and develop logical reasoning. To foster critical thinking skills, it is crucial to ask students thought-provoking questions that challenge their assumptions and encourage deeper analysis. Here are 16 critical thinking questions for students to enhance their problem-solving abilities:

  • What evidence supports this argument?
  • Can you identify any biases in this article?
  • How does this relate to what we have learned previously?
  • What alternative solutions can you propose to this problem?
  • How might different cultures perceive this situation?
  • What assumptions underlie this theory?
  • How reliable is the source of this information?
  • Can you identify any logical fallacies in this argument?
  • What impact does this decision have on various stakeholders?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of this argument?
  • How might you approach this problem differently?
  • Wha t ethical considerations need to be taken into account?
  • Can you identify any gaps in the evidence provided?
  • How does this concept apply to real-world situations?
  • What are the potential consequences of this decision?
  • How might you evaluate the credibility of this research?

By incorporating these critical thinking questions, educators can help students develop essential skills such as analyzing information, evaluating arguments, and problem-solving. Encouraging students to think critically will not only benefit their academic performance but also prepare them for success in various aspects of their lives.

Remember, critical thinking is a skill that can be nurtured and strengthened with practice. By guiding students to ask and answer these thought-provoking questions, educators can create a learning environment that fosters independent thinking and creativity.

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5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)

Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them.

Examples of critical thinking skills like correlation tick-tac-Toe, which teaches analysis skills and debates which teach evaluation skills.

Little kids love to ask questions. “Why is the sky blue?” “Where does the sun go at night?” Their innate curiosity helps them learn more about the world, and it’s key to their development. As they grow older, it’s important to encourage them to keep asking questions and to teach them the right kinds of questions to ask. We call these “critical thinking skills,” and they help kids become thoughtful adults who are able to make informed decisions as they grow older.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking allows us to examine a subject and develop an informed opinion about it. First, we need to be able to simply understand the information, then we build on that by analyzing, comparing, evaluating, reflecting, and more. Critical thinking is about asking questions, then looking closely at the answers to form conclusions that are backed by provable facts, not just “gut feelings” and opinion.

Critical thinkers tend to question everything, and that can drive teachers and parents a little crazy. The temptation to reply, “Because I said so!” is strong, but when you can, try to provide the reasons behind your answers. We want to raise children who take an active role in the world around them and who nurture curiosity throughout their entire lives.

Key Critical Thinking Skills

So, what are critical thinking skills? There’s no official list, but many people use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help lay out the skills kids should develop as they grow up.

A diagram showing Bloom's Taxonomy (Critical Thinking Skills)

Source: Vanderbilt University

Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom providing a base for more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require much critical thinking. These are the skills kids use when they memorize math facts or world capitals or practice their spelling words. Critical thinking doesn’t begin to creep in until the next steps.

Understanding requires more than memorization. It’s the difference between a child reciting by rote “one times four is four, two times four is eight, three times four is twelve,” versus recognizing that multiplication is the same as adding a number to itself a certain number of times. Schools focus more these days on understanding concepts than they used to; pure memorization has its place, but when a student understands the concept behind something, they can then move on to the next phase.

Application opens up whole worlds to students. Once you realize you can use a concept you’ve already mastered and apply it to other examples, you’ve expanded your learning exponentially. It’s easy to see this in math or science, but it works in all subjects. Kids may memorize sight words to speed up their reading mastery, but it’s learning to apply phonics and other reading skills that allows them to tackle any new word that comes their way.

Analysis is the real leap into advanced critical thinking for most kids. When we analyze something, we don’t take it at face value. Analysis requires us to find facts that stand up to inquiry, even if we don’t like what those facts might mean. We put aside personal feelings or beliefs and explore, examine, research, compare and contrast, draw correlations, organize, experiment, and so much more. We learn to identify primary sources for information, and check into the validity of those sources. Analysis is a skill successful adults must use every day, so it’s something we must help kids learn as early as possible.

Almost at the top of Bloom’s pyramid, evaluation skills let us synthesize all the information we’ve learned, understood, applied, and analyzed, and to use it to support our opinions and decisions. Now we can reflect on the data we’ve gathered and use it to make choices, cast votes, or offer informed opinions. We can evaluate the statements of others too, using these same skills. True evaluation requires us to put aside our own biases and accept that there may be other valid points of view, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

In the final phase, we use every one of those previous skills to create something new. This could be a proposal, an essay, a theory, a plan—anything a person assembles that’s unique.

Note: Bloom’s original taxonomy included “synthesis” as opposed to “create,” and it was located between “apply” and “evaluate.” When you synthesize, you put various parts of different ideas together to form a new whole. In 2001, a group of cognitive psychologists removed that term from the taxonomy , replacing it with “create,” but it’s part of the same concept.

How To Teach Critical Thinking

Using critical thinking in your own life is vital, but passing it along to the next generation is just as important. Be sure to focus on analyzing and evaluating, two multifaceted sets of skills that take lots and lots of practice. Start with these 10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical Thinkers . Then try these critical thinking activities and games. Finally, try to incorporate some of these 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students into your lessons. They’ll help your students develop the skills they need to navigate a world full of conflicting facts and provocative opinions.

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

This classic Sesame Street activity is terrific for introducing the ideas of classifying, sorting, and finding relationships. All you need are several different objects (or pictures of objects). Lay them out in front of students, and ask them to decide which one doesn’t belong to the group. Let them be creative: The answer they come up with might not be the one you envisioned, and that’s OK!

The Answer Is …

Post an “answer” and ask kids to come up with the question. For instance, if you’re reading the book Charlotte’s Web , the answer might be “Templeton.” Students could say, “Who helped save Wilbur even though he didn’t really like him?” or “What’s the name of the rat that lived in the barn?” Backwards thinking encourages creativity and requires a good understanding of the subject matter.

Forced Analogies

Forced Analogies: A Critical thinking Activity

Practice making connections and seeing relationships with this fun game. Kids write four random words in the corners of a Frayer Model and one more in the middle. The challenge? To link the center word to one of the others by making an analogy. The more far out the analogies, the better!

Learn more: Forced Analogies at The Owl Teacher

Primary Sources

Tired of hearing “I found it on Wikipedia!” when you ask kids where they got their answer? It’s time to take a closer look at primary sources. Show students how to follow a fact back to its original source, whether online or in print. We’ve got 10 terrific American history–based primary source activities to try here.

Science Experiments

Collage of students performing science experiments using critical thinking skills

Hands-on science experiments and STEM challenges are a surefire way to engage students, and they involve all sorts of critical thinking skills. We’ve got hundreds of experiment ideas for all ages on our STEM pages , starting with 50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box .

Not the Answer

Multiple-choice questions can be a great way to work on critical thinking. Turn the questions into discussions, asking kids to eliminate wrong answers one by one. This gives them practice analyzing and evaluating, allowing them to make considered choices.

Learn more: Teaching in the Fast Lane

Correlation Tic-Tac-Toe

Two 3 by 3 grids of pictures showing mountains, islands, and other landforms, with Xs drawn in each grid to form tic-tac-toe lines.

Here’s a fun way to work on correlation, which is a part of analysis. Show kids a 3 x 3 grid with nine pictures, and ask them to find a way to link three in a row together to get tic-tac-toe. For instance, in the pictures above, you might link together the cracked ground, the landslide, and the tsunami as things that might happen after an earthquake. Take things a step further and discuss the fact that there are other ways those things might have happened (a landslide can be caused by heavy rain, for instance), so correlation doesn’t necessarily prove causation.

Learn more: Critical Thinking Tic-Tac-Toe at The Owl Teacher

Inventions That Changed the World

Explore the chain of cause and effect with this fun thought exercise. Start it off by asking one student to name an invention they believe changed the world. Each student then follows by explaining an effect that invention had on the world and their own lives. Challenge each student to come up with something different.

Learn more: Teaching With a Mountain View

Critical Thinking Games

Pile of board games that encourage critical thinking skills

There are so many board games that help kids learn to question, analyze, examine, make judgments, and more. In fact, pretty much any game that doesn’t leave things entirely up to chance (Sorry, Candy Land) requires players to use critical thinking skills. See one teacher’s favorites at the link below.

Learn more: Miss DeCarbo

This is one of those classic critical thinking activities that really prepares kids for the real world. Assign a topic (or let them choose one). Then give kids time to do some research to find good sources that support their point of view. Finally, let the debate begin! Check out 100 Middle School Debate Topics , 100 High School Debate Topics , and 60 Funny Debate Topics for Kids of All Ages .

