Math Mammoth?

[three4me]

DD is currently working through Horizons Math K and Singapore Essentials B (couldn't decide which to use, so we got both). We're liking SM better than Horizons.

 

When we finish these up, I'm looking at using Math Mammoth. From what I've read, there is no separate teacher's manual (which is what I like about Singapore Essentials). And I think I've also read that it is similar to Singapore?

 

I'd love to hear from those of you who have experience with these different math programs.

 

Also, I'm wondering which version of MM you recommend. Did you buy the downloads or the books? If you print your own pages, do you print in black and white or color? From looking at the grade 1 samples, the pages look to be in color. Anyway, I'd just love to hear more about this math program and some pros/cons to it. Thanks!

[Heidi]

I use Essential Math and then MM. We love MM here! I love how it teaches conceptually, like singapore. I like how a grade level is all contained in one book, unlike singapore. I also like how it is written to the student so it can be fairly independent.

I buy the light blue series, the download, and print in black and white with a laser duplex printer.

[mom@shiloh]

MM worked well with one of my kiddos, not so well with others. For those, I switched to CLE and we really like it. I bought the CD for MM and printed it. You do need to print in color. There are times when the color is essential to the question.

[Heidi]

No, you don't have to print in color. I can remember one time where I had to go look at the download to see the color, but she has revamped the first few years so I believe the one time isn't a problem anymore.

[5Wizards]

I have the entire download, and I've also used the actual books. I never print in color and we haven't had any problems (I've used or am in the process of using all grade levels 1st-6th). MM is a solid program, and I have been very happy with it. The teaching instructions are excellent, I like that it's mastery, and I love the mental math aspect of it.

 

We use the light blue series.

[Elfknitter.#]

Dd is about to start MM 3A (light blue series.) This is the only math program we have used and I like how thorough it is. Math is not her strong suit, so having something that walks her through steps is great. We never printed in color and the only time I could see it being an issue was for some pattern recognition type of problems. With the start of this new level, we'll be moving to completing work on the iPad so I can get away from all the printing.

[Maela]

We just started using it a month ago, and we're loving it here. We switched over from Singapore. We use the Blue Series 1st-3rd grade package download. I print in color, but I probably don't need to.

[Lots of boys]

We started with SM and switched to MM. I really love how MM explains things and it is working really well for my children. My only complaint is the busy pages. These were overwhelming to my oldest ds and so we do most of the work on a large white board and it has made all the difference. I still love MM and don't think we will ever switch now !

[ByGrace3]

We use light blue, do print in color, and have it spiral bund into workbooks at staples. We really love it. It definitely teaches mental math like Singapore and is very challenging. I love not having a teachers book. It is so easy to use.

[3peasinapod]

We use MM light blue, printed with laser in color, spiral bound at office store. Everything you need for the year is included in the one "book." I tried purchasing the actual workbook before, but it was more expensive and it was not in color.

[Mommie_Jen]

I'm preparing to start it (MM1) in a few months with DS1. We tried doing it on the iPad, but he didn't like it. I print in black/white on draft mode. I keep it loose or 2 hole punched for binders.

[Chrysalis Academy]

 

Another MM lover here. My favorite thing about it is how flexibly it can be used. It has very incremental, step-by-step teaching of each concept and algorithm, no conceptual leaps whatsoever. It has lots of problems, but lots of *different* problems on each page - especially in the higher levels - so they can't just get into a pattern-matching mode. If you need all the steps, they are there for you, but if the student gets it without, you can skip over the intermediate parts. You can only assign part of the problems, too. I typically have her do half the problems on a page, and if they are perfect she's done; if there are errors, she has to go back and do the other half (this helps with carefulness/accuracy, too!). I also really like that there is a strong focus on mental math and problem solving.

 

 

At first I used the workbooks. They are in black and white, so obviously printing it in black and white is fine. But now I prefer to print it myself from the pdf download. I print one lesson at a time, or even one week at a time, because I find at this point we are skipping whole pages, and I don't want to waste $$/paper. It works great. I do print in color, using the fast/economical printing function.

[LBoogie]

We have been doing MM for a week. So far, it's awesome. No math tears.

[alisoncooks]

We started with Singapore 1A and got to the very end of it before I switched us to MM1A. I really do *love* Singapore and we enjoyed math time with it. It does such a good job at teaching the concepts (begins with hands-on manipulatives, moves to the visuals in the textbook, then the actual practice in the workbook.) I think that's really effective. That said, my DD doesn't respond well when I try to overtly TEACH her, ya know? Like, "Okay DD, let's sit down and here are some blocks and lets do ____." She resists that.

