What is the best conceptual 1st grade math?

[FairProspects]

Loads of people dislike Singapore 1A/1B or think it is the weakest link. I've heard murmurs of discontent with Math Mammoth level 1A/1B too, even when home educators love the other levels. Is conceptual math just really difficult to teach at the 1st grade level? What, in your opinion, is the best 1st grade conceptual math and why?

[MyLittleBears]

:bigear:

 

Interested also. You forgot Miquon. :001_smile:

[Rivka]

MEP 1a is so good that it's kind of astounding. Parts of 1b get to be a bit of a slog, but overall I think that MEP 1 is an excellent, very rigorous, very deep curriculum for first grade.

[FO4UR]

I really REALLY love Miquon + Singapore 1A/B.

 

 

MM is too much writing for a little student. I want them focusing on learning math, not writing writing writing.

 

MEP year 1 is great too. :iagree: (Cut out a bunch of writing by doing the drill type things orally.;))

[Zoo Keeper]

MEP, Miquon, MEP, Miquon...it's all good.

 

Take your pick. Or do both. :)

[Spy Car]

Miquon, MEP, and Singapore make a very potent combo.

 

Bill

[Walking-Iris]

Miquon!!! We'll finish it this year and I love it!!

[Crimson Wife]

Right Start B.

 

I'm using it in conjunction with Singapore 1 and I keep getting reminded of how, with the exception of subtraction and the very brief intro to multiplication & division, RS B goes much further than Singapore 1.

 

For example, Singapore 1B teaches telling time to the nearest hour or half-hour. RS B teaches it to the minute. Singapore 1B does addition within 100. RS B teaches addition of two 4 digit numbers. Singapore doesn't teach perimeter until 3B, but RS B includes several lessons on it.

 

DS prefers the visual "look" of Singapore to RS, and I do love the IP book. So to keep him happy, I am doing both. However, I do consider RS to be our main program and Singapore just the supplement.

[blondeviolin]

I think MEP is better than SM for the first year. Abby prefers the SM for the less puzzle-y problems. We are working with MEP, Miquon and Singapore.

[Bloggermom]

If you want something online I HIGHLY recommend Dreambox Learning! My 1st grader loves it.

[poetic license]

I think MEP is better than SM for the first year. Abby prefers the SM for the less puzzle-y problems. We are working with MEP, Miquon and Singapore.

 

:iagree: this is us, exactly. I give SM the least time, but use it mainly for the scope and sequence, since we will go into SM for subsequent grades. We also use it for the mental math problems from the HIG. Miquon and MEP are much more impressive for this grade IMO.

[lorisuewho]

We're using Rightstart B, and supplementing with Singapore 1a/b intensive practice.

I love Rightstart and plan to use A & B levels with all my children as they are ready.

 

The next year I'm planning to transition my oldest to Singapore 2a/b with possibly some CLE math for review.

[trailofsparks]

RightStart for many reasons. The manipulatives make sense - a specially designed abacus, which discourages finger counting and, later, encourages a transference to using a mental image of it. Plenty of practice pages, if needed....but the corresponding Math Games are more fun and a fantastic way to build skills. All this...and more :D

[SJ.]

Pssst.... what is MEP? :bigear:

[nmoira]

MEP 1a is so good that it's kind of astounding. Parts of 1b get to be a bit of a slog, but overall I think that MEP 1 is an excellent, very rigorous, very deep curriculum for first grade.

This. MEP Y1 is conceptually centered around the concepts of equality and inequality. It only uses numbers within 20, but covers more mathematical ground than any other first grade program I've seen (a list which includes Singapore and Right Start B).

[jennynd]

Pssst.... what is MEP? :bigear:

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm

[nmoira]

Pssst.... what is MEP? :bigear:

 

Mathematics Enhancement Programme from CIMT.

[jennynd]

we love Miquon and right start abacus

[LittleIzumi]

MEP, Miquon, MEP, Miquon...it's all good.

 

Take your pick. Or do both. :)

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[sbgrace]

I think RightStart gives a really fantastic basis/foundation in conceptual math.

