Using Critical Thinking to Determine the Best Candidate for a Babysitting Job
Part 1: Lesson Description
Lesson Title
Using Critical Thinking to Determine the Best Candidate for a Babysitting Job
Abstract
This lesson focuses on developing critical thinking skills through reading informational text, determining pros and cons, and making a final recommendation. It is framed within the context of finding a babysitter for two young children, but can be modified to apply to other situations as well.
This lesson will help prepare learners to compare multiple options, decide on a final recommendation, and provide a written justification of their choice.
Learner Audience / Primary Users
This lesson is targeted at adult basic education learners wanting to improve their basic reading skills (Grade Level D). This lesson is especially relevant for learners with young children or learners who might have an interest in Human Resources as a career direction.
Educational Use
- Curriculum / Instruction
Language
English
Material Type
- Instructional Material
Keywords
- Designers for Learning
- Adult Education
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Informational Text
Time Required for Lesson
60 Minutes
Targeted Skills
Key skills covered in this lesson include:
- Identifying the pros and cons of multiple qualified candidates
- Using informational texts to extrapolate key points and make a judgment on the best fit for the job
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:
- List 2-3 pros and cons for each job candidate.
- Recommend the candidate that is most qualified for the position.
- Write a short paragraph summarizing the rationale for their choice, citing specific examples from the text.
College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) Alignment
- Level: Adult Education
- Grade Level: CCRS Grade Level D
- Subject: English Language Arts / Literacy
- Domain or Strand:
- Strand: Reading
- Anchor 1 Level D - RI 7.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
- Strand: Writing
- Anchor 1 Level C -- W.5.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
- Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
- Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
- Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
- Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
- Strand: Speaking and Listening
- Anchor 4 Level D - SL.8.4
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Prior Knowledge
The learner should have prior knowledge of what babysitting entails.
Required Resources
Candidate Resumes (printed material)
Candidate Worksheet (printed material)
Instructor's Guide (printed material)
Computer and projector could be helpful for the demonstration portion
Lesson Author & License
- Lesson Author: Katie Corcoran
- License: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
Part 2: Lesson
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Warm-Up
Time: 5-10 minutes
Start off with a story about Rashelle, a young mother who has a job interview in 3 days. Her normal (free) babysitters are all busy and she must locate someone else to watch her 2 young children for a few hours. She turns to her local babysitter’s job board to find someone qualified.
Prompt the learners to discuss a time when they’ve faced a similar situation and how it turned out.
See the Instructor's Guide for a sample script for Rashelle's story.
Introduction
Time: 5 minutes
Inform the learners that they’ll be taking on the role of a parent and reviewing potential candidates for the babysitting job. They will learn how to look at multiple candidates and think critically about their qualifications. Emphasize that this applies to many aspects of their life. They will be developing skills that will help them any time they have to decide between options (comparing cell phone providers, choosing an apartment, leasing a car, etc.). The instructor should be able to provide situations relevant to their specific students’ lives.
By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
- List the pros and cons for each job candidate..
- Recommend the candidate that is most qualified for the position.
- Write a short paragraph summarizing the rationale for their choice, citing specific examples from the text.
Presentation / Modeling / Demonstration
Time: 15 minutes
Continue with the story of Rashelle trying to find a babysitter. Compare two possible options as a group, highlighting the key points of their qualifications. As a group, determine the more qualified candidate and discuss the rationale behind it.
See the Instructor's Guide for the pros & cons that are likely to be identified for each candidate. Keep in mind that what might be a pro for one person could be a con for another.
Guided Practice
Time: 20 minutes
Hand out the 3 babysitter candidate worksheets (for the three candidates not used during the demonstration section) and the pros & cons worksheet. Inform the learners that it's now their turn to determine who the best candidate is from the resumes you are handing out. The learner should identify pros and cons for each of the candidates. After these are identified, they should make a final recommendation for the candidate of their choice and write a short justification for their chosen candidate. The justification should include specific examples from the candidate sheets that directly apply to why they chose that candidate. To make this more relevant, the learners can imagine they are choosing between these candidates to look after their own kids (or perhaps their relative's kids). If they don't have any children in their friends or family circle, they can use Rashelle as an example.
The instructor should monitor the practice by walking around the room and answering questions, as needed.
Evaluation
Time: 5 minutes
Have students turn in their pros & cons worksheet. Students should be able to identify at least 2-3 pros and cons for each candidate. The instructor will provide feedback by next class regarding the strength of their justifications (remember that the students need to directly reference items from the resume and provide an explanation). Invite a few students to share with the class which candidate they chose and why.
Application
Time: 5-10 minutes
Ask the learners the following questions:
What have you learned from today’s lesson?
How will you apply that to your next search for a babysitter (or handyman, new car, etc. Tie in this example with the examples mentioned in the introduction.)?
What did you learn that you could apply to your own job search?
Key Terms and Concepts
Babysit - to take care of a child while the child’s parents are away
Candidate - a person who is being considered for a job, position, award, etc.
Justification - an acceptable reason for doing something; something that justifies an action
Qualification - a special skill or type of experience or knowledge that makes someone suitable to do a particular job or activity
Rationale - the reason or explanation for something
Part 3: Supplementary Resources & References
Supplementary Resources
N/A
References
Babysit. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/babysit
Candidate. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/candidate.
Justification. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/justification
Qualification. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/qualification
Rationale. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rationale
Attribution Statements
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