In January 2009, I wrote a review of Math Mammoth’s Golden Series math worksheets. Today, I have the opportunity to share a little bit about the Blue and Green Series with you. Maria Miller, who created the Math Mammoth workbooks and worksheets, gave me the chance to choose any of the workbooks from any of the four series: Blue, Light Blue, Golden, or Green. I chose three texts I wanted to use as a supplement to our regular curriculum.

• Clock (Blue Series)
• Money (Blue Series)
• Measuring (Green Series)

The main difference between the Blue and Green Series is that the Blue workbooks contain easy-to-understand instructions for each new idea presented. Though I used the Blue workbooks for extra practice in topics Nick has covered before (telling time and counting money), the instructional material would allow a parent to use these books alone. The Green Series workbooks, on the other hand, are “problems” only. A teacher will need to teach the information from her own knowledge or using another curriculum.

Because the Clock Workbook is designed for grades 1 to 3, some of it was too simple for Nick. He already knows how to read a clock, after all. He just needs more practice (lots more practice) so he can learn to read the time more quickly, without hesitating and counting “5, 10, 15, 20…”

For each topic within the Clock Workbook, about half a page of instruction and examples are given to simply, yet clearly, explain the concept to the student. A few problems are given at the bottom of the example page, followed by one to three practice pages focusing on that concept. Review pages cover all of the concepts that have been introduced up until that point.

For Nick’s needs, I probably would be better served by having many more worksheets asking for “time to the minute.” In my opinion, this workbook would work best for students who are studying telling time for the first time, not an older child who needs lots of extra practice.

Math Mammoth’s Money Workbook is also designed for grades 1 to 3 and begins with identifying pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. I used this workbook with Nick for extra practice just like Clock, but I also used it with James who is learning to identify the coins and their values.

Instead of just covering the basics of identifying, counting, and adding money, though, Math Mammoth teaches “finding change.” Would you believe this is something that I have never tried to teach nine-year-old Nick? The Money Workbook includes straight-to-the-point explanations that make this new concept easy to understand and learn. I especially appreciate that the materials teach students to find the change mentally – without relying on calculators or fingers!

Measuring, from the Green Series, is geared toward third through sixth grade students and does not contain instruction. As I said, I wanted these workbooks as a supplement, but the Measuring Workbook goes quite a bit further than Nick has progressed in learning about various measurements – so we haven’t delved into it much yet.

One thing that has impressed me with the book, however, is that is teaches both standard (called “customary”) and metric units of measure. Most sections contain worksheets on customary measurements, followed by metric measurements, and then practice using both types of measuring. There is even a portion on how to convert between customary and metric, whether you need a weight, length, mass, or other measurement.

I have never understood metric measurements as well as I do standard, so I like the idea of teaching my sons both measurements together. Though we’re not ready yet to use these Measuring worksheets without any instruction to go with them, they’ve made me rethink where we need to go with our measurement-related math lessons in the future.

Math Mammoth workbooks can be purchased in PDF, and some are also available as print copies. The PDFs allow you to print only what you need, as many times as you need. Prices vary depending on the workbook and format chosen, but all Math Mammoth products are meant to be affordable.

From the Green Series, the Measuring PDF costs $4.25 and contains 38 worksheets. From the Blue Series, Clock is $3.50 for a PDF or $10 printed and contains 44 lesson pages; Money is $3.25 in PDF or $9.50 printed with 42 lesson pages. (Math Mammoth offers Canadian Money and European Money editions as well.)

Thank you to Math Mammoth and The Old Schoolhouse Crew for sponsoring this review.