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Review: Mathematical Reasoning A

In our journey through the kindergarten year, I decided to integrate Mathematical Reasoning A into our daily rotation. While we also utilize Levels 1 and 2 for extra practice, Level A serves as a fantastic "confidence builder" for our daughter; since she has already mastered many of these foundational concepts, it allows her to feel successful while reinforcing her speed and accuracy. To preserve the book for our younger daughter and allow for repeated practice, I’ve removed the perforated pages and organized them into a two-inch binder using sheet protectors and dry-erase markers. The vibrant, high-energy colors of the Critical Thinking Co. layout make math feel less like a chore and more like a colorful adventure, which keeps our daughter genuinely excited to open her binder.

The curriculum begins with the essentials—shapes, numbers, and colors—but quickly moves into more nuanced territory. I was particularly pleased to see dedicated lessons on odd and even numbers, as well as ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Understanding ordinals is a vital cross-curricular skill, especially as she begins to structure her own stories and follow multi-step instructions. Because the program follows a spiral methodology, it consistently circles back to previous concepts. This built-in review ensures that once a skill is learned, it is never truly forgotten, providing a safety net that "mastery" programs sometimes lack.

While many kindergarten programs shy away from complex topics, Level A eases into addition and subtraction with a gentle, scaffolded approach. It provides a wealth of practice pages that ensure the student feels comfortable before moving forward. I was especially impressed by the introduction to fractions and number lines—two areas that our primary math curriculum hadn't fully addressed yet. These pages provided just the right amount of exposure to prepare her for the more advanced calculations she’ll face in the coming years.

Beyond the standard equations, the workbook incorporates "fun" concepts like basic graphing, telling time to the hour, and counting backward. To take these lessons off the page, we often head out to the driveway with sidewalk chalk; I’ll write a series of numbers and have her jump from one to the next while skip-counting or counting down. It’s a great way to burn off energy while solidifying her mental math! The book also includes "brain breaks"—simple logic puzzles where she might match a person's outfit to their destination or connect seasonal items with line segments—which provide a nice palate cleanser between more intensive math sets.


Ultimately, I unreservedly recommend Mathematical Reasoning Level A. It covers a vast array of core competencies that every student needs to master, and it does so in a way that is engaging rather than intimidating. Whether you are a dedicated homeschooler or a parent looking to supplement your child’s traditional schooling, this workbook is a premier choice for reinforcing mathematical fluency. If your student is ready for a different level, Timberdoodle offers the entire series to ensure you find the perfect fit for your child's specific stage of development.

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  1. Karla CookAugust 9, 2021 at 9:38 AM

    Sounds like a great fit for your daughter! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

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