Beast Academy 5D Math Guide

SKU
048702
ISBN
9781934124666
Grade 5-8
Neutral
Medium Teacher Involvement
Visual
Other Materials Optional
Sequential
Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.
Our Price
$16.00
Description
5D includes square roots and exponents.
Publisher's Description of Beast Academy 5D Math Guide

Beast Academy provides a fun, rigorous, challenging, complete curriculum for aspiring math beasts. Level 5D includes chapters on percents, square roots, and exponents.

The guide is written in an engaging comic book style, and the practice book provides nearly 600 problems ranging from introductory level exercises to very challenging puzzles and word problems.

Overview

Beast Academy is the new elementary-school math curriculum from Art of Problem Solving. When complete, Beast Academy will provide a full, rigorous, and entertaining curriculum for aspiring math beasts in grades 2-5. The series consists of four two-book sets for each grade. The Guide book of each set presents the lessons and the Practice book provides exercises and problems to reinforce the lessons.

Beast Academy 5D is the fourth set in the four-set series for Grade 5. Guide 5D delivers complete lessons to the students of Beast Academy in an engaging comic-book style. The companion book, Practice 5D, provides nearly 600 problems ranging from introductory level exercises to very challenging puzzles and word problems, to reinforce the lessons in the Guide.

Beast Academy 5D covers the following topics:

Percents : Converting among fractions, decimals, and percents, estimation, proportions, and percent change.
Square Roots : Estimation, comparison, and the Pythagorean theorem.
Exponents : Multiplying and dividing powers, negative exponents, scientific notation, raising a power to a power, and solving equations.

The Art of Problem Solving folks present: Beast Academy. Proving that any monster can do math, these comically monstrous beasts take you along with them as they face math challenges both inside and outside the Academy. Described as "rigorous, challenging, engaging, and fun" by the publisher, I would expect nothing less from a curriculum designed to ready your child for the demands of MATHCOUNTS and post-elementary AOPS curricula.

There are four parts for each grade level though the series is not all available as of this writing. Each part consists of two books: a Guide and a Practice book. Core instruction takes place in the Guide which is written in colorful, comic-book style and stars a cast of not-quite-cute monsters. Each book is divided topically into three chapters.

Grade 2 chapters are: 2A – Place Value, Comparing, Addition; 2B – Subtraction, Expressions, Problem Solving; 2C – Measurement, Strategies (+ & -), Odds & Evens; 2D – Big Numbers, Algorithms (+ & -); Problem Solving. [Currently, only 2A and 2B are available. Contact us for availability.]

Grade 3 chapters are: 3A – Shapes, Skip-Counting, Perimeter and Area; 3B – Multiplication, Perfect Squares, Distributive Property; 3C – Variables, Division, Measurement; 3D – Fractions, Estimation, Area. Grade 4 topics are: 4A - Shapes, Multiplication, Exponents; 4B - Counting, Division, Logic; 4C - Factors, Fractions and Integers; 4D - Fractions, Decimals and Probability. These chapters are further divided into sections (subtopics). For example, Chapter 1 of Grade 3A: Shapes contains sections labeled: Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, and Polyominoes. 5A practices 3D solids, integers, expressions and equations. 5B covers statistics, factors & multiples and fractions. 5C will teach sequences, ratios & rates and decimals. 5D includes square roots and exponents.

Activity sheets, asides, notes, extensions, and games are often interspersed between the sections. Helpful, red rectangles at the end of some pages tell you when to break and do practice problems. Stop signs also appear in the corners of some panels. These contain questions for the student to answer before continuing to read. Guides are non-consumable. All written work is done in the corresponding Practice book which contains 300-400 practice problems and puzzles that reinforce the Guides' instruction. Practice chapters each begin with a recommended sequence (like a lesson plan) correlating the reading (Guide) to practice pages. Problem sets generally begin with a recap of the concepts covered and a model problem with solution. Some problems have a pencil icon next to them signaling the student to write an explanation in addition to their answer. "Very challenging" problems are starred. Doubly-starred problems are, well, beastly. For students requiring a little help with these, each has a hint to get them started. These are found in a separate section in the back of the book so students won't be tempted to use them unless necessary. Complete solutions to all problems in the book are also included. All pages in the Practice book are perforated, so you can optionally tear out either problem sets or solution keys if you desire.

So how does this program compare to other math curriculums? Compared to Saxon Grade 3, they cover basically the same topics, though each covers a few that the other doesn't. Saxon follows a spiral approach and integrates review whereas this program is very topical and by the strand with neither tests nor chapter reviews. Saxon is a traditional math course whereas Beast Academy is not. It is innately more conceptual and interactive because of its unique lesson format. While Saxon is intended to be teacher-led, Beast Academy is written to the student. While manipulatives are an integral part of Saxon instruction, they would only be used here by choice as student problem-solving aids (though the characters use "real" objects in the context of the lessons). Students are encouraged to think and problem solve to a greater degree as you might expect in a curriculum from this publisher. There is no shortage of practice problems, a shortcoming often found in less traditional programs. The math-oriented student would get the most mileage (and challenge) out of this program. It is probably NOT for the student that needs a lot of hand-holding. That said, my child that most disliked math would have loved this program because of its highly-visual format and contextual presentation of concepts.

Beast Academy has its own support website (www.beastacademy.com) which contains free pre-assessments (with solutions), selected printable practice pages, coloring pages, and errata. When your little beast is finished with grade 5, he or she can move on to AOPS (or any other demanding) middle-school math program. Grade Packages include all four Guides and all four Practice Books for each grade level.

Category Description for Beast Academy Level 5

  • Book 5A: 3D solids, integers, expressions, and equations.
  • Book 5B: statistics, factors and multiples, and fractions.
  • Book 5C: sequences, rations and rates, and decimals.
  • Book 5D: square roots and exponents.

Details
More Information
Product Format:Paperback
Brand:Art of Problem Solving
Grades:5-8
ISBN:9781934124666
Length in Inches:10.875
Width in Inches:8.375
Height in Inches:0.25
Weight in Pounds:0.75
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