Boost Kids Critical Thinking Skills

Children’s Ministry Edition

September 2012 Lynnhaven United Methodist

Boost Kids’ Critical Thinking Skills

Good grades don’t matter much if kids aren’t developing higher-level thinking— whether the subject is homework or their faith. Educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom developed this hierarchy of critical thinking skills; use the concepts to help your kids boost their higher-level thinking.

 Knowledge is recalling facts or memorizing. Ask basic recall questions to POWERSOURCE check kids’ understanding of simple concepts and ideas.  Comprehension is summarizing and interpreting. Follow-up questions ASK GOD: (“Why?”; “What does this mean?”) increase understanding.  Application is putting knowledge to use in new situations. Ask kids how they’ll utilize what they know in daily life. 1. To bless and protect your  Analysis is breaking information and concepts into parts, boosting problem- children as they begin a solving. Help kids evaluate situations using what they know new school year.  Synthesis is generalizing, relating, and comparing ideas to form new viewpoints. Ask kids how what they know changes how they think. 2. To help your kids grow in  Evaluation is judging the value of ideas, procedures, and methods. Ask their understanding of kids to assess the worth of ideas and concepts they’ve learned. God, faith, and salvation. INSIGHTS

3. To grant your children the Children’s ministry director Jill Williams created the Christian Truths Survey to discover how kids learn biblical concepts. She found a big difference in ability to think critically how kids age 10 and up understand the more abstract details of faith about their faith and make compared with kids age 9 and under. wise, God-honoring • 83% of kids age 10 and 11 understand faith concepts, while only 70% of decisions. kids age 8 and 9 have the same understanding. • 74% of 12-year-olds understand the Trinity, while only 64% of younger children do. Even so, most kids accurately use terminology, even if they don’t quite grasp meanings. (Children’s Ministry Magazine) “I pray that…you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” (Philippians 1:9-10)

FAMILY EXPERIENCE TEACHABLE Begin a conversation about learning and wisdom with your kids using these MOMENTS talk starters: 1. Real-World Application— 1. What are you most excited about for this school year? When you read the Bible 2. What would you like to get better at this year—and how can we help? together, ask questions with specific application points; for 3. What’s one way our family could put our knowledge of God into action example, “How can we serve this school year? our neighbors this week?” and “Who is someone you need to love?” “What’s one thing you Explore knowledge with these fun activities: can do this week to love • Wise Guys (and Gals)—Ask: “If you were granted one wish, what someone more?” would you ask for?” After everyone answers, read aloud 1 Kings 3:5. Say: “God told Solomon he could ask for anything he wanted.” Read 2. Twenty Questions—When aloud Solomon’s answer in verses 6- sharing biblical concepts with 9. Make a family “Wisdom Book” out your kids, encourage their of folded paper. Staple a construction interruptions and pause often. paper cover on the book. Then come Let children share their thoughts up with a wise title and cover design and pose questions. You’ll together. Once you’re done building discover whether they have the book, work together to write or adequate “mental hooks” (or draw your own wise sayings in the previous knowledge) on which book. Think of funny and serious to hang new information. things you can teach one another, from “Don’t shake a bottle of soda before opening” to “Treat others the 3. Get Moving!—Who says you way you want to be treated.” For ideas, browse through the book of need to be sitting down to learn? Proverbs. Write and draw in your family book, and add pages throughout Cognitive researchers agree the school year as you learn and grow together. that some of the most productive mental processing • Time Capsule—Gather an aluminum or tin container for each family takes place when children are member. Then gather mementos that describe each of you at this active and involved. So get up moment. You might include a favorite candy, a recording of a favorite and talk about God and faith song, an ad for a favorite movie, a special accomplishment, an portrait of someone you admire, future plans, and so on. Then complete “Personal Stats” sheets that include the following information: likes and dislikes, favorites, stats (height, shoe size, etc.), God’s impact in my life, note to my future self. Help younger kids fill out the information. Then place the mementos, stats, and current photos inside the tins. Seal the tins and tape a label to the top with the person’s name and a note that says, “Open at the end of the school year.” Open the time capsules when school ends to discover how you’ve all changed and grown. MEDIA MADNESS

MOVIES Title: Finding Nemo 3D (theatrical MUSIC re-release in 3D 9/14/2012) Artist: Matthew West Genre: Family/Animated Album: Into the Light (releases Rating: G 9/25/2012) Cast: Albert Brooks (Marlin), Artist Info: Coming from Alexander Gould (Nemo), Ellen Nashville, TN, Matthew naturally DeGeneres (Dory) loves music – but nothing like his love for God! He is best known for Synopsis: After being separated his hit song “More.” from his young son Nemo, clownfish Marlin leaves the safety of his coral Summary: This latest album is reef home and braves the open actually built from the stories of CULTURE & ocean to search for his boy. fans willing to get honest about TRENDS life, struggles, joy, faith, and Our Take: Families can launch everything in between. • Technology definitely has its discussions about how God works benefits; many families are finding through tragedy and challenge to Our Take: Matthew has a talent iPad tablets to be useful make us better and bring us closer for infusing his songs with grace augmentative communication tools to loved ones. Caution: There are and truth! Expect this album to for kids with special needs. some intense scenes that might be be relevant, impacting, and filled (cbsnews.com) frightening for young children. with great discussion topics. • Out of the classroom and onto the field! Lacrosse, now the fastest-growing sport in America, GAMES, SITES & APPS is losing its preppy reputation and gaining more urban and minority Rating & Platform Title Content players. The number of American kids playing lacrosse before they Funschool.co With educational and fun games for Great for preschool enter high school has increased m kids, this site is designed to teach, not through elementary. 64% in the past six years. (2011 just entertain. (Some game themes U.S. Lacrosse Participation Survey) may not be suitable; preview first.)

Jumpstart This program is loaded with fun PC software (requires Phonics: Read activities and songs to help children Windows 7 or newer). Best QUICK STATS and Rhyme begin to recognize words and learn to for ages 4 to 7. read in a step-by-step progression. • Last year, only one in Cut the Rope A challenging game of puzzle and Available at itunes.com for three fourth-graders strategy! Kids will love helping “Om could read at grade level. Nom” build contraptions of various tools $.99; for iPad and iPhone. (The National Report Card for to score candy points. Ages 4+. Reading)

This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to •2012’s top-ranked city for endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make education is Burlington, Vermont. informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and play. A small community allows for smaller classroom sizes and student-to-teacher ratios, allowing teachers to focus instruction for SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1

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