Your child needs to be able to consider
what is known and predict what might
happen next, then test it out to see if the
hypothesis was correct. This is an im-
portant skill in all of learning.
When your child is reading a book,
ask: “What do you think will happen
next?” Then after reading you can eval-
uate the accuracy of the prediction and
determine why it was or wasn’t right.
In math and science, it’s also impor-
tant to make logical hypotheses and then
go on to test and evaluate them. Go to
www.study.com and search for “How do
you Develop a Hypothesis?”
Distinguish Between
Evidence and
Interpretations of Evidence
(facts vs. opinions)
In this day of information overload
and cries of “fake news” all around, chil-
dren must know how to recognize facts
from the opinions of others. Facts are
always true. Opinions are beliefs held
by an individual and
can vary from person
to person. Help your
child learn the differ-
ence between fact and
opinion. Watch the
You Tube video on
Fact and Opinion by
BrainPop here https://
w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m /
watch?v=1Ngkj2Lx-
Ks or this one by KidsE-
duc.com at https://
w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v =
LpjRqipY2Ac.
Critical thinking is a skill that grows
over time. Ask your children to answer
questions in their own words and clari-
fy what they mean. Point out that some
problems have more than one correct an-
swer or more than one way of arriving at
that answer. Help them see how emotions
and motives can affect thinking. Encour-
age them to write out their answers to
questions to build skill in coming up with
clear and concise answers to problems.
Kids benefit when they have oppor-
tunities to practice problem solving using
critical thinking skills. And don’t forget
that old-fashioned conversation around the
dinner table is a great time to pose ques-
tions that require clear, logical thinking.
Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher
and the author of “Homegrown Read-
ers” and “Homegrown Family Fun:
Unplugged.” Learn more at www.jan-
pierce.net.
c hristian c Entral a cadEmy
Committed to the Integration of Faith and Learning
Where to send your child to
school is one of the most important
decisions you can make. Christian
Central Academy (CCA) is an indepen-
dent, interdenominational, K-12 private
school, committed to excellence in
Christian education.
CCA’s curriculum lines up with
important life lessons that parents want
their children to learn while instituting
the foundations to love God, love oth-
ers, have Christ-like character, and to
show self-control.
At CCA, we:
• boast small class sizes.
• provide a safe, secure, and nur-
turing environment.
• award diplomas exceeding the
NYS Regents.
• offer a widening variety of
Advanced Placement and Dual
Enrollment courses.
• have a 100% college acceptance
rate.
• have unique extra-curricular
activities, including a senior trip
to the Dominican Republic.
• offer sports including football, vol-
leyball, soccer, basketball, baseball, soft-
ball, golf, and more.
• offer a variety of STEM-
related clubs, including
FutureCity, FIRST Lego
League Robotics, Girls
Who Code,
and more.
• have a state-of-the art
science and STEM lab
along with a fine arts
suite.
• are accredited by Middle States
Association of Colleges and Schools.
• often graduate students with enough
college credits to earn their Bachelors
degree in three years, rather than the
usual four.
CCA is located at 39 Academy
Street in the Village of Williamsville.
Plan a visit to our campus and discover
how CCA can partner with you in the
best interest of your child.
39 Academy Street
Williamsville, NY 14221
(716)634-4821
www.ChristianCA.com
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December 2018 WNY Family 33