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Talk to me about Life of Fred math books.

1K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  User101 
#1 ·
I'm an uncreative thinker when it comes to math. We're using Oxford-Sadlier's Progress in Mathematics, which is as traditional public school as it comes. Both my second and fourth grader are flying through at a good pace. They're a chapter or two ahead of where they'd be if they were in school, but I'm not pushing them or anything. They're both pretty good at math, but I feel like my own math anxiety is getting in the way of them exploring it further.

So, I saw these books. They look like a lot of fun. They look pretty weird. I love the literature connection.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them. Are they worth the money? Do they "work"? Is there any place to get them used?
 
#2 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
I'm an uncreative thinker when it comes to math. We're using Oxford-Sadlier's Progress in Mathematics, which is as traditional public school as it comes. Both my second and fourth grader are flying through at a good pace. They're a chapter or two ahead of where they'd be if they were in school, but I'm not pushing them or anything. They're both pretty good at math, but I feel like my own math anxiety is getting in the way of them exploring it further.

So, I saw these books. They look like a lot of fun. They look pretty weird. I love the literature connection.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them. Are they worth the money? Do they "work"? Is there any place to get them used?
http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...highlight=fred

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...highlight=fred

I found a few old threads- hope someone chimes in since I'm interested as well.
 
#3 ·
We just bought LoF Fractions (and, boy, did it arrive quickly - ordered on a Saturday, it arrived on Tuesday, and Monday was a no-mail holiday). Dd hasn't started it yet - she has three more days in her other math - but she took the book off to her room to read it when it got here! She's excited to start it - which is more than I can say about other math books she has had. From everything I can find, if you follow the series all the way through, it is plenty rigorous, covers everything, et cetera.
 
#4 ·
We use Life of Fred.

We like it (my DD likes it quite a bit - asks for it, actually).

It is mastery based - although it does throw in a bit of review and the occasional "other" concept.

Here is what it looks like:

There is a fairly funny storyline. About every 3 pages, there is a break in the story where you get to do math - often concepts that are related to the story.

For example - in the story, Betty carries Fred to the nurse because he has hurt his foot.

In the story we learn Betty weighs 125 pounds and Fred weighs 37 pounds. We might be asked to calculate the fraction of the total weight that is Fred (37/162).

At the end of each chapter there is a bridge - which is a min test you have to pass in order to go to the next chapter. The book recommends 80 or 90% before moving on - a number I agree with. The tests are quite short and varied - I think the liklihood of "silly mistakes" is low. There are 5 mini tests, so if a child needs more review there is a fresh mini test to take.

LOF starts out quite easy at the beginning of the book and gets harder as you move through the book.

LOF does not have much review of a topic. We do not mind the lack of review (in fact, we actively dislike pages of textbook filled with the same type of problem) but this may not work for all kids. There is a home companion to Fred which has more review- and I have heard great things about it. I have not bought it however. LOF explains things well and my kids have not needed much review. When they do I bring out a piece of paper and make up a few questions.

It is a fun series- and really seems to instill a love of math.

Kathy
 
#6 ·
I'm really excited! I still need to go over long division with two digits in the divisor with Michael, and then I'm going to hand him the decimals and percentages one and let him go to town.

We already covered fractions earlier this year. Do you think it would matter if we did the decimal book before fractions? Or are they sequential?
 
#7 ·
We just finnished fractions.

It coverred:

Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, cancelling, reducing, improper, and mixed nimbers. I thought it was quite thorough.

I would do the fractions book unless you have really coverred fractions and here is why:

Fractions are fun. Decimals? - eh. I imagine there is a lot of dividing and multiply with decimals.

I am sure Fred makes them fun (we just finnished Fractions, and are waiting for Decimals) -but fractions are inately more fun that decimals.

If you have just spent a chunck of time on multiplying by multiple digits and dividing with multiple digits - you might need a little break. We certainly did.

kathy
 
#9 ·
Well, it came and Michael started it and right now he's on the phone with a friend (not homeschooled) saying "My mom got me this pretty cool math book called "Life of Fred". It lets you teach yourself math and it's tough but fun!"

Any math book that is cool enough to be a topic of conversation between 10 year olds is cool indeed.
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
Well, it came and Michael started it and right now he's on the phone with a friend (not homeschooled) saying "My mom got me this pretty cool math book called "Life of Fred". It lets you teach yourself math and it's tough but fun!"

Any math book that is cool enough to be a topic of conversation between 10 year olds is cool indeed.

That is a glowing recommendation!
 
#11 ·
Can I ask one more question?

There are still a few more things in his current book I want to hit on (dividing by double digits, and we're finishing up a geometry unit and I want to get to perimeter and area. This is what we've been using. But after that, can I really just let him work through these Fred books at his own pace? Or maybe let him move through the books at his own pace for the rest of the year and through the summer and then pick up with Progress in Mathematics again in the autumn? Are the books really enough to give him a well-rounded math education?
 
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