Fun math computation/procedural practice that is beyond 8th grade level?

[Dmmetler]

DD is great at hard problems, but, honestly, stinks at really easy ones that are of the apply the formula, substitute in values, go through the steps type. I suspect a lot of it is that she's moved so fast through math that she just hasn't had as much repetition, and while AOPS is teaching great problem solving skills, she simply isn't doing 500 straightforward problems all applying the quadratic formula to cement it. And it's going to take something with some motivating factor to make her want to do it. Prodigy has been nice for the stuff that it covers, but it took her very little time to exhaust that. Mathletics doesn't have the game component on hard enough content. Khan academy is "OK".

 

Any ideas? What I want is something that I can assign a set time for practice daily that she can work through. Cute would be good. Competitive would be good.

[JoJosMom]

Is Alcumus not doing the job?

[Dmmetler]

She doesn't like Alumcus much. I swear, I have the only kid in the world who doesn't.

[quark]

She doesn't like Alumcus much. I swear, I have the only kid in the world who doesn't.

 

Nope, not the only one. :laugh:

 

[Arcadia]

She doesn't like Alumcus much. I swear, I have the only kid in the world who doesn't.

Khan was a flop too. At least yours like Matheltics while mine ran away from that too.

[quark]

Have you taken a look at MEP's secondary materials?

 

DS used to use Manga High at one time when it was free. You can start an account with no money down but I don't know if it is still free now beyond that.

 

Brilliant.org might work too?

 

 

 

[lewelma]

DS found this with AoPS Calc this year.  He finished it and then looped back around with a much more applied/drill type text, Anton, and actually really loved it.  It was as if he needed the theory first, fully and completely, and then after 6 months to do the drill/applied work.  So he did calc 1 and 2 basically 2 times each.  Interesting actually. What it told me was that, yes the theory is hard and satisfying, but he only recognized the need for the drill when attacking a different textbook.  Then, he was like, Oh, wow, I should be able to do this by now and I can't.  Better get onto it asap.  Point being, have you tried a different text?  And used the persuasive argument that she should have some stuff automated so that she can focus on the higher level work?  DS is obviously older, but recognizes the need now. He has never done drill, EVER, until this year, and now is doing it because *he* knows he needs it. 

[lewelma]

Oh, I should also add, that ds said there was quite a large percentage of young kids in the AoPS classes that did each class twice. So kind of got ahead of themselves, doing PreCalc at 10 or something, and then started back again with Algebra 2 and worked their way through the intermediate series again.  These were pretty amazing kids from my son's point of view, and if he thinks they are amazing, I'm thinking they kind of must be. Point being that perhaps you let her fly for a few classes, and then shore up for a year or 2. You have time.

 

For good or for bad, I have let ds follow his passions in math.  I was never quite sure he was mastering the material, but he was motivated to keep moving forward. I kind of just stepped out of the way.  DS is now reviewing AoPS precalc in prep for his linear algebra class in July, and at first he was like I forgot it all, and after 4 days he said it was easy.  So he has moved fast, but gone back and shored up, over and over.  Seems to work.  Drill to learn has never been his thing.  Drill as review months or years later is only now starting to happen.  The whole process is actually quite fascinating, because it is not at all the 'mastery' approach or the spiral review approach. It is the passion approach.  Do what you love. The passion is the driving force, and when he sees the need for drill, he does it.  But only now at 15 and only for specific things.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by lewelma

[eternalsummer]

DD11 has the same problem (though obviously at a much lower level, hah).  She has begun to think she is bad at math because of it.  I asked her if she just doesn't know the arithmetic well enough - like, does she have to consciously think about what 8x4 or 5^3 is?  She says no, that is fine.  I asked her if she is unsure of the procedure sometimes, like what to substitute where or how to divide fractions or something?  She says no, that is fine.  She says she just writes down the wrong answer sometimes, or makes a simple processing error (3+4 = 9 or something similarly crazy) in the middle of a problem.  

 

She did Pre-A last year (4th) and is now doing 5th grade math at the Waldorf charter, so the actual concepts and practice are hugely easier.  She did most of these math processes the first time in 3rd grade, and with no problems or errors!

 

I have chalked it up to preteen hormones.  She has also recently started to space out - I can say, "DD, go get DS1 a drink of water," and she will say, "okay," and then wander off to her room and start reading a book.  When I call her back she says, oh yeah, I remember your asking that, I just forgot (in the last 30 seconds!).

