In this activity, students are shown a video called “What in the World… History Compressed” and then later asked to write about it. The emphasis is on critical thinking. The Web site contains videos, political cartoons, and pictures that encourage students to think critically.
Screenshot of Working the Web for Education - Tom March - Critical Thinking
Preparation
Make sure that the site is not blocked at your school and that the activity can be viewed.
Read through the lesson plan.
Preview the video and questions.
Decide which LLM to use based on ease of access for students: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Microsoft CoPilot, Google Gemini, Claude, Pi. Practice using it to be able to model to students effectively.
How-To
Explain to your students that you will show them a video. For this lesson, use the Our Story in Two Minutes.
Let them know that they will write about it later.
You may want to show the movie 2 or 3 times in this activity.
After watching for the first time, let students jot down their thoughts.
Let students share their thoughts in an open discussion.
Make a list of similar thoughts in a white board.
Ask student pairs to watch the movie again and then write an essay about it.
There is no right or wrong answer here. The important lesson is the critical thinking process created by the movie and the discussion.
More Ways
The Web site contains videos, political cartoons, and pictures that encourage students to think critically. Check out other activities.
Program Areas
ABE: Adult Basic Education
ESL: English as a Second Language
ASE: High School Diploma
Levels
High
Intermediate
Intermediate High
Advanced
View Lesson Plan
Warm-up
Engagement
Discuss what is an essay and why we write them. Where will we use these skills? (academics, professional, personal)
Introduction
Engagement
Review the elements of a well-crafted essay:
Brainstorming
Outlining
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Today the class will watch a short video, brainstorm ideas about the video, break into pairs to organize ideas and outline an essay on the video. Together draft an essay with an introduction and supporting evidence and a concluding statement. Share the draft and then submit it to AI for revision and editing suggestions. Share the AI suggestions with the class for discussion.
As a class discuss the video. Write ideas on the board.
Practice
Engagement Enhancement
Break into pairs. Together rewatch the video and take notes. Brainstorm ideas for your essay. Organize the essay using an outline or mindmap method. Together write a draft of your essay on Microsoft Word or Google Docs (as instructed by the teacher). Share it with the teacher: Essay Draft.
Access an AI editor chosen by the teacher. Submit the essay for revision and editing suggestions. Send this version to the teacher titled Essay with AI Revision Suggestions.
Practice
As a pair, evaluate the essay with the AI revision suggestions. What revisions do you want to keep? Why? Make an other revisions/edits that you want to make. Share this third copy of the essay with the teacher: Essay with Our Revisions
Evaluation
Engagement Enhancement
Without sharing names, show each pair's Essay Draft, Essay with AI Revision Suggestions and Esssay with Our Revisions. Discuss the revision suggestions.
If a grammar error occurs, ask AI for a definition of the grammar error and 5-10 practice problems.
Application
Engagement Enhancement Extension
As a class, discuss places where you might need to write an essay. Ask AI the same questions. Discuss the results.
View Subjects
Language Arts - Reading
Comprehension
Inference and Interpretation
Language Arts - Writing
Organization of Ideas
Writing Conventions
Reading
Critical Thinking/Decision Making
Vocabulary
Reasoning Through Language Arts
Essays
Writing
Basic Sentences
Paragraph Skills
View Standards
Reading
CCR Anchor 7 - Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
Writing
CCR Anchor 2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
CCR Anchor 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCR Anchor 6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
Speaking and Listening
CCR Anchor 1 - Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCR Anchor 2 - Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCR Anchor 4 - Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Language
CCR Anchor 1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCR Anchor 2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCR Anchor 3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
View Tags
critical thinking, essay, march, Our Story in 2 Minutes, political cartoons, tom march
View Tools
Microsoft Word, google docs
View Creative Commons License
CC BY: This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as
attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.
View Conditions
Standard YouTube terms for watching the video on YouTube
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