Sharon in MD and others - about Jacob's Algebra, Foerster's Algebra

[SS in MD]

Thanks for the posts reguarding Alg 1. I had a few follow up questions relating to Jacobs & Foersters-

 

1) Will either Jacobs or Foersters be over my 12yo 7th graders head? She's finishing up SM 6B by May, so I was going to continue with SM Challenging Word Problems thru' the summer then start Alg 1. I'd say she is slightly above avg in math. But not the type that just "gets it" right

away. Which one would you recommend?

 

2) I saw that I could purchase Foersters Alg 1 Student Edition on Pearson Learning website (thanks for the link Sharon). But, noticed I can't buy the TM or tests or solutions book. Where else can these be purchased?

 

3) Also, I stumbled upon this website -http://www.homeschoolmath.net/reviews/foerster_algebra_1_home_study_companion.php

when I was searching by "Foerster Algebra 1" has anyone used this companion CD to Foersters Alg 1?? Was it worth buying?

 

4) For either text, do did you dc simply do one lesson day? (I need something pretty much independent as I'm also schooling 3 others)

 

5) For either text, is there a website where I can see samples? I requested a sample from Pearson Learning, just don't know how soon they'll send me something... thanks!

 

Sharon, thanks for telling me to look for either texts at the MACHE fair. I planning to attend (unless something arises). DO you know of any other fairs in the MD/N.VA area that are latter in the summer??

 

Thanks so much everyone for responding! I'm all ears! :bigear:

[Krista in LA]

We also did Singapore math through 6B. She gets math easily, so we actually finished that in 5th grade. I took a year to work on Lial's Basic College Math just to give her some extra practice and have things presented differently. I liked that book a lot, but it wasn't necessary. She has been working along just fine in Jacobs'. We sometimes take a couple days to do a lesson, but pretty much she does one lesson a day. We both like it. I went ahead and got the test masters and the teacher's guide, but I have only used the teacher's guide to check answers on the problem sets 1 and 3. I have never seen Foerster's so I can't compare it to that.

[yinne]

You can buy the TE and whatever else you want from Pearson, but you will need to sign up through their Oasis system and provide proof that you are homeschooling. Once that is done you will have an account and can order teacher as well as student resources.

 

http://phcatalog.pearson.com/program_multiple.cfm?site_id=6&discipline_id=806&subarea_id=1312&program_id=21021&view_feat=1

 

Go back to this page at the Pearson site and click on the Oasis link at the top of the page.

 

Yvonne in NE

[Sharon in MD]

Sorry I didn't see your message till just now....

 

I have purchased through Oasis without any trouble at all. It is really easy.

 

However, I'd go with Jacobs since she is younger. I think Jacobs is more kid friendly than Foerster. Also, if you are planning to do the sequence of Al I, Geometry, Al II and so on, using Jacobs means you have a text by the same author, same style etc for two years running. Plus, Jacobs' geometry have great Al I review built right into the text, so that is a big plus. Then by the time you move into Al II, you'd be really more ready for Foerster.

 

The Teacher's guide for Jacobs tells you how many days to spend on each lesson....generally it is one a day, I think...It has been a couple years, so I'm a bit foggy on that.

 

One additional idea....I'll be at Mache for sure on Friday because I promised to help Teelin with their booth. Maybe on Saturday...have to check on a potential piano conflict that day. I have Jacob's Elementary Algebra and his Geometry stuff. If you wanted to look at them, I could bring them along. I'm also kinda doing this:banghead: because here I am telling you that you could probably get them used at Mache....heck you can get them used from moi.

I don't know why I'm still hanging on to them.

 

Oh yeah, your other question was about the videos...I have not seen them, but have heard they are good somewhere on this board. but, I've no personal experience with them.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

Feel free to ask more questions.

[womenfly]

Hope it's okay to jump into this conversation.

My son if finishing up 6th grade and Singapore 6B. We are planning on Jacobs Elementary Algebra for next year in 7th grade. Just not sure how to map out the future, though:

7th - Jacobs Algebra

8th - Jacobs Geometry

9th - Foeresters Algebra and Trig (??)

10th -

11th -

12th -

 

Anybody have a good experience with which to fill in the blanks?

 

Thanks so much for sharing!

~laureen

[Sharon in MD]

In 9th do just the Al II portion of Foerster's Al II/trig

10th use Foerster Precalculus with Trigonometry by Key press

11 and 12 Foerster's Calculus also by key press or use the CC.

 

 

But, by the time you get to 9th, he could have a new Al II out, he is looking into that I think.

[AngieW in Texas]

My middle dd is math-intuitive. She finished 6B in April of her 6th grade year. I had her try aleks for one month (she didn't like it) and work through Math Smart Junior over the summer.

 

She thought that Jacobs Algebra looked very scary and didn't want to use it. I got the free download of Kinetic Books Algebra I and she started that instead. After one chapter of Kinetic Books, she asked to try Jacobs.

 

Now she is working through both programs. She switches from one program to the other at the end of each chapter. It will probably take her 1.5 years to finish algebra at this rate, but that's just fine. She's still ahead of the game.

 

I like both programs. They are both complete all by themselves, but my dd likes being able to switch between them.