How do you teach critical thinking skills in your classroom? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out 38 simple ways to integrate social-emotional learning throughout the day ..

Get ideas and activities for teaching kids to use critical thinking skills to thoughtfully question the world and sort out fact from opinion.

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Critical thinking

200+ critical thinking questions.

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” – Voltaire As critical thinkers, it’s our job to question everything, instead of just blindly believing what we’re told, but what kinds of questions should we be asking though? What are the “right” questions to ask? In this article I’ve compiled a list of 200+ […]

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“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” – Voltaire

As critical thinkers, it’s our job to question everything, instead of just blindly believing what we’re told, but what kinds of questions should we be asking though?

What are the “right” questions to ask?

In this article I’ve compiled a list of 200+ of the very best critical thinking questions for almost any situation.

Critical thinking questions:

  • If you’re presented with a claim

If you’re reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching TV or YouTube

If you’re watching an interview.

  • In a group or panel discussion
  • In an argument or debate

If you’re watching the news

  • If you want to spot a lie

If you want to spot a scam

  • If you’re presented with statistics
  • Critical thinking about your life

Let’s begin:

  • Is this an argument, a claim, a belief, an opinion, or a fact?

When you’re presented with information, whether it’s something you’re reading, watching or listening to, ask yourself:

  • How do you know it’s a fact?
  • What evidence exists to support this “fact”?
  • Has this “fact” been proven?
  • Do the majority of experts on the subject agree that this is a fact? Is there an expert consensus on this fact? If not, why not?
  • Is this an ordinary or extraordinary claim?
  • Do the majority of experts agree with this claim? Or is it contentious?
  • What is the source of this claim?
  • Who is making this claim?
  • Is this person an authority or expert?
  • How reliable is this source?
  • What are the best arguments in support of this claim?
  • What do the harshest critics against this position say?
  • What arguments do skeptics of this position give?
  • Has this claim already been debunked?
  • Is this evidence good enough to accept the arguers assertions?
  • Would this evidence stand up in court?
  • Or is the arguer/author/speaker making assertions without evidence?
  • What is the strongest evidence against this claim?
  • Is there more confirming or disconfirming evidence?
  • Is the expert consensus (if there is one) for or against this claim? Why?
  • Do the majority of experts agree or disagree with this claim? Why?
  • How can we verify or falsify this claim?
  • A statement may be true, but is it relevant? Why?
  • To what degree? To what extent?
  • Under what conditions?
  • In what context or circumstances?
  • This claim is 100% true
  • This claim is 100% false
  • This claim is mostly true, partly false
  • This claim is mostly false, partly true
  • This claim is half true, half false
  • Remember: There are degrees of “rightness” and “wrongness”. Statements are rarely 100% true or 100% false
  • What further claims does this claim logically entail?
  • Which of my beliefs would I have to change if I were to accept this claim?
  • If this is an argument, is it deductive or inductive?
  • If an argument is deductive, is it sound, valid, invalid, or unsound?
  • If an argument is inductive, is it cogent, strong, weak, or unsound?
  • How do you know this?
  • How did you determine this?
  • What evidence or proof do you have for this claim?
  • What is their background?
  • What makes them qualified to speak on this subject?
  • Are they an expert in the field?
  • On what basis is the author or speaker an authority or expert on the subject, or at least credible?
  • Are they conservative or liberal?
  • Atheist or religious?
  • Feminist or MGTOW?
  • (No author/speaker is completely neutral, unbiased and objective)
  • When was the article, book, podcast, video etc., written or recorded? Is it possibly outdated? Is there a more recent up-to-date version available?
  • Why did the author write this article/book?
  • Why is the speaker giving this talk? What is their motivation?
  • What is the purpose of this information? Why was it created?
  • Why did I choose to read/watch/listen to it?
  • Who benefits from this information? Why? How?
  • Is this information relevant to you? If so, how? Why do you need to know this? How does it affect you personally?
  • What are the authors/speakers main arguments and assertions? What is their philosophy? What are their main points?
  • Is the author/speaker arguing for anything controversial? If so, there are likely to be good counterarguments on the other side
  • Anonymous authorities aka “weasel words” e.g. “experts say…” “scientists say…” “studies show…”
  • Deductive or inductive reasoning
  • Expert opinion
  • Expert consensus
  • Randomized controlled trials
  • Scientific studies
  • Scientific consensus
  • Or are they making assertions without evidence?
  • What is the strongest evidence in support of these assertions? Is this evidence good enough to accept the authors/speakers conclusions? Would it stand up in court?
  • What is the strongest evidence against these assertions?
  • What might be another equally valid interpretation of the evidence or study results?
  • What conclusions does the author/speaker want you to draw? What do they want you to think/believe/understand/do?
  • Is the author/speaker/news station trying to push a narrative? e.g. “Diversity”, “Gender pay gap”, “Immigration”?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers assertions? Why/why not? Anything you disagree with?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers philosophy? Why/why not? Anything you disagree with?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers “facts” and description of “reality”? Why/why not? Anything you disagree with?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers arguments and rationale? Why/why not? Anything you disagree with?
  • Are there any fallacies in the authors/speakers argument or rationale? If so, what?
  • Does the author/speaker address counterarguments, disconfirming evidence, objections etc.? If so, how effectively do they rebut these points?
  • If the author/speaker provides a “rule”, are there any exceptions to the rule that are not explained or accounted for?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers conclusions? Why/why not? (You might agree with their arguments and rationale but not with their conclusions) Are they backed up by sufficient evidence? Or is the author/speaker jumping to conclusions too quickly from insufficient evidence?
  • Are there any other equally valid conclusions or interpretations that could have been drawn from the evidence, or any other competing theories with better explanations for the evidence? If so, what?
  • What is the perspective of the author/speaker? Do they seem like an insider or outsider? Why?
  • Whose perspective is this information presented from? America’s or someone else’s? Conservative or liberal? Men or Women? Gen X, Y or Z?
  • What perspectives/viewpoints are not represented here? What other perspectives might be equally valid, or worth looking into?
  • What would (person) say about it?
  • What would (group) say about it?
  • Is there better evidence for one perspective/viewpoint than another?
  • Is the author/speaker presenting you with both sides of the story – or only one?
  • How has the author/speaker framed the information or story?
  • Is the author/speaker embellishing or sensationalizing the story for dramatic effect? Do you think the story really took place the way the author/speaker tells it?
  • What assumptions is the author/speaker making? What does the author/speaker have to believe is true before the rest of their argument makes sense?
  • What are the implications of the authors/speakers argument? If this is true, what else must be true?
  • What are the main problems the author/speaker is trying to solve? What solutions do they propose?
  • Do you agree with the authors/speakers proposed solutions? Can you think of even better solutions to these problems?
  • Has the author/speaker identified the real problem/s, or only a symptom of the problem?
  • Is the author/speakers analysis or solution to the problem or situation oversimplified or incomplete? What needs to be unpacked or expanded upon?
  • Is the author/speaker engaged in oversimplified black and white thinking as if something “always” or “never” happens, or as if “everyone” or “no one” should think/believe/do something, or as if something was right/wrong, true/false, correct/incorrect, without any grey areas in between?
  • Are you engaged in black and white thinking, as if “everything” or “nothing” the author/speaker says is true? Or are you judging the validity of the information line by line, sentence by sentence, claim by claim, realizing that some parts could be true, and other parts false?
  • Is the author/speaker emotional reasoning? Is it facts over feelings, or feels over reals?
  • How would you describe the author/speakers tone? Dogmatic? Overconfident? Emotive? Pay attention not only to what  is said, but  how it’s said. How does the tone affect your response to the speech/text?
  • Is the author/speaker using emotive language/tonality, and/or dramatic images or video, in an attempt to alarm, scare or outrage you?
  • Is the author/speaker guilty of magical or superstitious thinking? Is there a lot of talk of “the law of attraction”, “miracles”, “soul mates” etc.?
  • Does the author/speaker treat their opponents charitably and fairly? Do they treat the other side as intelligent people with a difference of opinion/perspective? Or do they demonize them as “crazy”, “dangerous”, “evil”, “dumb”, “stupid”, “racist”, “sexist”, “homophobic”, “transphobic” etc.?
  • Does the author/speaker seem intellectually honest? Trustworthy? Why/why not?
  • Is the author/speaker trying to be objective in their analysis and critique? Perfect objectivity isn’t possible, but are they even trying to be impartial, unbiased and objective?
  • Yes: Be careful you’re not automatically believing everything they have to say without evidence, and letting them do your thinking for you
  • No: Be careful you’re not automatically dismissing everything they have to say because you don’t like them (Remember: Examine the statement – not the speaker)
  • Yes: Beware because you’re more likely to believe it whether it’s true or not
  • No: Beware because you’re more likely to dismiss it whether it’s true or not
  • The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
  • Half-truths and holding something back
  • Straight up lying
  • Is the author/speaker misquoting people, or taking quotes out of context?
  • Did the person really say …? Is this a real quote/tweet? Or has the person been misquoted or quoted out of context? Is this a fake tweet?
  • How are you going to use this information? What are you going to do with it? How are you going to put it into practice? How will it make a difference to your life?
  • What is the purpose of this interview? Is it to educate or entertain the audience? Is it to promote a product or service?
  • Who is the interviewee? Why is this person being interviewed?
  • When did this interview take place? Is this information possibly outdated and no longer relevant?
  • Is the interviewer asking the interviewee mostly softball or hardball questions?
  • Is the interviewer asking the interviewee a lot of leading, loaded or gotcha questions? Do they seem to be trying to lead or trap the interviewee? e.g. “Yeah, but isn’t it true that…”, “Yeah, but don’t you think…”, “Yeah, but what about…”
  • Is the interviewer really listening to the interviewee? Are they making a real effort to try to understand the interviewee and their position, or are they simply trying to promote or condemn it?
  • Is the interviewer deliberately trying to make the interviewee look bad? e.g. Are they being overly disagreeable or standoffish? Do they only ask hardball or gotcha questions and then interrupt the interviewee mid-sentence with another difficult question every time the interviewee starts to give a good answer?
  • Does the interviewer interrupt or cut off the interviewee if they start talking about anything controversial, or if they start talking about anything that doesn’t align with the narrative of the network e.g. anti-abortion, pro-gun or pro-Trump comments?
  • Has the interview been edited to make the interviewee look bad, to paint them in a negative light?
  • What additional questions would you ask the interviewee that the interviewer didn’t ask?

