Mathematical Reasoning Level G - too easy?

[mdefields]

I ordered it thinking it would be good for dd due to to the "critical thinking" aspect but also because I know if it looks more like a "fun" workbook she'll be more likely to do it. We got it yesterday, dd is absolutely thrilled and actually took it upstairs to do for fun! I know! She did the first 8 pages before I really got to look at it myself. I'll go for it because she can do it without the horrible stress that MM seems to cause her (and can supplement with challenging math puzzles - needs to grow those math neurons!), but I have to say I was really disappointed in the "challenging" aspect of it. Most of it (like 75%) seems to be review from 5th grade and earlier. I know it is spiral, so I expected some of that, but are the NCTM standards that much lower than CC? Or is MM that much more advanced? Thanks for any thoughts.

[Pronghorn]

We used Mathematical Reasoning for a while. I suggest that you read ahead and cross out any pages that seem ridiculously easy. Then supplement with something a bit more challenging. It is unlikely for it to take your daughter a year to do the book, so you can certainly fit in some other math activities. We used Life of Fred some with it.

[mdefields]

Well, I have to say that it still looks too easy to me, but I DID compare what is in it with what MM teaches in 6th grade (now that I've had it out of dd's hands long enough) and it matches pretty well. There is a lot LESS of each thing, but for dd that is a very good thing. Too much of the same was driving her insane with MM. My greatest concern is that there isn't much critical thinking involved in it. I tool Jo Boaler's online course from Stanford called How to Learn Math and saw so many great open-ended math questions - that could involve creativity in answering the problems. They even through problems at the kids before they've been taught the "most elegant answer" (what is taught as how to answer the problem correctly). I did some of the problems without knowing how to "properly" answer them and came up with some inelegant answers, but they were right, and I totally see how they can help teach concept to kids. So I'm going to add some of those. Using Number Sense book as a supplement (from Amazon) along with Building Thinking Skills from CCCo. (although I think BTS is a little too easy as well). My goal is to make sure dd is challenged enough that she actually grows new neurons - if things are too easy, no new neurons!