Category: Curriculum Resources

Counting, number recognition, and sequencing; addition and subtraction stories; sorting; patterning, identifying shapes and geometric designs; telling time to the hour; using a calendar. There are no workbooks. 112 lessons.

Skip counting; ordinal positions; sorting rules and patterns; solving problems; mastering basic addition and most basic subtraction facts; adding 2-digit numbers without regrouping; measuring; comparing volume, mass and area; counting money; telling time to half-hour; identifying polygons; graphing. 130 lessons.

Skip counting; comparing numbers; solving problems; mastering all basic addition and subtraction facts; mastering multiplication to 5; adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers; measuring; perimeter and area; telling time to 5 minutes; identifying geometric shapes; identifying symmetry; identifying angles; graphing. 132 lessons.

Now available from the publishers of Saxon is the Math Intermediate Series (their public school line). This textbook-based program offers an alternative for parents who want to stick to Saxon, but want a colorful, hardcover text written to the student, rather than an overwhelming scripted teachers manual there are no teachers manuals in this series.

Intermediate 3 can be used in lieu of the traditional Saxon Math 3 and covers the same topics addition/subtraction facts, fractions, probability, estimating/calculating area, multiplication and division facts, dividing two-digit numbers, multiplying three numbers, arrays, congruent shapes, capacity, polygons, classifying angles, adding/subtracting multi-digit numbers, estimating lengths and distances, etc. There are 110 lessons and 11 “Investigations” which explore math concepts in-depth. Manipulatives are mentioned (but optional), and assessments are written only as opposed to both oral and written in the traditional Saxon Math 3.

Intermediate 4 and 5 can be used instead of Saxon 5/4 and 6/5. These include 120 lessons each, along with 12 “Investigations” in each. Early Finisher Problems found in the Intermediate edition offer enrichment and real-world application. Intermediate 4 includes word problems, elapsed time, inverse operations, multiplying two and three-digit numbers, mixed number and improper fractions, fractions/decimals/percents, geometry and measurement, division with two and three-digit numbers, estimating perimeter/area/volume, probability, etc. Intermediate 5 includes word problems, add/subtract/multiply/divide whole numbers/decimals/fractions/mixed numbers, equivalent fractions, convert between fractions/decimals/percents, estimation, variables/expressions/equations, geometry and measurement, probability, etc. Manipulatives are referenced throughout these levels (unlike 5/4 and 6/5), but they are optional. The same methodology is employed in both the Intermediate and traditional Saxon Homeschool math courses, but Intermediate goes more into detail with the 4-step problem-solving process: 1) understand the problem, 2) devise a plan, 3) carry out the plan, and 4) look back (evaluate).

Homeschool Kits include student text, test book and test answers, solutions manual, and “Power Up” workbook. The “Power Up” Workbook (similar to Meeting Book at third grade level) is consumable and offers practice with math facts, mental math, and problem solving. Please note that no answer key for the Power Up Workbook is included. There are also Activity Pages referenced in each student text which are available only as PDF downloads (see our site listings for the Homeschool Kits to download).

Additional materials are available separately Written Practice Workbook, Adaptations Student Workbook, and Student Reference Chart. Adaptations Workbook is now available for each level, which provides an alternative for students with special needs. This consumable workbook contains adapted versions of the practice problems found in the student text, with plenty of space provided for working the problems in the workbook. The adapted problems offer more visual prompts and clues for doing the problems. Written Practice Workbook includes consumable worksheets of the Written Practice Problems found in the text. Student Reference Chart* is intended for easy access to formulas, helpful hints, and other reference tools.

This is a great opportunity for those who love Saxon Math approach; you can now choose your program at these levels.

*same chart used with both Grade 4 & 5

Designed as a classroom curriculum and now available to the homeschool market, Saxon Math Course 1, Course 2 and Course 3 are a 2012 version of Saxons middle school math and are roughly comparable to Math 7/6, Math 8/7, and Algebra 1/2. They are designed to be the sequel for the Math Intermediate Series and to prepare the student for Saxon Algebra 1 & 2 (4th edition).

Course components include a Student Text, a Solutions Manual, a Power-Up Workbook, and a Course Assessment Book

[There is also a Teachers Manual for each course that we do not sell.] The Saxon incremental methodology is evident in these courses as is their commitment to continual review and repetition.

The hardcover Student Text provides all the daily instruction and assignments

As is Saxon’s norm, the text is no-nonsense but attractive in a clean-cut way. An accent color helps illustrate concepts and provides some organizational structure. There are 120 daily Lessons plus 12 Investigations (practical application) in each course. Groups of ten Lessons and one Investigation are wrapped into a Section, each of which has a particular focus and includes particular mathematical strands.

Daily Lessons follow a pattern that will be familiar to Saxon users. A Power-Up (Building Power) section reviews math facts and provides mental math problems as well as a problem-solving dilemma (i.e. problem). The New Concept (Increasing Knowledge) segment provides instruction (written directly to the student), worked examples, and a short Practice Set for reinforcing what has just been learned. Written Practice (Strengthening Concepts) is a longer set of problems that reviews and continues practice on concepts cumulative from the start of the book. Early Finishers (not included with every lesson) are a few real-world application problems available to students who complete the assignment early.

The Solutions Manuals include both answers and solutions

This is an answer key to: Power-Up facts, Mental Math, and Problem Solving. There are solutions to the following: Assessments, Practice Sets, Written Practice, and Early Finishers. [Please note that answers and solutions to some sets of exercises are only available to those with the Teachers Manual.]

Power-Up Workbooks provide one-page warm-ups for each lesson

These include Facts Practice, Mental Math, and Problem Solving exercises.

Course Assessments Book provides: Placement Test, Baseline Test, Power-Up Test, Cumulative Tests (taken after every five lessons beginning with Lesson 10 with two versions of each) and Benchmark Tests, as well as answer sheets and an End-of-Course Exam. There is also explanatory information about each of the tests and answer forms. The Placement Test covers Math 54 through Course 3 and includes an answer key plus a placement guide. The multiple-choice Baseline Test gauges the skills of an incoming student and should be given early in the school year. The content covers skills and concepts that are included in the math curriculum of the preceding year. This test might be totally unnecessary if you’re a continuing Saxon student but if coming into Saxon from another series, it could be helpful to determine if the course is the right one. Solutions for this test are in the Solutions Manual. Power Up Tests are given along with the Cumulative Tests and are designed as a quick assessment of fact recall. Benchmark Tests serve as quarterly exams or to help identify concepts that need additional instruction and practice. The End-of-Course Exam (multiple choice) is a final exam. This Course Assessments Book is expensive and may be necessary if you need to provide tests for an overseeing agency. Written Practices are cumulative, however, and will provide much the same information if taken under testing conditions. The Assessments Book is reproducible for a classroom.

This series from Saxon is a more recent version of their middle school math. Although Course 1 compares roughly to Math 7/6 and Course 2 compares roughly to Math 8/7, there are significant differences between Course 3 and Algebra 1/2. The homeschool editions of Math 5/4, 6/5, 7/6, and 8/7 along with Algebra 1/2 appear to be a bit more advanced at each level than their Course counterparts. This is noticeable when comparing the placement tests from each series. Although there are similar types of problems, the computational difficulty appears to be stronger in the older homeschool edition. As mentioned earlier, there is a TM (and a couple of other resources) for this series that is not available to us. However, each course is totally doable with the components available. ~ Janice

Saxon Math Courses 1,2, and 3 integrate and distribute traditional units, giving students time to learn and practice skills throughout the year, master content, and develop algebraic thinking for mastery of the Common Core State Standards.