Thinking Toolbox, 7th-12th, summer 2026

$225 covers the entire course. Additional materials required.

Thinking Toolbox (grades 7-12, no previous experience necessary)

Minimum 4 students.

Instructor A. Bell

Mondays @ 10:10-11:05 CST
Dates: 6/8-8/17 (no class 7/13)

Required text: The Thinking Toolbox: 35 Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills

Once you purchase the class and fill out THIS REGISTRATION FORM, we will email you the Google Classroom code. That's where you'll find your link to Zoom, etc. If you register fewer than 24 hours before the first class starts, the class recording will be made available to you. Contact us if you wish to begin later in the semester. 

Book description from the publisher's website:

This book is like a toolbox, full of different kinds of tools you can use for different thinking tasks. Just as you use the wrench in a regular tool box to fix the sink, so you can use the tools we give you in this book to solve thinking problems.

• When it is dumb to argue
• Using the scientific method
• Five rules of brainstorming
• Who has a reason to lie?
• How to analyze opposing viewpoints
• How to analyze evidence and sources
• How to list reasons why you believe something
• And much more

Sample lesson from the publisher's website.

In this class, students will use pre-written scenarios to learn advanced thinking and reasoning skills. The sessions will focus on discussion and verbal exercises rather than homework, allowing students to engage with the material and deepen their critical thinking skills. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to recognize flawed reasoning (even in themselves) and better evaluate the information they encounter. 

This class will advance at the pace of the students, taking longer with some assignments if necessary. The result is that some groups of students may not entirely finish the book. The ultimate goal is retention and understanding of presented concepts, not 100% completion of the course.

To see instructor credentials, check out our FAQ page.

Online classes meet via Zoom.

No refunds unless the class is canceled. If a student is unable to complete the class for some reason, they will still have access to the weekly videos. :)