Hands-On Equations ?

[Crimson Wife]

My oldest turns 7 in a few weeks and is "officially" in 2nd grade. She's an advanced student so I decided to try Hands-On Equations with her. We just did lesson 3 in Level 1 today. Part of the way down the worksheet, she figured out how to solve the equations on paper rather than physically using the pawns & dice on the balance.

Is there any reason I should insist on her using the manipulatives if she can solve the equations on paper? I'm inclined to allow her to do it on paper so long as she can get the correct answer that way.

[Brooke3193]

I haven't used that program (but am thinking about ordering it). I would say that if she figured it out all on her own, then she gets the early problems and wouldn't need the manipulatives unless......she needs to know how to use them really well so she can use the manipulatives to figure out the harder problems. OTOH, if you showed her how to do it on paper and you are just saying that she caught quickly, then I would question whether she *completely* understands the connection between the manipulatives and the paperwork or if she is simply able to solve the problem in either manner.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Can she teach you with the manipulatives without your help? If you make silly mistakes, can she correct you? If she completely gets the concepts behind it and can explain to you, then I'd likely let her be.

[WendyK]

I would say probably not. I'm not much into manipulatives. I bought some, and I have tried to incorporate them. I don't need them and my son never seems to need them either. He has mostly resorted into building interesting shapes with them. LOL

[Crimson Wife]

She was doing the worksheet while I was cleaning up the kitchen. I noticed after a bit that she had stopped using the manipulatives and was just solving the equations on paper. I then watched her do one of the equations and she had the hang of it.

I'll see how she does with it on Monday after the weekend (we do relaxed HS on Fridays).

[cworthy]

We loved HOE. It does get more difficult, but I would say let her do it in the way that works best for her. I have a very kinesthetic learner and the pawns and number cubes worked great for him.

[Testimony]

My older son breezed through the lower levels and slowed down by the higher levels.

Does she need the manipulatives? Can she also do the word problems that come with it? If she can then, I would suggest seeing if she can explain to you how she arrived at the answer using the manipulatives. I know that different types of learners pick up differently, but math in the lower levels needs to have manipulatives. It helps any child no matter what kind of learner manipulatives with math works.

It is like this: my son could read at 4 years old. Yet I still taught him phonics so that he would understand why and how letters were put together. Also, a good reader is not always a good speller. Spelling is reverse reading. So, I would want him to understand letter relationships in order to spell them in the future.

The same concept with math. I think that it still helps a child to feel 5 objects and then take away 2 objects and they are left with 3 objects. You can do so many different things with manipulatives and math. Math is such a practical subject. Also, we all use manipulative with math. Every day people handle money. Money is math. So, I vote that I would keep the manipulatives just as a game.

Blessings,
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony:D

[Crimson Wife]

The set I ordered from Rainbow Resource did not come with the word problems book (I got the basic kit). I think I will order it though since my DD likes the program.

[LisaTheresa]

Yes, you really need the word problems. There isn't much to the program without them.

Lisa