Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Algebra I Progress

E13 has been working on Algebra I this year. We started with Saxon Algebra I (a free item on a table at co-op one week) late last school year and started up again in August. Although he was a good sport about doing 30 problems every day (writing out the whole problem) with Saxon, we have switched to using Fred primarily at this point. I was inserting Fred Beginning Algebra lessons in among the Saxon lessons a couple times a week just to change things up for E13 and to provide a different avenue for learning and remembering.


E13 does one or two Fred Companion lessons per day depending on the number of problems assigned.

When is the last time you saw our workboxes? Now the top two shelves no longer have boxes. I couldn't take it anymore- they were just not accommodating for notebooks. The binders lay flat on the top and second shelf and there are boxes for now on the bottom two. They hold projects and things- smaller items. What became of those boxes and their lids? Let's just say I was in charge of Operation Christmas Child at my church and children in 3rd world countries are now enjoying them. Win/win. No guilt...it turns out that workboxes are way to "school at home" for this borderline unschooling girl.

A look at the inside of E13's math journal

The Home Companion breaks the Beginning Algebra text into daily lessons. I highly recommend it if you are using Fred! In the last several lessons, he's been learning how to solve two variable equations with elimination and without.
Another favorite resource for him and R11- I sometimes pull out activities from here. Lots of algebraic reasoning in this book.

Last month, they played an interesting number game and we tested out a few theories at the book's suggestion.

It was the game of Euclid which Dan is still trying to figure out why they think it's a game! The kids thought it was fun. I'm pretty sure that is what counts!

Great news for Fred Beginning Algebra fans! Dr. Stan has just come out with a book on a Zillion Practice Problems for Beginning Algebra. I can't wait to get my copy as we continue on our Algebra journey with Fred!

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