{"id":855,"date":"2021-08-06T11:04:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T11:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/?p=855"},"modified":"2021-10-11T13:30:44","modified_gmt":"2021-10-11T13:30:44","slug":"critical-thinking-skills-for-homeschoolers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/blog\/homeschool-tips\/critical-thinking-skills-for-homeschoolers\/","title":{"rendered":"Critical thinking skills for homeschoolers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>During the logic stage \u2014 approximately grades five through eight \u2014 students begin to examine the world in new ways. Rather than simply absorbing information, they begin to put more thought into why the world is the way it is. They get better at making connections, evaluating situations, and formulating persuasive arguments. In other words, they build their critical-thinking skills. Here\u2019s how to refine your middle schoolers\u2019 developing brain power and prepare them to excel at logical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>1. Encourage critical thinking about book plots.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, your logic-stage students read a lot of books. You can take their literature analysis to the next level by asking them to apply critical-thinking skills to what they read. <em>The Well-Trained Mind<\/em> suggests asking thought-provoking questions like \u201cWhat part of the story seemed the least likely to happen?\u201d and \u201cWhat alternative ending would you have chosen for this book?\u201d Give it a try with logic-stage literary selections like <a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/rip-van-winkle-LC00000000056\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Rip Van Winkle<\/em> by Washington Irving<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/the-call-of-the-wild-LC00000000217\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> <em>The Call of the Wild<\/em> by Jack London<\/a>, both suggested for this age by <em>The Well-Trained Mind<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/rip-van-winkle-LC00000000056\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Rip-Van-Winkle-by-Washington-Irving.jpeg\" alt=\"RIP Van Winkle book\" class=\"wp-image-856\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/the-call-of-the-wild-LC00000000217\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/The-Call-of-the-Wild-by-Jack-London.jpeg\" alt=\"The Call of the Wild book\" class=\"wp-image-857\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>2. Provide logic-based puzzles.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Middle schoolers can also benefit from puzzle books that include a variety of mind-bending logic challenges. To your students, these may just seem like fun games, but they\u2019ll secretly work to stretch your kids\u2019 brains. Try one or more of the critical thinking books from the Brain Game Treasure Hunts series, such as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/jungle-puzzles-9781512419689\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jungle Puzzles<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/catalog\/book\/jungle-puzzles-moore-dr-gareth\/9781512419689\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.<\/a> Your learners might also enjoy chapter books with critical thinking activities, such as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/the-secret-of-the-skeleton-key-9781512403947\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Secret of the Skeleton Key<\/a><\/em> from the Code Busters Club series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/catalog\/book\/jungle-puzzles-moore-dr-gareth\/9781512419689\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jungle-puzzles.jpeg\" alt=\"Jungle puzzles book\" class=\"wp-image-858\" width=\"119\" height=\"150\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/jungle-puzzles-9781512419689\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/The-Secret-of-the-Skeleton-Key.jpeg\" alt=\"The Secret of the Skeleton Key book\" class=\"wp-image-859\" width=\"108\" height=\"156\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>3. Practice persuasive writing.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Critical thinking for kids goes hand-in-hand with persuasive writing. Effective persuasion requires seeing situations from multiple angles in order to understand potential objections that might arise. LightSail\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/writing\/\">Authentic Writing modules<\/a> give logic-stage kids an opportunity to practice their persuasive writing. Try assigning an Authentic Writing assignment along with a text that encourages the reader to think twice about its message. Fables, such as Aesop\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/the-town-mouse-and-the-country-mouse-LC00000000235\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Town Mouse and the Country Mous<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/catalog\/book\/the-town-mouse-and-the-country-mouse-aesop\/LC00000000235\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">e<\/a>,\u201d are good examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/the-town-mouse-and-the-country-mouse-LC00000000235\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/The-Town-Mouse-and-the-Country-Mouse.jpeg\" alt=\"The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse book\" class=\"wp-image-860\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Start working on your middle schoolers\u2019 critical-thinking skills now. That way, by the time they reach the rhetoric stage, they may be ready for some of LightSail\u2019s more challenging logic titles, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/symbolic-logic%C2%A0-GB00000028696\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Symbolic Logic<\/em> by Lewis Carroll<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/catalog\/book\/symbolic-logic%C2%A0-carroll-lewis\/GB00000028696\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/book\/symbolic-logic%C2%A0-GB00000028696\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"106\" height=\"141\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Symbolic-Logic-by-Lewis-Carroll.jpeg\" alt=\"Symbolic Logic book\" class=\"wp-image-861\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/registration\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/web-banner-300x250-new-1-1024x853.jpg\" alt=\"sign up for homeschool literacy program\" class=\"wp-image-1201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/web-banner-300x250-new-1-1024x853.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/web-banner-300x250-new-1-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/web-banner-300x250-new-1-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/web-banner-300x250-new-1.jpg 1250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During the logic stage \u2014 approximately grades five through eight \u2014 students begin to examine the world in new ways. Rather than simply absorbing information, they begin to put more thought into why the world is the way it is. They get better at making connections, evaluating situations, and formulating persuasive arguments. In other words, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v18.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Critical thinking skills for homeschoolers | LightSail for Homeschoolers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here\u2019s how to refine your middle schoolers\u2019 developing brain power and prepare them to excel at logical thinking.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lightsailed.com\/homeschool\/blog\/homeschool-tips\/critical-thinking-skills-for-homeschoolers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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