Beast Academy as read-aloud only?

[lilajoy]

I'm always on the lookout for math materials to energize my son (8 years old, finishing up 2nd grade). He dislikes math and generally avoids it, but he is also capable and can master concepts pretty well when he finally puts forth the effort. Since he attends public school during the day and has daily math homework, we don't have time for a full-scale math curriculum at home. Rather, we need a supplement (or a combo of supplements) that can help him review and retain his skills and, I hope, bring some joy into it for him. 

 

I do have Life of Fred (first 3 books), which he likes but hasn't really taken to, and now that he is heading into 3rd grade, I'm wondering about Beast Academy. Could it be done as a read-aloud only, or as a read-aloud with just minimal extra practice in the workbook? Or do you really have to go through the full sequence for it to make sense? My son loves comics and monsters, so it looks like a great fit, but we just wouldn't have time to do the worksheets except on weekends and over the summer. The reading we/he could do during the week, however.

 

I'm also considering CTC Math, which is expensive but looks pretty solid. And I have a whole host of workbooks at home that we already use as needed for extra practice, include Spectrum, Horizons, School Zone, Evan Moor (I got a little too catalog-happy!). So we don't need drill. We need something fun and engaging, and I would like something we could follow in sequence instead of just picking bits and pieces as we do now.

 

Long story short: would Beast Academy work as a read-aloud, with some workbook practice on weekends? How about CTC? Any programs or approaches you recommend? Thanks!

[azucena]

I don't know how you would read it aloud ... the graphics are an important part of the message.  It could be a fun supplement but only if your son wanted to read it himself.

[Sherry in OH]

Yes, of course the guidebooks can be read aloud. Cuddle up with your son and read to him.  Pause at the stop signs and either ask him to solve the problems or work through them together. 

 

If BA were your sole math program, just reading the guidebooks would not be enough, but as a supplement for a child who doesn't love math they are great.

[wendyroo]

I have read many Beast Academy books aloud, and my kids love them, but honestly they are not my favorite to read.  In general, I find graphic novels annoy to read aloud.

 

The Beast Academy guides, however, are fabulous books for kids to read to themselves even without the workbooks.  They are fun, they teach a ton of math, they emphasize problem solving, team work, good sportsmanship, perseverance, etc.  They guide books include many practice problems (which my kids always skip when they are reading to themselves  :glare: ) to check understanding and give kids a chance to try for themselves a strategy just taught.

 

If you won't have time for the workbooks, what you could do is use the Beast Academy placement tests instead.  There is placement test that roughly corresponds to each book (3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, etc.).  Each test is only a dozen or so questions - they aren't as fun and puzzle like as the workbooks, but they do cover the same techniques as the guide books.  You could just do whatever questions seem to match up at the end of each chapter...but remember that the concepts taught in 3A will show up on the pre-3B placement test and so on.

 

Wendy

[Farrar]

You can read graphic novels aloud. It's absolutely possible. I also find it annoying to do.

 

But could you use the guide (whether he reads it or you do it aloud) without the practice? Absolutely. Just be aware that the real meat of the program is in the practice books and really going through them. The guides are more of a hook that introduce ideas in a fun way.

 

Someone told me once that her ds was doing so well with Beast - he'd finished all of such and such and I was all impressed. Like, wow, he's youngish, that's great. Turned out he had only been reading and loving the guides. I wanted to roll my eyes. Just be sure you're not deluding yourself that he's "done" Beast Academy, you know? But can they be used as an interesting supplement like a living math book? Sure. Absolutely.

[OneStepAtATime]

I think everyone else has covered Beast pretty well and I agree.  Reread Farrar's post and let that trickle into your brain a bit.  :)

 

As for CTC, if your child likes computers then having CTC as a supplement might work well.  It is NOT anything at all like Beast, though.  This is not a program that incorporates a lot of "fun".  It does not have a ton of games.  It is primarily lessons with an audio/video/graphic component.  Beast will give your son ideas for ways to think of math that other programs won't.  But without using the practice books the concepts may not stick very well.  CTC won't address that issue.  Totally different program.  I really like both but for different reasons.  Since Beast has been covered pretty well, I will review CTC.

 

Things I like:

1.  You can print out the lessons for future review.  In fact, we do exactly that.  The kids have math notebooks and put the pages in there.  It has helped them both to have the video presentation but also have the printed page to review as needed.  

2. Once a lesson is over the student has the option to print out the results, not just what was right or wrong but WHY it was wrong.  Once they leave the page, only the score remains, though.  

