Mammoth Math Fractions
My older daughter had a bit of a time figuring out fractions and especially common denominators so when given a choice I thought I’d work a little more intensively on fractions with our younger daughter to hopefully avoid that problem. As part of the Old Schoolhouse Crew I chose to review Fractions I and II for Mammoth Math.
These are downloadable math worksheets with the instruction built in. They quite thoroughly cover the subject matter from many angles often giving tips or tricks. I would say they are very comprehensive.
For example when covering equivalent equations Mammoth Math first shows pie graphs that show the same amount shaded and then talks about splitting that same amount into more sections. After that it goes through a page using that idea, then has a workbook page having the student split their own and then the next page goes into a chain of splitting the piece further and further. I’m not sure if it makes sense in writing you almost have to see the pages. They are very visual with all the pie graphs. The point is they work through the concept several ways.
Their website calls this "visual" method and has a video clip here so you can "see" what I’m trying in vain to describe with words!
One thing I had not seen before with fractions was a part about drawing your own pies. She instructed on how to divide in ½’s, 1/3’s, ¼’s etc… My daughters favorite was where she said to divide it in 5ths and , “…draw a man doing jumping jacks.” She enjoyed using her colored pencils and drawing her own and filling in the sections with different colors.
We have not finished the material yet but probably will.
Answer keys are provided in the back of each book. They are send in pdf files so you can print them out all at once or as needed which is nice. We did like the color on the pages but you could set your printer to black and white if you chose to. My dauther is 4th grade and so far is doing fine (we’re about 2/3 through Fractions I.) They recommend Fractions I for 4th-6th and Fractions II for 5th and 6th.
Fractions II does contain more difficult information so we may not get through it as quickly. It gets into multipling of fractions and mixed numbers as well as dividing them. I have looked through it and it does continue in the same manner as Fractions I so she may get it better than I anticipate but we’ll just have to see. The kind of work that’s in there is what her older sister is doing right now in 6th grade curriculum so I’m not going to push it.
Besides the fractions there are many other titles and subjects. They have complete curriculum sets as well as the subject matter ones like we used.
If you’re looking for an affordable workbook type math I would recommend checking out Mammoth Math. Fractions I sells for $4.50 as a download and Fractions II for $5. They are each a little over 60 lessons pages plus the answer key and other misc. pages. They also offer printed versions if you’re interested in that option.
Ariel: Truthquest III, All American History II, Nutrition 101, Total Language Plus: Anne of Green Gables, Out of the Dust and The Hiding Place, Argumentation and Debate, Far Above Rubies (including God's Priceless Woman plus lots more), and Keys for Percents, Decimals and Fractions.
Lexie: Homeschool in the Woods kit for Industrial through Depression plus readings from Truthquest III and All American II, Total Language Plus: Shiloh, Out of the Dust and possibly Caddie Woodlawn, All About Spelling 2, Nutrition 101, Spectrum 5th grade math, art/drawing journal and YWAM Bible journal.
Gina Reynolds