Instruction in critical thinking occurs in all grade levels
and with all students. As students engage with texts, they
learn to consider the following: Who is privileged? Who is
marginalized? Who and what is missing? Who is the author?
What is the author’s objective? What are the author’s
perspectives and biases? Does the author adequately support
claims? These questions should be asked of every type of text
in every discipline.
The Model School Library Standards for California Public
Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (http://www.
cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/librarystandards.pdf) (CDE
2010) also provides grade-level standards that address
evaluation of information in text and other sources. For
example, students:- Understand that the Internet contains accurate and inaccurate information. (Grade Two,
Standard 2.1c) - Identify the factors that make a source comprehensive, current, credible, authoritative, and
accurate. (Grade Four, Standard 2.2a) - Assess the author’s evidence to support claims and assertions, noting instances of bias and
stereotypes in a variety of visual and audio materials. (Grades Seven and Eight, Standard 2.1a) - Evaluate online search results, demonstrating an
understanding of how search engines determine rank or
relevancy. (Grades Nine through Twelve, Standard 2.1a)
In addition, critical thinking is addressed in all academic
core content areas and California Career and Technical
Education Model Curriculum Standards (http://www.cde.
ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctestdfrontpages.pdf) (CDE 2013a).
It is important to note that critical thinking is not context-
free; it is embodied in particular ways in different disciplines
(National Research Council 2012).
The Model School Library
Standards for California
Public Schools, Kindergarten
Through Grade Twelve
also provides grade-level
standards that address
evaluation of information in
text and other sources.As students engage with texts,
they learn to consider the
following: Who is privileged?
Who is marginalized? Who
and what is missing? Who
is the author? What is the
author’s objective? What
are the author’s perspectives
and biases? Does the author
adequately support claims?21st Century Learning Chapter 10 | 945