Are You Looking for an Offline Stand-Alone Algebra Resource? {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Math may not change, but approaches to learning it often get tweaked - at least in my family they do. If the same goes for your family, and if in your current season of life and learning you are looking for an offscreen resource for learning math,  The Critical Thinking Co.™ is worth a look. 

My 11-year-old son and I recently had the chance to review Understanding Algebra, I from The Critical Thinking Co.™ and, although it was not a right-fit-for-right-now resource for my family, I can see its merit and am saving the rest of it for another season here. I also believe the book could be right-for-right for others, so let me explain more about it. Maybe it will be just what you are looking for!
 
What is Understanding Algebra 1?

Understanding Algebra, I is a 380+ page, full-color, soft-covered, reproducible student math book with answers included.  It was written by award-winning math teacher Terri Husted - who has over 30 years of teaching experience - and is targeted for students in grades 7-9.

The book presents all the essential concepts and skills needed to master Algebra I, highlights vocabulary and notation, and has examples from math history. In doing so, it aims to help students see the connection between the math they already know and algebra.

In moving through the books, students work on:

•  Set and Set Notation      •  Number Lines      •  Graphing      •  Rationals      •  Operations      •  Expressions      •  Equations      •  Inequalities      •  Word Problem      •  Percent Problems      •  Ratio Problems      •  Motion Problems

•  Work Problems      •  Absolute Value      •  Polynomials      •  Factoring      •  Radicals      •  Linear Functions      •  Slope      •  Elimination      •  Graphing      •  Substitution      •  Absolute Value      •  Algebraic Fractions

So, as you can see, the book truly hits all the important aspects of an Algebra 1 curriculum. 

Plus, since it is reproducible, families can use it for more than one child. For me - because I am using it with my youngest - this is not as big a deal, but for families with many children, it can be a huge boon - saving families money! 

The answer key can also help students use the book independently or help older siblings help younger siblings with it.

Mom Made a Mistake, not the Writer of Understanding Algebra, 1

Because I want my 11-year-old son offline for math and thought he was ready to try Algebra concepts even if technically "young" for them, I was eager to review Understanding Algebra, I with him.

What I did not realize, however, is that he is stronger at computation than he is at vocabulary and theory and that his current online program - which has been working fairly well for him at his age and level - has somewhat trained him to see only one problem at a time and looking at a whole page of concepts and/or problems can be daunting to him. So, I quickly discovered that I was premature in introducing Understanding Algebra, I to my son.

Basically, the first time we used the book, we sat on a swing outside reading the beginning lessons together and working through the listed questions orally and on scratch paper.

Because the first lesson was heavy on text about sets, set notation, types of numbers, and vocabulary - which are not things my son favors - we had a rockier start with the book than I had hoped for and my son was not excited about continuing to use it.

Still, we carried on... Sometimes, I worked with my son again and sometimes I asked him to set a timer, read the text, and do problems on his own, coming to me when he struggled. One of the times when he did this, he chose to start the entire book over again from the start.

In this manner, we persisted enough to honor this review, but, due to the hard start and the temptations of warm weather, my son, sadly, has yet to take to the curriculum.

When I asked him his thoughts about it, he frankly said:

When I first started this book, my mom and I did it together and I did not like it. When I continued, it got a little better, but I still did not fully enjoy it. I felt like there were too many questions on a page and in a chapter, and it made me feel frustrated and bored... I am used to a math program that gives on problem at a time in very short lessons.

 

Even though I did not like the beginning at first, I began to like how they explained everything at the beginning so you could go back and review it.  

 

I would recommend the book to Algebra enthusiasts and those who enjoy workbooks. I might try it again later... just not right now.

Partial Mom fail! NOT Terri Husted (the author) fail.

Partial for me (Mom) because I prematurely introduced this book to my son and did not do so in a way to draw him in, but somehow he is still willing to try it again later.

Not a fail on the author's part, because Terri Husted has written a sound curriculum which I am confident could work well for my son later and for many presently. 

Would I Recommend Understanding Algebra, 1?

If you are looking for something that is offline, can be used with multiple students in the same family or classroom, has perforated pages for ease of use/copying, and, of course, covers Algebra 1 completely as a stand-alone resource, despite my son's current lack of favor for Understanding Algebra, I, I would recommend looking at it. 

I have examined different chapters in the book, think it is well-presented, and believe it can be quite helpful in teaching students who are ready for Algebra 1. 

If, however, you have students that don't do well with vocabulary, etc., you may want to start with computations and then double back to the initial pages of the first lesson as I wish I had done. 

Further, if you have a child who does not favor many words or problems on a page, you might need to work together or cut things up a bit.

All things considered, though, Understanding Algebra, I is sound in my opinion.

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