Decimals & Percents: Common Core Curriculum

Gr 5 Up—Standing in front of a white board, Leonard Morochnick reminds students of math principles, provides step-by-step instruction for solving problems, and gives additional problems for viewers to solve on their own. In the introductory segment, Morochnick encourages students to stop the video after each problem to redo the math on their own, and he gives ample notice to pause before answers appear. The introduction also directs viewers to the Math Made Easy website and phone number for tutoring services. Each disc is divided into several lessons, but there is no pamphlet or description that provides a guide of what is covered. For instance, in Pre-Algebra, after a brief overview of simplifying square roots, viewers are directed to a more detailed look at radicals with sample problems, but there is no way to know this follow-up lesson exists. At times during Pre-Algebra, the white board is so cluttered with problems that arrows are used to jump around the board and finish solving them in the remaining blank space. Simple animations are used to reinforce concepts such as moving the decimal point (Decimals & Percents) and demonstrating how to flip an inequality when dividing by a negative number (Pre-Algebra). Morochnick takes time to explain ways students can rewrite equations to simplify them prior to solving, and he always reminds viewers to check with teachers about the preferred way of noting answers.