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Tell me about Life of Fred pre-algebra with biology.


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Dh and I are convinced, after a particularly BAD day with ds 13 and algebra 1, culminating in a post listed on the general board that I had found the potentially all time lethal algebra problem (not that hard either), that ds is not emotionally mature enough to handle this. School work has always been easy for him and now SMACK! He's slammed the wall and is melting down. Something about his abstract thinking skills are just not ripe enough to get beyond chapter three of his nine chapter Lial's Beginning Algebra Book.

 

Of our four children, he is the least math oriented and on top of that, two his three sibs are virtually math gifted and the one that is not gifted is no slouch either. I don't think that's helping anything. He is lacking confidence and since he's the odd duck out, the English/History/Art/Mechanical Drawing kid instead of math/chemistry/physics/astronomy/music like the rest of us (dh included), I think his self-worth is taking a major beating.

 

We've decided to step back for the rest of the year and try again in the fall. By then he will be 14.5 and if he could have a little easier time and more review, while hopefully completing a couple of growth spurts (he is needing so much extra sleep right now it's amazing), he'll be better able to handle algebra. We believe that not going farther than trigonometry is the best plan for him and are comfortable not pushing to get to calculus before graduating from homeschooling.

 

I've heard many of you think LoF is wonderful. All I am seeing available right now is pre-algbra with biology. It seems odd but I'm open to ideas. But, if biology is part of the curriculum, is it still a full, well-rounded math program? Is there a full solutions manual or just an answer key? Is it worth $125.00 or is there something more economical that is just as good?

 

Is there any chance that the writer is funny or at least interesting? I think we'd have a chance of making a break through with him if there was a bit of levity or if it was at least "lighter". Lial's is really good but it is dry and this is again, an English oriented - word loving, kid that I'm trying to meet the needs of.

 

Thanks everyone,

Faith

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The LoF books are hilarious! Well, at least they're very, very silly and keep us laughing.

 

I'm not sure where you are looking for books and prices, but there isn't a book on the LoF list for $125! Go to either http://rainbowresource.com or http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html. Both have complete listings of the books.

 

Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology is the 1st of 2 pre-algebra books in the line up. IMHO, the biology is gravy -- I'm not aiming for mastery of that with my 7th grade dd. The math is a solid review and teaching of basic percents, conversion factors, fractions, etc. The 2nd pre-algebra book (Pre-Algebra 2 with Economics) builds on the first one and teaches a way of converting word problems to math procedures.

 

We use LoF as a supplement to our main math program now. I am considering going 100% LoF for Beginning Algebra this fall. My non-mathy dd adores LoF and wants it to be the first thing she works on after our morning devotions. (A miracle!)

 

Have fun,

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Guest Cheryl in SoCal

I don't know where you are looking but NONE of the LoF books are $125! The author sells them through Z-Twist books, where LoF Pre-Algebra with Biology is $29.00 (shipping included):

http://ztwistbooks.com/oscstore/index.php?cPath=21

 

If it's in your budget I'd start at the beginning (Fractions). Fractions and Decimals & Percents are short and would serve as a good review that probably wouldn't take longer than a quarter to complete both. I bought them because I knew I'd use them with my younger children. I didn't use them with my older children but my ds #2 saw them and read them on his own for fun because he loves Fred. Even though he was finishing Algebra 1 at the time he still learned a few things. I don't think he NEEDED to read them but reading them did benefit him.

 

If it's absolutely not in the budget to buy more than absolutely necessary I'd start with the Pre-Algebra books. They are meant to be used consecutively and are EXCELLENT! The Biology and Economics are an excellent atmosphere for learning real life math, and the Economics book has a special focus on word problems that is unlike anything I've ever seen. Don't feel like you need to line up the Biology book with science. If he hasn't already done Biology then it will be an excellent introduction, and if he has it will be an excellent review. It has some Chemistry in it too. My boys learned how to balance chemical equations in LoF before they took Chemistry.

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Thanks for the heads up. I misread the print wrong and the $125.00 was for a used set of 10 books. Not just the pre-algebra.

 

I've been reading reviews and I think this is the way to go. I really need to lighten the mood with him. He's doing Apologia Physical Science and thriving quite well so the biology is neither here nor there. If he wants to tackle it, fine and if not, no issue.

 

I don't want to take the risk of something "traditional" again. This very unconventional course sounds like the thing for him.

 

Faith

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Thanks for the heads up. I misread the print wrong and the $125.00 was for a used set of 10 books. Not just the pre-algebra.

 

I've been reading reviews and I think this is the way to go. I really need to lighten the mood with him. He's doing Apologia Physical Science and thriving quite well so the biology is neither here nor there. If he wants to tackle it, fine and if not, no issue.

 

I don't want to take the risk of something "traditional" again. This very unconventional course sounds like the thing for him.

 

Faith

 

I think it will really depend on your son and his learning style. My ds, who has a fantastic sense of humor and does averagely-well (Yup, makin' up my own words today! :lol:) in almost any math program I give him, thoroughly disliked LOF. I personally saw nothing wonderful about it either. :confused: So, due to all the glowing reviews, I have decided that it is just a matter of preference and learning style. I and my ds both are 'give me the facts and don't flower it up and make it wordy' type people. Using LOF would drive me bonkers as a student, but I tried it for my ds...twice...and he disliked it both times. For him, it made Algebraic concepts MORE confusing. Go figure. :tongue_smilie:

 

Not even being a huge MUS fan, I think I would go with their Alg program before LOF. I agree with 8FillTheHeart...it would make an excellent (nontraditional) 'pre'-algebra.

Edited by Melissa in CA
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I wonder if there are enough practice problems in the algebra books to solidify the math. We've only used LOF geometry. We veered from our typical Saxon path and folded in a year of LOF geometry. The thinking-outside-the-box/application was excellent in LOF. But I don't think there were enough practice problems, standing alone, for sufficient retention. I knew we'd move onto Saxon Alg. 2 and my dc would review much of the geometry.

 

I've had another son use LOF decimals/percents and it was excellent. But I intended it to nail down some concepts that I felt needed nailing.

 

So, while we've not used LOF algebra books, and we love those we've used, I would be interested to hear whether others think the algebra books have sufficient practice problems.

 

Lisa

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I know not everyone likes LOF, but why not is beyond me. :) My son adores LOF. He laughs out loud. He remembers the story line, the characters, the incidental information (biology, economics, much more), and, yes, the math.

 

We did Fractions, Decimals, Pre-Alg. with Biology, and we're now in Pre-Alg. with Economics. DS loved every one of them and did them willingly. I plan to continue through the entire series as we can.

 

We use this as enrichment beside a traditional curriculum. (We make no effort to align them, and they are very different.) We do the story one day and the problems the next, which doubles the length of each book, but keeps each lesson short.

 

We just love Fred.

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