Logic

[Janice Lyn]

Ladies,

I am very curious how necessary you feel Logic is in your weekly home education and what some of the best resources are out there as far as ease of use as well as quality.

Any advice appreciated.

[laughing lioness]

I think Logic is important. It is shocking to us how few adults can actually create or follow a logical argument. We ran into this numerous times as we were discussing the election. Logic studies have allowed our kids to understand when a sermon was built on a fallacy, look at advertising critically and critique their own writing and speaking
We've used Critical Thinking Co's books for eled years. Then Bluedorns and then as they get into Jr and Sr High we've used Intro and Intermed Logic by Nance and Traditional Logic by Cothran.
I also think that good writing skills and Latin are logic builders- IEW for the writing :).

[mcconnellboys]

I'll just chime in to say that I'd recommend the same products as Lisa!

[Firefly]

We've used Critical Thinking Co's books for eled years. Then Bluedorns and then as they get into Jr and Sr High we've used Intro and Intermed Logic by Nance and Traditional Logic by Cothran.


How do these compare to the Mindbenders books recommended in WTM? DS 11 likes Mindbenders, but they don't seem to be particularly rigorous and I'm considering alternatives... Thanks! :)

[laughing lioness]

Honestly, I don't know how they compare! I would think that they would be similar. Critical Thinking has a wide variety of books. I'm not even sure why we started using them but there is something for everyone, from K on up.

[Firefly]

Thanks, Lisa! DS just finished Mindbenders A1... I'll check out the alternatives you mentioned before I commit to buying A2. Thanks again!

[Lori D.]

While we have a slightly different view of Logic than traditional classical educators, we have seen logic as being one of several very important tools in home schooling our 2 sons, now 16yo and almost 15yo, and into our 9th year of home schooling.

Our 2 overall academic goals for homeschooling have been:
1. Hopefully develop a love of reading and books.
2. Develop good thinkers.

We've always felt that if those 2 goals were met, our children could teach themselves anything and would be able to function well in the world. Logic has DEFINITELY helped us as we strive for goal #2!


Where we've especially differed from traditional classical education models is in having a broader view of logic, including critical thinking development as part of that, so we've always incorporated a wide variety of critical thinking books throughout our homeschooling.

We see critical thinking/logic as a progression:
- approx. gr. K-4 = puzzles, games, activities to sharpen thinking skills, see patterns, develop problem solving
- approx gr. 5-8 = beginning to introduce logic terms and critical thinking problems
- approx gr. 9-12 = more formal logic coursework


What Logic has done for our sons:
- Better at problem solving.
- Enhanced test-taking skills.
- Can better see/understand worldviews and decisions and their resulting consequences.
- Enhanced analyzing skills (in science experiments, literature discussions, etc.).
- Better rhetoric skills (supporting a position, or seeing flaws in a position).
- Helped them organize their writing (making an outline, supporting points with examples, etc.)


Below are some of the resources we've used, with approximate grade levels. Hope that is of some help! Warmest regards, Lori D.


grade K-3

workbooks:
- Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 1-3) -- by Seymour
- Logic Safari (book 1 = gr. 2-3; book 2 = gr. 3-4)
- Lollipop Logic (gr. K-2)
- Primarily Logic (gr. 2-4)
- Connections series (by grade level)

puzzle books:
- Gifted and Talented series (K-4 gr.) -- by Amerikander, or others
- Puzzlemania series (gr. 1-5) -- best of Highlights magazine variety of puzzles
- Hidden Picture Puzzle books -- collection of hidden picture puzzles from Highlights

software:
- Logic Journey of the Zoombinis (by grade level)
- Revenge of the Logic Spiders (by grade level)
- Crazy Contraptions series (gr. 3+)
- Operation: Neptune (gr. 3-6)
- Mission: T.H.I.N.K. (gr. 2-6)

