We first used Math Mammoth during our first year on the Review Crew. We chose the Blue Series to complement our full-time curriculum. We have again chosen the Blue Series. I have found over the years that this topical way of learning math works well for our family. It is no longer supplemental to a traditional curriculum, but our full-time learning style.We can focus on an area in mathematics, moving forward, even when in another there are struggles or just a lack of maturity. This has become increasingly important as some of our children have difficulty with complete memorization of the multiplication tables. It seems as though that is a stopping point in other curricula. You cannot move beyond until those tables are memorized. We have found more success, less child frustration (and mama frustration as well) and better understanding of those “random number sentences” needing memorized. 
We enjoy learning together as a family as much as possible. Utilizing the topical worktexts of the Blue Series from Math Mammoth we can work together on some of the various topics. Obviously some are going to build on others, but these are generally able to be completed as the child is ready to move forward and not when they reach that chronological grade. My older girls are all working somewhere around a fourth or fifth grade level and the topics we chose fit right in there (and we’ve completed the earlier levels for those having more than one part).
The Geometry 1 Worktext ($7.00) begins with lines, line segments and angles. Shapes such as triangles, quadrilaterals and circles are learned. There is a lot of drawing. The drawing of what is being learned has been great for my kinesthetic learners. We have worked on a lesson or so a week. The worktext has the full explanation, examples, etc. written to the student then the chance for them to practice and demonstrate what they have learned. The girls are typically working on five problems or so a day. If there are more problems, I leave it up to them to work longer if needed (though sometimes they don’t need more time) or carry the work over to the next day.
One of the other worktexts we are working through is Measuring 2 ($4.00). We have Measuring 1 and the older girls have completed it. The first text was mainly learning about measuring, the how to. This next in the series is working with the measurements. What do you do with what you have measured. This has been more fun for the girls. The problems have applications that they can relate to. Saving money over time, time spent for a shopping trip, converting to different units, etc. Some of these type problems we have looked at when doing our geography studies. Encountering them again in their math lessons helps them to see that math really is used often. It is a tool, not torture.The other two worktexts we have worked on are the Multiplication 2 ($4.25). This begins with reviewing the basic multiplication facts. Two of the girls are still working through this beginning portion. They grumble a bit working in these books, but are still making progress. Often, Mrs. Miller has a different way of showing how to see the patterns in working through the math.We have also been working through Place Value 4 ($2.50). This is dealing with place value in the thousandths place and larger multi-digit numbers. This has been “boring math” as my mathy daughter puts it. Nothing difficult, or new really. Just practicing and learning that those big numbers don’t need to be so intimidating. I printed each of these pdf files out for each daughter, 3-hole punched them and placed in a binder for each girl (dividers marking where each text begins). To make the weekly work less intimidating, the pages are removed from the binder and placed in a 3-prong two pocket folder. The folder contains what I expect them to cover during the week. Sometimes, they want to work more (especially in geometry) and get more pages from their binder. At the end of the week, we go through the work completed.The girls are able to work independently on their lessons. When/if they have questions, I am available to help. By reviewing weekly, I can adjust their expected work as necessary.
You can print these out as a complete text or just a few pages as needed. Be sure to print in color as often the color adds quite a bit to the lesson. It is not just to “pretty it up”.
There is also the option for some of the texts to type the answer right into the pdf.
The Blue Series is available by the topic or as bundled sets. All of the ones we reviewed can be found in the Grades 4-6 Package for $57 (download). All of the Blue Series can be purchased in one bundle for $95. For Details on the packages, see this page on the Math Mammoth site.Math Mammoth offers many other options besides the Blue Series we reviewed. Other Crew Members reviewed various books from all of the series. Be sure to read their reviews and check out Math Mammoth to learn more.Thank you Math Mammoth!
The other two worktexts we have worked on are the Multiplication 2 ($4.25). This begins with reviewing the basic multiplication facts. Two of the girls are still working through this beginning portion. They grumble a bit working in these books, but are still making progress. Often, Mrs. Miller has a different way of showing how to see the patterns in working through the math.
