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Best extra practice Algebra 1 for public school kid?


SKL
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I am trying to help my daughter with Algebra 1.  School is all online right now, and she really is not understanding the teaching method, so I would like to provide an alternative way to learn, and some more practice, without adding too much extra work.

Is there a workbook I could order that would help with this?

(My kid is 14, in 9th grade, and has always struggled with math concepts, but doesn't test badly enough for official help from the school.)

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All of the  math textbook publishers have these resources...you can order from their website or Amazon

 

Browse these resources from Glencoe:

Parent-Student-Study Guide Workbook this is probably what you want if you don't want a textbook 

Pre-req Skills Workbook

Skills Practice Workbook

Homework Practice Workbook

 

 

For students that find a graphical and/or symbolic explanation helpful:

Older Dolciani textbook

 

For Students that learn from video lessons:

Hippocampus.org 

and lastly

Quick reference guide for you

mathopolis.com  might be  a good place to do oral practice together

 

My advice, having been in this boat, is get the pacing guide from the teacher or math chair-person.  It will let you plan and see where your breathing room is, as well as decide how you want to proceed. Know that your student does not have to take any particular class from the school district - you may use another provider and transfer in the credit if you follow the procedures spelled out by the state and the district. There may also be a state test out option.  You could withdraw her from the course at semester, and talk them into granting a half credit if you find a better fit elsewhere. 

 After that, go thru the explanation choices with your child and get a good fit - my kid liked textbook over canned video, and we mixed Foerster and Dolciani depending on the topic. Both of these texts break down the lessons into small bits that progress and have plenty of practice.  The main difficulties we had were that the teacher was skipping important chunks and was not presenting any graphical or symbolic explanations (and my lad needed them at this age).  So in the dc's math study time, for Alg 1,  I would look at math notes and homework assignment and hear child's question, then pick the relevant lesson pages for child to read and do exercises/problems sets so that he could progress to the assigned homework.  Our district does not provide math textbooks at all.  

Its also helpful to have a whiteboard and a ruler to quickly try out thoughts.  

 

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On 11/22/2020 at 4:24 AM, SKL said:

School is all online right now, and she really is not understanding the teaching method, so I would like to provide an alternative way to learn, and some more practice, without adding too much extra work.

Could you tell me what she's confused about? I don't have a resource in mind, but I might have suggestions. 

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The Algebra Survival Guide is a good one if you need instruction for specific things, but have good resources for practice. It seems to hit the mark where kids are willing to take guidance from it. Also, the "Dummies" books have been useful at times for BK-they're written for adults to use in relearning something that they knew or maybe didn't quite get in school in the past, and as a result, they talked to her at a level that was age appropriate while still being conceptually what she needed. They also tend to have a lot of cartoons and to try to bring in humor, which was helpful. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

For my 14yo 9th grader who is struggling.....we have found that a lot of the topics he is struggling with aren’t in Math U See or Chalkdust Algebra 1 or other traditional homeschool materials to the depth that the online class (FLVS) is asking him to go. I have had to dig into Algebra 2 books and pull together lectures from YouTube.(This has actually been a bit bewildering to me as my oldest placed into Calc 2 for his college placement exam and did well on the ACT but did not do this material for algebra 1.)

Ultimately, what my particular child In algebra 1 now has needed is a lot of practice, with someone who can help guide. Straight up tutoring. My best advice is to put yourself through Khan Academy or to know the material well enough yourself to help her or to hire a tutor.  Then, help her develop a math reference notebook. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 12/10/2020 at 8:16 AM, Lecka said:

That is a good point -- because of Common Core -- they have switched around content.  

A lot of content that used to be Algebra I is now part of regular 8th grade math.  

 On that note though, in recent years, prior to Common Core, what was algebra 1 years ago started to be spread out over algebra 1 and algebra 2. Now, with Common Core, a lot of the algebra 1 content has been pushed back in to algebra 1. 

 

I have always loved Keys to Algebra for an easy but thorough review to hit the main points. The first few books are things they should have mastered before going on to Algebra 1, but, if the student is struggling with Algebra 1, they might need reviewing those also.

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What about Lial's Introductory Algebra and Student Solutions Manual? This has very good explanations with step by step examples. They even use colors to show different steps. You could just work through the examples and sample problems in the margins. Those answers are in the book, but if you want detailed solutions, the solutions manual would have them. 

Textbook:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0321279212/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Solutions:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0321285808/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Edited by mom31257
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23 hours ago, Janeway said:

On that note though, in recent years, prior to Common Core, what was algebra 1 years ago started to be spread out over algebra 1 and algebra 2. Now, with Common Core, a lot of the algebra 1 content has been pushed back in to algebra 1. 

 

What does this even mean? 

A lot of Algebra 1 content has been pushed back into regular 8th grade math.  It's a fact.  Sorry if you don't like it.  

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On 1/12/2021 at 4:55 PM, Janeway said:

What the heck? Why are you angry? What are you even talking about?

Then don't choose to quote me and then contradict my post.  I think it's rude.  

Edit:  Specifically the way you did it -- just a quote box and then saying an opposite thing with no "oh hey I have a different opinion" kind of thing.  

Edited by Lecka
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On 1/12/2021 at 12:14 PM, Lecka said:

Just look at “scope and sequence” or chapter headings etc for Engage NY or Khan Academy, and compare them to other programs that are not Common Core.  It’s right there.  

DD did a traditional PreAlgebra with Derek Owens and it was a breeze compared to the 7th grade math with EngageNY that DoDEA schools were using. Granted, DoDEA didn’t teach it very effectively (their first year with the program) but the content was much higher level with a lot more application problems. If a student is using common core aligned materials, even if it’s not a common core state, going more in-depth is necessary. My DS is doing Derek Owens Algebra 1 this year in preparation for going back to PS Algebra next fall.  There won’t actually be a ton of overlap.

Edited by Sneezyone
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We moved over the summer, but I had kids in 3rd grade through 9th grade math doing Engage NY because we lived in Upstate NY for 3 years (outside a certain Army base ahem).  It is a whole other ball of wax! 

Edit:  but my understanding is definitely that this is what it means to be doing Common Core math.  I am out of the loop for our new location.  My husband has retired, btw 🙂 Exciting 🙂 

Edited by Lecka
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On 1/15/2021 at 10:01 AM, Lecka said:

Then don't choose to quote me and then contradict my post.  I think it's rude.  

Edit:  Specifically the way you did it -- just a quote box and then saying an opposite thing with no "oh hey I have a different opinion" kind of thing.  

I was just adding to what you said. I never attacked you. You are only attacking me because you know my political opinions so you were looking for any chance you could to attack. Sorry you are so judgemental and closed minded that you feel the need to take your anger to other boards and attack people. 

Edited by Janeway
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