3.  Student has access to all material from Kindergarten through Calculus so they can move as far forward or back as they need/want.  This has helped when the kids hit snags.  They can go back to earlier levels and move back through material targeted to that particular topic until they fill in whatever gaps had occurred.  Also, if they have an area of strength they can move forward in that area instead of having to wait.  DD, for instance, has a real strength in Geometry and moved rapidly through the early Geometry lessons.  She just kept hopping forward.  Then she realized she had hit an area in Geometry that she needed stronger skills in other math concepts to be able to master.  That inspired her to work harder in other areas so she could get through that next level of Geometry, which she enjoys.  Plus, having that access inspired the kids to try new things in higher levels which they found fun and interesting even if they weren't exactly ready to tackle all of that concept yet.

4.  Parent can log on and see what the student has completed, what their score is, and what they may have started but still need to finish, along with the time they logged on and how long they were on.

5.  If a student needs to leave during a lesson the progress is automatically saved as they log off and will start again where they left off when they log in again.

6.  Lessons can be repeated as many times as necessary to master a concept.  New problems are generated so it isn't a repeat of previous problems.

7.  Can be set up as a spiral or a mastery based approach or a hybrid of the two.

8.  Has very clear graphics.

9.  Lessons are not that long compared to some other computer programs.

10.  Presentation is clear and uncluttered.

11.  Is not strictly algorithmic.  It includes conceptual understanding (although nothing like Beast).

[Guest]

Not as read-alouds, but my son definitely loves to read them himself, to good effect. They are worth it to us for that purpose, iow. And, incidentally, hates the practice books

[fralala]

You can read graphic novels aloud. It's absolutely possible. I also find it annoying to do.

 

But could you use the guide (whether he reads it or you do it aloud) without the practice? Absolutely. Just be aware that the real meat of the program is in the practice books and really going through them. The guides are more of a hook that introduce ideas in a fun way.

 

Someone told me once that her ds was doing so well with Beast - he'd finished all of such and such and I was all impressed. Like, wow, he's youngish, that's great. Turned out he had only been reading and loving the guides. I wanted to roll my eyes. Just be sure you're not deluding yourself that he's "done" Beast Academy, you know? But can they be used as an interesting supplement like a living math book? Sure. Absolutely.

 

And just to add to this, that if you ARE just looking for another living math book, there are many other options if you're looking for good read-alouds.

[Miss Tick]

I say scrap everything else and just work through BA at whatever pace makes sense. He can read ahead, no problem. My dc go back and reread occasionally, that's good, too.

 

ETA you already have a lot if math choices, if you really just want a good, educational read-aloud, try SOTW. That us what it is made for, you don't have to do anything else and it will give him an arc through world history that he may not get any time during his school career (I didn't, anyway).

Edited May 5, 2017 by SusanC

[daijobu]

I enjoy reading the BA out loud.  Especially the pirate voice.  

 

But I do it at the table, with a pen and paper handy to jot down the exercises, we can work them alongside the characters.  

Edited May 5, 2017 by daijobu

[SoCal_Bear]

If you are looking for books about math. Julie has a bunch of readers listed on her website. 

 

http://www.livingmath.net/Readers/tabid/268/Default.aspx

 

[ikslo]

My son and I read it out loud all the time. He picks characters to voice each time, and I do the others. We ham it up and have fun. We look for the Easter eggs. We look up cultural stuff he doesn't get, like the California Raisins. So much fun!

 

But the meatiness is in the Practice books.

[sweetpea3829]

Everybody else has already covered your Beast question so I'll just throw this in the ring...

 

Prodigy Math sounds as if it would be exactly what you're looking for.  It reviews math concepts, while engaging the player in a fun game that they want to play (and play and play).  And it's free.  You can choose specific topics to review and assign, or you can let the game do it.  

 

 

[SoCal_Bear]

I got sucked into the Prodigy world by showing it to my son...and then I got another 3 dozen kids in my homeschool group sucked into loving math practice. The kids love it so much, I organized a group buy to access more pets and powerups!

[wendyroo]

:iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:

 

Totally agree - Prodigy is awesome!!  Both of my older kids will often choose to play Prodigy during their afternoon screen time.

 

I got both of them really, really discounted memberships through a Facebook group buy site.  There is absolutely no reason that you need to be a member, you still learn all the same math either way, but membership allows the kids a lot more "extras" (more/different outfits for their characters, more pets, etc).

 

Wendy

[sweetpea3829]

Does anybody know of any planned group buys?  Ours expires this month and my kids are asking, may pleading, for me to find another one.  

[wendyroo]

Does anybody know of any planned group buys?  Ours expires this month and my kids are asking, may pleading, for me to find another one.  

 

I've successfully done group buys through both of these Facebook groups in the last few months.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/256935961369124/?ref=group_browse_new

 

and

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/660058584165147/?ref=group_browse_new

 

It looks like the first one has a group buy open right now...but only for a few more days before she places the order.

 

Wendy