Aloha2U Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) What are your favorite workbooks/materials from The Critical Thinking Co. and for what age/grade? :lurk5: ETA: I'll be using Developing the Early Learner (books 3 & 4 already on hand) w/my K5'er this fall, but I'm also interested in Visual Perceptual Skill Building and Building Thinking Skills to use w/DEL or for use in the future. Edited July 18, 2009 by NCAmusings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 We liked *some* of the Critical Thinking Press books -- usually ones with more variety to them. However, many seem like very expensive "one trick ponies" to us (such as Mindbenders). Of the Critical Thinking Press, we liked: - Dr. Funster's Think-A-Minutes (gr. 3-6) - Dr. Funster's Creative Thinking Puzzlers (gr. 3-6) - Think-A-Grams (gr. 7-12) The Red Herring books were okay -- though some of the solutions seemed lame to us, and we often (at least to us!) came up with more clever or more plausible answers. Below is a list of other critical thinking resources we've really enjoyed over the years. BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmly, Lori D. grade K-3 workbooks: - Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 1-3) -- by Seymour - Logic Safari (book 1 = gr. 2-3; book 2 = gr. 3-4) - Lollipop Logic (gr. K-2) - Primarily Logic (gr. 2-4) - Connections series (by grade level) puzzle books: - Gifted and Talented series (K-4 gr.) -- by Amerikander, or others - Puzzlemania series (gr. 1-5) -- best of Highlights magazine variety of puzzles - Hidden Picture Puzzle books -- collection of hidden picture puzzles from Highlights software: - Logic Journey of the Zoombinis (by grade level) - Revenge of the Logic Spiders (by grade level) - Crazy Machines series (gr. 3+) - The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions (gr. 3+) - Operation: Neptune (gr. 3-6) - Mission: T.H.I.N.K. (gr. 2-6) games: - Set - Duo - Secret Door - Blokus - Scan (old Parker Brothers game, usually available on ebay) - Clue solo logic activities: - Logix - Scramble Squares - Tangrams - Rush Hour Junior simple puzzle pages: - mazes - word searches - Where's Waldo - search and find type of books gr. 4-6 (prep for logic) logic books: - Dandylion Logic series: 1. Logic Countdown = gr. 3-4 2. Logic Liftoff = gr. 4-5 3. Orbiting with Logic = gr. 5-7 - Logic Safari series (book 2 = gr. 3-4; book 3 = gr. 5-6) - Connections series (by grade level) workbooks: - Mindbenders - Perplexors (like Mendbenders) - Puzzlemania series (gr. 1-5) - Dr. Funster Think-A-Minutes (gr. 3-6) - Dr. Funster's Creative Thinking Puzzlers (gr. 3-6) - Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 4-6) -- by Seymour software: - Logic Journey of the Zoombinis (by grade level) - Revenge of the Logic Spiders (by grade level) - Crazy Contraptions series (gr. 3+) - Operation: Neptune (gr. 3-6) - Mission: T.H.I.N.K. (gr. 2-6) games: - Mastermind - Amazing Labrynth - 221 B. Baker Street - Checkers - Chess - Boggle - Scrabble - Quarto puzzle pages: - mazes - crosswords, word jumbles, anagrams - codes, cryptograms - sudoku puzzles books (solving "whodunnits"): - Encyclopedia Brown series (Sobol) - Roman Mysteries series (Lawrence) - 17th century Japanese boy and samurai mysteries by Dorothy Hoobler - Nancy Drew series (Keene) - Hardy Boys series (Dixon) - minute mystery books by Conrad, Sobol, Weber, and others gr. 7-8 (intro to logic) critical thinking books: - Mindbenders - Perplexors (like Mindbenders) - Word Winks; More Word Winks (like Think-A-Grams) -- pub. by Mindware - Plexors, More Plexers (like Think-A-Grams) -- by Seymour - Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 7-12) -- by Seymour - 10-Minute Critical-Thinking Activities for Englishy (gr. 5-12) -- by Eaton; Walch Pub. - 10-Minute Critical-Thinking Activities for Algebra (gr. 9-12) -- by Martin; Walch Pub. logic books: - Art of Argument (Larson/Hodge) - Fallacy Detective; Thinking Toolbox (Bluedorn) games: - Checkers - Chess - Boggle - Scrabble - Quarto - Tetrus - Risk - other strategy computer/board games puzzle pages: - crosswords, word jumbles, anagrams - codes, cryptograms - sudoku puzzles solving "whodunnits" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Wow! Thank you for this great list, Lori D. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Lori -- You have purchased all those titles ?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Reading Detective is top-notch!!! I always recommend it. DS likes Word Roots too. He prefers the software to the books. I believe they are 3rd+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) Lori -- You have purchased all those titles ?!?! Yes, we've purchased and used 2/3 of the other-than-Critical-Thinking-Co. books/games/software that I listed. The other 1/3 we've either looked at, or were recommended by other people on this board and I've added it to this list as a resource for others. We've always included critical thinking and logic as an integral part of our "together time" in the mornings throughout our homeschooling, so even at only 10 minutes a day, it's amazing how much material you can get through! ;) I should amend my comment about Critical Thinking Co. products to say that I am refering to just their critical thinking/logic materials, not the materials specifically for other school subjects (such as reading, math, or vocabulary materials). For example, we have used a little bit of the Editor in Chief series, which is pretty good -- but again, pretty expensive compared to other similar products which do the same thing, but with more product for a cheaper price. Don't get me wrong; I think Critical Thinking Co. has some good stuff -- I just think it's a bit overpriced. And I like to let people know there are a LOT of opinions out there for critical thinking and logic! Just my opinion! Warmest regards, Lori D. Edited July 19, 2009 by Lori D. added info for clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 My favorites: Math Detective Science Detective Editor in Chief Cranium Crackers Word Roots I use the books, not the software, but YMMV. I owned some of the big honking books, but didn't end up ever getting to them, and sold them. We also use a lot of Mindware books. My favorites there are: Math Mosaics (all titles) Grid Perplexors Venn Perplexors Code Breakers I think I started using all of these around 3rd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) I haven't used as many as Lori D, but, from the ones I have used, I'd agree that Critical Thinking are overpriced compared to, say, Dandy Lion books. I wanted to add one title for elementary Stepping Stones: A Path to Critical Thinking available at RR, really out of the box thinking! We also downloaded some CT software samples -- IMO, they managed to turn a fun subject into a drill. Edited July 19, 2009 by Alessandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Science Detective, Mind-Benders, Think-A-Minute, Reading Detective, Editor in Chief, Word Roots, Doo-riddles, Think Analogies. My children all loved Grid Perplexors. We also did Revenge of the Logic Spiders but weren't that impressed with the software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim.4dogs Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 We've really liked Reading Detective. I'm thinking about trying out Word Roots this year, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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