Thinkalong critical – A free project from Connecticut Public Radio and Television is being spotlighted again for its classroom-ready approach to media literacy and debate skills for middle school students—built around a three-step evidence-based discussion process.
On a week-by-week schedule. a 2019 post is being republished—not because it’s old. but because its teaching tools still fit today’s classroom reality. The focus this time is a free learning project called Thinkalong. shared with educators who are looking for a structured way to build critical thinking around news and social issues.
Thinkalong is described as a learning tool designed for middle school students to build critical thinking. media literacy and debate skills. The project asks students to put social issues “under a microscope” by evaluating sources. considering multiple sides of an argument. and engaging in respectful dialogue.
The pitch is practical: it’s free, and it includes the resources needed for lessons that promote both media literacy and critical thinking. While it was built for middle school, the post notes it can also be used in high school.
What makes the approach easy to drop into a lesson is the way the project lays out its method. Thinkalong provides a framework for evidence-based discussion using a three-step process: investigate, contemplate, and debate. Students read. watch. and listen to credible news sources. analyze them with a media literacy lens. and debate the question with their peers.
The human appeal here is in the structure—students aren’t asked to argue in the abstract. They’re guided to evaluate sources and weigh more than one side before they speak. That’s the difference between a classroom debate that’s just loud, and one that’s built to be thoughtful.
For educators collecting resources on critical thinking. Thinkalong is positioned as a ready-made option: a free project from Connecticut Public Radio and Television. aimed at evidence-based discussion. media literacy. and debate skills—starting in middle school. but adaptable enough to extend into high school classrooms as well.
Thinkalong critical thinking media literacy debate skills middle school education classroom resources Connecticut Public Radio and Television
So it’s like a debate app for kids? Sounds good I guess, but can they actually argue respectfully lol
I don’t get why they’re “spotlighting again” a 2019 thing… like okay it’s new to me. If it’s free then sure, but who decides what counts as a credible source?
Wait so they make middle schoolers watch news and then debate it? That seems kinda biased already depending on the station or whatever. Also “investigate contemplate debate” sounds like something teachers say when they don’t want kids to just think for themselves.
I saw “media literacy” and figured it was gonna be another thing about not trusting everything, but then it’s actually structured? Weird. Still, I feel like any “respectful dialogue” curriculum turns into the same opinion like one side is always favored. Maybe I’m overthinking it but schools always mess this stuff up.