Math Curriculum for a bright 1st grader

[Adrianne]

My ds5 surprised us this weekend with addition facts in the car. We were on vacation and he wanted something to keep him busy. So I had him add numbers together in his head. He was adding 7 + 8 etc in his head. Wow - this surprised us. His able to see the relationship between the numbers.

 

I am currently in the process of choosing his curriculum for next and need to pick a math program. I was going to go with R&S or Abeka because I already have the materials. For my ds9 I used Abeka and we found this to be too rigorous and switched to R&S. Ds9 is more a language arts child.

 

Ds5 does not like workbook type settings like Abeka or anything writing intensive as he is only 5.

 

Can anyone recommend a math program for him that will encourage his math ability?

[Michelle My Bell]

I would probably look into RightStart Math if he is not into workbooks. It is a very manipulatives based program. They also have a questionaire that you can click to give you an idea of starting level.

 

Michelle

 

http://www.alabacus.com/pageView.cfm?pageID=270 Click on Starting Level Questionaire on this page.

[Greta]

I would probably look into RightStart Math if he is not into workbooks.

 

:iagree:

 

We LOVE RightStart!

[Targhee]

and it's great for my bright DD5. There is little or no prep for lessons, but it does require mom to teach the lessons. There is not a lot of worksheet assignments. Instead of drill you play games. It's also a recommended program by Hoagie's gifted

[April in NC]

I ADORE RightStart math. It is awesome how the program helps develop the child's ability to see patterns and relationships in numbers.

 

This is definitely not how I was taught math, (and I was always good at the standard approach), but I've been amazed at how much the first grade program has helped my own ability to do mental math. (My friend and I were discussing this the other day, and she brought up the same thing about the Kindergarten level.) We were both a little embarrassed to learn that much from basic level math textbooks!

 

 

My kids are not particularly academically advanced, so I was a little leery of whether they would actually be able to do math this way, especially when they were to be adding 2 digit numbers (sums over 100!) mentally by the end of the first grade book. Think questions like 76+59. We took our time with the book though, (skipped the K level book, and spent 2 years on the Level B first grade book), and as we neared the end of the book, you could have knocked me over with a feather when my kids figured out how to do it without me even telling them. I have no doubt now that they'll be able to easily figure out how to add the four digit numbers (on paper) that will finish off the year for us.

 

I feel that using this program has really built a great foundation for number sense and mathematical understanding.

 

Hope this helps!

[Adrianne]

Thanks for your help ladies.

 

I just checked out the price for Rightstart as it sounds great and unfortunately, it is way out of my price range. Could I just order the books and make my own manipulatives? (I am very resourceful when it comes to these things) Have you had luck buying the program used?

[Reya]

Singapore or RightStart. Singapore can be accelerated more easily and is conceptually top-notch.

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I would encourage you to consider Singapore. Don't let the outside pictures of the books or the price (they are priced very reasonably) fool you, these books are top notch and can be accelerated easily for an advanced child. Have you checked the gifted board...you might post there as well, but many use Singapore on their young gifted math students as it is adaptable to being accelerated.

[Reya]

Thanks for your help ladies.

 

I just checked out the price for Rightstart as it sounds great and unfortunately, it is way out of my price range. Could I just order the books and make my own manipulatives? (I am very resourceful when it comes to these things) Have you had luck buying the program used?

 

You can usually get them used for a lot less. :-) The manipulatives are a bit of an "ouch"--some you really need and others you can fake. The RS yahoogroup had a thread about it a while back, so if you join, you can do a search.

 

Singapore is cheap, but it does require more math teaching knowledge of the teacher.

[Adrianne]

Thanks! I have heard about Singapore but never looked into it. Can you tell me the difference between Abeka and Singapore?

[Greta]

You would definitely want to buy an abacus from RightStart -- theirs is unique and is a big part of the program. But if you're creative and don't mind investing the time, I think you could make or substitute for the other manipulatives. And there's a yahoo group you can join where people post used materials for sale. Also check out http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com. I'd highly recommend this route if you can swing it. If not, I think Singapore is pretty great too, and it's much more affordable.

