lilbean05 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 We have been using Horizons math for about 2 years now and absolutely love it. We supplement with Challenging Word Problems every now and again to change it up and really enjoy the change that brings. Everything was wonderful and happy as we trotted down our home school path until one day in a home school music class, one of the other students came in with a Life of Fred book that he couldn't put down! I took a little glance, came home and looked it up on the computer..and I am very intrigued!! Have any of you used it as a supplement to a more traditional math program and how did that work for you? Darn it--seeing new curricula always throws a wrench into everything!! HA!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Yes, we use Life of Fred as a side program. My son really loves the quirky, funny nature of the books and they actually pack a lot of concepts into each volume. We just read them a few times a week, sometimes together, sometimes he does it alone. I haven't had him write down the answers for the first few, but I'm going to start. (There are like 3-5 questions at the end of each chapter.) We started clear back at Apples, even though the math is well below his ability, but he wanted the whole story from the start and he just finds them fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 We are using LOF as a bed time story right now. We are in Apples for DS and DD has read some of the chapters to herself, so she is in Butterflies. It is a little above or at DS's level and a little below DD's level. Both of them are loving it. Aside from math concepts, they've been exposed to other information such as the difference between a herbivore and a carnivore, deciduous trees, constellations, etc. I'm not naive enough to expect that they will remember everything in there, but there is exposure, so we do discuss these as we cross them, too. They are very silly and fun! We all giggle while we're going through them. ETA: At this point, we are just doing the questions at the end of each chapter verbally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Many here use it as a supplement. :) I just started using LoF Fractions with my oldest, and he loves it (though I had to give him the lecture about doing the bridge before moving on - not allowed to read ahead :lol:). Singapore is our main curriculum, but we are using LoF (and other stuff) on the side for fun. I haven't used the elementary books, so I can't comment on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 If you actually do the games embedded in the chapters (ie, go ahead and dump out a pile of pencils to play with when you see a photo of a pile of pencils; think up silly sets in the car after he introduces sets...) you may not go through quite as fast as you thought at first! Definitely read it with him and you'll see the opportunities :). Such fun books, and jam packed with math for any elementary age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 We have Fridays with Fred. :001_smile: The rest of the week we use our regular math programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 We do Fred about 2 days a week, as the third "challenge/enrichment" math block. We also, after DD has passed a bridge, do the other bridges that are leftover as part of our "Review/practice" block. Usually it works out so that she'll have done the leftover bridges about the time we're ready for the next bridge. We're not going through LoF particularly quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbean05 Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Yay! Oh oh, I am so excited now. They kids are going to really love it! I just looked at Mr. Schmidt's website and it really looks like it is going to be great. :) Thank you for all the great feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spetzi Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 We've used it with Horizons for many years. The two complement each other well. We also read math books (Murderous Maths, Numberland, etc.) as well as use Zaccaro's Challenge Math (and others.) It has worked well here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoo_keeper Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 We've used it with Horizons for many years. The two complement each other well. We also read math books (Murderous Maths, Numberland, etc.) as well as use Zaccaro's Challenge Math (and others.) It has worked well here! Are you referencing "The Cat In Numberland" (which my ODD loved) or is there another book floating around out there with a similar name? And to answer the OP's question, we use LoF as a bedtime story (Let's Play as well). We're up to Farming and the girls looooove it! Literally begging for it with their repeated chant, "Life of Fred! Life of Fred!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 We are loving Life of Fred here, too. My 3rd grader and 1st grader are reading through the elementary series. My 4th grader is about halfway through Fractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma Rabbit Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 We do Fred about 2 days a week, as the third "challenge/enrichment" math block. We also, after DD has passed a bridge, do the other bridges that are leftover as part of our "Review/practice" block. Usually it works out so that she'll have done the leftover bridges about the time we're ready for the next bridge. We're not going through LoF particularly quickly. Could you point me in the direction to learn about the math blocks you are referring to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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