AGS Algebra I Workbook

You now have affordable choices for math curriculum. This series by AGS comes from a secular publisher for our patrons who prefer or need curriculum with no Christian content.

Each bundle includes student text, student workbook, and Teacher's edition and is available for pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra II, and geometry. The Student Text offers a "How to" at the beginning so you know how to use the book and how to study effectively. There is a section that includes skills and concepts to be covered at that level. "Chapter Features" includes a variety of helpful information and exercises that support the lesson content. "Problem Solving Strategies" help you use math in every day life. Answer keys (not solutions) for select problems are found at the back along with a glossary and other reference materials, supplementary problems and reviews for basic skills. The Student Workbook offers one page of additional practice for each lesson. The Teacher Edition includes a planning guide, lessons plans, small-format student text pages with teacher notes in the surrounding margins, overview and objectives with tips and ways to reinforce and extend the lesson, correlation to NCTM Standards, and answers to the workbook activities. Student workbook pages are shown in the bottom margin in the teacher edition, just below the corresponding text pages so you know when to assign them. Other answer keys (not solutions) that are available in the teacher edition are those for odd numbered problems in the text and a few select even numbered problems, supplementary problems, tests, and activities found on the Teacher Resource Library CD-ROM. Suggestions for instruction with manipulatives is also included in the teacher notes.

The books are divided into chapters and chapters into lessons so that you are completing approximately one lesson per day to equal a one-year course. Each lesson is formatted similarly and begins with the presentation of information, examples, and practice exercises. Calculator practice is included in many lessons, and small boxes of information or optional activities are included to enhance the topic. Each chapter is concluded with a chapter review which is multiple choice (for standardized test practice) and supplementary problems found at the back of the student text which requires pencil and paper work can be used for review or assessment purposes.

Unfortunately, there are parts of this program mentioned in the teacher edition that aren't available to homeschool families. The Teacher Resource Library isn't available and is referenced in the teacher edition as having additional activities and the tests. The Skill Track Software is also unavailable and is used to assess the mastery of each chapter and lesson of the book. If you aren't worried about tests or additional activities, you won't miss these items.

I put the pre-algebra and geometry next to BJU and Saxon and found some differences. BJU Pre-algebra jumps in using integers at chapter 1; while AGS doesn't even address integers until chapter 7. AGS spends more focused time on graphing where the other courses integrate graphing with other concepts. BJU and Saxon both include instruction on polynomials - AGS doesn't address the topic. AGS does a very thorough review of basic functions (add, subtract, multiply, divide) using positive numbers only with whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percents for the first 6 chapters. AGS, BJU, and Saxon Geometry cover most of the same topics including axioms, postulates, and theorems, but BJU and Saxon appear to have more practice and explanation.