Geometry with clear explanations for concrete learners

[siloam]

What we are using isn't work, because it is too abstract. 

 

Also I haven't done Geometry in 25 years, so I need precise answers and what we are using now, I feel, leaves the questions opened ended enough that the answer might be physical angle A = Angle B or that they are supplementary or perpendicular, but the answer key only has one right answer, which is fine when I understand enough to jump the gap but when I don't I have to force my daughter to guess around to find the right answer.  Not to mention the times the answer key just gives an answer and doesn't explain why at all, so both my daughter and I have to skip it because neither of us (both being concrete) get it.

 

Help!

 

Heather

[OneStepAtATime]

Maybe Math U See Geometry?

 

Here is the Cathy Duffy review...

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/grades-k-6/math-u-see

[almondbutterandjelly]

We use Mathusee Geometry, but I supplement with this stuff from Lakeshore Learning:

Build and Learn Geometric Shapes Kit

Giant Magnetic Geometry Shapes

Geoboard

Angles Hands On Measurement Center

Build and Learn Area and Perimeter Kit

Geometric Foam Shapes

Tangrams

Build and Learn Volume Kit

 

From Amazon:

Learning Resources Wood Geometric Shapes

Helix 6 inch 360 Degree Folding Protractor

 

And yes, it cost a fortune.  Totally worth it.

 

[Zoo Keeper]

I like Holt Geometry--the 1992 version is quite inexpensive on the used market--here's Jann in TX's thoughts on that edition of Holt. She uses the newer Holt in her online classes.   Honestly, I find the newer version of Holt to be too frenetic in its layout.  The older Holt has a much cleaner layout that I (and my kids) find easier to process.  Of course, YMMV.

 

Jurgensen is also very highly recommended...but it is a challenging text... you can see samples on openlibrary.org

 

I would NOT recommend Jacob's Geo in your situation.  Excellent text; I love it.  It was like death for one of mine.  He does not like to discover anything about his math.  Just tell him what to do and let's get on with it, already. :001_rolleyes:

Edited October 30, 2017 by Zoo Keeper

[Momto6inIN]

We use Video Text and I really like it for it's clear step by step explanations of concepts. Just don't believe the website claim that it covers trig too ... they've been saying that for years and it hasn't happened yet. It takes a little longer than a year but it's a solid, proof heavy course.

 

Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk

[OnMyOwn]

I used Math U See for my concrete learner. Yes, it's light, but it covered everything he needed to do well on the ACT and in precalculus. You don't need any of the blocks or other manipulatives that MUS sells in order to do the geometry level.

[Lori D.]

Usually Geometry clicks for concrete learners because it is a visible, tangible subject (unlike abstract intangible Algebra 1 & 2). So if your student struggled with Algebra, there's a very good chance the student will do well with Geometry.

 

The only part of Geometry that might not click as quickly or easily for a concrete learner are the proofs, which are very sequential and incremental in process, and require logical building up of the theorem from parts-to-whole. Concrete learners are often "big picture" whole-to-parts thinkers and often are "random" rather than "sequential" brain processors (i.e., the order of the parts does not matter for processing).

 

MUS Geometry is extremely light on proofs, and more focused on the very concrete topics of angles and lines, circumference and volume, etc. If you just need a "get 'er done" Geometry that doesn't take much time, MUS can be the way to go.

 

DS#2 used MUSHe is a visual-spatial learner, very whole-to-parts, concrete, random thinker/processor and he did extremely well with MUS (knocked it out in less than 1 semester), and did not need any additional hands-on supplements. We did supplement/beef up the proof aspect of MUS by using parts of Jacobs Geometry, 2nd edition. 

 

BEST of luck finding what is the best fit for DS. Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited October 28, 2017 by Lori D.

[siloam]

I like Holt Geometry--the 1992 version is quite inexpensive on the used market--here's Jann in TX's thoughts on that edition of Holt. She uses the newer Holt in her online classes.   Honestly, I find the newer version of Holt to be too frenetic in it's layout.  The older  Holt has a much cleaner layout that I (and my kids) find easier to process.  Of course, YMMV.