[MeganW]

MEP, Miquon, RightStart

 

They are all so DIFFERENT.

 

Miquon is figure-it-out ("discovery") math. It's really hard for one of mine - I do so much hand-holding that I'm not sure that she is really getting the benefit she should. The other 3 are getting tons out of it.

 

RightStart is more a direct teaching in an orderly fashion kind of math.

 

And MEP, well, somebody else will have to give a summary of that. It's different too but I don't know how to describe it!

[Rbsmrter]

Miquon, MEP, and Singapore make a very potent combo.

 

Bill

 

This is what we've been doing and I feel like it's covering all of our bases. Where one program is weak, one of the others picks it up. With these three and a bucket of c.rods, my daughter is busy for hours.

[boscopup]

Loads of people dislike Singapore 1A/1B or think it is the weakest link. I've heard murmurs of discontent with Math Mammoth level 1A/1B too, even when home educators love the other levels. Is conceptual math just really difficult to teach at the 1st grade level? What, in your opinion, is the best 1st grade conceptual math and why?

 

I think basic addition/subtraction of 1-digit numbers is boring, especially if that's the only thing they've learned, so there is nothing else to cycle through to mix things up. In later levels, you have so much going on, that it's easier to keep things interesting.

 

MM1 is excellent as far as teaching conceptually. It's just boring because well, you're basically drilling addition and subtraction facts most of the year. :tongue_smilie: I imagine Singapore is similar, except that they do some more interesting things in 1B (intro to multiplication, etc.).

 

DS1 did MM1 after doing half of Saxon 1 (and Saxon K before that). He has an excellent foundation in place value, addition, and subtraction. For DS2, I'm doing the calendar and 100-chart stuff (with straws and money) like Saxon did. I'm still not quite sure if we'll do Singapore 1A or MM1A. We're in EM K book B right now, and using C-rods with it, it's going great. DS2 is learning his addition facts, much to my surprise, and EM K doesn't even drill them - you just have 2-3 problems per page to introduce them. Since I'm really liking Singapore 4, I'll probably try Singapore 1A and see how that goes. I'm picking what *I* enjoy teaching. I can't wrap my head around Miquon (though I love C-rods and think they're a great addition to Singapore), and MEP kind of confuses me with the things required for the lesson plans. RS was a definite no-go here, with all the millions of manipulatives. I like the teaching to be simple. MM is simple. Singapore is simple (for me, using the HIG... at least at level 4... haven't seen 1 yet!). They both teach mental math, and they both teach "why" various things work.

 

Really, just pick whatever you enjoy teaching and your son enjoys learning from. Don't worry about it being the "most conceptual". It's just first grade math. :)

[FairProspects]

I think basic addition/subtraction of 1-digit numbers is boring, especially if that's the only thing they've learned, so there is nothing else to cycle through to mix things up. In later levels, you have so much going on, that it's easier to keep things interesting.

 

MM1 is excellent as far as teaching conceptually. It's just boring because well, you're basically drilling addition and subtraction facts most of the year. :tongue_smilie: I imagine Singapore is similar, except that they do some more interesting things in 1B (intro to multiplication, etc.).

 

 

Really, just pick whatever you enjoy teaching and your son enjoys learning from. Don't worry about it being the "most conceptual". It's just first grade math. :)

 

Yeah, the boring thing is my concern. Ds 2 will not put up with workbooks, everything must be a 3-ring circus or a challenge. I think he would keel over with MM at least at the 1st grade level. It is not so much which is most conceptual, as which can also be the most fun and challenging for this child.

[boscopup]

Yeah, the boring thing is my concern. Ds 2 will not put up with workbooks, everything must be a 3-ring circus or a challenge. I think he would keel over with MM at least at the 1st grade level. It is not so much which is most conceptual, as which can also be the most fun and challenging for this child.

 

In that case, probably MEP. :lol:

[Spy Car]

The RightStart games are another fun way to learn math. I also like the RS base-10 and place value cards and find they work well with C Rods and base-10 flats for modeling three digit numbers and really wooing on developing a sense of place value at the outset.

