Horizons Pre-Algebra Teacher's Guide

Homeschoolers appreciate the Alpha Omega curricula for their ease of use and quality instruction. There are 4 different teaching options available to help you meet your math education needs: Lifepacs, Horizons, Switched on Schoolhouse (flash drive for Windows only) and Monarch (online). Please see each option for the full course description. Christian content is included in the Lifepac, Switched on Schoolhouse and Monarch curricula.

Admittedly, no math program will work for everyone - but I find few flaws in this motivating and well-laid out program. Although it may be more advanced for grade level than the "average" program, I don't consider that a negative. Because of the developmental approach to learning in this program, even a non-math type can easily succeed, while the "math whiz" will be challenged by the advanced topics introduced early. Concepts are introduced incrementally, then practiced, developed, and continually reviewed as other concepts are introduced. Horizons lays a solid foundation for numerical literacy with an early emphasis on hands-on, concept learning via manipulatives and one-on-one lessons. The program relies on few separately purchased manipulatives by utilizing common household items and including charts and number lines found in the Teacher's Guides. A useful table in the handbook shows the integration of manipulatives in lessons so you can tell at a glance just what you'll need. Analytical reasoning and mental acumen are stressed throughout the series, and memorization and drill are not neglected. The Teacher Guide is the heart of the program, containing daily lesson plans that are easy to implement. Reduced student pages are a tremendous aid in planning and supply answers to the worktext exercises. Besides plans, the handbook contains an overview, materials list, activities, and supplemental worksheets (approx. one for each 4 lessons). Designed for homeschoolers, the activities, language, and lessons require no alteration. There are 160 lessons per level, each requiring approximately 20-30 minutes per day. Tests are given after every 10 lessons to assess retention of cumulative skills. While a good part of each lesson is oral (especially at the K level), the enticing, colorful student worksheets lay foundations for lessons and review concepts previously taught. There are two workbooks per grade level. Please note that the actual lesson is to be taught by you - there are only brief instructions on each page of the workbooks, which are not intended to be self- instructional. Boxed set contains the teacher book and 2 student workbooks. Additional Student Worksheet Packets contain one photocopy of each reproducible master in the teacher book.

Everyone asks where they should go when they finish Horizons through grade 6, and the answer is now much easier. If you are a fan of the Horizons format and content, Horizons Pre-Algebra is the place to go.

Covers new content including: absolute value, volume and surface area, transformations and nets, compound interest, representations of data, permutations, combinations, odds and evens, two variable equations, four operations with monomials and polynomials, and trigonometric ratios. Every block of ten lessons in this Horizons math course begins with a challenging set of problems that prepares students for standardized math testing and features personal interviews showing how individuals make use of math in their everyday lives.

The Student Book is colorful and consumable, unlike many pre-algebra courses. 160 lessons are numbered at the top of the page, and are usually only one page (front and back) in length. Lessons are designed to be done in 45 to 60 minutes each day, and consist of a major concept and practice of previous concepts. A teaching box at the beginning of each lesson presents the concept, and the adjacent 'classwork' section is to be done by the teacher and student together. The 'activities' section that follows is for reinforcement of the new concept and practice of older ones. Scattered throughout the book are interviews called "A Math Minute with..." These interviews are with regular people who use math in their careers or jobs. These real-life examples (electrician, plant manager, race car driver, etc.) are intended to answer the question, "Why do I need math?" Every ten lessons you'll find a page entitled "It's College Prep Time!" This is a page of multiple choice questions that are similar to standardized tests.

The Teacher Guide is an important part of this course and includes lesson plans, answers and solutions for the student book, tests, exams, and worksheets imprinted into small-format student pages, readiness evaluation, and instructions for using the course.

Tests are taken every 10 lessons and are found in the Tests and Resources book. There are 16 tests along with 4 exams which are to be taken every 40 lessons. 80 worksheets for reinforcement and drill practice, and resources needed for the lessons, are found in this book.

In the brief comparison I did with Saxon Algebra ½, Horizons Pre-Algebra covers the same topics but sequencing is a bit different. Order of Operations and Probability is introduced earlier in Horizons, but I think that is due to the review found at the beginning of Saxon. Exponents and the Pythagorean Theorem are taught at about the same point, and both books have geometry lessons.

The goal of Horizons Pre-Algebra is to prepare students for Algebra 1. This course is well done and should meet the need of the many that prefer the Horizons products. ~ Donna