Jacobs math

[lulalu]

I am planning out our 6th-8th grade math sequence. I am looking at Jacobs math. I think it looks like a good fit for DS. 

Who has used Mathematics a Human Endeavor? Does it take a whole year? Should we do this as our pre-algebra course? Followed by Elementary Algebra? 

DS likes math and is a little above average. I wouldn't say he is gifted or highly advanced when it comes to math, he is a language guy. He has a great foundation and a good understanding of math. I don't want to rush him through higher math just to get it done. So I am thinking we will do Algebra in 8th grade. But so far I only have two Jacobs books that I am looking at. So what do I need for 6th before starting A Human Endeavor? 

[EKS]

3 minutes ago, lulalu said:

Who has used Mathematics a Human Endeavor? Does it take a whole year? Should we do this as our pre-algebra course? Followed by Elementary Algebra? 

MHE is not really part of the sequence.  The target audience is college students who have disconnected from their math education and need a math course to graduate.  That's not to say that it isn't good, because it is, it's just difficult to place.  It isn't prealgebra, so if your son needs that, you might want to run MHE alongside that.

FWIW, there's nothing wrong with starting algebra early.  We spread Jacobs Algebra over two years when my son was in 5th and 6th grade.  He then did quite a bit of MHE after that while I was mucking about trying to find a geometry program that worked for us.  By that point, MHE was pretty easy for him, and he was able to do it without any direction from me.

Both of my kids did algebra early, which gave them time later on when they needed to spend more time on some aspect of high school math.  I think that having this as an option is far better than treading water before algebra.  

[Farrar]

We used MHE and I agree it's not part of the standard sequence at all. We used it alongside algebra and geometry at points, mostly as enrichment. My kids were not math gifted. I adore MHE and I think it was totally worth our time. But also, I'm glad we didn't try to devote a whole year to it by itself or anything.

[lulalu]

19 hours ago, EKS said:

MHE is not really part of the sequence.  The target audience is college students who have disconnected from their math education and need a math course to graduate.  That's not to say that it isn't good, because it is, it's just difficult to place.  It isn't prealgebra, so if your son needs that, you might want to run MHE alongside that.

FWIW, there's nothing wrong with starting algebra early.  We spread Jacobs Algebra over two years when my son was in 5th and 6th grade.  He then did quite a bit of MHE after that while I was mucking about trying to find a geometry program that worked for us.  By that point, MHE was pretty easy for him, and he was able to do it without any direction from me.

Both of my kids did algebra early, which gave them time later on when they needed to spend more time on some aspect of high school math.  I think that having this as an option is far better than treading water before algebra.  

Did you move on to geometry in 8th then? 

I'm not opposed to doing algebra earlier, I just don't want to rush through higher level math. But it would give us room to do a statistics class which I would like to do too at some point. 

[EKS]

1 hour ago, lulalu said:

Did you move on to geometry in 8th then? 

We started geometry for real midway through seventh grade.

[SoCal_Bear]

We used it for about 4 months or so to delay starting AOPS algebra. I don't regret it as we spent time exploring interesting topics in math that aren't covered in the normal scope and sequence. He went through AOPS pre-algebra a lot faster than I had expected. At this point, he will be doing AOPS pre-calc this fall.

[Christine K]

We used it for math enrichment one summer. I don't remember how much (if any) algebra it used, but we used it after algebra. As I recall, it was mostly number theory, statistics, and geometry topics not covered (or glossed over) in the usual scope and sequence.

[Meriwether]

Dd12 is doing it as part of her math for this year. She is using a lot of resources that I am loosely calling Prealgebra. Jacobs Algebra is my favorite math book ever, so I am not surprised I like MHE. I don't know if we will do the whole book or not. Possibly we will finish it in the fall next year and wait until she is 13 to start Algebra. 13. That is taking me aback. She just turned 12, and there is a big difference in my mind from 11 to almost 13. lol The boys started Algebra at 12 with Jacobs and then did a second year with Foerster's. I like that arrangement, but I am not in a hurry to start her on upper level math.

[SoCal_Bear]

@Meriwether You could also consider Patty Paper Geometry by Serra. That's very enjoyble as well. I'm teaching to 8 kids. It's really more like facilitating. If it was one on one, it probably would be teaching, but it is very much discovery/inquiry oriented. I pretty much worked through 1 investigation per session. There are 14 investigations. I bought it on Rainbow.

https://www.michaelserra.net/weblog/patty-paper-geometry-1.html

[Meriwether]

That resource is on our list to consider for this year, but I wasn't sure we would have time. She is almost done with HOE and the Key to Fractions, Decimals, and Percents books. Right now we are doing MHE 3 times per week and the other things 2 days per week. It is nice to know you can work through an investigation in one day. That would definitely be doable this spring.

[SoCal_Bear]

It takes about 1 1/2 hours for me...since I have the students ranging from 6th to 10th grade working in pairs. They are not always as efficient so I think you can definitely do it. That being said I do assign all the exercises for them to work on for each investigation to do in between our class meetings. My son says it doesn't take him more than an hour. He is an efficient worker though.

[Janeway]

I spread Jacob's algebra over two years also, but add in along side Keys to, and now MEP. 

[lulalu]

3 hours ago, Janeway said:

I spread Jacob's algebra over two years also, but add in along side Keys to, and now MEP. 

Do you use all of the Keys to or just the ones for algebra? 

We used and loved Miquon and I have seen that many people like Keys to after Miquon. So I have looked into Keys, but haven't bought it just yet. 

[silver]

My child that did Jacob's algebra took her time going through and it wound up being a little over one year. She finished midway through 7th and started on Jacob's geometry. She used Dolciani for pre-algebra. I didn't love it, though, and will probably look for something else for PreA for my youngest.