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OLSAT-8® Level D recommended for administration in Gr 3
 
Welcome to our list of recommended resources to help your highly capable Third Grader do well in the OLSAT test. 
 
For more information as to why we recommend what we do see our Skill Matrix and Recommendations to Prepare for the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test®
  
If you'd like suggestions for your situation please contact us with some information about your child and we'd be happy to help.
 
All the titles discussed below can be purchased using the links at the bottom of the page
 
For most able third graders Building Thinking Skills Level 2, Logic Countdown, Visual Discrimination and Patterns in Mathematics are a great place to start. 
 
 Building Thinking Skills Level 2  Logic Countdown  Visual Discrimination   Patterns in Mathematics
 
 
We also highly recommend Think Analogies, Primary Grade Challenge Math and Gruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking.  These complement and supplement the four titles above.
 
   Think Analogies A1     Primary Grade Challenge Math     Gruber's Test Guide Gr 3

Building Thinking Skills Level 2 is our number one recommendation if your child is reading confidently at at least a fourth grade level (if not start with Level 1).  This is a Gr 4-6 product covering verbal and nonverbal reasoning.  Software is also available which covers the same skills, with the same examples, but the presentation is very different.  The choice of book or software is up to you.  The presentation of the book is more like that of the test but the software may be more engaging and can be used more independently.  Exercises can be repeated more easily with the software enabling a third grader to rework areas they find challenging until they master them.  Many of our customers choose to purchase both book and software particularly if they have a short period of time before testing.  The book allows for a quick overview and looks more like the actual test but children are frequently willing to spend more time "playing" with software than answering questions in a workbook.  Our personal preference is for the book so that highly capable children can skip sections that are easy for them. 

Logic is a key skill in any test taking situation.  Strong logic skills enable you to eliminate the obviously wrong options and focus on what you really need to do to determine the correct answer.  Logic Countdown also has exercises on analogies and sequences.  While primarily language based there are some figure and some number questions too.
 
Visual Discrimination is all about exploring and solving picture patterns.  This is what you need to do for the Nonverbal questions on the OLSAT.
 
Patterns in Mathematics is all about numbers to ensure that a child both has the base mathematical knowledge required and the ability to apply that to number analogies and puzzles and series.
 
Verbal Analogies is an area where many children benefit from additional work.  Think Analogies begins with verbal classification exercises and develops the skills necessary to reason by analogy.
 
Primary Grade Challenge Math is an excellent math enrichment book.  With an emphasis on problem solving it includes number sequences (series) and math function problems (math analogies).  Primary Grade Challenge Math challenges a child to use the math they already know to solve problems of a type they haven't seen before.  This ability is what the OLSAT tests for and a high level of problem solving ability well serve a child well after the test date too.
 
Finally Gruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking was written with an eye to children taking entrance exams for competitive private skills.  For the OLSAT it has sections on Sentence Completion and Verbal Analogies.  It also has a math refresher overview to ensure that your child has the basics off pat.  Finally sections on Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension and Writing aren't directly applicable to the OLSAT but many children take the OLSAT in conjunction with the Stanford or other achievement based test and these sections can be used for that.
 
 
Your child may need additional work in one or more areas
 

 
More Quantitative Reasoning
            
The quantitative analysis battery in the OLSAT is not about math per se but rather about understanding relationships between numerical concepts and how numbers can be manipulated.  If math is not your child's strength you might like to start with Mathematical Reasoning D or Mathematical Reasoning E.  The Mathematical Reasoning series integrates reasoning activities into grade level mathematics.  If your child is an able math student you do not need Mathematical Reasoning.
 
Math Analogies presents figural and quantitative analogies.  From the quantitative reasoning perspective your child will get exposure to grade level appropriate concepts of measurement and calculation.  They'll also learn how to identify the "expected" answer.
 
For a child who focuses on the algorithm for solving a problem and doesn't do well when presented with novel problems try Scratch Your Brain.  The questions don't require complex math but you have to think about how to go about solving them.

 
More Verbal Reasoning

If your child needs more work in the verbal reasoning area and particularly if they are bilingual we recommend some additional vocabulary titles.  Vocabulary Cartoons and Word Roots are different approaches to extending vocabulary.     We have a section on our website focusing specifically on Vocabulary.
 
Analogies is another area where you can never do enough.  Working analogy problems develops all the verbal skill areas which will be tested.  Additional Analogy titles can be found in our Analogies section.
 

More Non-Verbal Reasoning
If you'd like further resources to work on your child's non-verbal reasoning ability you'll find a number of other suggestions under our NNAT recommendatons.   Some children need more hands on exercises before they are ready to visualize as is necessary to answer OLSAt questions.  Games and puzzles can help with this.
 
 

Deductive Logic - Avoid Silly Errors?
We always recommend Mind Benders for any multi-choice test. These are deductive logic puzzles. This is the skill you use in multi-choice testing to eliminate (a) and (b) as impossible even though you don’t know the answer thereby improving the chance of guessing correctly. They are also great for practicing the type of reading required for multi-choice testing where every word matters. Many able children skim read. For testing they need to practice slowing down and taking account of every word. Book 3 would be a good place to start but we have titles above and below this in difficulty. There are 14 titles in the Mind Benders series.

