happycc Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Anyone use Life of Fred books just for the kids to read as a novel during bedtime or something? Or would that be a total waste of money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 We're using LOF Apples as a read-together. Ariel enjoys it, although the math is a bit below her level. I'm still up in the air about whether to order Butterflies or not. You can always buy a book and see if it fits your style before purchasing the whole set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 FYI it is pretty easy to extend Apples. We got to the picture of the 7 pencils that Fred and Kingie were rearranging. I dumped about 200 colored pencils on the floor. Before we were done, we had used them to reinforce tons of addition/subtraction number bonds (Singapore term, other math call that fact families); we used them to illustrate multiplication. We used them to do fractions. We played with that pile of pencils for a week before moving on, even though DS8 is in Singapore 3A. When it got to set notation, out came the colored pencils again, and we made all kinds of sets and did set addition and subtraction. In the car, we are still playing the set of zero game from the book just because it is silly and fun :). To the OP, although the advanced Fred books are definitely strong enough to be a standalone program for the right type of kid, you can use it any way you like. If DC wants to read it as a story and it sparks an interest in math, what's wrong with that? I am not sure he'll get much out of it that way unless he gets interested enough to start writing out problems, because discovery math works like that, and much of the learning takes place in the problems, but he'll get something. People use Fred in various ways; just understand that it's a work in--> results out book like any other. They are an enjoyable read, and for the price, you can spend more than that on popular novels with no content at all, so why not let him read Fred instead? Let him read them; who knows, maybe he'll be be curious enough to actually try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoo_keeper Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 We read one chapter aloud each night at bedtime along with the other bedtime stories. They looooove it! Beg for, screams of joy, jumping up and down, it's crazy to observe this enthusiasm for math and random facts. But hey, I'll exploit it. Cats should arrive Monday, which is good since tomorrow is the last chapter in Butterflies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I plan to use it as a read-aloud! I am starting with Butterflies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matilda Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Anyone use Life of Fred books just for the kids to read as a novel during bedtime or something? Or would that be a total waste of money? I bought Apples and Fractions to use as novels. My dc love them, but I am not going to buy more right now, because they are somewhat pricey when just used for entertainment. The problem with the elementary series is that by the time a child can read well enough to enjoy the books on their own, they could easily be well past the math that is presented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) Anyone use Life of Fred books just for the kids to read as a novel during bedtime or something? Or would that be a total waste of money? I don't think it would be a waste of money, and most likely, depending on the level your dc is reading (my dd is reading fractions), they will probably want to go ahead and do the math in the "Your turn to play" section at the end of the chapter. My dd finds it very enjoyable. Edited October 2, 2011 by cowgirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay3fer Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Just posted a short review of our experience so far (LOF: Apples). The kids love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vontinney Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 We just finished LOF Apples. DD is in 3rd grade but her math skills are weak. We're using the LOF books to warm up and try and get her back on level with her math. So far she's loving the books (she finished up Apples in one week...). DS is in 7th and working through the Fractions book and he loves it! (He HATED math before LOF!) Well worth the $$, IMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I have a ds who used LOF Fractions for reading only. He was in first grade when he read it several times, and in second grade he wrote a book report on it for school, LOL. I was so excited that I bought a bunch of LOF books (this was before the elementary books were available). He read them too, but not one of my kids has been interested in doing the math from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 We use it as a supplement and LOVE it! I've read some of the negative reviews of some (one) of the books and of the author (which are worth a read, if nothing more than to see things from all sides)...BUT...to each their own ...we will definitely be continuing with Fred :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 We read one chapter aloud each night at bedtime along with the other bedtime stories. They looooove it! Beg for, screams of joy, jumping up and down, it's crazy to observe this enthusiasm for math and random facts. But hey, I'll exploit it. Cats should arrive Monday, which is good since tomorrow is the last chapter in Butterflies! This is exactly how my eight year old boys have been with LOF Apple and Butterflies. They love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I actually have my 2nd grader read a chapter each day to my 1st grader - multi-tasking!! :D I think it is a fun book - but absolutely NOT a math teaching book (imo). A "learn how to use math in a fun way" book, sure, but if I were left to try and truly explain the topics based on just the little bit of information provided in the book... no way. I use the RightStart math & I LOVE the detailed step-by-step logic, sequence & building blocks! I also use the Math Mammoth for worksheets & reinforcement. I also used Singapore Kinder for a teeny while a couple years ago. There is no way this book, on its own, compares to any of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Years ago, when we started Fred, I was willing to do this. But to my shock and delight, my ds was totally willing to work through the math with Fred. I don't think there's enough story to do it as just a story. Just as some don't think there's enough math to do it as their only math. But together it's perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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