After Algebra 1

[Ausmumof3]

We finished Algebra 1 via Saxon math last year and we’re currently using Aops Counting and probability with the plan to do the other two interim books - geometry and number theory.  
 

I’m worried that there’s not enough use or review of algebra 1 skills.  Ds finished algebra 1 but some areas were only just introduced and I think he hasn’t had enough review to hold onto it for a full year.  Is this a valid concern or is there going to be enough algebra woven in to help him keep that stuff fresh?  He does tend to be a kid that needs more review which is why Saxon worked well for him (there were other things I disliked which is why I’m trying to get away from it).  

I’m thinking of a couple of work arounds.  One could be to run through a separate algebra 1 text and just do a handful of problems for review each week.  Another is to start algebra 2 and kind of alternate going through that and the other books.  Another is to just keep using alcumus algebra problems to review some concepts.  
 

I feel a bit lost because Australian high school math (which is over 20 years ago now for me) is much more integrated with gradual progression in all the subjects through all the high school years.  I wouldn’t mind using that but I don’t think there’s enough hand holding built into the high school math texts for me at this point.  

[BusyMom5]

If Saxon was working, I'd go back to that with Saxon Algebra 2.  I'm on my second kid with Saxon.  It isn't perfect,  but the spiral review means my kids have mastered everything by the end of the year.  My kids just do 20 problems per set, and still manage As and Bs on the tests.  

[Arcadia]

8 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I feel a bit lost because Australian high school math (which is over 20 years ago now for me) is much more integrated with gradual progression in all the subjects through all the high school years. 

My 7-12th grade math is similar to MEP maths. One kid did intermediate algebra with introduction to geometry. The other did introduction to algebra with introduction to geometry. The applied maths in high school Physics reinforced the skills.

[stripe]

Maybe split your time between Alg 2 and the other classes, over, say, two years?

[kristin0713]

I haven't taken a kid all the way through high school yet, but I can tell you my plan.  DD is doing Algebra 1 this year with Christian Light and she is doing great.  However, she definitely needs consistent review in order to do great.  So my plan is to have her review Algebra 1 next year while she is taking Geometry.  I really think she will need a "break" before getting to Algebra 2 but I do have concerns like you in going a whole year between 1 and 2. I will probably just use the same text that we used this year and have her do a few problems a week. 

[Not_a_Number]

So, I'm curious -- does the geometry you guys do not review algebra? I feel like geometry is very good algebra review, except for the graphing parts of algebra. 

[Ausmumof3]

36 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

So, I'm curious -- does the geometry you guys do not review algebra? I feel like geometry is very good algebra review, except for the graphing parts of algebra. 

Well I’m not there yet because we’re working Brough c&p.  That’s partly what I was wondering - are the books going to review algebra 1 in some way at some point.

[Ausmumof3]

5 hours ago, BusyMom5 said:

If Saxon was working, I'd go back to that with Saxon Algebra 2.  I'm on my second kid with Saxon.  It isn't perfect,  but the spiral review means my kids have mastered everything by the end of the year.  My kids just do 20 problems per set, and still manage As and Bs on the tests.  

It was “kind of working”.  Things were definitely sticking but I was having to work hard to make sure there was conceptual not just procedural understanding.  And we do progressive achievement test each year and his scores definitely dropped after moving from Singapore to Saxon.  That in itself is not the end of the world but it did reflect what I already knew.  I’m ok with using Saxon if we have to to make it through high school math but it’s not the preference.

[Not_a_Number]

21 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Well I’m not there yet because we’re working Brough c&p.  That’s partly what I was wondering - are the books going to review algebra 1 in some way at some point.

Well, I guess I’d like to know what you’d want reviewed, then I’ll tell you 🙂

[Ausmumof3]

6 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Well, I guess I’d like to know what you’d want reviewed, then I’ll tell you 🙂

Fair enough... 

toward the end of Saxon we did speed distance equations which really didn’t sink in (partly because I really didn’t like the way it was taught but couldn’t figure out a better one) quadratic equations and the quadratic formula with nowhere near enough practice/proof, division of algebraic expressions which he was pretty solid on but may have been forgotten.

[Not_a_Number]

3 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Fair enough... 

toward the end of Saxon we did speed distance equations which really didn’t sink in (partly because I really didn’t like the way it was taught but couldn’t figure out a better one) quadratic equations and the quadratic formula with nowhere near enough practice/proof, division of algebraic expressions which he was pretty solid on but may have been forgotten.

