Critical thinking is a skill we are continually working on with our students. One way to encourage a student to verbalize his/her thinking is to encourage the use of "BECAUSE" in the answer.

For example, my students were recently learning about life in a forest. This is a new concept for most, as we live in the desert, and many students have never been to a forest. They worked with partners to construct a T-Chart listing plants and animals that might live in a forest. When explaining their choices, they were expected to use the word "BECAUSE" to explain their thinking. (We call this "College Talk"). I heard, "Mushrooms grow in the forest because they thrive in dark, moist places and forests have lots of trees to block the sunlight so it can be dark and damp." I also heard, "Squirrels live in the forest because they make their homes in trees and they need to eat the acorns from trees in the forest."

By asking the students to use the word "BECAUSE", we are guiding our students in critical thinking skills.

Try it! Just "because"!

Deb Weigel
WBT Intern, Level 1

Hey you are so right BECAUSE is a powerful bridge in learning to how to write. Sometimes it acts as a bridge from the primary "I like" sentence, I like pizza, because it has cheese on it.

And, don't get me started on the buttons. WOW, my last weeks class leaders reminded me when I did not go to the bag of buttons and let them choose. They lead class rules, and the class "Yes" way better than I can.

Anyone remember the squiggly line (my notes look like graffiti).

Annette

Deb you are so right...once the kids can talk with the college words then they can write with it. Once the because enters their writing, then we have higher level thinking.

Check out the ebook The Writing Game for more details on how to get your kids to write while using this higher level thinking.