Scheduling NEM 1?

[LisaNY]

We just began using NEM 1 after finishing Singapore 6B.

 

Since it is quite a different format from the Primary series, I could use some help w/daily scheduling. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you! :)

[Guest Lorna]

I'd love to see this too. It certainly takes much more time than the Primary Maths series if you do all the questions. I do know that each book should take about a year...

[KAR120C]

We do approximately one exercise per day, but frequently only 1/3 to 1/2 of the problems unless he has difficulty. Basically he does a column of problems from each block (which seems to be a good cross-section of difficulty and type) -- so like if there's 1a-1r, he'll probably do a third of them (1a, 1d, 1g, 1j, 1m, and 1p). But if there's nothing "under" the number (so like 1, 2, 3, instead of 1a, 1b, 1c) he usually does all of them, with the assumption that they're different enough that they're all necessary. Clear as mud? LOL

 

We do Worked Examples together, and if there's a Class Activity we do it together too. The Exercise he does independently. Then he does the Challenger and the Problem Solving himself as far as he can, and we discuss whatever stumps him. I use Revisions as tests (picking maybe one or two of the four or five there), and he does the Miscellaneous Exercises and Investigations himself like the Challengers and Problem Solving. All of those bits other than the regular exercises and revisions are longer and might take a few days to get through.

 

So basically it might go like this (this is not from our actual schedule, but to give you an idea):

Chapter 3

3.1 Monday 2/4 (Class activity together, exercise independently)

3.2 Tuesday 2/5 and Wednesday 2/6 (two days for long word problems)

3.3 Thursday 2/7 and Friday 2/8 (more long word problems)

3.4 Monday 2/11 (Class activity together, no exercise)

Challenger Tuesday 2/12

Problem Solving Wednesday 2/13 and Thursday 2/14

Chapter 4

4.1 Friday 2/15 (Class activity together, exercise independently)

4.2 Monday 2/18

4.3 Tuesday 2/19

4.4 Wednesday 2/20

4.5 Thursday 2/21

4.6 Friday 2/22

4.7 Monday 2/25

Challenger Tuesday 2/26

Problem Solving Wednesday 2/27

Revision Exercise (test) Thursday 2/28

Miscellaneous Exercise Friday 2/29 and following Monday 3/3

Investigation Tuesday 3/4 and Wednesday 3/5

 

If you keep that pace, 14 chapters should take around 8 months, which leaves a little room for going a bit slower if there's any difficulty. That said, I don't schedule tightly. If it takes longer it takes longer and if we go off on tangents when things get interesting. But then we also school year-round, so we've got a lot of room in the schedule for such things. :D

 

I should say, doing a whole exercise a day (even if you only actually do a column's worth), does take a lot more time than the primary math exercises. I'd say about an hour of solid work and sometimes 90 minutes. It's not unreasonable for the level, but it's a big jump from PM6.

 

Hope this helps!

[LisaNY]

Thank you SO much, Erica! This helps a lot! :)

 

I blew my poor dd away today when I attempted to do two sections instead of one today. It was our first day using NEM 1, and I'm afraid she got a bit discouraged that she couldn't finish. I'm such a dope for not asking first, before we started today. :rolleyes:

 

And some of those problems with the missing numbers in the first section were a bit challenging.

[KAR120C]

Thank you SO much, Erica! This helps a lot! :)

 

I blew my poor dd away today when I attempted to do two sections instead of one today. It was our first day using NEM 1, and I'm afraid she got a bit discouraged that she couldn't finish. I'm such a dope for not asking first, before we started today. :rolleyes:

 

And some of those problems with the missing numbers in the first section were a bit challenging.

Keep in mind, too, that the first four chapters are trying to kill you. :p Starting with Chapter 5 you get into the "real" algebra and a whole lot less number-crunching!

 

Good luck!

[LisaNY]

Keep in mind, too, that the first four chapters are trying to kill you. :p Starting with Chapter 5 you get into the "real" algebra and a whole lot less number-crunching!

 

Good luck!

 

You'd think the authors were trying to get you NOT to use their program! :rolleyes:

LOL!

 

Thanks again, Erica, you've been a big help. :)

[Jackie in AR]

Here's how we do it:

 

In general, we take one day per chapter section. Dc usually do all the problems in a section. Occasionally I've let them skip a few problems, but not very often. And sometimes it has taken more than one day for them to complete a section; this was true quite often in the first 4 chapters. I wasn't sure they were ever going to get through all of them. ;) (We also supplemented with the first couple of Key to Algebra booklets while they were working through those first 4 chapters.)

 

At the end of each chapter they complete the Problem Solving. Instead of working through each chapter's Challenger, they do the workbook instead. The workbook has problems for each chapter (of which several are much more difficult to work than those in the textbook) and then a Test at the end of each 1 to 2 chapters. It also includes two mid-term Assessments and two final Assessments, which are included in their work load.

 

They do the Revision Exercises in the text (after Chapters 4, 7, 11, and 14), but skip the Miscellaneous Exercises and Investigations (after those same chapters).

 

They're probably not going to finish NEM 1 by the end of May, and I'm not sure whether they'll work some in the summer or not. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

I've been told that the completion of NEM 1 and 2 is equivalent to completing Algebra I and Geometry, so if they're not finished with those two by the end of 8th grade I'm not going to sweat it. ;):D

 

Just another way to work through NEM. :)

 

EDITED: And, yes, it a whole new world after the pace of PM6.

[LisaNY]

Thank you, Jackie. :)

 

The Solutions and Teacher's Manuals are on the way, but I did not order the workbook. Are the Tests you mentioned in the workbook? It is my understanding that the workbook does not line up exactly with the text.

How do the Tests work out for you?

[Jackie in AR]

Thank you, Jackie. :)

 

The Solutions and Teacher's Manuals are on the way, but I did not order the workbook. Are the Tests you mentioned in the workbook? It is my understanding that the workbook does not line up exactly with the text.

How do the Tests work out for you?

 

Yes, the tests are in the workbook; we do use the time guideline on the tests and it gives my dc an idea of how they are doing. That is really the only time they are timed in any of the work they do so I like having an idea of how long it should take them to complete a certain set of problems.

 

I've noticed only two occasions so far when the workbook didn't line up with the text. Once was in an early chapter and one of the questions included a number with an exponent of 0. The other time was in one of the Revision 2's where they were asked to calculate the volume of a cone. The information for both of those problems isn't presented until NEM 2; fortunately we have a copy of NEM 2 and they were able to find the needed info quickly. I'm not sure why they schedule those problems in NEM 1 unless it is to require the student to research a little. It reminded me of Singapore's Interactive Science 1 workbook questions where there is sometimes a little research required in order to answer the question; the data needed isn't presented directly in the text. It did seem a little odd for a math text.

[LisaNY]

Thank you, Jackie! :)