planner Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Can someone tell me the difference in leveling between Saxon course 1 and Saxon 8/7? I'm not finding much when I google it. We are looking at two different schools and they start fifth graders at these two different levels. Is 8/7 realistic for a fifth grader? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I cannot imagine most 10yo children being able to do Math 87, which is a pre-algebra. o_0 I have no idea what Saxon's new maths are like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Saxon Course 1 is considered a sixth grade text. Its closest equivalent is Saxon 76. Most students using Course 1 will use Course 2 in 7th and Course 3 in eighth followed by Algebra 1 in 9th. Saxon 87 is a 7th/8th grade text. Strong students can go directly into Algebra 1 after completion. Students needing more time and/or study move into Saxon Algebra 1/2 or another pre-algebra program. Fifth grade is early for either text, but Saxon puts out placement exams to determine student readiness. The school using Course 1 in fifth probably plans to use Course 2 in sixth, Course 3 in seventh and Algebra 1 in eighth. That seems doable to me. I do not understand using Saxon 8/7 in fifth unless these are very advanced students that plan to start Algebra in 6th/7th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Basis charter schools use Saxon 87 or Algebra 1 in 5th. http://basisschools.org/basis-curriculum I am not sure this would be a good fit for all students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Saxon 87 is a 7th/8th grade text. Strong students can go directly into Algebra 1 after completion. Students needing more time and/or study move into Saxon Algebra 1/2 or another pre-algebra program. Fifth grade is early for either text, but Saxon puts out placement exams to determine student readiness. Is this new? Because historically, students did Math 87, then Algebra 1. Actually, for students who had been doing Math 76, the sequence was Math 76, then Math 87, if the students achieved at least an 80% average in Math 76, then Alg. 1; or Math 76, then Alg. 1/2 if they achieved less than an 80% average in Math 76, then Alg. 1 (it was the opposite with earlier editions). FYI, John Saxon didn't want to put any grade-level indications on his texts but was satisfied with doing 54, 65, 76, 87. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planner Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Basis charter schools use Saxon 87 or Algebra 1 in 5th. http://basisschools.org/basis-curriculum I am not sure this would be a good fit for all students. It is Basis that we are considering. On a tour of the other school, a parent mentioned that the biggest complaint he had heard from parents was that students coming from the school that my child attends find Saxon Course 1 to be too easy and repetitive. They will finish Singapore 5A by the end of the year but I'm not convinced that will lead to a smooth transition to Saxon 8/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It is Basis that we are considering. On a tour of the other school, a parent mentioned that the biggest complaint he had heard from parents was that students coming from the school that my child attends find Saxon Course 1 to be too easy and repetitive. They will finish Singapore 5A by the end of the year but I'm not convinced that will lead to a smooth transition to Saxon 8/7. Singapore 5 is comparable to Saxon 7/6. If you are willing to work on 5b at home over the summer to cover any potential gaps, it would probably be a nice transition to go into 8/7 in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It is Basis that we are considering. On a tour of the other school, a parent mentioned that the biggest complaint he had heard from parents was that students coming from the school that my child attends find Saxon Course 1 to be too easy and repetitive. They will finish Singapore 5A by the end of the year but I'm not convinced that will lead to a smooth transition to Saxon 8/7. I would give him the placement test available for free online. http://saxonhomeschool.hmhco.com/HA/correlations/pdf/s/SHS_PLT_middlegrades.pdf If he does not pass it but is close, I would consider switching him into Saxon 76 instead and working through that over the summer. I think that would be the best preparation. If he misses by a mile (which I doubt) then I don't think that school would be the best placement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planner Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Thank you for all the responses. I really have a much better understanding of Saxon math now. I will definitely be administering the placement test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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