2011-2012 school year is in session.....

School is in session!  Many things to encounter and ponder on this year.  Our spine is the Wisdom booklets.  Our goal is to complete #3-8 this 2011-2012 school year.  We are loving the Wisdom Booklets and are growing spiritually and academically as a family.  A true blessing in our homeschool. 

Wisdom Booklets ~   for grades 5-9 and loosely with Grade 1

Grade 8 and  9 ~ my baby is in High School...
Making Math Meaningful ~ Level 6 and Algebra
Character Quality Language Arts ~ Green Series, Level B
Progeny Press Literature Guides ~ they will complete 2 this year and will read several biographies to enforce the Wisdom Booklets.
See the Light
Auto Upkeep with our homeschool group

Grade 5
Language Lessons for the Elementary Child
Spelling by Sound
Just Write 2
A Reason for Handwriting
Progeny Press Literature Guide , Pathway Readers, and reading several chapter books
Making Math Meaningful ~ completing Level 3 and 4

The boys are very active in 4H and each will complete a record book at the end of the school year.  They are also involved in the book club that meets monthly.  We read the book assigned as a read a loud during lunch time. 

Grade 1
Christ Centered Curriculum ~ completing B and will start C ~ I LOVE this phonics program!
Rays Arithmetic ~ Primary
A Reason for Handwriting
Heart of Dokota ~ using very loosly
Draw Write Now
RightStart Math Game

Pre K
Preschool ABC Series

And lots of Nature Reading books to browse during Book Basket Time daily.  I want to dedicate Fridays for Nature Notebooking for the little ones when the weather permits.  Also, we sing and dance to bible songs and read Leading Little Ones to God every morning.  The Princess dances like a hoot!

Review ~ Kregel Publications

Kregel Publications graciously sent me a cute little paperback book, Andi's Indian Summer, written by Susan K. Marlow to review.  This is book two in The Circle C Beginning Series. First, I read this little book silently one evening while sipping some tea before bedtime.  I was a little hesitant at first, but I continued reading on.  I was certainty glad I did because the author cleared up my concern regarding the danger in children reading old comic books. 

The description of this early reader states...

In book two of the Circle C Beginnings, Andi’s friend Riley shows her a scary old dime novel that sets Andi’s mind spinning with thoughts of being captured by dangerous Indians. But when she and Riley travel a little too far from the safe surroundings of the Circle C ranch, Andi discovers the truth about the natives living nearby. Written for reading levels 2.0–2.8, this new story combines fun illustrations and Andi’s signature curiosity to create an enjoyable reading experience that shows both new and old Circle C fans where it all started! 

This is an adventurous story geared for ages 6-8, however, my ds9 enjoyed and wanted to read the rest of the series.  The book was written below his reading level, so it was simply enjoyable to him.  I am very picky when it comes to literature regarding my children.  This Christian Fiction chapter book was a delight. We did discuss in depth how Andi could have completely avoided the negative encounter she got herself into by simply obeying her parents. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that the author did not stress that particular biblical principle in the book.  I highly appreciated in the back of the book the author has a chapter called, "A Peek Into the Past," which explains the time period and how things were a bit different than they are today.  I plan on reading this series to my ds6 and ds4 as read a louds.  Kregel offers supplemental materials for this book here for free.  This is a huge bonus and I plan on implementing some of these ideas and coloring sheets.

You can purchase this adorable book at Kregel Publication here for 4.99.  There are a total of 5 books in The Circle C Series.  Check out the many other Kregel products  here.


To see what my crew mates think of Kregel Publications click here.

I received for free the book, Andi's Indian Summer for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Review ~ Greek 'n' Stuff

Our family has been soaking in the Word with the bible study, I Can Study Jonah and Ruth Alone With God study for several months.  This is actually an independent study written by the author, Karen Mohs, published by Greek 'n' Stuff, but we chose to complete the study as a family during our evening family devotion time.

The study includes...