 
 
Software or Book?
The choice is up to you and your child.  Your child will be exposed to the same skills whichever format you choose.  Books are more portable but they don't allow easily for repetition of difficult exercises.  Software can be used by multiple children and varying the presentation of material may engage a child's interest for longer.  For most of the titles we don't have a strong preference either way.  Where we do you can find that information in the detailed product description (click on "more info" after any of the brief descriptions below.) 
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Mathematical Reasoning Grades 2-4 Supplement Mathematical Reasoning Grades 2-4 Supplement

Grade(s): 2-4
Pages: 154

Reinforce 2nd to 4th grade math concepts and skills by asking students to apply these skills and concepts to non-routine problems. Applying mathematical knowledge to new problems is the ultimate test of concept mastery and mathematical reasoning. This is the difference between quantitative reasoning and math. Solutions included.

Our Price: $24.99
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Visual Discrimination Visual Discrimination: Exploring and Solving Picture Patterns

Grade: 2-6
Pages: 36
Reproducible for single home or classroom use

Developing the ability to recognize visual patterns builds visual discrimination and critical thinking skills necessary for academic achievement. 30 reproducible worksheets of increasing complexity. Each worksheet provides the student with the task of examining pictures to identify patterns and sequences.

Our Price: $8.95
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Language Smarts Level D Language Smarts Level D

This fun, mind building book teaches standards-based language arts and develops critical thinking skills. Language Smarts™ can serve as a core curriculum for language arts or as a supplemental resource. Empower your child's mind as you improve their vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, reading, and writing skills.

Our Price: $42.99
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Mind Benders Book 3 Mind Benders Book 3

Grade(s): 3-6
Activities: 60
Pages: 48, perforated

Our best-selling deductive thinking puzzles develop logic, reading comprehension, and mental organizational skills that are vital to achieving high grades and top test scores in all subjects. They’re also great for developing real-life, problem-solving skills.

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Think Analogies A1 Think Analogies A1

Grade(s): 3-5
Activities: 48
Pages: 56

Think Analogies® clearly, easily, and effectively teaches students how to analyze and classify analogies by relationship, category, and structure. Also available in a software format as Think Analogy Puzzles A1

Our Price: $12.99
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Logic Countdown Logic Countdown

Grade(s): 3-4
Pages: 32

Challenging and instructional, these thought-provoking books present sequential exercises in logical reasoning that include relationships, analogies, syllogisms, sequences, deductive reasoning, inference, truth-values, and logical notation.

Our Price: $14.95
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Patterns in Mathematics Patterns in Mathematics

Grade: 3-6
Pages: 88

Diverse reproducible activity pages range from completing simple patterns to data sorting and classification. The activities develop conceptual skills that will be important to success in more abstract math subjects.

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Upper Elementary Challenge Math Upper Elementary Challenge Math

Grade(s): 3-5
Pages: 380

Designed for students who need more challenging material than they typically encounter in most math curricula. Each chapter contains instruction and problems at 4 levels of difficulty. In addition, each chapter includes multiple “problem sets” in which a single problem type is presented in increasingly complex steps, illustrating how a simpler problem can progress from one step to multistep problem solving.

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Math Analogies Level 2 Math Analogies Level 2

Grade(s): 4-5
Pages: 48

Understanding analogies and the ability to reason analogically are important problem-solving skills. There are few resources to assist children in the explict use of analogous reasoning with quantitative and spatial information. This series fills that void.

Our Price: $11.99
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Language Smarts Level E Language Smarts Level E

Grade(s): 4
Pages: 400

This fun, mind building book teaches standards-based language arts and develops critical thinking skills. Language Smarts™ can serve as a core curriculum for language arts or as a supplemental resource. Empower your child's mind as you improve their vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, reading, and writing skills.

Our Price: $42.99
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Mathematical Reasoning Level E Mathematical Reasoning Level E

Grade(s): 4
Pages: 384

Grade level math presented in a way which bridges the gap between computation and mathematical reasoning. Use for variety, fun and understanding.

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Think-A-Minutes B1 Think-A-Minutes B1 (Dr Funster's)

Grade(s): 4-5
Activities: 40
Pages: 46

A collection of fast, fun riddles, puzzles and teasers from a variety of out of print and currently available books published by The Critical Thinking Company. Activities include language development, math, writing, visual-spatial, and perceptual skills activities that build deductive, inductive, and logical reasoning.

Our Price: $8.99
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Math Analogies Level 3 Math Analogies Level 3

Grade(s): 6-7
Pages: 64, perforated, reproducible

Understanding analogies and the ability to reason analogically are important problem-solving skills. There are few resources to assist children in the explicit use of analogous reasoning with quantitative and spatial information. This series fills that void.

Our Price: $11.99
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Dare to Compare: Math Dare to Compare: Math Level 2

Grade(s): 6-7
Pages: 92, perforated, reproducible

This collection of 150 problems recasts more traditional math problems from a single calculation to two or more calculations to to make a comparison and come to a final conclusion.

Our Price: $12.99
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Math Analogies Level 4 Math Analogies Level 4

Grade(s): 8-9
Pages: 58

Understanding analogies and the ability to reason analogically are important problem-solving skills. There are few resources to assist children in the explict use of analogous reasoning with quantitative and spatial information. This series fills that void.

Our Price: $11.99
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OLSAT® and Otis-Lennon School Ability Test® are registered trademarks of NCS Pearson (previously Harcourt Assessment Services) who own rights to and publish the OLSAT-8®.  The recommendations made here are those of Think Tonight and are not endorsed by NCS Pearson.