The document discusses critical thinking skills, defining them as the process of evaluating information to make reasoned judgments and encouraging an attitude of questioning. It emphasizes the role of quality questioning in engaging students to enhance understanding and retention of knowledge in alignment with Common Core standards. Additionally, it introduces Webb's Depth of Knowledge framework for assessing cognitive demand in education.

1. Critical Thinking Skills
● Critical thinking is variously defined as: "the process of actively and
skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and
evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion" "disciplined
thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by
evidence"
● Critical thinking means making reasoned judgments that are logical
and well thought out. It is a way of thinking in which you don't simply
accept all arguments and conclusions you are exposed to but rather
have an attitude involving questioning such arguments and
conclusions. It requires wanting to see what evidence is involved to
support a particular argument or conclusion

3. Quality Questioning
Quality questioning is not a simple tool for extracting memorized information. Rather, it
is a dynamic process through which a teacher intentionally engages students in both
cognitive and metacognitive operations.
The intended outcomes of such engagement are to help students with the following:
● Focus their thinking on specified content knowledge
● Use cognitive processing strategies to develop deep understandings and long-term
retention of content
● Ask academic questions to clarify or extend understandings
● Monitor progress toward learning targets through self-assessment and use of formative
feedback
● Develop personal response-ability by using structural supports for thinking
● Contribute positively to the creation of a classroom learning community in which
thinking is valued

4. Quality Questioning
quality questioning

5. Common Core Standards
● The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in
mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA). These learning goals
outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each
grade.
● The Common Core is informed by the highest, most effective standards from
states across the United States and countries around the world. The
standards define the knowledge and skills students should gain throughout
their K-12 education in order to graduate high school prepared to succeed in
entry-level careers, introductory academic college courses, and workforce
training program.

6. The Standards are:
● Research- and evidence-based
● Clear, understandable, and consistent
● Aligned with college and career expectations
● Based on rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher
order thinking skills
● Built upon the strengths and lessons of current state standards
● Informed by other top performing countries in order to prepare all students
for success in our global economy and society

8. Webb's Depth of Knowledge
● Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) provides a vocabulary and a
frame of reference when thinking about our students and how they
engage with the content. DOK offers a common language to
understand "rigor," or cognitive demand, in assessments, as well as
curricular units, lessons, and tasks.
● DOK is a reference to the complexity of mental processing that must
occur to answer a question, perform a task, or generate a product.