Math and Science Q's

[GinainMD]

Hi again. I have two daughters who will both be using singapore 2a and 2b this upcoming year. Do I have to purchase the textbooks twice or only the workbooks? I noticed that here it is only offered as a set. The girls generally do arithmetic at the same time so it might work out better to have two textbooks anyway and my two younger daughters will likely use them simultaneously also, eventually. However, I was hoping to save on the cost if not necessary. Same thing for science, is it a text they write in or would they be able to share? TIA

[dawntx]

Hi, Gina! For Singapore 2a and b you only need the workbooks for each of the girls- NOT the textbooks. There are hands on lessons that Carrie has written in the Bigger Teacher Manual to help go along with the lessons (which are super great by the way!). As for the science, please remind me which curriculum you will be using. If you are looking at Beyond, I haven't used that yet- someone else might be of more help to you. HTH!

Dawn

[GinainMD]

Dawn, thank you for responding. The science is God's Wonderful Works. Gina

[my3sons]

Hi Gina! HOD has hands-on math lessons written in the Bigger Hearts guide's plans. If you have that guide, you do not need the textbooks. If you do not have that guide, you either need to get that guide and use its hands-on math plans (which are excellent BTW), OR, you need to use the 2A/2B schedule in the Appendix of the Beyond manual along with the textbooks. So, in a nutshell, either use the Bigger Hearts hands-on plans in the manual and the Singapore workbooks, OR use the Beyond manual along with the Singapore textbooks and workbooks. Hope that makes sense!

You'd want each girl to have their own Singapore workbooks. They could probably share the textbooks if you go that route; otherwise, we loved the hands-on math HOD plans in Bigger for 2A/2B, and you'd have the manual for next year already then.

As far as the science, you'd only need 1 of "God's Wonderful Works". HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[GinainMD]

Thanks ladies. I'm still just a bit confused. If we use the hands on mathematics in Bigger this year than what do we do next year when the girls are in Bigger? If this has an obvious answer I apologize in advance. The only guides I have actually gotten to peruse are LHTH, obviously, and LHFHG, very briefly. Hands on sounds MUCH more compatible with DD1 learning style so I'd like to do that if possible but not sure what that means for next year. TIA Gina

[moedertje]

Hi Gina,

Are talking about Early bird Kindergarten? Since the science is God's Wonderful World. I think the ladies are thinking that you are talking about Primary Mathematics used in the older guides. The Singapore books after Early Bird K ( Prim. Math.) again start with 1A and 1B. The hands on activities in LHFHG are wonderful....As far as I know there is no textbook for the Early Bird K.
Which ones of your children (age wise are you talking about)?

For the science it will be sufficient to have only 1. I have a friend who has 2 in the same grade and she has not gotten two books except for the workbooks.

Hope this helps and does not bring more confusion! If so keep asking till all your questions are answered.

[my3sons]

Thanks ladies. I'm still just a bit confused. If we use the hands on mathematics in Bigger this year than what do we do next year when the girls are in Bigger? If this has an obvious answer I apologize in advance. The only guides I have actually gotten to peruse are LHTH, obviously, and LHFHG, very briefly. Hands on sounds MUCH more compatible with DD1 learning style so I'd like to do that if possible but not sure what that means for next year. TIA Gina

I am thinking you are doing Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory this coming year - Is that right? I am thinking that you are doing Beyond as your core program, but would like to up the math to Singapore 2A/2B. (If I'm incorrect on this - and you are doing LHFHG along with Earlybird Kindergarten 2A/2B math instead - please let me know, and we'll talk through that.)

So, if you are doing Beyond as your core program next year, and if you are talking about doing Singapore 2A/2B with them along with the hands-on math in Bigger Hearts, then next year when the girls are in Bigger Hearts for their core program, you'd just use the Bigger Hearts 3A/3B Textbook/Workbook schedule in the Bigger Hearts Appendix. HOD only writes the hands-on activities up through 2B, as starting with 3A, it's more appropriate to use the Textbook as the instruction, and have the hands-on fade away. We've found the hands-on math activities in Bigger Hearts prepare our dc very well for the Textbook/Workbook approach starting with 3A/3B. I hope this makes sense! But if I'm off here, be sure to let me know. Thanks!