 

So maybe it is some of that?

[AEC]

She doesn't like Alumcus much. I swear, I have the only kid in the world who doesn't.

 

mine, even the 'I love math' kid, don't either.

 

I think the issue is the pressure of 'if I get this wrong I'll have to answer 174 more correctly before it will give me a cookie (go blue/green)'.  That and her tendency to typo or misread the question actually being answered, etc.

[Arcadia]

I think the issue is the pressure of 'if I get this wrong I'll have to answer 174 more correctly before it will give me a cookie (go blue/green)'

That is the same issue with Khan Academy that annoys my DS10. My DS11 couldn't care less but just prefer paper and pencil to screen.

[deerforest]

This isn't deep learning, but our whole family loved the King of Math and King of Math 2 games, and we're all generally picky about math games for different reasons. 

 

http://oddrobo.com/apps

 

King of Math is an overview of most things through middle school math so probably not quite high enough, but might be fun overview, and King of Math 2 is mostly middle school level mathematical thinking. 

[JoJosMom]

She doesn't like Alumcus much. I swear, I have the only kid in the world who doesn't.

 

Bummer. 

 

I really don't have any other ideas.  I don't know what applications you're looking for, but I will say that the Foerster Algebra books have excellent, application-style word problems, if you want her to look at things from a different angle than the AoPS problems.

 

 

Edited to complete my post; I accidentally hit post.

Edited June 2, 2016 by JoJosMom

[gstharr]

The online pre-alg, alg programs that my son loves did not have enough problems for mastery.  So we did the classes with A-Plus Notes for Pre-Algebra & Algebra (by Rong Yang) for the '500" hundred problems--Actually, the book has something like 10,000 problems.  It is not a math textbook per se,  and it is not simply a problem workbook. Rather, it summarizes the solution, then follows with 50-100 problems. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

This is an interesting thread and I'll be following with interest.

Reading about your concerns and experiences is reassuring.

 

My daughter (10) loves powering ahead in maths and I go through regular phases of worrying that we're leaving gaps or not fully mastering material.

I worry that she'll hit a new topic that absolutely requires something not fully mastered and she'll suddenly be overwhelmed and doubt her abilities. Or worse, lose interest.

 

The thing is, though, when we're doing something new and shiny, that's when she sparkles. She literally does happy dances.

 

She was so sweet recently. She very tactfully and gently broached the subject that our revision work on Khan was boring and 'I want to be excited by maths again, Mum. Can we do something new?'

She was worried about hurting my feelings!

 

I thanked her for her honesty and filed away the mental note that passion and continued interest is ever so important.

 

 

[Arcadia]

 

My daughter (10) loves powering ahead in maths and I go through regular phases of worrying that we're leaving gaps or not fully mastering material.

I worry that she'll hit a new topic that absolutely requires something not fully mastered and she'll suddenly be overwhelmed and doubt her abilities. Or worse, lose interest.

 

My DS11 has just reviewed stuff as he needs to.  I just reviewed matrix multiplication with him this morning using pencil and paper because he forgot :)

Mine still sulks occasionally when stuck which seems age appropriate :lol:

[kiwik]

DD11 has the same problem (though obviously at a much lower level, hah).  She has begun to think she is bad at math because of it.  I asked her if she just doesn't know the arithmetic well enough - like, does she have to consciously think about what 8x4 or 5^3 is?  She says no, that is fine.  I asked her if she is unsure of the procedure sometimes, like what to substitute where or how to divide fractions or something?  She says no, that is fine.  She says she just writes down the wrong answer sometimes, or makes a simple processing error (3+4 = 9 or something similarly crazy) in the middle of a problem.  

 

She did Pre-A last year (4th) and is now doing 5th grade math at the Waldorf charter, so the actual concepts and practice are hugely easier.  She did most of these math processes the first time in 3rd grade, and with no problems or errors!

 

I have chalked it up to preteen hormones.  She has also recently started to space out - I can say, "DD, go get DS1 a drink of water," and she will say, "okay," and then wander off to her room and start reading a book.  When I call her back she says, oh yeah, I remember your asking that, I just forgot (in the last 30 seconds!).

 

So maybe it is some of that?

Mine does that and always has.  Honestly I think he only hears a few keywords and does what he imagines I said.