Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
Finding a homeschool math curriculum that meets each learner’s needs and addresses my own math insecurities has by far been my biggest homeschool challenge, but thanks to ThemeVille Math, we’re off to a great start with our daughter this year! ThemeVille Math is a complete elementary math curriculum that includes a worktext and a solutions manual with optional hands-on manipulatives and online videos. Currently they have levels 1-5 available. Our daughter is working through grade 4.
The worktext has 126 daily pre-lesson to review previous concepts and 126 new lessons. It is designed to focus on one concept at a time and combines a spiral and mastery approach. There are ten tests for the student to complete at assigned places throughout the worktext. The cumulative scores can be calculated to assign a grade to the student at the end of the year. The level 4 worktext is $29.85. Again, optional manipulatives can be purchased at their website to help reinforce the concepts and add to hands-on and real-life experiences. The mission of ThemeVille Math is to help learners “See the themes behind the details.”
The first ten lessons of level 4 include a review of the first three levels.
Level 4 also includes:
- Fractions, Mixed numbers
- Addition/Subtraction of fractions
- Factors, Prime numbers
- Comparison/Rounding of numbers
- Long division
- Decimals – Tenths, Hundredths
- Addition/Subtraction of decimals
- Big numbers
- Multiplication/Division by 10 or 100
- Time calculations
- Word problems
- Area/Perimeter
Each worktext book has teacher’s instructions in gray boxes throughout the lessons. These are helpful, but some people may find they need more support for instructing their student. There are optional videos on the website to accompany the lessons, so that adds an additional layer of teacher/student support. The solutions manual includes all the answers, including for the pre-lessons, so I highly recommend the solutions manual to accompany the worktext. The solutions manual for level 4 is $14.85.
Here’s an example of the teacher’s instructional support to lead into a lesson.
ThemeVille Math is aligned with Common Core. I’ve always steered away from Common Core for homeschool, but this was the very book that clicked with our 4th-grader. My suspicion is because she transitioned from public school to homeschool in third grade and this was much more related to the way she first learned to understand math. Whatever the reason, it has been a delight to go from tears and frustration or boredom, to excitement about understanding new concepts. It was beautiful to see her work on Lesson 18 involving fractions and say the solutions out loud before I had time to read the problems to her. Experiencing that kind of “click’ makes us both happy!
ThemeVille Math’s simplicity in no way negates its impact. I think one of its strengths is that the big concepts are broken down into bite-sized chunks, making it easier for the student to comprehend and retain information.
Our daughter’s only complaint is that the text is heavy and cumbersome, 582 pages, so not very portable when we do school anywhere other than the table, which is often. (Math snuggles on the couch or a park bench are so much better!) The worktext has three holes in the spine so it can be placed in a binder. I tried tearing out one week’s lesson for her binder but ended up accidentally ripping the pages. That small critique would in no way keep me from purchasing a math curriculum that makes my daughter and me smile while we’re working on it together!
If you’re looking for a complete elementary math curriculum with a simple approach, I highly recommend Themeville Math. To see how other families experienced all levels of ThemeVille Math, click on the image below to be taken to the Crew Review page.
The Harlow Hearth 