Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Life Of Fred

Harpo's got the whole set (it has happened to me more than once that I find something that looks perfect, and then it goes out of print by the time I want it, so I just got the works last summer, even though we're a long way from calculus and statistics!). He loves these books a lot--highly recommended!

Stan is a peach, too, and it's nice to feel as though one is supporting such a kind person.

Fred is how I found y'all in the first place, I think--it seems to me that I followed a link here from Lorel's review of Fred on her Bella site, so I'm doubly grateful to Fred!

peace
minnie

We're using LOF Fractions right now with DS7 and I would say that at least basic familiarity with multiplication facts is useful, especially for the 2nd half of the book. It really breeze over things like reducing fractions with the assumption that the kid understands that 5/20 = 1/4 because 5 and 20 are divisible by 5. Our work around right now is to let DS7 use a multiplication table to "cheat" with and we're working hard on memorizing the tables (using Timez Attack) simultaneously.

It's also a little light on concept practice, which works great for things that DS7 gets right away, but I find that we have to do supplemental practice on some things. So far it's been easy enough to print worksheets online for what we've needed (reducing fractions and equivalent fractions).

Wow... can't believe I'm just learning about this now! Thanks!

JB

Ooh --our LOFs arrived yesterday! We got Fractions and Beginning Algebra. I'm excited for ds6 to star Fractions -- I think he'll really like it and it's right at his ready level.

Thank you!!

Mia - what do you think of Beginning Algebra? Did you get the teacher's guide w/ it?

We got LOF Beginning Algebra as well. It really seems to make it easy. My 14yo (self professed math hater) did the first lesson last night and was like "that's it?".

Honestly, I haven't opened Beginning Algebra -- dh had it all night! He's a self-taught computer engineer and is thinking of going back for a degree -- "in this economy" and whatnot. He'd be *great* at math but had an abysmal HG+ kid school experience. He was busy all night with it and seemed intruiged, if not challenged. He said ds6 would probably be ready for it by the time he's 8, if not before.

I'll look at it tonight and let you know what I think! I will say, I was reading Fractions and laughing out loud.

ETA: yes, we got the teacher manual as well.

Can I use LOF along with regular school work. My boy is aged 9 and a half. Also, does anyone know offhand if they are available in the UK?

I'm sorry, Raddy, I don't know if they're available there. You could email the author (Stan Schmidt, Polka Dot Publishing) and ask him if he has a UK distributor--he's certain to know, since the books are self-published.

peace
minnie

We just got the first three plus the Beginning Algebra Home Companion. I don't think GS9 really needed the Fractions & Decimals and Percents but I felt his school did too much hit & miss on teaching them so I wanted to be sure he had a good foundation. It drives me crazy when people have no concept of how decimals, percents, & fractions relate to each other!

Besides, I heard they were so entertaining I didn't think he'd be bored to tears reviewing them. Last night he sat down to look at them and was almost squealing with delight. He read the first 6 chapters in Fractions, laughing about Fred. He looked up to check the time, saw he was missing the Simpsons and went back to the book. The books are that good!

I've got a niece in college who is struggling with her algebra. She already dropped it once and will have to take it later. I'll let her borrow the Beginning Algebra, I think it will be just the thing to prep her for College Algebra.

Oh, GS9 is soooo impressed that he got signed copies of the books!