Logic

[Coco_Clark]

Favorite beginning Logic source? This is for my 5th graders (planning next year already, I know) so something gentle and preferably even fun would be nice. I don't plan on spending more than once per week on it, at this point.

 

My WTM copy (3rd addition) suggests Building Thinking Skills or Mind Benders. Has anyone used either program and has thoughts?

Edited December 22, 2017 by Coco_Clark

[hollyhock]

I start mine on Logic Countdown in 5th, but that's twice a week and maybe a bit more formal/less fun. Mind Benders are fun. I use Perplexors, which are a bit cheaper, but the same idea. My kids like them.

[OrganicJen]

We've used both building thinking skills and mind benders and liked them a lot, but they are more for getting started with the foundations of skills needed for formal logic later. I recommend them as my son even found them enjoyable to do.

[desertflower]

My children love mind benders.

 

They also love logic countdown. :)

[SereneHome]

I start mine on Logic Countdown in 5th, but that's twice a week and maybe a bit more formal/less fun. Mind Benders are fun. I use Perplexors, which are a bit cheaper, but the same idea. My kids like them.

 

could you provide a link please

[sweetpea3829]

We use Building Thinking Skills as one source...it's solid...thorough.  But I wouldn't call it "fun", lol.  

 

I started mine in Logic with the Lollipop Logic series.  There's a number of them, and the name changes as they get older...I think they become Logic Countdown or something like that.  That might be a more fun, gentle introduction.  

[Sneezyone]

We start with building thinking skills and the logic countdown series. We do logic 2-3x a week and alternate for variety.

[HomeAgain]

Mindbenders are traditional logic puzzles.  They're well loved here.  We alternate through a few different activities:

Mindbenders

Sudoku

ThinkFun games

Think-A-Minutes

Red Herrings

Encyclopedia Brown/Two Minute Mysteries

 

At 5th, you might also look into Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery. It's a storybook style introduction to reasoning and beginning logic.  I have a paper version, but I know there's a free ebook version floating around, too.

[Jackie]

could you provide a link please

https://www.prufrock.com/Logic-Countdown-P180.aspx

 

There are three books in the series: Logic Countdown, Logic Liftoff, and Orbiting with Logic.

 

My daughter has mostly found them quite fun; she’s currently nearing the end of the second book. We tried Building Thinking Skills, but found it extraordinarily dry and therefore abandoned it.

[Coco_Clark]

Logic Countdown looks good, and I don't mind bumping it to twice a week if that proves necessary. My boy is super logical and will probably find it fun...my girl...well, she needs some gentle practice if we are going to to the Art of Argument in 7th or 8th 🤣

[SereneHome]

Critical Thinking Company is running a sale  25% off and free shipping on orders over $50 - if anyone is interested

 

I might get some Daily Mind Benders Language Arts and Social Studies series.   anyone has had any experience with them?

[cintinative]

I start mine on Logic Countdown in 5th, but that's twice a week and maybe a bit more formal/less fun. Mind Benders are fun. I use Perplexors, which are a bit cheaper, but the same idea. My kids like them.

 

I didn't like the Critical Thinking company book (Building Thinking Skills?) when Iooked at it but my kids liked Perplexors A at that age, and we also used the Logic books from Prufrock (Logic Countdown, Logic Liftoff, Orbiting with Logic). We do logic twice a week. 

Edited December 23, 2017 by cintinative

[serendipitous journey]

Logic Countdown looks good, and I don't mind bumping it to twice a week if that proves necessary. My boy is super logical and will probably find it fun...my girl...well, she needs some gentle practice if we are going to to the Art of Argument in 7th or 8th 🤣

 

Logic Countdown is a good series.  Between that and Art of Argument: Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox?  These are rec'd in my 4th ed. TWTM and my older son loves them.  I like them too: they are good at giving tools and practice in breaking down what argument is really being made AND detecting implicit "arguments" (such as assumptions and implied values).  Such an essential skill for classical ed. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by serendipitous journey

[Trilliumlady]

For those recommending Logic Coundown, it says it is for grades 3 and 4. If I was starting this next year with a fifth grader would I start with that same level or go for Logic Liftoff?

[u2006kids]

Any online ones we can use.... helps with grading and reporting

[Sneezyone]

For those recommending Logic Coundown, it says it is for grades 3 and 4. If I was starting this next year with a fifth grader would I start with that same level or go for Logic Liftoff?

I would start with the lower book. The difficulty level doesn’t ratchet up all that much and it’s a nice gentle introduction to the concepts and puzzle types w/o getting hung up on unknown Vocab or too many variables. Plus, the books are short and can be completed quickly.

Edited December 28, 2017 by Sneezyone

[hollyhock]

I use Countdown for 5th grade. It is not too easy for my kids. Then we do Lift-off in 6th.

Edited December 29, 2017 by hollyhock

[mohop]

Do the Mind Benders workbooks correspond with grade level?  So for a 5th grader, would I get workbook 5, even if she hasn't done any in the past?  

[HomeAgain]

Do the Mind Benders workbooks correspond with grade level?  So for a 5th grader, would I get workbook 5, even if she hasn't done any in the past?  

 

Mostly, but I would back up maybe to 4 if she's not familiar with the style of puzzle.  The top right corner of each book gives a suggested grade range.   My 7yo is working through 3 right now and it takes it from the very simple puzzles to ones that have a bit more meat, but age appropriate for a 3rd grader.  The one drawback we have found is that it expects him to infer from names whether a child is male or female.  He needs a little help with them, especially names he's not familiar with - Eunice, Horace, Angelo, Doreen..not ones he has come across in daily life.

 

We also found it helpful to use counters or markers instead of writing in the books, allowing him to change a wrong answer if things weren't adding up.  He uses two different colors to mark affirmative and negative blocks.

[mohop]

Mostly, but I would back up maybe to 4 if she's not familiar with the style of puzzle.  The top right corner of each book gives a suggested grade range.   My 7yo is working through 3 right now and it takes it from the very simple puzzles to ones that have a bit more meat, but age appropriate for a 3rd grader.  The one drawback we have found is that it expects him to infer from names whether a child is male or female.  He needs a little help with them, especially names he's not familiar with - Eunice, Horace, Angelo, Doreen..not ones he has come across in daily life.

 

We also found it helpful to use counters or markers instead of writing in the books, allowing him to change a wrong answer if things weren't adding up.  He uses two different colors to mark affirmative and negative blocks.

 

Thanks for the helpful info!  These books look fun.  I wish I had done more stuff like this when I was a kid.  I probably would have done better on the LSAT, which actually contains a section of problems similar to the mind benders.