Make It Real Learning Activity Library
I recently had the opportunity to review the Make It Real Learning Activity Library–a collection of e-books filled with practical worksheets that truly give students the chance to use math in real-life scenarios. While they do not come from a biblical worldview, their format lends itself to the parent picking and choosing which scenarios to use as well as discussing them further and could be a resource for those wishing to bring in practical examples.
I’ve put my entire review below. If you’ve used the product, please feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment!
Hope you all are having a wonderful and blessed spring!
Review of Make It Real Learning Activity Library
Publisher: Make It Real Learning
Grade Level(s): K-College
Price: $39.99/complete library of e-books (11 in all) or $4.99/each individual e-book. Note: The publishers have offered a 10% discount (good through the end of 2011) for readers of this blog post; this is not an affiliate code, and I do not get any commission on it. I am just passing it along in case any of you wanted to use it. To use the discount, enter LOOP10 as the code during checkout at www.makeitreallearning.com.
Where to Obtain: www.makeitreallearning.com; a customized version is available at www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=334_381_383&products_id=14255 (see below for details about the difference).
Like its name implies, the Make It Real Learning series by Frank C. Wilson seeks to make math real for students, answering the question of “when am I ever going to use this?” The series consists of 11 e-books, each one of which contains 10 real-world scenarios. The e-books range from one on fractions, percents, and decimals to e-books on more advanced topics such as linear functions and quadratic functions. The majority of the e-books deal with upper-level concepts.
Each real-world scenario stands on its own and can be printed and handed straight to the student. Duplicate worksheets containing answers (and often detailed solutions) are included. The formatting is professional and clean. The scenarios could be used as periodic assignments to both provide a refreshing break from everyday math lessons and to teach students to use math practically. The e-books do not present any of the math itself (so you will want to make sure your child knows the information needed to complete the scenario); they are designed for the student to apply what he has learned or is learning to real-life scenarios.
The scenarios themselves vary greatly. Some of them rank among the most excellent, well-thought-out activities I have encountered. For example, students will get to find the cost of keeping a pet (using real petsmart.com data), make cell phone comparisons and investment decisions, and understand the math behind various pieces of data all around us we take for granted. On the flip side, the books also include scenarios mentioning topics I found unnecessary, such as AIDS and teen pregnancy. I would plan on finding several great scenarios in each of the e-books, but know that you also might find one or two you would not want to use or would only use with discussion (many of the topics, such as those on health or population issues, warrant deep discussions and explorations of a biblical worldview of that topic). Since the material comes as an e-book, you have the ability to select just the scenarios that will work for your family by screening them on the computer and printing only those you want when you want them.
The Old Schoolhouse Store sells a customized version of the product in which some of the scenarios Christian homeschoolers found inappropriate (such as AIDS and teen pregnancy) have been replaced with different scenarios. It still includes topics such as health/entertainment/population issues that warrant further discussion. Note: You can view the different topics covered in each e-book on the websites. The Old Schoolhouse Store version does not include the Calculus I e-book.
The thing I loved about many of the scenarios is that, unlike a typical word problem, they really take the student into the scenario and let them experience the decision in a way few math books even approach. When used selectively, I can see them being wonderful ways to present math as a practical tool, especially in the high school years where textbooks focus more and more on abstract math.
Note: The publishers have offered a 10% discount (good through the end of 2011) for readers of this blog post; this is not an affiliate code, and I do not get any commission on it. I am just passing it along in case any of you wanted to use it. To use the discount, enter LOOP10 as the code during checkout at www.makeitreallearning.com.
Disclosure: I requested and received a free copy of this product to review. See my review policy here.
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