If you’re watching a group or panel discussion

If you’re watching a group discussion or debate, especially on a contentious topic e.g. abortion or gun control:

  • Who are the panel members? What makes these people authorities or experts on the subject?
  • Are both sides of the debate equally represented with intelligent people? Or is one side represented by heavyweights and the other side lightweights?
  • Is there an equal distribution of liberal and conservative pundits? Or is it a majority liberal panel with a token conservative? (or vice versa)
  • Does the host seem biased towards one side over the other? Is the host picking sides and showing their approval/disapproval of one side?
  • Is the audience showing an obvious bias to one side of the debate? Are they only applauding/booing one side of the debate?
  • Is the host giving more airtime, credibility and/or respect to one side?
  • Is the host trying to make one side look bad, ignorant or stupid?

In an argument or a debate

If you’re in an argument or a debate, or watching one:

  • Is this an argument or an assertion? If it’s an argument, is it deductive, inductive or abductive? Is it sound or cogent? Valid or invalid? Strong or weak?
  • Are all of the premises true and correct? Do all of the premises necessarily lead to the conclusion? Are there any unjustified leaps of logic?
  • Am I clear on how each word is being defined in the argument?
  • Is someone attempting to redefine words e.g. “rational”, “reasonable”,   “racist” etc., to support their preferred conclusion?
  • Is someone trying to shift the burden of proof? Note: The burden of proof is the obligation to provide evidence to support one’s assertion e.g. “You are guilty” and it is always on the one making the claim – not the other way around
  • Has this argument already been debunked?
  • Is someone making a PRATT? (Point refuted a thousand times)
  • Is this a strawman or steelman argument?
  • Is this the best argument in support of …?
  • What are the best arguments in support of …?
  • What are the best arguments against …?
  • What is the strongest evidence in support of …?
  • What is the strongest evidence against …?
  • Is the preponderance of evidence for or against …? Is there more confirming or disconfirming evidence?
  • Is the expert consensus (if there is one) for or against …? Why?
  • Do the majority of experts agree or disagree with …? Why?
  • Are there any fallacies in this argument or rationale? If so, what? (Fallacies don’t necessarily make an argument invalid but it’s still good to be aware of them)
  • Am I 100% certain I understand my opponent’s position? Am I sure? Could I argue my opponent’s position convincingly? Could I steelman it? Could I pass the Ideological Turing Test? If not, you don’t understand it. Don’t argue for or against a position until you fully understand it
  • What are the strongest points of my opponent’s argument?
  • What are the weakest points of my opponent’s argument?
  • What are the weakest points of my argument?
  • What is the strongest evidence against my position?
  • What are the best arguments against my position?
  • How would I attack my argument if I had to?
  • What do I like about my opponent’s position, and what do I dislike about mine?
  • What aspects of my argument are likely to be unconvincing to those that don’t already agree with me?
  • Does my opponent seem intellectually honest? Are they arguing in good faith? Are they willing to follow the evidence where it leads? Are they willing to admit when they’re mistaken or wrong? Am I?
  • Does my opponent seem more interested in “winning” the argument or discovering the truth?

Ask the other person:

  • How did you determine that?
  • How did you come to that conclusion?
  • What do you know that I don’t?
  • Where am I wrong in my argument or rationale?
  • What evidence would it take to change your mind, to convince you otherwise?
  • Are these your real reasons for believing X? If all of these reasons were proven wrong, would you still continue to believe X? If yes, let’s not even worry about these reasons because they’re not the real reasons you believe X. What are the real reasons you believe X?
  • Why do you think other smart people aren’t convinced by the same arguments and evidence that you are?
  • Associated Press News
  • The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
  • The Economist
  • Pro Publica
  • What is the bias of this news station? Are they liberal or conservative? You can check the bias of a particular news station here:  Media Bias Fact Check
  • Fear mongering
  • Gossip/rumors
  • Hatchet jobs
  • Outrage porn
  • Puff pieces
  • Is this really the most important “news” of the day? Why is this story being prioritized over everything else that happened today?
  • Why do I need to know this? How does it affect me?
  • What is the purpose of this news story? Why was it created? What does the news station want you to think/believe/do?
  • When was this news story published? Is this information current, or is it outdated and/or no longer relevant?
  • Has this story already been debunked?
  • Truth or Fiction
  • The Washington Post Fact Checker
  • Hoax Slayer

Check these websites to see if a claim or story has already been debunked, but don’t rely on any of these websites to do your thinking for you, because they may mislead you with their own political biases

  • Has this story or headline been written to educate, entertain or infuriate you?
  • Is the headline an accurate summary of the information – or is it just clickbait?
  • Do the photos fit the story?
  • Has an unflattering photo been deliberately chosen to paint the subject e.g. Trump in a bad light?
  • Is it likely that this story has been embellished or sensationalized?
  • How has this information been framed or spun?
  • Are you being presented with both sides of the story – or only one?
  • Whose perspective is this presented from? Conservative or liberal? America’s or someone else’s? Men or Women? What other perspectives might be equally valid, or worth looking into?
  • What do the other news stations say? e.g. if you watch CNN or MSNBC, what does CBS or FOX say? (and vice versa)
  • Are you being presented with facts or opinions?  If “facts”, on what basis are they “facts”? What evidence exists to support these “facts”?
  • Do the media’s “facts” and description of “reality” seem accurate? Why/why not? Anything you disagree with?
  • Did someone really say that? Or have they been misquoted or quoted out of context?
  • Does the domain look credible?
  • Is this satire?

