Homeschool Review Crew Review: UnLock Math

Since my son has difficulty with math concepts due to his diagnosis of Dyscalculia, a math learning disability, I am always looking for new resources that will not only help him master essential math skills but will also help him to retain what he has learned. When the Review Crew offered the opportunity to review UnLock Pre-Algebra from UnLock Math, I asked to review this product.

The UnLock Pre-Algebra course and all of the UnLock Math courses are all-inclusive online math curriculum that help children learn math at their own pace. UnLock Pre-Algebra covers all of the topics listed above. Daily lessons start with a Warm Up during which students work through math problems one at a time. Then, students view a short, fun video about that day's topic. Next, students complete Practice Problems. Again, these problems are presented to the student one at a time, which helps students stay focused and not feel overwhelmed. Then, students complete the Stay Sharp section, which offers additional practice. Finally, students can push themselves with the Challenge section. Each lesson also lists that day's objective which also helps students stay on track. Below is an example of the student's daily lesson page.

Each main topic covered in the curriculum is broken down into manageable, daily lessons. For example, unit one, Whole Numbers, is broken down into five different lessons. Quizzes and Tests are also listed on the student's start screen so they are easy to find. For independent learners, the start screen makes it easy for parents to determine how many assignments a student has completed daily. A sample of the student start screen is pictured below.

Below is a sample of the problems for each section (Warm Up, Practice Problems, Stay Sharp, and Challenge). As the mother of a child with Dyscalculia, a math learning disability, I like how the program presents one problem at a time. For my son, this helps him from being distracted and from becoming overwhelmed. I also like how it offers the student numerous opportunities to practice what they've just learned. For my son, repetition is part of the key to helping him retain what he has learned.

The UnLock Math programs include a downloadable pacing guide that explains how the programs should be broken down and how many days each unit should take. It also contains a printable formula sheet that students can use as they work through the problems in each section. This is extremely helpful to students like my son who have a learning disability that makes it difficult for them to remember math concepts. Each lesson also provides a link to a printable Resource List (see sample below) that explains main points and contains a list of vocabulary terms. This is also a great resource for students like my son who have difficulty recalling math concepts as it provides a paper form of all of the pertinent information they need to know for the specific unit they are completing. Finally, the program has a downloadable list of reference notes for each chapter that once again highlights the main points of each unit. As I mentioned before, repetition is key in helping children with math learning disabilities be able to achieve success in their math endeavors.

Below are two sample video clips from the UnLock Math Pre-Algebra curriculum. The first is on Roman Numerals while the second is about Place Value. This will give you an idea of how this portion of the course works.

UnLock Math Pre-Algebra - Roman Numerals

UnLock Math Pre-Algebra - Place Value

You will also want to check out these other great programs from UnLock Math: UnLock Algebra1, UnLock Algebra2, and UnLock Geometry. To learn more about UnLock Pre-Algebra and UnLock Math, visit their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest pages. UnLock Math: Geometry is the newest curriculum offered by this vendor. Each program allows your child to continue growing in their math skills as they advance through Middle School and High School level math courses.

To read additional reviews on UnLock Math, stop by the Review Crew page.