chiguirre Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Dd is cruising along in SM. We're currently using IP along with the textbook and workbook, I didn't buy CWP when it went oop but I could get it now. Dd is finishing up 3A and just burned through it with no trouble. I was surprised because I really thought long division would slow her down, but it didn't. I was looking over the Yellow and Purple Miquon worksheets we have left and they seem a bit easy for her now and I doubt they'll take more than a month or two to finish. I guesstimate she'll be done with 3B by Christmas break and I don't see any topics in 3B or level 4 that will cause her any problems. I'm looking to add another program to SM that will challenge dd and allow us to spread out the SM levels to last a school year each. I'd rather not finish up Primary Maths until 6th grade. I'd like a program that is about the level of IP, preferably with a fun, puzzly feel. I'm considering LOF and MEP, but other options would be great. Have you used LOF or MEP with a kid that naturally gets math and just loves it? How did they like those programs? Any good tips on extending and enriching math without accelerating into Algebra early? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Take a look at Zaccaro's Primary Grades Challenge Math and then Challenge Math. The first one is for grades 1-4 and has some fun stuff in it. DS and I love working through that together. I haven't used the second one yet, since we're not there yet. ;) That said, if she keeps trucking along, it's hard to "hold her back" without boring her with repetitive stuff. I'm going to let my son do algebra early, but then he can fill in with other post-algebra courses and go deeper at that point. I think it's easier to go deeper in the higher level courses than it is to go deeper into the 4 basic operations and other elementary math. ;) We are still going as deep as we can, but we're also speeding along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I use MEP sometimes as a supplement. It has a totally different sequence so while dd is doing say addition within 40 in SM, she's doing greater/less/equal/not equal/greater or equal/less or equal puzzles in MEP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 TThat said, if she keeps trucking along, it's hard to "hold her back" without boring her with repetitive stuff. I'm going to let my son do algebra early, but then he can fill in with other post-algebra courses and go deeper at that point. I think it's easier to go deeper in the higher level courses than it is to go deeper into the 4 basic operations and other elementary math. ;) We are still going as deep as we can, but we're also speeding along. :iagree::iagree::iagree: I held my DD to just one year ahead in math by going deeper and taking side detours (Zaccaro books, Hands-on Equations, LOF) but have gotten to the point in 5A where I'm starting to get pushback on all the repetition of topics with very little new material. As soon as she finishes this book, I'm going to accelerate her to pre-algebra with Discovering Math 1 and Horizons Pre-Algebra. Hopefully there will be enough material between the two books to spread it out over 2 years. That would put her in algebra I in 6th and I can use 7th to do some of the interesting AOPS courses not covered in a normal secondary math sequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 The Zaccaro books are great. Also Hands On Equations is good, especially when supplemented with the word problems book. I agree with the others who have mentioned that it may be difficult to put off algebra for too long. Frankly, arithmetic isn't all that exciting and there is only so much supplementation one can do (at least that's how it seemed here). But after a kid has done the first year of algebra, lots of doors open up and the math is ever so much more interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 :iagree: And there is no good reason to do so, as long as she is understanding and retaining the information. It's not as if she'll run out of math to study and suddenly leave home over it :). There is literally no limit to new areas of math to explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Frankly, arithmetic isn't all that exciting and there is only so much supplementation one can do (at least that's how it seemed here). But after a kid has done the first year of algebra, lots of doors open up and the math is ever so much more interesting. :iagree::iagree: I didn't supplement DS when he was grade 1-4 level. seriously. there is not that much if they understand the concept and can do 4 operations. We start supplement heavily stating 5th grade level (Singapore) . when all operation mix with fraction/percent/decimal. The question is became lots more interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 I would rather wait to start Algebra because of my personal experience. I accelerated arithmetic in ps and started Algebra at age 11 in 7th grade. I found it overwhelming and developed a real math phobia as a result of the experience. I'd rather wait and have Alg be easy for dd rather than push it and repeat my experience. In addition, our cc only offers Calc 3 and Statistics, so accelerating more than a year would mean having to continue online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 :iagree::iagree: I didn't supplement DS when he was grade 1-4 level. seriously. there is not that much if they understand the concept and can do 4 operations. We start supplement heavily stating 5th grade level (Singapore) . when all operation mix with fraction/percent/decimal. The question is became lots more interesting. What did you use in 5th grade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I would rather wait to start Algebra because of my personal experience. I accelerated arithmetic in ps and started Algebra at age 11 in 7th grade. I found it overwhelming and developed a real math phobia as a result of the experience. I'd rather wait and have Alg be easy for dd rather than push it and repeat my experience. In addition, our cc only offers Calc 3 and Statistics, so accelerating more than a year would mean having to continue online. There is a difference (a huge difference) between moving into algebra in a school situation and moving into algebra as a homeschooler. As a homeschooler, you can back off and back up as necessary whereas a school situation proceeds no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 There is a difference (a huge difference) between moving into algebra in a school situation and moving into algebra as a homeschooler. As a homeschooler, you can back off and back up as necessary whereas a school situation proceeds no matter what. :iagree: And as far as running out of cc math, with the extra AoPS books, you can easily get Calc in 11th or 12th grade. If you start Algebra in 6th grade and do all the AoPS books in order, it gets you to Calc in 12th. Also, in your school situation, did you have a really good grasp of the 4 operations? If you sped through them, did you have your facts down cold, and did you know the arithmetic inside and out? Your DD is getting a different education in the elementary levels, so she may be better prepared for algebra. Who knows. But yes, if she hits a wall, you know to back off rather than letting her develop a math phobia. You can easily slow down or find a matching curriculum where she will understand and not fear the math. I don't think you have to worry about that, since you are in control of her education. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 What about finding an area of interest and expanding on that? For example, my big girl enjoys measurement so I bought the Key to Measurement set and she's happily working through those. Math Mammoth has lots of topical books to choose from too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 My DD really loves HOE, Challenge Math, Singapore IP problems, and the occasional MEP add-on. She also likes narrative math like Penrose the Mathematical Cat, and I think she'll enjoy LOF when she gets to fractions (torn on whether to get the elementary books-there's not much in the table of contents she hasn't already done yet). DH has his undergrad degree in math (and his graduate research was very applied math although officially being CS) and has LOTS of neat topics he's looking forward to teaching DD, so I'm not worried about her running out of math. She may just be the one kid going into college already having done combinatorics (his favorite area of math) and topology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I would recommend MEP and the Zaccaro books as well. The Primary Grade Challenge Math book by Zaccaro does get the child doing (well explained) algebra (linear equations and word problems). So if you are committed to avoiding algebra you should be aware. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.