Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem, Oh My!

One of the classes I'm working on for fall involves exploring beginning logic topics using detective stories, among other things.  The children will be reading from Illustrated Junior Libraries The Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, and The Father Brown Reader, Stories from Chesterton, adapted by Nancy Carpentier Brown.

     


http://www.amazon.com/Mysteries-Sherlock-Holmes-Illustrated-Library/dp/0448409577/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342621848&sr=8-1&keywords=illustrated+junior+library+the+mysteries+of+sherlock+holmes

http://www.amazon.com/The-Father-Brown-Reader-Chesterton/dp/0976638673

We will practice using deductive (or inductive) reasoning skills as they read.  I am creating info on some things for them to look for in their reading each week, and also using some of the handouts from the Scholastic site regarding detective stories:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/exploring-mystery-genre

In class, we'll be using A Case of Red Herrings and the Mind Bender Warm-Ups books to train our brains.  I'll be sending home some of the puzzles from Mind Bender A1 through 4 for them to work on as we move through the course, as well as providing links to online logic games and puzzles.

     


http://www.amazon.com/Case-Red-Herrings-Mysteries-Questioning/dp/089455462X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342622018&sr=1-1&keywords=a+case+of+red+herrings  (this is an updated version of what I own....)

http://www.amazon.com/Benders-Grades-Deductive-Thinking-Anniversary/dp/B003ZOLGZG/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342622165&sr=1-7&keywords=mind+bender+warm+up

http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Benders-Deductive-Thinking-Skills/dp/B004RHLX30/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342622220&sr=1-2&keywords=mind+bender+A1%2C+A2%2C+A3  (these are an updated version of what I own....)

We'll also be discussing elements found within the Bluedorns books The Thinking Toolbox and
The Fallacy Detective.

       

http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Toolbox-Thirty-five-Lessons-Reasoning/dp/0974531510/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342622308&sr=1-1&keywords=the+thinking+toolbox+thirty-five+lessons+that+will+build+your+reasoning+skills

http://www.amazon.com/Fallacy-Detective-Thirty-Eight-Recognize-Reasoning/dp/0974531537/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342622357&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fallacy+detective+thirty-eight+lessons+on+how+to+recognize+bad+reasoning


We may dabble in some more mathematical forms of logic using the game of SET and The aMAZEing Labyrinth:




http://www.amazon.com/SET-Enterprises-100-Set/dp/B00000IV34/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1342623376&sr=1-1&keywords=SET+game



http://www.amazon.com/Ravensburger-Labyrinth-Anniversary-Edition-Family/dp/B004G8QNO4/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1342623190&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=the+amazing+labyrinth+game+ravensberger

I also have a Wishbone game, a Crime Lab kit, a Fingerprint kit, and other logic related puzzles we can delve into as we go along....

Regarding Sherlock Holmes, I'll be using these Dover resources as well:

So that's my idea for studying logic this fall... how do you like it?

Regena