Best math curriculum before AoPS

[Grantmom]

I love Right Start math, and feel like it gave my kids a great math foundation. But my younger son, who is 8, has advanced further in math than where we are in the book, just through learning math through every day life. So now Right Start feels slow and stilted. But I don't want there to be holes, so I'm not sure what to do. I ordered the Beast Academy and feel like he will like that, but they don't have them all out yet. So, I was just wondering, for math-y people, what do you like best before AoPS? I feel like this question has already been answered and I tried doing a search first, so thank you in advance to any replies.

[boscopup]

The AoPS folks think highly of Singapore, though many students have been successful in AoPS coming from other programs also (such as Horizons).

[StephanieZ]

I used Miquon (all 6 books, generally covers Gr1-3, but we did it more GrK-2) and Singapore (through minimum of level 5, but through 6 is wiser unless you have a very mathy, confident kid).

 

We did Miquon and SM (US Edition once it came out, just the Text + WkBK, adding in a bit of Intensive Practices (one level behind) on occasion when I wanted to slow things down, i.e., do level 4 IP right after finishing 4B wkbk b/c it's January, my kid is 7, and I just don't want to move that fast, lol. Also, if the kid had any "glitches" in the just-finished level and I felt some things needed solidifying, I'd add in a level of IP (over 2-3 months) to solidify things before moving on,)

 

ALSO, do daily (3-5 min) fact drill using triangular flashcards or similar until all +/- and */ facts are mastered. (I would schedule the drill topic to stay one step ahead of SM). This is generally complete by GR 2 or 3 in SM IIRC.

 

My kids typically finished up Miquon around the time they were in SM level 4. I taught Miquon and SM as totally separate subjects each day/week, no attempt at correlating schedules. Our system was to expect two exercises of math a day -- one of each, or two in one . . . Child's choice . . .

 

My kids thrived on that, and all have thrived on AoPS.

 

FWIW, my oldest had done LoF for Algebra 2 as well as Geometry, then went right into AoPS Alg 3 and is kicking butt in there, loving it, so I think LoF must provide a solid foundation, too.

 

In reality:

 

My eldest did all of Miquon, all of SM 1-6, and then some other stuff (NEM, Thinkwell, LoF), before very recently moving on to AoPS (Alg. 3, right before PreCalc, which she will go into in April). (We didn't know about AoPS earlier . . .)

 

My second child did all of Miquon, all of SM 1-6, then Thinkwell Int Alg (equiv to a basic Alg 1 & Alg 2), then moved onto AoPS (first Counting and Prob, then redid Alg 1, now doing Geom).

 

My baby did all of Miquon, SM 1 to FIVE only, skipping SM6, then AoPS PreAlg -- the first class of AoPS PreAlg with Richard R. himself, right when the book came out. She's spending this year reviewing the AoPS PreAlg, and she'll move on to Alg next year.

 

All have done well with AoPS and I feel were very well prepared via Miquon and SM. Allowing my youngest to skip SM6 didn't handicap her, but she is VERY mathy. If you have a very mathy kid, especially if s/he is a bit older/more mature/confident, but was artificially held back in math for some reason other than ability, then skipping SM6 could be reasonable. If you have any doubts about readiness, doing SM6 would be smart -- you could do it over 3-5 months easily if the child is really that ready to move on.

 

So, my ideal advice would be to use Miquon and Singapore for primary math until your child is ready for Beast Academy.

 

THEN, sight unseen, based on my profound adoration of AoPS, I'd hop to Beast if it is ready in time for your kid! (Presumably finishing Miquon as well as SM 1-3 or 1-4 prior to going to Beast?) One of my regrets of being done having dc is I'll never got to teach Beast!! I'm sure it'd be amazing!

 

My 2c.

 

:)

[snowbeltmom]

So, I was just wondering, for math-y people, what do you like best before AoPS?

Based on the recommendation from AoPS, my two younger kids used Singapore before moving into AoPS. My oldest son started out using AoPS our first year of homeschooling, and I have no idea what math program he used in elementary school. AoPS has worked out well for all three of my kids even though I don't think they all used the same curriculum in elementary school.

[daijobu]

In addition to any curriculum you select, I strongly recommend you supplement with problem-solving. MOEMS/Math Olympiad or Math Kangaroo exams are great for this. When your son is doing fifth grade math, he can start prepping with old AMC8's. Many of the exercises and problem sets in the AOPS textbooks are lifted from old AMC exams (with permission), so developing problem solving skills will help a lot with the transition.

[Kathy in Richmond]

In addition to any curriculum you select, I strongly recommend you supplement with problem-solving. MOEMS/Math Olympiad or Math Kangaroo exams are great for this. When your son is doing fifth grade math, he can start prepping with old AMC8's. Many of the exercises and problem sets in the AOPS textbooks are lifted from old AMC exams (with permission), so developing problem solving skills will help a lot with the transition.

