Maria's Math News, August 2025

Hello again! In this month's newsletter we have:

Math Mammoth news
Placement into Math Mammoth
Using the Blue Series
Feedback on Grade 1
Dyscalculia
7-Up Addition Game
Just for fun!

1. Math Mammoth news

The traditional AUGUST SALE is live at the Math Mammoth website for the digital versions!

Get ALL the digital downloads at 25% off! Use coupon code EP2T-42MF-FABQ at checkout.

The promotion will last through August 31, 2025.

Start shopping >

Rainbow Resource Center will run a sale for Math Mammoth printed books September 2 through September 8.

2. Placement into Math Mammoth

If you are considering Math Mammoth, or have recently started using it, this info is for you!

I want to emphasize the importance of proper placement. Sometimes, children struggle when they first start to use Math Mammoth, and most often the reason is because they were placed too high into the curriculum.

We offer a set of comprehensive placement/assessment tests for you to use. (These tests can be used as generic math assessment tests, also.)

They are end-of-year (EOY) tests — in other words, meant to be taken AFTER studying the particular grade.

The tests enable you to find out about any gaps in your student's knowledge. In many cases, it is necessary to fill in those gaps prior to starting the Math Mammoth curriculum. (And you definitely can still do so even while using it.)

For filling in those gaps, we recommend our Blue Series topical books.

You can always send me your child's test results (already graded, please) if in doubt, and I will then suggest resources for your student's situation.

Read more and download the test(s)

3. Using the Blue Series

This tip is from a MM user who is using the Blue Series units for a full curriculum (which is possible; you just have to plan well):

I thought I'd share how I've set up my kids' math materials for next year. I've used your suggested order page for the Blue Series as a guide and put together a selection of units for each of my three school-age children. I've printed everything out and tabbed it by unit so they each have essentially a personalized math book for next year, tailored to their needs.

As you can see, my rising 1st grader and kindergartener have a lot of overlapping units in a slightly different configuration. Based on what each child has already mastered (between previous Blue Series units and other curriculum), and the fact that I can skip around and move between units as needed, I think they will be fine with this basic order. This way they can be doing almost the same work over the course of the year but in such a way that it is not obvious who is moving faster or is "ahead" of whom. And my rising 3rd grader, who is much more independent than her younger siblings, can work through her binder at her own pace.

Something I love about the Blue Series so far is that while I took a guess about how much math they can do during the year, there is no looming sense that we have to "finish the book" by next June. If we need to take longer or add additional units or detour into some other topics or materials, that's fine.

I think this is going to be wonderful for us as we begin our new academic year later this summer. Thank you for helping us put this together!

4. Feedback on Grade 1

I am working on a revision for grade 1. With that in mind, I'm interested in hearing feedback from those of you who have used grade 1. Any ideas for improvement — whether overall or in specific lessons? Was something working well? I'd like to hear that, too, so I won't change what already works. :)

Simply reply to this email with your thoughts — I'm all ears!

I am hoping to have the new revision out in the first part of 2026.

5. Dyscalculia

I had a phone call with a teacher who is interested in finding solutions for dyscalculia and to learn more about it. I'm not an expert myself but I told her I'd ask my users. 😃 You guys have been great in the past and I hope to hear some thoughts about this topic too!

If you have used Math Mammoth with a child with dyscalculia, how has it been? Were the materials helpful or did they hinder? Did you make any modifications/accommodations? If so, which? Any tips are appreciated! I can post them online for others to learn from.

6. 7-Up Addition Game

Practice your addition facts in this fun and simple card game!

You will see seven cards dealt face up (for sums of 13 & 14 it will be eight). Simply choose any two cards that make 10 (or your chosen sum) to discard. When there are no cards that make that sum, click the deck to deal more cards.

There is a slight chance that the game will get stuck (depends totally on chance), but most of the time you will be able to clear all the cards, and win! Go play!

7. Just for fun!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Feel free to forward this issue to a friend/colleague! Subscribe here.

Till next time,
Maria Miller