• Jonah learns to obey God
• Ruth chooses God and is blessed
• Thirteen weekly lessons
• Clear, straightforward questions
• Memory verses
• Interesting insights
• Life applications 

We have a diverse age range of children ranging from 14 to 1.  However, we all gained spiritual insight from this gem of a study except for our princess who was already snoozing by our evening devotion time.   Each lesson is broken into 6 days ~ Monday through Saturday. There are check boxes to check off as you complete each task for the day making it very easy for a child to follow.  Each week there is a memory verse to memorize and something to think and pray about which we chose to discuss as a family.  I loved how each day the first task was to pray and ask God to help you study His Word.  This is an important reminder to us all.  Several questions are asked pertaining to the scripture each day and we conversed together.  Even my ds6 ad ds4 could answer the questions correctly without any hesitation.  My dh was able to easily adapt the study to make it more challenging for my older children.

The study comes in either NIV or the KJV.  Our family uses the ESV Bible and I would love to see the author offer these studies utilizing the ESV.  Also, I would like to see the study offered in ebook form rather than in spiral bound so I could print the study for each member of our family if they chose to complete independently like the author intended. 

The I Can Study Jonah and Ruth Alone With God can be purchased through Greek 'n' Stuff here for 8.95. Greek 'n' Stuff offers three other bible studies in this series, Alone with God here. Greek and Stuff sells a Greek and Latin program that looks interesting here.

I recommend this study for any parent who wants to train and expose their children the blessing  in spending time with God daily.  It will help guide them to seek and study His Word in a gentle way without causing tears or frustration.  I give this study a thumbs up.  

To see what my crew mates think about Greek 'n' Stuff click here.



 

Review ~ See the Light

My boys totally dig See the Light art curriculum.  My ds are the "artsy" type and were anxious for me to load the dvd player with the See the Light, Volume 1 DVD.  Even my ds4 and ds6 were following along with the master artist, Pat Knepley, on the TV.  I am not an artist, so this is one area I am extremely lacking, however, my children all have an artistic bone in them.  No need to sweat NO MORE!  Master artist, Pat Knepley will cover all the basis and then some with your "artsy" child.

See the Light consists of a series of 9 Volumes each containing 4 lessons on each dvd totaling 36 lessons. You can seek what each volume covers here.  The lessons are relatively short, approximate 15 minutes, but detailed and thorough.  I believe any child or adult could benefit from these informative art dvd's.  In fact, my dh was truly impress with Volume 1 and wants us to purchase the entire series for our 6 children.  The artist uses basic supplies and uses the hands on approach.  The student must come prepare with their paper and drawing supplies that you can easily purchase at Walmart when viewing each lesson.

One of the most impressive aspect of See the Light was the mere fact that God is the center of the subject of art.  She stresses to the children that He is the ultimate creator.  I love the slogan the publisher chose, "Drawing children to Him." Each lesson contains and integrates biblical truth.  Another perk is art history is included in the lessons and students are exposed to famous masterpieces of many artists.

My children made an art notebook and placed all their lessons in them.  They will put all their art work that they complete independently in their notebook, too, as time progresses.   This is a notebook that they are very proud of.

 See the Light art curriculum can be purchased as a set for 99.99 here.  See the light offers several other products here.  This is a well worth your buck for teaching your children art skills and art history that they will carry with them for a lifetime.  

 See what my crew mates have to say about See the Light here.

Review~ Go Go Kabongo

GoGo Kabongo ,geared for ages 4-7, develops cognitive skills that are essential to reading such as:

• Attention and Focus
• Memory Skills
• Processing
• Planning
• Visualization
• Comprehension

My ds6 has been enjoying GoGo Kabongo for the last couple of months to say the least.  He begs me to play the on-line reading game daily.  We don't have a game system so this is a treat for him. My ds had tons of fun meeting all 6 of the characters in GoGO Kabongo. Parents create an account and their child's profile, and then they select the number of habitats their child can access.  There are 3 habitats, known as games, with 6 levels per habitat. Learn more about each habitat here.  Try a free demo here.  My ds thought it was so funny to create and design his own skateboard character.  Once the child has designed their personal character they will be able to navigate to the habitats guided by the colorful maps.  My sons favorite part of the on-line game was earning stickers to create his very own comic book.

