Principles of Algebra 2 (Curriculum Pack)

This is a solid curriculum. The worksheets aren't overwhelming, and the solutions manual really helps when we need to figure something out. I'm not a math person, but this curriculum helps me understand it along with my daughter.

We have used all the math except the geometry. We tried something different last year with geometry and it wasn't the best. This year we returned for Algebra II and like in years past its a good year. My granddaughter is one that likes to do thing on her own and is doing great. She loves the math from Master Books. The books are written well (& to the student) and the amount of work seems to be the right amount. She seems to like math too which is a definite plus. Thank you for making this curriculum possible.

A couple of years ago, my son completed the Principles of Mathematics, books 1 and 2 (Pre-Algebra course). I especially liked book 2 in that series. It does a phenomenal job of preparing kids for Algebra I, and I love how the lessons constantly praise our Creator. After completing these courses, my son completed Foerster Algebra I, which is a solid math course. But I did not like the layout of the Foerster's Algebra II book nor the way it explained concepts. So, when I stumbled upon the Principles of Algebra 2 curriculum, I was very excited. We are a little more than a quarter of the way through the curriculum.

Pros
*Praises God in every lesson. I do not want my kids to think that math and God are separate. I want them to know that God created mathematics and that God's character can be seen in the consistent way that the principles of mathematics operate.

*My son wanted to be able to watch the video lessons instead of read through the text. I have found the accompanying videos available from MasterBooks Academy to be good. I have even learned the reason behind why we do what we do in certain situations in math. And I was a math teacher, but oftentimes we were just taught to follow the steps without understanding the reason behind them.

*The book is full of real world problems.

Cons
*Most lessons come with two worksheets which are to be completed on separate days. Some lessons only have one worksheet. There are not very many problems on each worksheet, and I have found that it is just not enough practice for my son.

*It seems to me that the practice problems that are given vary too much. I wish that the author had put 3-4 similar looking problems in a row prior to switching to a different looking problem. For example, on the section 5.2 worksheet (Combining Like Terms in Fractions) there are nine problems in all. Only two of them have negative exponents. The first problem is (4x/x^3) + 3(x^-2).

The second one is 2a(x^3)y - (y) (5ax / x^-2).

It would just be helpful to have several problems like the first type and several like the second. If my son misses one or both of them, then I do not have any other problems to give him to practice to make sure that he understands.

Another example of this is that Chapter 2 in the book covers fractional exponents. On the review for the chapter, there are three problems with fractional exponents (plus one more that you get to use a calculator for). The first problem is a fractional exponent raised to a power, the second is two variables (both represented by the letter "b") being multiplied together where each one is raised to a different fractional exponent, and the third is the number one being divided by a variable raised to a fractional exponent. All three of these are different and use a different process for solving them. It would be nice to have several different examples on the review of each type of problem. Then on the quiz for this chapter, there aren't any fractional exponent problems for them to solve.

Additional observation: There is a heavy emphasis about using proper labels in solving real life problems. Sometimes, because there are so many labels in one problem, it becomes a bit cumbersome. It takes a lot of time to write everything out. I almost wish that instead of some of these problems, more space on the worksheet would have been devoted to extra practice problems.

Overall Thoughts: While I am so grateful that this book constantly points my student back to God and there are some great explanations of why we solve the problems the way we do, I really wish there was a supplemental practice problem book for each section in the text which gave a good 4-5 similar problems prior to moving on to a different or more complex type of problem using the same concepts. That is the only reason I am giving this curriculum 3 stars instead of more.

I have always been strong in math and have looked forward to teaching math, especially the higher levels, to my kids. This is such a great curriculum that continues to point the student (and parent ;) ) to God every step of the way. It is full of REAL LIFE examples so students actually get WHY they are being asked to learn Algebra 2, which is something that was severely lacking from my own educational upbringing. There are 3 books needed - the Teachers Guide that has the worksheets for each lesson and the tests, the Student Text which is full of wonderful examples and explanations that make learning natural, and the Solutions Manual which gives you the answers to the worksheets and tests. As with all Master Books curriculum, it truly is open and go. There is an Academy Course which is super helpful as well! I would highly recommend for any High School student in need of Algebra 2!

This course is written to the student with the intention of the student using it independently.
Student Book: Each chapter gives many examples on how those concepts are used in real life. Which answers the question: “Am I ever going to use Algebra?”
I especially like the notes (highlighted in green) within each concept. They point out helpful reminders or specific things to look for.
The Keeping Perspective section of each lesson focuses on how that concept points to God and all that He created.
There are many beautiful, vibrant pictures. Lots of graph examples which really help the student to see the problem worked out.
There is an extremely helpful reference section in the back of the book with drawings, units of measure and other helpful reference items.
The Teacher's Guide: Suggested schedule broken down into 36 weeks.
Clear directions for each set of problems. I really like the extra hints/notes/reminders.
Includes Challenge Problems which are designed to stretch a student's thinking and give them glimpses into how Algebra applies to real life.
Instructions are given for when it is appropriate to use a graphing calculator which a student should become familiar with before they are taking standardized tests at that level.
Plenty of problems to help a student to practice each concept, but not so many that it is overwhelming.
The Solutions Manual: Includes many extremely helpful grading note suggestions. Points out that there may be more than one legitimate way to solve a problem. As long as they have the right answer, that is okay. Tips on grading and calculator usage are included.
Step by step solutions are provided.
Notes are added that tell you what the student was instructed to do in that lesson.
*I also recommend the ecourse for this curriculum. It is great for a visual learner to walk them through the steps.

I had pretty strong education in math, and I still learned something new from this set. This Algebra 2 set has real application teaching combined with biblical worldview. I like that it is challenging enough, but also provides all the needed support the student and parent may need to go through the course.

