Where do I start with logic and critical thinking?

[Homeschooler_CH]

Hi,

My DS is 10yrs old and for next year I was thinking of adding in some fun logic and critical thinking books for him. I’m not particularly looking for a curriculum per se but something we can read and discuss. He loves to argue and I’m pretty sure we had some straw man arguments before. He loves to debate too and liked an outschool class he took last year.

Critical  thinking co has some books but I’m not sure which one to get( we tried mind benders and it was okay for him not too exciting).

[desertflower]

Hi there.

Well, I'll tell you what I have and have done with my oldest who is 12.

We started with a bunch of books from the critical thinking company (ctc) when he was younger.  Mindbenders, Balance benders, etc.

Then he did the Fallacy Detective (you can find on amazon) along with the basics of critical thinking from ctc which he finished.

He started critical thinking book 1 (purple) from the ctc. 

He will start the art of argument (from classical academia press) this fall and thinking toolbox (the book after the fallacy detective). 

Any type of public speaking or debate class will do as well. 

I'm probably over doing it!  😅  But he loves logic.

[Lori D.]

for a 10yo:
   narrative-based
- Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery - logic of language; beginning philosophy
- Logic to the Rescue -- story-based "adventures in reason"
   debate-oriented
- Scholastic: 50 Debate Prompts -- or the original edition free online here -- could use as writing assign. or oral argumentation 
   logic puzzles
- Critical Thinking Press: Dr. Funster Think-A-Minutes, and, Creative Thinking Puzzlers
- Critical Thinking Activities in Patterns, Imagery, & Logic (gr. 4-6) -- logic puzzles of various types
- Blast Off with Logic series -- Logic Countdown (gr. 3-4); Logic Liftoff (gr. 4-6); Orbiting with Logic (gr. 6-8) -- I recommend doing all 3, even if the first is a bit below grade-level, as each book introduces a variety of types of logic puzzles

for middle school:
- Fallacy Detective; Thinking Toolbox (Christian)
- Art of Argument (Christian)

book explaining fallacies -- probably better for late middle school/high school:
- An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments

Edited June 3, 2021 by Lori D.

[desertflower]

Oh that's right. Thanks to lori I remember that he also did the logic liftoff series. And we are reading the logic to the rescue series too. 

My youngest started the logic safari series. The first book is another mindbender type. 

[desertflower]

He started a philosophy class with athena's academy. He likes it so far. It is discussion based. 

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

DS8 has LOVED the Blasting off with Logic book this year. Great variety of puzzles with each section building in challenge level from one page to the next. 

He found Mind Benders just “meh”. I didn’t love that you have to assume gender based off of names in nearly every puzzle, especially since many were either unisex or uncommon! 

[cintinative]

We started with the space themed Prufrock logic books mentioned above--there are three.  

Logic Countdown https://www.prufrock.com/Logic-Countdown-Grades-3-4-P180.aspx grades 3-4

Logic Liftoff https://www.prufrock.com/Logic-Liftoff-Grades-4-6-P181.aspx  grades 4-6

Orbiting with Logic https://www.prufrock.com/Orbiting-With-Logic-Grades-5-7-P199.aspx  grades 5-7

Prufrock has other logic titles as well. 

We also did Perplexors A  https://www.mindware.orientaltrading.com/perplexors-level-a-a2-90446.fltr

If we had time, we could have continued with the Perplexors series.

We did have the Critical Thinking Company Building Thinking Skills (I think?) but the Prufrock books were much better. 

 

Then we did Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox. I wouldn't do those earlier than grade 6 really.  

Both of mine did Art of Argument in 8th grade.  My oldest did Traditional Logic I in 9th.  

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by cintinative