Season 2 · Fall 2026
Founding Sparks filled before we listed it. Season 2 is filling now. $449 for all 8 sessions · No payment required to hold a seat.
Save my seatWhat kids learn
Each session teaches one real thinking skill — the kind that transfers everywhere.
Pattern detection, elimination, constraint navigation, estimation under uncertainty, and strategy. The program ends with the Spark Challenge — a team scenario where the winning team isn’t the one with the right answer, it’s the one with the clearest reasoning.
Section 1 · See What Others Miss
Pattern Detection · Elimination
Session 1 · Pattern Detection
In Session 1, kids spot a pattern — then realize it's wrong. That moment, catching the mistake, is the real skill.
Badge: Archimedes Badge
Session 2 · Elimination
In Session 2, kids solve a puzzle by ruling things out — the fastest path to the answer.
Badge: Euclid Badge
Section 2 · Understand the System
Constraints · Hidden Rules
Session 3 · Constraints
In Session 3, kids face rules that seem limiting — until they realize the rules actually guide the solution.
Badge: Snow Badge
Session 4 · Hidden Rules
Hidden rules are where the advantage lives. Kids learn to find them.
Badge: Lovelace Badge
Section 3 · Decide Without All the Facts
Estimation · Order of Operations
Session 5 · Estimation
In Session 5, kids estimate something without counting — using logic instead of exact numbers.
Badge: Fermi Badge
Session 6 · Order of Operations
In Session 6, kids catch a mistake made by AI — and understand why it looked right at first.
Badge: Al-Khwarizmi Badge
Section 4 · Think Beyond What You Control
Strategy · Game Theory
Session 7 · Strategy
In Sessions 7 and 8, kids play strategy games where the best move depends on what someone else might do next.
Badge: Sun Tzu Badge
Session 8 · Game Theory · The Spark Challenge
Strong reasoning means thinking several moves ahead — and understanding the best move depends on your opponent.
Badge: Turing Badge
What every session looks like
Four phases. 60 minutes. Same every time.
Ignite
8–10 min
High-energy warm-up. Activates before concept.
Sharpen
8–10 min
One concept introduced. A Spark of History — a real person who used the same principle. The AHA moment.
Engage
30–40 min
The game. Kids work the problem. Instructor circulates and questions, doesn't solve.
Reinforce
5–10 min
Reflect, connect to the real world. Closes with the closing question.
Sparks of History · stories of the great thinkers
A real person who used the same thinking principle to change something that mattered.
Every session features a Spark of History — the story of someone who used the same skill we’re teaching to change something that mattered. We don’t just teach critical thinking; we show its impact through history. We make a poster for each Spark — they hang in the classroom, and you can grab the full print masters below.

Session 1 · Pattern Detection
Ignaz Semmelweis
Spotting the pattern others missed.
Vienna, 1840s. By comparing two maternity clinics, Semmelweis spotted the pattern that explained why so many mothers were dying — and invented handwashing. The medical establishment ignored him for decades.
Download poster (PDF) →
Session 2 · Elimination
Dr. John Snow
Ruling out every alternative until one remained.
London, 1854. Snow mapped every cholera death and eliminated every other water source until one pump on Broad Street remained. Removing its handle ended the outbreak — and founded modern epidemiology.
Download poster (PDF) →More on the way as we run more sessions.
Two tracks
Grade-calibrated, never undifferentiated.
Ember Track
Grades 2–3
Max 6 students · dedicated instructor · same 8-session arc, calibrated to younger reasoners.
Blaze Track
Grades 4–6
Max 6 students · dedicated instructor · same 8-session arc, calibrated to older reasoners.
What your child walks away with
After 8 sessions, your child will be better at:
- Figuring things out without being told
- Working through problems step-by-step
- Noticing when something doesn't make sense
- Explaining how they got an answer
- Staying calm when they don't immediately know what to do
- Thinking a few steps ahead instead of reacting
Questions parents ask
FAQ
What is it?
An 8-session program that teaches kids to think through hard problems — through hands-on problem solving, not lectures.
Who is it for?
Kids in grades 2–6 across two tracks: Ember (grades 2–3) and Blaze (grades 4–6). Kids who like puzzles, ask 'why?', and get bored when problems are too easy.
What will my kid actually do?
Solve logic grids, crack pattern sequences, find hidden rules in systems, estimate quantities using real engineering methods, catch AI mistakes, and present their reasoning in a capstone challenge.
How is it different?
We don't teach a subject. We teach a method — how to approach problems you've never seen before. That skill transfers everywhere.
Is it tutoring?
No — it's closer to training. We don't help with school subjects. We teach how to approach a problem you've never seen before. That skill transfers to everything.
What does it cost?
Season 2 — Fall 2026 is $449 for all 8 sessions (both tracks, same price), starting the week of September 7. No payment required to hold a seat — slots are offered in order of registration, and we'll be in touch with payment details once Season 2 is locked.