Where do I begin teaching logic or critical thinking?

[Irishmommy]

I'm pretty clueless about this. Can someone advise me or direct me to older threads? My dd is in K and my ds is in 4th, thanks in advance!

[Irishmommy]

You know, I need to pull out my WTM again, I hadn't read the logic stage chapters yet, since my kiddos weren't there yet! Thanks for that suggestion!

[kalanamak]

We are doing Mind Benders Warm Up.

 

I'd love to find a less overpriced alternative.

[Lori D.]

We followed a slightly less formal path for logic/critical thinking, but it seems to have worked well here -- "1-2 fun pages" a day that they could do when they wanted to during the school day, or a 5 minute "brain warm-up" puzzle or two all together at the start of the day. We always used a wide VARIETY of puzzle types to encourage a problem solving, analysis, finding patterns, and out-of-the-box thinking, as well as formal logic.

 

Starting in 1st grade we played lots of games and used things like mazes, hidden picture puzzles, very simple word searches and sudokus, etc., plus a few of the mind bender style puzzles for a straight up logic style puzzle. By third grade, in addition to a variety of puzzle types and games, we were using word and visual puzzle problems, predicting with things like Reading Detective, solving simple "whodunits" and starting the great Dandylion series with Logic Countdown.

 

By middle school, we used things like Thinking Toolbox and Fallacy Detective, and when DSs were 8th/9th grades, DH took them through his old college formal logic textbook. By using a wider variety of resources than just the straight logic puzzles, both DSs developed great problem-solving skills for math -- and real life! -- and really "see" how to analyze science problems AND literature.

 

In case it is of help, below are resources we used, plus some that others have recommended that we didn't get to. BEST of luck, and enjoy your logic adventures! Warmest regards, 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"

[Mallory]

We are doing Mind Benders Warm Up.

 

I'd love to find a less overpriced alternative.

 

If they are only in Warm Up they probably aren't quite ready, but after A1, my kids can do the easy puzzles in the Logic Puzzle Books from Dell or Penny Press ($3-4 a book). At first I do often copy them blown up some.

 

I have also seen similar puzzles free online, but don't have any links right now.

[Lori D.]

We are doing Mind Benders Warm Up. I'd love to find a less overpriced alternative.

 

 

Perplexors might be a less expensive option. See it from the publisher, Amazon, or Rainbow Resource

Also, check out some online options: The Kidz Page: online logic puzzles, and Mystery Master: free and for pay online logic puzzles

[AngelBee]

Taking notes. Lori, as always, you rock! :)

[JadeOrchidSong]

Good resources, Lori. Thanks!

[Diana B]

Thanks for all the resources! I was coming here to ask this exact question!