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Elementary - Life of Fred series - Praise!


KinderSafari
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My kids are LOVING the elementary Life of Fred series! We started with the first book, which is a little younger than they'd need, but I thought we could work through it a little faster then. I'm afraid of missing something.

 

My kids keep asking if they can PLEASE read another chapter! We are on page 80 of the first book after just 4 days.

 

Not sure if this will keep up or not, but for now, we're just enjoying it! :)

 

Love hearing their giggles while reading math!

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My kids are LOVING the elementary Life of Fred series! We started with the first book, which is a little younger than they'd need, but I thought we could work through it a little faster then. I'm afraid of missing something.

 

My kids keep asking if they can PLEASE read another chapter! We are on page 80 of the first book after just 4 days.

 

Not sure if this will keep up or not, but for now, we're just enjoying it! :)

 

Love hearing their giggles while reading math!

 

My kids ADORE Fred :) We only do 2 chapters per week, so we'll get through 4 books this year. Last year we followed the same schedule, and got through Apples, Butterflies, Cats and Dogs. It's the ice cream at the end of our day. The kids always ask at the end of the day if it is a LOF day.

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We started a few years ago with the older kids, and *I* loved them, but for the older stuff after doing our regular math for so long, it's just what they were used to so we went back to them.

 

I thought we'd try again once I saw the elementary series, and am really glad we did!

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This is good to know. I thought that Life of Fred was to be started around long division... I read that in TWTM. I will check it out now! :)

 

The elementary series just came out last year, so when WTM was last updated, the first LoF book was Fractions, which requires knowledge of long division.

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I am looking at LOF. One will begin TTB4 soon and the other will complete CLE100. We do more of a Jan - Oct time frame.

 

I know TTB is not too popular for here but it works for us. I would love to compliment it with something though or even do something besides CLE 200.

 

How do you decide where to start the kids?

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I am looking at LOF. One will begin TTB4 soon and the other will complete CLE100. We do more of a Jan - Oct time frame.

 

I know TTB is not too popular for here but it works for us. I would love to compliment it with something though or even do something besides CLE 200.

 

How do you decide where to start the kids?

 

Both of your kids would start with Apples. You can also wait until they're ready for Fractions and start there, but you need to have done long division first.

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We use the elementary series as a supplement. I highly recommend it!

 

:iagree: I wouldn't have felt comfortable with the elementary series as a stand-alone, but it was an amazing supplement, and really deepend conceptual understanding as well as enjoyment!

 

I know that a lot of people do use the upper level books as stand alone, and I can see that working for us potentially. Miss P is working through Fractions independently on Fridays right now, but she does MM5 M-Th.

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Right now we're using it as a review and will probably use it as an introduction to other concepts. Once I feel they need a little more practice in some areas, it will move to a supplement and we'll probably pull out our other math curriculum (through 4th grade, I like Mathematical Reasoning books through Critical Thinking Company or Rainbow Resource). But I'm pretty sure my younger ones will be reading the whole series now! They're hooked!

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Ooh, I can't wait for my LoF to arrive!

I have heard so many positive reports about it.

 

The plan here is to keep Math Mammoth (yanno, for all that 'drill and kill' that Dr Schmidt says we shouldn't do :tongue_smilie:) but phase out Mathspower and make Fred our spine.

 

I just hope it isn't going to be a repeat of Reading Eggs (ie, the program that every single person in the world loves except for me, and every single kid in the world learns heaps from except for my kid).

 

:lurk5:

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Ooh, I can't wait for my LoF to arrive!

 

I just hope it isn't going to be a repeat of Reading Eggs (ie, the program that every single person in the world loves except for me, and every single kid in the world learns heaps from except for my kid).

 

:lurk5:

 

 

:lol: Well, it could happen - it seems that as many people hate LOF as love it! I hope you guys are lovers!:D

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My kids and I just started a couple weeks ago with it. They love it! My kids are first and third grade. Apples didn't really teach a lot math wise they didn't already know, but the other stuff was great. Ironically things pop up in Fred that we are learning about in our other subjects. Like deciduous trees. Very funny. My youngest actually drug DH and I out to find Orion after reading about it in butterflies today. We do two chapters a day, pretty much every day. It's something they look forward to and it usually signals the end of our school day.

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I've been considering buying LoF for a while now. I'm confused as to where I should start. My kids are Pre-K to 5th grade.

 

All my kids hate math and I would like to change that if possible.

 

What do you recommend?

 

From the LoF website:

 

Beginning Life of Fred With Students Up to 4th Grade

If your child knows how to count, add, and subtract to 10, they are ready to start Life of Fred: Apples. Dr. Schmidt recommends that all students up to the end of 4th grade start with the Apples book as he introduces higher level math concepts throughout the entire elementary series. Your student will be introduced to terminology that they normally would not encounter until much higher levels.

 

Life of Fred Elementary does not spend a lot of time teaching the basic math facts. Dr. Schmidt believes the basic math facts can be taught in an informal way using games and flashcards. If you are someone who needs a more structured approach to teaching the basic fact while not getting the student bogged down with page after page of the boring, repetitive questions, check out Professor B Mathematics Level 1 and 2. We (JOY Center of Learning) personally recommend Professor B Mathematics Levels 1 and 2 for teaching the math skills needed before starting the Life of Fred Pre-Algebra series or along with the Elementary Series. The Life of Fred Math Elementary books are a complete program. Some people find their students simply need a little more formal instruction on how addition and subtraction works rather than just memorizing the facts by rote.

