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What do I need for Singapore Math?


Tracy
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I have a mathy ds8 who just finished the Miquon series.  I think we are going to try Singapore.  But I am so confused about all the books that they have!  :confused1:

 

I am starting ds8 in 3A. He probably could do 3B, but he is easily intimidated and rather perfectionistic.  I think we'll go with the Standards Edition.  

 

  1. Can someone tell me what is the difference between the textbook and the workbook?  The samples look a lot alike.  
  2. From the description of Extra Practice, I am thinking we don't need that. What says the hive?
  3. What is the difference between Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems?  Should I considering getting one or both of these?  What level?

Thanks for all your help!

 

 

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I don't use standards, but we've done IP, CWP, etc. with my older. My younger one is transitioning out of Miquon to Singapore.

 

Intensive Practice is more like TB work but without instruction. At least with the US Edition, it's harder practice than the TB--it kind of extends the TB concepts by just working through harder practice. It has a lot of word problems as well, and a number of the word problems get as hard as the Challenging Word Problems book. Both of my kids like the IP books, but one needs them along with the basic instruction (it helps him generalize skills to new types of problems). The other doesn't need it as much as it's fun practice. I personally prefer the Process Skills in Problem Solving books over the CWP books. They teach you how to solve word problems. 

 

Extra Practice is probably overkill for a child who is mathy. It's just extra. It's not different than the built-in practice.

 

I would do the placement test if you have not already. 

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If you are not familiar with bar modeling technique for Singapore, you probably will want to do 3A. WB is just practice problems for TB. I do use the TB/WB and the IP & CWP. Others might find that it's overkill and just do the TB with IP...but it is what works for us. I use CWP a couple of topics behind where I am with the TB & WB which shows me whether or not the concept is solid and can be applied appropriately to a word problem. I use IP a semester behind on purpose since it increases in difficulty within each topic.

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I use the TB for teaching them the lesson, with the problems in the TB serving as our opportunity to practice together. Then I assign the WB for independent work.

 

I use IP to extend, challenge and review previous concepts. I use to assign more IP to DS9 for the purpose of spiral review, but then we discovered Prodigy and I use that primarily for spiral review.

 

IP has a mix of general problems, challenging problems, and word problems. CWP is primarily word problems. I use CWP to target and review word problem approaches he's learned from Process Skills in Problem Solving. I run these two books a half year to a year behind grade level, and I treat problem solving as a separate part of math instruction.

 

In other words, I specifically teach problem solving.

 

Then we add Beast Academy, lol! There's a lot of math going on here!

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Thanks for the responses so far!  So it sounds like I need the TB for working with him and the WB for independent practice. Then I think I can get IP and CWP with the expectation that he will not be immediately ready for them.  

 

I am definitely going to need to look into Beast Academy.  I looked at it when it first came out, but ds8 was not at that level yet.  

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I highly recommend the HIG unless you were taught or are very familiar with Asian style maths. The mental math exercises in the HIG alone are worth it.

Then you will need the TB, WB, CWP, EP or IP depending on how your child is doing with the program.

There are also some nice FAN books. But those are for enrichment. Nice but not an integral part of the program. SM is a great strong program but to get the best out of it one should be willing to do the whole program.

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I do not agree that you need to do the whole program.  

 

Middle son down there just finished his algebra 2 class with 95% at public school.  We were disappointed because he had a 97% in algebra 1.   ;)

 

So what do you recommend?

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We did SM through 5b, using standards through 3A, and then moving to the New Primary Maths edition from Singapore (by accident because I ordered a lot of books on EBay and didn't realize I was actually getting SINGAPORE Singapore math! DD liked it better, so I stuck with it and found ways to source the next 2 grade levels). I used the textbook, workbook (only for some topics, and the IP from the old US edition. I did get the HIG initially, but stopped after I realized I wasn't using it. Having said that, I had also taken two teacher training courses designed to teach how to teach Singapore math, (I have a license to keep active) so I found those redundant.

 

In 20/20 hindsight, I probably should have done Math Mammoth, simply because DD was going through at least 2 grade levels of SM/yr, and it gets expensive, but it worked for her and she really enjoyed it, while providing a good foundation for AOPS later on.

