End of Saxon 3 - what would you do?

[alabasterflask]

I'm looking for a little advice - or a slap in the face to help clear my head.

 

We are at the end of Saxon 3, going to 5/4 in the Fall. I have 23 lessons left. The dilemma is that mentally we are just done. I would really like to finish up this week before we go on our family vacation and for morale and transition purposes I'd like to do our little "done with 3rd grade" dance. I know I can't do 23 lessons in four days.

 

My plan is to have DS do the assessments this week - I can already see there are 4 or 5 concepts that we haven't covered yet. I will touch on those and then just call it DONE.

 

I know there is a heavy review element in Saxon and just looking at the TOC for Saxon 5/4 I can see that these same concepts are covered next year.

 

So - what would you do? Will I cause big gaps and create more work for us in the future or is there so much review at this stage that it doesn't really matter? I know that is true with Saxon 1 and 2.

 

I just need someone who has used Saxon to help me get out of this indecisive fog - either tell me I'm crazy or that what I'm thinking of makes perfect sense :)

Edited June 15, 2010 by alabasterflask

[JudoMom]

I'm looking for a little advice - or a slap in the face to help clear my head.

 

We are at the end of Saxon 3, going to 5/4 in the Fall. I have 23 lessons left. The dilemma is that mentally we are just done. I would really like to finish up this week before we go on our family vacation and for moral and transition purposes I'd like to do our little "done with 3rd grade" dance. I know I can't do 23 lessons in four days.

 

My plan is to have DS do the assessments this week - I can already see there are 4 or 5 concepts that we haven't covered yet. I will touch on those and then just call it DONE.

 

I know there is a heavy review element in Saxon and just looking at the TOC for Saxon 5/4 I can see that these same concepts are covered next year.

 

So - what would you do? Will I cause big gaps and create more work for us in the future or is there so much review at this stage that it doesn't really matter? I know that is true with Saxon 1 and 2.

 

I just need someone who has used Saxon to help me get out of this indecisive fog - either tell me I'm crazy or that what I'm thinking of makes perfect sense :)

 

You'll be fine skipping all of it. All that is needed to go into 5/4 is knowing all math facts. Dance away :party:.

[Irishmommy]

Well, I was in the exact same boat as you, but we had about 40 lessons left. I had already decided that we would just do the tests (remediate any foreign concepts) then call it good. BUT, then I lost the workbook...so, DONE!!!:D

[momee]

We're a little past where you are in lesson 38 or so of 5/4.

 

We've hit a wall because she doesn't know all of her math facts.

 

Anything that's in those last lessons pales in comparison to the learning and cemented recall of math facts as far as being prepared for 5/4.

 

Stop the math work - start the math fact practice and enjoy summer, I say :)

 

Start 5/4 in the fall with a child who knows their math facts and you'll be sittin pretty!

[tiffany k]

I totally agree with Momee! There is plenty of review. Practice math facts over the summer and you'll be golden for 5/4. Enjoy your dance!

[Guest janainaz]

I agree, Saxon does SO much review, especially in 5/4 and 6/5, that you'd be fine to skip.

[alabasterflask]

I am sooooo dancing! Thank you everyone!

[creekmom]

You'll be fine skipping all of it. All that is needed to go into 5/4 is knowing all math facts. Dance away :party:.

 

:iagree:

[fractalgal]

I'm looking for a little advice - or a slap in the face to help clear my head.

 

We are at the end of Saxon 3, going to 5/4 in the Fall. I have 23 lessons left. The dilemma is that mentally we are just done. I would really like to finish up this week before we go on our family vacation and for morale and transition purposes I'd like to do our little "done with 3rd grade" dance. I know I can't do 23 lessons in four days.

 

My plan is to have DS do the assessments this week - I can already see there are 4 or 5 concepts that we haven't covered yet. I will touch on those and then just call it DONE.

 

I know there is a heavy review element in Saxon and just looking at the TOC for Saxon 5/4 I can see that these same concepts are covered next year.

 

So - what would you do? Will I cause big gaps and create more work for us in the future or is there so much review at this stage that it doesn't really matter? I know that is true with Saxon 1 and 2.

 

I just need someone who has used Saxon to help me get out of this indecisive fog - either tell me I'm crazy or that what I'm thinking of makes perfect sense :)

 

I recently finished Saxon 3 with my 2nd grade son. He used it until the end. Now I do think you would be fine skipping the last 20 or so lessons, but one thing I liked at the end of Saxon 3 was the way it taught long division - dividing a three-digit number by a one-digit number using money manipulatives. I think is was lesson 134. [i would make sure the math facts are cemented before doing long division extensively.] Long division with two or more digit answers does get covered again in the 5/4 level, but the way it was taught in Saxon 3 (with the manipultives, place value, and going one step at a time) was helpful for him as a starting point.

 

Good luck.:)

[bookmomma]

Skip it! My son used 54 this year and, like all Saxon, there's lots of review and they gradually introduce concepts at the beginning, building on those each lesson. My younger son just started his saxon 3 (early, since he's not a "math brain") and is relieved at how easy it is. SO MUCH REVIEW! But I think it's good for em.