 

 

My AoPS kids did the same.

 

Dd (the only one who homeschooled the elementary years) used Miquon (love, love, love it!), Singapore 4 through 6 and NEM 1 & 2, and Harold Jacobs algebra & geometry. Then she transitioned over to AoPS, starting with the Intro to Number Theory, MathCounts/AMC8, and Algebra 3 classes (not all at once). After that, she completed most of the intermediate and advanced offerings offered at the time.

[jennynd]

DS also did SM. he went through SM3-6 (with IP and CWP for 5/6), we jump right in AOPS algebra with very little problem. (1 section in chap 6 and another section in chap 7) we are on chap 11 now, the past few chapters have been very smooth ride.

[thebacabunch]

We are finishing up SM5B and LoF decimals and percents. Just for kicks I looked at the AoPs pretest to see if my kiddo will be ready and she could blow that pretest up!!! Asian math, baby!

[Mama2two]

I was in the same situaation with my son while doing RS Level C (LOVE Leve B). We switched to SM and Beast Academy and hope to do AoPS pre-algebra after SM 5B

[nandmsmom]

We used SM all the way through. He's been well prepared.

[chepyl]

So, if you do all the way through with SM 6, do they need prealgebra? Or just jump into Algebra? I was going to have him run through the Key to books for decimals, percents, and fractions for a quick review. Definitely a mathy kid, he has watched every Khan academy video for fun....twice. now he is flying through SM 3b. He has finished It in a month, if he keeps the pace on 4 when we start next week, we will be in 5 by summer and he wants to do math all summer to start algebra in the fall. O was originally planning for DM, but he wants algebra....very specific ;)

[....]

My AOPS-using kid used Miquon, Singapore and then a few of the Math Mammoth workbooks. She also likes the Key to...series.

[....]

I was going to have him run through the Key to books for decimals, percents, and fractions for a quick review.

 

That is really not a bad idea. My daughter wants to complete the Keys to Algebra and Geometry (she has had almost no geometry) this summer.

 

Edited to say: my son who uses Beast Academy and Life of Fred has been exposed to so much more geometry than she has.

[OSUBuckeye]

chepyl, if they go through SM6, they don't need a traditional pre-algebra program. They could do an advanced pre-algebra (essentially algebra) program, or move on to Algebra.

 

Since your son will be 8 when he hits Algebra, my suggestions for starters in the "Algebra" realm are:

 

Zaccaro's Real World Algebra (it's got stories that explain algebra concepts, and problems that strengthen essential algebraic skills)

 

Key To Algebra (it's monotonous and workbooky, doesn't explain the concepts of algebra at all, but teaches them the mathematical notation excellently. Kind of like how a kid could do a million 2 x 3 = 6 problems but never know the actual concept of multiplication, or diagram a million grammar sentences). It's great to "slow down" a fast kid and keep them practicing their accuracy. I'm a total "concepts are better than getting the right answers", but I love this series for independent practice for a mathy kid. Not all books are needed though (2,3,5, and 8 come to mind as the important ones).

 

Jacob's Algebra is my favorite non-AOPS algebra textbook. The good thing is that the first third of it is strong pre-algebra foundations, so you get that Algebra word written on the textbook without speeding along too fast. It's also designed so that the student is led through the mathematical concepts by the questions asked. It reminds me of when my mathy uncles or teachers used to sit and teach me math one-on-one, and I view it as the algebra textbook for mathematicians (as opposed to textbooks with tons of application problems, which is "math for engineers"). Jacob's Algebra is available for preview on Google Books, and its questioning style and cartoon intros make it accessable for elementary algebra enthusiasts but it's also deep in it's conceptual understanding of Algebra.

 

AoPS Pre-Algebra and AoPS Algebra are also frequent recommendations. While Jacob's holds your hand and guides you along from beginning to end of your Algebra journey, AoPS requires you to do a lot more puzzling brain work. [Great overall, but maybe better suited for math enthusiasts a little closer to middle school, if you know what I mean.] I've heard AoPS Pre-Algebra, at 500 pages, is much wordier than it needs to be (perhaps a deterrent if your 8 year old doesn't have the stamina for that), and AoPS Intro to Algebra is definitely something you could transition into after taking a run through Jacob's, or simultaneously. After all, you don't HAVE to finish Algebra by age 9, right? ;-)

 

Dmmetler (spelling?) has been going through the same transition with her daughter, so you might want to check through her old posts.

[OSUBuckeye]

Speaking of Key To Geometry, is it any good? I have a copy that I only had time to glance at, and it looked terrible in comparison to the rest of the Key To series. It looked like it was all constructions, and as a result each page lappeared nearly blank. It seemed like more of a "learn to draw arcs of circles" book than preparing the skills needed for Geometry. I'd have expected it to be pages and pages of "Find all the angles in the transversal. Find the third side of the triangle. Prove S-A-S congruence from these two triangles...", but didn't see any workbook-y pages like that.

