If you haven’t heard yet, The Good and the Beautiful released their Math 7 curriculum. In today’s post, I’ll provide a brief overview of the course including what I notice about it and what I like about it. Before I get started let me share this important information. It is a known fact that when The Good and the Beautiful releases a new curriculum, it sells out FAST. So, my advice is if you need this curriculum for next year, don’t wait to get it. Now onto the post.

It’s finally here!

Math 7 is the newest release from The Good and the Beautiful and is a part of their Simply Good and Beautiful Math Series. They have been working on their math curriculum for the past few years and have moved into the middle school levels. As you can expect, higher-level math takes a lot longer to create. There are more math experts involved in the creation of higher-level math.

It’s also helpful to know that the name Math 7 does not necessarily mean that it is Grade 7. Like much of The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, it is rigorous and can seem advanced for some students. My advice is to use the placement assessments available online to find what level of Simply Good and Beautiful Math will fit your child best.

Differences with Math 7

With each of the math levels, there are slight differences as you reach different groups of levels. For example, Levels K through 3 have math boxes included with the curriculum that provide a hands-on learning experience paired with each coursebook. Levels 4 through 6 no longer include a math box, but instead include an online component through a learning video teaching the material to the students, allowing more independent learning.

With Math 7, there is yet again a change that helps to make learning higher math less daunting. First, Math 7 is broken into four unit course books. Each course book contains one 30-lesson unit that ends with a unit review, assessment, and enrichment activity. Math 7, like previous levels, is laid out so that it is completed in 120 lessons. I personally love the unit course books because when you hand a child a very large coursebook, not only is it somewhat overwhelming for them, but it is quite difficult to navigate through because it can be too thick and not open well. These smaller unit coursebooks lay almost perfectly flat. Also, each time they finish a unit, it gives the child a sense of completion. Another advantage to the four-unit format is the typical homeschool family splits their school year into four quarters. So a good way to keep tabs on your progress through the course is that your child should be finishing one unit each quarter.

The next thing that is different with Math 7 in comparison to Math 6, which my youngest daughter is using this year, is that it includes an Answers and Solutions Guide. What’s different about that you may ask? Well, this little gem has each problem worked out. Not only does it give you the answer to the math problem but it actually shows them how to correctly solve it. This addition is so needed in higher-level math because sometimes you can see the answer but you have no idea how they are getting there. Having the problems worked out for grading and correcting is an answer to prayer.

Similarities with Previous Levels

Now let’s talk about some things that you may recognize if you are familiar with Simply Good and Beautiful Math levels. First, there is an optional video lesson that your child can watch to learn the math concepts for that day. If you don’t want your child watching the video lesson there is a lesson overview in the math book that your child can read or you can read to your child. So you have both options. I personally love the video component and use it with my daughter.

The lessons are formatted similarly to Math 6. They have a section to help warm up the brain and after the lesson overview, there is a practice that gives them problems on the concept they learned during the video lesson or lesson overview. The lesson ends with a review section that provides problems that review previous concepts taught.

Another thing that is the same is that the pages are colorful, engaging, easy to read, easy to navigate, and not overwhelming. It’s not just a blank page of black-and-white math problems. It is very well done. It’s not over the top and distracting but is inviting and engaging. I think that is really important because a lot of math curriculums lose that component, especially as the math level goes up. However, The Good and the Beautiful does not take those components out and they see the importance of it even for older children.

Fostering Independence

Math 7 is designed to be completed independently by your child. Obviously, you are still guiding your child along, offering assistance when needed as well as checking their answers and problems. As far as the actual lesson goes and the navigation through the material, it is open and goes for the student. There is nothing you need to prepare as a homeschool parent. They can watch the video or read the lesson and begin their work.

They also have an optional Math Scratch Pad that is formatted with grid lined paper which I find to be helpful when lining up place value in problems.

What’s Ahead for Us

My youngest daughter, as I mentioned earlier, is finishing up Math 6 this school year. Next year we will be using Simply Good and Beautiful Math 7. She has excelled using these math courses and I’m excited to see her growth next year as she continues using Simply Good and Beautiful Math.

Curious about earlier levels?

I have many videos I’ve created over the years about using Simply Good and Beautiful Math. I’ve included them below. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss an update on future levels.

I hope you found this post helpful and are encouraged in your ability to homeschool those higher-level grades. It's definitely more feasible when you have a great curriculum like The Good and the Beautiful helping you along the way. Until next time friends!

NEW Level for Simply Good and Beautiful Math