Beast 3 instead of IP/CWP to pair with SM 4

[SEGway]

My dd8 is finishing up SM3B. This year we've done four days of regular math (SM) and Thurs. are fun math days (LOF elementary and/or logic puzzles and/or some FAN math/CWP). I think it's a good rhythm for us.

 

We have all of LOF elementary-PreAlg. Biology. But, I'm not sure we'll buy any more. It's more in the read-aloud category than math at this point. It's starting to feel more and more scattershot. She really likes the story, but the math is often way too easy or so abruptly intruduced that it's not discovery, it's just frustrating.

 

She really liked the look of the Beast Academy samples online, and I'm wondering if using level 3 for summer/next year would serve basically the same function as incorporating more of the IP/CWP combo that some people like with SM. (I'm planning to continue with SM for this child till she's ready for preAlg. or Alg. She does well with it.)

 

Also, she's really vocal about liking fractions right now. And her birthday is coming up. Is there any big story-flow reason that someone might have to advise against doing D before A, B, or C? I don't think I can swing $100+ for a math book set birthday present, but we might start out with D (since it contains fractions) and see how it goes in real life (how fast she charges through, how good of a fit they actually are, etc.).

 

Any thoughts?

 

TIA,

Sarah

[mom2vikha]

I was thinking about skipping BA3A too. So I am bumping it for you :)

[sunnyday]

Not a story-flow thing, but Beast A-C treat a lot of topics that other programs just don't. So there might be a prerequisites thing. You can use the pre-assessment to find out if there's anything missing that would make that level tough for your student: http://beastacademy.com/store/products/3D/assessments/Pre.pdf

[Crimson Wife]

For a bright kid, I would drop the regular workbook in Singapore before I dropped IP. My DS is working through SM 4A text, IP, and CWP plus finishing up BA 3. We've jumped around in BA a bit because I am using BA as review for topics introduced via SM. So I didn't want to do the BA chapter on fractions too soon after finishing the SM 3B chapter on fractions.

[deerforest]

We've gone through the full BA 3A-4A sequence and are just finishing up the first 1/3 of BA 4B. I personally wouldn't skip the skip counting chapter of 3A before doing 3B and I really wouldn't do 3D without having done 3B and at least the division chapter in 3C. I think it's a mistake to just jump into 4A without having done a lot of the materials in BA 3 series.

 

Although this is a mastery-based program there is a subtle overarching spiral learning going on. The discovery based approach is just different than other programs. I have a hard time describing why I feel that it's important to start at the beginning.

 

There are consistent storyline elements, but each book really stands on its own in that regard. While waiting for 4B, we switched into Singapore 5A without a problem. We're about to start the division chapter in 4B, which is not at all a repeat of division from 3C, and even though DD has long division firmly under control now, we are still absolutely going to do that chapter in 4B.

 

I'm not sure if I'm saying anything useful other than that I think there is tremendous benefit to doing the entire BA series even if you are doing Singapore or any other math too.

[Roadrunner]

For a bright kid, I would drop the regular workbook in Singapore before I dropped IP. My DS is working through SM 4A text, IP, and CWP plus finishing up BA 3.

This is what we do. Without IP and CWP books, SM is very barebones and easier than what my kids did in PS. BA is fantastic, but falls short on word problems. Combine them. :)

[Farrar]

Yeah, I don't think Beast has the same function as the CWP at all.  Beast does have word problems - some good ones too - but they're very, very different from the CWP ones.  I agree with others that you should move to a different configuration of some sort...  Beast as the main program along with the CWP or Beast as a supplement along with different elements of Singapore.

[mom2vikha]

How do you implement BA? Do you let the kid read the guide and do practice? how many pages to read in one sitting?

[deerforest]

How do you implement BA? Do you let the kid read the guide and do practice? how many pages to read in one sitting?

 

DD usually reads the guide through on her own as soon as we get it. Then, we read a section of it together. Each guide includes 3 chapters and there are clearly identified sections within each one that have varying amounts of practice problems associated with them. We tend to read each section (within the chapter) at a time and then switch to its associated set of practice problems.

 

For the practice problems, I have DD read the instructions, and I might walk her through the first one to make sure she understands. Then, I sit with her while she works through them. If she is struggling, we go back to the guide, review the information, talk about other ways to think about it. Sometimes we look up hints. Sometimes she just flies through them all on her own and is done quickly. It's all very variable for us, but I am sitting there interacting with her through it.

 

Because it's so variable, I can't even tell you how many days we spend on a set of practice problems. If it's material that she is grasping quickly, we spend more on it. If she's struggling, I will stop sooner and have her come back to it another day.

 

We started 4A about 3 weeks ago. We don't do BA daily, but we should finish the Counting chapter tomorrow. We're on the last set of practice problems for that chapter.

[madteaparty]

We did not like BA here. We do a fair amount of math, so for what that's worth, we do:

Singapore Work and Textbook 5a/b now

Singapore CWP 4

70 Word problems you must know (level 5 now)

Process skills in problemsolving(5 now)

Selected problems from MEP year 5

[Farrar]

How do you implement BA? Do you let the kid read the guide and do practice? how many pages to read in one sitting?

 

Seconding much of what Deerforest said.  I usually have ds read the guide on his own first then reread with me or just go over it.  Then he does the problems, but some pages are really easy and some are hard.  It's hard to predict how long each unit will take because it's pretty variable.

[hellen]

Singapore 4B is almost entirely decimals. I just did the schedule a few days ago and was pretty surprised. A lot of the lessons are also really short. Beast Academy 3 doesn't deal with decimals at all. There was more overlap with 4A.

 

I generally schedule two math books per day. The four usual options are Beast Academy, Singapore, IP, and CWP. Every once in a while I throw in a fun day of LOF or a board game. Sometimes I use IP as review and sometimes I use it as the main book. It depends on the topic and what my child needs.