Strengths:
Teaching high school math is not as daunting as it may seem, especially if you can find a good program like Alpha Omega Lifepac.  I really like the unit workbook approach.  It’s very helpful for all ages of students, and seems especially valuable in high school.   At that age, it’s so important for students to be developing a good work ethic and independent learning skills, along with preparing for college.  Alpha Omega Lifepac 11th grade Algebra 2 is an easy to follow format that is also college preparatory and really seems to help with developing independence and a good work ethic.

The unit workbook format provides ten separate workbooks, one for each unit the student will study.  The … Read the rest of this post…

This article compares Saxon Algebra with the algebra lessons in Singapore Math. Saxon Algebra is a textbook well known among school teachers and in the homeschool world. Saxon Algebra starts in the 7th or 8th grade with pre-Algebra and continues in 9th grade with Algebra 1, with Algebra 2 generally taught in the 10th or 11th grade (Advanced Math is then taught in 11th or 12th grade). Singapore Math covers algebra lessons in four series of secondary level books, which all start in the 7th grade and cover the equivalent of algebra 1 and geometry and even some trigonometry, depending on the difficulty level of the particular series.

Singapore Math does not produce separate Algebra 1, Algebra 2, or Geometry … Read the rest of this post…

This article compares the pros and cons of two popular algebra curriculums, Saxon Algebra and Alpha Omega Lifepac Algebra.

Saxon Algebra is a textbook format with an answer key and solutions manual. There are also teaching CD-Rom’s available, which can be a great help especially for students who need extra help. Alpha Omega Lifepac uses a unique, consumable fill-in-the-blanks workbook format, with ten student workbooks for the school year and one teacher manual. Think of the ten workbooks as chapters or units that the student will cover. Each Lifepac book takes about 3-4 weeks for a student to complete.

Saxon Algebra uses a characteristic format of lesson explanation with examples, followed by specific practice problems, followed by a problem set … Read the rest of this post…

The study of algebra is normally taken up in 8^th or 9^th grade, after a year of pre-algebra work.  But some homeschoolers with eager young students are faced with the question, is 6^th grade algebra curriculum too early?  Although this is a question that cannot be answered absolutely (every student being unique), a few considerations can be raised as to the pros and cons of studying algebra this early.

First, a bit of background.  In the US, traditionally, yes, the math sequence in high school has been to study Algebra 1 in the freshman year, Geometry as a sophomore, and Algebra 2 as a junior, with a variety of options for the senior year, including no math … Read the rest of this post…

Strengths:
The way I see it, the biggest strengths of using the Alpha Omega Lifepac curriculum for 9th grade Algebra 1 are the unit workbook format and the mastery learning. It sounds strange to be recommending workbooks for high school students. A lot of times, the textbook and notebook approach is seen as the only “grownup” way to study. And for 9th grade Algebra 1, students may indeed find themselves relying on a notebook or scratch paper to fully work the problems. But I love the Alpha Omega Lifepac unit workbooks.

I’ve seen so many high school students who just get overwhelmed at that stage. There are so many credits to complete, entrance exams to prepare for, a lot of … Read the rest of this post…

Saxon Algebra 2 is the follow-up course to Saxon Algebra 1, providing a second year of Algebra study, usually for the tenth or eleventh grade student.  Although some schools provide a separate Geometry course between Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, the Saxon curriculum is designed to provide a complete and thorough study of both Geometry and Trigonometry when the Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math courses are completed sequentially. Once these three Saxon programs are completed, your student will be well-prepared for Calculus.

Strengths:
The main strength of the Saxon math program is in its incremental and repetitive approach to learning. Students who study under this technique learn the concepts introduced so well, they can approach problem solving in … Read the rest of this post…

Using a friendly, Christian approach to learning, Alpha Omega Lifepac math also uses a mastery approach which differs from the spiral review and is better for many students.  The methodology uses a system of ten units divided into individual 9th grade Algebra 1 workbooks to motivate a sense of excitement and accomplishment.  The overall Alpha Omega Lifepac style is upbeat and engaging and uses Scripture to inspire students and help them do their math for the glory of God.

Topics and Methodology:
Some of the topics that Alpha Omega Lifepac covers in 9th grade Algebra 1 are radical expressions; irrational numbers; quadratic equations; graphing and graphical solutions; word problems; polynomials and operations with polynomials; algebraic fractions; solving equations and inequalities … Read the rest of this post…

Strengths:
The way I see it, the biggest strengths of using the Alpha Omega Lifepac curriculum for 9th grade Algebra 1 are the unit workbook format and the mastery learning. It sounds strange to be recommending workbooks for high school students. A lot of times, the textbook and notebook approach is seen as the only “grownup” way to study. And for 9th grade Algebra 1, students may indeed find themselves relying on a notebook or scratch paper to fully work the problems. But I love the Alpha Omega Lifepac unit workbooks.

I’ve seen so many high school students who just get overwhelmed at that stage. There are so many credits to complete, entrance exams to prepare for, a lot of … Read the rest of this post…

Using a Christ-centered mastery-based approach, Alpha Omega Lifepac curriculum for 11th grade Algebra 2 teaches high school math in a way that is motivating and successful.  The mastery methodology uses a ten-unit system of self-contained workbooks to give students achievable intermediate goals and keep up a good pace of work through the school year.

Topics and Methodology:
The topics that Alpha Omega Lifepac covers in 11th grade Algebra 2 include linear equations; quadratic formulas; exponential and logarithmic functions; permutations, and probability; algebraic sentences, and a great deal more!  These interesting topics from intermediate algebra are taught in a way that helps students succeed.

The methodology is mastery based, which means that students will learn a given topic area in one … Read the rest of this post…

Strengths:
Students love Switched On Schoolhouse for its multimedia features and easy to use homepage.  There is audio feedback, and even an option for all lesson text to be read aloud to the student.  For teaching 11th grade Algebra 2, the Switched On Schoolhouse program offers a lot of perks I like such as automatic homework grading; customized lesson plans; and professional grade reports.

The automatic grading is designed to save so much time and to give students the opportunity to get feedback on their 11th grade Algebra 2 homework right away, instead of waiting for a teacher to grade it.  It is an awesome feature.  They enter their homework answers directly into the computer, and right away it tells … Read the rest of this post…