Logic for 6th/7th grade

[fourcornersacademy]

This will be my third year homeschooling my three children (in the above grades), but about six months ago I "discovered" WTM and revamped all our curriculum.  Finally feeling that we have our feet under us I am ready to begin adding in "extras".  What is everyone's favorite logic resource? There seem to be many; from puzzle books, mysteries, Art of Argument, etc.  I happen to have the teacher book of Art of Argument but am a bit concerned it might be a bit too much for my young 6th grader.  What would be everyone's recommendations with Logic Stage Logic?

[Mbelle]

My DS 12 really enjoys AofA.  We have had critical thinking co books in the past and those are fun, but that is kind of different than AoA.   We tried Traditional Logic I with DD at age 12 and she hated it.  I think it fits her better in high school.

[redsquirrel]

For 6th grade we used Critical Thinking Book 1.

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/critical-thinking-book-one.html

 

My son liked the series quite a lot.  And now there is a third book in the series! Too late for my ds1, but I will be using it in 8th grade with my younger son.

[Space station]

For 6th grade we used Critical Thinking Book 1.

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/critical-thinking-book-one.html

 

My son liked the series quite a lot. And now there is a third book in the series! Too late for my ds1, but I will be using it in 8th grade with my younger son.

This is the same thing I am using right now with three 6th graders and an 8th grader. We spend a lot of time laughing and learning a lot. I think this is the highlight of the day when we do this on Tuesdays and Thursdays!

[Staceyshoe]

I like the Critical Thinking Co's Building Thinking Skills series because it includes a variety of different logic skills.  Previously, I ordered AoA but found it was too detailed and just too much, so we did Thinking Toolbox and Fallacy Detective, which are a great intro.

[fourcornersacademy]

Ok, thanks! This helps! I liked the link for that book one of Critical Thinking.  Would be best to start with Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox first? or in conjunction?  Thanks everyone for the input!

 

[SilverMoon]

My 6th grader is doing Reasoning and Reading level 2 for the first semester, and Art of Argument for the second semester. Last year he did Mind Benders, Word Benders, and some of the Logic Lift-off series. For 7th he'll use Argument Builder from CAP.

 

My teens started Art of Argument in 6th-7th and did fine with it. My guinea pig, err oldest DC tried a few different ones; we like CAP's line best.

[FloridaLisa]

For 6th grade:

 

Thinking Toolbox

Fallacy Detectives

 

For 7th grade:

 

Memoria Press' Traditional Logic

Building Thinking Skills Book 3 (especially the critical reading book)

 

Lisa

[LinaJ]

Haven't use it myself, but in the other thread I read that Fallacy Detective have a few references to abortion...

[Reefgazer]

DD and I tried Critical Thinking Company's books last year and abandoned them quickly.  The Building Thinking Skills were simplistic and way below the grade level they were rated for, IMO, and we found them useless.  Critical Thinking Book I was so boring and dry we wanted to put a pick ex through our heads.  We finally couldn't take it anymore and quit that gig.  This year we have been doing A of A and it is so fantastic and fun!  We are both really learning a lot.  I'm not sure what we will do in future years.  MP Traditional Logic looks dry as dust, and I am not sure what else is really out there.

[sassenach]

Haven't use it myself, but in the other thread I read that Fallacy Detective have a few references to abortion...

It does, but so far they've only been in the exercises, which we do orally. Easy to skip.

 

The whole book is best done orally IMO, because the chapters are short and learning about fallacies is really the type of thing best done in a discussion format.

[JoJosMom]

My DD is a 12 year old 7th grader who loves logic and logic puzzles.  She's done Mind Benders and Perplexors-there may be a few she didn't fully complete. We did Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox informally, and we are using Art of Argument now.  She loves the topic and loves the curriculum.  I haven't tried the Critical Thinking book, but the Building Thinking Skills book was a bomb here, too.  HTH.

[RootAnn]

The whole book is best done orally IMO, because the chapters are short and learning about fallacies is really the type of thing best done in a discussion format.

 

I do FD orally when my kid is in 6th grade, but any type of logic puzzles or games is a good first step. Don't overdo it adding too much in.

We follow up with AofA in 7th with a group of friends in a once-per-week meeting set up. It is much more fun to do with friends. The older kids seem to do better with AofA than the younger ones. Maturity wise, 7th is the youngest I would do it.

 

Just pick one (fun-seeming) thing to start with. If you get through it this semester, try another one next semester.

[Lori D.]

If you have not done any previous Logic, JMO, but I'd save things like Art of Argument, Fallacy Detective, Thinking Toolbox for next year, and use this year for a fun intro to logic and critical thinking skills as prep. In my opinion, the key to success with formal Logic is to:

 

1.) not do Logic too soon, but instead allow the logic and abstract thinking portions of the brain to mature (typically, age 13-14)

2.) use that time to develop a wide range of puzzle solving skills, critical thinking, "out of the box" thinking, etc.

 

I'd recommend a quick run through of the second 2 books (Logic Liftoff and Orbiting with Logic) of the Blast Off with Logic series first, for exposure to some logic terms and practice with logic thinking and problem solving. If you find the Critical Thinking or Building Thinking Skills to be dry and difficult to do at home (it was written for classroom use), you might try substituting the Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Imagery, and Logic books by Dale Seymour.

 

Playing games and working puzzles are great ways to develop those skills and types of thinking used in Logic. Some activities very specifically focus on Logic; games like Mastermind, Set, Forbidden Island, and Amazing Labrynth ; solo activities such as Rush Hour and Tetris; computer games such as Operation Neptune, Mission T.H.I.N.K.; and puzzles like Perplexors (grid logic puzzles), Sudoku, and Ken-Ken. It's pretty easy to include a daily "brain warm up" in your school schedule to start doing these activities. :) The tween years are a great time to add strategy and "resource management" types of games that help develop additional critical thinking and decision-making skills -- games like Risk, Takenoko, Carcassone, Settlers of Catan, etc.

 

Several of the past threads I linked below suggest some specific games and resources. You may also find the first post helpful to walk through the "why" of doing Logic, and for a very rough guideline as to the skills involved in Logic, and roughly what ages.

 

BEST of luck in your Logic adventures! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

s/o from Where's the Logic thread? What if your child has never been exposed to this stuff? (the "why" of doing Logic)

Does anyone do 3 hours/week of Logic in logic stage? And if not, how much is proper? (how much time people spend on Logic in middle school)

What are you doing for Logic with a 6th grader? (specific resource suggestions)

Living Math equivalent for Logic? (specific resource suggestions)

Can you post your progression for teaching Logic?

Formal Logic fail; now what? (specific resource suggestions)

Can someone educate me on Logic? (specific resource suggestions; middle school Logic progression suggestions)

What if I don't do formal Logic?

[Space station]

DD and I tried Critical Thinking Company's books last year and abandoned them quickly. The Building Thinking Skills were simplistic and way below the grade level they were rated for, IMO, and we found them useless. Critical Thinking Book I was so boring and dry we wanted to put a pick ex through our heads. We finally couldn't take it anymore and quit that gig. This year we have been doing A of A and it is so fantastic and fun! We are both really learning a lot. I'm not sure what we will do in future years. MP Traditional Logic looks dry as dust, and I am not sure what else is really out there.

Comments like this always remind me how grateful I am that we have so many choices so that everyone can find what works for them. I would never describe Critical Thinking 1 as boring and dry; we have so many laughs with it! I'm glad that reefgazer found a curriculum that does that for them, too!