Critical Thinking books....

[WTMindy]

How do you use these with your kids? They seem set up for a classroom discussion. I like the looks of them, but I'm not sure how to schedule it or to use with individuals. Thanks!

[Colleen in NS]

How do you use these with your kids? They seem set up for a classroom discussion. I like the looks of them, but I'm not sure how to schedule it or to use with individuals. Thanks!

 

bump - I want to know, too.

 

BTW, Mindy, what do you like about these books? What exactly are they like? What do they teach? How?

[WTMindy]

bump - I want to know, too.

 

BTW, Mindy, what do you like about these books? What exactly are they like? What do they teach? How?

 

They are an intro to logic and they are the ones recommended in WTM. I haven't looked at them too in depth yet, but I like the gentle intro to logic, but it is not obvious to me how to lay out the lessons.

[Lori D.]

We would do 1-2 pages (or 4 pages, if there was 1 puzzle per page, so each boy could do 2 puzzles). We did them aloud, together, taking turns answering. It takes 5-10 minutes. We scheduled this during our morning "together time" as a sort of "brain warm-up", about 3x a week when they boys were younger, about 1-2x a week when they were older.

 

We liked *some* of the Critical Thinking Press books -- usually ones with more variety to them (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 are other critical thinking resources we've really enjoyed over the years. RE: the ideas below -- Software I had the boys do on their own while I worked with the sibling. Games we often enjoyed as a family for a weekly family game night. Mystery books the boys usually read on their own. Enjoy! Doing critical thinking puzzles together throughout the years has always been a very fun part of our schooling! 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 Contraptions series (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"

[Georgie]

There are a lot of them. We have used the Beg. Mind Benders for my daughter who is finishing up3rd and she loved it. She was always asking to do the puzzles. In fact, I need to order something else for her to use. She just started using the Beg. Word Roots book to go with her latin.

 

We are finishing up the 1st Red Herring Mystery with my son who is finishing up 5th grade. It really makes him think outside the box. Some of the stories are hard for him to relate to, but he always learns something new. He is finishing up the A series in Mind Benders and loves it. He always asks to work on logic. To keep Math fresh for him this summer I ordered the computer version Math Detective B1. He is finishing up Saxon 8/7 and I wanted something fun for him to do, so he doesn't forget everything he learned during the year. He is using Word Roots A1 to go with his latin. It is not terribly exciting for him, but he doesn't mind it. This fall we will be starting the Critical Thinking level 1 book. I also bought the instruction/answer guide which gives suggestions. I look at it more as having a discussion with my son, trying to draw out why he thinks he is correct and what does he use to back up his thoughts.

[WTMindy]

These are such great answers and I so appreciate the time and effort you put into writing it all up (I'll rep you later when I have some more), but I was actually asking about the books called Critical Thinking Book 1 & 2 that are recommended in WTM.

 

Any suggestions for those?

[Patricia in WA]

I have CT 1. I have found it hard to use in that it is best with a classroom or a group of children. Have you looked at the samples?

[Melissa in Australia]

These are such great answers and I so appreciate the time and effort you put into writing it all up (I'll rep you later when I have some more), but I was actually asking about the books called Critical Thinking Book 1 & 2 that are recommended in WTM.

 

Any suggestions for those?

 

 

 

The way I am using them is;

we do 2-4 pages twice a week. my son and I sit and I read the book, he answers the questions, we do it all orally, with no written work at all. it takes maybe 15 minutes. he enjoys it, especially as he doesn' t have to write anything. He is definitely learning heaps, he is pulling me up all the time for how illogical I am:001_smile:. He is also noticing that logic compliments his grammar, Latin, and German studies. ;)

 

MelissaL

[Lori D.]

Sorry Mindy -- I read your subject title as meaning critical thinking books in general, not the Critical Thinking book 1 and book 2! So -- sorry for the waaayyyy too much info on a bunny trail! (lol)

 

re: THE Critical Thinking books -- we ended up not using them; I looked them over and they just looked to dry and dull for us. So, alas, I can't help you on how to schedule them. BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[melissel]

Sorry Mindy -- I read your subject title as meaning critical thinking books in general, not the Critical Thinking book 1 and book 2! So -- sorry for the waaayyyy too much info on a bunny trail! (lol)

 

re: THE Critical Thinking books -- we ended up not using them; I looked them over and they just looked to dry and dull for us. So, alas, I can't help you on how to schedule them. BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

 

Lori, your post helped ME immensely! Thank you!

[Lori D.]

Glad that was of use, even if it came "sideways"! (wry grin!) Warmly, Lori D.

[Guest Merriwind]

- 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)

 

 

 

Hi there!

 

Brand new poster here. I am looking for some summer supplements for my DD (going into 5th grade). I HSed using WTM in 1st grade; she has attended a local magnet school since. I think she will enjoy/benefit from introducing logic puzzles at this point.

 

My question is this:

 

Can anyone compare the Connections series to the Logic Safari series? They are both by the same author, published at the same time. Amazon's sample pages show grid-type problems for all.

 

My plan is to get two books from the series I select, along with two Logic Countdown books to get her an assortment of different problem types.

 

Thanks!

Karen

[Stacia]

Can anyone compare the Connections series to the Logic Safari series? They are both by the same author, published at the same time. Amazon's sample pages show grid-type problems for all.

 

Prufrock's (publisher) website has samples of all of these books:

http://www.prufrock.com/showproducts.cfm?FullCat=97

 

We have 2 of the Connections books & the entire books are the grid-style logic puzzles. I do think that the Logic Safari books are the same in that they are completely grid-style logic puzzles too. So, it's really just a matter of picking one or two of them at the grade level you want.

 

The Logic Liftoff & the other 2 in that series contain a variety of puzzle types: relationships, analogies, sequencing, all & no statements, syllogisms, if-then statements, deduction (grid-style logic puzzles), & inferencing.

 

Also, I loved Lori D.'s post. (Thanks, Lori.) I totally agree w/ what you said as far as the elementary (k-6) levels. We've done pretty much the same thing & I appreciate your info for the higher levels as well since that time will be here before I know it! Btw, another additional series of book we found at the library that the kids really enjoyed is "Stories to Solve" (3 books in the series) by George Shannon. I think these are similar in nature to the Red Herrings books, but better. The stories are basically tricky riddles & folktales from around the world.