[Reya]

Thanks! I have heard about Singapore but never looked into it. Can you tell me the difference between Abeka and Singapore?

 

Abeka is spiral. That means you might cover adding within 10, then subtracting within 10, then longer/shorter than, then adding within 20, then subtracting without borrowing withing 20, then measuring length... etc. etc.

 

Singapore is mastery-based. That means you do all the addition you're going to do for a grade all at once, one thing logically building on the next, to create a coherent structure before moving on to the next topic. Mastery is the standard is most other countries--in ALL the highest-scoring countries. Spiral is standard in the US.

 

Singapore has a much better and CLEANER presentation of the material. Singapore's books are, in a word, elegant. They try for economy of words and pictures, choosing carefully to make sure they communicate the concept as clearly as possible in their slender books. Abeka is much more like a regular American textbook.

 

Singapore has problems that require much more thought and fewer routine problems, especially if you use Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems.

[Closeacademy]

Singapore is an excellent curriculum for a child who likes and is good at math. It presents the information and lets them do it and get on to the next topic without drilling the topics to death.

 

For Earlybird and Level 1--I do write the answers down for children who are on the pencil phobic side. This is common amongst children who are advanced in math.

[Targhee]

Thanks for your help ladies.

 

I just checked out the price for Rightstart as it sounds great and unfortunately, it is way out of my price range. Could I just order the books and make my own manipulatives? (I am very resourceful when it comes to these things) Have you had luck buying the program used?

 

Some of the manipulatives you "have" to get, because they are card sets made for special games. The abacus is a must. But you could get a less expensive abacus and just paint the beads to look the same as the ALAbacus.

 

Right Start has a yahoo group, and sometimes people post items for sale there. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/RightStart/

 

You can get the curriculum used. Honestly, the pricey part is the teacher/lesson book (and the abacus). I saw a level B lesson book on the sale board here at WTM today. You can start B without doing A. There is a diagnostic at the web site http://www.alabacus.com

 

 

happy hunting!

[Asma_08]

I would recommend Singapore also. My son has a gift for math and he loves Singapore. I appreciate that it doesn't have a lot of drill. It seems that children who learn math easily don't need much drill and it may actually turn them off. That is what occurred with my son. Singapore has just the right amount of practice.

 

You also might want to look at MEP math, its free and its a wonderful curriculum. Right now we are using both and I find it is a perfect combination.

[Annie Laurie]

A child with a natural math ability might really enjoy Miquon. (My Ker does). Its workbook based, but is really discovery oriented, and you could present the lesson and play with the cuisenaire rods with him, and then be his scribe and write the answers. The workbooks are only around $7 each.

[Reya]

A child with a natural math ability might really enjoy Miquon. (My Ker does). Its workbook based, but is really discovery oriented, and you could present the lesson and play with the cuisenaire rods with him, and then be his scribe and write the answers. The workbooks are only around $7 each.

 

Mine hated it. The repetition, even with substantial pruning, didn't work, and he didn't like that he couldn't just "see" the lengths of the cuisinaire rods. So I sold it!

[Homemama2]

Definitly check out homeschoolclassifieds.com and the right start yahoo group. The yahoo group posts WTB/for sale stuff each friday. I got the Level B T.M., worksheets, and almost all the manipulatives for only $75!!! Which was cheaper than the other program I was looking into. By the way, I just bought the yellow is the sun cd (since it didn't come with my stuff) and you don't need it. The same song is on the website. And there are only two other different songs on the whole cd.

[Carmen_and_Company]

Singapore coupled with Miquon!

[LadyAberlin]

Right start is a little cheaper if you order from rainbowresource.com instead of the Rightstart site

[Holly]

There are several ways to make the program a little cheaper. Rainbow Resource sells an abacus that's identical to the RS one for half the price($10). I've also heard of moms making the card decks. We're 1/2 way through Level A and have only used the basic card deck and place value cards, both of which could easily be made on cardstock. The geoboards are pretty cheap from RR, and the color tiles could easily be substituted with something else or purchased form RR much cheaper. The tally sticks are just popcycle sticks. That's all I can remember using so far. Oh yeah, the abacus tiles aren't needed since there's one you can copy in the back of the book. You could do the program for quite a bit less than listed.

