LittleIzumi Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 We are still in the chapter b/c I had to remediate a bit after our PS trial :glare:, but we picked it back up and are loving it. I assume everyone else has finished the chapter--how did you like it? I got used to the colors very quickly, but the word bubble order can be confusing. It moves very quickly but so clearly that we've had no issues. I will definitely be getting this when it comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 We will be switching from SM and staying with AoPS all the way through. My son loved it, but he did have hard time figuring out which bubbles to read and understanding the pirate. If I have to sit next to him to steer, I don't have a problem with it. I wrote a very detailed feedback to AoPS folks. I did bring out concerts about formatting, but let them know than even if formatting issues stayed the same, it wouldn't deter us from switching to their books. We think the content is outstanding. I asked them to at some point publish their anticipated release dates for all the books, so we can plan better (making sure 4th grade is available by the time we finish Beast 3, and we don't have to revert back to SM, etc...). Overall, I don't think we will find a math program comparable to AoPS in excellence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onaclairadeluna Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I assume everyone else has finished the chapter--how did you like it? DD is about 3/4 of the way done with the practice book. When it's math time I ask her to bring me what she wants to work on and some days she is more into doing MEP. She is only in MEP 2b so the Beast is tough for her and I think some days she just wants a bit of a mental break. She read through the whole guide and worked on several pages on the first day but she's slowed to about a page or two each day. She is really loving it, so am I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 We will be switching from SM and staying with AoPS all the way through. My son loved it, but he did have hard time figuring out which bubbles to read and understanding the pirate. If I have to sit next to him to steer, I don't have a problem with it. I wrote a very detailed feedback to AoPS folks. I did bring out concerts about formatting, but let them know than even if formatting issues stayed the same, it wouldn't deter us from switching to their books. We think the content is outstanding. I asked them to at some point publish their anticipated release dates for all the books, so we can plan better (making sure 4th grade is available by the time we finish Beast 3, and we don't have to revert back to SM, etc...). Overall, I don't think we will find a math program comparable to AoPS in excellence. I was too late for a sample. Which grade did you get? Was it the complete Beast 3 book? I'm just wondering how it compares to SM and whether the scope and sequence and the way it teaches concepts are similar to SM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 I was too late for a sample. Which grade did you get? Was it the complete Beast 3 book? I'm just wondering how it compares to SM and whether the scope and sequence and the way it teaches concepts are similar to SM. It was one chapter only with no ToC for the rest of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 It was one chapter only with no ToC for the rest of the year. Thank you for letting me know. Are you finishing this chapter, resuming your current math curriculum, and then waiting for next summer to switch? I really hope to be able to use it next year, but we'll probably finish grade 4 and 1/2 of grade 5 by the summer. But I like to use different math books for review, so I could get grade 4 Beast to use next year as a review and it sounds like a fun book to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I was too late for a sample. Which grade did you get? Was it the complete Beast 3 book? I'm just wondering how it compares to SM and whether the scope and sequence and the way it teaches concepts are similar to SM. It was only one chapter and dealt with area/parameter questions (all they released is one chapter from grade 3). Unfortunately they didn't give out scope and sequence, but judging by the sample, specifically depth of coverage (they introduced materials like rep-tiles I have never seen before), I think it will "beat" (for the lack of a better word) SM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 It was only one chapter and dealt with area/parameter questions (all they released is one chapter from grade 3). Unfortunately they didn't give out scope and sequence, but judging by the sample, specifically depth of coverage (they introduced materials like rep-tiles I have never seen before), I think it will "beat" (for the lack of a better word) SM. Ooohhh, that's cruel to dangle one chapter in front of math book lovers a whole year before the release date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 For what it's worth there is a bit of this in MEP. I know of one exercise in y2b2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 Thank you for letting me know. Are you finishing this chapter, resuming your current math curriculum, and then waiting for next summer to switch? I really hope to be able to use it next year, but we'll probably finish grade 4 and 1/2 of grade 5 by the summer. But I like to use different math books for review, so I could get grade 4 Beast to use next year as a review and it sounds like a fun book to use. We are just barely in 2nd grade math (and said that, and they still gave us a sample, woohoo), so we will definitely finish up 2nd grade this year first, but then I do want to try using AoPS as our main curricula, probably supplementing with our current math, which is Singapore, at least the IP books and maybe CWP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 My comments to them were things I had already mentioned. My boys were not interested, though I did get one of them to read part of it to me (so that I could prove to myself that he could). He also had trouble with the order of the bubbles, and I think I've stated before what I think about the font size and all-cap style of the bubbles. For those who think MM is a little busy sometimes, the Guide is a nightmare, IMO, for overwhelming the "visual channel." I hope they tweak. I'm glad I don't need (LOL) Beast at this point in time, because the format would seriously annoy me, though it would be hard not to add some of it to my "collection." I liked the workbook (except, again, for the few bubbles). I hope they take a somewhat different approach for the 4th and 5th grade levels, because I'm dying to see what they do with the math. I also wish the subject of the sample had been something other than geometry, but hopefully they'll have further samples when it's finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 My