As many of you know, there are a lot of terrific things about the Singapore Primary Math program U.S. Edition 1A-6B.
Yet, one of the difficulties of this excellent program is that it stops after 6B and switches to a new writer and new format! 
Our original plan was to continue on with Singapore math until high school, by using the Discovering Math 1A/1B and 2A/2B series (which was sort of close to the original Singapore Primary series). We had our second oldest son do Discovering Math 1A/1B prior to beginning Foerster's Algebra (which worked well, although it was still a very challenging change). However, by the time my sister's son was headed into Discovering Math 1A/1B, the program had undergone a complete revision to align it with the Standards edition more closely (and was renamed Discovering Math 7A/7B). At that time the new Answer Key was riddled with problems and the program moved much further away from the way it had originally been written. After many frustrations that my sister had in using the revised program with her son, and comparing the changes that had been made, we decided to no longer recommend that particular program.
Since then, the Discovering Math series has been entirely discontinued (partially due to trademark issues) and a new series, even further away from the original Sinapore series, has replaced it for grades 7-8. The new program is called Dimensions Math and has definitely been redesigned even further to correlate with the common core and to be more school oriented. For our purposes, this made the middle school options from Singapore no longer a good fit.
In the mean time, while waiting for the Singapore math series to sort itself out and finally land on a program for grades 7-8, we were aware that there was a hole that needed to be filled for some families coming out of Singapore 6A/6B (whose kiddos were not ready due to maturity or age to go directly into Algebra). So, we have spent much time over the last couple of years searching for a solution to that hole.
We looked at pretty much everything that was available for grades 7-8 in a search to find something that would bridge the gap well between Singapore primary math and high school level Algebra. In that search, we were not coming up with a program that we were pleased to recommend to our customers, until now!
Now, we are thrilled to recommend, and to carry in our Heart of Dakota store, a new series called Principles of Mathematics. This series will only be written for use in grades 7-8. It is designed to teach, review, and cement skills and concepts needed for success in Algebra. It is written directly to the student and contains both text and daily assignment practice. Students write within the student book to complete assignments. The grade 7 program is available this year with the grade 8 program available in 2016. The author of the program has taught this particular course many times, so she has had years to fine-tune it before its publication. The bonus is that while including solid instruction and clear problem sets, it also includes a Biblical worldview component for math!
Link to see inside the Student Text: http://www.masterbooks.com/downloads/dl ... tudent.pdf
Link to see inside the Student Workbook: http://www.masterbooks.com/downloads/dl ... rkbook.pdf
Here is the description from the publisher:
* Discover how math applies to science, art, music, daily life, and more!
* Apply what you’re learning outside a textbook, and see God’s handiwork in math.
* Focus is on multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, ratios, percentages, shapes, basic geometry, and more!
Math is a real-life tool that points us to God and helps us explore His creation, yet it often comes across as dry facts and meaningless rules. Here at last is a curriculum that has a biblical worldview integrated throughout the text and problems, not just added as an afterthought. Students don’t just learn how to manipulate numbers on paper, but starting with arithmetic and laying the groundwork for geometry and algebra (covered in year 2), this curriculum both firms up the foundational concepts and prepares students for upper-level math in a logical, step-by-step way that helps students understand concepts, build problem-solving skills, and see how different aspects of math connect.
As if all of this wasn't enough, Katherine weaves into the lessons the human history of math and shows the Sovereignty of God even when the most brilliant of minds and civilizations failed to see it. Students will be intrigued by how math has profoundly affected history.
Have you ever had a student ask why they have to study math, as if they can't see how they will ever use it in real life? After taking this course, students will wonder no more! They will understand how math applies to them and why they must study this important subject. They will see how it applies in every day life such as balancing a checkbook, history, science, art, and music. They will see the Hand of God in math and how that relates to their own life. If you are looking for a "living math" course, this is it!
A description of this math course would not be complete without mentioning the author's conversational style when teaching math concepts. She presents math in a way that lends understanding to the "why's" in addition to the "how's" in a way that opens up the concept and completes the process of true understanding. This course leaves many of us wondering, "Where was this course when I was learning math?"
Daily Schedules are included to complete the course in either one full year or in one semester. The student worksheets, quizzes & tests, and answer keys are all included in a bound, 3-hole punched, perforate format that keeps everything organized and flexible. Katherine Loop's Principles of Mathematics Biblical Worldview Curriculum is a first of its kind. It takes math to a whole new level.
Blessings,
Carrie
