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Math fact drill with Singapore 1A


hands-on-mama
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Okay, bear with me please. I understand the premise behind Singapore Math and I want to stay the course and trust the process. I a,ready have 1B, so for now I am committed through that level. What kind of drill do you use with 1A?

 

She understands the concepts fine, but I know she needs more practice than what she gets. DD just turned 6. We use c-rods along with the activities in the HOD Beyond manual.

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I've been using xtramath.com, the Math Blasters app, and the mental math sheets from the back.  Some days I'll write a few problems from the mental math sheets on the whiteboard and have him answer them.  Other days I have him see how many he can do in 3 minutes.

 

I have thought about using the chart of facts to learn (I know it's in the HIG but can't remember if it is also in the textbook) and letting my son choose 1-3 facts per day to learn.  I'd have him pick and then ask him several times throughout the day.

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I am not sure that a first grader need much 'drill' if you are also doing activities in an activity guide.  Do the problems in the textbook together, including the instructional part, and if she seems to grasp the concept set her lose on the workbook. If you are also using the c-rods and doing activities that is pretty good for a first grader. If you want to add more in, try some math games, something fun that uses numbers. Or look at the videos at Education Unboxed and see what she is doing with c-rods and try some of that yourself. I think those are just fantastic when mixed with SM.

 

xtra math and the timing can be really stressful for some kids. I have a kid who melts down with a timer even if he is doing something he finds simple. I  found a way in xtra math to increase the time on his questions from 3 to 6 seconds and it was much better. But, he found xtra math sort of boring after a while.

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My DD6 has picked them all up with time and lots of practice - I found allowing her to use manipulatives whenever she needed them helped her internalise them. It is only now that she is in Singapore 2a that I am making sure they are solid - and they are, without me having to have done much else. The facts to 10 came first and now the facts to 20 are slowly catching up - I would even go back to making sure facts to 5 are solid earlier than 6-10, but really so early on they still need to keep seeing it to remember it - it helps understanding.

 

(Though I do not follow Singapore's guidelines - so throughout 2a I am letting her work out in whatever way she likes what the multiplication answers are - by 3a I will expect her to know them - she seems to just get them a chapter or two on from when they were working on them).

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I use Wrap-Ups and Kumon workbooks for my supplements and drills. Wrap-Ups can also be used for drilling purposes, but my kids enjoy them too much for me to call them drills.

 

We also do one minute written math drills. She likes that sort of thing though. Especially when I let her use the abacus. ;)

 

We also do a lot of verbal drilling. She knows her addition and subtraction facts pretty solidly now, and even has her multiplication tables down through the 10's thanks to listening to her older brother do his drills aloud.

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DS also hated xtra math.  He would do it, but didn't enjoy it.  He does like Reflex Math, as it is more game based.  Still timed, but more of a personal best, beat your own high score style and a variety of games with interesting graphics, etc.  He also likes Mystery Town Math, Math Zombies, Math Bingo apps.  We've used SM1a and b, in 2a now.  I also had him do MM addition and subtraction 1 over summer/as breaks from SM to get more fact practice in.

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We do a lot of the games described at educationunboxed.com. We also do the mental math drills in the HIG. Id recommend the HIG for the next level you do, I've found the games in those also helpful. I also love the splashmath app (for 1st grade and up, the k version isn't up to the others par).

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We loved the Wrap-Ups.  They are portable and can be used in the car or on the go.  The HIG has about 20-25 sheets in the back with about 20 problems on each sheet (the "mental math sheets").  The assumption is that the student completes these sheets to assist in remembering the facts.  If you don't have the HIG you could probably create something similar using MUS's free worksheet generator.

 

 

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We do a lot of the games described at educationunboxed.com. We also do the mental math drills in the HIG. Id recommend the HIG for the next level you do, I've found the games in those also helpful. I also love the splashmath app (for 1st grade and up, the k version isn't up to the others par).

I already have the HIG for 1B. I guess I want to just know that we are doing enough. We are enjoying what we do right now, and I want it to stay this way. I know xtramath was just too much for her though. She gets upset when they give her the answer. I know I also may expect too much. It's been a while since I have been 6. ;)

 

We do the HOD activities and use c-rods. We may add In some printable worksheets then. Thanks everyone!

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