StartingOver Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I did it, after debating for a whole year, I just purchased the Elementary Set. LOL I was thrilled to find that it was over $20 cheaper on Rainbow Resources. I haven't ordered from them in a long time, although I used to years ago and had no issue with their service. Hoping it is as good now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 good for you!! I hope you love it. I suspect you will, given how many resources our kids have in common. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 good for you!! I hope you love it. I suspect you will, given how many resources our kids have in common. ;) I am sure I will, I keep seeing the parallels too. Great minds think alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 My dad (at my request) gave DS2 the rest of the elementary set (we had the first 3) for Chrstmas. You should have seen DS2's wide eyes and big smile when he saw more LoF books! :D He absolutely loves them. He was a bit disappointed when I said we couldn't start the new books until we finished the one we just started (Cats). :lol: My dad also got DS1 the intermediate series. He's almost done with Fractions (hasn't worked on it in a while), but I'm sure he'll enjoy reading through the Intermediate series also. He likes reading the elementary series books as they come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I LOVE FRED!!! We jumped around all over the place trying to find a curriculum that fit before finally getting the Fred series. We even went all the way back to elementary book 1 (was doing 4th grade math then) just for the heck of it, but my oldest didn't mind. He LOVED it!! There is so much more to the books than just math! He's NOT a mathy person at all, but he'll spend all day on Fred if I let him. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 We will start at the beginning as a supplement to Singapore, I plan to get the complete set. I am excited to read them myself. I will purchase the 3 intermediate books, and Pre-Algebra soon too. Then next year I can finish out the set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakpak Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 What age is LOF appropriate for starting out? My 3yo enjoys math (skip counting, adding, time) and I was wondering about trying out the first one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 :thumbup: I'm reading the series to a 4th grader and a 2nd grader. The 4th grader is in Farming. I think the 2nd grader is in Cats. If your child likes learning through stories, it is a great series. My 5th grader (and I suspect my 5 yro) does not like learning through stories and doesn't like LoF. So, it depends on the kid. I wonder how complete the upper levels are. My son enjoys it so much that I'm thinking about using the upper levels (Pre-Algebra, Algebra, etc) when he runs out of Beast Academy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 What age is LOF appropriate for starting out? My 3yo enjoys math (skip counting, adding, time) and I was wondering about trying out the first one... It would have been way over my kids' heads at age 3, but my kids have been late bloomers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My DD is in Pre-Algebra and it's pretty complete. I am adding Key to Algebra both because I figure she can use more practice problems (and Key to Algebra is in a different order, so it's not all one topic at one time-with Fred's built in spiral, it works pretty well) and to slow her down a bit. I think that once you get to Algebra, where the "Home companions" and "Zillions of Practice Problems" books are available, it may well work as a primary program if you have a DC who responds well to this sort of math. My DD loves Fred because it's not just "the same problem, 50 times in a row" (she enjoys Key to algebra, but I think it's mostly because she likes being able to finish a "book" every month or so and she likes having assignments that look like "Big kid math") and because Fred doesn't "always have nice, neat numbers that turn into simple answers." I'd originally thought of Fred as more a place holder until I thought she was ready for "Real" secondary math books, but I'm starting to think that we might just stick with Fred for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 :thumbup: I wonder how complete the upper levels are. My son enjoys it so much that I'm thinking about using the upper levels (Pre-Algebra, Algebra, etc) when he runs out of Beast Academy. My older is using LoF as his sole math program (*I have to qualify this: we recently discovered Elements of Mathematics, and he is now doing that for fun, but it is ranging off into oddball topics not covered in a typical program, like base-29 arithmetic and applications to cryptography! Awesome!) He has been using Fred as his math program since Fractions and is now just about finished with Beginning Algebra, and we (my math professor husband and I) are extremely pleased. My son can do some types of math that my husband's incoming students in a top rated math department are sometimes deficient in, thanks to Fred. In the rare cases where he wishes a little more practice (we do NOT have the Zillions of Problems book) there is always Khan Academy or a used copy of Dolciani we picked up. As a math/science person, I am never opposed to a student sometimes seeing material presented from a different point of view, no matter what the program you pick might be. As a point of comparison, we tried AoPS during Pre-Algebra, and found nothing in it he had not previously covered in Fred at the same stage, and in more depth. He works Fred independently, though I will sometimes make him teach me a section to check his understanding to my satisfaction, sometimes that will be a section from Dolciani to see if he *really* understands (ie, he has to teach the concept using a presentation he hasn't seen before; either he gets the idea or he doesn't-- most of the time he demonstrates he really is getting it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (she enjoys Key to algebra, but I think it's mostly because she likes being able to finish a "book" every month or so and she likes having assignments that look like "Big kid math") My 5th grader is also using the Keys to...series. It's great review! We really like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My older is using LoF as his sole math program (*I have to qualify this: we recently discovered Elements of Mathematics, and he is now doing that for fun, but it is ranging off into oddball topics not covered in a typical program, like base-29 arithmetic and applications to cryptography! Awesome!) He has been using Fred as his math program since Fractions and is now just about finished with Beginning Algebra, and we (my math professor husband and I) are extremely pleased. My son can do some types of math that my husband's incoming students in a top rated math department are sometimes deficient in, thanks to Fred. In the rare cases where he wishes a little more practice (we do NOT have the Zillions of Problems book) there is always Khan Academy or a used copy of Dolciani we picked up. As a math/science person, I am never opposed to a student sometimes seeing material presented from a different point of view, no matter what the program you pick might be. As a point of comparison, we tried AoPS during Pre-Algebra, and found nothing in it he had not previously covered in Fred at the same stage, and in more depth. He works Fred independently, though I will sometimes make him teach me a section to check his understanding to my satisfaction, sometimes that will be a section from Dolciani to see if he *really* understands (ie, he has to teach the concept using a presentation he hasn't seen before; either he gets the idea or he doesn't-- most of the time he demonstrates he really is getting it). Thank-you for posting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 What age is LOF appropriate for starting out? My 3yo enjoys math (skip counting, adding, time) and I was wondering about trying out the first one... I'd wait until 5 or 6. I'm using it with a 6 year old (as of November). It's been great for him, though a few things he's had a hard time getting into, like the Set theory stuff. I often have to re-explain it when it comes up again. Or I have to give an example, and then he can give me more examples (and he's pretty good at that). My 3.5 year old usually wanders off while I'm reading Fred. He isn't interested yet. It's still way above his head, and he's my language kid. