woolybear Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 What levels is this program supposed to be for? I am confused because I read that it is for the upper levels, but somewhere else I read that it begins with fractions. Also, I read on someone's blog that she was using it with an upper elementary student. Second question--is this a complete math curriculum or just a supplement? Thank you, Woolybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Fractions and Decimals & Percents do not make a complete prealgebra program (the author is working on additional books to make it a complete program). I think he states that you can use Fractions after about 4th grade? Starting with Beginning Algebra, these are intended to be complete (especially if you use the Companion books, with extra practice problems). Some people use them as a stand-alone program, and others use them as a supplement -- it really depends on your child and how they learn. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanagnostos Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I am supplementing Saxon 6/5 with Life of Fred Fractions for my ds10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 You can start Fractions once your child knows how to do long division. I'm using LoF for myself, and plan on having my ds9 & ds8 do Fractions this year once a week (they'll be in Saxon 7/6 & 6/5). I'll probably continue to use it as a supplement as long as we've got the time. It's fun, and presents math in a different way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaNYC Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I bought the first 4 books to use with my upper elem student. She's ready for algebra, but I want her to have a better, firmer understanding of fractions and percents. I just like the way this guy presents them. It's so different than what we've always done. I plan on zipping through those fairly quickly and spending the most time on the prealg and algebra ones. The books are cheap and nonconsumable, and I can also use them for ds (who loves math and will probably start them in 4th grade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Thank you. I forgot I had one other question. Does anyone know if there is something similiar for younger students? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 This is not *exactly* what you are looking for, but I thought i would interject... But I have found an excellent book (and there is a second one that I just haven't purchased yet) that presents big math concepts through story and drawings. My boys LOVE it. Penrose the Mathmatical Cat by Theoni Pappas (she has tons of good math books). Also, I believe that in general you should use more than one angle (or curriculum) to teach any subject. So with math in addition to our singapore, we read Penrose, Life of Fred, and do problems orally out of Zaccaro's math books. I suppose it can get a bit expensive, but my kids get a very thorough understanding of math from many different sources. It probably works out to being the same cost as a few other boxed full course curriculums. I am happy with how it is working out. And I am doing both my boys at the same time, they only have different singapore workbooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 This is not *exactly* what you are looking for, but I thought i would interject... But I have found an excellent book (and there is a second one that I just haven't purchased yet) that presents big math concepts through story and drawings. My boys LOVE it. Penrose the Mathmatical Cat by Theoni Pappas (she has tons of good math books). Also, I believe that in general you should use more than one angle (or curriculum) to teach any subject. So with math in addition to our singapore, we read Penrose, Life of Fred, and do problems orally out of Zaccaro's math books. I suppose it can get a bit expensive, but my kids get a very thorough understanding of math from many different sources. It probably works out to being the same cost as a few other boxed full course curriculums. I am happy with how it is working out. And I am doing both my boys at the same time, they only have different singapore workbooks. Can you explain how you do this? Do you follow Singapore as your spine and just search through the other books for the related material each day? Trying to figure this out myself... Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Can you explain how you do this? Do you follow Singapore as your spine and just search through the other books for the related material each day? Trying to figure this out myself... I just read Penrose at bedtime - the topics don't really line up with a regular elementary math program anyway. Fibonacci numbers, base 2 and other base systems, Pascal's triangle, that kind of stuff. Even my un-mathiest dd was excited about this book, and even insisted that I take out a white board and do the problems at the end of each chapter rather than just read it. This is where I got the idea that a talky story math might be just the thing for her. Penrose is great because it gives the kids a taste of where math is going - fun math stuff way beyond basic arithmetic and reducing fractions and other such dreary fare. :tongue_smilie: We're also using Zacarro's book, but honestly haven't gotten that far yet. I honestly haven't worried about lining things up with Singapore (also our spine), just have done it as a fun (yet challenging) supplement as the modd has struck us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 I have heard of that book. Thanks for reminding me of it. I will check it out. Woolybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherLynn Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I just read Penrose at bedtime - the topics don't really line up with a regular elementary math program anyway. Fibonacci numbers, base 2 and other base systems, Pascal's triangle, that kind of stuff. Even my un-mathiest dd was excited about this book, and even insisted that I take out a white board and do the problems at the end of each chapter rather than just read it. This is where I got the idea that a talky story math might be just the thing for her. Penrose is great because it gives the kids a taste of where math is going - fun math stuff way beyond basic arithmetic and reducing fractions and other such dreary fare. :tongue_smilie: We're also using Zacarro's book, but honestly haven't gotten that far yet. I honestly haven't worried about lining things up with Singapore (also our spine), just have done it as a fun (yet challenging) supplement as the modd has struck us. What age do you think the Penrose books are good for? My DD is 11 and we are doing LoF fractions now. She LOVES them. I think I will go ahead and get Singapore as our spine. I have heard LoF is enough, but I still worry it is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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