www.beastacademy.com Math for 2nd to 5th - Gifted Issues Discussion Forum

Quote

Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) is launching a new math resource for
> younger kids around 2nd to 5th grade level. The website is
> www.beastacademy.com.
>
> They are looking for testers for their new curriculum currently being
> developed, if anyone is interested in giving it a shot. You can sign up
> on the website. They are particularly interested in getting early
> feedback and unbiased opinions from people who haven't used AoPS
> materials. The sample pages I saw look great, they remind me a bit of
> how Cyberchase presents math ideas, but in a graphic novel format.
>
> AoPS will also be adding Prealgebra to their free online learning system, Alcumus, http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Alcumus/Introduction.php in the next couple months, as well as making a suite of free videos they will host on the site.

Thank you Grinity....looking now!

eta... I requested a chapter. Now which kid will I give it to .. hmm I am thinking if they send grade 2, I will give it to my kindy son since my second grader is going to third grade for math.

I'll check that out too, thanks!

It looks like something DD8 would enjoy. Thanks!

Hmmm, looks like the sysem won't allow requests from outside the USA.

No more sample chapters left... Bummer. Looks promising.

Greetings from Beast Academy:

Thanks for submitting a request for a sample chapter. Unfortunately,
we received many more requests than we could accommodate and are
unable to fulfill your request.

Your e-mail address has been added to our update list, and we will
inform you when additional materials become available. Depending on
the feedback we receive, we may print a second run of sample chapters
for review. Thanks so much for your interest.

Jason Batterson
Headmaster
www.BeastAcademy.com
info@beastacademy.com

Interesting. I got the email saying that I should receive a sample chapter in 2-3 weeks.

The sample chapter came yesterday. It's a third grade chapter on perimeter and area. We made it through the pretest and the first seven pages of content last night. Although DD8 had not been exposed to perimeter/area before, she found the material to be a little too easy and repetitive, in part because of the use of repeated addition rather than multiplication. I think it would probably be at a good level/pace for a typical third grader though.

The format was similar to the comic book style Magic School Bus books. DD10 liked that format, but DD8 has trouble keeping her eyes focused on the right part of the page. So, I ended up reading most of it to her.

Overall, it was interesting. It would have been great for DD10 when she was in kindergarten/first grade, but it doesn't work as well with DD8's learning style.

Interesting. Do you know if the target audience is GT? I hear about this company on the GT lists all the time, so I just assumed it was geared toward GT.

I don't know if the target audience is GT. Unless my perspective is really skewed, this was not GT third grade work. The website doesn't say anything about it, so maybe this is just one of those sites where you pick the grade level based on the work your child is doing rather than on the grade he or she is in.