This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Learn 15 different logical fallacies — and develop the skills, tools, and habits of stepping back, analyzing a situation, and thinking logically and clearly. Critical thinking is a must for all students!
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 9th grade. Mature 6th-grade or interested older High School students are also welcome.
Suggested credit: One full semester Formal Logic
Special Notes: This is Part One of a two-part course. Students are expected to register for Part Two in the spring.
Description
Middle school is a great time to introduce formal logic! Your student’s brain has reached a point of neurological development where he or she is ready to grapple with and consider material in a logical manner. This course combines the concrete with the abstract with a method that will lead your student to develop a habit of stepping back, analyzing a situation, and thinking logically. By skillfully and methodically completing this course, your student will know the concepts surrounding 15 different fallacies — and gain the ability to decipher, analyze, and contend with logical fallacies. Following this course, continue exploring the topic by signing up for Detecting Logical Fallacies, Part Two.
Outline
Class 1: Introduction & Lesson 1
Class 2: Lessons 2 & 3
Class 3: Lessons 4 & 5
Class 4: Lessons 6 & 7
Class 5: Lessons 8 & 9
Class 6: Lesson 10 & Prep for Mid-Term
Class 7: Lessons 11 & 12
Class 8: Lessons 13 & 14
Class 9: Lessons 15 & 16
Class 10: Lessons 17 & 18
Class 11: Lessons 19 & 20
Class 12: Lesson 21 & Prep for Final Exam
Materials and Homework
Materials
Students require BOTH the book AND the online access listed below.
BOOK:
The Fallacy Detective by Nathaniel & Hans Bluedorn
ISBN: 9780974531595 OR 9780974531571.
Note: Utilizing a used copy of any edition that contains all the lessons (even if the Lessons are numbered differently) is fine and often more affordable (see BookFinder.com).
This course covers the first parts of this book (Part Two will briefly review the first parts and then cover the last parts).
ONLINE: Join the Quizlet class for this course and utilize its sets on Quizlet.com (Free student accounts are available.) A link to join the specific Quizlet class for this course will be posted on the course page.
Homework
Students will work on about two chapters per week. Parents should note that the answer key in the back of the textbook is for students to self-grade as practice for their weekly work and to prepare for the class discussions. In addition to the Practice Questions using each of the textbook’s lessons (self-evaluated and reported on Caravel), there are Quizlet Terms/Definitions and Tests: 4 Quizzes, a Mid-Term, and a Final Exam (all graded on Caravel).
Important Dates
Class dates: Tuesdays, September 10 to December 3, 2024. (No class Nov. 26)
Starting time: 4:00 PM Eastern (3:00 PM Central; 2:00 PM Mountain; 1:00 PM Pacific)
Duration: 45 minutes