 

We decided to buy all the manipulatives at once, since I really liked the program. It was a large investment last year (we used our tax return), but my other DC will go through the program for the cost of workbooks, and all we have to buy for my oldest is the book and workbook for the next levels. I've really be happy with it!

[melissel]

I just have to give another thumbs up for Right Start. My DD5 BEGS me to do math lessons! I totally think it's worth the investment, and I agree that you could buy most of it used (I see it come up fairly frequently), and make what you can.

 

Good luck!

[ELaurie]

has worked very well for us. He does an amazingly effective job of explaining math concepts, using "teaching stories" that are readily grasped and easily retained by learners. He demonstrates the relationship between addition, subtraction, and later between multiplication and division by teaching "fact families," e.g. 2+3 = 5, 3+2 = 5. 5-2 = 3. 5-3 =2, which allowing students to grasp these relationships from the beginning.

 

This math program has a proven track record; requires very little writing, is not teacher intensive (although the lessons are not meant to be done independently by your dc), and sets a playful tone during math lessons, while inspiring your dc to strive for excellence.

 

The first CD covers K-2nd grade math (see sample lessons) so although it is a somewhat substantial initial investment, the cost per year is modest. All you will need to go with it is a workbook, which is inexpensive. No manipulatives are required.

 

HTH!

[Storm Bay]

Thanks! I have heard about Singapore but never looked into it. Can you tell me the difference between Abeka and Singapore?

 

No, but I can tell you about Singapore vs Rightstart or Singapore vs Saxon or Singapore vs MUS. Not only is Rightstart very expensive, it's very teacher intensive. I find that with my mathy kids I don't always need to be teacher intensive. I do when I'm teaching them how to show their work and when we discuss other things, but some things they just get quickly and can go on their way. For eg, when my 9 yo was 7, she caught onto what mulitplication was just from doing the first workbook page in Singapore Math 2 (we did Saxon for 1.) It's also much more affordable, and I think the books go for about $8 each, and I usually get the text book and the workbook. The textbook is too colourful and busy for her, so she does more problems in the workbook. Next year we're going to add Challenging Word Problems with this.

 

If your child is bright in math, I'd check out Myrtle's post on teaching kids to show their work. Although it's a reply to a question on the high school forum, she specifically explains how she works with her 7 yo. http://www.teachartathome.com/index.html

[lighthouseacademy]

I second or third RightStart. My son was just like your son. He started at 4 1/2 in RightStart B per the suggestion of the author. He is just about to start C because we only worked on math at a very leisurely pace. In fact, he only began to learn new things in the last couple of weeks because we would just live math. Anyway, I love RightStart. My not as math inclined, although still aware of numbers daughter is just starting RS (she is just over 4) and she is loving it. I bought C from Rainbow Resources. Much cheaper. There is someone who was closing her store up due to health issues and she was selling RS for pretty inexpensive too- get on the yahoogroup and look it up. You can make a lot of the worksheets (book costs $10) because the answers are provided in the teacher book. The abacus is a MUST but you can get one from Rainbow Resources that is cheaper. The tally sticks, color tiles, 1 inch blocks, are easy to make on your own. I would get the game cards and the 4 corners cards from them though.

[moosemomma]

I use Miquon with http://themathworksheetsite.com/

 

It is a great combination. I am planning to start Miquon with my ds5 in Sept. and he brother will be in second grade. Miquon uses cusenaire rods to show math relationships. The Lab Annotations has a lot of hand-on activities you can do with a child without needed to use the workbooks. The workbooks are quick and simple to complete once they understanding the concept. Then just move on to the next concept - do several hands on activities for a few days to one week then complete the next section's worksheets. The main complaint I heard about Miquon is not enough review and practice. So, I use the website to create review worksheets and extra practice in the areas that they need more review in. There is a lot of options when making most worksheets so I can make a sheet that isn't to simple which bores my son, but it isn't too challenging or too long for him. The site covers just about every imaginable subject covered in most elementary and prealgebra textbooks.

 

Jill