This document discusses three topics for middle/high school teachers: 1) Achieving teacher buy-in and inviting collaboration, 2) Teaching critical thinking and research skills, and 3) Specific instructional approaches for STEM disciplines. For the first topic, it suggests identifying supportive teachers, taking incremental steps, and providing structure for collaboration. For critical thinking, it emphasizes skills like discernment, evaluation, and synthesis to develop higher-order thinking. For STEM, it recommends problem-based learning using real-world problems, and scaffolded lessons building skills over time with a common theme.

1. Middle / High School
Virginia Cairns
UTC Library

2. 3 Topics
➔ Achieving Teacher Buy-In and Inviting Collaboration
➔ Ways of Teaching Critical Thinking and Research Skills
➔ Specific Instructional Approaches Suited to STEM Disciplines

3. Achieving Buy In

4. Suggested Techniques

5. Identify Your Best Targets

6. Take Baby Steps

7. Be Specific

8. Use a Hook

9. Inviting Collaboration

10. Suggested Techniques

11. Provide Structure

12. Encourage Listening

13. Seek Diversity

14. Rinse, Repeat

15. Critical Thinking

16. Stanford Study (2016)
The report covered news literacy, as well as students' ability to judge Facebook and Twitter
feeds, comments left in readers' forums on news sites, blog posts, photographs and other
digital messages that shape public opinion.
Despite their fluency with social media, many students are unaware of basic conventions
for indicating verified digital information.
Students…had a hard time distinguishing advertisements from news articles or identifying
where information came from.

17. Cornerstone Skills

18. Discernment

19. Evaluation
● Recognizing
● Affirming
● Checking for
● Judging

20. Nuanced Thinking
● Conceptualizing Gray Areas
● Understanding Blurred Boundaries
● Comfort in the Absence of Absolutes

21. Synthesis
● Selection of Discrete Ideas
● Incorporation of Perspectives
● Making Connections
● Making Distinctions
● Drawing Conclusions

22. End Goal: Higher Order Thinking

23. “Sticky” Teaching Techniques

24. Use Familiar Contexts and Platforms

25. Identify Real Dangers

26. Teach Independent Verification Skills

27. Ask Questions without Yes / No Answers

28. Unreliable Reliable

29. Create Ecosystems for Practice

30. Packets, Links, Files, Case Studies

31. STEM Teaching Techniques

32. Problem-based learning
● Real world problem
● Clear guidance and list of tasks
● Learning outcomes explained

33. Sample PBL Activity
● Do pharmaceuticals in our water supply pose a health risk?
○ Brainstorming keywords (5-10 min)
○ Searching for information / sources (30 min)
○ Share answers and research process (5 min per group)
■ Students given question prompts to help them identify
important skills and steps.

34. Scaffolded Lessons
● Use multiple activities across a semester or year to build skill
levels and conceptual awareness.
● Activities can be SHORT (let your teachers know you do not
need to take up an entire class period).
● Use a common theme or subject matter to tie them together

35. Time to Think About Thinking

36. Assessment

37. Questions?
Slides and sample materials can be found at
Vacairns.com