Rivka Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The Beast Academy Facebook page just printed pictures of the table of contents for the "guide," or textbook, to 3a: Chapter 1: ShapesAngles Triangles Don't Make a Triangle Quadrilaterals Grogg's Notes Polyominoes Chapter 2: Skip-Counting Skip-Counting Hundred Charts Balance The 100 Game Chapter 3: Perimeter and Area Perimeter and Area Perimeter Rectilinear Shapes Math Meet Area Lizzie's Notes Rep-Tiles Grogg's Notes Three chapters, and about 100 pages. I'm assuming that this means there will be more than two books per level? This can't be half a year's work. Help me! I am feeling doubt. Is this going to be good? Is it okay that it's mostly geometry? Is my kid who knows her times tables going to be peeved about going back to skip-counting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Okay, clarification from the site. 3a + 3b = half of the third grade year. Both are at the printer's now, and both are expected to be available in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Help me! I am feeling doubt. Is this going to be good? Is it okay that it's mostly geometry? Is my kid who knows her times tables going to be peeved about going back to skip-counting?Breathe. Let her enjoy the text and fly through already mastered work. There are any number of diversions to add in while waiting for the next installment. (I've got a list, but it's far from comprehensive.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The Beast Academy Facebook page just printed pictures of the table of contents for the "guide," or textbook, to 3a: Three chapters, and about 100 pages. I'm assuming that this means there will be more than two books per level? This can't be half a year's work. Help me! I am feeling doubt. Is this going to be good? Is it okay that it's mostly geometry? Is my kid who knows her times tables going to be peeved about going back to skip-counting? I feel the same :001_smile: I know it's going to be good, but is it going to be advanced enough (concept wise) for my boy in SM 3A? Skip counting chapter is disappointing. So many of us are used to having our kids do multiplication/division before they start third grade. Maybe they will will give us a glimpse into 3B TOC. Since I also have a 5 year old doing SM 1B, I can justify buying the entire Beast series with him in mind (an argument I still have yet to try on my husband :001_smile:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 How long has it taken them to get to this point? I'm curious because ds is starting a 4th grade curricula soon, so their 3rd grade might be too easy for him. It looks fun, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 With that many books, especially with the graphics and color, it will probably put it out of our price range. :sad: Oh well, what we're doing is working! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hmm, now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and get this for DS this spring even though he'll only be in Singapore 2A/RS C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 That's dissapointing. Depending on the price, I had been thinking of buying it as a summer program for my 8yo dd, but we just started SM 4A and my dd would definitely be annoyed by a chapter on skip counting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 So the question is.... when does 4th grade go to the printers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 That's dissapointing. Depending on the price, I had been thinking of buying it as a summer program for my 8yo dd, but we just started SM 4A and my dd would definitely be annoyed by a chapter on skip counting. Hmmmm. We're in the same boat. Skip-counting sounds like a low level skill for a Third Grade Level book. Still, when I look at the outline of Chaper 3 (which, with whatever revisions they might have made, is the "sample" chapter we used) it would be pretty hard to tell how well done the section was. So I'm going to try to remain optimistic. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 On the flip side, with that ToC they may gain customers like me who previously thought BA would be so far beyond "normal" 3rd grade math I wouldn't even consider it for my kids. If it looks like it would be doable by most students, I may re-consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Meh. I don't think this is going to work. My son is at the end of MEP - 3A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Thanks for passing this info along for those of us not on facebook. I'm anxious to see what the other books cover. I was afraid we wouldn't be far enough but now I'm not sure, we've been skip counting for a good while now and are already doing perimeter and doing area next week I think. We are scheduled to end RSC at the end of May here. I'm wondering how it would work to do just 1 or 2 of the books instead of all of them. It might end up being better for us if we pick 1 or 2 books to hit the topics we want to really work on more. Edited February 15, 2012 by soror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Okay, clarification from the site. 3a + 3b = half of the third grade year. Both are at the printer's now, and both are expected to be available in March. I probably won't be getting this.........well, ok...I'm undecided. I really wanted to use it as a supplement (a fun math book to read). So.....looks like there would be 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d for 3rd grade? Do they give any indication when c and d will be out? What if someone finishes a and b but c and d aren't even out yet??? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Meh. I don't think this is going to work. My son is at the end of MEP - 3A. You've still got AoPS pre-algebra to look forward to. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Interesting...I think the deciding factor for us will remain the price point...The skip-counting is a bit odd, but I doubt DS would be that miffed by it...we may even just skip Chapter 2 if need be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Thanks for passing this info along for those of us not on facebook. I'm anxious to see what the other books cover. I was afraid we wouldn't be far enough but now I'm not sure, we've been skip counting for a good while now and are already doing perimeter and doing area next week I think. We are scheduled to end RSC at the end of May here. I'm wondering how it would work to do just 1 or 2 of the books instead of all of them. It might end up being better for us if we pick 1 or 2 books to hit the topics we want to really work on more. The area and perimeter in the BA 3A sample is FAR more in-depth than what is in RS C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I probably won't be getting this.........well, ok...I'm undecided. I really wanted to use it as a supplement (a fun math book to read). So.....looks like there would be 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d for 3rd grade? Do they give any indication when c and d will be out? What if someone finishes a and b but c and d aren't even out yet??? :confused: They said the second half of the 3rd grade will be ready in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You've still got AoPS pre-algebra to look forward to. :001_smile: Oh yeah! :D Although, doing AoPS pre-algebra with a 9-10yo *in a foreign language* is making me really nervous :001_huh:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The area and perimeter in the BA 3A sample is FAR more in-depth than what is in RS C. FAR more in depth than Primary Mathematics (Singapore) SE 3B as well. No contest. It gives me hope the sequence alone is not the full story. "Skip-counting" is still making me cringe. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 "Skip-counting" is still making me cringe. Bill Got the same feeling.. why even skip counting should be taught in the book!!?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Got the same feeling.. why even skip counting should be taught in the book!!?? Same here. Makes me worried that a chunk of the book will be devoted to multiplication/division. I guess if they can do with it what they have done with area/parameter, I can handle repetition, but I have a hard time imagining how anything can be done with skip counting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) The area and perimeter in the BA 3A sample is FAR more in-depth than what is in RS C. I have looked at the sample. I'm trying to judge the distance between what we've went over and what they are going over and his understanding level and see if it is feasible. Thus far RSC geo has been a breeze to him so I think it would be good for him. I'm anxious for samples of the other sections though to see how our level and the book lines up. As Bill said as well a TOC doesn't really give the full view either. There is just really not enough information to go on imo. I already have D though so depending on what it looks like we might be doing some of BA before starting D and then do some concurrently. Who knows now- I don't even know if I can afford it yet :) Edited February 15, 2012 by soror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Got the same feeling.. why even skip counting should be taught in the book!!?? Beats me. My only solace is knowing they are smarter than I am :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 They said the second half of the 3rd grade will be ready in the fall. So...maybe another 7-9 months or so then. This must mean that they haven't even been written yet?? Ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matilda Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The first chapter of AoPS Pre-Algebra is basic operations, but not regular ol' basic operations. Remember that the people at AoPS have the ability to take something simple and make it very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 So...maybe another 7-9 months or so then. This must mean that they haven't even been written yet?? Ugh! Most likely written, but I'm sure all that art work takes a long time. To my knowledge they have only one guy working on all the artwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Is there a TOC for the 3b? Am I reading right that 3A and 3B are to be released at the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The first chapter of AoPS Pre-Algebra is basic operations, but not regular ol' basic operations. Remember that the people at AoPS have the ability to take something simple and make it very difficult. And that's a good thing?? :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 I asked about the skip counting on the facebook page, and yes. They assume no experience with multiplication before 3rd grade. Multiplication will be introduced in 3b, or the second half of the first semester. Hmmmm. Honestly, it's hard to know what to think without actually seeing the curriculum. If most of 3a/b is going to be a rehash of what we just did in MEP 2b, I don't know what to think. If the books are as expensive as it seems like they must be, I don't know if I could justify buying and then skipping big portions. On the other hand, if the program is as excellent as people who have