Parents receive a progress report online regarding their students progress or parents have access to their progress online.  On the website parents can print free printable here.   I thought that was a neat little extra the vendor provided.

I'm not a big fan of online games, but I appreciated the fact that my ds had a thrilling time learning reading skills while playing games. I believe Go Go Kabongo is an excellent tool for your younger children to use during school time when you are preoccupied with older children.  My ds6 had absolutely no trouble navigating the entire game without assistance.  My ds4 just needed minor assistance from his older brother navigating the game.

Laughter Lake is free, Garden Galaxy is free for a limited time, and Twister Tops is currently 4.95 here. Try a free demo here.  Kabongo also offers for free ,SkateKids, geared towards ages 7-10.


To see what my crew mates thoughts of Go Go Kabongo here.

I received for free a Go Go Kabongo account for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

WFMW ~ Manners

A mom's favorite last words, "Where are your manners?" 

We found this little gem of a book, Manners Made Easy For the Family, and read one little page each night along with our evening devotion.  The book includes 365 Timeless etiquette tips for every occasion.  Everyone is gleaning good manners and habits from just spending 5 minutes a day, including Mommy and Daddy! I love the scripture reference at the end of each page, too. 

How do you promote proper manners in your children?

Thank you We Are that Family for hosting WFMW.

Review ~ Reading Kingdom

I was thrilled to be selected to review this exciting, fun and adventurous on-line reading program, Reading Kingdom.  Reading Kingdom teaches aged 4-10 children to read and write up to a 3rd grade level. This program is customized to each students level depending upon the results of their initial assessment test.

Reading Kingdom trains the student in six different skill areas: sequencing, motor skills, sounds, meaning, grammar, and comprehension.  I was extremely pleased that my ds6 gained fine motor skills while "playing" this on-line reading program.  We rarely allow video game time, so this program is a true delight for my ds. Conveniently,  I only had to monitor 1 session to assure that ds was catching on and understanding the mechanics of the program.  My ds6 is reading on a first grade level, but it took several weeks for him to excel the keyboard and mouse training section which is imperative to successfully utilize the program.  Be prepared for your child to spend many sessions or even weeks mastering the keyboard and mouse training before moving on to the different sessions.  However, this never hindered or discouraged my child. The short sessions kept my busy student interested and eager to start a new session. 

Reading Kingdom's website is very thorough and helpful in informing the parent with the logistics of the reading program.  It is very organized and easy to manipulate.  Read here on the structure of the program.  Being able to add multiple students for one rate is a bonus, too.  I found it convenient and reassuring when I received a progress report on my ds progress via email.  You can access their progress report at any time on your account, too.  Also, I found worthy were the tutorials here. 

On the contrary, I don't believe in their statement in regards to why this program works here.  I strongly believe in strong phonics and applying phonic rules.  I plan on using this program as a supplement to our current phonics programs.  I didn't find anything that would possibly contradict his current phonics program. I believe it is an excellent source of reading education while playing on the computer. Ds asks me daily to play.  Ok....So just maybe I use it as a bit of a bribery tactic!  LOL!

Subscriptions to Reading Kingdom are $19.99/month (with no monthly minimum), or $199.99 per year. You can cancel your subscription at any time.  You can also receive a free 30 day trail period here.

To see what my crew mates have to say about Reading Kingdom, click here.

I received for  free an one year subscription to Reading Kingdom for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ January 30, 2011

FOR TODAY....January 30,2011

Outside my window..the sun is diligently trying to overcome the clouds

I am thinking...my children are such blessings to me even when they are sick

I am thankful for...  the privilege to take care of my sick children

From the learning rooms...we are working on Wisdom Book 1, and spending time learning the human eye.

