Chris in VA Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 We are using Saxon 6/5 and are doing lots of division right now, including fractions. I'm weak in fractions myself, and thought of supplementing my dd with Key to..., maybe on Fridays to get a little break from Saxon. Are there clear explanations? Is it appropriate for 4th grade? Any prior knowledge besides math facts needed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinRTX Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 It has been awhile but my oldest used Key to Fractions in 4th grade. It is clear and easy to use. It was the program that really turned on the light for fractions. He struggled with fractions before this. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I used the Key to...series of books with my three oldest and just finished up the Fractions set with ds13. I'd say it is very plain and clear and does not require any knowledge other than math facts and simple long division (when converting improper fractions to mixed numbers). Ds13 is not mathy at all and struggled a bit towards the end with subtracting a fraction and a mixed number from a whole number (needing to to borrow one from the whole number and converting it into a fraction such as 8/8 or 4/4) so that he could then subtract the fractional part of the smaller number. But if your daughter is bright (iirc, she is:)), then I think she'd probably get it. I love that there are very detailed explanations and they work several examples for each new concept so that if your child has trouble remembering what they are doing, they just need to look back and use the examples as a guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 And with the Key to books, you don't have to feel like you have to the whole set. You could just add in up the level that you felt matched what you are doing in your other math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claussenpc Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 My 9 yo dd is using Key To Fractions. Very incremental...... Nothing needed except knowing your addition and mult. facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 I should have looked ahead in Saxon--there is plenty of fraction coverage! :D I'm actually very pleased, because fractions always seem to intimidate me (and my other son)--but Saxon 6/5 is making them understandable and easy, so far. Thanks for the info about Key to..., tho--maybe it'll help someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Are there clear explanations? Is it appropriate for 4th grade? Any prior knowledge besides math facts needed? Yes, yes and no. I've used it with fourth graders twice now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claussenpc Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 My fourth grader just finished Key to Fractions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Thanks for asking this question. My almost 12yo is working through Rod & Staff Math 5 and I ordered the Key to Fraction workbooks for her hoping they would provide practice (testing year) without being too hard. It sounds like it will work. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Oh gosh, my daughter used parts of Key to Fractions when she was in 3rd Grade. Depends on the kid but the K2 format makes it very easy to break it up and use with kids at different levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 We found it incredibly frustrating with my 4th gr ds. We used it to supplement Singapore as suggested by Sonlight. It was very difficult for my ds bc it began with multiplying fractions which IMO is not the easiest. I did my son no favors teaching it bc I kept flubbing up multiples and factors. UGH bad memories. Not the book that was the problem but user error most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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