COURSE NO. MAT-309
Would you like this course added to your child's academic packet? Send your request through Mavenlink. Be sure to mention the student, course number, and the quarter you wish to start the course.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Math U See Gamma set, basic manipulative set, and Math in a Flash flashcards (addition ~OR~ multiplication only). Four and five days weekly.
COURSE NOTES
This program is a practical, hands-on math program. Program components are: video/DVD presentations, teacher manual, student text, and basic manipulative set. Add the Bible skip counting tape/CD also. Each lesson starts with a five to seven minute video presentation, supposedly for teacher training, but the kids learn as much from it as Mom. So, at the beginning of each new lesson, watch the video/DVD together. Then work a few minutes together through the teacher manual presentation, then assign them a worksheet of the new lesson. If they look to have the new concept already, give them the test the next day. If they make less than 90% before corrections, then do the rest of the lesson page by page before doing the test again. If the student makes 90% or more, then move to the next lesson. Indeed, the goal grade is always 90% or more, “mastery” level rather than “performance” level. Be patient, supportive and thorough.
Use the manipulatives as much as possible, and always have them open on the table whenever you are doing math, for easy access. Whenever a student refuses to use the manipulatives and really needs to, gently use them yourself, Mom: stand behind him and, reaching around his shoulders, work the manipulatives in front of him.
To place a student correctly in the Math U See program, have the student watch-the-video-take-the-test, one lesson per day. If the student makes more than 90% before corrections, then move to the next lesson; if the student makes 90% or less before corrections, then have him do a worksheet or two and try the test again. When he is consistently having to work through worksheets to pass the test, then back up a lesson or two and start there in the teaching sequence in earnest. Encourage deep review.
Four and five days weekly, about 10-20 minutes of math instruction, then 20 to 30 minutes of independent math practice.
A very flexible math regimen that has proven effective for many of our families is to have the student work through 30 minutes of new material, on a timer, then have him checkmark his own errors using the answer key. (He’s young, Mom, so check his checkmarks, respectfully.) The next day he does all of his corrections first, working any problems that he can’t correct on his own with you on a good-sized white/chalk board, then works through 30 minutes of new material, then checkmarks his own errors, and so on. As you can see, math can take as little as thirty minutes per day, or as long as an hour, depending on your student’s carefulness and effort—the student controls the length of time he spends daily on math and is discouraged from doing rushed, shabby work. (Watching the DVD instruction counts as part of the 30 timer-minutes.)
For quarterly reporting, report by the Math U See level and the lesson numbers, i.e. MUS/Gamma, Lessons 7 to 22. For a work sample, send a copy of the latest broad-based review worksheet with the errors clearly marked and a grade noted at the top. (Remember, for work samples we need the questions or problems as well as the answers.)
There are other math programs—Saxon, Horizons, Abeka, Rod & Staff, MCP, to name a few of the more popular ones. These are more traditional worktext or textbook-based programs. Let us know if you have another program you would like to use or discuss. We’re very flexible regarding math programs.
Scheduling Suggestions: see notes
BOOKS AND MATERIALS
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Math U See Gamma : Student Kit
Math U See Publ.; Student kit includes student text and test booklet; See www.mathusee.com for placement tests, complete tables of contents, and scope and sequence lists. 30 lessons; 4 final reviews/exams.
"Focus: Single and Multiple digit Multiplication. PREREQUISITE: The student should have completed the ALPHA and BETA Curricula, or mastered single and multiple digit addition and subtraction." -www.mathusee.com
Main focus for the year is multiplication, from simple skip-counting through three-digit multiplication. Includes rounding, estimating, finding the area or a rectangle, common measurements, finding factors.
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Math U See Gamma : Instruction Pack
Math U See Publ.; Contains the Teacher Manual, and the video in either DVD or VHS format
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Math U See Publ.; “The initial Starter Set is an 80-piece set of colorful, base 10, stacking blocks used to teach all aspects of arithmetic. These are also used with the Inserts to illustrate beginning algebra and decimals.” - www.mathusee.com
One set per family. This manipulative set is necessary to the Math U See program and is used from the first level through the Algebra 1 level of Math U See.
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Math in a Flash Multiplication flashcards
Edupress
These are the Cadillacs of flashcards--they go from 0 to 12's; each fact family has its own color; the cards are drilled in the corners, to be threaded onto the metal snap-together book rings included in the box. Their crowning aspect, though, is that on the front of the cards are the stacked math fact problems, without the answer showing; on the back, in the same color, size and shape, is the same stacked math fact problem with the answer showing. This makes it so easy to build visual memory of the math facts! So...
Drill one fact family per day, rotating through the 0's through 12's.
Have the student lay a single fact family out in order, answer side of the cards face up. Have the student read through the cards two or three times--problem and answer--tapping the numbers as he goes. Talk about the patterns and sequences he notices in the numbers. Now have him read through the answers only, very quickly, tapping the answers as he reads them. This is practicing "skip counting". Now scoop up the fact family in order and do flashcard work with the answer showing; have the student read the complete problem and answer to you. Next, mix up the fact family and repeat the last step. NOW flip the cards over and do standard flashcard work, withoutthe answer side showing, having the student respond with the answer only.
Learning Wrap-ups and Math Shark are other great enhancements for teaching math facts, also available from Rainbow Resource.
(Note: Addition facts should be mastered by the end of Grade 3. Multiplication facts should be mastered by the end of Grade 4. If these targets have not been met, then more aggressive action will be needed: Calculadders, Math-It, Timez-Attack! or the like.)
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LESSON PLANNER
WEEK A
Preparatory Week A: Use this school week to gather the materials for this course and thoroughly read the book notes, course notes, and, if applicable, the weekly lesson plan in your St. Thomas Aquinas Academy curriculum guide.
WEEK B
Preparatory Week B: Use this school week to complete Preparatory Week A and explore the materials for this course. Flip through all of this course’s materials. Make mental notes about the design and organization the resources for the course (editor’s notes, table of contents, maps, charts, forms, appendices, glossaries, bibliographies, end notes, internet supports, etc.).
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
WEEK 6
WEEK 7
WEEK 8
WEEK 9
WEEK 10
WEEK 11
WEEK 12
WEEK 13
WEEK 14
WEEK 15
WEEK 16
WEEK C
Preparatory Week C
Preparatory Week C: This is a bonus week. Use it for Semester 1 catch-up, corrections, review, assessment testing, standardized testing, or semester reporting (Semester 1 reporting packets are due February 28th). Welcome/assessment packets for the upcoming school year may be ordered as early January 10th. Families are strongly encouraged to complete and return assessment tests by April
WEEK D
Preparatory Week D
Preparatory Week D: This is a second bonus week. Complete Preparatory Week C or begin the Semester 2 course plan.
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WEEK 32