seen the sample chapter seem to think, and if it's likely to be much more rewarding and engaging for my kid, then it might be worth doing some review and some skipping forward. Also, I suppose there's the possibility that they introduce new and better material in their coverage of multiplication, just as people have said that they do in their coverage of area/perimeter. This is kind of a unique position we're all in. If more of the curriculum were out, we could just say, "Oh well, I guess I'll start with 3c since we've already done multiplication." But there is no 3c yet. In future years people won't have that problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Most likely written, but I'm sure all that art work takes a long time. To my knowledge they have only one guy working on all the artwork. I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I asked about the skip counting on the facebook page, and yes. They assume no experience with multiplication before 3rd grade. Multiplication will be introduced in 3b, or the second half of the first semester. Hmmmm. Honestly, it's hard to know what to think without actually seeing the curriculum. If most of 3a/b is going to be a rehash of what we just did in MEP 2b, I don't know what to think. If the books are as expensive as it seems like they must be, I don't know if I could justify buying and then skipping big portions. On the other hand, if the program is as excellent as people who have seen the sample chapter seem to think, and if it's likely to be much more rewarding and engaging for my kid, then it might be worth doing some review and some skipping forward. Also, I suppose there's the possibility that they introduce new and better material in their coverage of multiplication, just as people have said that they do in their coverage of area/perimeter. This is kind of a unique position we're all in. If more of the curriculum were out, we could just say, "Oh well, I guess I'll start with 3c since we've already done multiplication." But there is no 3c yet. In future years people won't have that problem. Thanks for the info. Very interesting. I know in ps here multiplication is in 3rd grade. I was under the understanding that it isn't so much of what AoPS goes over but how they do it that make them advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deniseibase Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I wonder if the skip counting will be used as an introduction to other kinds of counting problems? That sounds like something the AoPS guys would do :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I asked about the skip counting on the facebook... I saw your question (this BA thing has actually made me look at FB :glare:). Given where we are in MEP, I think we might end up finishing MEP through at least then end of 3b. BA seems ideal for discrete unit "breaks" that will allow us to draw out MEP 3 through spring 2013. I'll then re-evaluate after BA3/YA3b. Traditional algorithms will have been covered in MEP by that point, and BE will have "caught up" to MEP wrt basic operations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I am disappointed that 2nd grade will be the last released :( My girls would LOVE this but won't be ready for the 3rd grade.... I plan on TT3 for them in the future. We are using MM1 right now and would love something more along the lines of this for them :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I saw your question (this BA thing has actually made me look at FB :glare:). Given where we are in MEP, I think we might end up finishing MEP through at least then end of 3b. BA seems ideal for discrete unit "breaks" that will allow us to draw out MEP 3 through spring 2013. I'll then re-evaluate after BA3/YA3b. Traditional algorithms will have been covered in MEP by that point, and BE will have "caught up" to MEP wrt basic operations. I think I will stick with MEP then. Hard to beat the price! I already have multiple other math programs I paid for sitting on the shelf. :001_huh: I'm all for deep understanding of basic operations, but I think that's working at least reasonably well for us with MEP. We had a diversion between 2B and 3A with the Univ of Chicago Y3 stuff from their website. One was horrendous print quality because I had to get it from some ratty ERIC version, but we survived. Although my son (who's in 3A) is complaining that his sister's 1A is more fun. I was pretty shocked, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I asked about the skip counting on the facebook page, and yes. They assume no experience with multiplication before 3rd grade. Multiplication will be introduced in 3b, or the second half of the first semester. Even PS covers multiplication in the second grade (well, at least in CA). I will still buy BA, but I was hoping it would be MORE challenging in scope as well as depth than SM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Dang. This looks perfect for dd7 who is just starting SM3B this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'm torn. I think BA is something DD would really like, but she's finishing SM 4b, plus doing parts of 5B. I just can't see her enjoying going back quite that far. If it were inexpensive enough, I could see getting it as a supplement, but I'm afraid it's going to end up like Fred elementary, where I can't justify buying it for her to read through it in a matter of days for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Although the skip counting is making me :001_huh:, otherwise I'm haaaaaaappy, because we'll be in mid-2nd grade math and it will fit wonderfully for us. We'll