Common Core Critical Thinking

Common Core Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a way of deciding, making inference, and or drawing conclusions whether a claim is true, partially true, or false. Critical thinking is a process that leads to skills that can be learned, mastered and used. The Common Core emphasizes development of critical thinking as a tool by which one can come about reasoned conclusions based on a reasoned “Socratic Method” process. This critical thinking process incorporates background knowledge, opinion, fact, passion and creativity, but guides it with discipline, practicality, pragmatics, and common sense. Critical thinking is an important component of many fields such as math, education, politics, business, science and the arts.

Common Core Critical Thinking Question STEMS!

How do we apply, learn or judge values and morals?

Why are personality traits perceived as positive or negative?

How does the author use figurative language to help the reader infer the nature of each sister?

How would you rank the amoral traits of the antagonist?

How would you rank the moral traits of the protagonist?

How are the elements of plot used by the author to teach the reader a moral lesson?

Toads and Diamonds

1, THERE was once upon a time a widow who had two daughters.

The eldest was so much like her in the face and humor

that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They

were both so disagreeable and so proud that there was no living

with them.

2. The youngest, who was the very picture of her father for

courtesy and sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most

beautiful girls ever seen. As people naturally love their own

likeness, this mother even doted on her eldest daughter and at

the same time had a horrible aversion for the youngest— she

made her eat in the kitchen and work continually.

Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to

draw water above a mile and a-half off the house, and bring

home a pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain,

there came to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her

drink.

3. “Oh! ay, with all my heart, Goody,” said this pretty little girl;

and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water

from the clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding

up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.

The good woman, having drunk, said to her:

4. “You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly,

that I cannot help giving you a gift.” For this was a fairy, who

had taken the form of a poor country woman, to see how far

the civility and good manners of this pretty girl would go. “I

will give you for a gift,” continued the Fairy, “that, at every

word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a

flower or a jewel.”

5. When this pretty girl came home her mother scolded her for

staying so long at the fountain.

“I beg your pardon, mamma,” said the poor girl, “for not

making more haste.”

And in speaking these words there came out of her mouth

two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds.

6. “What is it I see there?” said the mother, quite astonished. “I

think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl’s mouth!

How happens this, child?”

This was the first time she had ever called her child.

7. The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without

dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds.

“In good faith,” cried the mother, “I must send my child

thither. Come hither, Fanny; look what comes out of thy sister’s

mouth when she speaks. Wouldst not thou be glad, my

dear, to have the same gift given thee? Thou hast nothing else

to do but go and draw water out of the fountain, and when a

certain poor woman asks you to let her drink, to give it to her

very civilly.”

8. “It would be a very fine sight indeed,” said this ill-bred minx,

“to see me go draw water.”

“You shall go, hussy!” said the mother; “and this minute.”

So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taking with her

the best silver tankard in the house.

9. She was no sooner at the fountain than she saw coming out

of the wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to

her, and asked to drink. This was, you must know, the very

fairy who appeared to her sister, but now had taken the air and

dress of a princess, to see how far this girl’s rudeness would

go.

10. “Am I come hither,” said the proud, saucy one, “to serve you

with water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was brought

purely for your ladyship, was it? However, you may drink out

of it, if you have a fancy.”

11. “You are not over and above mannerly,” answered the Fairy,

without putting herself in a passion. “Well, then, since you

have so little breeding, and are so disobliging, I give you for a

gift that at every word you speak there shall come out of your

mouth a snake or a toad.”

So soon as her mother saw her coming she cried out:

“Well, daughter?”

12. “Well, mother?” answered the pert hussy, throwing out of

her mouth two vipers and two toads.

“Oh! mercy,” cried the mother; “what is it I see? Oh! it is

that wretch her sister who has occasioned all this; but she shall

pay for it”; and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor

child fled away from her, and went to hide herself in the forest,

not far from thence.

13. The King’s son, then on his return from hunting, met her,

and seeing her so very pretty, asked her what she did there

alone and why she cried.

“Alas! sir, my mamma has turned me out of doors.”

The King’s son, who saw five or six pearls and as many diamonds

come out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that

happened. She thereupon told him the whole story; and so the

King’s son fell in love with her, and, considering himself that

such a gift was worth more than any marriage portion, conducted

her to the palace of the King his father, and there married

her.

14. As for the sister, she made herself so much hated that her

own mother turned her out; and the miserable wretch, having

wandered about a good while without finding anybody to take

her in, went to a corner of the wood, and there died.