I have been using the same two math programs with my kids for the past 15 years. Seriously! So I have to tell you I got excited when Math Mammoth allowed us to review their Math Mammoth Grade 1 Complete Curriculum for CJ. Sometimes you just need something different to jump start your learning. Guess what? I was not disappointed.
Math Mammoth actually offers several different options for learning. Their Light Blue series, which we reviewed, is a complete curriculum for grades 1-6 . Other books that they offer vary in ages and skills. Each Light Blue series grade comes with two downloadable workbooks (over 250 pages of lessons), a worksheet generator, and tests and answer keys and bonus Soft-pack. The first grade level covers addition and subtraction, whole numbers and placement up to 100, measuring length, geometric shapes, telling time and counting coins. Living outside the United States? An amazing bonus is that when you study coins in grades 1-3 there are pages covering Canadian, British, European, and Australian currencies as well. How cool is that? Also, instead of a spiral teaching style, Math Mammoth is mastery based, each chapter devoted to a particular concept, giving your child the opportunity to concentrate on the skill being taught.
How it works-
The 1st grade complete curriculum begins with a short Kindergarten review. It quickly reviews skills like same and different, position words, writing numbers, counting and colors and shapes. Then the 1st grade chapters begin. Because these are considered "worktexts" there is not a separate teacher's guide. Instead, each chapter starts with an introduction and overview of what that chapter is about, along with helpful teaching hints, game ideas and suggested Internet resources. The worktext pages are pretty self explanatory, but if there is any teaching that needs to be done, the explanation is right there on the page to be read and taught by you the parent. Additionsl materials that Math Mammoth suggests you have in advance are a 100 bead abacus, a ruler and an analog clock.
What we did and what we liked-
Because we had just recently finished Kindergarten with CJ, this review came at the perfect time to introduce 1st grade material to him. I downloaded and printed out the first worktext and then for ease of use, bound it. There is no set recommended amount of pages to be done in each sitting, so we aimed for at least two pages each day. I did find that occasionally a lesson was rather long and then we broke it up, but CJ has just finished Kindergarten so I think that once he has a few more months on him, this will not be an issue. One of the things I really enjoyed about this curriculum was the range of activities and types of problems. While it provides the needed repetition with a skill, it does so in different ways, thus allowing the student not to get bored. Word problems are included at this level, as are "mental math", two skills that I know from experience are valuable to learn at an early age. The worktext pages include colorful pictures and engaging problems that held CJ's interest and he seemed to look forward to our daily math time.
Costs-
For a year's worth of lessons, I am amazed at the cost of this program. The full 1st grade down loadable program costs $34.00. You can also buy the workbooks on CD or in printed form. In addition, you may order the two worktexts for each grade separately if you are beginning in the middle of a year.
Don't know where to start? Have your child take one of the placement tests and go from there! Whether you need a complete math curriculum or just worksheets based on grade or even topic, I do not think you will be disappointed with Math Mammoth!
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