What to do in the spring after TT Algebra 1

[mims]

What to do in the spring after TT Algebra 1

My daughter will finish Teaching Textbook Algebra 1 in mid February. We started it last January and took most of the summer off. She did a little review in the fall but did do fairly well with the gap in the middle. She is doing high B's or low A's. Good but not incredible. This is her 8th grade year. We plan to continue with TT Algebra 2 but I waver between starting in February and know we will have at least some of a gap in the summer (we work at summer camps and plan vacations then) or perhaps I should supplement through spring with something else. I've looked at some Algebra story problem books or the Key to Algebra series. If we do the Key to Algebra series I don't see a big areas yet that she has a problem with so does anyone have a recomendation of which of those to use?

 

so I'm open to opinions:

-Start Algebra 2 in February

-Supplement with a story problem book or other supplement (any suggestions?)

-Supplement with Key To (which ones?)

 

Thanks!

[Stacy in NJ]

How about LoF Algebra or MUS Algebra to finish out the year. You could probably work through either one fairly quickly. You'd be ready for either Geometry or Algebra II (TT) in the fall. I would finish out the year calling it Algebra I, but use some enrichment.

[mamaof2andtwins]

We have used ALEKS in the middle.

 

Jennie

[mims]

Thanks! I had thought of LoF or ALEKS. If I supplement I want the program that will solidify the most but not really drag out. I will look at them again and ponder.

[nancy in nj]

A bit of a different perspective here. I would seriously consider forging on in February with TT Alg. 2. There's a lot of repeat of the TT Alg I material in the TT Alg. 2 program. The first new material in not introduced until Lesson 45 on the Quadratic Formula, and I believe there is more review in lessons beyond 45 but not entire chapters. At one point I had gone through a side-by-side comparison to come up with a detailed list of the lessons we could skip, but I ditched it when we changed plans.

Continuing directly to TT Alg 2 will allow you to eliminate the redundancy and potentially complete the book by the end of this school year which will give you a lot of flexibility in the high school years. For example, assuming you do geometry in 9th, you would then have the flexibility to go back and use a more rigorous Algebra II book in 10th before moving to pre-calc or moving straight to TT pre-calc, depending on your daughter's interests.

 

My daughter completed TT alg. I last year in 7th grade and started Alg. 2 late in the spring with the intention of doing 1 or 2 lessons a week over the summer just to stay fresh. Once we actually started working through it, just doing the chapter tests up to lesson 45, it was pretty clear she would be done with the book before Thanksgiving. We ended up dropping TT Alg. 2 and going with Chalkdust Alg. 2 for 8th grade so that we would have enough material for the entire school year. Next year we will head back to TT for geometry before continuing with Chalkdust pre-calc for 10th.

[Beth in SW WA]

A bit of a different perspective here. I would seriously consider forging on in February with TT Alg. 2.

 

:iagree:

 

Add TT Geo in the weekly mix. That is what we do.

[langfam]

Key to Algebra. Good for reinforcing and keeping up skills.........easy to get through.

[mims]

Which Key to Algebra would you suggest if we don't do them all? She doesn't have any big weak areas I just would want to reinforce the skills.

[langfam]

I bought all of them.....then used the tests at the back of each book as a pre-test to find weak areas and worked harder on those sections. You also just could just use them all to reinforce skills.

Edited December 27, 2008 by langfam