Third Grade Math
 

We are going to start third grade math in January. I kept her in second grade this fall because I felt like she needed more practice on things but I think she's ready to move on now. My wants:

• A spiral curriculum
• A significant lesson component where she and I work together to learn the concept with the practice pages being for practice and review rather than her having to learn from the work book
• Workbook pages that have larger print, not as many problems on the page as Math Mammoth and ideally colorful and fun looking
• Nothing that's really odd or confusing that I am going to have to take a lot of time learning myself so I can help her.
• No Saxon

I have math mammoth right now and I like it overall but there is just too much workbook learning for her and too much tiny print with a million problems on each page. I am having to modify it a ton and I just don't have time for something I have to modify a ton right now.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Have you checked out Right Start Math version 2? It's super hands on, only has worksheets every few lessons, and the worksheets are in large print. I found the lesson format in version 2 easy to follow.

Third Grade Math
 

That looks really good except the cost wow, it would be $260 plus shipping to get the books plus the manipulatives package. I already have the abacus, clock, tangrams and geoboard but it looks like I'd have to buy the package anyway to get the card games? Does it ever go on sale?

Re: Third Grade Math
 

I bought at a convention and got a 10% discount and free shipping. The initial cost is high. :yes I justified it because you never have to buy manipulatives again.

They have some items on sale right now for the holidays.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

You can look for used manipulatives too, if that helps. But yes, it is a steep start-up cost. It used to be sold level by level, but the revamped version uses a lot more manipulatives per level.

You can absolutely buy individual pieces separately. With the package discount that might or might not wind up being cheaper than buying duplicates.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

How long have you all been using it? Do any of your kids have ADHD or other special needs?

Re: Third Grade Math
 

My dd2 has ASD, possibly dyslexia and/or dyscalcula, and memory recall difficulties. She's been using it since last summer. It is the 3rd math program I tried with her and the first in which she's been able to understand the concepts well enough to apply them outside the math lessons. It's also the first where I didn't have to reteach her the last several lessons if we took a break for a few days.

My dd1 has ADHD and I wish I had used this program with her. She s tells me often that she wishes that had been her math because it looks so fun. Short lessons with lots of hands on would have been perfect for her. I've looked into switching her now. She places into the Geometry level, so I'm not sure it's worth the effort at this point. I do include her in the card games.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Cool, thanks, that sounds like my DD. She only remembers things that she has done while interacting with another person so anything she does written or on the computer I just have to reteach her anyway because it just doesn't 'stick'. As she's getting older she realizes she 'should' know this and it embarrasses her. She has ADHD and some fine motor delays related to SPD. I sometimes wonder if she has dysgraphia because she still writes numbers and letters backwards, her reading skills are too good to have dyslexia but there is something different there.

---------- Post added at 09:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:13 AM ----------

So if I buy the $180 manipulative kit and level C books for DD1 now and the decide to do the level A next year with my DD2 I will only have to buy the books?

I made up a shopping cart and it's still $80 cheaper to buy the whole kit even though I have a few of the items.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

We use Singapore and I really like it:)

Re: Third Grade Math
 

I think Horizons math meets your requirements, though I think it is also expensive if you get manipulatives.

I tried Right Start with one ds but at the time it was too much (it's a lot of "stuff" and the lessons take more time for me than Singapore). But now I am using it with my dd.

I think it might be hard to start in at third grade without backing up a little, due to the way they heavily rely on the abacus and the way the concepts are taught. Is there a bridge program to start into a higher level? I don't know, I just thought to mention that. I know the scope and sequence is a little different. Level B is great for my dd right now but I do plan to move to Singapore after that, because I am familiar with it and just less clear on the progression of the later RS levels. I don't read or hear much about anything past C.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Isn't Singapore mostly worksheet based though? I have been told it's really similar to Math Mammoth.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Some people use it that way, but that is not the intent of the program. If you do the actual program (standards edition anyways) there is a lesson the parent teaches the child from the home instructor guide, using manipulatives, and that includes looking at examples in the textbook. Then there are a few workbook pages that correlate to practice using the concept. There is also mental math component done with the parent.

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Interesting....About how many work book pages per lesson?

Re: Third Grade Math
 

We use basic manipulatives with it. The workbook pages are not just lists of problems- for example there are matching, those games where an answer is correlated with a letter to figure out a riddle, last week we did volume with actual containers and water. That is all in the 2b level. Link is in 1a and it includes color by number, mazes, etc to make it "fun".

Re: Third Grade Math
 

Singapore isn't spiral, but you can build in more review if you want. There are review problems at the end of each section, and you could add a couple to your lesson each day or two, do them on the whiteboard if you didn't want to write them down.

I'd say it is maybe 30/70 text/workbook as written, but adaptable. Different than Math Mammoth. Workbook pages usually with fewer problems, definitely bigger print. NOT colorful, though. The textbook is in color but workbooks are black and white. I think the workbooks are less "fun" looking by third grade, too. There will be a puzzle to solve here and there, but not as much. When I say adaptable, I don't give my kids the workbook until I know they understand. I help them with the concept, the workbook is only for reinforcement. There aren't a whole lot of problems in the workbook, so if they need help with those, I know they don't understand yet, and we go back to working together.

Singapore is know for less step by step instruction, though. Even using the guide, it is less incremental than Math Mammoth, or so I understand. I do have several of the topical MM products, and I can see it there. With multiplication and long division, MM breaks it down into smaller steps and has a lot more practice than Singapore. I guess that can be good or bad, depending.