Why is it important to evaluate an authority's expertise when considering their claims, instead of simply accepting their statements at face value?

Experts can be wrong, and their expertise might not extend to the topic at hand. Accepting claims without evaluation can lead to misinformation and poor decision-making.

What is the central problem with ad hominem arguments, and why are they often employed in debates?

Ad hominem arguments attack the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself. They are often used to avoid engaging with challenging ideas or to discredit the messenger.

Explain how the straw man fallacy undermines productive discussion and critical thinking.

The straw man fallacy misrepresents an opponent's argument, making it easier to attack. This prevents genuine engagement with the original point and hinders understanding.

Spotting Logical Fallacies Lesson Plan for 11th Grade

Free to teach as-is. Adapt it for your group in about two minutes.

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Objective

I can identify common logical fallacies in arguments.

Part 1 of 3

Warm-up video

Probably Makes Sense · 9:32

We don't generate video — this one is by Probably Makes Sense on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.

Part 2 of 3

Practice

12 questions

Explain the core idea behind the post hoc fallacy. Provide an original example not mentioned in the video.

Describe a situation where appealing to popularity might be a reasonable heuristic, and explain why it differs from the bandwagon fallacy.

Part 3 of 3

Exit ticket

Quick comprehension check

“Explain the post hoc fallacy and provide an original example not mentioned in the video.”

Sample answer included in the free materials

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Teacher guide, student handout, and slides — free, in Google Docs format

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Spotting Logical Fallacies

Objective

Warm-up video

Practice

Exit ticket

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