Math sequence/transcripts/what to do?

[anmom]

That title is a mouthful, isnt it?! I know there are multiple posts discussing math sequence but I am not finding what I need in relation to my child. 

 

DS is currently in 6th grade and will finish Jacob's Elementary Algebra this year. I am at a loss of what the best thing to do moving forward. I know he is only in 6th so transcripts are not even on the horizon yet, but I dont want there to be a problem because he is ahead later when we do need them. 

 

So I guess my first question is, where would you go after Jacob's Algebra? What would be your sequence going forward into highschool with this much time left? Stopping math is not an option. 

 

Secondly, If your child completes Algebra in 6th grade, how does that work transcript wise in the future when normally Algebra would be counted around 9th? 

[vonfirmath]

I'd just do the next thing in Math. And do not worry too much about it being early. When I was a kid (in public schools) I took ALgebra I in 8th grade.  (And I remember being utterly bored with math in 6th and 7th grade because I didn't learn anything new, just practiced over and over the same stuff)

 

Now, a LOT of schools take it in 7th grade.  And I would guess your kid will not be the only one having it even earlier. 

 

Just do the next thing in math as you go and your kid can handle it.

 

[Kassia]

I'd just do the next thing in Math. And do not worry too much about it being early. When I was a kid (in public schools) I took ALgebra I in 8th grade.  (And I remember being utterly bored with math in 6th and 7th grade because I didn't learn anything new, just practiced over and over the same stuff)

 

Now, a LOT of schools take it in 7th grade.  And I would guess your kid will not be the only one having it even earlier. 

 

Just do the next thing in math as you go and your kid can handle it.

 

I agree with this.  Our school district offers algebra 1 in 7th grade (my oldest sons all attended ps and took it then).  Just move on to whatever you want to do next.  

[Arcadia]

What would be your sequence going forward into highschool with this much time left? Stopping math is not an option.

 

Secondly, If your child completes Algebra in 6th grade, how does that work transcript wise in the future when normally Algebra would be counted around 9th?

Assuming your child does a math course per year and doesn’t double up like my oldest did,

 

6th - Algebra 1

7th - geometry

8th - Algebra 2

9th - precalculus

10th - calculus BC

11th - Statistics (AP or Dual enrollment)

12th - dual enrollment

 

There are homeschoolers doing calculus 1 and calculus 2 at community college in 8th/9th grade so doing algebra 1 in 6th is not that weird transcript wise. Four years of dual enrollment math for high school isn’t that unusual for homeschoolers as kids want to answer to someone else for academics other than their parents. Community college has algebra 2 and precalculus courses as well.

[anmom]

Assuming your child does a math course per year and doesn’t double up like my oldest did,

 

6th - Algebra 1

7th - geometry

8th - Algebra 2

9th - precalculus

10th - calculus BC

11th - Statistics (AP or Dual enrollment)

12th - dual enrollment

 

There are homeschoolers doing calculus 1 and calculus 2 at community college in 8th/9th grade so doing algebra 1 in 6th is not that weird transcript wise. Four years of dual enrollment math for high school isn’t that unusual for homeschoolers as kids want to answer to someone else for academics other than their parents. Community college has algebra 2 and precalculus courses as well.

 

 

Thank you. This was more what I was looking for. 

[OneStepAtATime]

You could also look into depth and breadth in 7th instead of moving directly into strictly geometry this next year.  There are so many amazing math resources out there...

[anmom]

You could also look into depth and breadth in 7th instead of moving directly into strictly geometry this next year.  There are so many amazing math resources out there...

 

 

This is why I posted! Could you elaborate? I would love to look into some other options. I'm just not familiar with what is out there. 

[OneStepAtATime]

How well did he do with Algebra I using Jacob's?  Did he zing through it?  Move at a normal pace?  Did he like Algebra?  Do you think he may still have some weak spots?  Would doing something like AoPS Algebra I give him some interesting depth in Algebra?  Its a pretty amazing program.

 

Are there any areas of math that he finds interesting?

 

Also have you looked at some of the Great Courses materials?

https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/category/mathematics

[JoJosMom]

I agree with looking at AoPS. In addition to the Algebra text, you might want to check out the introductory Number Theory and Counting and Probability texts. If your kiddo really likes math, he'd probably have a lot of fun with them.

[Arcadia]

This is why I posted! Could you elaborate? I would love to look into some other options. I'm just not familiar with what is out there.

