Fallacy Detectors
A story-based course that teaches kids to spot logical fallacies through science-fiction videos and activities.
Education Website
★★★★★I've been doing this myself as an adult and I find them easy to understand and entertaining. My eldest child, (8y.o.) started watching with me and said that...— Liliana
★★★★★So far my kids and I are loving the courses. Fallacy Detectors today was great and sparked a lively discussion about circular reasoning, when we’ve done it...— Kourtney
★★★★★This was so easy to comprehend for my child and was so engaging both us parents did it together with him. It took us by surprise how much he enjoyed it and how...— Jessica A.
★★★★★My 8 year old son LOVED [Fallacy Detectors] part 1 and had so much fun doing the quizzes! I also had a great time watching it and talking about it.— Megan, parent
★★★★★I learned about different types of fallacies which help me to identify them when having a conversation. I've been able to identify LOADS of circular reasoning!— Adèle, 9
★★★★★The videos are great! They're fun, engaging, and in just a few days, my son is understanding logical fallacies so much better than he was before, after like a year of lessons!— Anonymous
★★★★★[My daughter] followed the entire Fallacy Detector Part 1 and immediately asked to do the other classes as well ... we had a very long discussion about what she learned over dinner.— Nino, parent
★★★★★Critikid is an all-around great tool for children and teens who want to develop their analytical skills.— Ben, 15
★★★★★I did this course to assess critical thinking content for kids, as I feel it is sorely lacking generally in school curricular and may be one of the reasons for...— Dr Amy
★★★★★I LOVED it so much i think everyone should do it.— Advit
★★★★☆Great— Rachel
★★★★★I am exploring critical learning techniques for young students and am curious about the structure used.....seems consistency in delivery is...— Clinton Laird
★★★★★I always like doing math and puzzles, but The Fallacy Detectors was extra fun. And I spotted a fallacy in a book the other day!— Tessa, 9
★★★★★Fallacy Detectors has provided so much clarity for my child; he's had the best time running around using his newfound understanding of logical fallacies.— Tiffany F.
★★★★☆We're 3 homeschooled siblings (8, 10, 12) and we learned lots and had many discussions together about the fallacies. Our favorite parts were the videos with...— Frances Pinero
★★★★★This was a great experience for my kiddo. He was really motivated by the cool music and the effects used in the sessions. Listening in, I know I learned some -...— Amanda
About Fallacy Detectors
Learning to spot logical fallacies helps kids think more carefully about what they hear, read, and say. It teaches them to question persuasive claims and explain their own ideas more clearly.
In Fallacy Detectors, kids go on a cyber-space adventure while learning to recognize and respond to common logical fallacies. As the story unfolds, they see characters make reasoning mistakes in context before learning the name of each fallacy.
What's Included
- 10 short videos featuring animated sci-fi stories with lessons
- Multiple-choice questions to check understanding
- Writing tasks
- Story-based quizzes for cumulative review
The course takes about 6 hours to complete. You can extend it with the Logical Fallacies Worksheets and Lesson Plans. They cover the same fallacies and add discussion prompts and activities that help kids connect them to real-life examples.
Logical Fallacies Covered
- Circular reasoning
- Burden of proof fallacy
- False dilemma
- Tu quoque
- Appeal to nature
- Hasty generalization
- Guilt by association
- Middle ground fallacy
- Slippery slope fallacy
- Sunk cost fallacy
To learn more about these fallacies, read Critikid's Logical Fallacy Handbook.
For Teachers
Critikid offers classroom subscriptions that allow educators to give course access to an unlimited number of students. These subscriptions also include the supplementary teaching materials. To learn more, visit the For Schools page.
If you don’t need unlimited student access but want the teaching materials, you can purchase the Logical Fallacies Teachers' Bundle. This includes one pass to Fallacy Detectors and the worksheets and lesson plans.
What are logical fallacies?
Logical fallacies are bad arguments or flaws in reasoning. They often come up in conversation and debate.
Sometimes people commit logical fallacies intentionally to try to win arguments, but sometimes it’s accidental. Critikid’s goal is to teach kids how to recognize not only when others are committing logical fallacies, but also when they themselves are unintentionally committing them.
Does this course align with Common Core standards?
Yes. Fallacy Detectors aligns with several Common Core ELA standards.
View the alignments by grade:
For writing standards with subsections, teachers and parents can guide the open-ended writing prompts toward particular skills within a standard for more targeted practice.
Does this course align with CASEL competencies?
Yes. Fallacy Detectors supports CASEL competencies in Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making. Students practice examining bias, recognizing situational demands, communicating clearly, resolving conflicts, and making reasoned decisions after evaluating information and consequences.
Can I use ESA funds to buy this course?
Critikid is an approved Education Service Provider with the New Hampshire Children’s Scholarship Fund. Learn more.
What are the usage rights for this course? Is it reusable?
When you purchase this course, it’s tied to the email address used at checkout (unless you click "Buy as a Gift"). This means you get access for one person, but they can run through the course as many times as they want. If you’d like a school license with multiple passes, visit the For Schools page.
