Info Lit & Critical Thinking
What is the difference between information literacy and critical thinking? Give a real-world example of when you might use both.
Information literacy is finding and understanding information. Critical thinking is deciding if that information is true and important. If you’re researching a dinosaur, you need to find information (information literacy) and then decide if the website is a good source (critical thinking).
Name the first three steps of the basic problem-solving process in order.
1. Identify the Problem. 2. determine the size and scope. 3. generate alternative solutions.
What is data? Give an example of data you might collect about your favorite subject in school.
Data is information! If my favorite subject is science, I might collect data on how many days it rains each month.
What does it mean to "generate alternative solutions" to a problem?
It means coming up with lots of different ideas to solve a problem.
What is a consequence?
True or False. Consequences are only negative.
A consequence is what happens after you make a decision. FALSE: consequences can be both positive and negative.
Explain how problem-solving and decision-making are connected. Can you think of a time you used both to solve a problem at home or at school?
Problem-solving is figuring out how to fix something. Decision-making is choosing the best way to fix it. If you and your brother are fighting over a toy (problem), you decide to take turns (decision).
Describe the difference between a "small" problem and a "large" problem, using examples from your own life.
A small problem is something that's easy to fix, like losing your pencil. A large problem is something that affects more people or is harder to solve, like bullying at school.
What is the difference between descriptive data and statistical data? Provide examples of each related to your favorite animal.
Descriptive data uses words to describe something. For my favorite animal, a cat, descriptive data would be: "Cats have soft fur." Statistical data uses numbers. For example, "Cats sleep 12-16 hours a day."
What does "collaboration" mean? Give an example of how collaboration could help you solve a problem with the school lunch options.
Collaboration means working together with others. We could collaborate with the cafeteria staff and other students to come up with healthy and tasty lunch ideas
What is an unintended consequence? Give an example.
An unintended consequence is something you didn't expect to happen. If you clean your room so well you can't find anything, that's an unintended consequence!
Imagine you read an article online claiming that eating candy makes you smarter. How would a critically thinking person use information literacy skills to evaluate this claim? Be specific.
First, I’d check where the article came from. Is it a real news site, or just someone’s blog? Then, I'd look for other articles. Do other sources say the same thing? Finally, I would ask a trusted adult. Candy might give you a quick energy boost, but a good diet is best to make you smarter.
You and your friends want to play a game at recess, but you can't agree on one. How would you generate alternative solutions to this problem? List at least three different games you could play.
I would generate alternative solutions by coming up with other ideas such as taking turns, voting on a game to play, or trying three different games like tag, kickball, or hide-and-seek.
Imagine you're trying to decide which after-school activity to join. How could data help you make your decision? What kind of data would you look for?
I would find information on each activity to see how much fun I'll have. I could ask friends who do them and see how many times I would be able to attend. I would want to see if I liked it and how much time it took.
Your school is experiencing a lot of bullying on the playground. Generate alternative solutions to solve this problem, then list a pro and a con for each potential solution.
Your town decides to build a new highway through the center of town. What are some possible intended consequences of this decision? What are some possible unintended consequences?
Intended: Easier travel through the town.
Unintended: More noise from the cars and trucks.
Why is it important to understand the source of information before believing it? Give an example of a situation where trusting the wrong source could lead to a poor decision.
Some sources are trying to trick you! If you only read ads for a video game, you might think it's amazing. But if you read reviews from other players, you might learn it has problems. Or if you try a crazy challenge you seen on social media you might hurt yourself or others.
Your school cafeteria is producing a lot of food waste. Is this a small, medium, large, or global problem? Explain your reasoning. What could be a generate alternative solutions to solve this problem?
This is a medium problem. It affects the school and wastes resources but doesn't affect the whole world. We could serve smaller portions, have "waste-free lunch days", or donate leftover food.
You're trying to convince your parents that you should have a later bedtime. What kind of data could you collect (descriptive and statistical) to support your argument? How would you present this data to them?
I could keep track of what time I go to bed and how I feel in the morning. I could say "I feel more tired if I go to bed at 8:00, but I feel more energetic and happy when I study and go to bed at 9:00."
What does "implementation" mean in the context of problem-solving? Give a real-world example of implementation.
Implementation means putting your solution into action. If we decide to raise money with a car wash, the implementation is setting up the car wash and washing the cars!
Your school decides to ban all sugary drinks to promote healthy eating. What are the possible pros and cons of this decision? What are some possible unintended consequences?
Pro: Healthier students.
Con: Students might be upset.
Unintended: Students might bring even more unhealthy snacks to school instead.
A friend tells you that their favorite video game character is a "factually accurate" representation of a historical figure. How can information literacy and critical thinking help you evaluate the truthfulness of that claim?
I would want to research that historical figure to find out what they were really like. Then I would compare what I learned to what my friend said to see if they were being accurate
Suppose you and your family are planning a road trip, but you disagree on the destination. Using all six steps of the problem-solving process, how would you reach a solution that everyone is happy with?
1. Identify the Problem: The family can't agree on where to go for vacation.
2. Determine the size and scope: This is a medium problem. It affects the family because they can't decide on a destination.
3. Generate alternative solutions: 1. research lots of places, outweigh the options and vote. 2. choose two destinations and flip a coin 3. choose the destination that is the closest
4. Think of the possible consequences: PROS- everyone likes the destination and has fun, CONS- someone is upset or doesn't go because of the location
5. Choose the best solution: solution #1 research lots of places, outweigh the options and vote
6. analyze the outcome: This solution works best because it will allow the family to get more info about each location and come to an agreement
Your class is trying to raise money for a field trip. You have two options: a bake sale or a car wash. How could you collect data to determine which fundraiser would be more successful? Be specific about the data you would gather and how you would analyze it.
I would ask my neighborhood how many people would like to have their car washed and how many would prefer to buy some baked goods. I could put both options on my social media and take a poll on which would be the most profitable.
You want to start a community garden at your school, but you need help. How could you use collaboration and implementation to make this project a reality? Explain who you would collaborate with and the steps you would take to implement the garden. What pro and cons can come from the successful implementation of this solution?
I would collaborate with: Teachers to get permission and maybe use the garden in class, parents to help build and maintain the garden, local businesses to donate supplies.
Implementation: 1. Get permission. 2. Plan the garden layout. 3. Gather supplies. 4. Build the garden beds. 5. Plant!
Pros: Fresh vegetables, learning opportunities, beautifies the school.
Cons: Requires time and effort, could attract pests, needs ongoing maintenance.
You and a group of friends decide to start a recycling program in your neighborhood. What are some potential unintended consequences, both positive and negative, that could arise from this project? How could you prepare for these consequences?
Positive: Community spirit, inspires other good deeds.
Negative: Takes much more time to sort than expected, Some neighbors might refuse to participate.
Prepare: Make sure that it is as easy to sort as possible, visit each neighbor and explain what the goal is, show what a small amount of time it takes.