The Critical Thinking Co.
www.criticalthinking.com
PO Box 1610
Seaside, CA 93955-1610
800-458-4849
Math Analogies--Beginning is a reproducible workbook for grades K-1. It is the first in a series of three books. Each page has a few problems. The child is presented with a pair of pictures followed by a single picture and a blank. The child is expected to draw in the shape or object (or occasionally a word) that would complete the relationship. For example, the first pair might be a small circle and a large circle, and then the next object shown would be a small rectangle on its short side. The child would draw a large rectangle on its short side.
In my home, I used Math Analogies with my kindergarten-age daughter. She quickly got the concept and enjoyed drawing in the correct answer to the problem. Some were harder than others and gave me an opportunity to discuss the relationships with her.
I really liked the way that analogies were presented in a non-threatening way. As a child I always dreaded the analogies on tests because I didn't understand the relationships given, but this gives a child practice with analogies and drawing conclusions about similarities and differences between pairs. Used as a supplement, this book definitely provides a change of pace and enrichment to whatever curriculum is being used.
While I personally really like Math Analogies, the topic doesn't really fit into a classical education at a kindergarten to first-grade level because logic is not stressed then. Furthermore, auditory learners might not quite grasp the concepts, but visual learners definitely will. Overall, I really like this product and feel it has value in my homeschool.
Product review by Marisa Corless, MH, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2010
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