---
title: "Challenge: take it apart"
course: "PHIL 120 · Think critically"
unit: "Claims, evidence and arguments"
lesson: 4 of 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/think-critically/challenge-take-it-apart
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Challenge: take it apart

Lesson 4 of 16 in **Think critically** (PHIL 120), unit "Claims, evidence and arguments". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Break down several real-world style arguments into claims, reasons, assumptions and type of reasoning, and rate how strong each is.

## Teaching notes
Use a mix of ads, reviews, opinion columns and messages, all invented. Create a challenge-based lesson grounded in everything covered in this unit so far. Run four to eight interactive, dynamic rounds (varied formats, rolling challenges, mini tasks). Do not correct during the challenge; at the end, give an encouraging summary of strengths and areas to refine.

## Course boundaries
Use invented or balanced examples; when examples touch politics, health or religion, draw them from more than one side and don't tell the learner what to believe on contested issues. Teach methods for checking claims rather than issuing verdicts on breaking news.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 4 complete: Challenge: take it apart."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Fallacies of relevance" (lesson 5 of 16), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/think-critically/fallacies-of-relevance.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Deductive and inductive reasoning
Next lesson: Fallacies of relevance