DD just finished LOF Pre-algebra...

[Heather in VA]

What a great book. I sure wish there were more but I guess that's unreasonable since this one isn't that old. Now I have to come up with math for the rest of the year.

 

Heather

[johnandtinagilbert]

Maybe you could head over to MUS website and print out some of their pre-alg and alg free worksheets for practice. You'll just have to check out the S&S.

 

Then again, you could just move forward with LoF...lovin' the alg. over here!

[happymom]

Wow, that was quick. Didn't it just come out? I would like to here more about it -anything that you can think of that would be helpful. I am confused as to how the biology fits into it. Is it a complete Pre-Algebra Course. I know the author is doing 2 more Pre-Algebra books so are all 3 considered a complete course or does each stand on its own? When compared to something like Lial's BCM is anything left out? It looks like this was your dd's only math, correct? How much did she do a day to get through it so fast? I have so many questions and would love to hear any insights. Thanks.

[nmoira]

Look at MEP Y7-Y9. Topics are discrete, so you can pick and choose to fill in gaps and cement concepts.

 

DD the Elder has done or has lined up (or in a couple cases done the equivalent elsewhere):

 

Y7

Logic

Probability of One Event

Y8

Mathematical Diagrams

Factors (mostly missing from LOF)

Pythagoras' Theorem (inlcuding extras)

Data Analysis

Nets and Surface Area

Angles, Bearings, Maps

Speed, Distance, Time

Straight Line Graphs

 

Y9

Base Arithmetic

Index Notation

Statistical Diagrams

Cumulative Frequency

Algebraic Manipulation

[Heather in VA]

Thanks guys. I'll take a look. We are definitely going to continue with LOF but I'd rather start the Algebra book next year.

 

I'll take a look at MEP options. I have a couple of CWP word problem books (5 and 6) that she can work on while I figure it out. Pre-algebra introduces basic algebra problems so she can solve them using Algebra. That could be a nice practice.

 

Heather

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Wow, that was quick. Didn't it just come out? I would like to here more about it -anything that you can think of that would be helpful. I am confused as to how the biology fits into it. Is it a complete Pre-Algebra Course. I know the author is doing 2 more Pre-Algebra books so are all 3 considered a complete course or does each stand on its own?

 

 

I also am wondering how the biology fits in! Did that replace all the negative feeback from the previous book? Is the biology told from an evolutionary standpoint or creation? Or is it left neutral?

[Heather in VA]

I also am wondering how the biology fits in! Did that replace all the negative feeback from the previous book? Is the biology told from an evolutionary standpoint or creation? Or is it left neutral?

 

I did the previous book (decimals/percents) and liked it very much. I felt the religious tone was neutral but I am always afraid to say that because I find that people all have very different ideas of what that means.

 

Biology is the theme of the book. There are biology-type lessons from which math problem are created. Not all the problems are like that. Some are straight-forward. To me the biology is a bonus. They learn things and it makes the problems more interesting. My daughter especially liked the lessons on genetics - nothing sexual or anything like that - mostly just on traits like long eyelashes etc and how they are passed with dominant and recessive genes. Those made for some fun word problems - more like logic than math.

 

There were even some basic proofs for the beginning of solving algebraic equations. For example: the problem was 48 - 2z = 13 + 6z +3.

 

Then instead of having the student solve for z, which by then they could, he gave the steps and they gave the reasons. Just another way to remind them of the steps and to understand why they were doing them.

 

Heather

[Ginevra]

Chiming in here...my dd is almost finished LOF Pre-Algebra, too. Very good. We'll be moving right on to LOF Beginning Algebra.

[Heather in VA]

Chiming in here...my dd is almost finished LOF Pre-Algebra, too. Very good. We'll be moving right on to LOF Beginning Algebra.

 

Do you school all year round? My daughter is dying to start Beginning Algebra but I worry about stopping mid book because we do not school in the summer. We'll be stopping in early June.

 

Heather

[TeaTotaler]

I have no experience with LoF but wanted to suggest Dolciani's Pre-Algebra as a fill in if you want to wait to start Algebra. I used this with ds after finishing SM PM 1-6, CWP, IP and several assorted resources from th library. We didn't take a whole year to complete Dolciani because ds was already familiar with a lot of the material.

 

What a great book. I sure wish there were more but I guess that's unreasonable since this one isn't that old. Now I have to come up with math for the rest of the year.

 

Heather

[nmoira]

I also am wondering how the biology fits in! Did that replace all the negative feeback from the previous book?

To what specifically are you referring?

 

Is the biology told from an evolutionary standpoint or creation? Or is it left neutral?

Neither is addressed in the text itself (nor need be, given the scope of material). The genetics discussion is certainly compatible with an evolutionary viewpoint. Edited March 11, 2010 by nmoira
clarity

[nmoira]

 

I felt the religious tone was neutral but I am always afraid to say that because I find that people all have very different ideas of what that means.

It is close to neutral in the first two books, but I wouldn't say that's the case in the subsequent books. However, Schmidt doesn't proselytize. We're secular homeschoolers, and LOF is near the edge of my comfort zone, but still within it.

[nmoira]

This book is different from the previous books in that not only the math is in the Bridges: the student is expected to master a reasonable amount of the biology as well.

[branycbur]

So happy to read another rave review. My daughter will be grade 5 next year and I was thinking of adding this to the mix. We currently do Saxon math (finishing 5/4 this year). She struggles with math a lot, even though she does well it frustrates her, so I thought that using something a little less severe might interest her. Did you do Fractions and Decimals before moving on to Pre Algebra?

[Dinsfamily]

What a great book. I sure wish there were more but I guess that's unreasonable since this one isn't that old. Now I have to come up with math for the rest of the year.

 

Heather

 

So glad to hear a good review! I'm a math geek and LOF looks fun to me. But, we have a few years yet till my ds gets there.

[i.love.lucy]

So happy to read another rave review. My daughter will be grade 5 next year and I was thinking of adding this to the mix. We currently do Saxon math (finishing 5/4 this year). She struggles with math a lot, even though she does well it frustrates her, so I thought that using something a little less severe might interest her. Did you do Fractions and Decimals before moving on to Pre Algebra?

We're there too, with the struggles. :bigear: I was assuming we needed to be through 5th before starting LoF. But we are behind a little and only in CLE 3 (almost done!) because I was filling in gaps from ps. Our plan is to do CLE 4 now thru summer and start CLE 5 in Fall at the beginning of 5th grade. Is LoF doable then or wait until the end of 5th grade to start it?

[Sunshine State Sue]

Wow, that was quick. Didn't it just come out? ... How much did she do a day to get through it so fast?

:iagree:

 

Okay, Heather and Danielle, inquiring minds want to know how many weeks you worked on it and how many days per week you worked on it. Tell us the gory details. :bigear: