What do you do for Logic?

[borninthesouth]

I have just started homeschooling an Advanced child in 6th grade-- she is almost 12. She loves logic activities. I also want her to have some formal study in this subject. Any curriculum recommendations? I do know what The Critical Thinking Company has to offer, but am not familiar with other companies. Thanks!

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Check out the Mindbenders series.  DD liked those a lot.  We're doing Critical Thinking now, which we like, except for the first chapter.  This one gets into more of the stuff I remember from high school, like what is Ad Hominem, etc.

[redsquirrel]

We did the entire 'logic liftoff' series in year 5. In year 6 we did some mathematical logic from MEP.

 

In 7th grade we did 'Critical Thinking, Book 1' and now, in 8th grade, we are using 'Critical Thinking Book 2'

 

The critical thinking books can be found at The Critical Thinking Company

 

If you prefer materials with a religious worldview there are other materials available from Memoria Press and a few others.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

My dd is 12. We used Critical Thinking Book 1 last year. We enjoyed it, but couldn't endure another year of the same format with Book 2.

 

The Snake and The Fox: An introduction to Logic just arrived in the mail today. I've only flipped through it, but it looks like a great fit for us.

 

 

[Crimson Wife]

My kids have done logic puzzles since they are in primary grades. My oldest started "Art of Argument" from Classical Academic Press at the beginning of the summer and she really likes it. I haven't totally decided what to do when she finishes AoA. I don't think she'd like "Discovery of Deduction" and both the Memoria Press and the Canon Press logic books look so dull as well. What I'm leaning towards is CAP's "Argument Builder" followed by "Perspectives on Argument" by Nancy Wood.

 

This may be heresy on a classical education board, but I've never been convinced of the value of formal logic. Every time I see those little symbols my eyes start to glaze over. What I feel is important is being able to use logical reasoning to make a good argument. Logic tied in with beginning rhetoric rather than for its own sake.

[2_girls_mommy]

WTM recommends Mindbenders in 5th grade, Critical Thinking bks 1 & 2 in 6th grade, and then moving into Memoria Press's logic in 7th.  For now that is the route we are going, though we don't spend as much time on in as WTM suggests.  So dd only did 1 mindbenders book in 5th grade and I only ordered her Critical Thinking bk 1 for this year.  I think it will become more of its own subject w/more time in 7th if we go w/MP

[Freckles]

We are using The Fallacy Detective.

[borninthesouth]

Thank you all for your suggestions. And Crimson Wife, I'm not sure anyone goes along with all of one curriculum or way of teaching ;). I just piece together what works best for our family and pray the kids end up better for my efforts. I am new to homeschooling and need all the help I can get!

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Another one I recently received, but we haven't started yet--

 

Nonsense: Red Herrings, Straw Men and Sacred Cows: How We Abuse Logic in Our Everyday Language

[Jaz]

My dd enjoyed The Fallacy Detective. Right now, we're reading The Art of Thinking Clearly. http://www.amazon.com/The-Thinking-Clearly-Rolf-Dobelli/dp/0062219685/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1381548849&sr=8-1 It's a fabulous book with a liberal slant. We're conservative so it forces us to think even more critically. You may want to wait a year or two. My ds loves it!

[Kathie in VA]

This may be heresy on a classical education board, but I've never been convinced of the value of formal logic. Every time I see those little symbols my eyes start to glaze over. What I feel is important is being able to use logical reasoning to make a good argument. Logic tied in with beginning rhetoric rather than for its own sake.

 

Keep in mind that there are two different types of formal logic.  I actually liked the logic with all those crazy symbols back in college but I'm not going their with my kids yet.  I also like the idea of logic as a prep for rhetoric.  The path I'm looking to use is Traditional Logic I followed by Classical Writing's Herodotus writing program.  The last chapter of Herodotus comes after you've finished TL 1 and studies on argumentative essays.  Then you get to study how logic is used in writing.  I haven't seen this tight linking of logic, writing/reading, and rhetoric anywhere else.  A more formal study of rhetoric and writing will come with the Demosthenes book.

[janainaz]

I used Memoria Press last year (Logic I and part of Logic II).  Logic I was fairly easy to understand, but Logic II lost me about half of the way through.  The exercises became far too complicated for me, and I was unable to continue.  The help I received from Memoria Press was extremely poor, but I do think they offer online classes.  This year we used The Fallacy Detective, and both my ds13 and I loved it. I need something else now!   

[texasmama]

My kids loved the Mindbenders series.  I am currently doing Art of Argument with my 5th and 7th graders, and they are enjoying it.  We do it together orally.

[danybug]

My ds is using Art of Argument. We have been using the teachers edition and just discussing it orally. It is straightforward and he enjoys it. Every once and awhile he does mention it is hard to keep all of it straight, but that is more because we do a fallacy a day and keep chugging along. I just like that he is building familiarity with the different fallacies.

 

We will be done fairly soon and I am not sure what we will do next.