In Christ,
Julie

[GinainMD]

OK. Sorry I wasn't clear. We are combining our two oldest girls in Beyond Little Hearts for his Glory this upcoming year. They will be 7 and 8 when we start in late summer/ early fall. For the purpose of reporting to our Board of Education, they will be considered 2nd and 3rd grade. This year they are both working through math that is considered to be at a first grade level. I do want to switch them to Singapore Math this year and so I chose the 2A/2B option, with the Beyond pkg., assuming that this is a second grade level math. So, is it possible to forego the Singapore Math at this level? Julie I think that is what you were saying. I assumed that since Singapore was offered that it was an integral part of the Beyond Core. If you use the hands on math in what instance would you consider Singapore necessary? Now, I hope that is more clear. Thank you all for helping me to sort this out. Gina

[GinainMD]

Wow, I think I finally understand! Do I purchase the singapore workbooks to use with the plans that Carrie has written in the Bigger guide? If so, boy do I make things more difficult than they need to be. Gina

[MomtoJGJE]

Even if they've done a first grade math program, have you done the placement test for Singapore? Singapore advances very quickly, and in 1B they are doing things that I didn't learn until 3rd grade (20 years ago in public school, but still)... Jayden is doing things that her public school friends are just touching on in the end of 2nd grade (she's in 1B right now)

I would let them take the placement test and then let them go through the workbook right before the one they place in at their own pace just to let them get a feel for Singapore... so if they take the placement test and in fact place in 2A then I'd let them go through 1B quickly.

But yes, you would get the Bigger manual and go through the hands on stuff for math in there while you are doing Beyond manual.

[Kathleen]

Hi Gina!

I agree that it would be a good idea for you to have your girls take the placement test for Singapore to see what level you should start with. Here's a link to those tests that you can print off and use. http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm My sister is bringing her boy home to do Beyond this year. He's a sharp little guy and has just finished 1st grade, and from looking at the Singapore math books she decided to start with 1B for him. (They're already doing multiplication in this workbook...) So, I'm guessing that will probably be a good starting point for you, too. I know that with Grant, my oldest, we switched to Singapore for math when he was a 3rd grader. Math comes easily for him and he had completed another 2nd grade program and placed in 2A. So, I wouldn't look at the levels on the books as grade levels.

I also really reccommend using the hands-on activities to go along with the Singapore books! Did you understand how those work? Carrie has written plans for some easy hands-on things to reinforce the written work in the Singapore workbooks. These are in 3 guides:
LHFHG has the EarlyBird 2A & 2B
Beyond has 1A & 1B
Bigger has 2A & 2B
From then on you use the Singapore textbook along with its corresponding workbook to teach the concepts to your child. (And you won't ever have the need to purchase a different guide to get the math plans either as they contain several schedules for the textbook/workbook combos.) I think it's WELL worth the money at the hands-on levels to have the guide with the plans though!

Welcome to HOD!
Kathleen

[my3sons]

Wow, I think I finally understand! Do I purchase the singapore workbooks to use with the plans that Carrie has written in the Bigger guide? If so, boy do I make things more difficult than they need to be. Gina

Yes, that's right! It's my fault really. I should have asked you what guide you were doing in the first place. This could be one of those "Who's on first?" jokes. You just purchase the Bigger Hearts guide (which has the HOD hands-on math for 2A/2B) and the 2A/2B workbooks. The placement test is helpful as well. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[GinainMD]

Thank you all for setting me straight. I will print out the placement test for singapore to see where they fit in so thanks for that. I guess I need to get over looking at the grade level, it's just deeply ingrained kwim. Gina