 

Bill

[Aurelia]

I love MEP Y1 and Right Start B.

[Crimson Wife]

I tried MEP 1 with DS but while I felt like he was doing all sorts of very interesting math problems, I couldn't really tell whether or not he was actually making any progress. We got through most of MEP 1A before he caught sight of Singapore 1A at the HS supply store and asked to do that. After finishing up Singapore 1A, I felt like he didn't have as solid a grasp on the underlying concepts as DD had gotten from RS B.

 

Of the 3 first grade programs I have used, Right Start B strikes me as the best for promoting conceptual understanding and for getting into harder material more quickly (with the exceptions noted in my earlier post).

[Farrar]

I think different things will work better for different kids. Mine found MEP frustrating in the extreme. Miquon and MM were a better combo. And those RS games, once I finally came around and bought them! But others have had different experiences, obviously.

[ladydusk]

I have to chime in and agree with the MEP folks (surprising ... ), but my kids have gotten so much concentration on how to think and understand math. I recently got a copy of Primary Challenge Math, and was working with my daughter on the first section ... she was able to understand concepts we haven't even come close to touching (double digit addition, doubling, dividing, on a very basic level fractions) because she has a good base understanding of math and we have a common mathematical language that we can speak in.

 

It figures problems from so many different angles, uses so many different constructs, and does such a good job of layering idea on idea.

 

If you need a three-ring circus, the beginning of MEP1A has a lot of physical (jump, clap, count, etc.) exercises, coloring, and processing. The lesson plans have a lot of interaction with the instructor. This is definitely a teacher intensive program.

[RoundAbout]

We just got our box of RightStart B stuff, since we are finishing A next week, and man am I impressed! I loved RS A, but B looks even better. We are having so much fun with RS and my son is really nailing math - both skills and concepts - in a painless way. MEP looks amazing but for my son's young age RightStart's variety, cool manipulatives, games, and oral learning fits better than worksheets. I'll probably fold in some MEP as he gets older.

[Spy Car]

We just got our box of RightStart B stuff, since we are finishing A next week, and man am I impressed! I loved RS A, but B looks even better. We are having so much fun with RS and my son is really nailing math - both skills and concepts - in a painless way. MEP looks amazing but for my son's young age RightStart's variety, cool manipulatives, games, and oral learning fits better than worksheets. I'll probably fold in some MEP as he gets older.

 

Do not underestimate MEP by thinking it is just "worksheets" as half of MEP consists of the Lesson Plans are built around activity type learning.

 

The Student books, while they do have some basic equations, have many brain-stretching problems that are quite unlike what one might expect from a "workbook."

 

Of all the early math programs MEP consistently requires children *think* the hardest. It can really add an intriguing element to a math mix even if time requirement mean doing some cherry-picking of the most intriguing problems.

 

Personally I think the early years are a critical time to "stretch the noodles" of our children. Their mental pathways are in a formative and highly-dynamic stage of development and if we can stimulate their highest cognitive functioning we can help build better minds.

 

Bill

[mom31257]

What is Dreambox?

[RoundAbout]

Do not underestimate MEP by thinking it is just "worksheets" as half of MEP consists of the Lesson Plans are built around activity type learning.

 

Personally I think the early years are a critical time to "stretch the noodles" of our children. Their mental pathways are in a formative and highly-dynamic stage of development and if we can stimulate their highest cognitive functioning we can help build better minds.

 

 

Oh I agree. My son, however, literally just turned 5 and is technically still 7 months from starting K. He's math talented but when I brought out some MEP 1 to try he just wasn't interested in putting dots in boxes or coloring. However he happily spent an hour with the RS Math Balance making up problems and solving them. It's just more exciting :) I will take a look at the teacher materials again - my big complaint about MEP is that it has rather messy formatting - I'd love to see it all in one big book like RS.

 

It's probably for the best because MEP 1 looks like it moves pretty quickly so he might hit a wall a few weeks in and we'd have to take a break anyway.

