Math. You must learn to add, subtract, divide, and multiply. At some point anyway. So what better way to get a good foundation than to start with a company that has been helping mamas (and schools) teach math. Joseph and I have been reviewing Horizons 1st Grade Math Set from Alpha Omega Publications the past few weeks and it is good!
I have used other math programs through the years with Isaiah and Ana, but so far, this one is exactly what Joseph needed.
The Product
The Teacher’s Guide is by far one of the easiest ones I have ever used. This teacher’s guide is a whopping 578 pages! A big, beautiful glossy paperback book. Here are just a few of the laid out plans and tips for using it for school:
- Student readiness evaluations – this was incredibly helpful when trying to see if this book was going to be too much for Joseph or just the right fit.
- Lessons Plans – these daily lesson plans guide you through and discusses what should be learned upon the lessons end.
- Concepts
- Objectives
- Teaching Tips
- Materials, Supplies, & Equipment
- Activities
- Detailed manipulatives list – this list shows which manipulatives will be used in each lesson. It makes it easier to have the need items on hand instead of trying to scrounge them up at the last minute for a lesson.
- Where to Use the Worksheets – this list shows what lessons you will use the extra worksheets in the back of the book.
- Scope and Sequence – this list is the concepts and ideas that will be taught during the year.
- Detailed items list – this list is wonderful so that you can have crayons, colored pencils, etc,…on hand for the day as well.
- Answer Key – every work page has the answers in the back of this teacher’s guide
- Extra Worksheets – lots of extra sheets in the back for helping to solidify the lesson of the day, they are reproducible for multiple uses.
With the added information given in the Teacher’s Guide it makes this Horizons math so much easier to teach. The lessons are laid out in an easy to understand fashion, a plus for me. I rationalize that if I am having a hard time understanding the lesson, how in the world can I teach it well? I appreciate that in this curriculum.
The answer key is a nice change for math. Other programs I have used do not offer the answers, I like that this one does. The Extra Worksheets in the back are able to be copied easily, as they do not tear out.
Student Book 1 and Student Book 2 are quite lovely! Each book has 80 lessons in it. (For 160 lessons in all.) These lessons are one page in length, closer to the end of the book they are heading into two pages. They are bright and colorful, a real eye pleasing look. It helps engage the student and lends a hand in the lesson retention.
The spacing is larger than that of other programs we have used. I like that aspect of the lesson pages. It absolutely makes it much easier for a little one that is still in the beginnings of writing to feel comfortable. The spaces are large enough for the ease of writing without marking all over the other problems on the page. A+ for thinking through on that area when laying out the pages!
The book is a glossy paperback that has perforated pages for easy tear out.
A brief overview of the concepts that are being taught in the 1st Grade Horizons Math:
- place value
- greater than and less than
- addition 1-9
- word numbers 1-10
- calendar
- equal to and not equal to
- word problems
- time, hour
- addition 10-18
- money, penny
- time, half hour
- inches
- money, nickels
- money, quarters
- fractions 1/2
- word numbers 11-20
- addition, 2 digit
- time, quarter hour
- fractions 1/4
- subtraction
- word numbers 20-100
- place value (hundreds)
- shapes
A well rounded math program for any first grader.
How We Used This Product
As of right now, we have been doing one lesson every other day. Joseph is doing well and some of the concepts are just difficult enough to be challenging.
I am pleased to say that he is able to do a math lesson and the extra worksheet(s) within a 20-30 minute block. I am sure that some of that time is due to his persistence in fussing with me about something though. He has had no issues understanding the concepts that are being taught and he appears to actually enjoys math! YAY!
The gradual increase of work has yet to threaten his interest level. So, I am looking forward to the lessons farther down the line to see how he reacts to the added work.
Some of the worksheets are more game oriented so he doesn’t even realize that he is still doing math, so as a mama, that is a fun feature. He has completed pages that have connect the dots, coloring the ordinal number, and counting money. The added activities in the lessons make math fun, instead of the ole boring counting. Joseph and I are well pleased.
I am looking forward to using this for the rest of the school year, and the potential exists that if he does well, I will add it for next year too.
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There are lots of amazing products from Alpha Omega Publications this round with the Crew:
I hope you enjoyed the latest review and visit again soon to see what the kids and I have been up to.
In His Grace.
Callie
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