As many schools and homeschools are winding down for the school year you may be worried about your kids losing some of their skills over the summer. We had had the opportunity to review a fun math supplement for the past several weeks. For this review, we received 9 months of access to Grades 3/4 and the Grades 5/6 Lessons from Algebra for Breakfast.
Algebra for Breakfast is an internet based supplemental math curriculum. In addition to the videos, there are worksheets to download and print. There are also games to play and skip counting songs to listen to.
Algebra for Breakfast is very hands on! The math manipulative blocks are essential in this program. I cannot emphasize enough how hands-on this program is. Some of my kids love math and find it easy while others find math boring or hard to understand. Because AFB is so hands on it has made math much easier for Mr E. He’s a very hands on kid so being able to work with the manipulatives has been good for him!
The skip counting songs are cute, there’s just one small problem they get stuck in my head. Ha! Truly though the skip counting songs are good because they do get stuck in your head which means they also get stuck in my kids’ heads.
Concepts covered in Algebra for Breakfast level 3/4
• Countability
• Single Variable Expressions
• Known vs Unknown Values
• The Meaning of Variables
• A Multi-Sensorial Approach to Algebra & Mathematics
• Operation Sense
• The FNLN Principle: Identifying Like Terms and Unlike Terms
• Single Variable Polynomials
• Equivalent Amounts
• The Skip Counting Principle
• Quadratic, Linear, and Constant Expressions
• Polynomial Identification
• The Rectangle Principle
• Quadratic Factoring
• Number Sense & Mental Math
• Mental Imagery for Mathematics
• Multiplication & the Skip Counting Principle
• Monomial and Arithmetic Factoring
• Perfect Squares
• Place Value & Mental Math
• Factors, Multiples, & Skip Counting
• Problem Solving
• Addition & Subtraction with Like Terms
• Primes & Composites: Arithmetic
• Primes & Composites: Algebra
• Algebraic Substitution
• Division: Symbols, Reading, Meaning, Skip Counting
• Skip Counting & Algebraic Factoring
• Two-Digit Mental Multiplication
• Goldbach’s Conjecture on Primes
Concepts covered in Algebra for Breakfast level 5/6:
• Countability
• Operation Sense
• The Skip Counting Principle
• Unknown Numbers & the Meaning of Variables
• A Multi-Sensorial Approach to Algebra & Mathematics
• The FNLN Principle: Identifying Like Terms and Unlike Terms
• Variables & Constants: Units, x, and x2
• Operation Sense & Number Sense
• Order of Operations
• Polynomial Identification
• The Rectangle Principle: Arithmetic Factoring
• The Rectangle Principle: Quadratic Factoring
• Countable vs Uncountable Amounts
• Integers: Identifying Positive & Negative Numbers
• Symbol vs Name vs Meaning
• Factoring Analysis: the Skip Counting Principle
• Integer Addition: Multiple Modalities
• Exponents & Powers: Operation Sense
• Square Numbers, Cubic Numbers, & Powers of 2
• Dimensional Analysis of First- and Second-Degree Powers
• Real-World Examples of x, x2, x3, etc.
• Mental Imagery for Arithmetic
• Equivalency & Equivalency Transformation
• GERMDAS & Order of Operations
• Finding & Creating Zeroes
• Analysis of Addition & Subtraction of Like & Unlike Terms
• Problem Solving with Exponential Thinking
• Binomial Multiplication
• Binomial Factoring
• More Multi-Sensorial Math: Pictorial Algebra
• Integer Multiplication
• Mental Algebra: Using the Imagination
• Drawing Algebra: Internalizing the Concepts
• Algebraic Substitution
• Substitution & Evaluation: Order of Operations
• Operation Sense: Sums & Products of Positive & Negative Numbers
• More Advanced Quadratic Factoring
• More Advanced Binomial Multiplication
In both cases, the students are generally not introduced to these mathematical terms during the lessons, but instead are introduced to the concepts.
What Do We Think About Algebra for Breakfast?
I really like how Algebra for Breakfast is so hands-on. It makes math fun and accessible for kids who might otherwise struggle with math concepts. The video lessons show not only Bob Hazen, the instructor, but also a classroom of children working through the same program. There are additional videos in which Mr. Hazen speaks directly to the student or the parents.
If you have a student struggling with math, you might want to check out Algebra for Breakfast and see if you think it will be a good fit.
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Blessings,
Jennifer
