Paige Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 How would you compare the Life of Fred books to the Murderous Maths series? DS really enjoyed the Murderous Maths book about fractions and statistics. I found it well before he was doing that level of math (early 2nd grade) and didn't really follow up on it. It was a fun, free reading book. When he got to fractions in his regular curriculum (years later) he picked it up really quickly and told me recently it was because he had remembered it from when he read Murderous Maths. He's finished our Horrible Histories set, and I was thinking of getting the Murderous Maths boxed set next. I'm trying to decide if he'd get more out of Life of Fred or additional Murderous Maths books. Murderous Maths are cheaper so I was leaning that way, but wondered what, if anything, we'd be missing out on by skipping Fred. Fred gets more love from the hive, so I'm curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Noooooo! I have just purchased Fred. I don't want to know if something else is better! :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 You are right it is a lot cheaper. And it is available from The Book Depository so those of us on the other side of the world can get it with free postage. Wahoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 LOF is a curriculum - you have to do exercises and pass tests to go to the next chapter. So it feels very different to the Murderous Maths series, which is fun facts about maths, with optional puzzles. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Is there somewhere you can see samples of LoF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Is there somewhere you can see samples of LoF? Samples found here. I have only seen LoF. I do have one Horrible Histories book. If money allows, can you use Fred as curriculum, as a PP said, and get Murderous Maths as a supplement? I wouldn't even try to line them up, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Fred is a curriculum. MM are a fun supplement, that might make other concepts click, or make them more interesting...but I do not think that Murd. M. could ever be considered a replacement to an actual curriculum. MM are great fun. We love them. I have all of them, they were an excellent purchase. I know there are things my kids understand better because they read about them in those books. Would I ditch my main math program for them? No. Do they add value to what I am doing? Yes. Would my kids still learn their math w/o them? Yes. LoF is not any more expensive than any other math program, IMHO. It is a LOT cheaper than many. But it works best if your kid responds to it, like any other piece of curriculum. LoF gets more love than Murd. M. because it IS a full curriculum. I ADORE murderous Maths, but never gush about them, as no one really asks about them. :D blah blah blah need coffee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I am using both LOF and MM also. I agree, LOF is a curriculum and MM is a great review or even better as a preview of topics. I think the LOF higher level books are reasonably priced, but the elementary books are so short that they add up quickly. Note, though, that LOF author is Christian. While his religion rarely shows up in the books (more in the elementary levels, apparently, and in the dedication), it is very family-friendly (aside from the dying dogs). MM is very much British bathroom humor. Especially fractions, where the bottom jokes are constant. I remember seeing one person so offended by the MM book calling people idiots for using a calculator that she never let her kids see the book. My ridiculously competitive 9 yo LOVES that kind of stuff, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thank you! I do not need or want another full curriculum for math so Murderous Maths sounds more like what I'm looking for. I want something that my DS will enjoy, learn from, and make him think about things differently, but I don't need or want tests, worksheets or anything he needs to be accountable for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thank you! I do not need or want another full curriculum for math so Murderous Maths sounds more like what I'm looking for. I want something that my DS will enjoy, learn from, and make him think about things differently, but I don't need or want tests, worksheets or anything he needs to be accountable for. That is a good decision. However, LoF doesn't have classic tests or worksheets. It is definitely a "different" approach. It has problem sets, and end of chapter things, but much of the work is interwoven into the text, and it isn't accountable in the same way as you might be thinking. I don't know what level you are talking about either, as it does make a difference in content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I am using both LOF and MM also. I agree, LOF is a curriculum and MM is a great review or even better as a preview of topics. I think the LOF higher level books are reasonably priced, but the elementary books are so short that they add up quickly. Note, though, that LOF author is Christian. While his religion rarely shows up in the books (more in the elementary levels, apparently, and in the dedication), it is very family-friendly (aside from the dying dogs). MM is very much British bathroom humor. Especially fractions, where the bottom jokes are constant. I remember seeing one person so offended by the MM book calling people idiots for using a calculator that she never let her kids see the book. My ridiculously competitive 9 yo LOVES that kind of stuff, though. I know MM = Murderous Maths on this thread, but I can't help but think of Math Mammoth when I see MM. Maybe we should abbreviate Murderous Maths to MuMa? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Does anyone have a link to a site that lets you look inside a Murderous Math book? I found this site, but can find a play to peek inside the books. http://www.murderousmaths.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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