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After Singapore 5B, we did 6A & B. That was mainly because I hadn't figured out that it is largely review and a lot of people skip it. I am glad we didn't, though. In the end, I think the extra practice was good for ds and there are a few new topics there too. Sometimes I think we can make the mistake of trying to advance our kids through the levels too quickly and then end up hitting a wall because they aren't ready. We did accelerate through 6A and 6B in about a semester and then we did DM 7A in the second half of 6th grade. This also worked out well because it is a huge step up in challenge level - another reason I'm glad we didn't rush into it and skip level 6. We slowed down so ds wouldn't get too overwhelmed and it took him until close to the end of 7th grade to finish up 7B. He started right in on 8A but got hung up on the first chapter. I had him go back and redo it and he was still stuck. I had him do the corresponding lessons in Khan Academy, which he understood just fine, but then when he went back to Singapore he still didn't know how to solve the problems. So I've decided not to finish the sequence to 8B after all. It might have worked out if I had the time to sit with him and go through the lessons alongside him, but I don't. He's self-teaching. So next year we're doing Foerster's Algebra I with Math Without Borders video. 

 

So I guess I'd recommend 7A & B for pre-algebra, for the reasons that I chose it in the first place: we were doing well with Singapore and I wanted to stick with it for as long as possible. It had instructions written out for the student so that it would be possible to self-teach, and the target audience appeared to be younger students. Most algebra textbooks are written to a high school audience. I've never used AoPS so I couldn't tell you whether it's better to use their pre-algebra program. I do highly recommend doing SM 6A & 6B first either way.

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There are a few threads on Dimensions Math, and there is a new set for 6th grade in that series.

 

We are using DM 7A and B, and we plan to continue on through. It is a big step up in challenge, but we really like it. It's a good fit. If you do it, you really want to get the workbook.

 

My son has also gotten a little bogged down, but now that I have a feel for the books, we're making up time a bit. 

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After Singapore 5B, we did 6A & B. That was mainly because I hadn't figured out that it is largely review and a lot of people skip it. I am glad we didn't, though. In the end, I think the extra practice was good for ds and there are a few new topics there too. Sometimes I think we can make the mistake of trying to advance our kids through the levels too quickly and then end up hitting a wall because they aren't ready. We did accelerate through 6A and 6B in about a semester and then we did DM 7A in the second half of 6th grade. This also worked out well because it is a huge step up in challenge level - another reason I'm glad we didn't rush into it and skip level 6. We slowed down so ds wouldn't get too overwhelmed and it took him until close to the end of 7th grade to finish up 7B. He started right in on 8A but got hung up on the first chapter. I had him go back and redo it and he was still stuck. I had him do the corresponding lessons in Khan Academy, which he understood just fine, but then when he went back to Singapore he still didn't know how to solve the problems. So I've decided not to finish the sequence to 8B after all. It might have worked out if I had the time to sit with him and go through the lessons alongside him, but I don't. He's self-teaching. So next year we're doing Foerster's Algebra I with Math Without Borders video. 

 

So I guess I'd recommend 7A & B for pre-algebra, for the reasons that I chose it in the first place: we were doing well with Singapore and I wanted to stick with it for as long as possible. It had instructions written out for the student so that it would be possible to self-teach, and the target audience appeared to be younger students. Most algebra textbooks are written to a high school audience. I've never used AoPS so I couldn't tell you whether it's better to use their pre-algebra program. I do highly recommend doing SM 6A & 6B first either way.

 

I am thinking of doing Primary 6A and 6B with at least one of my kiddos...but we may switch right over to DM 6A and 6B. 

 

So do you feel DM 7A and 7B were roughly equivalent to pre-algebra? 

 

 

 

There are a few threads on Dimensions Math, and there is a new set for 6th grade in that series.

 

We are using DM 7A and B, and we plan to continue on through. It is a big step up in challenge, but we really like it. It's a good fit. If you do it, you really want to get the workbook.

 

My son has also gotten a little bogged down, but now that I have a feel for the books, we're making up time a bit. 

 

Thanks! If we use it, I am definitely getting the workbooks...

I've looked at a few threads, and some of them led me to this question. Since DM is integrated, it seems like it's not an even pre-algebra, algebra, geometry.

 

It includes some geometry...but would we take a whole course? Algrbra II? Would we jump into Trig? 

 

I feel comfortable with the teaching, explaining (I'm a former math teacher), but what course will you do after DM 8B?

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So do you feel DM 7A and 7B were roughly equivalent to pre-algebra? 

 

Yes I think so, although I'm no expert on what topics are considered specifically "pre-algebra". I just know that when we were watching some of the sample Math Without Borders videos to see if it was a good fit, I thought more of the Algebra I material would be review but we had to go back to close to the beginning to find one that covered familiar material. Certainly ds is prepared for it, though. 

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