 

So I switched to MM and decided to start at the beginning (1A) after seeing samples. It gives a lot of addition practice -- which I felt we were lacking & needed -- but I definitely think SM starts more solidly with lots of number bond work. I'm unsure if we'll keep up with MM or go back to SM after this interlude. :) DD is liking MM but it's missing that *spark* for me. Just feels like a bunch of workbook work; I don't get to see the wheels turning in her brain, see her making those connections (she may be, but I got to see it with SM and the use of manipulatives).

 

Anyway, I do like that everything is all contained in the worktext with MM. And it's less expensive -- even with buying it printed/bound, like I did (MM=2 books/level while SM=6 books/level). And I do think she needed this break b/c SM was starting to tackle some concepts that she wasn't ready for...

[Corraleno]

Another MM lover here. My favorite thing about it is how flexibly it can be used. It has very incremental, step-by-step teaching of each concept and algorithm, no conceptual leaps whatsoever. It has lots of problems, but lots of *different* problems on each page - especially in the higher levels - so they can't just get into a pattern-matching mode. If you need all the steps, they are there for you, but if the student gets it without, you can skip over the intermediate parts. You can only assign part of the problems, too. I typically have her do half the problems on a page, and if they are perfect she's done; if there are errors, she has to go back and do the other half (this helps with carefulness/accuracy, too!). I also really like that there is a strong focus on mental math and problem solving.

 

:iagree:

 

I use the Light Blue books, printed single-sided in color ("fast draft" mode uses much less ink) and comb-bound. When the workbooks are opened flat, kids can use the blank back of the previous page for working the problems, so when they make a mistake I can easily see where they went wrong. As each lesson is completed, I write the date (and grade, if appropriate) next to the lesson in the TOC at the front of the book.

 

Jackie

[alisha]

I have 1A for my current K'er who is currently working through SM Earlybird K. I got the preprinted book because it just seemed like it was cheaper at about $16. However, since he is in K and is still working on his writing, I've heard of others who print only a portion of the pages on the CD to make the space to write answers in bigger-which i cannot do since mine is preprinted. I'm still trying to figure out how to give him more space to write the answers when we get started in a few months.

So, that's one thing to think about or it may not apply to you.

[Hunter]

Will the CD version that is about to go on sale, be the revised edition, or the edition everyone has been using?

[Chrysalis Academy]

Will the CD version that is about to go on sale, be the revised edition, or the edition everyone has been using?

 

 

It will be revised version for those levels that have been revised (1-4 so far) and the "old" version for 5 & 6. As the new revisions come out, you get them for free.

 

If you want the old ones for all, you could check with Maria . . .

[Hunter]

It will be revised version for those levels that have been revised (1-4 so far) and the "old" version for 5 & 6. As the new revisions come out, you get them for free.

 

If you want the old ones for all, you could check with Maria . . .

 

 

I really don't like the sound of the new changes, and don't want a half rewritten curriculum. I'll have to write her when the sale is announced. If anyone else hears anything about a complete set of the old edition, please post what you know.

[AimeeM]

 

I really don't like the sound of the new changes, and don't want a half rewritten curriculum. I'll have to write her when the sale is announced. If anyone else hears anything about a complete set of the old edition, please post what you know.

Same. I would like a CD of the full "old" version. We use MM6 with my older and I'm starting her 3 year old brother on MM1 this fall (he'll be 4). I do not want the revised version and I'm glad you asked this before I purchased the whole CD.

[three4me]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

 

I really don't like the sound of the new changes, and don't want a half rewritten curriculum. I'll have to write her when the sale is announced. If anyone else hears anything about a complete set of the old edition, please post what you know.

 

What kinds of things did they change?

[Hunter]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

 

 

What kinds of things did they change?

 

I'm not entirely sure, but they are adding a grade or two and widening the scope, I think. I prefer narrower shorter curricula, for the main math curricula. Widening things up with library books is fun instead. I don't like too much woven so tightly to the critical topics that I can't figure out what to skip, when things get too busy to do it all.

[Elfknitter.#]

Maria Miller is trying to align the curricula to Common Core Standards. I believe she has completed this through the 4 th grade so far. My understanding is that by aligning it with Common Core Standard, there might be a 7th grade curriculum which was not previously available.

[Chrysalis Academy]

The curriculum is being aligned to the common core standards. This does involve some moving of material to the next grade level. I'm not sure how it affects the lower grades, but for example Integers and Percents is moving from MM5 to MM6, and some current MM6 topics will move to MM7, which will be PreAlgebra.

