Logic Curriculum - Informal Logic

[MusicMomMpls]

👋 Hello from the snowy Midwest! ☃️

I am working from the curriculum recommendations in WTM 4th ed., published in 2016. DD11 started logic stage this year, and as logic is one of her new subjects I’m relying heavily on WTM recommendations. But… they are out of date and I’m having trouble finding what I need online and making a decision about how to proceed.

We have just finished, and very much enjoyed, The Basics of Critical Thinking from The Critical Thinking Company, for her “casual” logic studies. The next recommendation from WTM, in the category of “informal” logic, is either Classical Academic Press The Art of Argument or continuing with The Critical Thinking Company Critical Thinking Book 1. However, it appears that the latter is no longer available from the publisher and that maybe it’s been replaced with something titled Practical Critical Thinking (https://www.criticalthinking.com/practical-critical-thinking-book.html#).

Do we continue with the same publisher and use their new book? Does anyone have experience with this new book and can offer any insight?

Also of note, I have a second-hand copy of The Art of Argument, but my two concerns at a glance are that it seems much more academic (DD11 really related to the format of The Basics of Critical Thinking) and that it begins with a few bible references (and we are definitely looking for a secular approach). Is the next stage of logic study just by nature more academic and this is what we need to use? Is it heavily Christian; have secular homeschoolers been able to use this resource comfortably? I understand this is a subjective experience, just trying to decide if I should use what I have or chase down a better option for our needs.

Thanks!!! 😀

[HomeAgain]

Fallacy Detective is another option you might look at.  My ds really enjoyed it last year.

[cintinative]

Art of Argument could be a high school course so there is that.

We tried one book by the Critical Thinking Company (I don't recall the name). It was not a good fit for us.  Then we used the Prufrock Press Space themed logic books. I recommend those. Also the Perplexors series by Mindware. 

After those we did study the informal fallacies (in junior high) with Art of Argument and we covered Traditional Logic in high school.

[cintinative]

1 hour ago, HomeAgain said:

Fallacy Detective is another option you might look at.  My ds really enjoyed it last year.

We liked Fallacy Detective but my recollection is that it is even more Christian than Art of Argument. It's been awhile though, so I could be wrong?

[HomeAgain]

26 minutes ago, cintinative said:

We liked Fallacy Detective but my recollection is that it is even more Christian than Art of Argument. It's been awhile though, so I could be wrong?

We tend to err on the side of secular, and I can't recollect off the top of my head what made it Christian.  Whatever content there was we must have unconsciously edited it out or skipped those questions.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

On 1/4/2023 at 5:02 PM, cintinative said:

Prufrock Press Space themed logic books

I second these - they are great! 

Logic Countdown: Grades 3-4
Logic Liftoff: Grades 4-6
Orbiting With Logic: Grades 5-7

[SilverMoon]

While CAP is a religious company they tend to not be preachy or over the top, so it would depend on if you're okay with small, occasional references or if you want purely secular. I remember conservatives being mad at Art of Argument when it was new because it mentioned abortion. 🤷‍♀️ It doesn't go into why you should or shouldn't, but is more like a "Well you can't have an opinion on Roe v. Wade because you're ______" fallacy. My 14yo used the book last year and was shocked when I asked them if they caught any religious references. It is more academic than the puzzle books. I often blended it into their writing block, reducing their writing elsewhere. I disagree with it being high school level though. 

 

Fallacy Detective is not one I'd hand to a secular kid. 

 

We liked CTC books, but some of them are designed to use with a group and challenging to use with one kid. Check reviews at Amazon or even Rainbow Resource (religious company) to make sure. We always liked Prufrock Press books too. 🙂

[cintinative]

17 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

 I disagree with it being high school level though. 

FYI. The publisher lists it as a 0.5 credit hour course for grades 7-12.  https://classicalacademicpress.com/collections/the-art-of-argument/products/the-art-of-argument-program-1

I think it really depends on how much you add to/use of the program. 

My current sophomore struggled with it when he was in 8th grade. YMMV.  

Edited January 9, 2023 by cintinative

[SilverMoon]

On 1/9/2023 at 7:00 AM, cintinative said:

FYI. The publisher lists it as a 0.5 credit hour course for grades 7-12.  https://classicalacademicpress.com/collections/the-art-of-argument/products/the-art-of-argument-program-1

I think it really depends on how much you add to/use of the program. 

My current sophomore struggled with it when he was in 8th grade. YMMV.  

Huh. Noted. ✌️🙂 I've used this book since my graduates were in middle school and we always used the whole course, working some of the assignments into larger writing projects. At the time it was one of the favorites for following the puzzle books, starting in 6th or 7th grade so I've mostly stuck with that for my younger kids. I actually forgot about it with my 14yo until they were late 7th grade. Ridiculous adults spouting nonsense in the news gave me a great reminder. 😂

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

@SilverMoon @cintinative Would you say that all pieces are necessary to use Art of Argument well? From the samples it appears that it could be implemented strongly with the Teacher’s Manual alone, with further examples of each argument collected by the instructor en lieu of the video component. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Shoes+Ships+SealingWax

[cintinative]

13 hours ago, Shoes+Ships+SealingWax said:

@SilverMoon @cintinative Would you say that all pieces are necessary to use Art of Argument well? From the samples it appears that it could be implemented strongly with the Teacher’s Manual alone, with further examples of each argument collected by the instructor en lieu of the video component. 

My kids hated the videos. So yes, I think you could do it without but this is a course that is better if you have multiple kids there to discuss issues. A group class would have been ideal but we didn't have that available to us. 

[Momto6inIN]

We did AoA without a video just fine. We followed it up by Argument Builder and it was solid. But I don't remember if it had a lot of religious references or not, sorry.

[SilverMoon]

I've been using the course since before the videos existed and didn't feel like it needed them.

Turn on political news or make a Twitter account just for following local elected officials and representatives from both sides. You'll have no shortage of extra examples and get some solid current events too. 

[Malam]

On 1/11/2023 at 4:39 PM, SilverMoon said:

At the time it was one of the favorites for following the puzzle books

Which ones?

[SilverMoon]

7 hours ago, Malam said:

Which ones?

Whichever are recommended in TWTM book. It was probably CTC and Prufrock heavy. ✌️