Art of Argument, Traditional Logic, or critical thinking 1 & 2 for 7th grade logic?

[wyomom]

My 7th grade dd has done mind benders through the c level and I was thinking of moving on to something else for her. I have Teaching Toolbox and Fallacy Detective but while reading WTM's section on teaching 7th grade, SWB recommended these as more supplements to a seperate program like Traditional logic. At least I "think" this is what the recommendation was. LOL! At this point, I feel like a hamster in a wheel with all these curriculum choices and my head can't sort anything out anymore.

 

So, after reading several threads on here about logiv choices, I was wondering what would be the difference between Art of Argument, Traditional Logic from memoria press? Anyone have preferences? Then I have also read about critical thinking books 1 and 2 for Jr. High. What is the difference between these books and a logic program like AoA and TL? Are those all three the same or is the critical thinking book seperate?

 

Thanks for helping me clear this up.

 

Julie

[Anne in Hawaii]

Art of Argument covers informal logic -- fallacies. Traditional Logic is concerned with the forms of logical arguments -- syllogisms. We've used (or are using) both in our studies. In my opinion, TL is more difficult than Art of Argument, Thinking Toolbox, or Fallacy Detective.

 

Right now my 9th grader is doing Art of Argument, and election season is a really good time to find fallacies! :D She completed TL 1 & 2 in 7th and 8th grades and will do Material Logic after Christmas.

[Lori D.]

Just my opinion, but if you're interested in doing all of them, I would do them in this order:

 

- Thinking Toolbox - 7th gr.

- Fallacy Detective - 7th or 8th gr.

- Art of Argument - 8th gr.

- Traditional Logic - 9th gr.

 

Thinking Toolbox and Fallacy Detective are very gentle informal introductions to specific areas of Logic. Traditional Logic is more formal and abstract. In general, those logic/abstract portions of the brain tend to develop a little later, around age 13-14. Just my opinion, but I think a child gets more out of a formal logic program if it done a little later -- say, high school -- after you've had time to learn about some aspects of logic and put them into practice.

 

BEST of luck, whatever you go with and when! : ) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[wyomom]

thank you for helping me sort this all out in my head. It is so hard to figure out subjects like this without being able to see the book. I really appreciate the help so I can organize my plans on what to do with dd.

 

Julie

[Lori D.]

In case it helps, here are online pages of the table of contents and sample pages for each of those books:

 

Thinking Toolbox

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=531510&netp_id=380574&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Fallacy Detective

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=887500&netp_id=310773&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Traditional Logic

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=636677&netp_id=242357&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Art of Argument

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=510183&netp_id=485065&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

OR

http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/aa.html

[Peela]

In general, those logic/abstract portions of the brain tend to develop a little later, around age 13-14. Just my opinion, but I think a child gets more out of a formal logic program if it done a little later -- say, high school -- after you've had time to learn about some aspects of logic and put them into practice.

 

 

:iagree: I would say don't rush into the more formal logic. I had my ddthen13 do half of Trad Logic and she could technically do it but she wasn't engaged with it at all. My feeling was to wait so we dropped it.

I have a tendency, I think, to try and do things too early. My kids are not early maturers and often when I try and introduce something too early, it backfires in some way .

[wyomom]

In case it helps, here are online pages of the table of contents and sample pages for each of those books:

 

Thinking Toolbox

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=531510&netp_id=380574&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Fallacy Detective

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=887500&netp_id=310773&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Traditional Logic

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=636677&netp_id=242357&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

 

Art of Argument

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=510183&netp_id=485065&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

OR

http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/aa.html

 

 

 

Oh wow thank you so much. This is very helpful!!

[wyomom]

:iagree: I would say don't rush into the more formal logic. I had my ddthen13 do half of Trad Logic and she could technically do it but she wasn't engaged with it at all. My feeling was to wait so we dropped it.

I have a tendency, I think, to try and do things too early. My kids are not early maturers and often when I try and introduce something too early, it backfires in some way .

 

 

This is good to know. My dd is a very young 13 and the only "logic" type things I have done would be the mind benders books. It doesn't sound like she would be quite ready for Trad Logic yet. It's nice to be able to make an informed decision about these things. So many times I feel like picking curriculum is like shooting in the dark which gets really expensive and time consuming.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with this. I really appreciate it.

[laughing lioness]

Have you looked at Fallacy Detective or Thinking Toolbox for Jr. High along with Critical thinking? We did Intro and Intermed Logic last year-it's symbolic logic and it was a little much for my 8th grader (last half of Intermed). We'll be doing Traditional Logic this year- 9th grade and I think he's ready for it. I agree- don't rush it. If you go through and have your kids memorize the fallacies that will take you a long way.