Math question for anyone who has used MM5 and/or LOF (or anyone else with math opinions!)

[Jayne J]

We have used MM pretty much all the way through from 2nd grade to 5th, adding in Beast Academy for some review. But ds has always disliked MM. It works--he understands and does quite well, but he mutters and grumbles. Math has become a bit of a fight. So I am looking to add something new. We will be keeping MM--next year we will finish the 6th grade level--but I am looking for a "fun" supplement.

 

He loves BA, but they have only published to grade 4, and I just can't justify it anymore.

 

I looked at LOF, and I am wondering where to start in the pre-algebra series. He has done almost nothing but fractions, decimals, and percents ALL this year and might rebel, no matter how novel the presentation. So, can we skip them? Or do we really need to do them?

 

Are there any other programs that have a story component, which is what he seems to enjoy?

[Julie of KY]

If he's solid on fractions and decimals, then there is no reason to repeat them with LOF. You could start with the first prealgebra book in that series. You might look at Ed Zacarro's books as another supplement.

[nansk]

My dd is doing similar topics from MM4 and MM5. She is exactly like your ds  - she also grumbles about MM, but it actually is good for her; she is learning well with it.

 

To give her a break from MM, I pull out Ed Zaccaro's Primary Grade Challenge Math, Hands-On Equations, Key To Fractions or some fun Scholastic workbooks we have. If she tries to wriggle out of those, I threaten her with a tough Singapore Maths word problems book I have. ;-)

[JoJosMom]

I'll echo the Zaccaro books recommendation.  We completed MM6, are doing Lial's Pre-Algebra, and are using a Zaccaro book on Friday.  My DD needs a relief from Lial's, which she describes as "tedious."  Sigh.  But that's another thread. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

This year in 6th grade, we went quickly through MM6 - I had her do the chapter reviews, and then the lessons she needed more work on, rather than every. single. lesson in MM6.  We got through that pretty efficiently by January.  For PreAlgebra, we're doing a combination of Jousting Armadillos and Zaccaro's Real World Algebra (a little Challenge Math, too).  It's been a fantastic combo.  My dd didn't find MM stimulating, either, but it was good for review/consolidation of the basics.  JA and Zaccaro are really making her eyes light up, though!  

 

She was doing LOF PreA earlier in the year (she did the elementary series in 4th and Fractions & Decimals in 5th) but then we just kind of stopped using it.  She doesn't dislike it, it just stopped being as engaging/interesting as the other options.  She's getting plenty without it, so I'm just letting it go.

[MEmama]

This year in 6th grade, we went quickly through MM6 - I had her do the chapter reviews, and then the lessons she needed more work on, rather than every. single. lesson in MM6. We got through that pretty efficiently by January. For PreAlgebra, we're doing a combination of Jousting Armadillos and Zaccaro's Real World Algebra (a little Challenge Math, too). It's been a fantastic combo. My dd didn't find MM stimulating, either, but it was good for review/consolidation of the basics. JA and Zaccaro are really making her eyes light up, though!

 

She was doing LOF PreA earlier in the year (she did the elementary series in 4th and Fractions & Decimals in 5th) but then we just kind of stopped using it. She doesn't dislike it, it just stopped being as engaging/interesting as the other options. She's getting plenty without it, so I'm just letting it go.

Just curious--not to derail this thread at all-- do you find JA necessary after MM6? I love the look of it and WANT to use it, but assumed I found out about it too late in the game (DS is almost done with MM6 and finding it mostly review). Maybe not, though?

[JoJosMom]

This year in 6th grade, we went quickly through MM6 - I had her do the chapter reviews, and then the lessons she needed more work on, rather than every. single. lesson in MM6.  We got through that pretty efficiently by January.  For PreAlgebra, we're doing a combination of Jousting Armadillos and Zaccaro's Real World Algebra (a little Challenge Math, too).  It's been a fantastic combo.  My dd didn't find MM stimulating, either, but it was good for review/consolidation of the basics.  JA and Zaccaro are really making her eyes light up, though!  

 

She was doing LOF PreA earlier in the year (she did the elementary series in 4th and Fractions & Decimals in 5th) but then we just kind of stopped using it.  She doesn't dislike it, it just stopped being as engaging/interesting as the other options.  She's getting plenty without it, so I'm just letting it go.

 

I think we are leading almost parallel lives-at least wrt to 11 year old DDs.  We did this, too!

[Chrysalis Academy]

Just curious--not to derail this thread at all-- do you find JA necessary after MM6? I love the look of it and WANT to use it, but assumed I found out about it too late in the game (DS is almost done with MM6 and finding it mostly review). Maybe not, though?

 

No, I think it is a nice extension of what you learn in MM6, and not all that redundant.  It is really focused on doing operations with variables throughout - it doesn't really focus on any operations outside of the context, except for integers which it devotes a chapter to.  But other than that, you only cover fractions in the context of algebra, ratios, proportions and percents in the context of algebra, and you do a lot of work with word problems.  I don't think it's redundant with MM6, I think it is a nice extender.

 

That said, I don't think it's an "instead of" MM6 for most kids either - because it doesn't focus a lot on the basic operations, it doesn't cover any geometry or statistics or decimals or unit conversions or . . . .  lots of key topics that MM does review.  I'm glad we did both.

[MEmama]

Thanks, Chrysalis! Off to look at it again! :)

[Jayne J]

Thanks everyone! I've got lots to go and look at. It seems the Zaccaro books are the front runner.

Chrysalis Academy--I love the idea of just giving the chapter reviews and going back to reinforce any weak spots. Brilliant. We may do that from now on. I think that MM is really excellent, and he is learning a lot, but he would do much better only doing what he really needed. Lots to think about!

[MEmama]

Thanks everyone! I've got lots to go and look at. It seems the Zaccaro books are the front runner.

Chrysalis Academy--I love the idea of just giving the chapter reviews and going back to reinforce any weak spots. Brilliant. We may do that from now on. I think that MM is really excellent, and he is learning a lot, but he would do much better only doing what he really needed. Lots to think about!

I wish I felt confident enough in math and had done that. Although, I guess we (I) aren't in a particular hurry. But it's a great idea and probably would have headed off some boredom. As it is, we go through most sections really quickly, now that he's over the must-do-every-problem-or-it's-cheating idea. :)