Common Core

Common Core is a set of educational standards that outline what students should know in mathematics and English language arts at each grade level.

Basic Concepts

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Developing Critical Thinking

Common Core encourages students to think deeply about problems and come up with creative solutions. This means asking questions, looking for evidence, and explaining your reasoning.

Key Skills

  • Analyzing information
  • Comparing different ideas
  • Explaining how you solved a problem

Why It’s Important

Critical thinking helps you make decisions, solve tricky puzzles, and understand the world around you.

Making It Real

Whether figuring out the best way to save your allowance or choosing which book to read, these skills help you every day.

Examples

  • Deciding which route to take to school when the usual way is blocked.

  • Comparing two different science experiments to see which works better.

In a Nutshell

Critical thinking and problem solving mean using your brain to work through challenges.