How to spot a liar

  • Does it seem like this person is lying or telling the truth? Why? Are they a known liar?
  • Is this person motivated to deceive me? Do they stand to gain something by lying to me? What might this person gain by lying to me?
  • Dodge the question
  • Ignore the question
  • Attack you for asking the question, “How could you ask me a question like that!”
  • Refuse to answer the question
  • Answer a different question
  • Turn the question back on you, “I could ask you the same thing!”
  • Give short one word answers
  • Give vague or ambiguous answers
  • Talk around in circles without answering the question
  • If you ask the person the same question multiple times using different words, do they give different answers and contradict themselves? Do the details in their story keep changing?
  • Uncomfortable
  • Does the person speak slower or faster or louder than normal when answering your questions?
  • Does the person hesitate, take long pauses, or talk slower than normal when answering your questions? (maybe in an attempt to think on the spot and buy time?)
  • Do they avoid eye contact and/or cover their mouth when answering questions?
  • Do they start sentences and not finish them, or change topics and start talking about something else mid-sentence?
  • Does the tone or volume of their voice change? Does their voice crack and/or go higher than normal? Do they cough repetitively and clear their throat, or stammer or stutter?
  • Do they blink rapidly, or not at all, or have a fake or nervous smile?
  • Do they roll their lips back or purse them?
  • Does their body language seem uncomfortable?
  • Do their emotions and facial expressions match their words? When they say they’re “good” or “okay”, do they seem good or okay?
  • Does it seem like they’re in a hurry to change the subject?
  • This person is telling “The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”
  • This person is telling half-truths and holding something back
  • This person is playing dumb and pretending to know less than they do
  • This person is straight up lying
  • What does your gut/intuition say? Does it seem like they’re lying or telling you the truth? (or both)
  • Is a stranger emailing, texting or calling you out of the blue claiming something too good to be true? e.g. you’ve entitled to a large inheritance – and all you need to do is provide bank details, or pay taxes or transfer costs? Or that you’ve won a prize in a competition or lottery you’ve never entered?
  • Is someone calling you claiming to be from your bank, gas/electricity provider, phone company etc. and asking you to verify your personal contact details, password, bank details, credit card number etc.? maybe due to “unauthorized” or “suspicious activity” on your account?
  • Does a google search on the exact wording of the email, text or ad reveal a scam?
  • Does the email contain any grammatical or spelling errors, or overly formal language?
  • Does the email ask you to click a link or open an attachment?
  • If you’re buying something online is the seller asking you to make payment with an insecure payment option? e.g. direct bank transfer, money order, or a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin?
  • In an online dating scenario, is someone professing strong feelings for you after only a few encounters?
  • Does the person have a sense of urgency? Are they claiming to need money urgently for a personal or family emergency, medical attention, or to come see you?
  • Is someone using pressure tactics, and trying to make you feel guilty or selfish for not buying their product or service, or donating to a charity?
  • Is someone trying to manipulate you with sleazy sales/self-help seminar type questions e.g. “Do you want to be rich or poor?” “A winner or a loser?” “A success or a failure?”
  • Does it seem too good to be true? Does it seem like a scam? If so, it probably is
  • What does your gut/intuition say?

Statistics questions

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Ask yourself the following questions whenever you’re presented with any statistic:

  • Who paid for the study or survey?
  • Who conducted the study or survey? Does it come from a credible source?
  • Why was the study or survey done? What is the likely agenda?
  • When was the study done? Is the information outdated? Is it still relevant? Times change. Public opinion changes
  • Who was polled? Conservatives or liberals? Men or women? Asians, Blacks, Hispanics or Whites? What age group? Gen X, Y or Z? How diverse was the group?
  • How large was the sample size? How many people were surveyed? Is the sample size large enough? Is it qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods? Was the sample size sufficient?  Was it  representative enough of the wider population? Did the participants come from different cultural and social backgrounds? How generalizable are the findings?
  • What are the statistics measuring?
  • How long did the information take to gather? Was it a 2 week survey? A 6 month study? A 10 year study?
  • What questions were asked?
  • How was each question asked? Were the questions leading or loaded or worded in such a way as to encourage a certain answer?
  • What is the context of the survey?
  • How was the research done? Phone, email, social media, face to face?
  • What is the number as a percentage? e.g. 55, 000 Americans is 0.0167% of the population
  • Is the percentage statistically insignificant? e.g. 500, 000 Americans might be addicted to Heroin, but as a percentage that’s ‘only’ (any number above one is obviously too high) 0.153% of Americans
  • Do the author’s conclusions and the headline logically follow from the data? Or are they reading too much into the data? Find the raw data if you can. Don’t just accept and believe headlines for statistics. Make sure it says what the headline says it says. Statistical headlines are often used to suggest things the data doesn’t actually say
  • Is the research confusing causation and correlation? Check out: spurious correlations for a perfect visual example of why correlation does not equal causation
  • Has this study been peer reviewed by experts?
  • Beware of unsourced statistics

“I can prove anything by statistics except the truth.” – George Canning 

Critical thinking about your life questions

“The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates

You can apply critical thinking to the books you read, the podcasts you listen to, the information and “news” presented to you, but ultimately, what better place to apply critical thinking skills than to your own life?

  • Which biases and fallacies are you most guilty of?
  • Where/when do you most often fail to practice critical thinking?
  • What are your sacred cows? What shouldn’t be questioned? What is off limits? God? Jesus? Buddha? Krishna? Muhammad? The Bible? The Bhagavad Gita? The Quran? Your Guru?
  • What do you need to start/stop doing?
  • What do you need to do more/less of?
  • What are your best/worst habits?
  • Where do you waste the most time?
  • Who/what should you cut out of your life?
  • What one thing, if you were to take action on it, would produce the greatest difference in your life?
  • A year from now, what will you wish you had started today?

Recommended reading

For additional critical thinking questions check out:

Critical Reading: The Ultimate Guide

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85 Critical Thinking Questions to Carefully Examine Any Information

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The ability to think critically will often determine your success in life.

Let’s face it. Every day, we are bombarded by news, social media updates, and an avalanche of information. If you take all of this at face value, it’s easy to be deceived, misled or ripped off.

That’s why it’s important to  develop a mindset that focuses on critical thinking . This is a skill that needs to be developed in the classroom. But it’s also a valuable life skill.

With that in mind, the following post will share 85 critical thinking questions you can use to increase your awareness about different problems by carefully examining available information. 

Let’s get started…

Table of Contents

What Are Critical Thinking Questions?

Critical thinking questions are inquiries that help you think rationally and clearly by understanding the link between different facts or ideas. These questions create a seemingly endless learning process that lets you critique, evaluate, and develop a depth of knowledge about a given subject. Moreover, you get to reinforce your viewpoints or see things in a new way.

We make decisions every day, whether at work or home. Adopting logical, rational, and practical approaches in addressing various issues requiring critical thinking is essential in decision-making. Therefore, before arriving at a decision, always ask yourself relevant questions and carefully analyze the matter’s pros and cons.

Critical Thinking Questions When in an Argument

When you make an argument using a critical thinking approach, you focus on justified claims that are valid and based on evidence. It helps one establish a strong argument.

  • Do I disagree with the other person? Might the person I'm arguing with be misinformed on what they are saying?
  • Would I be comfortable saying what I am telling him/her if I was in front of a group of people? 
  • What would happen if I lose this argument? Is engaging in this argument worth my time and energy? How will I feel if I lose?
  • Is there room for ambiguity or misinterpretation? Are we arguing because I didn't make my point explicit? Should I take my time to understand his school of thought?
  • Do I need some rest before saying something? Am I arguing because of other reasons other than the issues at hand? Do I need to take some time and cool down?

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  • Is it more important that I’m right? Am I trying to ask to prove an unnecessary point?
  • Is this argument inductive, deductive, or abductive? Is it a weak or strong argument that I need to engage in? Is it compelling or sound? 
  • Is my opponent sincere? Given that they are wrong, are they willing to admit that they are wrong? Can they depend on available evidence, wherever it leads?
  • Are my opponents only trying to shift their burden to me? What is the best way to prove them wrong without making them feel bad?
  • Are the people I'm arguing with only interested in winning, or are they trying to pass some information across and help me discover the truth?

Critical Thinking Questions When Reading a Book 

When you read a book, you probably ask yourself many “why” questions. Why is this a problem? Why did the character say that? Why is this important? The most challenging part of reading a book is assessing the information you are reading. These questions can help.

  • If I learn only two things from this book, what will they be? How will they help me? How will I apply them in my daily life?
  • What message are the authors trying to pass across? Are they making suggestions or providing evidence for their arguments?
  • Given that almost every book is about solving problems, what is the most prevalent issue that the author is trying to solve?
  • What is the author’s writing style? What strategy or master plan does the author employ to convey his/her main ideas throughout the book?
  • Do I have background information about the book’s topic? If so, how is what the author is saying different from what I already know?
  • What didn’t I understand from the book? Should I re-read the book to understand everything the writer is trying to convey?
  • Which sections of the book do I love the most, and why? Generally, do I like this book? Should I look for more books that are written by the same author?
  • If I had a chance to meet this book’s author, what questions would I ask him/her? What would I tell the writer about the book? Is it a great book worth recommending to your friends and family members?
  • Who are the main characters of the book? If there is only one main character, what overarching goal does the character accomplish?
  • In what ways did the protagonist change from the start of the book to the end? What caused the changes? Was the protagonist reckless in some ways? Which ways?

