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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 1:09pm | IP Logged
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I'm thinking about getting these for my third grader to read as a math supplement. What elementary book should I start him in? The website says to start from the beginning. We really can't afford to do that. An IRL homeschool friend that uses them didn't recommend starting with the first book. I'm not convince we need to start in the first book. Those that have used this, what do you think?
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 4:00pm | IP Logged
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My advice is to see if anyone can loan you the first book. Fred builds- it is all kooky and fascinating, and you don't want to miss out!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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3ringcircus
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 4:58pm | IP Logged
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I have only the first book and my 1st grader was moving through it very quickly. He's no go-getter in math, either.
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Christine
Mom to my circus of boys: G-1/06, D-1/04, S-4/10
Started HS in Fall'12
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 6:09pm | IP Logged
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Even though the math in the early books is pretty basic, there is SO MUCH MORE in these books that is really interesting.
There is algebra, astronomy, history, the number vintillion ( or however you spell it  ), the difference between braces, brackets and parentheses,
geography, carnivores and omnivores, Archimedes, Euclid, the world's longest set of homonyms, the progression of the English language, why eating too much causes diabetes... just so much more. it's amazing.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 6:28pm | IP Logged
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Looks like I need to save up to buy the whole set!
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: March 13 2013 at 7:10pm | IP Logged
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pumpkinmom wrote:
| Looks like I need to save up to buy the whole set! |
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We've bought them two at a time since they aren't cheap, for sure! But I do tend to agree with Melinda about the variety of things covered. And even though you may go through the first book or two rapidly, some of the concepts introduced that are assumed later are not things that are normally covered in the early grades.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SallyT
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| Posted: March 14 2013 at 9:08am | IP Logged
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We've done the same thing -- two or three at a time. My younger kids are 3rd and 4th graders this year, and we have found it helpful to run through the set from the beginning for all kinds of reasons (we began in Apples, and now we're about halfway through Farming). The math is basic, but this has provided a lot of good review for both kids, who also do MCP math in their respective grade levels. Amazing how you can forget how to regroup in subtraction if you don't practice regularly.
We do them as a read-aloud and the "Your Turn to Play" practice sections as mental math, though increasingly we also use the whiteboard to do the problems. We have moved through the series pretty fast, because the math at the beginning was so basic, but that's been a good thing for us -- we've learned a lot about playing with math this way. I would have liked to finish the whole elementary series this year, but now I'm thinking that it's good to slow down some, since we've almost caught up with where we are in the kids' grade levels.
Anyway, we love Fred. Definitely worth the investment!
Sally
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Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 14 2013 at 10:22am | IP Logged
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Adding my resounding approval for Fred! He's been a big hit here this year!!!
I started my third grader in Apples at the beginning of our year, pumpkinmom. He's moved through several of the beginning books, and as Sally points out, some is review, but so much is varied and really promotes *thinking* as a skill! We usually do the "Your Turn to Play" orally, and then we go through a set of flash cards for a particular operation. It's allowed me to keep math moving forward, while still keeping it very, very simple on me. And very enjoyable for my little student, who begs for Life of Fred reading time!
So, to answer your original question, I'd probably start at Apples, and you'll probably move quickly through some of those beginning books. We can easily read one chapter a day, just sitting on the couch, and then go through the math orally...in about 20 min. There are about 20 lessons per book if that gives you an idea of how quickly you might move through the books. I planned on two books per 12 week term, and that's worked out to be just about right for us.
I really can't say enough favorable about them. Initially, I planned on using them much as Sally describes in her post - as a supplement running concurrent to our regular math...but then I got pregnant and it was clear that this year was going to need to be extremely malleable, simple, and flexible for me. So, I set our Saxon books aside this year - for my big kids (I don't do formal math with littles under grade 4). And I just let them read and narrate from Fred.
My 7th grader (math gifted) started reviewing fractions and decimals with the Fred books (even though I knew that would be a total review) and has managed to move all the way through Pre-Algebra and now through the Algebra books in Fred - all in one year at his own pace! I'll probably move him back to Saxon next year, but he'll have a great grounding in Algebra already and he will likely test through a big chunk of Saxon as we find his best fit in terms of placement in Saxon/Alg I.
My 11th grader reviewed all of the Algebra and Geometry Fred books this year. She is math-capable (read: tolerates math, but not gifted). She said she really didn't like the idea of a "Fred year" in math, but it didn't take her long to become a convert, and she now affirms that many concepts she felt shaky on in Algebra/Trig/Geometry, she now understands and *sees* because of the explanations in Fred. She really appreciated the narrative style of Fred, the great humor, the wide topic discourse, and the very understandable math/algebraic explanations. This coming from someone who would avoid all math if given the opportunity - so, praise indeed!
I know you were just asking about your 3rd grader, pumpkinmom, but I wanted to add that fuller perspective for anyone else reading and maybe wondering about upper years' math in Fred.
We'll probably go back to Saxon again next year, but will certainly continue to use Fred! I would consider the way we used Fred this year to have been supplemental - just stretched out over a year rather than running concurrently with another program. I couldn't have planned it that way!! But, it has worked out really well for us, and I'm glad we had this opportunity to go through Fred in this way! And...since I never would have considered a full year's worth of Fred could be supplemental and quite worthwhile structured just like that - read as you go - I wanted to mention that in case anyone else might be needing an idea for a super simple/streamlined math year. Fred could be a great answer, and you definitely wouldn't be spinning your wheels!
By the way....anyone looking at saving by purchasing any of the Fred books...or even the full set - the best price for the Fred series is through Rainbow Resource. I spent HOURS researching the best price last summer, and all roads led back to Rainbow Resource.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 14 2013 at 11:13am | IP Logged
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I second Rainbow Resources. I was able to buy some Fred books used (right here at 4real  ), but then I completed our set through RR.
The shipping was very fast. We laughed that it must have been the Kittens University mail system at work in the box.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 14 2013 at 12:40pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone! I have them on my wishlist for Rainbow. They offer a discount when buying the sets. I may have a garage sale next month to pay for the first set.
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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4Real Forums : Living and Loving Numbers
Topic: Life of Fred
