Complete Assignment 1 in the Assignments Folder. In the assignment, you will practice critical thinking skills. Keep in mind that there are no “right” answers so be sure to demonstrate your own unique...

Complete Assignment 1 in the Assignments Folder. In the assignment, you will practice critical thinking skills. Keep in mind that there are no “right” answers so be sure to demonstrate your own unique approaches to problemsthrough critical analysisas opposed to looking them up. You will also categorize statements as factual or opinion-based in nature.Be sure to explain all of your answers thoroughlyfor full credit. Cite any outside resources used in your responses using appropriate APA or MLA formatting.


ENV 1000 – Assignment #1 Critical Thinking Background We tend to receive knowledge passively at many stages of education, although we can be highly critical in other aspects of life. Critical thinking and analysis is an everyday activity, even if we don’t think of it as that. Every time you have to make a decision, the process you go through involves critical thinking, and this process can become almost automatic. So when we discussed about critical thinking exercises with respect to science, it should be all familiar and natural to you. However, if not for science, for your daily life, critical thinking is a good exercise. Through technology, the amount of information available today is massive. This information explosion is likely to continue in the future. Students need a guide to weed through the information and not just passively accept it. Students need to "develop and effectively apply critical thinking skills to their academic studies, to the complex problems that they will face, and to the critical choices they will be forced to make as a result of the information explosion and other rapid technological changes". In this exercise, you will get a chance to practice and appreciate how critical thinking can help you guide through questions. Critical Thinking Exercise 1: Brain teaser This fun critical thinking exercise allows you to read into the question and come up with creative ideas. This will be a simple brain teaser exercise. Answer the following questions: 1. How do you put a giraffe into your refrigerator? 2. How do you put an elephant into your refrigerator? 3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend - except one. Which animal does not attend? 4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it? Critical Thinking Exercise 2: Facts vs Opinions Try to determine whether each statement sounds like a fact or an opinion and explain your reasoning. 1. My mom is the best mom on earth. 2. My dad is taller than your dad. 3. My telephone number is difficult to memorize. 4. The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep. 5. Dogs make better pets than turtles. 6. Smoking is bad for your health. 7. Eighty-five percent of all cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are caused by smoking. 8. If you flatten and stretch out a Slinky toy it will be 87 feet long. 9. One out of every hundred American citizens is color blind. 10. Two out of ten American citizens are boring. Critical Thinking Exercise 3: Analyzing Scientific Work A graduate student interested in studying the effects of air pollution on lichens (a fungus that grows on rocks) designed an experiment as follows: He proposed to bring rocks with lichens into the laboratory where he would expose them to urban air pollution (His university was located downtown in a major metropolitan area). He then proposed to circulate outside air into the laboratory and measure the effects. What is wrong with this experimental design? How would you design a better experiment? Why do you think so? (6 – 7 sentences) Critical Thinking Exercise 4: Analyzing Scientific Work Numerous studies on the natural toxin known as afla-toxin, which is found in peanuts, show that it is mutagenic and carcinogenic; that is, it cases mutations in the genetic material and cancer in some organisms. Drawing on these studies, scientists have labeled afla-toxin as a potentially dangerous substance. Do you agree or not agree? What would be the better way to test this? (6 – 7 sentences) Critical Thinking Exercise 5: Our values and science In what ways do our values affect science? How can science affect our values? Provide one example for each and give your opinions. You may cite other sources. (6 – 7 sentences) Critical Thinking Exercise 6: Forming your opinions For the following statements, state if you agree or disagree and give the reason why. Your reasoning should be sounding and convincing. (2-3 sentences) 1. People care only about themselves and money; they can’t be counted on to take action on the part of a good cause unless they will gain. 2. The natural world is here to serve our needs. 3. The systems in place today were always here and will always remain. 4. Slowing the rate of environmental destruction and pollution solves the problems. 5. Environmental protection Is bad for the economy.