games:
- Set
- Duo
- Secret Door
- Blokus
- Scan (old Parker Brothers game, usually available on ebay)
- Clue

solo logic activities:
- Logix
- Scramble Squares
- Tangrams
- Rush Hour Junior

simple puzzle pages:
- mazes
- word searches
- Where's Waldo
- search and find type of books



gr. 4-6 (prep for logic)

logic books:
- Dandylion Logic series:
1. Logic Countdown = gr. 3-4
2. Logic Liftoff = gr. 4-5
3. Orbiting with Logic = gr. 5-7
- Logic Safari series (book 2 = gr. 3-4; book 3 = gr. 5-6)
- Connections series (by grade level)

workbooks:
- Mindbenders
- Perplexors (like Mendbenders)
- Puzzlemania series (gr. 1-5)
- Dr. Funster Think-A-Minutes (gr. 3-6)
- Dr. Funster's Creative Thinking Puzzlers (gr. 3-6)
- Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 4-6) -- by Seymour

software:
- Logic Journey of the Zoombinis (by grade level)
- Revenge of the Logic Spiders (by grade level)
- Crazy Contraptions series (gr. 3+)
- Operation: Neptune (gr. 3-6)
- Mission: T.H.I.N.K. (gr. 2-6)

games:
- Mastermind
- Amazing Labrynth
- 221 B. Baker Street
- Checkers
- Chess
- Boggle
- Scrabble
- Quarto

puzzle pages:
- mazes
- crosswords, word jumbles, anagrams
- codes, cryptograms
- sudoku puzzles

books (solving "whodunnits"):
- Encyclopedia Brown series (Sobol)
- Roman Mysteries series (Lawrence)
- 17th century Japanese boy and samurai mysteries by Dorothy Hoobler
- Nancy Drew series (Keene)
- Hardy Boys series (Dixon)
- minute mystery books by Conrad, Sobol, Weber, and others


gr. 7-8 (intro to logic)

critical thinking books:
- Mindbenders
- Perplexors (like Mindbenders)
- Word Winks; More Word Winks (like Think-A-Grams) -- pub. by Mindware
- Plexors, More Plexers (like Think-A-Grams) -- by Seymour
- Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 7-12) -- by Seymour
- 10-Minute Critical-Thinking Activities for Englishy (gr. 5-12) -- by Eaton; Walch Pub.
- 10-Minute Critical-Thinking Activities for Algebra (gr. 9-12) -- by Martin; Walch Pub.

logic books:
- Art of Argument (Larson/Hodge)
- Fallacy Detective; Thinking Toolbox (Bluedorn)

games:
- Checkers
- Chess
- Boggle
- Scrabble
- Quarto
- Tetrus
- Risk
- other strategy computer/board games

puzzle pages:
- crosswords, word jumbles, anagrams
- codes, cryptograms
- sudoku puzzles

solving "whodunnits"

[Nakia]

WOW Lori! That is a great list! I am printing it out! Thanks!

[Peela]

Dd then 13 tried Traditional Logic and although she could technically do it- it was just too abstract for her at the time.
We have done and enjoyed The Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox as informal read alouds.
One child could do Mindbenders without any trouble. The other has so much trouble he becomes a blubbering mess, so I had to stop and postpone for him.
Logic is not my favourite subject but I think its worth giving attention to at some stage.

[Janice Lyn]

Wow, thank you So much ladies. I had a bit of trouble at first locating my thread since I could not return yesterday. These are all helpful answers and I've printed them out as I know it is some thing we must add to our school.

Thanks again!

[mcconnellboys]

I used the Critical Thinking in US History books with my oldest. These were different from a purely logic book, so I can't compare their logic to Mind Benders, sorry. I like the Critical Thinking books and will use them again with my younger son.

I also use Mind Benders in fifth grade and like them.

For my older son, I went into Introductory Logic from Mind Benders. For my younger son, I will do Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox first, then move into Intro. I think that Traditional Logic is better for high schoolers.