Fallacy Detective by Hans Bluedorn: A TOS Crew Review

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

Fallacy Detective by Hans Bluedorn

It's time to teach our children how to think critically and Fallacy Detective by Hans Bluedorn is a great tool!

This softcover, workbook edition is recommended for ages 12 and up.  It contains 38 lesson on how to recognize bad reasoning.  I can't think of a more important lesson for today's students than being able to recognize and combat fallacies, or errors in reasoning and logic, that are being presented to them daily. 

This book is organized into 5 main sections and an additional section called The Fallacy Detective Game (to put what you learn into play) along with a full Answer Key.  The sections cover: 

• The Inquiring Mind - learning to listen and exercise your mind
• Avoiding the Question - with chapters on 9 common fallacies
• Making Assumption - chapters cover 9 more fallacies
• Statistical Fallacies - 7 fallacies dealing with the use of statistics
• Propoganda -a MUST read section for understanding media today!

I have been a long-time fan of this book, and have taught it to every one of my students over the past 15 years, and I promise it is an eye-opening exercise to read and discuss with them.  It's a wonderful tool for discussion and a vital thinking skill to teach to your children!

The book is organized with sections of fallacies that go together under broader categories.  Each chapter is short (usually just a couple of pages) and entertaining with real life examples and illustrations.  Following the reading, this workbook edition includes easy-to-complete exercises to make sure the fallacy is understood. Illustrations are black and white and frequently from our favorite Calvin & Hobbes cartoon strips.

I like to use this book in a Coop setting with multiple students.  It's great for a discussion based class!  I encourage each student to find an example of the fallacy from the chapter we are reading and bring it to class to show. We made a poster for each fallacy and keep them posted all year long.  The students love this format, and they are learning so much.  We'll be doing it as part of our CrossWired Communications course this upcoming year with our Coop.

It's also a great tool for family discussion - with the chapters being short and to the point, you can read and discuss in the same setting - for us, at the beginning of our school time together. But, I do need to warn you...your children will start pointing out all of your fallacies as well! 

Today's world is filled with fallacies - the only way we can combat them is to teach our children how to spot them, and correct the faulty reasoning and logic!

Check out another great product the Crew is reviewing  - Archer and Zowie!

Find the The Fallacy Detective on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fallacydetective 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hansbluedorn/
Hashtags: #hsreviews #archerzowie #fallacydetective

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Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 from The Critical Thinking Co.: A TOS Crew Review

Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 from The Critical Thinking Co.

Vocabulary skills are said to be the biggest determiner of success on the SAT.  We have been honing these valuable skills with Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 from The Critical Thinking Co.   

We are long time fans of this company!  Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 is a 208 page book available in physical copy or downloadable ebook.  

This book contains 20 lessons with 9 vocabulary words.  85% of the words are taken directly from the current PSAT and SAT listings.  The other words come from academic content in literature, humanities and language arts.

Each word list focuses on a part of speech.  Let me show you what a lesson looks like...

 In each lesson, the vocabulary words are used in a variety of activities, all in the proper context.  This really helps solidify these words into your student's growing vocabulary.

  Each word list contains the definition, pronunciation and synonyms.  The lists also use the words in concepts like idioms, puns, jargon, irony, euphemisms, aphorisms, allusions and theme.

Each lesson has 6 different activities to complete, including a reading comprehension passage called the Story Challenge.  This is a huge boost for the critical reading section of the standardized test!  Some activities include completing the sentence, unscrambling the word, writing the word, idiom or phrase to show comprehension of the new word in context.

The stories take place in a fictional classroom setting as the students are learning these concepts.  

A review lesson is included every 4 lessons.  Review lessons are shorter, with only 3 activities, including crossword puzzles.  This volume covers a variety of lessons:

• Literary - characterization, idioms, euphemisms, puns, aphorisms, jargon, allusions, irony, theme
• Rhetorical - The Art of Persuasion in Speech and Writing, Using the Extended Simile to Write a Poem
• History - The Renaissance, Renaissance artists

It's a painless way to add vocabulary building skills into your student's day.   I highly recommend it!  You will want to check out other great products the Crew has been reviewing:

• 
  
• Pattern Explorer Beginning (Grades 3-4)
• Elementary Math Games (Grades 3-5)
• Critical Thinking Detective - Vocabulary Book 2 (Grades 5-12+)
• Dare to Compare: Math Level 2 (Grades 6-7)
• Middle School Math Games (Grades 6-8)
• Building Writing Skills - Essential Tips & Techniques (Grades 6-12+) This title is ONLY available as digital.
• Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 (Grades 8-12+)
• Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 2 (Grades 8-12+)

And - a special discount just for you!

Free Shipping + 15% Off Any Size Order!   Coupon: TOSCREW19

Expires: 12/31/2019

Find The Critical Thinking Co. on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCriticalThinkingCo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/criticalthinks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/criticalthinks/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsVEVNa6UpVqXxo_t5sbb7Q
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecriticalthinkingco/

Hashtags: #hsreviews #TheCriticalThinkingCo #EmpowerTheMind

See what other members of the Crew thought here

Critical Thinking Detective: Vocabulary from The Critical Thinking Co.™: A TOS Crew Review

Critical Thinking Detective: Vocabulary from The Critical Thinking Co.™

One of the most important skills to teach our children is how to think critically!  One of our favorite companies- The Critical Thinking Co.™ has a full catalog of great books and programs to help you.  We have been using  Critical Thinking Detective: Vocabulary to help increase our vocabulary while giving our critical thinking skills a workout!

