Tardis Girl Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 We've been using Math Mammoth for several years. I have one in 4A and one in 3A currently. I realize MM is a mastery program, not spiral, but I am feeling a bit irritated at the idea of doing a whole chapter on multiplication, then not really doing any substantial multiplication for months (if we did everything sequentially) while other topics of telling time, measuring, etc are once again covered, albeit in more depth than earlier years. I've really enjoyed MM, don't get me wrong. And maybe it's just the very nature of the mastery approach that is becoming a problem for me. But as I look at printing out the next chapter, I am wondering what I am doing?? Maybe I should print out a few of the "other" chapters (time, measuring, etc.) and intersperse those amidst the newer developing skills of multiplication (and division). I do have Primary Challenge Math, Life of Fred elem/intermediate series (which my kids love but I feel like they need more exposure to facts, repetition, than using LOF affords on its own), and could get some of the Singapore CWP books maybe to supplement? I also have Strayer-Upton's arithmetic series (from the early 1900s, but reprinted -- probably not a common choice, but my older kids used that and it's solid). Just trying to think through what to do, how to modify. Anyone BTDT? Did you just follow it from Page 1 to Page xxx? Any issues with that? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 It hasn't been a great issue thus far...but if it became one, I would simply go through and either 1) mix in the measuring/clock chapters into the other or 2) do every other problem from a chapter and then move onto the next the same way doing some new and going back to the ones skipped in the last. Or 3) alternate days MWF of one topic, TR do a section from the other (or even just be day a week) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 When we used MM as a core, we didn't typically complete every problem on a page, so every so often I'd have the kids flip back and answer some of the left over questions as review. It was a quick and easy way to keep concepts fresh in their minds and it didn't involve any planning on my part (huge bonus! HAHA) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Is there a MM review book you could use and work a couple of multiplication problems every day or two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I agree that it's good to spread the measurement/time/geometry/money chapters among the more "mathy" chapters - it breaks up tedious bits, both ways. But I wouldn't worry about "doing" multiplication and then not seeing it again - you do continue using it in word problems, and in the following chapters. And there is a quite a bit of review - cumulative reviews after each chapter. The revised MM has double the review, in fact, it has reviews at the end of each chapter and then a "mixed review" at the end of each chapter as well. I agree looking at a whole chapter of anything can feel tedious and daunting, but when it comes to the basic operations, you do keep using them throughout the whole year. It's not like you "learn" multiplication and then move on and don't touch it again, right? you need it for perimeter & area, word problems, etc. and when you get to decimals & fractions, you'll be doing all the operations with those numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarynB Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Yes, definitely feel free to mix up the order of the chapters. Mix up the "oddball" (for lack of a better term) non-sequential chapters on measurement, geometry, etc. IMO, Math Mammoth 4 and up are the best levels of the whole program. Hang in there! When DS used Math Mammoth, we used the provided chapter reviews and cumulative reviews sprinkled in with the new material as we kept moving along. For example, we might do 4 days of new material each week and then do a review sheet on the 5th day, or do a lesson on new material with fewer problems assigned that day along with half of a review section, etc. I didn't have a problem with using the same chapter review more than once with an interval of time in between. I don't think I've ever used a curriculum straight through from page 1 to the end, LOL. I make the curriculum fit us, not the other way around. :laugh: Starting in 4th grade, I also had DS do one page from Math Minutes every day to keep concepts fresh. Math Minutes is just 10 problems on a page that spirals around to all the concepts typically covered in that grade. No instruction, just review problems. It didn't align perfectly with Math Mammoth but I was OK with that. Here's a link to Math Minutes grade 4. I like Math Minutes so well that we're still using it now (starting our 4th level of it, 7th grade). I could have created by own review sheets to accomplish the same thing, but I liked having it done for me in a single, inexpensive workbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I have one ds that has always done MM... but we got through 4a and suddenly it was like the whole thing just collapsed. And that was one of the reasons. We're in the process of switching. Not entirely sure to what. I've had him doing the Key to books in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 We did one review problem a day. I made it up. I usually did a division problem he had to check with multiplication. Kept all skills sharp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Right now DS is working through Singapore 4A M/W, BA 3C T/TH, and the Singapore 3B end-of-chapter reviews on Fridays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarynB Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Have you tried using the new Math Mammoth review workbooks? It says they are redundant if you already own Light Blue, but they're dirt cheap, and maybe having something separate already set up and open-and-go would make your life easier? I wish these had existed when DS was working through MM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtzc2009 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Oh, we were feeling frustrated and ended up cutting down the amount of problems we do. We start doing every other problem and if I see he's getting it, I'll print the review and if he passes that we are movin' on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 As others said, you can do more than one chapter at once. In addition, this year I added in Math 4 Today by Carson Dellosa. It's just 4 problems a day to review concepts. There are a number of other review books that do the same thing. I've been really pleased with the combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konglish Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 When we used MM as a core, we didn't typically complete every problem on a page, so every so often I'd have the kids flip back and answer some of the left over questions as review. It was a quick and easy way to keep concepts fresh in their minds and it didn't involve any planning on my part (huge bonus! HAHA) :) Genius! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 I've been in survival mode with lost of snow and sick kids, and haven't checked in for some days. So many great ideas -- thank you all! My MM4A child asked me the other day why we can't just do Life of Fred all the time and skip MM completely. <sigh> It's always something.... I haven't settled my mind on how we're going to proceed -- I really need to have a "go to" pattern of how I do things, otherwise it feels like I'm constantly having to reassess and make decisions. Thanks again for the fresh ideas and encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Definitely do the reviews. If you have the old version, upgrade (for free) to the new one. People say a lot of the review is in the word problems. So make sure you're getting all of those. Math Minutes are a great way to do daily review. There are 10 problems a day, and I don't even time them. Some of the problems are super easy, some are reinforcing what we're working on now, and some are a look ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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