Mom22ns Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 We will finish Life of Fred Decimals and Percents this year and I just can't decide where to go next. I don't think my ds is ready to jump straight into Algebra, although I have considered doing LoF Algebra along with something else. Do other people have a suggestion for an in between step here? I have considered MUS pre-algebra because he could go through it at his own pace and then go onto algebra when he is ready. I see many people recommend chalkdust pre-algebra, but when I went to their website and viewed their samples, these really look dry to me, was this just a bad impression? Other suggestions? What I know isn't for us is Saxon or anything else with a big spiral for that matter. My son really likes doing math independently, and works best doing fewer well planned problems than massive numbers of practice problems. I want him to think, not strengthen his fine motor skills when doing math :D TIA! Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensguys Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 My ds did those LoF books this year too. We're finishing up the last few units in BJU6 (we did the first part of it last year) then we're heading to Video Text Module A (pre-alg). Going to see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plimsoll Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 In a similar position, we went ahead and started Life of Fred Algebra. It's actually going very well. However, I have been uncovering a few areas where my son needs a little reinforcement practice, mainly on topics he breezed through very quickly in the two earlier Fred books (he completed the two earlier books in one semester). So, I have just started weaving in some work in Singapore's Extra Practice for Primary Math (levels 5-6). I'll probably also mix in some of the Challenging Word Problems for levels 5 and 6, but let him solve them with algebra where appropriate. Hope this gives you some ideas.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 We did LoF Fractions in just a couple weeks. Decimals and Percents probably won't take much more than a month. Both books were really review for us, but I wanted to use them to cement the concepts and make him do some thinking. You sound very much like us Plimsoll, ty. I had considered the video algebra series. I'd love to hear how that has gone for people who have used it. I've also considered Kinetic books algebra. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 My ds did those LoF books this year too. We're finishing up the last few units in BJU6 (we did the first part of it last year) then we're heading to Video Text Module A (pre-alg). Going to see how it goes. My dd13 is part way through Module C of VideoText Algebra. I have been very pleased with how the lessons build on each other. The presentation is quite dry but solid from what I have seen so far. My other dd is using LoF Fractions/Decimals this year and I am toying with the idea of having her do LoF Algebra instead of VT but I don't know yet because I think VT is a good program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'd really like to get some more opinions. I am so torn. It is a good thing I have a little time to make this decision because it is really the only thing I just can't pin down.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela&4boys Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'd really like to get some more opinions. I am so torn. It is a good thing I have a little time to make this decision because it is really the only thing I just can't pin down.:confused: I'm interested to hear too. Just a thought, but have you posted this on the High School Board? I'm sure the moms (and dads) could help there. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 We are going to finish LOF fractions and decimals this year. I'm going to cautiously step into LOF algebra. I'm also going to use Singapore CWP. We've mixed LOF with Singapore this year. If it fails I'm either falling back to Singapore (he'll be ready for 6A) or continue to move ahead with LOF at a much slower pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 I wrote to Stanley Schmidt and asked him about going on to LoF algebra. He told me to use another curriculum for a year and wait. He recommends not doing algebra before 13. I've decided to do MUS pre-algebra to stall for a little while. It will allow my ds to move at his own pace through pre-algebra and give him a little more time to mature before we try algebra. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Am I wrong? I thought that Beginning Algebra was really a Pre-Algebra program? My ds is going to start Beginning Algebra in about 3 weeks. . . he's 12.5. We'll see how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 No, beginning algebra in LoF is Algebra I, it is not pre-algebra. He is going to write another book to go in between decimals/percents and algebra for those that are too young to go straight into algebra. That is his next project. He just finished a linear algebra book which is at the other end of the spectrum :D 12.5 should be ok. That is where mine will be a year from now after we have done a year of pre-algebra. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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