ABSTRACT
The photographs prompted her students to reflect upon and discuss what this evidence meant. Evidence is different from opinions, assumptions, or beliefs, and it needs to be interpreted to have meaning. An assumption is not evidence, but the sum is true if students know and use arithmetic's assumptions. Students need to show that they can accurately remember evidence or facts, and clearly identify what information in a book or other source is related to their own past experiences or knowledge. When students work together to sort evidence from assumptions and beliefs, they hone critical thinking skills and improve their ability to tell truth from fiction or untruth. A Massachusetts elementary teacher prepares students for group presentations with a thorough review of the steps and a rubric for students to conduct consistent, evidence-based peer evaluations of presentations. Regularly asking learners to justify their positions in respectful ways builds important communication skills and helps initiate dialogue central to inquiry and building understanding.
