Geometry: Making a year-long geometry course by pulling out Discovering Mathematics geometry sections?

[g1234]

My older daughter tried and ended up not liking Singapore's Discovering Mathematics a few years ago.  I've never been sure whether that's because she just doesn't jive with DM, or because we were totally clueless at the time about how to use it and were trying to expect way too fast a pace. [ETA: My younger daughter loves it and plans to use the whole curriculum.]  Since then she has done well with other texts.  She completed Foerster's Algebra last year and loved it.

 

However, she loved DM's geometry sections...loved, loved, loved, and ever since then has gone around saying how much she loves geometry.

 

This year (9th grade) she is studying geometry. She just finished the first chapter of Chakerian's Geometry: A Guided Inquiry, and she likes it okay. However, she is way exasperated with the “Project Problems,†and the spark is going out of her about geometry.  I hate to see this happening.

 

That's why I'm considering pulling all the DM geometry sections and doing them this year with her. I have all the DM books, up through Additional Maths, since my younger daughter adores DM and there are being distribution issues right now with that curriculum...I bought everything in a panic at the beginning of the year. So that's not a problem.

 

There are at least issues I can see:

 

1. I know that this would not be American-style geometry, with proofs. However, if I'm okay with that (I am, even though I know the benefits of learning proofs), is it a bigger problem? I have heard, for instance, that there are no proofs on the SAT/ACT.

 

2. I can see a possible issue with the geomtry sections in the post-Algebra-1 level DM books. She has only had math up through Alg. 1, so she couldn't do geometry that rests on knowledge above that level. On the other hand, American students usually can only do geometry to the Alg. 1 level, so maybe if there are more advanced geometry sections she wouldn't be missing out, at least compared to other American students, if she didn't do those?

 

So then, would using DM geometry sections up through those that rest on Alg. 1 knowledge or lower consitute a fair, solid year of geometry that would stand her in good stead for standardized testing?

 

If anyone has done this, or even if you haven't but you have some ideas or feedback from me, I'd love to hear from you!

[JadeOrchidSong]

Bump for you

[almondbutterandjelly]

Here is a check list of what should be included in a geometry course.  Maybe you will find it helpful.

 

http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/docs/geometry.pdf