As homeschoolers, teaching our children math fundamentals is a priority, but it can be overwhelming.
And even though I taught elementary school for 11 years before I started homeschooling, I still wanted a checklist of math fundamental skills to cover for each of my children each year. Wouldn’t you know, Evan-Moor just released a new publication specifically for teaching math fundamentals that is specific to each grade level, and it is terrific!
Let me share why the Math Fundamentals series works perfectly for homeschoolers! Be sure to download the free sampler and try it with your children.
Math Fundamentals Is Kid-Approved
To quote my fourth grader, “I really like this new math book, Mom! I understand math better, and the pages don’t overwhelm me. Math is fun now!”
Isn’t that what every homeschooling parent wants to hear? She even asked if she could work ahead in her Math Fundamentals book this week! What a compliment to this series!
The Layout of Math Fundamentals
Math Fundamentals divides each set of skills into units. This helps you and your child focus on specific math skills.
Each unit begins with a teaching page. This teaching page can be used by both the parent and child to understand the fundamental math skill the child will learn. It is very helpful to have the skill explained with examples, with all of the teaching points all together on a single page.
Each of the skills showcases simple teaching points. You can work through them one at a time as your child is ready for each step of the math fundamental skill.
Here is an example:
In this unit, the math fundamental skill is telling time by the half-hour for grade 1. There are two teaching points listed: the analog (face) clock and the digital clock.
See how everything is labeled and easy to understand?
Another thing that I really like is the “Think” question at the bottom of the page.
Here is another example for teaching fractions for grade 4. My child and I both found it easy to focus on one skill at a time.
The Practice
There are typically 4–5 pages for each unit. I really like how the pages are arranged. The first page is the foundational math fundamental skill. Then, the next page invites the child to build on that first skill and use the next skill taught on the teaching page.
You can CLICK HERE to select and preview each grade level.
The practice pages are key to helping me to see if my child truly understands the skill.
These pages feature a combination of basic math fundamental skill practice and story problems, which shows me if my child understands the skill outside of a formula. It is a perfect opportunity to see if your child can apply these math fundamental skills to real-life situations!
How to Use Math Fundamentals in Your Homeschooling
Math Fundamentals is a complete math curriculum, so we can simply focus on one unit at a time. You also have the flexibility to work at your child’s pace, slowing down when he or she needs more time or speeding up if it is easy.
For example, if my child breezes through the skill pages, then we can leave the remaining practice pages as workbox review in a few weeks.
If my child is struggling, then it is easy to just slow down and do a few problems together. I also like that the number of math problems doesn’t overwhelm my child. It is focused and purposeful practice – not just “busy” work.
Want Access to All Grade Levels of Math Fundamentals?
Another feature that Evan-Moor offers homeschoolers is including all six grade levels of Math Fundamentals in their TeacherFileBox subscription. TeacherFileBox has all of the Math Fundamentals titles in their digital lesson library!
This is the best value, because you can easily skip ahead to the next grade level if your child is ready without buying another level of curriculum! Likewise, if your child is struggling, you can also go back a grade level to review skills he or she has forgotten.
I don’t know of any other publisher that offers all grade levels of a series to homeschoolers. This is just another reason that I am a fan of Evan-Moor!
Math Fundamentals is a big hit at our house. It helps both my child and me focus on each set of skills for the week. It has made teaching math much simpler. I also have peace of mind knowing that the math fundamental skills are covered for each grade level.
Be sure and CLICK HERE for sample pages and to learn more about the new Math Fundamentals and TeacherFileBox! Once you try it, be sure and leave me a comment to let me know how it is working for you!
Amy Michaels is a certified teacher with 11 years of elementary classroom experience who is actively homeschooling her own children. Her mission is share the best teaching methods and resources with all homeschoolers. Amy supports parents through her podcasts, webinars, and online training for homeschoolers on her website www.thrivehomeschooling.com.
Take your students on an exciting journey to the remote continent of Antarctica and uncover its mysterious past and uncertain future. With its dramatic topography and fascinating wildlife, this study unit has something for every student.
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.
Reading Aloud
Visuals and Games
Latonya Moore is the creator of 
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.
Although entertaining and funny, this well-loved children’s book, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, teaches students to look past the trappings of Christmas and discover the meaning behind the spirit of giving.
This timeless story, The Polar Express, and Caldecott Medal winner will captivate your students with its beautiful illustrations and magical journey.
This classic book, The Gingerbread Man, is a great crowd pleaser. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
This creative book, Snowmen at Night, tells the story of snowmen coming to life at night and encourages students to stretch their imaginations.
We can all remember the very first day we started teaching. Those jittery memories are floating somewhere in the back of your mind. When I first started teaching, I worked in a low-income school with a class consisting mostly of English language learners. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by the inadequate resources of my school and the high needs of my students.
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.
