What to use before AoPS Pre-Algebra?

[weintz8]

I have been jumping around with Math for my DD and can't seem to find a program that is satisfactory.  I think that AoPS will be great for her but I need something to do with her this year (and maybe next year???) before she starts Pre-Algebra.  

 

Ideally it would be student directed but if it worked really well I could probably find time to teach it.

 

We have tried so far;

teaching textbooks (she loved it, but mostly because it was easy for her and didn't challenge her much)

saxon (she learned a lot, but this took us almost two hours a day)

CLE (this works well and is what she is currently using)

LOF (she likes this but isn't disciplined enough to make it into a full curriculum)

Beast Academy (we like it but can only use lower grades since the higher ones are not out yet)

 

So what can I use that will prepare her well for AoPS Pre-A???

[sweetpea3829]

If CLE is working well, why are you planning on switching?  (I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of CLE)

 

Otherwise...have you considered Singapore?  They are a pretty solid lead up to AoPS.  

[SierraNevada]

Jousting Armadillios is a easy pre-a program that many use before Aops. Or CWP books from Singapore.

Or continue on with LOF pre-a if you have done through decimals. Zaccarro books?

[lewelma]

We are using MEP secondary.  This is the 4th time I have x-posted this today!  Lots of math questions out there:

 

My younger is doing MEP secondary, which is available free online. It has some really nice investigations, and two decently hard problems per section of each chapter (each taking my son about 15 to 20 minutes to do). There are a lot of new topics compared to Singapore Math, like Mathematical Diagrams, Statistics, Trig, etc, which are mixed in with review of fractions, factors, decimals etc.  It is a mastery program that rotates topics every 2 weeks, so ideal for this boy.

 

Biggest downside is that it is written for schools so the easy, medium, and difficult material is all intermixed and you have to use the teacher's schedules to mark out where the hard problems are.  It takes me about 30 minutes every 2 weeks to print and mark out the work to make it open and go on the day.

 

I should add that year 8 (7th grade) is of prealgebra level, but not so algebra focused as Singapore Math 7A.  My son was also bored with SM6, so we decided to move on, but both SM7A and AoPS preA were too difficult.  MEP has been great intermediary.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

[LiverpoolFan]

I would suggest contest preps like MOEMS.

[boscopup]

My middle son will keep using CLE. I know some people on here have gone straight from CLE to AoPS with no problems. You might need to hold her hand when you start the Prealgebra book, but I had to do that with my son after using Singapore as well (and I don't think Singapore prepped him any better than CLE would have, to be honest). AoPS explains everything so well. You just have to get the child used to not knowing the answer to every question. I explained to my son early on that the book was designed differently, and they expected him to get some wrong, and that he would have to sit and think for a while sometimes. There were tears at first, but by chapter 3, we were in a groove, and he had learned to tackle hard problems without melting into a puddle of goo. :D Note that he never really found Singapore to be that challenging, even with IP/CWP.

 

Also, I told my son early on that if you're needing to multiply/divide big, scary numbers, there is probably an easier method. AoPS problems usually involve easy calculations, but you have to apply what you've learned to make them easy.

[TracyP]

DD used a combo of CLE/MM through grade 6, then went through Zaccaro's Challenge Math (while continuing CLE). We are now using a combo of CLE 7 and AoPS Pre A. We are only through the first chapter of AoPS (we work on it side by side), but very early on dd seems well prepared.

 

Since CLE is working, I would stick with that. At some point (maybe after or alongside CLE 6), you could add something like Challenge Math, or one of the other suggestions, to get your dd accustomed to working through challenging problems. I did work on CM with my dd, but it could easily be self directed.

[catz]

Singapore was an excellent set up to AoPS here. 

 

ETA - If CLE is working well, you could continue with that and add in some of the Singapore extra challenge books to mix it up.  I think doing some challenging problem solving before hitting AoPS is a good idea and will ease the transition. 

[wapiti]

This is for your 8 y.o., correct?  Preparing to start AoPS Prealgebra around 9 or 10?  You might want to post on the Accelerated board.

 

Any solid prep with fraction/decimal/percent concepts and negative numbers, plus some problem solving, should fit the bill.  FWIW, we used MM, through 5 and parts of 6 (the old version).  One of my kids started AoPS Prealgebra at 9 and two at 10.  It was slow-going in the beginning in certain chapters (2 and 5) and that's ok.

 

SM would work well too though I'm not sure about the best point to make the switch.  MOEMS problems would be a helpful addition to any program, for the problem-solving practice.

 

Eta, some older threads that might be of interest:

 

Did you use Singapore US or Stds before AoPS?

What did your child take the year before they did AOPS pr..

Best math curriculum before AoPS

If you wanted to use AoPS...

 

What to use between BA and AoPS?

S/o of 'hard' math & AOPS discussions . . .

How much math before AOPS Prealgebra?