Edited by dmmetler
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We use the TB, WB, IP and CWP.  In our 6 years with Singapore, I've only used the HIG for about a 3-month stretch when we set all books aside and worked through activities listed in the HIG to get through a sticky concept.  I tend to have the HIG on hand in case we need it though.  We go through the TB lesson together, then they do the WB.  At the end of a unit in the WB, they do those topics in CWP and IP.  I prefer CWP if you only want one book that goes deeper into the concepts.  HTH!  

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I haven't tried all the options and I only afterschool, but DD is working on SM3A/B right now (depending on topic). For SM2 & 3 we largely just used the WB. I haven't pulled out the TB much at all, only when I thought she could benefit from a better visual representation, but I could honestly have done without it. SM is pretty sequential, so the topics usually build on each other. We often work through a page or so together then she takes off and does a few pages on her own. If your child works quickly I wouldn't overdo it on the # of books. I purchased a couple of HIG and almost never looked at them.

 

Beast Academy is for gifted 3rd grade, so I find it to be a bit ahead of SM3A, or maybe it's just a little advanced for my DD6's maturity level. She adores the books and pores over them but puzzling through some of the trickier questions can frustrate her. However, I love having it around to complement the SM in a different way. And the topics are very different!

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If you want to start each unit out with a hands on, discovery type activity, you need the Home Instructor's Guide. The HIG also lists the manipulatives that you will need for the lessons, has the mental math lessons and practice pages, and it has the answers for the Workbook and Teacher's Guide.

 

The textbook explains each problem with visual aids and it has cartoon kids thinking through the problems. The text also has practice problems to work through together and extra review practice.

 

After going through the lesson in the HIG and TB, my son does the WB independently, usually with no problems. If I just used the WB without the HIG and TB, it would just be a math workbook. You need all three to really implement the world-class Singapore math program.

 

I have never gotten the challenging word problem books, since they are supposed to be supplemental. I occasionally pull word problems and math puzzles from other sources, like MEP math, when I feel like stretching his mind.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm brand new to homeschooling, just finishing up Singapore 1A lesson 4 with DD7. So far we have used the HIG, TB, WB only. I found the WB way too light on practice and was already burning precious time trying to print more practice / worksheets, so found out about & ordered the IP. I don't use the CWP yet but may add it if we have time or feel it's essential.

I just re read the HIG intro and after doing my first 4 lessons re reading the "how to use this" section again really helped! If you find yourself floundering at it a bit unsure of how it should be clicking and order of steps and books to use etc, go back and re read, don't wonder if you won't be able to get it!

 

IMHO, HIG is awesome! All of my instruction time is drawn from the HIG games and ideas - always fresh and interesting things to try. at least with 1A thru lesson 4 the TB seems kind of redundant and unnecessary but I trust these ppl know what they are doing and won't skip it. It does show me she knows what she is supposed to know anyway. So far TB takes about 30 seconds for us though this is review for DD7. I'm getting whole days worth of instruction from the HIG alone. Stuff we would have totally missed. For example up to lesson 4 TB and WB are about counting and grouping and number bonds and we would have blown right through this and moved on but the HIG has us slowing down here until DD has memorized her bonds to 10. There is no way I would have known to do that with her using the TB and WB alone... it is making me feel more confident that I'm not missing out on important stuff / skills etc they will build on later.

 

"How to use" section: (and now it makes so much more sense after working with it a bit - I'm paraphrasing from memory)

HIG: lesson - Instruction is concrete (showing with manipulatives etc.)

TB: partly independent. visual concept of lesson.

WB: independent. abstract concept.

HIG again: do reinforcement activities after WB or next day to help it stick.

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We after-schooled level 2A and 2B for my mathy 1st grader last year.  For the first half of the year, we used the HIG, TB, and WB, and did every single activity and problem.  It was way to much repetition for her on concepts she was mastering quickly, and almost burned her out.  For the second half of the year, we did just the mental math from the HIG (which I agree is worth buying the HIG for), read the TB, and then did IP and CWP, with a little WB thrown in there every once in a while when introducing something for the very first time.  We skipped all the reviews except for the very last one, which we did before taking the end of level test (she got a 96%!)  She liked this much better and wants to do it this way again next year. 

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