Would what you add to Singapore to prepare dd for Algebra 1?

[Kfamily]

Dh, dd and I have decided to change our math plans for her. She will be finishing Singapore 5 and then 6. I would like to have her as well prepared for Algebra 1 as possible. I'm trying to decide what to add to her plan to create a solid foundation. We don't mind if she runs into 8th grade a little (maybe halfway) before starting Algebra. We would rather she be ready and not rush this too much. What supplements would you add to Singapore?

 

We could then go back to Basic College Math and work just some chapters from it

 

OR

 

we could do just NEM 1 (since I've read that many of the missing pre algebra topics are here) but we would probably go to a different Algebra I program after finishing it and not stay with NEM. NEM scares me, by the way, I worry it will be too much for me!:D

 

OR

 

Rod and Staff Grade 8

 

OR

we could add in something else. ??

 

 

What do you think?

Edited October 10, 2009 by Kfamily

[Kfamily]

bump

[NancyNellen]

Well, I can tell you what we are doing and give you a little bump so more people see this :-)

 

My 6th grader finished Singapore 6B this summer. I am taking this year to go through Life of Fred Fractions & Decimals and Percents followed by the Dolciani Pre-Algebra text - just working on the areas that he needs a little extra practice in. Our plan is to then tackle NEM 1, so we are not doing exactly what you are.

 

Maybe you could do a solid Pre-Algebra text alongside 6B switching off days to be sure all has been covered? Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest went to ps for two years after finishing Singapore and did pre-algebra there.

 

My middle dd finished 6B in March of her 6th grade year (no supplements). She did the one month free trial of aleks pre-algebra (hated it) and worked through Math Smart Junior (only $0.01 on amazon) over the summer.

 

She moved right into algebra with no problems. She did a combination of Kinetic Books Algebra I and Jacobs Algebra during 7th grade, but dropped Jacobs at the end of 7th and finished up with just Kinetic Books. She took two years to cover algebra, but she did two programs for half of that time and she was young when she started.

 

She didn't have any problems with the content of algebra even though she never took a full pre-algebra course after Singapore 6B.

[nmoira]

The Life of Fred pre-algebra books currently out (Fractions and Decimals & Percents) will solidify understanding, but not fill in much in the way of gaps between Primary Maths and Algebra I. They contain a bit of negative numbers, and a bit of co-ordinate graphing, and a bit of probability, but lack an in depth treatment of any of these topics. There's another LoF pre-algebra book coming out soon, centered on Biology, but I'm not yet aware of the scope and sequence.

 

One option not yet mentioned is Mathematics 6, a Russian math text. This is a fantastic book, and a good transition from the highly visual Primary Maths to a more "mathy" (as a formal language) approach. Another option is to do a few relevant units of MEP, which is comprised of free standalone units and is similar to Singapore in feel. If you email the MEP folks, explaining that you are a North American homeschooler, they'll send you a password for the locked teacher's materials.

 

You can also move her right in to Algebra, using MEP units as necessary to fill in any gaps. There are only a few topics not covered by 6B.

[Stacy in NJ]

After 6B, I'd lightly do BCM then move on to Algebra.

[Kfamily]

Thank you all!

 

nmoira,

Thank you for the info. about Life of Fred. I had heard about the pre algebra and was curious about it.

 

I have also had MEP in the back of my mind. I haven't been to the site in a little while so I will check into it (I've considered it as a supplement for younger dd too). What level do you think I should look at Year 6 or 7?

 

Thanks!

[Ibbygirl]

I didn't know any step was necessary in between Singapore and Algebra I. I am doing NEM 1 this year with dd and it has some Algebra in there and Geometry too. I figured I would be able to glide right into Algebra I next year after finishing NEM. Am I wrong??

[Julie in MN]

My son finished 6B in 7th grade and started Algebra 1 this year in 8th. He got an A on his first Algebra test :o)

 

The only addition I used was the NEM-1 unit on negative numbers. But really that probably wasn't necessary. I was just panicking about standardized testing (and he said there wasn't one question on the Iowa Basics about neg. numbers).

 

Depending on which Algebra you use, it may already include any pre-algebra topics you might need. We're using Math Relief for Algebra, and I think he introduces all the pre-algebra usual topics, including the idea of negative numbers, just fine. In fact, Math Relief uses a number line & doesn't make a big deal about it & my son barely realizes he's using them.

 

Julie

[Kfamily]

Congratulations for him on his test! That is great...and comforting too. Dd really likes Singapore so I'm happy to go this route. Did you do all the work in the textbook and workbook? I don't have the guides for 5 (I do for 6) and was thinking I might need them. What do you think?

[Ibbygirl]

Congratulations for him on his test! That is great...and comforting too. Dd really likes Singapore so I'm happy to go this route. Did you do all the work in the textbook and workbook? I don't have the guides for 5 (I do for 6) and was thinking I might need them. What do you think?

 

yes. There are so few problems I had dd do both the textbook and workbook ones. Usually when I was teaching it to her, I'd go through some of the textbook ones and show her how it was done on the white board and then I'd put up some for her on the board and have her come up and work them on the board so I could see if she understood and then I would just assign the rest of the textbook problems and the workbook page at the same time once I felt comfortable that she knew the material.

 

Oh yeah, you gotta have the teacher's guides. I don't know how I could have made it through without them. :p

[Kfamily]

Thanks Ibbygirl!

[Ibbygirl]

Thanks Ibbygirl!

 

My pleasure. :) I'm happy to be of any help. :)

[Julie in MN]

Did you do all the work in the textbook and workbook? I don't have the guides for 5 (I do for 6) and was thinking I might need them. What do you think?

 

At our house, we just used the textbook & workbook (not intensive practice or anything like that, although I might add in Singapore 6B intensive word problems during Algebra this year, but I digress...).

 

I did have the instructor guides all through the years. In the early years, I used them to look up "what am I doing?" and "how do I teach long division?" In level 5 & 6, I used them to look up "how in the world can I draw this in a bar diagram?" You see, up through level 4, you can usually solve the problems without bar diagrams, and are mostly using them for exposure. In levels 5 & 6, you just cannot solve them without either bar diagrams (which is the easy way, with much less calculation involved, since you see the small unit you need) or algebra (which hasn't really been introduced much and would take much more calculation anyway).

 

Another method of getting help in levels 5 & 6 is to post online, either around here or over at the SingaporeMath yahoo group or over on the SingaporeMath boards.

 

Julie