Jump to content

Menu

Help! What should we do for math the first week of school?


ktgrok
 Share

Recommended Posts

So..I had planned on continuing with MM5b, where we left off. I even had the chapter we would be working on spiral bound. Then after everyone's suggestions I ended up ordering Lial's BCM today. It obviously won't be here for Monday, and probably not until the following week. So, what do I do?

 

Do I just work on the fractions chapter in MM that I already printed? I'm thinking you can never have too much practice in fractions. Or should I do something else while I wait?

 

Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the first week, we usually do a review of the material of the previous school year. My kids are really good at math - but even they forget things over the summer. I gave DS practice problems from all the chapters of the previous semester. (DD's new book had a built-in review)

So, you could use the next chapter - but then, depending on how long your break was, you might even want to backtrack and do a review of the stuff before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the first week, we usually do a review of the material of the previous school year. My kids are really good at math - but even they forget things over the summer. I gave DS practice problems from all the chapters of the previous semester. (DD's new book had a built-in review)

So, you could use the next chapter - but then, depending on how long your break was, you might even want to backtrack and do a review of the stuff before.

 

Well, the chapter we were going to work on reviews how to simplify fractions, before going on to how to multiply/divide them. The review of simplifying them might be good, I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realized I also have access to the first chapter of the book online. I could try to print the pages, but they seem to print out very very small, or I guess I could do them on the white board. It seems more difficult than waiting for the book itself. How easy is it to finish BCM in a school year? Will waiting a week really hurt me?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realized I also have access to the first chapter of the book online. I could try to print the pages, or do them on the white board, and just get started with BCM.

 

is that a better idea?

 

Does it have some review, or is it all new stuff?

A lot depends on your student's personality - my DD is thrilled to be able to start new books and is motivated by it, my DS prefers to spend some time reviewing to get into things. You know your kids best. In the end, I do not think it matters much what you do the first week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have time, I would have him do that MM fraction chapter first. If he already knows how to do a lot of it, you can move through it quicker, but I would not skip it totally, because it is a foundational topic. MM spends much more time on the conceptual understanding that we're trying to find out how many fractional pieces fit into the dividend. BCM (which I have, though I haven't used it) jumps right in with the standard algorithm (what a reciprocal is, and that to divide fractions we multiply by the reciprocal). In section 2.7, BCM has a whopping one picture explaining division of fractions, and the rest is plug and chug. Personally, I'd use your MM chapter 6, green pies by the thousands :lol:, and then when you get to that chapter in BCM, you can skip and skim through the BCM chapter for review and practice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...