This book, available in downloadable ebook or softcover,  is designed for grades 5- 12+ (I promise...it's fun for adults too!).  We choose the physical book.

Did you know that a robust vocabulary is one of the best predictors of success on the ACT and SAT tests?  Helping boost vocabulary can have a huge impact on future opportunities.  This book makes learning upper level vocabulary fun.

This book works on increasing vocabulary by solving short mysteries. There are 12 mysteries to solve in this edition.  Each "case" to solve features around 20-25 vocabulary words that either "implicate or exonerate" the subjects.

Your job is to use your best thinking skills and vocabulary knowledge to read, analyze and solve each of the mysteries.

Each case also includes a second activity that allows you to practice using your new vocabulary in a new context, outside of the mystery.  This is done with a word list and fill-in-the-blank questions using the vocabulary.

My testers and I loved reading the mysteries together and working to solve them.  Mysteries are one of our favorites!  With words like cogent, superfluous, and senescent in our first mystery - we knew we would need to keep a dictionary handy if we wanted to solve the case.

Not only did we learn new words, but we got to give our dictionary skills a workout.  We learned synonyms and antonyms too.

This is a fun way to get our day started, and "warm up" our thinking skills.  My husband loves them as well - and has even taken them to work for his team meetings!

The book includes answers (but, don't look...unless you get completely stumped).  Each vocabulary word is listed in the answers with the definition.  You can use this area to check on their comprehension later.

I reward my students writing when they use new vocabulary - this is a great way to introduce them to new words.

I am a huge fan of Critical Thinking Company, and many of their products are staples at Bentz Academy.  This is a fun one you do not want to miss!

They have two great offers for you - get Free Critical Thinking Puzzles!A $75 Value! Delivered weekly to your inbox. Choose PreK – Grade 8. Sign Up Now!

and

 Free Shipping and 15% off any size order!! Use Coupon Code: TOSCREW18. This expires 12/31/2018

Other members of the Crew reviewed different products - be sure to check them out!

• Understanding Pre-Algebra
• Critical Thinking Detective Book 1 
• Something Fishy at Lake Iwannafisha
• Dare to Compare Level 1
• Vocabulary Riddles Book 1

Find The Critical Thinking Co.™ on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCriticalThinkingCo
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+TheCriticalThinkingCo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/criticalthinks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/criticalthinks/

Hashtags; #TheCriticalThinkingCo, #HSReviews

See what other members of the Crew thought here

Practical Critical ThinkingThe Critical Thinking Co.: A TOS Crew Review

Practical Critical Thinking and Teacher Manual from  The Critical Thinking Co.

For grades 9-12+, This is a combo of a 376 page color, Student book and the accompanying 240 page, black & white - Teacher’s Manual.

The Bentz Test Laboratory has been a long time fan of products from The Critical Thinking Co.  I was excited to get to try a new product for us - Practical Critical Thinking and Teacher Manual.  My tester is in 10th grade.

The Student Book is in color.  A very nice touch, it makes it instantly more appealing to today's teenagers.  This program really focuses in on developing Critical Thinking in our teens.  By focusing on emotion and meaning, we get them motivated, grab their attention and build their memory.

The book is organized with 4 Units, each unit includes 2 chapters, and each chapter features 7-9 lessons.  The lessons are short and concise.   My testers enjoyed the variety and the humor.

We love to start our school day with Critical Thinking as a way of "waking up our brain".  Take a peek at the contents:

Unit 1. Becoming a Critical Thinking -

• Chapter 1: The 411 About Critical Thinking 
• Chapter 2: Playing Games, Doing puzzles: Practice Critical Thinking Skills

Unit 2. Adding to My Critical Thinking Toolbox

• Chapter 3: Some Basics Concepts for Critical Thinking
• Chapter 4: Critical Thinking and Language

Unit 3. Critical Thinking and Arguments

• Chapter 5: Analyzing Arguments
• Chapter 6: Informal Fallacies

Unit 4. Applying My Critical Thinking

• Chapter 7: Advertising
• Chapter 8: Eyewitness Testimony, Direct & Circumstantial Evidence

This program is designed to be used either independently (the way we did) or can be used in a classroom setting.  I think it would make a great Co-op class!   Different activities are used to teach and practice essential Critical Thinking skills like; evaluating evidence, creative problem-solving, ambiguity, doublespeak, vagueness, arguments, fallacies, advertising, eyewitness testimony and more.

Activities include:

• Thought Experiments 
• Student Polls 
• Practice Sessions 
• Games and Puzzles 
•  Predictions 
•  Important Takeaways

Teacher's Manual is a valuable addition to this program!  It's divided into two sections:

• Answers - I need this section to make sure they are on the right track.  Critical thinking is much more complex than simple math solutions.  This is where you get to stay one step ahead of your teens.
• Reproducible Activities - Nice, especially if you are using this with multiple students.

Check out some of the other great products from The Critical Thinking Co. that the Crew Reviewed:

  Fun-Time Phonics!  (Gr. PreK-2)
Surfing the Net: Science  (Gr. 3-6)
The Basics of Critical Thinking  (Gr. 4-9)
U. S. History Detective, Book 1  (Gr. 8-12+) Find The Critical Thinking Co. on Social Media:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TheCriticalThinkingCo
Google +: https://plus.google.com/114500823774999703181
Twitter: https://twitter.com/criticalthinks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/source/criticalthinking.com/ See what other members of the Crew thought here