There is a whole series of AoPS books. My oldest skip the intro to number theory book but did their intermediate number theory online class. He did all the rest of the books from prealgebra to calculus. He didn’t do the competition preparation books on the link.

Link is to the books https://artofproblemsolving.com/store

 

Have you look at the AMC 10 in February for your son? AMC 8 was last month.

Link is to past years AMC 8 problems and solutions https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php?title=AMC_8_Problems_and_Solutions

Link is to MAA AMC page explaining what it is about https://www.maa.org/math-competitions/about-amc

 

We also watched all the Numberphile videos on YouTube. Link is to their webpage http://www.numberphile.com

  

How well did he do with Algebra I using Jacob's?  Did he zing through it?  Move at a normal pace?  Did he like Algebra? 

This. My younger kid prefers geometry to algebra, AP statistics to precalculus. AoPS Intro to Number Theory and AoPS Intro to Counting and Probability online classes were just to past his time in Summer. He is looking at mechanical/aeronautical engineering which suits his hands on and applied math learning style/preferences better.

[anmom]

He is still working to complete Jacob's but does well. I rarely have to step in and offer any help and he has scored As and Bs on all of the tests so far.We do not use the videos so he is basically just reading and doing it independently. I have looked at AOPs and was considering going that route even before we started Jacob's but it made me nervous. He has always been interested in  computer science/engineering and has done very well with math, but sometimes he does bore of it, if that makes sense? So, I was afraid that AOPs might take the fun out of it? But, maybe it is the opposite and it is exactly what he needs. If you had already completed Jacob's would you go into the Intro to Algebra course? Or into one of the other courses from Geometry on? 

 

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

So, I was afraid that AOPs might take the fun out of it? But, maybe it is the opposite and it is exactly what he needs. If you had already completed Jacob's would you go into the Intro to Algebra course? Or into one of the other courses from Geometry on?

Get him an Alcumus account. You do need to email in the parental consent form if he is under 13 but that’s an easy thing to do. Set his Alcumus account to restrict to questions from the scope of the AoPS prealgebra textbook and let him have fun with it. If he turns every bar blue, you can set his account to get questions from the scope of the AoPS intro to algebra book. That would give you an idea of where he place and also if he likes the AoPS style.

Alcumus link https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus

 

My DS12 doesn’t find AoPS fun but find the other math curriculums even less palatable. So for him it was the least worse choice. He is good at programming but it is a strength and not a passion. He passed the ap computer science exam in May but for him programming courses are just a tool to check the high school elective box.

 

My DS13 tolerates anything that he gets a mental exercise out of. Programming to him is like a fun logic puzzle when it is hard enough. When programming is relatively easy, he just look at how to maximize his points for the exam. He hasn’t found any math curriculum he is in love with. He does enjoy the AMC exams because he treats it as a social gathering and a gauge of how bad his problem solving skills are compared to peers.

[Hunter]

We went wide instead of just accelerated.

 

We spent a lot of time on word problems. I like the Aufmann applied texts. Sometimes you can find TM's of older editions.

https://www.amazon.com/Introductory-Algebra-Approach-Instructors-Annotated/dp/0618506829/ref=tmm_pap_title_8?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

We did math in ancient Greek and with Roman numerals. 

https://mysite.du.edu/~etuttle/classics/nugreek/contents.htm#conts

 

http://www.hup.harvard.edu/results-list.php?author=3633

 

And studied math history.

http://www.storyofmathematics.com

 

We studied topics like topology with whatever I could get my hands on

https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/mobius-strip-hearts/

 

http://mathforum.org/isaac/problems/bridges1.html

 

We played with spreadsheets and programmed graphing calculators.

 

We studied secret codes.

 

Google "Newspapers in Education math".

https://www.nytimes.com/topic/subject/mathematics

 

http://www.nieteacher.org/#financiallit

 

https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/learning-science-math

Edited December 14, 2017 by Hunter

[kiana]

For a 6th grader completing algebra I'd test AOPS with counting and probability or number theory. Both of them are great areas of math that are not in most standard curricula. If he hates the approach, they are also semester classes instead of full-year classes (if he takes the class) or if he hates the book, they are off the beaten track so that it's not like starting off badly in geometry. 

 

Also, they are FUN. 

[deerforest]

We did Foerster's algebra in 7th, and are doing another year of algebra this year in 8th with AoPS because I just hear over and over again how critical it is to be proficient in algebra for SAT and ACT. 