Critical Thinking Questions to Spot a Scam

Asking questions when you feel that a fraud or a scam is being presented to you is a good way to stretch your critical thinking muscles. Are you being emailed or messaged by a stranger? Or maybe there are other red flags you are unsure about. If so, ask these questions.

  • Does it seem to be too good to be true? Is this stranger pushy or trying to lure me into making a poor decision?
  • When trying out online dating: Is my new “friend” professing strong feelings towards me although we’ve only interacted for a few hours?
  • Why is a stranger calling me to ask about my Social Security Number (SSN), personal contact information, or bank details while claiming they are from the bank or a phone company? 
  • When buying products online, why does the seller ask me to pay for goods using an insecure payment option like Bitcoin or money order?
  • Does the email I have received have any spelling or grammatical errors? Is the language used overly formal or informal?
  • If I do a quick search about the exact words of the email I received, does Google indicate it's a fraud or scam?
  • Why should a stranger manipulate me using obvious questions like “Would you want to be rich or poor?” While they already know the answer?
  • Is the email asking me to download an attachment? Or click a link to some insecure website? 
  • Is the person trying to make me feel selfish or guilty for not sending them money, whether for a donation or buying a product? 
  • Is the stranger portraying a sense of urgency and using pressure tactics? Are they telling me that their family member needs urgent medical attention?

Critical Thinking Questions About Your Life

It can also help to ask yourself a few critical thinking questions about your life. This way, you can gather basic information and uncover solutions to problems you might not have otherwise thought of.

  • Where do I wish to be in a few years, probably two, three, or five years? What short-term and long-term goals should I set?
  • What have I achieved so far from the time I set my previous goals? What should I be grateful for?
  • Do I have any values that guide me in life? If so, what are these values? Am I always true to these values?
  • Am I always worried about what people around me think? Can I act independently without the need to meet social expectations?
  • What should people say about me at my funeral? Would they talk about how good I made them feel or how rich and flashy I was?
  • If I wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, what would I have done? What if I didn't have any fear in me?
  • If today was my last day, what extraordinary thing would I do? Can I do it right now?
  • What should I do with the things that matter the most to me? 
  • What things will make the greatest difference in my future life if I take action now?
  • How should I react when I feel unwanted by the people I love the most? Should I tell them?

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Critical Thinking Questions for a Debate or Discussion

When you are in the middle of a debate or discussion, you need to know that what you are saying is fact, have evidence to support your claim, and position yourself as an expert in what you are saying. Here are some critical thinking questions to ask when you are in a debate or discussion.

  • Is there fairness in this discussion? Is the moderator supporting one side? Do they want to make one side look stupid or wrong? 
  • What is the aim of this discussion? Is there a major problem that needs to be solved? If so, how can I help solve it?
  • Who are the people affected by this discussion? If they were here, what would they say?
  • Do my views on this discussion matter? If I raise my point, will I be redundant?
  • What am I supposed to learn from this debate, and how can I use what I have learned in my daily life?
  • Does the audience seem to be biased towards one side? Are they booing one side? What can I do even if it's our opponents being booed?
  • Who are the discussion panel members? What views have they held about this kind of discussion or any other related discussions in the past?
  • How can I make my point without being ambiguous? Before I speak, should I take down some notes to avoid any confusion during my speech?
  • Am I ready to apologize if I make a mistake during the discussion? If so, what are the limits?
  • What information does my team, or I need before this discussion? 

Critical Thinking Questions About Lying

Admitting when you are wrong, choosing not to cheat, and sharing constructive feedback are all ways to show your honesty. Here are some critical thinking skills to ask regarding lying.

  • Will the lie hurt those I am telling, or will it help them? What if being honest might cause my friend unnecessary pain?
  • Should I be the one telling this person a lie, or I let someone else do it? 
  • Will I be the one hurt if I tell this lie? Will my friend feel I am a betrayer? Will it affect our friendship?
  • Do they answer my questions in detail, or are they always trying to ignore and dodge the main problem?
  • What if I ask these people the same question using different terms and wording? Will they give me the same response?
  • Did the tone of my friend suddenly change after I asked him/her this question? Do they sound louder, faster, or slower compared to how they usually speak?
  • Does this person have something to gain by lying to me? What is their motive?
  • Does this person take a sudden pause or hesitate more than usual when responding to my question?
  • When I look at these people's faces, do their facial expressions match what they say?
  • Should I believe this person or not? What are my intuitions? Does it look like they are telling the truth?
  • Do they blink like other days when I ask them questions? Are they always trying to avoid direct eye contact?
  • Why do they seem uncomfortable when it’s just a normal conversation?  

Critical Thinking Questions When Presented With a Claim

Critical thinking is much more than just evaluating whether a claim is true or not. It also means a critical thinker reflects on what follows from true claims.

  • What does this claim mean, and what are its implications? What if it's a false claim?
  • Which of my morals, values, or beliefs do I have to give up to accept this claim?
  • Do professionals in this field agree or disagree with the claim that has been made?
  • Do they have evidence to back their claim? Which is the most robust evidence to support the claim?
  • What argument can I come up with to refute this claim? Or what is the best view that can support this claim?
  • Who is the primary source of the claim being made? Is the basis of the claim reliable?
  • Is it a claim, or it's just an opinion?
  • Is the claim likely to be 100% false, true, or partially true?
  • Am I allowed to refute the claim and table my evidence, or is it one-sided?

Critical Thinking Interview Questions

Critical thinking skills are valuable in any industry or field and for almost all roles. During a job interview, you will be asked questions so the potential employer can assess your skills and see how you use logic. Your critical thinking ability is just one vital part that can play into your professional development.

  • Is there a time you had to convince someone to use an alternate approach to solve a problem?
  • Have you ever had to make a difficult decision quickly?
  • How would you handle a situation where your supervisor handled something wrong or made a mistake?
  • What is one of the most difficult decisions you have ever had to make at work?
  • How would you solve a disagreement between coworkers when approaching a project?
  • Can you describe a time when you anticipated a problem ahead of time and took the appropriate steps to stop the problem from becoming an issue?
  • If you discover a cheaper way to do something or a better solution to a problem and try to explain it to your supervisor, but they don’t understand, what do you do?

Critical Thinking Questions for Kids

We can’t leave the kids out either. Critical thinking questions for kids get them thinking and talking. It also allows a parent to get to know their child better.

  • How many grains of sand do you think are on the beach?
  • What would happen if it stopped raining?
  • Do you think there is life on other planets?
  • Should children be able to set their own bedtimes?
  • How would you describe what a tree looks like without saying green or leaves?
  • Can you name five different emotions?
  • Can you talk for five minutes without uttering “um?”

What Are the Basic Principles of Critical Thinking?

Your critical thinking skills involve gathering complete information, understanding and defining terms, questioning the methods by which we get facts, questioning the conclusions, and looking for hidden assumptions and biases.

Additionally, we can’t expect to find all of the answers, and we need to take the time to examine the big picture of it all.

Here are the basic principles:

  • Disposition: Someone with critical thinking skills is often skeptical, open-minded, and practices fair-mindedness. They can look at different viewpoints and change positions if the evidence and reason lead them to do so.
  • Criteria: In order to think critically, one must also apply criteria. Certain conditions must be met before someone believes in something. The information needs to be from credible sources.
  • Argument: An argument is simply a statement or proposition that is shown with supporting evidence. When you use your critical thinking skills, you identify, evaluate, and construct your argument.
  • Reasoning: With critical thinking comes reasoning. You must examine logical relationships among the statements being made.
  • Point of View: Critical thinkers can see things from different perspectives and different points of view.

What Are Good Analysis Questions?

Analysis is a part of critical thinking that allows you to examine something carefully. Someone with analytical skills can examine the information presented, understand what that information means, and then properly explain that information to others. Analysis in critical thinking provides more clarity on the information you process.

When analyzing, you may ask yourself, “how do I know this,” how would I solve this problem,” and “why does it matter?”

Why Is Critical Thinking an Important Skill?

