I'll go there RN | Critical Thinking Text Puzzle 11 Sub Plans | Social Emotional

Here's a Critical Thinking Text Message Puzzle for Middle School students! How quickly can your class figure out who is texting?

Here's part of the text message conversation:

• I'm here with Kevin

• Oh you guys are here

• Low key I was walking around I'll go there rn

• ... (look at the product preview PDF to see the last line)

Who is speaking? What is going on? How do you know that?

This is the full Reading Comprehension lesson

• The slideshow lesson goes through each text message clue one-by-one.
• Systematic and Cumulative Learning: Students fill out two reading comprehension graphic organizers as they read ("It Says, I Say, And So" and "Somebody Wanted But So" worksheets.)
• Real-World Literacy and Social-Emotional Learning: Students reflect on how they applied critical thinking strategies and how it relates to school and the real world (i.e. self-awareness, social-awareness.)

CLICK HERE to get the NO PREP JUST PRINT AND GO version

• Download and print the PDF.
• It has the text puzzle, Bloom's Taxonomy discussion questions and answers.

✨FEEL CONFIDENT explaining reading comprehension answers to students by using the 16 page answer key and discussion guide/script.✨

In this fun Critical Thinking Puzzle #11, students are shown one text message at a time.

• Each slide in this critical thinking puzzle reveals another text message.

• Eventually, students have enough clues to solve the critical thinking puzzle!

• There's also a foldable printable version so if you're doing small groups or independent literacy centers, students can unfold one clue at a time!

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Open the slideshow lesson. (When you download this PDF resource, there will be a link to the Google Slideshow.)

STEP 2: Print the PDF file. It has the worksheets.It also has a detailed 16 page answer / discussion guide to help you guide student conversations.

TEACHING IDEAS:

• Option 1. Whole class instruction: Students copy down clues from the slideshow onto the first worksheet. The act of copying down information might help them pay attention to subtle clues.

• Option 2. Some students may have trouble seeing the board or copying down the clues. There is a version of the worksheet with the text messages. There is also a large version of the phone mock-up. 

• Option 3. Independent Literacy Center: Use the foldable version of the handout. Fold each clue on the dotted line. Students at the literacy center unfold the handout one clue at a time. They record answers on their own worksheet.

Why use this Critical Thinking Puzzle / Activity?

• This Critical Thinking puzzle uses text messages to hook your Middle School students.

• But, you actually need to use a lot of reading comprehension strategies to solve this critical thinking puzzle.

• Students have to predict, infer, and make connections to figure out who is talking and what is happening.

• They document their learning by filling out a graphic organizer and answering the comprehension reflection questions.

• Yay, assessment and evaluation opportunities. Sometimes students try harder if things are "for marks." Plus, you need evidence of learning for report cards, so it's win:win!

Perfect for a fun English Language Arts class to explore Critical Thinking or Reading Comprehension Strategies.

• Use this critical thinking puzzle as part of a digital literacy lesson on text messaging.

• A fun critical thinking activity to explore reading comprehension strategies (It Says, I Say, And So and Somebody Wanted But So)

• This is not your average critical thinking puzzle - it's a way to build transferable life skills

Feb 25, 2023 update: OH NO, YOU JUST MISSED OUT!

THIS CRITICAL THINKING PUZZLE WAS FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

• I like to publish my resources for free (or heavily discounted) at the beginning as a thank you to my followers.

• 37 teachers got this resource for free!

• They got the paid upgrade for free as well. (I just updated this resource to include the answer key.)

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Questions about this Critical Thinking Text Puzzle #11? Ask in the TPT Q&A section or email Mike@educircles.org