Criting thinking skill success 9 pot

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In Short
When you increase your awareness you observe more
and make better sense out of your observations. Do that
by using your senses, listening to what others have to
say, and seeking more details. And when you are in the
process of gathering information, concentrate, put it in
a context, and be thorough. You will not miss a thing
if you pay careful attention and you will become a bet-
ter decision maker and problem solver in the process.
– FOCUSED OBSERVATION–
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Find a good spot for people watching, such as a coffee shop or outdoor café. Observe those
around you, using your senses, with the goal of increasing your awareness. Is a couple about to
have an argument? Is someone who is walking down the street without paying attention about to
trip over a dog on a leash?
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The next time you are driving, make a mental list of the things you need to be aware of, and what
might happen if you are not as observant as you should be. You might list an erratic driver, a child
riding her bike, a utility company doing repair work from a parked truck, or an intersection regu-
lated by four-way stop signs.
Skill Building Until Next Time
A
FTER YOU RECOGNIZE and define the real problems and decisions you face, you must begin
to develop viable, effective solutions. Brainstorming is a critical thinking skill that helps to
do that by coming up with as many ideas as possible with no judgment being made during
the process. Perhaps you have brainstormed before when you needed to get thoughts together to solve a prob-
lem or complete a writing assignment. You took out a piece of paper and made a list of ideas, or possible
solutions. Then what?
While lists can be good for simply recording information, they do not help you organize your thoughts

very well. Instead, try arranging your ideas or taking the information from an existing brainstorming list
and putting them in the form of a graphic (visual) organizer. By visually arranging the information, you
create a sort of map of your thoughts. And a map helps to point the way toward effective decisions and
solutions.
Why are graphic organizers more effective than lists?
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They are a meaningful display of complex information.
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They help you to see patterns and organization in your thinking.
LESSON
Brainstorming
with Graphic
Organizers
LESSON SUMMARY
In this lesson, you will learn how to use some of the most effective
graphic organizers for brainstorming. Graphic organizers include word
webs, Venn diagrams, and concept maps.
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They help you gather and compress information.
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They keep you focused on your goal.
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They show what you know and what you still need to find out.
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They help you understand and interpret your thoughts and ideas.
The types of graphic organizers covered in this lesson are:
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concept map: explores a simple topic or problem

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webbing: helps determine possible solutions for problems that have more than one cause or symptom
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Venn diagram: finds solutions by showing common ground between two or more causes or symptoms of
a problem
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chart: compares and contrasts two or more elements
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problem/solution outline: helps delineate a problem, including its causes and effects, while producing
possible solutions and outcomes to those solutions
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Concept Map
Concept maps, also called target maps, should be used when you are exploring a topic that is not complex. To
make one, draw a circle and add spokes radiating from it. Put your central idea or problem in the middle, and
add possible solutions around it in any order. As you can see from the example that follows, a concept map visu-
ally arranges a simple decision and the factors that may be used in making that decision.
Why Move to Idaho?
schools better
housing costs lower
easier access to skiing
crime rates lower
taxes lower
– BRAINSTORMING WITH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS–
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Practice
Imagine that you are considering purchasing a new car. Come up with at least five reasons why you should make
the purchase. Use a concept map to organize your answer.
Answer
While there are many factors that must be considered before buying a new car, a possible answer might look like:
Purchase a New Car

current car is old and
needs major repair
need mor
e seating capacity
need more reliable transportation
safety features on new
car would be improved
interest rates
are very low
– BRAINSTORMING WITH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS–
31
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Webbing
Webs are visual organizers that are more structured and complex than concept maps. They are most useful when
you are exploring possible solutions to a problem that has a number of symptoms or causes. To develop a web,
write your problem in a circle. Next, write the symptoms or possible causes of the problem in smaller, or secondary,
circles, each connected to the center by a line. From each of the secondary bubbles, draw smaller bubbles in which
you brainstorm possible solutions. Each possible solution is connected to the corresponding secondary bubble
by a line.
play only
home games
quit
one team
too much
time playing
sports
friend wants
to socialize
every night
hide in

library
not getting
all school
work done
room too
noisy for
study
work in
library
establish quiet
hours (8–10)
in dorm
be honest
to friend
– BRAINSTORMING WITH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS–
32
Practice
Create a web for the following problem: you want to deposit $50 per month of disposable income in an invest-
ment account, but never seem to have the money. Causes of this problem are eating out at restaurants four times
per week, not returning videos on time and paying late fees, and buying too many clothes. Brainstorm possible
solutions using a web.
can’t save
$50 a
month
– BRAINSTORMING WITH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS–
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