Math Puzzles and Brainteasers, Grades 6-8: Over 300 Puzzles that Teach Math and Problem-Solving Skills

Good

My daughter was failing Pre-Algebra, her test grades were D's & F's. This book helped to bring her back from the brink. In the process of working with the teachers and learning what the school curriculum involves and DOESN'T involve, I realized that she was lacking not only in her reading comprehension and grammar for the word problems, but in some of the basic math logic. Along with double-checking her homework and reviewing her math facts, I give her 2 pages a week from this book and her test grades are now A's and B's. I don't know if it's the threat of more worksheets at home that is motivating her; or the skills she gained by completing these puzzles… regardless, I can say that it has definitely helped. It's important to note two things: 1. I have also been working on her reading comprehension. The focus has been on sentence structure and some diagramming to help her deal with some surprisingly BAD grammar in the worksheets and workbooks from school. (DISCLAIMER: English was my minor, so if English isn't your strength, I highly suggest a tutor if you suspect this is the problem.) 2. Beware. Expect some resistance. The puzzles are not easy, but they are solvable and will definitely give your child some perspective when handed worksheets at school! I had to talk her through the first few (answers are in the back!), but now she is completing them on her own.

Very good book. Contains a mixture of puzzles from easy to hard.

Some great brain teasers however I wish it were more organized to be more teacher-friendly. I hoped I could find activities that matched the concepts I was teaching by looking in the table of contents. The table of contents in this resource just gives general titles (like "number sense"). It would be a good bell ringer resource or something that an individual can work through page by page.

This came early, which is great as it is part of a Christmas gift.