20 Math Critical Thinking Questions to Ask in Class Tomorrow

The level of apathy towards math is only increasing as each year passes and it’s up to us as teachers to make math class more meaningful. This list of math critical thinking questions will give you a quick starting point for getting your students to think deeper about any concept or problem. 

 

Since artificial intelligence has basically changed schooling as we once knew it, I’ve seen a lot of districts and teachers looking for ways to lean into AI rather than run from it.

 

The idea of memorizing formulas and regurgitating information for a test is becoming more obsolete. We can now teach our students how to use their resources to make educated decisions and solve more complex problems.

 

With that in mind, teachers have more opportunities to get their students thinking about the why rather than the how.

Looking for more about critical thinking skills? Check out these blog posts:

1. Why You Need to Be Teaching Writing in Math Class Today
2. How to Teach Problem Solving for Mathematics
3. Turn the Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs into Engaging Math Activities

What skills do we actually want to teach our students?

As professionals, we talk a lot about transferable skills that can be valuable in multiple jobs, such as leadership, event planning, or effective communication. The same can be said for high school students. 

 

It’s important to think about the skills that we want them to have before they are catapulted into the adult world. 

 

Do you want them to be able to collaborate and communicate effectively with their peers? Maybe you would prefer that they can articulate their thoughts in a way that makes sense to someone who knows nothing about the topic.

 

Whatever you decide are the most essential skills your students should learn, make sure to add them into your lesson objectives.

When should I ask these math critical thinking questions?

Critical thinking doesn’t have to be complex or fill an entire lesson. There are simple ways that you can start adding these types of questions into your lessons daily!

 

Start small

Add specific math critical thinking questions to your warm up or exit ticket routine. This is a great way to start or end your class because your students will be able to quickly show you what they understand. 

 

Asking deeper questions at the beginning of your class can end up leading to really great discussions and get your students talking about math.

Add critical thinking questions to word problems

Word problems and real-life applications are the perfect place to add in critical thinking questions. Real-world applications offer a more choose-your-own-adventure style assignment where your students can expand on their thought processes. 

 

They also allow your students to get creative and think outside of the box. These problem-solving skills play a critical role in helping your students develop critical thinking abilities.

Keep reading for math critical thinking questions that can be applied to any subject or topic!

When you want your students to defend their answers

1. Explain the steps you took to solve this problem
2. How do you know that your answer is correct?
3. Draw a diagram to prove your solution.
4. Is there a different way to solve this problem besides the one you used?
5. How would you explain _______________ to a student in the grade below you?
6. Why does this strategy work?
7. Use evidence from the problem/data to defend your answer in complete sentences.

When you want your students to justify their opinions

1. What do you think will happen when ______?
2. Do you agree/disagree with _______?
3. What are the similarities and differences between ________ and __________?
4. What suggestions would you give to this student?
5. What is the most efficient way to solve this problem?
6. How did you decide on your first step for solving this problem?

When you want your students to think outside of the box

1. How can ______________ be used in the real world?
2. What might be a common error that a student could make when solving this problem?
3. How is _____________ topic similar to _______________ (previous topic)?
4. What examples can you think of that would not work with this problem solving method?
5. What would happen if __________ changed?
6. Create your own problem that would give a solution of ______________.
7. What other math skills did you need to use to solve this problem?

 

Let’s Recap:

1. Rather than running from AI, help your students use it as a tool to expand their thinking.
2. Identify a few transferable skills that you want your students to learn and make a goal for how you can help them develop these skills.
3. Add critical thinking questions to your daily warm ups or exit tickets.
4. Ask your students to explain their thinking when solving a word problem.
5. Get a free sample of my Algebra 1 critical thinking questions ↓