The author uses some problems from the Franklin Elementary Algebra which uses real life problems, not abstract only.

Teacher's Guide includes the problems that are similar to the ones used in the main textbook, so the student can practice the skills but on the known problems. I really liked also that the set includes Solution Manual with all the answers and clear explanation/directions how to get there. It can be very helpful for busy parents and those who need to brush up their math skills (like me lol).

In addition, the author constantly refers to God, and how the math reflects God's faithfulness to us which strengthens our trust in Him and His promises.

This is nothing close to what I had to use when studying Algebra 2. I am excited for my kids to get a different perspective on Algebra 2 and grow closer to God through it as well. Beautiful work Katherine Hannon!

High-level math from a biblical perspective…Yes Please!

This math set is incredible it says right at the very beginning of the book. How it teaches not only Algebra but how it points us to God and his very existence.

The workload for each day is a manageable amount, but the work itself is still challenging. That’s why the solutions manual is so helpful. It step-by-step shows you how to solve each problem. Which is a must-have.

Master Books is a company our family trusts to equip our children with tools they need and will use in life.

I received this free digital course in exchange for my honest option.

This is a delightfully straightforward math Algebra 2 curriculum. The course book comes with full color images, tables, or examples that bring the material to life. This course is written where each concept is tied back to God and the Bible, showing that math is much more than just rules, but was wonderfully designed, allowing students to see the beauty amongst the complexity. The course book would be considered the "textbook" part of the course and offers explanation and example problems for each concept covered. I especially enjoyed the real world examples given for certain topics that answers the age old question of "when will I ever use this in real life?"

The Solution Manual is a wonderful supplement to the Teacher Guide. This black and white text includes solutions for all worksheets, quizzes, and tests. Solutions include the answer, step-by-step instructions when indicated, and explanation of how/why equations are set up when indicated. The combination of the visual equations and the explanation make it easy for both student and teacher/parent to check the work and understand errors. The text is broken down with worksheets in order of how they are completed first, then a section with quizzes, and lastly a section of all the tests. This mimics how the Teacher Guide is set up, which makes finding the correct problem set easy.

The Teacher Guide contains all the practical information you need in order to actually teach Principles of Algebra 2. The book starts with an overview of the course with some practical information including a list of supplies that might be needed (calculator, notebook paper, optional video course in Masterbooks Academy, etc.) and study tips for the student. There is a suggested daily schedule that clearly breaks down the lesson progression. This course is designed to be taught 5 days a week for 36 weeks (9 weeks for each quarter). This includes days for quizzes at the end of each chapter, tests at the end of each quarter, and a final exam. I especially love that it builds in 2 study days between the quarter 4 test and the final exam. Obviously, this course can be flexible to fit the needs of any family, but a clear schedule is something I always appreciate as a guide. All of the daily lesson worksheets, quizzes, and tests are contained in this book, so it is a necessary book for the course. I absolutely love how it's laid out.

I was given these books for free in return for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I used to love math in high school, but no math teacher could ever explain how to use Algebra in real life situations. This course shows the student that math is a real-life tool and not meaningless and boring equations and problems. The student will explore the blood pressure of giraffes and see how amazing God created giraffes. Also, the math behind hot air balloons and how men have utilized the consistencies God created to develop a useful device like hot air balloons. The special arrangement of seeds in a sunflower testifies God’s wisdom and care. This course makes math come alive. There are a lot of finance application examples guiding the student to be good stewards of money but above all to avoid the love of money and rather focus on investing in eternity.

The student text is colourful and lessons are presented very well with detailed explanations and illustrations. It all points to our Creator God, His consistent universe and how He consistently governs all things.

The student needs the following to complete this course: Principles of Algebra 2 Student Text which contains the presentations and explanations of concepts; Principles of Algebra 2 Teacher Guide which contains the worksheets, quizzes, and tests; and the Principles of Algebra 2 Solutions manual which contains step-by-step solutions and notes for the worksheets, quizzes and tests. There is an optional eCourse available through MasterBooksAcademy.com which provides more guidance and is helpful for visual and auditory learners (and Mom!).

I highly recommend this self-taught course for students who already completed an Algebra 1 course.

I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review.

Principles of Algebra 2 lives up to its name as applied algebra from a biblical worldview. The text is engaging, with full color pictures, diagrams, and highlighted areas to break up text and help the reader understand the concepts and easily find key information. Throughout, there are relevant, real-world application problems. And the biblical worldview doesn’t disappoint. Instead of just math with Bible verses here and there, this text really helps us see God in math, and how it is a tool He gave us to better understand creation. I am really looking forward to using this Algebra 2 text in our homeschool!

Principles of Algebra 2 Teacher’s Guide is a necessary, but helpful supplement to the student text. Inside, you’ll find it to be very organized and easy-to-use. There is a daily schedule for what to read from the student text, as well as which worksheets to complete in the Teacher’s Guide. The work amount appears on-par with what I’ve seen from MB in the past – just enough to practice the concept, not enough to overwhelm. We have always liked MB style for that reason. My only drawback is that there is not enough room on the worksheets to complete the problems, so all the written work will need to be done a separate piece of paper. However, this is how most math books are, so it’s not necessarily a drawback, just something to be aware of. Overall, I highly recommend this entire Algebra 2 curriculum.

Principles of Algebra 2 Solutions Manual is a very helpful tool to have, especially if the parent is not confident in teaching Algebra. Each problem is worked out step-by-step, with the answer highlighted in gray to easily check answers. There are also grading guidelines to assist in grading fairly at this level of math, where the correct answer could be found in different ways. Together with the Algebra 2 Student Text and Teacher’s Guide, this is a comprehensive and well-designed curriculum.