Mind Benders- Verbal: Deductive Thinking Skills [Paperback]

Anita Harnadek (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1999 | ISBN-10: 0894550381 | ISBN-13: 978-0894550386

These activities may be read aloud to young students to encourage them to comprehend and organize sets of clues, deduce logical conclusions, and match up attributes in simple situations. Reading level: grade 3; ability level: grades K-2; 78 activities and answers included. Reproducible for single-classroom or single-home use.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Deductive reasoning is an important skill for students to master. It is essential to success in reading, math, writing, social studies, and science at all grade levels. Mind Benders(r) are a fun and challenging way for students to sharpen the deductive reasoning skills they'll need for better academic performance, higher test scores, and for real-life problem solving!

From the Author

OTHER TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR -- Mind Benders A1, ISBN 0-89455-017-9; Mind Benders A2, ISBN 0-89455-018-7; Mind Benders A3, ISBN 0-89455-121-3; Mind Benders A4, ISBN 0-89455-123-X; Mind Benders B1, ISBN 0-89455-019-5; Mind Benders B2, ISBN 0-89455-020-9; Mind Benders B3, ISBN 0-89455-125-6; Mind Benders B4, ISBN 0-89455-127-2; Mind Benders C1, ISBN 0-89455-021-7; Mind Benders C2, ISBN 0-89455-022-5; Mind Benders C3, ISBN 0-89455-129-9.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Critical Thinking Press (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0894550381
• ISBN-13: 978-0894550386
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly what I was expecting, but good, April 6, 2005

By 

Amy (Alexandria, Vatican City State (Holy See)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mind Benders- Verbal: Deductive Thinking Skills (Paperback)

"Mind Benders Warm Up" is a collection of 78 logic tests that may remind you of the GRE (only much easier!). It is a workbook with about 30 consumable or reproducible pages printed in black and white on lower quality paper. (The inside title page gives copyright okay for reproducing the pages for a single classroom's use.) There are approximately four problems per page with about two inches between each problem for making notes or diagramming the problem.

The publisher's home page provides an image of one page of four problems, including the following:

"18. Rocky and Terrible are a bird and an elephant. Rocky weighs more than Terrible. Who is what?"

This book also includes math "word problems" along the lines of, If this thing is ten inches long and that one is five inches longer, how long is that one? (not a direct quote).

Although the problems are quite easy for adults (and if there are any that do have you scratching your head, there is an answer key in the front geared towards parents or teachers and a strategy guide in the back for students), they are useful for introducing logic problems to younger children. They are easy enough to prevent extreme frustration, but they allow a child to build up skills in deductive reasoning.

Susan Bauer in "The Well Trained Mind" recommends that parents or teachers start their children off with this level no matter what their ages. I disagree with that; I believe most older children would find these problems much too easy. I would advise parents to look at the problems on the publisher's website and determine whether their children are at or beyond that level before purchasing this book.

It is a good, simple workbook to introduce young children to skills that will help them on many tests for years to come.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm up your child's mind, October 2, 2000

By 

Dianna Roberts-Khan (Juneau, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mind Benders- Verbal: Deductive Thinking Skills (Paperback)

This workbook has been great in preparing my homeschooled children for logic courses and subsequent Mind Benders workbooks. The problems appear easy for adults, but children under eight or nine find them challenging and interesting. I strongly recommend this workbook before starting higher level logic books.

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Simple ... Very Simple, September 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Mind Benders- Verbal: Deductive Thinking Skills (Paperback)

This book was recommended to use first NO MATTER WHAT grade level your child is. Then, you could skip to the appropriate level book for your child. ***Please note, that I'm sure the book is fine for the K-2 that it is recommended for. However, I believe it is a waste of money for the 4th and up grades, and therefore not necessary to use first.