comments to them were things I had already mentioned. My boys were not interested, though I did get one of them to read part of it to me (so that I could prove to myself that he could). He also had trouble with the order of the bubbles, and I think I've stated before what I think about the font size and all-cap style of the bubbles. For those who think MM is a little busy sometimes, the Guide is a nightmare, IMO, for overwhelming the "visual channel." I hope they tweak. I'm glad I don't need (LOL) Beast at this point in time, because the format would seriously annoy me, though it would be hard not to add some of it to my "collection." I liked the workbook (except, again, for the few bubbles). I hope they take a somewhat different approach for the 4th and 5th grade levels, because I'm dying to see what they do with the math. I also wish the subject of the sample had been something other than geometry, but hopefully they'll have further samples when it's finished. If you think the font size is a problem, then it's going to be a problem for me too. SM's font is really quite perfect for us, but I need MM for the teaching of concepts, which is why I need both math books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I can't wait to see the rest of the series as it unfolds. I loved the sample chapter. Being a geometry chapter it is hard to know how it will compare with the methodology for teaching arithmetic found in Singapore, MEP, etc. It was curious to me that for as advanced as the section on Area and Permeter was in many regards that the children were doing serial addition rather than multiplication. So I'm curious about the scope and sequence. And very excited to see what comes. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 We are still in the middle of the sample chapter. My daughter is difficult to teach, but is learning the concepts very easily through this. I love it!!! She is able to do the practice problems but she is slow as it takes her a long time to add up numbers. I am impressed with what she's doing and learning. She'll probably use this as her main math next year. I've always been a SM person, but I think this has better instruction and samples. ... I also have older boys who are great at math. My oldest started the AoPS as a 6th grader and loves them. It is new to me to teach someone who doesn't get math easily, but I think she'll really do well with this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 My big girl completed a lot of the book fairly easily and loves the characters. I am reading the guide book aloud to her and have to kind of point along as to where I'm reading since the speaking bubbles can be a little tricky to follow. Her favorite character is Fiona and pretends to be her sometimes! I am definitely going to use this program when it rolls out next year! I suspect we will be into 4th grade math by then so I'm eager to see what the 4th/5th material will be like!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 We received it but haven't had a chance to work through it. Both boys read the cartoons, but not sure how much they learned/retained until we do the workbook. Maybe this weekend.... Does seem busy to me, and might work better for my younger than my older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 DS loved the text, but fizzled out of his excitement when he got to the workbook, so we haven't done but one page yet. I keep forgetting. :tongue_smilie: I too was surprised that they were doing area by serial addition. When DS was first introduced to the concept of area in MM (which starts out by counting the blocks inside a shape drawn on a grid), he quickly noticed that he could just multiply two sides, so that's what he always does anyway. I think MM didn't teach to multiply for area until the following grade level or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 I can't wait to see the rest of the series as it unfolds. I loved the sample chapter. Being a geometry chapter it is hard to know how it will compare with the methodology for teaching arithmetic found in Singapore, MEP, etc. It was curious to me that for as advanced as the section on Area and Permeter was in many regards that the children were doing serial addition rather than multiplication. So I'm curious about the scope and sequence. And very excited to see what comes. Bill I was very surprised by the serial addition/skip counting instead of multiplying, but that is what let dd actually DO all the problems instead of me having to retranslate. She gets the concepts but to get the actual numbers, she's still skip counting or adding. And it would be very easy for a child who can multiply well to just do that instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I was very surprised by the serial addition/skip counting instead of multiplying, but that is what let dd actually DO all the problems instead of me having to retranslate. She gets the concepts but to get the actual numbers, she's still skip counting or adding. And it would be very easy for a child who can multiply well to just do that instead. Certainly not a deal-breaker, I just found it curious. I'm sure they will have a method to their sequence. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in SEVA Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 :( I just tried to get a sample and the site says they are not sending out any more. :( Does anyone know someone at AoPS who could pull some strings and let me see a sample? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 :( I just tried to get a sample and the site says they are not sending out any more. :( Does anyone know someone at AoPS who could pull some strings and let me see a sample? :) They ran out of samples really fast. I think the day after it was posted here that the samples existed, they were already out? That was weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Colleen, check your PM box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Got an email from Beast today reminding people to fill out the survey, if you have not already done so: Greetings from Beast Academy: By now, we hope that you have received the sample chapter. Please let us know if it has not arrived. If you have already completed the chapter and taken the survey at www.beastacademy.com/survey, thanks! If you have finished working through the books, please click here when you are ready to begin the survey. If you need more time to finish the chapter, please remember to complete the survey when you are ready. You are welcome (even encouraged) to complete the survey more than once if you have additional thoughts to share, but we ask that you let us know in your comments if you are completing the survey for a second time. We look forward to hearing from everyone, and are already busy implementing some changes based on early reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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