 

Jurgensen is also very highly recommended...but it is a challenging text... you can see samples on openlibrary.org

 

I would NOT recommend Jacob's Geo in your situation.   Excellent text; I love it.  It was like death for one of mine.  He does not like to discover anything about his math.  Just tell him what to do and let's get on with it, already. :001_rolleyes:

 

Jacob's is what we have been using.  We can make it work if I have to...but she has gone from math being her favorite topic to one of the least favorite.  The Spanish and Chinese proofs where she had to figure out what was being said was almost driving her to tears.  I felt so bad because she would be so close and yet not get it.  (The Chinese has a x type shape and the proof is supposed to be that the lines intersect at the middle, and the end of the proof is that the angles are equal, her answers were about how the angles were supplementary, bisecting, and such, where were all true but not what the proof said.) 

 

I'll check out Holt, as that describes my daughter to a T.  She tired Miquon math and hated the discovery part as well.

 

Heather

 

[siloam]

Maybe Math U See Geometry?

 

Here is the Cathy Duffy review...

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/grades-k-6/math-u-see

 

I will keep Math U See in mind.   Watching videos isn't generally not our best learning method...kinda...lol.   To explain:  I was watching a video on youtube about  a knitting stitch and kept getting board watching the knitting between row transitions, so I would skip ahead, then have to go back because I missed something.  I probably wasted more time with my back and forth than if I had just watched it in the first place, and I know this, but I still did it anyway.

 

Thus my fear is that my daughter will zone out when she can see where it is going, then not be paying attention and miss something important.

 

Heather

 

[HollyDay]

The only geometry that really worked for oldest dd was BJU Geometry.  It was not, IMHO, the easiest to teach, BUT, geometry is NOT my strong suit.  Youngest loved Teaching Textbooks.  You might also look at Key To Geometry and Geometry for the Clueless for supplements.  Oldest referred to Clueless quite a bit.  I have a friend who also uses Life of Fred Geometry as a supplement. 

[Pistachio mom]

I taught BJ Geometry last year. The teacher book has every line of every equation for the answer key, as do the test answer keys. This is a huge help to me. Geometry went very well for my daughter. Proofs are not her thing, but the good explanations in the book helped us through one day at a time. It is a challenging course. When my middle girl gets into Geometry, if I can afford it, I will buy online access for the BJ teacher.

 

Though the book is very well written, I had to teach and re-learn things myself that seemed so foreign to me. The online access usually goes on sale for $99 every December or January. I have to re-buy our Alg 2 access pretty soon. For me, having the online teacher explain and simplify has been invaluable. Buying online access twice (once in Dec for the following school year, and once the next year for access for 2nd semester) is still cheaper than buying it once when it is not on sale. This is the cheapest way to get access. If a student is able to start a course in January, your access would go for 12 months, so you could finish the course; we are just not on that kind of a schedule.

[MamaSprout]

Jacob's is what we have been using.  We can make it work if I have to...but she has gone from math being her favorite topic to one of the least favorite.  The Spanish and Chinese proofs where she had to figure out what was being said was almost driving her to tears.  I felt so bad because she would be so close and yet not get it.  (The Chinese has a x type shape and the proof is supposed to be that the lines intersect at the middle, and the end of the proof is that the angles are equal, her answers were about how the angles were supplementary, bisecting, and such, where were all true but not what the proof said.) 

 

I'll check out Holt, as that describes my daughter to a T.  She tired Miquon math and hated the discovery part as well.

 

Heather

 

 

We switched from Jacobs to Holt 2007, for pretty much the same reason, and it is working much better for us. We started at the beginning doing the chapter reviews (we had finished Chapter 6 in Jacobs). We've found a few things (paragraph and flow chart proofs) dd hadn't seen before, but she's come up to speed pretty quickly. She doesn't use the videos right now.