Saxon Algebra 1 Books
PUBLISHER: Harcourt Steck-Vaughn
GRADE LEVEL: 8th or 9th Grade
PREREQUISITES: Saxon Math 87 or pre-algebra; see placement test link below
REQUIRED MATERIALS: None
GENERAL APPROACH: Lesson-practice-problem set; incremental with spiral review
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The basic home study set of Saxon Algebra 1 books comes with two books, the answer key with tests, and the student textbook. There are other items available separately or in different kits. One is a solutions book to help the teacher, another is DIVE CD-ROM’s to aid student understanding.
The format of this high school level text keeps the same familiar layout as the grade school books. There is a lesson explanation of a few pages, followed by a set of a few practice problems of the type that were just explained. After that is the problem set, consisting of approximately 30 problems which review previous concepts. Any type of problem that has been covered in the book, and even some from previous books can appear in the problem set.
The DIVE CD’s feature a teacher explaining in even greater depth and detail the topic of each Saxon Algebra 1 lesson, as well as working out detailed example and practice problems and showing the student how this increment relates to everything else they’ve learned.
TOPICS AND METHODOLOGY
Saxon Algebra 1 books cover advanced topics such as arithmetic of and evaluation of expressions involving signed numbers exponents and roots. Students also learn properties of the real numbers; absolute value and equations or inequalities involving absolute value; unit conversions; solution of equations in one unknown and solution of simultaneous equations; polynomials and rational expressions; word problems requiring algebra; Pythagorean theorem; functions and functional notation; solution of quadratic equations; and much, much more.
The Saxon Algebra 1 teaching philosophy, which leads to their hallmark incremental approach and spiral review, is in full force in Algebra 1. Algebraic concepts are broken down into mini-concepts and taught just a little piece at a time. Problem sets continue to offer comprehensive cumulative review each and every day.
STANDARDIZED TEST PREPARATION
The Saxon Algebra 1 books seem to do a good job preparing students for standardized tests. Saxon students have consistently performed well in various case studies.
TEACHER REQUIREMENTS
Teaching Saxon Algebra 1 is easy. Parents do not have to have a background in math in order to teach their children well. The lesson explanations are designed to facilitate independent study, and a detailed solutions manual is available and highly recommended. Parents often find that skimming a few lessons ahead of their student