[boscopup]

My oldest did Jacobs Algebra in 6th. He then did AoPS Intro to Algebra in 7th and is doing Geometry (virtual school) in 8th for high school credit. He'll do Algebra 2 (the Algebra 2 portion of AoPS) next year in 9th. On his transcript, Algebra 1 won't be listed, but since he'll have Geometry and Algebra 2 listed, it will be obvious that he took Algebra 1. He will go through Calculus and easily have 4 math credits in high school, so I'm not worried about Algebra 1 being counted as a credit.

 

Current high school plan:

 

Finish Intro to Algebra book (last several chapters are basically Algebra 2)

Move on to Intermediate Algebra book

Then Precalculus book

Calculus book

 

That's IF he is still doing well with AoPS. I gave him a choice of AoPS or Foerster Algebra 2, but he wanted to continue with AoPS. If I feel like we need to go with a more traditional program, then I'd do Algebra 2, Precalculus, Calculus (AP BC content), then dual enrollment Calc 3/Diff. Eq. The AoPS-only route will get him only through Calc 1/2, but that's ok.

[anmom]

My oldest did Jacobs Algebra in 6th. He then did AoPS Intro to Algebra in 7th and is doing Geometry (virtual school) in 8th for high school credit. He'll do Algebra 2 (the Algebra 2 portion of AoPS) next year in 9th. On his transcript, Algebra 1 won't be listed, but since he'll have Geometry and Algebra 2 listed, it will be obvious that he took Algebra 1. He will go through Calculus and easily have 4 math credits in high school, so I'm not worried about Algebra 1 being counted as a credit.

 

Current high school plan:

 

Finish Intro to Algebra book (last several chapters are basically Algebra 2)

Move on to Intermediate Algebra book

Then Precalculus book

Calculus book

 

That's IF he is still doing well with AoPS. I gave him a choice of AoPS or Foerster Algebra 2, but he wanted to continue with AoPS. If I feel like we need to go with a more traditional program, then I'd do Algebra 2, Precalculus, Calculus (AP BC content), then dual enrollment Calc 3/Diff. Eq. The AoPS-only route will get him only through Calc 1/2, but that's ok.

Great info, thanks.

 

Excuse my ignorence as I'm trying to learn all of this, but how does duel enrollment in CaL 3-differencial equAtions work if he hasn't taken the equivalent college prerequisites (college algebra, cal1, cal2)?

[anmom]

One more question from the last post. How does it work to add high school equivalent courses when they are taken before? Are they just listed as extra courses?

[boscopup]

Great info, thanks.

 

Excuse my ignorence as I'm trying to learn all of this, but how does duel enrollment in CaL 3-differencial equAtions work if he hasn't taken the equivalent college prerequisites (college algebra, cal1, cal2)?

AP BC Calc = Calc 1 and 2

 

I believe college algebra is precalculus? I've never taken a course titled that. I did AP calc in high school, then calc3 and diff eq in college as a freshman.

[Momto6inIN]

This is why I posted! Could you elaborate? I would love to look into some other options. I'm just not familiar with what is out there.

AoPS has Intro to Counting Theory and Probability that might be fun to a math inclined kid if you didn't want to continue the typical Geometry Algebra II sequence just yet.

 

Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk

[kiana]

Great info, thanks.

 

Excuse my ignorence as I'm trying to learn all of this, but how does duel enrollment in CaL 3-differencial equAtions work if he hasn't taken the equivalent college prerequisites (college algebra, cal1, cal2)?

 

College algebra is the algebra part of a precalculus class. At a university it's still usually taught over two semesters (college algebra/precalc or college algebra/trig or sometimes other variations) and the students with strong algebra skills can move directly into the second semester. It's also something that (if you know the material) is very easy to place out of -- no university wants to stick someone in college algebra who actually knows enough to be in calculus, so you don't have to worry about that one, assuming he learns his algebra. They'll usually do placement by a placement test/sat score/act score/high school grades/some combination of the above. 

 

Calculus isn't covered on the placement test but can usually be tested out of by AP, sometimes CLEP, and sometimes departmental examination (although I wouldn't rely on that unless there was a definite destination university that definitely did that). DE is also an option. But by the time calculus rolls around, you'll be a pro at this (after several more years of observing) and much better able to make a choice then. 

[Targhee]

I'll throw in my 2 cents that there's a lot more to Math than "the series" and that if your child really LIKES math then go exploring along with your journey down "the series."