Using math in real life; identifying place value, completing patterns; mastering multiplication and division facts; adding/subtracting multi-digit numbers; multiplying a multi-digit number by a single digit; dividing by a 1-digit divisor; adding positive and negative numbers; fractions; adding/subtracting fractions with common denominators; telling time to the minute; change for a dollar; graphing. 140 lessons.

Customer Reviews

 
Kelly L. from NY wrote the following on 10/05/2006:
My friend recommended the Saxon K-3 math program to me and I've not been disappointed! Last year (for kindergarten) my dd would CRY whenever the "other" math curriculum was brought out. With Saxon, she LOVES math. She doesn't even realize she is "doing math" because she enjoys it so much. She is a very hands on, visual learner - this program is great for her. I think it would be great for all types of learning styles. The teacher's manual is wonderful. Everything is very clear and easy to understand. Virtually no prep work is required. The only thing I wish I would have known going in is to have the manipulatives on hand to begin the year. Either order the Saxon Manipulatives kit or order things piece by piece of what you don't have in your house already. Also, yes, you really *do* need The Meeting book. It's a very important part of this program. All in all, I give this set an A+ for delivering exactly what I needed!

 
Amy G. from TN wrote the following on 11/01/2006:
We have used Saxon levels K-2; using Math 2 for 1st grade last year at the recommendation of a classical education company. My daughter learned a great wealth of information and several math tricks to help her remember ways to solve problems. She also learned good information about calendars, graphing, shapes, skip counting, measurement, and temperature. Saxon may be slower moving than other math programs in many ways (much slower in multiple digit addition and subtraction and place value), but the shape and number pattern exercises were much more challenging than other programs I've seen at this grade level. For example, Saxon would say something like, "finish the pattern: 59, 57, 53, 51, ___, ___, ___" and not tell you how. The children just have to read the numbers and find the pattern. Another program similar to Saxon would say, "Fill in the missing numbers by counting by 3's: 3, 6, 9, ___, ___, ___, ___." So with patterns, there is a bit more brainwork required from the student. The program is very easy to use; very little preparation time required. The first page of each lesson tells you what to prepare the night before or in the morning, and the materials you'll need. The teacher's manual is absolutely necessary and the scripted lessons are a big time saver, especially if you are a new teacher or if you lack confidence in your ability to say the right words during your lessons. With Saxon, the Meeting (done at the beginning of each lesson) is a good time for multiple ages (a.k.a. younger siblings) to listen in on, as they can pick up on some good information dealing with calendar, graphs, weather, etc....and the Meeting is easy to modify to use with different ages. The second part of the lesson was easier for me to do just with my 1st grader alone. Saxon is great for hands-on learners who like to move slowly in learning new things. It is extremely repetitive, which can be both a blessing and a curse. This math program will not allow you to forget anything. From one year to the next, there are a lot of lessons that slowly review what was learned the previous year. Some children love that repetition and others say, "I already know that! Why do I have to do this again?" So for a child who is quick at math, I would say this program might be frustrating in some ways; however, if the teacher can speed up the pace a bit and skip some of the busy work, it is a very thorough math curriculum which provides a solid foundation in math. The expense of the product is worth the cost if you value having your lessons planned and scripted for you, especially if you plan to use it with several children. If you do not like reading from a script when doing your schooling, a different math curriculum (such as Horizons) would probably be a better value for you.

 
kathy c. from florida wrote the following on 11/28/2006:
I ABSOUTLY LOVE all the Saxon math products! I've found them to be well planned and thorough programs! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a complete math program!! I homeschool two children; one who according to the public school time line would only be entering 1st grade this year and another who is in 3rd grade. My "1st" grader has done all the programs along with my older daughter since day one. I am going to order the Math 5/4 for my older daughter, not because this program is too easy but because this is such a thorough program, they learn so much and so well! this program is worth every penny and more!!

 
Lynne D. from Massachusetts wrote the following on 01/08/2007:
Over the last three years, I have found the Saxon Math program to be extremely helpful in my homeschool program. The repetition, exercises, and additive nature of the system worked well for both my older daughter, who was behind typical grade level, and my younger daughter, who is above typical grade level. I agree that the "some, and some more" approach to mathematics is a bit unnerving at times, but I just explain that there are clue words in mathematical problems to help you solve them. I am ordering Math 5/4 for my 8 year old now, again, not because it is too easy, but because she has been able to systematically advance at a great pace. I really like this program.

 
Jill G. from Texas wrote the following on 01/09/2007:
I recently finished Saxon K with my daughter who just turned 5. I bought the full kit, including manipulatives. In general, I am pleased with the program, although there are a few things that I would change if I could. The teachers manual is well done and easy to use. The occasional prep is not that time consuming. The calender concepts are extremely important for this age, and I liked them so well that I have adapted that lesson to do every morning with our weather report. My daughter likes calender time too, and added a writing component on her own, so that she writes the day and date each day. The material was simple and the presentation somewhat slow for a child who already knew a fair amount. It took my daughter about 4 1/2 months to finish all of the material. I adapted many lessons to combine concepts when she expressed frustration with the amount of repetition or the fact that she thought some lessons quit just as they were getting interesting. For example, there are teddy bear stories that are essentially +/- problems. My daughter insisted that we needed to write the equations to go with the stories. For me, adapting was not a real issue. I saw the lessons as a great starting point, and if she wanted to write equations or do every single tanagram puzzle in one sitting that was fine with me. My main difficulty with the program is that it is tied heavily to a traditional school year and pace. The lessons are titled along the lines of First lesson in October, so some of the lessons in the book are tied to seasons and the calender workbook assumes you will complete the material at the pace described in the teachers manual. I had trouble adapting the workbook for our more rapid pace, and quit using it about a month after we started. For a homeschool text, I would prefer lessons that aren't tied to a traditional schedule. Despite my dislike of the prescribed pacing, I am buying the Saxon 1 kit. The Saxon K lessons were extremely well done and introduced many ideas that I wouldn't necessarily have thought of if I was just making this up on my own. (I have a graduate degree in math, so I'm not easy to please when it comes to good lessons.)