Thinking Traps Worksheet for Kids

Critical thinking lesson 17: Thinking traps: “everyone does it” and more · Set 306 · 40 questions

Thinking tip (Spot the trap): Everyone does it: “The video has a million likes, so it must be right.” One means all: “One cat scratched me, so all cats are mean.” Lucky charm: “I used this pen and got full marks, so it is a magic pen.” Attacking the person: “Her plan is silly because she is the youngest.” Fair reasons come from tests, measurements and checked facts.

1. 1.True or false: “the rule book says so” is a fair reason. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “the rule book says so”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
3. 3.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) one was bad, so all are (b) everyone is doing it (c) mocking who said it (d) tests show it works
4. 4.👍 A post has thousands of likes. Does that prove it is true? (a) yes, if it is long (b) yes, always (c) only on weekends (d) no, likes aren’t proof
5. 5.True or false: “the numbers prove it” is a thinking trap. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these is a fair reason? (a) my lucky pen did it (b) it was measured twice (c) one was bad, so all are (d) mocking who said it
7. 7.True or false: “it was measured twice” is a thinking trap. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “checked facts support it”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
9. 9.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “my lucky pen did it”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
10. 10.🚦 Your friends are all crossing on a red light. What do you do? (a) run fast (b) close your eyes (c) wait for green (d) follow them
11. 11.True or false: “Everybody in class believes it, so it must be true.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🍀 You wore red and won a race. Did the red shirt make you win? (a) no, just a coincidence (b) only on Sundays (c) yes, red is fast (d) yes, for sure
13. 13.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Why trust her answer? She wears old shoes.” (a) lucky charm (b) everyone does it (c) one means all (d) attacking the person
14. 14.True or false: “Everybody in class believes it, so it must be true.” is the “everyone does it” trap. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) my lucky pen did it (b) checked facts support it (c) tests show it works (d) many trials agree
16. 16.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “All my friends have this game, so it must be good.” (a) attacking the person (b) lucky charm (c) one means all (d) everyone does it
17. 17.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Ignore Kabir’s point; his handwriting is messy.” (a) everyone does it (b) one means all (c) attacking the person (d) lucky charm
18. 18.True or false: “many trials agree” is a thinking trap. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “it happened once”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
20. 20.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “everyone is doing it”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
21. 21.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “the numbers prove it”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
22. 22.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Don’t listen to his science idea — he can’t even play football.” (a) attacking the person (b) lucky charm (c) everyone does it (d) one means all
23. 23.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “I used this pen and got full marks, so it is a magic pen.” (a) attacking the person (b) lucky charm (c) everyone does it (d) one means all
24. 24.True or false: “I wore my blue socks and we won, so the socks bring wins.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.True or false: “I used this pen and got full marks, so it is a magic pen.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.Which of these is a thinking trap? (a) the rule book says so (b) mocking who said it (c) many trials agree (d) the numbers prove it
27. 27.True or false: “Everyone is skipping homework, so it’s fine.” is the “one means all” trap. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: “Her plan is silly because she is the youngest.” is the “everyone does it” trap. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.True or false: “Why trust her answer? She wears old shoes.” is the “attacking the person” trap. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) my lucky pen did it (b) many trials agree (c) everyone is doing it (d) mocking who said it
31. 31.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Her plan is silly because she is the youngest.” (a) lucky charm (b) everyone does it (c) one means all (d) attacking the person
32. 32.True or false: “Half the school is buying these shoes, so I need them too.” is the “attacking the person” trap. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “many trials agree”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
34. 34.🙅 Instead of attacking the person, a fair thinker… (a) checks the idea itself (b) laughs at them (c) calls them names (d) walks away
35. 35.Which of these is a fair reason? (a) one was bad, so all are (b) many trials agree (c) everyone is doing it (d) it happened once
36. 36.True or false: “I sat in this seat and our team scored, so I must stay here.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Everyone is skipping homework, so it’s fine.” (a) one means all (b) attacking the person (c) everyone does it (d) lucky charm
38. 38.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) checked facts support it (b) everyone is doing it (c) one was bad, so all are (d) my lucky pen did it
39. 39.True or false: “it was measured twice” is a fair reason. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: “everyone is doing it” is a thinking trap. (a) False (b) True

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