ABC's and Sweet Tea: Understanding Pre-Algebra by The Critical Thinking Co.™ ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

For the last few weeks we have been reviewing another math product! One of my favorite things to review! Understanding Pre-Algebra by The Critical Thinking Co.™ has been a great new addition to for Gavin in math.

Gavin is coming up on what would be his 8th grade year, so it's time to get him ready for Algebra 1. I thought Understanding Pre-Algebra would be a perfect way to really make sure he would be ready for it with high school right around the corner.

Understanding Pre-Algebra isn't like most other math curriculum that Gav has used which is normally video based. For our review, we received a complete workbook with the teaching material, and work sheets all in one. I have to say with Gav being a very visual learner that did concern me, but it really surprised me how well he has taken to it.

Understanding Pre-Algebra is suggested for grades 6-8. The goal of this book is to make sure the students really and truly understand the concepts of math and have the critical thinking skills that is necessary for them to be successful in Algebra 1. This is exactly what I need for Gavin. He's good at math, but fails to remember some of the important concepts. I actually used this book along with his regular math and it has helped him tremendously already!!

So how does it work? It's honestly one of the most simple math programs that we have reviewed or used so far. It's broken down into 15 chapters and then each chapter is broken down even further to individual concepts. Here's a look at the chapters and what they cover.

Chapter 1 ~ Family of Numbers
Chapter 2 ~ Working with Integers
Chapter 3 ~ Working with Rational Numbers
Chapter 4 ~ Ratio, Proportion, and Percent
Chapter 5 ~ Percent Applications
Chapter 6 ~ Algebraic Expressions
Chapter 7 ~ Equations and Solving Word Problems
Chapter 8 ~ Inequalities and Applications
Chapter 9 ~ Understanding Square Roots and Irrational Numbers
Chapter 10 ~ Two Dimensional Geometry
Chapter 11 ~ Understanding Volume and Surface Area
Chapter 12 ~ Graphing on the Coordinate Plane
Chapter 13 ~ Transformations and Congruency
Chapter 14 ~ Understanding Functions
Chapter 15 ~ Probability and Statistics

So like I said, this is a super simple curriculum but packed full of great info that your child can understand. That is so important especially when it comes to math. At the beginning of the lesson, we read what the concept was about and how to do it. As you can see from the very beginning this workbook is not boring, but it is full of color to help with understanding what is being taught in each lesson.

I can't tell you how many times we went back to the following page to use as a visual while he was working on Real Numbers. It was perfect for Gav!

Each lesson is explained in detail, and then followed up with plenty of practice problems before moving on to the next concept.

After your student has finished with the chapter, there is a chapter review going over the concepts learned.

In the back of the book, you will find a glossary, a final exam, and the answers in the back. Part of me wished there was a different answer book, so I didn't have to keep flipping back and forth, but it definitely isn't a deal breaker.

We absolutely loved reviewing Understanding Pre-Algebra from The Critical Thinking Co.™. I am going to continue to use it throughout this year until we complete all of it, right along with his video math. I feel like they work very well together to solidify his understanding in these important concepts. If you have a child getting ready for Algebra 1, I really recommend this program!

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