Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
As homeschooling parents, we have so much to teach our kids. We can fill them with lots of facts and information. However, if they can’t problem solve and think critically about the information, what good is it?! That is why I am always on the lookout for good critical thinking resources for students. The Critical Thinking Co. has good products that can help like their book Mastering Logic and Math Problem Solving.
Our family has been reviewing Mastering Logic and Math Problem Solving Grades 6-9 for a few weeks. My kids just finished 5th and 7th grade, so this was a good fit for them. We have used various logic and critical thinking materials throughout the years so, this wasn’t new for them. It was a different approach, though.
Let me tell you a little about the program and about our experience.
Critical Thinking Resources for Students
For this review, I received a physical copy of the logic and problem-solving book. The book has an introduction that gives you tips on how to use the book, ten chapters of student work, and an answer key (which is super helpful). At the end of the book is an appendix with helpful resources like portfolio pages and a bonus activity.
Here is the Table of Contents page.
As you can see, some of the early chapters are on basic problem-solving skills and brain teasers. The later chapters focus on different math topics. The majority of the chapters have ten questions or more questions. It might not sound like a lot, but it will give kids plenty of practice.
Using the Book
For this review, we were able to get through the first few chapters. However, I did look through the math-related sections to see what we would be working on later.
You might be wondering why, with less than twenty problems in a chapter, we only got through a few chapters. The simple answer is this critical thinking resource is challenging.
Since I have two kids, I had them try to work on the problems together. At 11 and 13, all I can ask is for them to try and get along and work together. Some days they could; other days they couldn’t. More often than not, we worked on the problems as a family.
The first couple of problems in a new section were difficult until they learned how to go about solving them. Then they were able to work a little more independently.
Here are some of the problems the kids solved.
The kids had a “General Problem-Solving Strategies” worksheet to refer to when solving problems. The company put together this helpful sheet. It did come in handy.
Since each chapter focuses on a particular strategy, we would do three or four problems in a chapter and move on. It can get monotonous doing problem after problem involving a bridge. Believe me. After we had practiced three chapters, the kids went back to try some of the problems they hadn’t solved as a review.
Is It a Good Critical Thinking Resource for Kids
I think this is an excellent logic and problem-solving book. I would definitely recommend Mastering Logic and Math Problem Solving for kids in grades 6-9. It is challenging, but it will stretch your child’s mind to really start analyzing problems. Kids will benefit from it.
What I Like:
There is a lot I like about this book.
- Meaningful Math– Not only does it shows kids the practical application of math, kids learn how math has a logical pattern you can use to solve problems.
- Challenging– Kids will be challenged and learn to look outside the box. Not every problem has a cut and dry solution. They need to learn to analyze problems and think of all the possibilities.
- Group or Individual Work– The Critical Thinking Co gives tips on how to use the book with one student or a classroom. Homeschool families will find this helpful because it will help you plan how to use it with one child or a couple of children.
- Help for Parents– The Introduction, Teacher Notes at the beginning of chapters, and the Answer Key, will help you use the book with your kids. You don’t need to be afraid you won’t know how to help.
Overall, we like this program and will continue to use it in our homeschool.
The Critical Thinking Co has many other products that help develop critical thinking skills. They have books for many different ages. You can read what others think about those products by clicking the Homeschool Review Crew banner below. Other families have more to share. Check it out.