I expect you’ll have to teach those again. But they are not super difficult concepts, so I don’t think they’d be too hard.

You can definitely build quadratics into geometry if you want, though.

[Ausmumof3]

1 minute ago, Not_a_Number said:

I expect you’ll have to teach those again. But they are not super difficult concepts, so I don’t think they’d be too hard.

You can definitely build quadratics into geometry if you want, though.

Hmm... I think what I need to do is order the geometry and algebra 2 texts so I have a better view forward of where we’re headed before we get there.  At the moment I’m feeling a bit blind!  It’s been 20 years since high school math and the Australian sequence is so different anyway. Then I might will be back with more questions no doubt.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, Ausmumof3 said:

Hmm... I think what I need to do is order the geometry and algebra 2 texts so I have a better view forward of where we’re headed before we get there.  At the moment I’m feeling a bit blind!  It’s been 20 years since high school math and the Australian sequence is so different anyway. Then I might will be back with more questions no doubt.

I have the geometry text accessible. Want me to check how much algebra it does?

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Not_a_Number said:

I have the geometry text accessible. Want me to check how much algebra it does?

Argh. No, I don’t, it expired. I could ask, though.

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Argh. No, I don’t, it expired. I could ask, though.

No worries, thanks for the offer.  
 

lol... now I’m looking at the books we used for high school and thinking maybe we should have just used them 😂... ugh I am not good with decisions.

[kristin0713]

1 hour ago, Not_a_Number said:

So, I'm curious -- does the geometry you guys do not review algebra? I feel like geometry is very good algebra review, except for the graphing parts of algebra. 

I'm assuming it does not. I'm planning to use MUS Geometry--this is for my non-STEM kid. I haven't looked, but I doubt it will review factoring polynomials, quadratic equations, etc. For THIS kid, I know she will do better starting off Algebra 2 having reviewed Algebra 1 the year prior.  For my STEM kid, he will be doing something rigorous and I have no concerns about his conceptual understanding, so I doubt he would need a review. 

[lewelma]

3 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

So, I'm curious -- does the geometry you guys do not review algebra? I feel like geometry is very good algebra review, except for the graphing parts of algebra. 

If it is anything like NZ, geometry is pretty light. There are some algebraic geometry problems but only at the highest level so most kids don't get to that.

The problem with integrate math is that you spend a lot of time reviewing each year, so you don't get as far as in the American system. The positive side is that there is 1) a lot of review which is good for many kids, and 2) the opportunity for kids to be late bloomers and not really get algebra until age 15.

[Ausmumof3]

@Not_a_Number

well this is what we used.  It’s a lot of years ago.  It feels like US math goes further faster but probably a bit less broad.  We did algebra with geometry it was kind of rolled in together.  I only started with these books in year 10 so I’m not totally sure what the grade 9 year looked like.  I homeschooled grade 9 and when I went back in year 10 I basically learned nothing for the first gear because we’d done it all already.

https://www.haesemathematics.com/australian-curriculum

[The Governess]

I found a site called Delta Math recently that I really like for review. I believe the basic site is still free. You choose which topics you’d like to assign and how many problems to complete for each topic. If a problem is missed the the full solution is shown. With the paid version there are videos that go along with the lessons. 

[stripe]

MEP years 8 and 9 combine algebra and geometry. They do seem light in a way because there is zero proof, and perhaps fewer topics, but I do think the content is a good starting point. It’s very practical — what you are taught is the stuff you need to know. Whenever I underestimate MEP, I tend to backtrack later. Also, anyone who used their material for lower grades would have a good starting point. There is a bit more in the GCSE years. I used various materials for Alg 2, but primarily the GCSE from MEP distilled into one year; this was more than adequate preparation for an Honors PreCalc outsourced class.

[Not_a_Number]

11 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

@Not_a_Number

well this is what we used.  It’s a lot of years ago.  It feels like US math goes further faster but probably a bit less broad.  We did algebra with geometry it was kind of rolled in together.  I only started with these books in year 10 so I’m not totally sure what the grade 9 year looked like.  I homeschooled grade 9 and when I went back in year 10 I basically learned nothing for the first gear because we’d done it all already.

https://www.haesemathematics.com/australian-curriculum

It looks fine, I guess? Honestly, no textbooks look good to me nowadays. But it’s cute and colorful and it explains things as well as textbooks mostly seem to.

What appeals to you about the AoPS route?