Matthew Lipman

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ISBN

0-916834-33-6

Publication Date

2002

Publisher

Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children

Number of Pages

132

Summary

Thinking Trees and Laughing Cats includes fifty-four stories intended to be used with puppets (even if the story is told by a narrator, the narrator should be a puppet). Each story is preceded by an indication of some key concepts found in it, and is followed by a short list of leading Ideas that correlate to the New Jersey state core curriculum standards for early childhood (ages three to four). Those standards are provided in an appendix to the book, which includes an additional category of standards developed at the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children for young reasoning, judgment, and creativity. Each story is also followed by philosophical exercises including asking questions, making up stories, drawing pictures, and playing simple games.

Excerpt

Alex opens a picture book. There is Mr. Cat.

Alex thinks, “Mr. Cat is long! Mr. Cat is very long!

Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Elephant.

Alex thinks, “Mr. Elephant is long! Mr. Elephant is very long!” Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Giraffe.

Alex thinks, “Mr. Giraffe is long! Mr. Giraffe is very long!” Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Snake.

Alex thinks, “Mr. Snake is long! Mr. Snake is very long!”

Alex closes the book and thinks, “They are all the same! They are all long!”

Alex thinks and thinks.

She opens the book again. There is Mr. Cat.

“What is long on Mr. Cat?” she wonders.

Then she shouts, “His whiskers! Mr. Cat’s whiskers are long!”

Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Elephant.

“What is long on Mr. Elephant?” she wonders.

Then she shouts, “His trunk! Mr. Elephant’s trunk is long!”

Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Giraffe.

“What is long on Mr. Giraffe?” she wonders.

Then she shouts, “His neck! Mr. Giraffe’s neck is long!”

Alex turns the page. There is Mr. Snake.

“What is long on Mr. Snake?” she wonders.

Then she shouts, “His whole body! Mr. Snake’s body is long!”

Alex closes the book and thinks, “They are all different!”

Alex thinks and thinks and thinks.

“They are all the same and they are all different!” she thinks.

Then she wonders, “Can they be the same and different?” Can it be? Can things be the same and different at the same time?”

Keywords

preschool curriculum, thinking, analogies, puppet stories

1. Thinking Trees and Laughing Cats: A Thinking Curriculum for Pre-school Education

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