 

Maybe I didn't look closely enough at it... Advice would be appreciated. :-)

[wapiti]

So, if you do all the way through with SM 6, do they need prealgebra? Or just jump into Algebra? I was going to have him run through the Key to books for decimals, percents, and fractions for a quick review. Definitely a mathy kid, he has watched every Khan academy video for fun....twice. now he is flying through SM 3b. He has finished It in a month, if he keeps the pace on 4 when we start next week, we will be in 5 by summer and he wants to do math all summer to start algebra in the fall. O was originally planning for DM, but he wants algebra....very specific ;)

 

If he "must" start algebra, I'd go with Jacobs, which is nice for a young mathy student. If you are looking to go the AoPS route, you could go with AoPS Prealgebra or with Jacobs and then follow either with Intro to Algebra. Or, you could even try AoPS Prealgebra (tell him it's the beginning of algebra, if necessary), then Jacobs, then AoPS Intro to Algebra.

 

I have a younger one in the Prealgebra and we used a few bits of Jacobs here and there (the first half of Jacobs is a bit prealgebra-ish but the order of topics is different from the AoPS series, making it difficult to use both simultaneously). He'll go to Intro to Algebra after Prealgebra, and if it's too tall an order, we may pick up Jacobs again.

 

There are plenty of old threads on what people do after SM6, though not all the advice may apply to your situation with a young gifted math student. There may also be relevant threads on the Accelerated Learner board.

[serendipitous journey]

I've found, and am liking enormously, Galore Park's maths.

[CraftyHomeschool]

Does anyone know how the transfer between Math-U-See and AoPS is. We are currently using Math-U-See Gamma (and will continue with Math-U-See thru Zeta) and would like to switch to AoPS for prealgebra. Are there any good supplements you would recommend prior to switching?

[boscopup]

Does anyone know how the transfer between Math-U-See and AoPS is. We are currently using Math-U-See Gamma (and will continue with Math-U-See thru Zeta) and would like to switch to AoPS for prealgebra. Are there any good supplements you would recommend prior to switching?

 

I think you might have to go through MUS Prealgebra before switching to AoPS Prealgebra, because some topics typically taught in grades 1-5 in other curricula are saved for Prealgebra in MUS, IIRC.

 

You could use Singapore's Challenging Word Problems to encourage solving hard math problems.

[dereksurfs]

Does anyone know how the transfer between Math-U-See and AoPS is. We are currently using Math-U-See Gamma (and will continue with Math-U-See thru Zeta) and would like to switch to AoPS for prealgebra. Are there any good supplements you would recommend prior to switching?

 

We did this and used MUS through Zeta along with the beginning chapters of Pre-Algebra. After filling in some gaps with Pre-A we then switched to TabletClass Pre-A which was one of the best decisions we've made. TC does a little review and then presents much more algebraic content than most Pre-As. While it was a challenge, ds11 was well prepared for any Algebra 1 program to follow. We will probably use both together since we still have a subscription to TC Algebra. TC will be good as a supplemental to AoPS I think when I want to show things from another perspective. But so far ds11 is only using AoPS intro to Algebra.

 

I don't think things would go so well with 'only' using MUS through Zeta. It just doesn't cover as much as other programs in terms of S&S. Its also lighter in terms of challenging problems. During MUS we also supplemented with Hands on Equations and LOF which were both helpful as well.

 

Also you may want to consider 'when' to start AoPS and possibly waiting until Algebra vs. Pre-A. Many have found the Pre-A text to be overly complicated for the subject matter covered. Though some do use it and like it. Its nice IMO to introduce the algebraic concepts in a ways that are easily undertandable, then increase the challenge level along with the AoPS discovery approach.

[kiana]

So, if you do all the way through with SM 6, do they need prealgebra? Or just jump into Algebra? I was going to have him run through the Key to books for decimals, percents, and fractions for a quick review. Definitely a mathy kid, he has watched every Khan academy video for fun....twice. now he is flying through SM 3b. He has finished It in a month, if he keeps the pace on 4 when we start next week, we will be in 5 by summer and he wants to do math all summer to start algebra in the fall. O was originally planning for DM, but he wants algebra....very specific ;)

 

 

If you are looking at jumping to AOPS, I would definitely, definitely do their pre-algebra before their algebra. I would tell him that pre-algebra is the beginning part of algebra, I would buy both books and put the algebra one on a high shelf and tell him we're going there as soon as we finish the pre-algebra book.

 

If he really is desperate to do 'algebra', I would look into getting Zaccaro's real world algebra and doing that on Fridays or something. I think it's a great intro to algebra for younger kids.