 

If you have completed the Life of Fred Elementary Series or you know:

i) the addition tables (What's 5 + 8?)

ii) the subtraction tables (What's 8 - 5?)

iii) the multiplication tables (What's 7 times 8?)

iv) long division (What's 6231 divided by 93?)

 

and are 10 years of age or older...

 

...you are ready to start Life of Fred Fractions, the first book in the series. This book goes far beyond basic fractions so you probably do need it even if you have already learned a bit about basic fractions.

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Ideally, you could browse through some copies at a conference or store (we live in a small town, so that's not usually possible) - or from another homeschool family? I have invited a lot of families to our house to browse through materials. I find it so helpful to actually see the books in person because when you research every curriculum online they all talk about how wonderful they are. Well, for SOME people they are - but is it for ME?

 

If people are still considering buying it, and I trust them to keep my books in good condition ( :) ), then I'll loan it to them for awhile to try out.

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  • 1 month later...
Hello,

I have never seen LOF but am very curious. We have been through a few math programs. Who would you recommend LOF to-what type of learner and personality--what are the pros?

Any cons?

 

My dd 7 has high functioning autism and is very mathy. Life of Fred is actually what I use so that she has something she can read and enjoy.

 

My dd12 is a LA whiz. SHe is good at math but hizates it. We are talking regular crying jags. Life of Fred speaks to the literary part of her!

 

I also do Singapore with the girls but I NEVER get complaints when it is time for Fred. My kids are able to get past the bridges (or math tests) at the end of each chapter without difficulty. My Fred books are precious and a favorite with the kids. I, myself, have done decimals and percents and can't wait to get my hands on the next book. It was totally fun!

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My dd 7 has high functioning autism and is very mathy. Life of Fred is actually what I use so that she has something she can read and enjoy.

 

My dd12 is a LA whiz. SHe is good at math but hizates it. We are talking regular crying jags. Life of Fred speaks to the literary part of her!

 

I also do Singapore with the girls but I NEVER get complaints when it is time for Fred. My kids are able to get past the bridges (or math tests) at the end of each chapter without difficulty. My Fred books are precious and a favorite with the kids. I, myself, have done decimals and percents and can't wait to get my hands on the next book. It was totally fun!

 

 

Wow...that is so great!! When moms loves it too, it must be good. I inquired about it on another thread also, and I must say I am sold based on all of these reviews. My daughter is very literary also so it sounds like LOF will be a hit with her. Thanks for the encouragement--it is so great when your kids are excited about school and you enjoy it also.

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We absolutely LOVE Fred! We started with Apples, and even though it is mathematically material they have already covered, the storyline has made terms and details more "sticky". Plus there is just so much fun miscellany within each one, we have all learned something! They are flying through the elementary books, and I anticipate some slow down as we reach Fractions, but as this is a book they ask for even on off days we are just going to hit them all. And, as another mentioned earlier, they are often sold within minutes on the resale boards so you won't be out much if you find Fred's not for you!

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Hello,

I have never seen LOF but am very curious. We have been through a few math programs. Who would you recommend LOF to-what type of learner and personality--what are the pros?

Any cons?

 

I would recommend LOF to a very verbal kid, who learns from reading, who likes to know the "why" behind everything, who loves to see the connections between all the different things they are learning, who tolerates (and likes) lots of digressions & rabbit trails - not so much a git 'er done type, who wants things presented straightforwardly and without a lot of fuss or extras.

 

Not saying this is the only kind of kid that will like LOF, but this is the kind of kid I have, and she loves it! ;)

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I would recommend LOF to a very verbal kid, who learns from reading, who likes to know the "why" behind everything, who loves to see the connections between all the different things they are learning, who tolerates (and likes) lots of digressions & rabbit trails - not so much a git 'er done type, who wants things presented straightforwardly and without a lot of fuss or extras.

 

Not saying this is the only kind of kid that will like LOF, but this is the kind of kid I have, and she loves it! ;)

 

 

:iagree:

This precisely describes my child, and she LOVES LOF. We have completed three books since starting the school year. We started Dogs today.

 

Along with LOF, we are doing Saxon; just started the first lesson of that today. A chapter a day of LOF is a great carrot for getting her to hang in with the Saxon.

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I would recommend LOF to a very verbal kid, who learns from reading, who likes to know the "why" behind everything, who loves to see the connections between all the different things they are learning, who tolerates (and likes) lots of digressions & rabbit trails - not so much a git 'er done type, who wants things presented straightforwardly and without a lot of fuss or extras.

 

Not saying this is the only kind of kid that will like LOF, but this is the kind of kid I have, and she loves it! ;)

 

I would agree with this! Two of my boys don't have the time of day for Fred. My dd did some of them and will take them out occasionally, but my youngest ds who is like the pp's dd LOVES Fred! It's the first thing we do at math time. I have to limit him to a chapter a day 4 times a week! We use MM as our main program and Fred is an added bonus!

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