Category Description for Kumon Math Workbooks (1-6):

A math program based on the Kumon method. Basically, the earmarks of this system are:

• Concepts introduced in small, incremental steps, allowing children to master them without confusion
• Single topic books rather than mixed strands. Children concentrate just on addition, for example, before moving to subtraction
• Concepts are taught by discovery method than being spelled out

The series is meant to be self-directed. Students take charge of their own learning on every level. They complete pages, check their work, record their scores, and determine whether to move on or review. The pace almost guarantees success. Children should work a "few" pages a day; assignments should take about 20 minutes to complete. Pages are marked with the skill level required at top and the points each question is valued at (a very young child will need some help totaling points). Very short instruction (or an example) is given on a few pages. For example, there is a short explanation when children begin to subtract a 2-digit number from a 3-digit number where borrowing is needed. However, the child is given every opportunity to intuit this beforehand. By the time he reaches this page, he has already been subtracting double-digit numbers for many pages. Some of these would require borrowing, but, since they are able to subtract, say, 7 from 12, the Kumon method wants the child to see a pattern when increasing to 7 from 22, 7 from 32, etc. This does remind me of the approach used in Miquon as well. Besides these very infrequent helps there are just some small prompts for children to look for patterns in their answers, and words of encouragement. Pages are pleasing to the eye; they are colored, clean, and problems are well-spaced. The Kumon method has been used successfully with children around the world for over 50 years. It does seem like it would help a child to take charge of his own learning and help himself to understanding rather than being spoon-fed each bite. For Kumon math earlier than Grade 1, see the Kumon section in Early Learning.

In this new series, based on real-life animal tales, discover that not all heroes wear capes - some have four legs, a wet nose, and a brave heart, like Sterling, the moose who fell in love. Read about Sterling, the silly moose, who loved cows. It was the time of disco and flower crowns. The heartbeat of the era reached Sterling, the 1,000 pound moose in his woodsy marsh in Canada. His marsh stood by a dairy farm, which was lucky, as Sterling was obsessed with cows. He broke the farmer's fence, ran with them in the paddock, andmade new friends - he didn't want to leave! But the farmer wasn't so happy with Sterling... Would he find his way back to his beloved cows? This heartwarming story has a fact section at the back, so you can learn more about moose and how you can help them. Stunning nature scenes from Laivi Poder will make you want to dive into the page. Also in the series is Onyx, based on the reintroduction of wolves of Yellowstone Park. Fluffles, the koala who held strong through a bushfire. And Talala, the leopard cub who found her own family. A tale of friendship and bravery despite the odds, this tale will make you laugh and may even bring a tear to your eye.

Boys and girls! Unlock your imagination, build big ideas and dream of what you can achieve in the big, wide word. The possibilities are endless if you try hard, be kind, and believe in yourself...

While building a soapbox racing car, a pair of friends provide an easy-to-understand lesson in how simple machines are all around us, making our work more efficient. Michael and Luci show readers that a broom is a lever, nails are wedges, and a screwdriver is both a lever and a wheel and axle. The two also prove that curious children can be just like scientists, making observations and using how and what questions to explore physical science principles they encounter all the time. Michael s Racing Machine is part of the I Wonder Why book series, written to ignite the curiosity of children in grades K 6 while encouraging them to become avid readers. These books explore the marvels of light, color, machines, sound, and other phenomena related to physical science. Included in each volume is a Parent/Teacher Handbook with coordinating activities. The I Wonder Why series is written by an award-winning science educator and published by NSTA Kids, a division of NSTA Press.