Critical thinking skills allow you to express thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in a better way. It also leads to improved communication while allowing others to understand you better. Critical thinking fosters creativity and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. This is a skill that can be applied to many different areas of your life.

For example, knowing the answers to critical thinking questions for a job interview will better prepare you for the interview. Many employers, during questioning, are likely to ask you critical thinking questions to assess if you have the ability to evaluate information effectively so you can make more informed decisions.

Final Thoughts on Critical Thinking Questions

Although it's common to get torn between making two or more choices, nobody wants to make the wrong decision. The only thing you can do to avoid this is use critical thinking questions to examine your situation. The answers to these questions will help you make informed decisions and help you comprehend crucial matters in your life. 

Want to learn more about critical thinking and decision-making using a real-life example? Here is  how Jeff Bezos uses critical thinking  to make some of the most challenging life decisions.

Finally, if you want to ask better questions, then watch this short, 20-minute course to learn how to have a great conversation with virtually anyone .

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Practical Critical Thinking for Grades 9-12+

Practical Critical Thinking for Grades 9-12+ is an introductory course in critical thinking for teens that builds from very basic concepts up through fairly sophisticated applications. While it is written for high school students, I expect many junior high students can easily complete the course as well.

The course has four units with two chapters per unit. Each chapter has from seven to eleven sub-sections, each of which will likely serve as one day’s lesson. That means that by completing about two lessons per week, the course will take one school year to finish.

The first unit, “Becoming a Critical Thinker,” begins with open-ended exercises that challenge students to consider what critical thinking is, how it applies in their own lives, and obstacles such as peer pressure and emotions that can derail critical thinking.

The second chapter in this unit uses puzzles—including some from other books from the same publisher—to help students practice critical thinking skills in different types of applications.

Unit 2, “Adding to My Critical Thinking Toolbox,” continues to lay the foundation. While students should already have learned the difference between fact and opinion, the next chapter begins with a refresher on facts and opinions then pushes students to think through evidence and whether or not it makes conclusions possible, probable, or proven.  This chapter concludes with some interesting exercises to stimulate creative thinking.

The second chapter in this unit addresses “Critical Thinking and Language,” discussing topics such as emotionally charged words, ambiguity, vagueness, euphemisms, and jargon.

You can see how this sequence of lessons lays the groundwork for critical thinking skills. Some students might have already studied some of these topics, and you might be able to skip some sections, but don’t do so unless you are certain that students are proficient in that area.

The third unit, “Critical Thinking and Arguments,” explains the nature of an argument and goes on to explain the difference between inductive and deductive arguments. The second chapter in this unit introduces informal fallacies.

The fourth unit, “Applying My Critical Thinking,” dedicates an entire chapter to advertising. Its goal is to teach students to apply critical thinking to the advertising that bombards them, to understand advertising techniques, to understand informal fallacies in ads, and to consider the pros and cons of advertising.

The final chapter, “Eyewitness Testimony, Direct & Circumstantial Evidence,” exposes students to applications in critical thinking in legal situations and in some fascinating experiments. This last unit, in particular, uses examples from the news and popular culture that will likely be particularly interesting to students.

The course can be used by a single student or a group class. Every chapter concludes with “Group Activities and Discussion,” but the author directs individual homeschoolers to simply do these with a parent. If you are completing two lessons per week, the discussion period would occur about once a month.

The lesson material is only in the student book while the companion teacher’s manual has an answer key plus reproducible pages for all student worksheets. A teacher can teach from the student book, printing out the pertinent reproducible pages for students to look at and then complete. This seems to me the most likely scenario for a group class since student books are the priciest component. However, the student book is printed in full color while the teacher’s manual is black-and-white, and that might make a difference to some students.

I think the course is likely to be most enjoyable if students can meet for a group class for end-of-chapter interaction and discussion. However, if individual homeschooling students work through the student book on their own, their parents will also probably need to read the material to be prepared for the discussion and interaction at the end of each chapter. The answer key has specific answers for some exercises, but many questions do not have specific answers. In these cases, the separate teacher's manual suggests key ideas or concepts that students should address. This help might be sufficient for parents without requiring them to read the entire chapter, but I think this is something that will vary from parent to parent.

Lessons incorporate unique learning tools such as thought experiments, student polls (self-reflection rather than polling other students), puzzles, and continually changing activities and exercises. The combination of self-reflection and practical application with loads of creative learning activities should make Practical Critical Thinking a favorite course for teens.

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student book - $39.99 teacher’s manual: ebook - $9.99, print book - $14.99

Practical Critical Thinking: Student Book

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Practical Critical Thinking: Teacher's Manual

  • $22.99 at Christianbook.com
  • $22.99 at Rainbowresource.com

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  • Need For Parent or Teacher Instruction: varies
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  • Grade Level: grades 7-12
  • Educational Methods: critical thinking, discussion, life applications, lots of variety, puzzles
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  • Educational Approaches: eclectic
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20 Math Critical Thinking Questions to Ask in Class Tomorrow

chaput.caroline

  • November 20, 2023

give intentional and effective feedback for students with 10 critical thinking prompts for algebra 1

The level of apathy towards math is only increasing as each year passes and it’s up to us as teachers to make math class more meaningful . This list of math critical thinking questions will give you a quick starting point for getting your students to think deeper about any concept or problem. 

Since artificial intelligence has basically changed schooling as we once knew it, I’ve seen a lot of districts and teachers looking for ways to lean into AI rather than run from it.

The idea of memorizing formulas and regurgitating information for a test is becoming more obsolete. We can now teach our students how to use their resources to make educated decisions and solve more complex problems.

With that in mind, teachers have more opportunities to get their students thinking about the why rather than the how.

Table of Contents

Looking for more about critical thinking skills? Check out these blog posts:

  • Why You Need to Be Teaching Writing in Math Class Today
  • How to Teach Problem Solving for Mathematics
  • Turn the Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs into Engaging Math Activities

critical thinking questions for any math class

What skills do we actually want to teach our students?

As professionals, we talk a lot about transferable skills that can be valuable in multiple jobs, such as leadership, event planning, or effective communication. The same can be said for high school students. 

It’s important to think about the skills that we want them to have before they are catapulted into the adult world. 

Do you want them to be able to collaborate and communicate effectively with their peers? Maybe you would prefer that they can articulate their thoughts in a way that makes sense to someone who knows nothing about the topic.

Whatever you decide are the most essential skills your students should learn, make sure to add them into your lesson objectives.

algebra 1 critical thinking questions. 10 topics. 190+ prompts. click to learn more

When should I ask these math critical thinking questions?

Critical thinking doesn’t have to be complex or fill an entire lesson. There are simple ways that you can start adding these types of questions into your lessons daily!

Start small

Add specific math critical thinking questions to your warm up or exit ticket routine. This is a great way to start or end your class because your students will be able to quickly show you what they understand. 

Asking deeper questions at the beginning of your class can end up leading to really great discussions and get your students talking about math.

critical thinking questions grade 9

Add critical thinking questions to word problems

Word problems and real-life applications are the perfect place to add in critical thinking questions. Real-world applications offer a more choose-your-own-adventure style assignment where your students can expand on their thought processes. 

They also allow your students to get creative and think outside of the box. These problem-solving skills play a critical role in helping your students develop critical thinking abilities.

connect algebra concepts to geometry applications

Keep reading for math critical thinking questions that can be applied to any subject or topic!

When you want your students to defend their answers.

  • Explain the steps you took to solve this problem
  • How do you know that your answer is correct?
  • Draw a diagram to prove your solution.
  • Is there a different way to solve this problem besides the one you used?
  • How would you explain _______________ to a student in the grade below you?
  • Why does this strategy work?
  • Use evidence from the problem/data to defend your answer in complete sentences.

When you want your students to justify their opinions

  • What do you think will happen when ______?
  • Do you agree/disagree with _______?
  • What are the similarities and differences between ________ and __________?
  • What suggestions would you give to this student?
  • What is the most efficient way to solve this problem?
  • How did you decide on your first step for solving this problem?

critical thinking questions grade 9

When you want your students to think outside of the box

  • How can ______________ be used in the real world?
  • What might be a common error that a student could make when solving this problem?
  • How is _____________ topic similar to _______________ (previous topic)?
  • What examples can you think of that would not work with this problem solving method?
  • What would happen if __________ changed?
  • Create your own problem that would give a solution of ______________.
  • What other math skills did you need to use to solve this problem?

