Where to go after Miquon?

[Osmosis Mom]

Miquon is a hit with my twins and they are moving along. Now I am wondering what to use after they are done and am open to different suggestions. Miquon is up to grade 3 and introduces tons of different mathematical concepts. We are not really using the rods unless there is a need.

[patchfire]

We were using Developmental Math alongside Miquon, but dd hated it, so I offer that - one kid who loved Miquon hated it. ;)

We moved into the Key to... books and Life of Fred. Both of them have been a big hit - Fred moreso than the Key to... books, but she likes both of them.

[Osmosis Mom]

Kash, LOL!! I have one girl who is a mathematical thinker and loves math, while the other one is just scuffling along. I wouldn't do Key to...except for review on concepts the child needs to reinforce. LoF - which level did you put your dd in? I would think theose books would be good for the less-mathy girl (who is very literate), but not for the math-loving girl because she reads a lot slower and only wants to read when in the mood!!

[patchfire]

I started her with Fractions. She's zooming through it. It's actually meaty stuff, IMO - a lot of the questions really require her to think about what's being asked. Now, I would personally say she's pretty mathy, but I'm using the Key to... books mainly because I have no proof that my theory (learn the basics and then go ahead and proceed with algebra if the child seems to get basic algebraic concepts) is going to work. ;)

Assuming she keeps going as she is, she'll do LoF Decimals & Percents at the beginning of next school year (so, technically 4th grade) and then we'll go ahead with LoF Beginning Algebra... despite recommendations to wait until she goes through puberty because I have no idea what we'd do for math for four years!

[Osmosis Mom]

Hmm, sounds like a fine plan to me. No need to wait for puberty to do algebra. Miquon and Singapore both introduce algebraic concepts at an early stage so there is nothing new under the sun when the questions get trickier.

I own the LoF books so I'll take a look at the Fractions one for dd.

Thanks!

[Saille]

I had this same question. I know they can go to Singapore, but I've seen people transition their kids to 3A and also to 4A, so I'm curious about that. Also, what if you really like the way Miquon operates? I love the breadth of the connections they make between different math skills. Is there some other curriculum out there that's actually similar, or are we going to have to move to traditional textbook math?

[Osmosis Mom]

I guess their skills after Miquon would put them into 4A, but because SM is so different then 3B might be better in order to first build confidence. We also have SM, but my girls gravitated towards Miquon and I love how easy it has been on them.

[Mallory]

My oldest finished Miquon at the beginning of this year. For the rest of this year we have just kept up the math lab concept and added drill.

We have lots of math manipulatives that they have "played" with the past few years, but he is/has now working/ed through in a more orderly fashion. Books for our geoboards, base 10 blocks, the Get a Grip kit from TOPS, and dominos, as well as books like Multiplication Mosaics and Division Designs. I am sure there are other things as well....

I have also added drill. He didn't really need any help on +, - went quickly, and we are working on x, but he also is quite good at it, if not as quick as I would like. We are also working through CWP 3 (and I have 4 and I am trying to decide if I want to get 5 and 6).

When he is done with all of our elementary math things, then he is going to work through Lials Basic College Math. Then LOF Fractions and Decimals and Percents with Chalkdust Prealgebra. I am not sure where to go for Algebra, but I already have LOF Beg. Alg.

I don't want to start him on the LOF's yet, and I don't want to get to Algebra much before 7th. Although I can see that he might work quickly through Lial's and CD Pre-Alg. So adding this year of "fun math" in now is working good for us and gives me a chance to get some extra drill in with out it being to boring (I mean when your math to day was pouring lentils around, you don't complain much about a few flashcards;)).

So to sum up
end of 3rd- most of 4th-- Continue math lab idea and drill work
5th- Lial's
6th-LOF frac + dec, Chalkdust Pre-Algebra
7th- be ready for Algebra- LOF??? Chalkdust???

[Lori D.]

Older DS who loved Miquon went to Singapore afterwards. We skimmed through the 3A/B to make sure there were no "gaps" and to give us both a chance to learn how to use Singapore. Also, the 3A/B level is where they first introduce their nifty "bar" visuals for solving word problems. As I recall (it's been a few years ago, now!) we were able to skim 3A/B (working mostly in the 3B) and completed all of 4A/B that year, as well. BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmly, Lori D.

[Saille]

I'm bumping this thread, because I still haven't seen suggestions of a program that is similar to Miquon in philosophy.

[OnTheBrink]

If I had it to do all over again, I'd have gone from Miquon to MUS. We messed with Singapore, R&S, Making Math Meaningful, MEP and finally settled on MUS. DD was literally heartbroken over finishing Miquon and MUS was the next best thing for her.

[Spy Car]

MEP math and Singapore.