These standard math workbooks for 4th to 12th grade students provide those students the key to basic math-skill mastery. Key to… workbooks are classroom-tested and proven successful with students at all levels. The workbooks are grouped into broad subject areas like measurements, fractions and algebra and may be purchased separately or a la cart starting at $3.95 per book. Answer keys and educator guides are extra. Each workbook has available a “Key To… Tracker.” This is learning assessment software that provides an easy, effective way to monitor and keep track of a student’s day-to-day progress.
Website: Key to… Series
(4 Reviews)
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Contributor Reviews
Reviews are solely the opinions of the contributor.
Cons: None
Grades Used: 6th (plan to use thru 9)
I found this product halfway through this school year (6th grade). We absolutely love this program. ( Prior to this we had been using TT. I found myself reteaching everything she was doing in TT on a daily basis, as she was confused and couldn't always remember past lessons. I had also tried Saxon and it was very difficult for her. ) Since starting keys to math, my daughter's math confidence has risen greatly. She still needs some help now and then but everything follows a logical order and it is like taking tiny baby steps from one problem to the next. I do not have or use a teacher's guide because everything is so thoroughly explained in the student workbook that I do not need help in explaining anything to her when that situation arises. The teachings and explanations are mostly through examples so it is not an overwhelming amount of information to read and it is all in the student workbook. I suggest starting at 4th or 5th grade with this series because there are so many books in the series to cover and the information is approached in baby steps making it easier for beginning math students. My child has dyslexia and math has always been a difficult subject for her. I cannot stress enough how wonderful I think this program is. We are still working on the first set of books, keys to fractions, so I am hoping all of the series is as good as the fraction set. We went from tears daily during math to my child grabbing her math book on her own time to do problems!!! I truly never thought I'd see the day.
Grades Used: 9th, 7th, and 5th
We have used Key to Fractions and Key to Algebra. I love these workbooks. I have "refreshed" my memory while working side by side with my children and find this program extremely user-friendly.
Grades Used: 4-5
It did the job, helped one of my daughters to learn in a subject where she was having difficulty. But she just didn't have fun with the program. I would use it again with my other children, but only if it was an area where they were really struggling in their main curriculum.
Cons: may need to supplement with review materials
Grades Used: middle school
I have used Keys to titles with my three oldest children in the past, and I returned to them again this year. My daughter is using Key to Algebra, and my youngest son is using Key to Fractions, Key to Percents, and Key to Decimals.
All 4 of my children like this series. They appreciate being able to work independently. My oldest son said he liked the real world applications of every subject. It gave him an understanding of the practical context for each math topic. Another benefit is the very different way these workbooks provide instruction. A traditional math text teaches a concept, then leads students through a few solutions. With Key to curriculum, the text illustrates the concept and leads the student to discover the solutions. My daughter and youngest son are dyslexic, and this approach has been very helpful for them both. The text is very visual. What little writing you do find is easy to read and not at all overwhelming, as we have found in other math texts.
We have found them extremely easy to use. I have no preparation with these workbooks, and if one of my children has a question, the instruction is clear enough that I never have any problems guiding them to the answer, and I am not at all mathematically inclined. Earlier I set a pace of 4 pages per day, which my children were easily able to accomplish. They checked their own work each day, and made corrections as needed. I followed up with my own check every couple of days, and never had problems with copying. This time around, I'm letting them set their own pace, completing as much as they can each day.
We used Key to Metric Measurement and decided it was redundant. You really only need one measurement course. After completing Key to Measurement, Fractions, Decimals and Percents, my oldest three were ready to move into pre-algebra or Algebra I. The only thing these workbooks do not do is provide review of previous concepts. I never found that to be an issue. Upper elementary addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are used daily in this series. If I noticed one of my children needing review of some of the covered topics, I printed free review materials I found online.
I would definitely recommend this series.