[Zoo Keeper]

Oh I agree. My son, however, literally just turned 5 and is technically still 7 months from starting K. He's math talented but when I brought out some MEP 1 to try he just wasn't interested in putting dots in boxes or coloring. However he happily spent an hour with the RS Math Balance making up problems and solving them. It's just more exciting :) I will take a look at the teacher materials again - my big complaint about MEP is that it has rather messy formatting - I'd love to see it all in one big book like RS.

 

It's probably for the best because MEP 1 looks like it moves pretty quickly so he might hit a wall a few weeks in and we'd have to take a break anyway.

 

 

Those first few lessons in Year One do seem snoozy--when I hauled it out at the beginnng of the year, my six year old gave me a "Really? Are you serious?" kind of attitude. Don't worry; it ramps up quickly. MEP is deceptively simple. Keep on going.

 

Miquon and the c-rods do sound like a good fit for your son, too. There are many lessons in MEP that encourage the use of c-rods (or number strips, as they call for in the Teacher's Notes).

[stripe]

We had a lot of fun in Y1 of MEP doing balance activities. The first 20 lessons of MEP do indeed look like dotting and coloring, because they are, but be sure to do lots of other stuff too -- the lesson plans have neat activities.

[Crimson Wife]

It's probably for the best because MEP 1 looks like it moves pretty quickly so he might hit a wall a few weeks in and we'd have to take a break anyway.

 

My personal feeling is that MEP 1A didn't seem like it moved quickly enough for my tastes. With both Right Start B and Singapore 1A/B, I can very easily see that my student is making progress. With MEP 1A, he was doing a lot of very interesting math work, but I couldn't tell whether or not he was actually making any progress IYKWIM. He was a young K student as well (November birthday) so I was not all that concerned about it. However, when he requested to switch to Singapore, I was happy to allow him to do so.

[poetic license]

 

If you need a three-ring circus, the beginning of MEP1A has a lot of physical (jump, clap, count, etc.) exercises, coloring, and processing. The lesson plans have a lot of interaction with the instructor. This is definitely a teacher intensive program.

 

Unless you do it the lazy way like I do and only do the practice book. :tongue_smilie: It's a supplement for us, so I suppose if I used it as the main program I'd do it the proper way.

[sweetpea3829]

Do not underestimate MEP by thinking it is just "worksheets" as half of MEP consists of the Lesson Plans are built around activity type learning.

 

The Student books, while they do have some basic equations, have many brain-stretching problems that are quite unlike what one might expect from a "workbook."

 

Of all the early math programs MEP consistently requires children *think* the hardest. It can really add an intriguing element to a math mix even if time requirement mean doing some cherry-picking of the most intriguing problems.

 

Personally I think the early years are a critical time to "stretch the noodles" of our children. Their mental pathways are in a formative and highly-dynamic stage of development and if we can stimulate their highest cognitive functioning we can help build better minds.

 

Bill

 

 

Bill, do you think this same applies to a child that conceptually just doesn't get math, possibly due to a learning disability?

 

My 6 year old really struggles with math. With number concepts, spatial thinking, logical thinking, relational thinking, etc. I'm looking for a spiral math to use in conjunction with the Singapore we're already using. Do you think MEP would help or would it be too hard for her?

 

For my part, I've looked at the MEP website and it was confusing to me. At this point I kind of need an open and go like Singapore because my hands are so full. I'm expecting to have more flexibility for lesson planning in the future.

[stripe]

You can print the MEP Lesson Plans and then print the workbook. For most days, you won't need to use the copymasters. I almost never use the posters, but use other pictures, the room I'm in, or a collection of odds and ends instead. It is just divided into 3 parts for each semester. Otherwise it'spretty clearly organized.

 

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm

 

MEP is not meant to be a program for the math-gifted. It's supposed to be for regular classrooms. There are occasionally extension exercises for advanced students. I think the clarity and depth of thought are helpful whether the kid is "good" at math or not.

[mommyagain]

What is Dreambox?

 

 

http://www.dreambox.com/adaptive-learning