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Hi guys,

I've seen the recent discussion regarding not needing to do extra practice with some levels of Singapore Math (3A was what was discussed) because concepts are reviewed again and again at greater depth in Singapore. Two of my children (DS 1st grade, age 6, and DD 1st grade, age 7) are currently in level 1A, and we have just completed the 1st 65 pages, which is all addition and subtraction foundation. Next it looks like we go on to ordinal numbers. They are both struggling still with the concepts. They can do the "straight forward" addition/subtraction fairly well, though still not consistently, using their cubes or fingers. But, any deviation from that, and they are stumped. For instance, figuring out whether to use + or - to make the number sentence true was near impossible to get them to understand. But, the word/picture problems from the last pages (about 61-65) they are really, really still not getting. especially my DD. An example is, you have 8 apples altogether. There is a picture showing a bag and 3 apples outside the bag. How many apples are in the bag? They have to set up the math problem (the 8 is already started for them so they would need to add " - 3 = 5") to solve it. In something as fundamental and basic as these problems, should I stop them and buy the Singapore practice book and stick to that for a while and continue with the rest of Little Hearts as written except for the math? My older two have never had trouble with math concepts, so this is new to me! I don't know what to do!

Thanks for your advice.

Blessings,
Lisa

Lisa,

We had a little hick up on those kinds of concepts as well. It comes up in the K level and 1st grade. But once they get it they will not lose it. What worked for us was to actually get some apples out and use those for manipulatives. For some reason the picture was not making it clear. Try getting five apples out and let them count them then turn around and keep two behind your back and put three on the table. Then say I still have five apples, how many are on the table (then they count) and when they get that say I still have five three are on the table and how many are behind my back. Even if you have to say well let's count up to five and make a mark for each number we count then count the marks to find out, they will eventually get it.

I think it is really a different kind of thinking it promotes and they learn their math facts as a side product. I hope I am hitting what you are asking.

I agree with water2wine! Just get out the manipulatives and show them how to manipulate the problem and write it on a white board. Do a day or two of that and then move on. I wouldn't buy the extra practice workbooks at this point, as it's a new concept that will be coming again.

It takes some time to grow into those higher level thinking-type problems. Plus, the part they're not getting is how it is worded, or what the problem is asking them to do. So, more problems is not the answer. Showing them "how" to do it with manipulatives is another way to show them how to "think what they should do".

Blessings,
Carrie

It helped my ds to use manipulatives and have me write the problem step-by-step as we did it with black marker on a white markerboard. So I'd say:
There are 8 apples altogether. (He's set out 8 "apples". I'd write 8 on the markerboard.)
3 of the apples are not in the bag. (He'd push 3 apples away from the pile of 8. I'd write " - 3 " on the markerboard.)
How many apples are in the bag? (He'd count how many apples he had left. I'd write "5" on the markerboard.)

Then, we'd repeat that exact same problem another time with different numbers.

Eventually, we switched roles and I was the apple mover, and he was the markerboard writer.

Finally, he did both the apple moving and the markerboard writing.

We didn't do this for every problem by any means. Just the tough ones, or just to get him started. I know this was probably more detail than you were looking for, but it really helped my ds make the transition to the next level. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Hi Julie,

No, that was exactly the type of detail I was looking for!! I will try that on Monday when we start back after the break. And, I hadn't thought of adding more practice as not solving the problem, Carrie. So glad to have more experienced moms here to help those of us who are new to homeschooling out! Thanks!

Lisa

Oh Thanks, Lisa! On a different note, I really love the names you've given your dc - especially the girls' names! We don't have any girls in this house, but those names are sure super cute.

In Christ,
Julie

Those are cute names! Are you actually calling the baby Lily Jane? If so, that's adorable! We have a two name baby too, Emma Cate. A lot of people just call her Emma, but I think it's fun to do the two name thing. Anyway, your kiddos names are really sweet.

Aw, thanks guys! Yes, we are calling her Lily Jane - the whole thing. She is named after my great-grandmother (Lillie Jane), who I can't wait to see again one day in Heaven! She was a wonderful, Godly woman.