The Critical Thinking Co. ™

Disclaimer:  I received this complimentary product through the 

Homeschool Review Crew.

The Critical Thinking Co.™ offers over two hundred books and software in reading, writing, math, science, social studies, critical thinking, as well as test prep. Supplemental workbooks as well as full curriculum options are available for students in Preschool through the 12th grade. Over the past weeks Building Thinking Skills® Level 2 -Grades 4-6 (Ages 9-12). The Building Thinking Skills Series® is the #1 selling Thinking Skills Program in the World! There are 412 pages and 10 chapters in the Level 2 workbook. Critical thinking skills are essential in all subjects as students progress to middle and high school. Level 2 first presents activities in semi-concrete figural-spatial form and then in abstract verbal form. This workbook is considered a full Curriculum. 

The 10 Chapters in Building Thinking Skills® Level 2 (Color) include:

1. Describing Shapes
2. Figural Similarities and Differences 
3. Figural Sequences
4. Figural Classifications
5. Figural Analogies
6. Describing Things
7. Verbal Similarities and Differences
8. Verbal Sequences
9. Verbal Classifications
10. Verbal Analogies

In every exercise students must use critical thinking skills in order to complete what is asked. The wide variety of activities requires students to think through problems from many angles. For example, in Chapter 1 students are shown a shape on a grid and are told that each dot is 1/2" to the next dot. They are to then estimate the square inches of the shape. In Chapter 2 students are shown a half shape on a grid and then are asked to draw and color each shape as it will look when unfolded. In Chapter 5 students are asked to draw a figure to complete each analogy using a dot grid. In Chapter 8 students are given a grid and are asked to follow a set of directions. 

Some of the Level 2 skills that your student will learn are:

Figural-Spatial Skills

• Describing Shapes
• Describing, Enlarging, Reducing, Copying Shapes
• Stacking, Rotating, Folding, Symmetry
• Classifying, Identifying, Organizing
• Analogies and Diagrams

Verbal Skills

• Reading Maps
• True/False, If/Then, Yes/No, Compare/Contrast
• Directions, Orientation
• Writing Descriptions
• Sequencing 
• Analogies: Create, Explain, Association, Type

Here are a few examples of activities. 

Estimating Area

Tumbling (Rotating) Figures

Paper Folding

Complete Figural Analogies

Which Figure Does Not Match?

Describing Solids

Building Thinking Skills® Level 2 would be a great summer enrichment activity workbook to help your child develop necessary critical thinking skills. Maybe your are looking ahead to the upcoming school year for a full curriculum in Critical Thinking. The skills learned are will help students in their reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and standardized tests. This 10 chapter workbook with a full answer key in the back of the book has your covered. My Fellow Crew Members have reviewed many The Critical Thinking Co.™ materials both supplemental and full Curriculum. Be sure to check out all of the reviews that range from Pre-K through grade 9. I would highly recommend Building Thinking Skills® Level 2 for grades 4-6. I would add that younger students working through the workbook may become frustrated with the activities and may need some help. I would also add that as a homeschool parent you may find Level 2 is a great fit for your child outside of the suggested grade range. The Critical Thinking Co.™offers sample page of the Level 2 workbook. You can also browse their site to look at the many levels of the Building Thinking Skills® to find the perfect fit for your child.