math recommendations for 5th grade

[caedmyn]

DD used Saxon 1st-3rd. This year she's using Math Mammoth, primarily because I thought Saxon 5/4 would take her about 1.5 hours a day (she tends to work slowly and get distacted easily) and I didn't want to spend that much time on math. MM takes probably 45 minutes a day. She did fine in Saxon and does fine in MM for the most part, but when she doesn't understand something in MM, it is fairly difficult for me to explain it in a way that she understands. She wants to go back to Saxon next year (said the explanations are clearer), but I'm still concerned that it will take her longer than I want to spend on math. I would like something a little clear/more self-taught (and not terribly expensive) than MM has proven to be for her. Any suggestions? Should we just give Saxon another try and cross off some of the problems each day?

[mamamoose]

Saxon 4 was pretty self teaching, I thought.

[Ruthie in MS]

I have no experience with Saxon but I do know that CLE math is an independent spiral workbook approach. Everything the student needs is in the workbook. It's written to the student. The teacher guides have the answers and other notes. I am using it now at a 5th grade level but this is not my easily distracted child. She is my child who loves math. I do have one child who does take a while to do her math and she is in the 3rd grade books. I think you may have that problem no matter what you use. 😕

I also have experience with MM. It's a very different approach than CLE. Mm is a mastery math program. Saxon, I believe, is a spiral program. I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. Are you looking for a less time consuming spiral program or a more easily explained mastery program?

[caedmyn]

I don't have a preference for spiral or mastery.  Just a preference for inexpensive, non-teacher-intensive, and not-too-time-consuming.  Lol

[OneStepAtATime]

CLE but give the placement test.  Pretty independent and you can cross off some of the review problems in areas she has mastered so the lessons aren't as long.  If she runs into issues with explanations, check you tube videos for help.  FWIW, most students cannot function completely independently in math unless the child is some sort of math prodigy.  CLE can help with independence, though.  CLE is structured so new material is introduced in small bites and the bulk of the lesson is reviewing material already introduced.  Because of that, it isn't that teacher intense.  You can work together on the new material (shouldn't take long) using a dry erase board maybe, then she should be able to do the review problems on her own.  

[Targhee]

I don't have a preference for spiral or mastery. Just a preference for inexpensive, non-teacher-intensive, and not-too-time-consuming. Lol

This sounds like CLE.

[Ruthie in MS]

I don't have a preference for spiral or mastery.  Just a preference for inexpensive, non-teacher-intensive, and not-too-time-consuming.  Lol

Then CLE might be a good option for you. It's spiral and inexpensive. You buy the teacher guide(s), Light Unit workbooks and the math reference chart. Last fall I purchased the 500 Teacher Guides, Light Unit workbooks 502-510 (501 is all review and we are year-round homeschoolers), the intermediate math reference chart, Light Unit workbooks 302-310 (for younger dd) and the elementary reference chart for about $90 including shipping. Math for two children for UNDER $100. I will be fair, I did already have the 300 Teacher Guide, but still it is an inexpensive program.

 

 

 

CLE but give the placement test.  Pretty independent and you can cross off some of the review problems in areas she has mastered so the lessons aren't as long.

 

I agree with giving your child a placement test. We came out of A Beka Arithmetic 3, in the middle of the year and when I gave my child a placement test it placed her in 2nd grade CLE because she didn't know fractions and beginning geometry. A Beka doesn't cover that until the end of 3rd grade while CLE had been slowly introducing it since 1st and 2nd grade. We used MM to cover those things and in about a month she was ready to begin CLE Math 300. Yes, that makes us a little "behind" but this program is a little advanced, IMO. It has also been really great for my DD that needs to be mostly independent.

 

I would advise you not to skip the Teacher Guides. I have never bought the answer books but the Teacher Guides have been great. For the younger grades it's a down-sized image of the worksheets (multiple images on each page) with the answers and at the higher (starting in 400, I think) elementary grades it's a full page view of the page with answers with the problems completely worked out. It has been wonderful to be able to view how the problem is supposed to be done. This way I can see where they went wrong and show them step-by-step. The Teacher Guides also have some teaching tips and suggested activities for more review, but I usually ignore those, but it's good to know that they're included.

[OneStepAtATime]

Then CLE might be a good option for you. It's spiral and inexpensive. You buy the teacher guide(s), Light Unit workbooks and the math reference chart. Last fall I purchased the 500 Teacher Guides, Light Unit workbooks 502-510 (501 is all review and we are year-round homeschoolers), the intermediate math reference chart, Light Unit workbooks 302-310 (for younger dd) and the elementary reference chart for about $90 including shipping. Math for two children for UNDER $100. I will be fair, I did already have the 300 Teacher Guide, but still it is an inexpensive program.

 

 

 

 

I agree with giving your child a placement test. We came out of A Beka Arithmetic 3, in the middle of the year and when I gave my child a placement test it placed her in 2nd grade CLE because she didn't know fractions and beginning geometry. A Beka doesn't cover that until the end of 3rd grade while CLE had been slowly introducing it since 1st and 2nd grade. We used MM to cover those things and in about a month she was ready to begin CLE Math 300. Yes, that makes us a little "behind" but this program is a little advanced, IMO. It has also been really great for my DD that needs to be mostly independent.

 

I would advise you not to skip the Teacher Guides. I have never bought the answer books but the Teacher Guides have been great. For the younger grades it's a down-sized image of the worksheets (multiple images on each page) with the answers and at the higher (starting in 400, I think) elementary grades it's a full page view of the page with answers with the problems completely worked out. It has been wonderful to be able to view how the problem is supposed to be done. This way I can see where they went wrong and show them step-by-step. The Teacher Guides also have some teaching tips and suggested activities for more review, but I usually ignore those, but it's good to know that they're included.

I agree, the TMs are great.  They also include alternate tests and extra practice pages and make looking up previous concepts sooooo much easier than having to dig through old light units.  I find it a lot easier to grade from them, too.

[blondeviolin]

We did Saxon 54 this year and it was pretty independent once I taught the first portion. My oldest is now working through the end of CLE 4 for review. I found Saxon to be a little bit more rigorous and led my child to make better math inferences while still holding her hand. CLE just feels like it holds her hand and is not challenging her. This could be because we're using it as a review... YMMV.