 

We had a thread discussing this a month or so ago. Some people worried that the changes reflected a "dumbing down" of the curriculum. Since searching is so iffy, I will just go ahead and re-post Maria's reply to the email I sent her about this:

 

Aligning MM to the Common Core Standards is not a dumbing down at all. It mostly involves moving topics from one grade to another, not making the lessons or concepts "dumber". I could not do that! I still dearly love teaching children concepts of mathematics.

 

Besides, Common Core Standards aren't that "dumb" anyway. They are a big improvement over many current states' standards because they focus more (hence "core" standards), because they emphasize algebraic thinking, and because they specifically mention certain CONCEPTS that students should understand (and not just procedures).

 

In fact, some teachers feel CCS for math are a move towards too much conceptual & algebraic thinking in the lower grades :) They feel they are too difficult.

 

And, while some homeschoolers may not care for CCS, the fact is, those who are tested yearly will eventually have to take them into consideration because the tests will start reflecting the CCS.

 

I'm not yet working on MM7. It will be pre-algebra, yes. Please see these two draft documents for my planned scope and sequence for MM6 and MM7. I hope it will allay everyone's fears. The scope of MM6 currently actually includes some pre-algebra topics, so those will move to 7th.

 

http://www.mathmammoth.com/preview/docs/MM_lesson_list_grade_6_draft.pdf

http://www.mathmammoth.com/preview/docs/MM_lesson_list_grade_7_draft.pdf

 

Sincerely,

Maria Miller

 

 

Here are some actual examples of CCS for math. The whole document is available at

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf

 

 

(Third grade - mastery of multiplication facts is expected)

 

3.OA.7

Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the

relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 ×

5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end

of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers

 

(Distributive property in 3rd grade - I consider that a bit advanced)

 

3.MD

.7

c. Use tiling to show in a concrete case that the area of a rectangle

with whole-number side lengths a and b + c is the sum of

a × b and a × c. Use area models to represent the distributive

property in mathematical reasoning.

 

 

(Write and solve equations in 4th grade)

 

4.MD

.7

Recognize angle measure as additive. When an angle is decomposed

into non-overlapping parts, the angle measure of the whole is the sum

of the angle measures of the parts. Solve addition and subtraction

problems to find unknown angles on a diagram in real world and

mathematical problems, e.g., by using an equation with a symbol for

the unknown angle measure.

 

 

 

(Explicit mention of the standard algorithm)

 

5.NBT.5

Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard

algorithm.

 

 

(5th grade fractions - conceptual understanding required)

 

5.NF

.5

Interpret multiplication as scaling (resizing), by:

 

b. Explaining why multiplying a given number by a fraction greater

than 1 results in a product greater than the given number

(recognizing multiplication by whole numbers greater than 1 as

a familiar case); explaining why multiplying a given number by

a fraction less than 1 results in a product smaller than the given

number; and relating the principle of fraction equivalence a/b =

(n×a)/(n×B) to the effect of multiplying a/b by 1.

 

 

5.NF

.7

 

a. Interpret division of a unit fraction by a non-zero whole number,

and compute such quotients. For example, create a story context

for (1/3) ÷ 4, and use a visual fraction model to show the quotient.

Use the relationship between multiplication and division to explain

 

 

 

(6th grade - problems that can be typically found in pre-algebra and even algebra 1 books)

 

6.RP.3.

 

 

b. Solve unit rate problems including those involving unit pricing and

constant speed. For example, if it took 7 hours to mow 4 lawns, then

at that rate, how many lawns could be mowed in 35 hours? At what

rate were lawns being mowed?

 

c. Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a

quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems

involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent.

 

(Maria's note: This means a problem like this:

 

Twelve students in the class are sick today, which is 30% of the class. how many students are in the class?

)

 

 

 

(6th grade statistics - I feel these are advanced concepts)

 

6.SP

Summarize and describe distributions.

4. Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots,

histograms, and box plots.

 

5. Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by:

a. Reporting the number of observations.

b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation,

including how it was measured and its units of measurement.

c. Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and

variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as

well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations

from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the

data were gathered.

d. Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the

shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data

were gathered.

 

 

 

(7th grade - pre-algebra stuff)

 

 

7. RP

 

2. c. Represent proportional relationships by equations. For example, if

total cost t is proportional to the number n of items purchased at

a constant price p, the relationship between the total cost and the

number of items can be expressed as t = pn.

d. Explain what a point (x, y) on the graph of a proportional

relationship means in terms of the situation, with special attention

to the points (0, 0) and (1, r) where r is the unit rate.

3. Use proportional relationships to solve multistep ratio and percent

problems. Examples: simple interest, tax, markups and markdowns,

gratuities and commissions, fees, percent increase and decrease, percent

error.

 

 

[Hunter]

If I buy anything, I think it will be the ungraded dark blue series. That is the same, right?