Math NOT "Visually Stimulating" & is Mastery

[mamato4girls]

hope that makes sense ;) Looking for suggestions for both my rising 4th and 8th grader for Math that is not online or DVD (TT type), doesn't have tons of overwhelming bright colors and pictures on a page, but is a strong/solid program. Both girls need a Mastery program.

 

My younger one REALLY struggles with long term memory and getting her math facts. Older one used Saxon in a private school, and R & S for 6th and 1st semester of 7th when we switched to TT. TT is not for this child!

Any suggestion on a solid, mastery based program for grades 4 & 7 (over the summer) then switching to pre-algebra.

[Peela]

I am using Math U See Pre Algebra with my ds14 and I wish we had changed earlier. The presentation on the page is important to him and it seems to be perfect- very plain, but not cluttered. There is a DVD but only for a short time once a week of 10 days- you watch a short piece then do the work in a workbook. It is mastery, with regular revision.

[Donna T.]

Sounds like you are looking for MathUSee.

[Chloe]

MUS can be used without the DVDs. The lessons are written in the TM. I know some who use it this way.

[littlebug42]

Modern Curriculum Press has a math program that would fit these qualifications for the 4th grader but unfortunately, it only goes through grade 6 ( I think).

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/MCP+Math+2005+Level+A+Student+Edition/046028/1275658517-1416609

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

I wouldn't use MUS without the DVD because not everything on the DVD is in the Teacher's manual but the teacher can watch the DVD without the student and then teach the student. There are also sometimes things in the Teacher's Manual that aren't on the DVD.

 

I use MUS with my dd who has low vision because the abundant white space and black/white pages make it easier for her to see them. She loves watching the DVD's though.

[mamato4girls]

I think the short DVD with MUS would be okay. I have seen the pages in the book, and it looks great. Like a lower grade Saxon book, even better!

[WishboneDawn]

I think Math Mammoth for the younger one with additional worksheets from a site like worksheetworks.com would be a good fit. It's straightforward and clear. Might also look at the Key to.. books for the older one or both, again with extra worksheets.

 

Both are my favourite for straight forward, no-nonsense math.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

I think Math Mammoth for the younger one with additional worksheets from a site like worksheetworks.com would be a good fit. It's straightforward and clear. Might also look at the Key to.. books for the older one or both, again with extra worksheets.

 

Both are my favourite for straight forward, no-nonsense math.

The downside to MM is that the page is pretty "busy." Check out the thread that asks if anyone doesn't like MM because someone posted how to print sections of a page blown up to full page size to make it less cluttered.

[Lori D.]

Math-U-See

Mastery approach, with review of past concepts at the end of several of the workpages for each lesson. DVD lessons, which are very clear, simple, tangible/concrete explanations and visualizations of every concept. The DVD lessons are short (2-5 minutes long) and are excellent to watch together as parent/teacher and child/student. Very clean, non-cluttered workbooks with not too many problems on a page, and not the hopping around from subject to subject as with Saxon.

 

 

re: math facts

For a student who struggles with math facts (our younger son is a visual-spatial learner, who didn't even begin to have math facts memorized until after 12yo), I highly recommend:

- skip counting songs

- Schoolhouse Rock: Multiplication Rock (multiplication facts)

- triangle flashcards

(helps student see relationship between 3 numbers of a "fact family", and reduces memorization of math facts by 3/4, because each "fact family" represents FOUR math facts. Ex: a triangle flashcard with one of the numbers 7, 6, and 42 in each corner; cover the 42, and you have two multiplication facts of 7x6=42, and 6x7=42 (and, incidently, that also gives you the two division algebra problems of ?/7=6 and ?/6=7). Cover the 7 and you have the math fact 42/6=7 (and the algebra problem of 6x?=42); cover the 6 and you have 42/7=6 (and a multiplication algebra problem of 7x?=42)

 

 

BEST of luck in finding what math works for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Aludlam]

The downside to MM is that the page is pretty "busy." Check out the thread that asks if anyone doesn't like MM because someone posted how to print sections of a page blown up to full page size to make it less cluttered.

 

 

I agree. I can't use MM, b/c there is tooooo much on the page for my eyes. That's one of the reason we stick with MUS. MUS = Plain Jane pages with room to work.

 

Angela

[Jlynn]

I'm in the same place as you. We're just finishing R&S 6 and my son really enjoys this series, have used it from the beginning, but am wanting to switch to something before he hits Algebra so that he can get used to the new program's way of "speaking" He didn't like the looks of TT because of the cdroms or BJUP because of the color or various other curricula. We had always assumed it would be Saxon for us, but after looking at the Algebra 1/2 book that a friend let me borrow I realized that he's not going to do well with that style of teaching at all.

 

So...looked at a neighbor's MUS and my ds loved it! This neighbor's husband is a math major and he highly rec'd the program and their kids have used it from the beginning (oldest entering Algebra). My ds doesn't mind watching Demme at all for just a few minutes every few days - he just didn't want to sit down for 30-45 min. video lessons per day (A Beka or BJU style). He's done so well with R&S that he tested into MUS's prealgebra, but I really think what we'll do is both Epsilon and Zeta this year at double pace, just to really cement that foundation of Fractions and Decimals. We've worked a year ahead in R&S, so this shouldn't put him behind. I'm also going to throw in LOF since its cheap and my son liked his writing style, but that will just be "for fun" and to give a slightly different angle.

 

My only concern in the past was lack of review and the fact that MUS didn't go through Calc., but it seems that has been worked on in the past few years, so we're going to take the plunge - I think (I'll probably change my mind a hundred times before I buy it though - I really hate changing programs). good luck!

[mamato4girls]

Thank you all! And thanks Lori D. I am going to try the skip counting songs

- Schoolhouse Rock: Multiplication Rock (multiplication facts)

- triangle flashcards!!