Let’s Recap:

  • Rather than running from AI, help your students use it as a tool to expand their thinking.
  • Identify a few transferable skills that you want your students to learn and make a goal for how you can help them develop these skills.
  • Add critical thinking questions to your daily warm ups or exit tickets.
  • Ask your students to explain their thinking when solving a word problem.
  • Get a free sample of my Algebra 1 critical thinking questions ↓

10 free math critical thinking writing prompts for algebra 1 and algebra 2

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Warren Berger

A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

  • In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
  • Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
  • Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

  • Why do I believe what I believe?
  • Are my views based on evidence?
  • Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
  • Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

critical thinking questions grade 9

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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Free Printable Grade 9 worksheets

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Grade 9 worksheets are essential tools for teachers looking to provide their students with engaging and challenging learning materials. These worksheets cover a wide range of subjects, including math, science, social studies, and language arts, ensuring that educators have access to resources that cater to the diverse needs of their students. By utilizing grade 9 worksheets, teachers can create a more interactive and dynamic learning environment, encouraging students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, these worksheets can be easily adapted to suit various learning styles, allowing teachers to provide differentiated instruction and support for all students. In conclusion, grade 9 worksheets are invaluable resources for teachers looking to enhance their students' educational experience.

Quizizz is an innovative platform that offers a variety of resources, including grade 9 worksheets, to help teachers create engaging and interactive learning experiences for their students. In addition to worksheets, Quizizz provides teachers with access to thousands of quizzes and games that can be easily integrated into lesson plans. These quizzes can be customized to align with specific learning objectives, ensuring that students are receiving targeted instruction and practice. Moreover, Quizizz offers real-time feedback and analytics, allowing teachers to monitor student progress and make data-driven decisions to improve instruction. By incorporating Quizizz into their teaching toolkit, educators can not only enhance their use of grade 9 worksheets but also provide students with a more engaging and effective learning experience.

Free apps to help kids

101 Questions for Kids to Get Them Thinking and Talking [all open-ended]

critical thinking questions grade 9

How can you have more meaningful conversations with your kids? How can you use these conversations to also build up their skills to prepare them for their future? What questions are quick and fun to ask but also get them thinking critically, logically and laterally?

We have done the hard work so you don't have to! Here are 101 questions for kids that will get them "thinking and talking" - helping you get to know your child with more meaningful conversations, and at the same time building the skills they need to thrive in tomorrow's world (e.g. critical thinking, communication, creativity etc).

It's perfect for 6-12 year olds and can be done whenever you have a few minutes. Parents we work with tend to have these chats in the car, or after school or at the dinner table.

‍ See the KidCoachApp that thousands of other parents have been using to have all this and more in the palm of your hand, but in the meantime enjoy the list below.

critical thinking questions grade 9

Critical thinking questions

1.  How many iPads do you think there are in the world?

2.  How many grains of sand do you think there are on a typical beach?

3.  What would you do with a million dollars?

4.  If you could go back and time and change one thing, what would it be and why?

5.  If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

6.  Is there life on other planets?

7.  What would you name a new colour?

8.  What are 10 different things you can do a cup?

9.  How would you improve a sofa to make it better?

10.  When Baby Shark grows up, will he still be called Baby Shark?

11.  What would happen if it never rained?

12.  How can you make £100 or $100 by next week if you wanted to?

If you are particularly interested in critical thinking then this ultimate guide to developing critical thinking skills in your kids is a must-read.

Debating questions for kids

13.  Should children set their own bedtimes?

14.  Do you need teachers at school or can you just learn from computers?

15.  Is it right to eat animals?

16.  Should everyone donate money to charity?

17.  Should children have to wear school uniforms?

18.  Should children choose what to learn at school themselves?

19.  Does Santa Claus only bring presents for good children?

20.  Should zoos be banned since they are unfair to animals?

21.  Should children be paid if they get good grades?

22.   Is social media a good or a bad thing?

23.  Should every child have their own mobile phone?

Fun communication challenges

24.  How would you describe a car to an alien?

25.  How would you describe a tree without saying green, plant or leaves?

26.  What is a rectangle?

27.  How would you describe an elephant without saying animal, trunk or grey?

28.  What is a circle?

29.  Can you name 10 different emotions?

30.  What is the number five?

31.  Can you say the alphabet backwards?

32.  Can you talk for one minute about anything without saying “umm” or “err”?

33.  Can you say “Hello” in three different accents?

For more fun talking game ideas, check out this list of 22 car games to keep kids entertained using only your voices!

Alternatives to “How was your day?”

34.   What was the best thing that happened to you today?

35.   What will you do tomorrow that you did not do today?

36.   Tell me about something new that you learned today?

37.   What made you laugh today?

38.   Who did you play with today?

39.   What did you eat for lunch?

40.   What kind of a person were you today?

41.   What made your teacher smile today?

42.   What made you really proud today?

43.  What questions did you ask the teacher today?

44.  What do you think your teacher will be doing tonight?

Would you rather questions?

45.  Would you rather find true love or win one million dollars?

46.  Would you rather end poverty or end racism?

47.  Would you rather be gossiped about or ignored?

48.  Would you rather be an ant or a fly?

49.  Would you rather be able to fly or have super strength?

50.  Would you rather be 1 foot taller or 1 foot shorter?

51.  Would you rather be more like Mum or more like Dad?

52.  Would you rather be the sand castle or the wave?

53.  Would you rather live to 100 years old sad or live to 50 years old but happy?

54.  Would you rather live without TV or live without internet?

We have lots more of these by the way in this 101 list of the BEST "would you rather...?" questions for kids.

Try these with Harry Potter fans!

55.  Which Hogwarts house would you be sorted into and why? (critical thinking)

56.  If you owned the Philosopher's stone and could live forever, what would you do? (creativity)

57.  What make Harry Potter a good leader? (leadership)

58.  Is Professor Snape on the good side or the bad side? (critical thinking)

59.  Why do wizards hide themselves away from muggles? (philosophy)

60.  How would you explain the game of quidditch to a muggle? (communication)

61.  Why are most wizards scared to say "Lord Voldemort" out aloud? (empathy)

62.  How do dementors make you feel? (mindfulness)

63.  If you were an animagus and could turn into any animal, which would you choose and why? (creativity)

64.  Which magical object would you choose to have and why - marauders map, time turner or invisibility cloak? (critical thinking)

65 .  What makes Dumbledore such a good headmaster? (leadership)

Get to know you interview questions

66.  What are your three greatest strengths?

67.  What is your favourite subject?

68.  What makes you different?

69.  What are your three greatest weaknesses?

70.  Who do you want to be like when you grow up?

71.  What is happening in the book you are reading right now?

72.  What will be different about the world when you are an adult?

73.  What is going on in the news at the moment?

74.  Who are your best friends and why do you like each other?

75.  What is the funniest thing you have ever done?

76.  What motivates you?

‍ To build resilience

77.  What is a growth mindset?

78.  What do you feel grateful for today?

79.  What is something you can do today that you couldn’t last year?

80.  What does a confident person look and sound like?

81.  What do you worry about the most?

82.  What are you better at than most other people?

83.  What do you love to learn?

84.  What make you happy?

85.  How important is winning?

86.  What is your best quality?

87.  What do you find really easy to do?

88.  What can you teach others?

Perfect for family dinners

89.  What is your favourite dessert?

90.  If you could just eat one food forever what would it be?

91.  Where shall we go on holiday next?

92.  What is one thing you admire about the person on your left?

93.  What animal are you most like and why?

94.  If you could swap places with anybody else in the family for one day, who would you pick and why?

95.  Tell us something about yourself that we probably don’t know?

96.  If you could have one wish what would it be?

97.  What is the hardest thing about being a child?

98.  What three words best describe you?

99.  What three things do we want to do as a family next month?

100.  If you could choose a new name, what would it be?

101.  What will we all be doing in 20 years time?

A final suggestion

If you liked this then why not check out the KidCoachApp (30 second demo video above) which has everything from this article and much more in it, all regularly updated!

It puts these great questions in the palm of your hand and the next time you are in need of some conversation inspiration all you have to do is whip out the app! There are hundreds of critical thinking questions for kids that need logical and lateral thinking to answer.🤔

We are backed by lots of education and parenting experts (see our Advisory Board here ) and parents have absolutely loved using the KidCoachApp (see the reviews here ).

It's a 2 week free trial, with no payment details needed, so you have nothing to lose. 👍

👇 Download the KidCoachApp now from your usual app store.

Start your free 2 week trial seconds. No payment details needed.

critical thinking questions grade 9

Kavin Wadhar

Kavin Wadhar is a parent of 2 kids and founder of www.KidCoach.app: guided conversations for parents to get their kids talking, thinking and feeling. Kavin left his corporate role in education publishing to pursue his passion to help parents develop in their kids the skills they need to thrive in tomorrow’s world. Working with a team of parents and education experts, Kavin has built an App for parents with hundreds of questions like those in this article, and with additional guidance / prompts to take conversations deeper. Check it out!

Want more like this?

Most popular articles:, connect through conversation, download the kidcoachapp free for hundreds of quick, fun and thought-provoking questions your kids will love.

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critical thinking questions grade 9

  • Logical Reasoning

Grade 9 - Logical Reasoning

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Every time you click the New Worksheet button, you will get a brand new printable PDF worksheet on Logical Reasoning . You can choose to include answers and step-by-step solutions.

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Unlimited adaptive online practice on Logical Reasoning . Practice that feels like play! Get shields, trophies, certificates and scores. Master Logical Reasoning as you play.

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Take unlimited online tests on Logical Reasoning . Get instant scores and step-by-step solutions on submission. Make sure you always get your answers right in Logical Reasoning .

Contents: Logical Reasoning

Logical Reasoning - Questions of Analytical and Logical Reasoning

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critical thinking questions grade 9

Grade 9 Mathematics Bundle

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Mathematics

Grade 9 Mathematics Bundle

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  4. CH 9-12 Assessment Questions and Critical Thinking ( answers 100%

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  6. 20 Critical Thinking Activities for Elementary Classrooms

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  4. PT-1 Question Paper / Class-9 SCIENCE Previous Year Periodic Test Question Paper /Kendriya Vidyalaya

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  6. Critical Thinking Questions For NEET 2024 @Thorax100#neet #cellcycle #neetbiology #neetquestion

COMMENTS

  1. Critical Thinking Questions: The Big List for Your Classroom

    All Grades K-5 All Grades 6-12 PreK 6th Grade Kindergarten 7th Grade 1st Grade 8th Grade 2nd Grade 9th Grade 3rd Grade 10th Grade 4th Grade 11th Grade 5th Grade 12th Grade. Topic Topics. ... Students can use these critical thinking questions with fiction or nonfiction texts. They're also useful when discussing important issues or trying to ...

  2. Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad Class 9 Sample Papers

    Sample Papers of Unicus Critical Thinking Olympiad for Class 9: If your web browser doesn't have a PDF Plugin, you can Click here to download the PDF. International Critical Thinking Olympiad for Class 9 - Download free UCTO PDF Sample Papers for Class 9 or practice with online worksheets.

  3. 85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens

    Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged. With that said, here are some great questions to get you started: 1. Someone gives you a penguin.

  4. 48 Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area

    The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Digital Thinking by Global Digital Citizen Foundation is an excellent starting point for the 'how' behind teaching critical thinking by outlining which questions to ask. It offers 48 critical thinking questions useful for any content area or even grade level with a little re-working/re-wording. Enjoy the list!

  5. PDF 81 Fresh & Fun Critical-Thinking Activities

    This arrangement will help you and your students more clearly understand and identify the specific critical-thinking skills they are using. For each thinking skill in this book, there are two kinds of activities: (1) those that you, as the teacher, will lead, and (2) student reproducibles for indepen-dent work.

  6. Free 9th grade critical thinking resources

    This ready to print no prep free beginner's puzzle packet provides how-to-play instructions, fun easy-level puzzles to help spark up and exercise brain strengthening math, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. Instructions are included along with an answer key.This 4x4 Easy Sudoku Starter Bun. Browse free 9th grade critical thinking ...

  7. 15 Questions to Encourage Critical Thinking

    Thinking critically involves applying reason and logic to assess arguments and come to your own conclusions. Instead of reciting facts or giving a textbook answer, critical thinking skills encourage students to move beyond knowing information and get to the heart of what they really think and believe. 15 Questions to Encourage Critical Thinking ...

  8. Class Discussion to Encourage Critical Thinking: Resources for Grades 9

    Class Discussion to Encourage Critical Thinking: Resources for Grades 9-12. For high school educators, this list of resources, guides, and downloads will help you implement Socratic seminars and other classroom discussion models that encourage critical thinking. March 17, 2014.

  9. Effective Critical-Thinking Questions to Use in Class

    A critical thinking question should aim to make you think. It should lead students to ponder the answer and discuss possible solutions. Critical thinking questions can even lead to disagreements and arguments that can turn into an impressive teachable moment. One way to incorporate a solid critical thinking question into a math lesson is to ...

  10. 16 Critical Thinking Questions For Students

    16 Critical Thinking Questions For Students. Critical thinking is an essential skill that empowers students to think critically and make informed decisions. It encourages them to explore different perspectives, analyze information, and develop logical reasoning. To foster critical thinking skills, it is crucial to ask students thought-provoking ...

  11. Critical Thinking Skills for Kids (& How to Teach Them)

    All Grades K-5 All Grades 6-12 PreK 6th Grade Kindergarten 7th Grade 1st Grade 8th Grade 2nd Grade 9th Grade 3rd Grade 10th Grade 4th Grade 11th Grade 5th Grade 12th Grade. ... Multiple-choice questions can be a great way to work on critical thinking. Turn the questions into discussions, asking kids to eliminate wrong answers one by one. This ...

  12. 200+ Critical thinking questions

    In this article I've compiled a list of 200+ of the very best critical thinking questions for almost any situation. Critical thinking questions: If you're presented with a claim. If you're reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching TV or YouTube. If you're watching an interview. In a group or panel discussion.

  13. Free Printable Text Analysis Worksheets for 9th Grade

    Text Analysis worksheets for Grade 9 ELA are essential tools for teachers looking to enhance their students' reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. These worksheets are specifically designed to meet the needs of Grade 9 students, focusing on analyzing various texts, identifying themes, and understanding the author's purpose.

  14. 85 Critical Thinking Questions to Carefully Examine Any Information

    Your critical thinking skills involve gathering complete information, understanding and defining terms, questioning the methods by which we get facts, questioning the conclusions, and looking for hidden assumptions and biases. Additionally, we can't expect to find all of the answers, and we need to take the time to examine the big picture of ...

  15. Practical Critical Thinking for Grades 9-12+

    The Critical Thinking Co.™. 01 March 2016. Practical Critical Thinking for Grades 9-12+ is an introductory course in critical thinking for teens that builds from very basic concepts up through fairly sophisticated applications. While it is written for high school students, I expect many junior high students can easily complete the course as well.

  16. 20 Math Critical Thinking Questions to Ask in Class Tomorrow

    Start small. Add critical thinking questions to word problems. Keep reading for math critical thinking questions that can be applied to any subject or topic! When you want your students to defend their answers. When you want your students to justify their opinions. When you want your students to think outside of the box.

  17. A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

    Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically. Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion ...

  18. 115 Critical Thinking Questions For Adults and Students

    6. What do you think would have happened if…? 7. What are your conclusions about…? 8. What do you think would have been a better ending to…? 9. What could have been a big twist in the story? 10.

  19. 50+ Grade 9 worksheets on Quizizz

    By utilizing grade 9 worksheets, teachers can create a more interactive and dynamic learning environment, encouraging students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, these worksheets can be easily adapted to suit various learning styles, allowing teachers to provide differentiated instruction and support for all ...

  20. 101 Questions for Kids to Get Them Thinking and Talking [all open-ended]

    Here are 101 questions for kids that will get them "thinking and talking" - helping you get to know your child with more meaningful conversations, and at the same time building the skills they need to thrive in tomorrow's world (e.g. critical thinking, communication, creativity etc). ‍

  21. Grade 9

    Grade 9 - Logical Reasoning problems, online practice, tests, worksheets, quizzes, and teacher assignments.

  22. Grade 9 Mathematics Bundle

    Get 5% Off for each $85 spent (max 35% Off). Minimum $85 order required. Discount is applied as a promotion after the bundle is added to cart. *Discount Tiers: $85+ = 25% Off. $170+ = 30% Off. $255+ = 35% Off. If you are not completely satisfied with your bundle, please call 800-458-4849 for return information, and we will gladly help you with ...