Whether you are just starting out or it’s time for a change, the authors here at Curriculum Choice have much to share with you! Read below for an abundance of information on math resources and programs.
Our Math Curriculum Reviews
Below are some of the many math reviews our Curriculum Choice authors have written. You’ll be amazed at all the resources available to you and your homeschoolers!
Math Resources from our Authors
Kindergarten Math Splash App Review
Mama’s Learning Corner Worksheet Packet Review
A Critical Thinking Math Curriculum: Pre-K to 2nd grade
Make Math Drills Fun with Math Monkey
MasterMath: Free Middle School Online Lessons
Calculadder: Turning Finger Counters into Number Crunchers
More Encouragement from Our Authors
The Curriculum Choice authors have active blogs where they share all kinds of homeschooling advice and experiences. Below, you’ll find links to helpful math posts from a few of our veteran homeschooling authors.
Heather Woodie from Blog, She Wrote
Life of Fred {Homeschooling Math}– Lots of folks have heard of Fred and his story math. Many families wonder if Fred is “enough”. Take a look at how we use Life of Fred math from elementary through high school. It is our only upper level math program and it is rigorous.
Math on the Level– When we needed a change in our math program, we sought out something different which would allow us to pursue math individually and on our own terms rather than a publisher’s suggestion. This has been a great fit for our family as we work math authentically into our schooling. The first link is an FAQ on the curriculum. This post talks about why we made the decision to leave traditional math programming.
The Crafty Side of Math– A look at how to teach math to a creative student. If you work with a creative soul who does not enjoy math, read on for tips and suggestions which have worked for us over the years.
Applied Math– If you are looking for ways to employ math in your homeschool in real and authentic ways, have a look at this category at Blog, She Wrote. You’ll see a variety of posts including fashion design, robotics, and how to use a cash register in open ended play.
Cindy from Our Journey Westward
I’ve written Loving Living Math which teaches parents how to do living math – aka hands-on math, problem solving, logic, real-life math, project-based math. I’ve reviewed hundreds of math resources over the years and include many of my favorites as recommendations in Loving Living Math. I’ve also written specific reviews here and there of outstanding products. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Sir Cumference Books – This living literature math series is fabulous for introducing several math concepts.
- Hands-On Geometry – We had so much fun using this book as a math unit during middle school!
- Real World Algebra – This book uses conversational style and real-life situations to teach algebra.
- My Favorite Logic Resources – Logical thinking is very important to overall math instruction!
- What Ever Happened to Penny Candy? – This book teaches economics in easy-to-understand terms.
Megan & Susan at Education Possible
Your Business Math Series – Would your children like to start their own business? With this math program by Simply Charlotte Mason children can easily learn all about important business math skills such as inventory management, record keeping, bill paying, and more!
Number Rings: A Cool Math Game – Math Rings is our favorite tool to help with math drills. It is a fun and engaging game that also grows with your kids.
Amy Maze at Living and Learning at Home
Classic Curriculum Arithmetic Workbooks – These workbooks are designed to go along with Ray’s Arithmetic, and will child really master their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division!
SPEED! A Skip Counting Game – This game is seriously fun for anyone, whether you are learning multiplication or not! It is an education spin on a classic card game.
Saxon Math K – If you are looking for a fun way to begin math lesson with your preschooler or kindergartener, Saxon K is the way to go! Learn more about the curriculum here.
Stephanie @ Harrington Harmonies
Teaching Textbooks Review– This is an excellent review that compares teaching text books to other curriculum I have used in my 13+ years homeschooling. It details the benefits and why it works well for my child while other programs weren’t a good a fit.
Reason We Use Teaching Textbooks– Another approach to a review on this program that lists the top ten reasons we use this program such as the fact that I am not a math guru, it suits my auditory learner and it builds my child’s confidence. Easy to read and is a good personal overview.
Tricia at Hodgepodge
My Loving Living Math review: “Cindy West’s Loving Living Math has given my family permission. Permission to learn and enjoy the real life stuff of math. Dear Parent – Loving Living Math is for you! Most often curriculum is for the student. This is for you. To teach you. To encourage you.”
Living Math – Still Loving It! “We made a living math day of it. With everyone together, we…enjoyed a popcorn estimation experiment, rated the day and combined math and science in a nutrition study. THIS was a very fun day of math!
Timez Attack Multiplication and More by Big Brainz “These fun, multiplication games were recommended to us by my friends and fellow homeschool moms. It’s one of those resources we turn to when we know we need a little boost in multiplication practice.”
Math for Multiple Ages – Much about math with multiple ages? Well, you might not think it’s much. Because we basically have two resources that have worked well for our students so far.
