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.