just multiply instead of skip counting and serial adding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Looking back at the Beast Academy webpage (not that I'm obsessing about this!), I am reminded that there's supposed to be an online component, which they say will be "customized" to deliver appropriate material based on the child's performance. So that might be one way around the multiplication issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 And that's a good thing?? :001_smile: Since AoPS is geared towards kids gifted in math, yes, it's absolutely a good thing. This means you can give these kids some depth instead of them racing through all of elementary math in 1-2 years. :tongue_smilie: FAR more in depth than Primary Mathematics (Singapore) SE 3B as well. No contest. It gives me hope the sequence alone is not the full story. "Skip-counting" is still making me cringe. Bill We're doing area and perimeter in Singapore 4A right now. DS saw the topic and suggested we pull Beast Academy back out. We never did finish the workbook. So I pulled it out today and we did some problems. They're way harder than Singapore 4A. They go into much more depth. Frankly, we were bored with Singapore's treatment of the subject. :tongue_smilie: I agree though on the skip counting... I don't know how they could make that challenging, but then again, I didn't know how area and perimeter could be made challenging either. ;) This skip counting/multiplication thing does explain, however, why the area chapter included serial addition instead of multiplication. I'm anxious to see how this series turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Although the skip counting is making me :001_huh:, otherwise I'm haaaaaaappy, because we'll be in mid-2nd grade math and it will fit wonderfully for us. We'll just multiply instead of skip counting and serial adding. This. We will be working through 2nd grade stuff, so maybe this curric will help us go wider and deeper instead of faster. I'm all eyes now! :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I don't know how they could make that challenging, but then again, I didn't know how area and perimeter could be made challenging either. ;) Okay. Now I have to ask. How do they make area and perimeter challenging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Further comment from whoever is "Beast Academy" on Facebook: I suspect that many folks see the chapter on skip-counting and worry that this book may be too easy for a child who already knows his or her multiplication facts. We use skip-counting to set up quite a few things that come later: pattern re...cognition, distribution, number theory, and factoring are all set up in the skip-counting chapter (and of course multiplication). Our goal in books 3A and 3B is to promote a very deep understanding of multiplication. There will certainly be problems in the skip-counting chapter that will challenge students who have already learned to multiply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hee hee . . . they are keeping an eye on this thread!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Further comment from whoever is "Beast Academy" on Facebook: "I suspect that many folks see the chapter on skip-counting and worry that this book may be too easy for a child who already knows his or her multiplication facts. We use skip-counting to set up quite a few things that come later: pattern re...cognition, distribution, number theory, and factoring are all set up in the skip-counting chapter (and of course multiplication). Our goal in books 3A and 3B is to promote a very deep understanding of multiplication. There will certainly be problems in the skip-counting chapter that will challenge students who have already learned to multiply." They must be on to us! :D In all seriousness, if anyone is going to make "skip-counting" diabolically hard (and purposeful) I trust it will be these folks. Even if there is some slight "back-tracking" I'd prefer the kind of depth in the samples to accelerating though elementary math in shallower fashion. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Okay. Now I have to ask. How do they make area and perimeter challenging? They show pentiamonds with perimeter of 7 and have the kid add a pentiamond of the same shape to make the perimeter 10, then 8. Eight regular heptagons with side length 1 are attached a certain way (not shown, but they showed how to attach 2 and 3 earlier on the page). What is the perimeter of the shape they create? A 3x5 rectangle is shown. Find a way to split the shape into 3 polygons so that all there have the same perimeter, but each has a different area. There is also a lot of work with oddball rectilinear shapes, figuring out unknown sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 In all seriousness, if anyone is going to make "skip-counting" diabolically hard (and purposeful) I trust it will be these folks. After working on the review and challenge problems for square roots in the Prealgebra book today I have full belief that they can pull it off. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 After working on the review and challenge problems for square roots in the Prealgebra book today I have full belief that they can pull it off. ;) You are ahead of me in the Prealgebra book :D Note to self: Be more diligent! :tongue_smilie: There were some very hard problems in the Sample. Especially if one removed an adult understanding of algebra and dividing with decimals and fractions. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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