What should I supplement Math U See with?

[BalanceSeeker]

So if we were to do one book per year, and we finish our book midway or 3/4 into our year, what should I supplement with to reinforce what they've learned without confusing them...Horizons or Singapore? Would the mental math in Singapore be too different than the way they learned it in MUS?

Thanks :001_smile:
Christa

Mom to
dd9
dd7
dd4

Currently using MFW, and piecing the rest together until we figure out what work for us.

[Chels~]

I usually get those cheap math workbooks from Sam's or Costco that breifly go over age appropriate math activities. My favorite is Math made easy by DK books.

[Sue in St Pete]

I've never used Horizons, but supplemented MUS with Singapore's CWP for several years. If I had to do it all over again, I would start with CWP 2 and Gamma.

Life of Fred is another option during/after Epsilon, there is LoF Fractions, then LoF Decimals & Percents for Zeta.

Both Singapore's CWP and LoF provide many word problems, which is a weakness in MUS, imo.

[angela&4boys]

We use Life of Fred as Sue in St. Pete suggested. (I actually purchased it at her suggestion and my ds loves it. Thanks Sue! ;)) I appreciate how he puts math into English so well and with such humor.

A df has used Singapore with great success.

[Lori D.]

You can supplement MUS with a variety of things. The most common reasons behind supplementing are either to get additional practice in weak areas; or to slow down the spine math program; or to see math from a different perspective/teaching style. Below are math resources that people often use for supplement; there are others as well. I've even used Saxon as a supplement, though we just skimmed it and dipped in for various topics or for quick review.

Our own experience with supplementing MUS was with Singapore, which worked very well. We tended to use the Singapore that would be a grade below the MUS, so it was more reinforcement/review of previously learned math topics. And, as you suggested, we would do the Singapore to fill out the rest of the year after completing a level of MUS. I just used the softbound teacher books (the ones that are the same size and thickness as the workbooks) -- we'd go over several pages of material together, and then I'd photocopy a few of the Practice pages for him to do, so it was quite inexpensive, too.

BEST of luck deciding what route to take! Warmly, Lori D.


gr. 1-4
- Miquon
- The Complete Book of Math gr. 1-2 or gr. 3-4
- Math Discoveries with ... or other short booklets with manipulatives on specific math topics
- Right Start (math games; abacus)

gr. 1-6
- Horizons
- Singapore

gr. 4-8
- Keys To ... math workbook series on specific topics
- Hands On Equations

[Cadam]

We just continue with MUS for most of my kids. It works out because sometimes they go quickly and sometimes more slowly through the program. My dd went quickly through Alpha and Beta but right now she is hanging out in Gamma, memorizing the multiplication tables. Ds is flying through Epsilon but he stayed in Delta for 18 months because long division is a pitb no matter what curriculum you use!

About once a week the kids do a page of Singapore CWP but I keep these a couple of levels behind so they aren't running into much that they haven't seen as far as computation goes. I really like the two step problems.

There is really no reason to supplement MUS unless you just want to. I do want the kids to learn how to deal with multi-step word problems so that is why we use CWP but everything that you really need is in MUS.

Having said all that.... A is a math loving kid. I do both MUS and the full Singapore program with her because she just likes it. I have done MUS with my older child though so I know how MUS approaches the topics that come up in Singapore and I teach them that way. I don't think it is necessary but like I said she is 7 yo and in Gamma while also doing Singapore. I just really needed to slow her down.

[Mandy in TN]

So if we were to do one book per year, and we finish our book midway or 3/4 into our year, what should I supplement with to reinforce what they've learned without confusing them...Horizons or Singapore? Would the mental math in Singapore be too different than the way they learned it in MUS?

Why wouldn't you get the next MUS book and just keep on going? OR Why wouldn't you do MUS 4 days per week with Friday as Word problem or manipulative exploration day? Both of these options would give you more continuity with MUS and thus may lead to less confusion and better reinforcement.

HTH-
Mandy