Beast Academy Math Review

When my sister and I were in elementary school, we used Singapore Primary Mathematics for our math curriculum. However, when my brother reached second grade, Singapore just wasn’t working for him anymore. That’s when my mom decided to try Beast Academy.  

 

What is it? 

Beast Academy is a math program for elementary school stemming from Art of Problem Solving’s curriculum. The main offering is self-paced, though there are some live options. The aim of Beast Academy is to learn to problem solve and master math, rather than doing busy work. They recommend setting a timer each day and doing math during that time. They don’t focus on grade levels; rather they want the student to learn at their own pace and truly understand. There are options for just the online portion, just the workbooks, or both. My brother uses both so that he can have the video instruction the online platform provides as well as the extra practice the workbook offers. 

 

How does the curriculum work? 

Beast Academy is a very challenging curriculum. However, they teach math in a way that makes challenging problems solvable and helps students truly understand how to manipulate numbers. This isn’t a “plug-and-chug” curriculum. The lessons start with an example problem that shows the topic of the lesson. Then, the child will watch an engaging lesson video (or two) about the topic. Occasionally there are also comic-style reading lessons with “beasts” as the characters. The student will then be prompted to solve problems within the online program. Finally, there are physical books with extra practice problems to reinforce the lessons. As the child progresses through the lesson, the problems gradually (sometimes less gradually than others) get harder. In the workbook, there are even starred problems that are optional if the student wants an extra challenge. Completing all the Beast Academy levels will seamlessly set up the student for transitioning into higher math in Art of Problem Solving. 

 

How are students assessed? 

There are tests at the end of each chapter in the online portion. Instead of grades, the student earns 1, 2, or 3 stars based on how well they answered the questions. The same grading system also applies to each of the lessons. The child can move at their own pace, and the levels do not necessarily correspond to grades. For example, level two is recommended for ages 7-9, which could be first, second, or third grade, depending on your student’s starting level and willingness to learn.  

 

Why did my brother switch to Beast Academy? 

Singapore is a very structured math curriculum (I plan to write in detail about it later). It utilizes a textbook and workbook primarily, along with the options for tests and extra practice. Content-wise, it is also challenging, but the concepts each curriculum teaches are slightly different. Singapore has much more frequent assessments, and the amount of daily work can be heavier than Beast Academy. However, Beast Academy still has plenty of practice options, but they are more customizable. Plus, Beast Academy has video options that are taught by an Art of Problem Solving teacher. It’s more engaging for a younger student. Beast Academy teaches math less as a subject and more as a puzzle, which was more appealing to my brother. 

 

Beast Academy is a fun yet challenging option for math and has worked out very well for my brother. To get three extra months free with a yearly subscription, use this code: 3MonthsFromAquaSquid26 (limited to the first 10 users and will expire in April 2024).