Let’s compare Beast Academy and Singapore Math to see which program is better for your student.
Singapore Math
Singapore Math is more foundational and manipulative-based and starts with real life. It uses the CPA techniques (Concrete Pictorial Abstract), modeling techniques, and mental math. The curriculum is difficult without challenging problems. It is considered rigorous but complete.
Beast Academy
Beast Academy is a creative problem-solving curriculum. It is much more visually stimulating with cartoons and uses more logic puzzles for students to learn the relationship between numbers and patterns. There are comic book characters you follow along in a storyline, but the math concepts are not taught in as much detail. The level of challenge is higher than that of Singapore Math, and students are required to understand the math deeply, make inferences, and draw conclusions.
Beast Academy has both a paper and a digital version. While they cover the same material, they are different and have different problems. The digital version has fill-in-the-blank sections and gives automatic feedback, but future sections are locked until the student passes the section.
The downside of Beast Academy is that it is not structured as tightly as Singapore Math is. Singapore Math builds upon previous concepts year by year, making it easier for students to follow along year after year. It uses the same types of tools (bar modeling, number bonds) and organizational tools like tables and number lines each year to help students understand the concepts. The A books follow similar topics as the grade levels increase, as do the B books.
Beast Academy, while thoughtful and insightful, may result in gaps in your students’ understanding because it expects students to figure things out by logically drawing conclusions. It is a good program for gifted students; others must work harder to understand the concepts.
Looking for more comparisons?
Check out our post on different Singapore Math options.
