Thinking Skills

Blokus

Author(s): 
Bernard Tavitian

www.blokus.com

Blokus is more than just the most awarded game in recent history; it has almost become a phenomenon. A visit to the company website will quickly convince you how popular this game has become; international tournaments, online demonstrations, interactive Internet-based games, and even a free lost-part replacement service are just some of the features. After playing the game for several months, we are convinced that these awards are well-deserved!

Traditional Logic

Author(s): 
Martin Cothran

This is a very competent book with a perfectly straightforward layout. It covers the basic topics of the form of the syllogism and the forms that produce valid conclusions.

The Four Questions Logic Tutorial

Shirreware, a small independent producer of educational software based in northeast Kansas, has two new products available now for High School and College students who are studying logic. Descriptions from their website state:

Our first program, Labyrynthâ„¢, presents students of traditional, or Aristotelian, logic with a series of questions and problems to solve through the medium of a three-dimensional, graphical world.

The Dot and the Line

Author(s): 
Norton Juster

Freedom is not a license for chaos. is my son's signature below his email messages. It was written by Norton Juster, of The Phantom Toolbooth fame, and it comes from our almost-17-year-old's favorite book.

Railroad RushHour: Train Escape Game

Book cover: 'Railroad RushHour: Train Escape Game'

I can hardly say enough good things about this fun and thought-provoking game (which a good friend gave to my son for his birthday a few days ago). Each of the 50 playing cards presents a puzzle scenario which you set up on the gameboard with the train pieces. The object is to move the pieces around until you can get the red locomotive off the board. The puzzle scenarios gradually increase in difficulty, but all of them are fun and challenging (even for parents!).