Anyone here use Lifepacks or Horizons for math?

[lisaann]

Do you like them or not?

How do they cover their topics? Do they use a spiral approach or do they concentrate on one concept at a time?

How do they handle review?

[NewWorldOrder]

Hello Lisaann. I am using Lifepacs for 3rd grade math, and I like them. I like them because they have lots of review, that doesn't feel like review, before covering new concepts. And, new concepts are covered throughout, and not just once. Sometimes I have to look at the answer book to figure out what they are wanting to do, but that's not a problem in the lower grades. I have never used their lifepacs for older grades, I've always transitioned into Saxon, which is what we will be using for 4th grade because my daughter will be taking math through our co-op and they use Saxon.

Edit: I didn't answer your question about review. Each lifepac is divided into 5 sections, and at the end of each section is a "self test", kind of like a quiz. After they take the self test, they move on to the next section. At the end of each unit or booklet, they take a lifepac test. In the teacher manual there are alternative tests for each lifepac if your child didn't do very well on the one booklet, or you want to use a different test.

[lisaann]

Hello Lisaann. I am using Lifepacs for 3rd grade math, and I like them. I like them because they have lots of review, that doesn't feel like review, before covering new concepts. And, new concepts are covered throughout, and not just once. Sometimes I have to look at the answer book to figure out what they are wanting to do, but that's not a problem in the lower grades. I have never used their lifepacs for older grades, I've always transitioned into Saxon, which is what we will be using for 4th grade because my daughter will be taking math through our co-op and they use Saxon.

I've used Saxon most years but this year my ds was really struggling with how they throw so many different problems at them in one setting. He was using 4/5. I borrowed a friends Modern Curriculum Press for 4th grade and he is doing much better. However I don't like how they don't do daily reviews though, so every day I have to go back through the book and pick a few review problems (lazy I know :heh) Plus the other day I couldn't figure out how they came to an answer that they did since they don't give explanations, they just give answers. :panic I might just stick with MCP since she has others we can borrow, but I want to shop around first and see what else is out there. He is very quick with math but does much better one concept at a time. Saxon was just too overwhelming for him this year. We tried MUS last year and weren't too thrilled with it either.

I need something middle of the road, no gimmicks just straight forward math. One concept at a time with a reasonable amount of review.

Am I asking for too much? :hehee

[wife]

I used Horizons for the first few years and I loved it, but then it became too much with 3 kids. It is spiral. I love the extra sheets in the back of the teacher guide for practice and drill.

I haven't tried the lifepacs. We did use Sonlight and it is based on the lifepacs, but I decided to go with ACE instead.

[lisaann]

I haven't tried the lifepacs. We did use Sonlight and it is based on the lifepacs, but I decided to go with ACE instead.

Are Sonlight and ACE spiral based?

[wife]

Are Sonlight and ACE spiral based?

Sonlight is. ACE wasn't but now they give you the option of the old version which is mastery and the new which is semi spiral.

The reason that I liked Sonlight over Lifepacs was because Sonlight has designated lessons. Now granted ACE doesn't but it is easy to break down. I just like the mastery for my kids. They need that

[ChayilWoman]

I've used Lifepacs since the beginning. My oldest is in 4th grade. I absolutely love them, but they are all I've used so I have nothing to compare. My favorite thing is that the girls never really feel like they are learning something new and hard. Each new concept is introduced so gradually that all of a sudden your kid is adding and subtracting fractions, and you aren't real sure when they ever even started learning fractions. To me, it just seems so easy with lots of review.

:thumb Two thumbs up :thumb (:heh)