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Got our box today. Quince did three chapters, I heard him giggle several times, he loves it. :hurray: I am reading ahead of him. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 My older is using LoF as his sole math program (*I have to qualify this: we recently discovered Elements of Mathematics, and he is now doing that for fun, but it is ranging off into oddball topics not covered in a typical program, like base-29 arithmetic and applications to cryptography! Awesome!) I'm not familiar with Elements of Mathematics, and it sounds intriguing. Could you share a link, please? Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I'm not familiar with Elements of Mathematics, and it sounds intriguing. Could you share a link, please? Regards, Kareni Here it is. The placement test alone is a big hoot-- but heed: the student cannot go back and retake it if they choose to get silly with it (it is more like a game than a test, because it tests reasoning skills rather than mathematical knowledge) so let them goof around with the initial "how to" screen, but then explain to your DC that the placement test is the real deal before they start :) http://www.elementsofmathematics.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks for that information, Jen. I enjoyed looking at the website. (I think your link may have an additional http://, but I could find the site from the remainder.) I'm curious about the book(s) that the program is based on which is mentioned on the site as "Intuitive Background books of the Elements of Mathematics." Since I'm more of a book than web person, I'd be interested in knowing more about that. Unfortunately, my searching skills have left me wanting. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks for that information, Jen. I enjoyed looking at the website. (I think your link may have an additional http://, but I could find the site from the remainder.) I'm curious about the book(s) that the program is based on which is mentioned on the site as "Intuitive Background books of the Elements of Mathematics." Since I'm more of a book than web person, I'd be interested in knowing more about that. Unfortunately, my searching skills have left me wanting. Regards, Kareni Whoops, sorry about the link! I have no idea about the books-- we just use the website, and my older (just turned 12, has been using it for 3 months) likes it. DS9 took the assessment and scored as something like "Would do well, with some parental support." I decided to let him hold off-- he already has Singapore, MM, Life of Fred, Penrose, Hands on Equations . . . he doesn't really need something that may be a bit over his head right now; we're already overdoing it a bit with him :). So EoM became an older brother only enterprise. DS9 can always try it in a few years when he's ready to try it more independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Jen, I am also intrigued by this program, so I would love updates as time goes by! He's still doing other things, right? This is a fun supplement? I read that students should plan to spend a min. of 2-3 hours a week on it, which makes it reasonable to do along with something else. About how long does your son use it - longer stretches, or a bit at a time? As a stand-alone, it seems like it would be kind of an all-or-nothing thing, given a highly nontraditional S&S. I wish I could see a little bit more of it - I didn't really get a feel for it at all from reading the website. I'm sure that watching her take the pretest would give me a better sense, but it sounds like that's a one-time thing? Meaning, I couldn't have her take it now, then if she's not ready yet, take it again in 3-6 months? I suspect dd is not ready for this now, but might be by the end of this year. I don't want to "waste" her pre-test, but I do want to see more! Maybe I can take the pretest myself? That might be humbling, but enlightening! Thanks for any more info, this looks really interesting! (and sorry, Jana, for the blatant hijack!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Rose, Yes, DS12 is still using LoF for Algebra as his primary math program, and just using Elements of Mathematics for fun. He will do EoM 5 days/week, but depending upon the problem and what else is going on, he might spend 6-60 minutes on it on any given day. It's hard to say what, if anything, you would learn from the pre-test; the pre-test measures the capacity for logic and problem-solving rather than directly testing any math; it's a series of animated traffic engineering problems, setting up traffic lights and intersections to avoid car crashes. The kids loved it. The first chapter quickly moves into cryptography, base-29 arithmetic, then mod-12 arithmetic. The problems are often couched as games (ie you are a spy and must decode the message to save the world). I see it will cover some old territory for him later (GCM's and such) but I am curious to see how they present it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Jen, I am also intrigued by this program, so I would love updates as time goes by! He's still doing other things, right? This is a fun supplement? I read that students should plan to spend a min. of 2-3 hours a week on it, which makes it reasonable to do along with something else. About how long does your son use it - longer stretches, or a bit at a time? As a stand-alone, it seems like it would be kind of an all-or-nothing thing, given a highly nontraditional S&S. I wish I could see a little bit more of it - I didn't really get a feel for it at all from reading the website. I'm sure that watching her take the pretest would give me a better sense, but it sounds like that's a one-time thing? Meaning, I couldn't have her take it now, then if she's not ready yet, take it again in 3-6 months? I suspect dd is not ready for this now, but might be by the end of this year. I don't want to "waste" her pre-test, but I do want to see more! Maybe I can take the pretest myself? That might be humbling, but enlightening! Thanks for any more info, this looks really interesting! (and sorry, Jana, for the blatant hijack!!) Hijack away, I am still reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thanks, Jen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Cool. I just ordered LOF Algebra for dd as a supplement to what she was doing to see if it might help her like math more. She does it well. Just does not like it all that much. I thought LOF would be a little fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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