Singapore Dimensions Math Pre-KA/ TOS Review

One of the best parts about being on The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew is finding a product that you have never tried before, and LOVING it!

This is exactly what happened when Singapore Math Inc. sent us a copy of their Dimensions Math PK-5 curriculum. We received a copy of the Pre-KA grade level, which included a teachers guide, a workbook and a textbook. 

I have heard of Singapore Math before, but in all of my 17 years of homeschooling I have never tried it. Singapore and Dimensions Math both use the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract approach. 

I really can't tell you all of the details about what makes Dimensions Math different from the original Singapore Math ( I do know that it is more geared towards US students) or other math programs, but I CAN tell you about our experience with this particular curriculum, and I can tell you right off the bat that we loved it, and will be purchasing the next semester when we are finished with this one. 

(This review is picture heavy, but stay with me! With these types of products you really need to see the product to understand)

My son, unboxing his new math curriculum!

He is a character!

We received a Teacher's Guide, a Textbook and a Workbook. 

The teacher's guide is geared towards a classroom, however, I really think that it is the key piece to the curriculum. The textbook and workbook are self explanatory, but the teachers guide is full of great suggestions and helpful content to take your child's learning to a whole new level. 

Inside the teachers guide you will find a table of contents that show what all your child will be learning this semester. 

It shows you a list of materials that you will need for each chapter. It also tells you what blackline masters you will need along with optional storybooks and snacks. 

It includes a suggestion outline of the number of class periods it should take to complete each chapter, but we all know that, as homeschoolers, we make our own schedules! And this teacher's guide is very easy to tailor to your individual child/children. You can easily pick and choose what activities you want to do, or what you may have time for that particular day. 

Here is the scope and sequence for the PKA level. 

Dimensions Math offers some really great online resources to make the curriculum more fun and complete. 

The videos are super cute and really bring the songs to life. 

Here is an example of a lesson in the teachers guide. It will tell you the materials needed and the objectives for that lesson. 

The explore section is my favorite. This is what really brings math to life. You will be using actual items to reinforce what you are teaching. You will be showing your child items of different colors, different textures, different sizes, etc. By using real life examples your child get to see and touch, and they can feel what bumpy is, and what smooth is. They can visibly see that one item is taller or shorter than the other. It is all about hands on and bringing the concepts to life. 

Brently's favorite part of  this program is going on missions. When we learned about the colors red and blue, green and yellow, etc., I sent him on a mission to find something in each of those colors. When we learned about counting he went on a mission to find two things that were green, one thing that was red, three things that were blue, etc. Even if the teacher's guide doesn't specify a "mission" for a certain chapter, I still make one up because he continuously asks to go on a mission! 

The teacher's guide also includes the answer keys. 

The student has two books of their own. The textbook and the workbook. They work in correlation with each other. The child learns the topic and practices a little bit in the textbook and then has more practice in the workbook. 

Here are some of the workbook pages that we have done so far. The lessons and the practice pages are perfect for early learners. They don't ask the child to do anything too hard, and my son thinks they are so fun!

Here are a couple of videos from our counting lessons. 

As I mentioned earlier, I have homeschooled for 17 years, and have tried a lot of early math programs. This is by far my favorite! I love how it incorporates real life, hands on learning. You can use manipulatives, or the blackline masters, household objects, etc... The child really gets to feel and see the concepts. They are actively involved in their learning. It feels more like playing than doing "schoolwork."

I have really enjoyed this program, and am honestly very grateful that I was chosen to review this product. I likely would have never tried it on my own. 

If you feel like this would be a good fit for your family, you can find all of the grade levels here. (If you are looking for the Pre-K and K levels, scroll all the way down)

Our crew reviewed several different levels of this curriculum from grades Pre-K to 3. Be sure to check out the rest of the reviews to find other grade levels, or what other crew members thought of Dimensions Math.