Challenge the Explanation

A puzzle in a sense models what all scientists are doing...They are trying to solve puzzles about the nature of the universe.

Martin Gardner, The Guardian, Oct 21, 2014

WHAT IS THIS STRATEGY?

TWO VARIATIONS:

Decode the Puzzle

Given a set of informative clues, solve a puzzle or mystery and justify your solution.

Challenge the Explanation

Provide students with a possible explanation for an enigmatic or puzzling situation or phenomenon. Invite students to corroborate or refute the suggested explanation in light of available evidence and their understanding of the topic.

The Critical Thinking Consortium

Keys to Think Critically and Challenge Explanations

Language to Develop with Students:

Arguments; Counter-arguments; Countering the counter-arguments

evidence, corroborating, plausible, accurate, convincing, reasonable, justification, credible, considerations, open-minded, alternative, parallels, refute

IntroductionTC2Conception.pdf

Sample Tasks

Explain_the_image tc2.pdf

2-ct_levers_lessons_mtf_dec_6.docx

Critical Thinking Lessons

Visit the link to see a wide variety of lessons and 'puzzles' to solve.

Science - Mystery Box

It uses a Mystery Box which has a funnel at the top and a beaker underneath. When water is poured into the top funnel, colored water flows out the bottom. A turn of the funnel and then pouring in more water results in either a different colored water or no water at all. The teacher demonstrates this Mystery Box to students and challenges them to propose models of the inside of the box. The students draw models of what they think the inside of the box looks like and share and discuss these models.