Our Experience with Teaching Textbooks – I have heard about the criticisms about TT. However, my older two struggled with math in middle school until we found TT. It was truly an answer to a prayer! Plus, at the time my older two started using TT, I was helping my younger ones with Saxon Math. So it helped me to be able to oversee them while I was teaching the younger ones.
How Morning Room Time Builds Learning Skills for Later – Here’s a question I’ve heard a few times lately as well: How can I get math done with my older ones with my toddlers roaming about? We sit down to do our math lesson and my little ones crawl on the table!
Do it with playdough, or do it with biscuit dough, and make a snack of it!
Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
Geometric Shapes and Beginning Fractions “Ordering a pizza became a math lesson, not only in counting the money to pay the bill but also for fractions problems.“Which is bigger, ½ or 1/3?”
Numbers and Patterns Kindergarten: Playing and Learning with Manipulatives “The basic manipulatives needed for early math can be found in your own home. Numbers and Patterns – K can be done using simple supplies easily found, such as small toys, buttons, crayons, etc.”
Math and Science Reading
Annie Kate at Tea Time with Annie Kate
Reading About Math and Science: While science and math textbooks are indispensable, especially for older students, they cannot adequately convey the wonder, the inspiration, and the meaning of the world around us. That’s why we read not only our carefully chosen textbooks, but also biographies, picture books, explanations of concepts, and deep discussions.
Mathematics: Is God Silent? discusses an important question for educators: Does God have anything to say about mathematics? Is there a Christian way to teach math, or is it a neutral subject on which an atheist and a believer would agree?
Over the years we have used many different drill programs. I have reviewed our favorites, MathScore, Calculadder, and Quarter Mile Math. Last year we used MathScore again and discovered that their program now also includes games.
Many math programs do not teach enough problem solving. Our favorite problem-solving resource for teens is the free online collection of past CEMC math competitions.
Sometimes neither the textbook nor mom can get a concept across to a student. For those times, we have used Math on DVD (pre-calculus and calculus, and other levels are available) as well as ALEKS (grade 3 to university level). My ALEKS review contains a link for two free months for multiple children in a family.
Finally, when one of my teens wanted to learn accounting we used both ALEKS and Professor in a Box, a college level course.
Curriculum Choice Math Pinterest Board
We are joining up with our iHomeschool Network friends in a summer hopscotch! Be sure to stop by the rest of the week for more on Choosing Curriculum. Tomorrow we will feature homeschool history and geography curriculum reviews. Pin each post for future reference! (Each link below will be live on that day).
Now for the giveaway!
Cindy West is giving away two (2) of her Loving Living Math units! Simply follow the directions in the rafflecopter widget below…
Five Days of Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
Be sure to subscribe to The Curriculum Choice so you won’t miss any of the five days of curriculum reviews and giveaways!
- Monday – Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum Reviews
- Tuesday – Homeschool Math Curriculum Reviews
- Wednesday – Homeschool History and Geography Curriculum Reviews
- Thursday – Homeschool Science, Technology and Nature Study Reviews
- Friday – Homeschool Electives Reviews
~ Hosted by Heather Woodie of Blog, She Wrote. Homeschooling mom to four sweet kids– one in high school, two in middle school, and one last elementary student. She’s a former middle and high school biology teacher who has embraced the independent nature of homeschooling and she mentors her children through authentic, student driven projects and learning adventures. You can read about their adventures at www.blogshewrote.org where she blogs about all things homeschooling.
So far, when it comes to math, my son loves Time4Learning.
We have had the most success with Math Mammoth. We tried MUS, but it wasn’t a good fit for my daughter past the Alpha level. We do use LOF, but I’m not sure how much math they are actually getting from it. We use it more to make math “fun.” My daughter also uses Khan periodically. But Math Mammoth has been our stand-by for the past 4 years.
We are just starting our second year in Homeschool, so I don’t have tons of experience. We used worksheets from education.com, and simple games to learn math for kindergarten.
Math-U-See works (somewhat) for us. Nothing seems perfect though.
We have used miquon math for the younger grades and Saxon as they have gotten older. Saxon has worked well for us, often because even though it’s a textbook method, I still adapt it as needed. The textbooks have also been a good tool in teaching my children to search and explore for themselves.
I am fixing to start home schooling my 2 nieces and am looking for different curriculums to compare. So far, I believe I am leaning more towards “un schooling” with a bit of traditional mixed in.
Life of Fred has worked the best for us. It seems to include the right amount of thinking questions and illustrations, but is also quirky and fun. Other math programs we haven’t done well with usually have too many problems to solve and/or too many pictures with lots of colors, both of which are overwhelming for my young students.
Awesome post!
Thank you for all of this information!
We really like the Spectrum workbooks.