From the kitchen...juicy roast simmering in my beloved crock pot

I am wearing...black sweats and red shirt

I am creating...dishcloths

I am going...to participate in our homeschool coop registration tomorrow

I am reading... the interesting Dr.Frau

I am hoping...that my oldest ds and dh doesn't get the yucks

I am hearing...my children consistently tell me they aren't sick anymore after I dose them with fever reducers

Around the house...unfortunately I have been in my house too much due to all the illness.  I want OUT of the house

One of my favorite things...I love when my electric blanket is cracked up when getting into bed.

A few plans for the rest of the week....getting back into our cleaning routine and getting ready for Cowboys party

Here is a song I am sharing...

Visit more homemakers daybook here.

Teaching Time....

I am teaching ds9 how to tell time again.  We started last year and he got the hang of it at first, but we hit a concrete block.  While the tears were flowing, I decided to put it away until this week.  I strongly believe in the hands on approach in teaching math, especially for the younger ones.  I really only use a set curriculum for ds12 and ds14.  For the younger ones, I just pull bits and pieces from the gazillion curricula that God has blessed us with.  Those who know me, agree He really has been very merciful in this area.  lol!  I like to teach the principles with every subject.  I found this gem of selections of reading and problems, Keeping Time.  It this piece are excerpts from Language Through Nature, Everyday Life in the Colonies, and Everyday Arithmetic.  I believe I snatched it from Homeschool Freebie of the Day, but when I searched on their site, it's unavailable.  I tried to find a link to where you could purchase, but had no luck finding one.   Mystery to me.

You can put your on book together by using the following resources in the listed order...

Language Through Nature Ch 8 p128-131

Everyday Arithmetic p116-128 or 98-106 lessons

Everyday Life in The Colonies p69-78

You will have to copy and paste into a document and clean it up a bit, but it will be worth it.

Doobie is learning how to read roman numerals during this math unit, too.  Which makes complete sense to me, considering our big clocks in our living room are roman numerals.  Of course, we are practicing with a clock that has minutes.

Another excellent resource is MathMammoth ~ Clock.  I received it for free, but it is only 3.50.  This is more a workbook style, but extremely thorough.  It also explains quarter to, half-past, etc. 

Do you have any tricks in teaching time successfully?

Our new Journey....

After many months of prayer, extensive research, and talking with various ATI families the Lord led us to join ATI.  My dh discovered the Wisdom Booklets a few years ago and was extremely impress with it's in depth academic content surrounded by biblical principles.  Admittedly, I snared.  I love the principle approach with lots of chronological history.  However, I continued to find fault consisting of evolution resources in our selected curriculums.  Not so much by the means of supporting evolution, but more in their selective literature and suggested resources.  My dh and I have agreed to not permit any book, movie,or entertainment that is not pleasing to God in our house.  We believe that the Wisdom Booklets are helpful tools in training our children to live righteous lives centered around Him.  What's so exciting to me is the mere fact that I can implement the principle approach while utilizing the Wisdom Books. I feel so blessed to be able to teach my children at home His Word everyday.  What a privilege!

I will share our joy, spiritual growth, and wisdom along the way as we see the Spirit fill our hearts during this new exciting journey.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God  may be competent, equipped for every good work.

II Timothy 3:16-17

Review ~ Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids

Are you one of those moms that is always on the look out for biblical sound, informative, kid-friendly bible resources?  If so, you need to add, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids  on your book shelf of references. I voluntarily agreed to review and check out this beautiful illustrated bible dictionary for the publisher, Lifeway Christian Store.  This has been an asset to our family for the past weeks.

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids features 750 essential bible words with kid-friendly definitions, a helpful pronunciation system(even helpful for Mommy, too), alternative spellings for words from the KJV, and 500 full color photos, illustrations, reconstructions, and easy readable maps.

We thoroughly enjoyed the special features that are included in this delightful resource.  Included are these incredible, easy to read charts, such as, Names of God, 12 Apostles, 10 Plagues on Egypt, and so many more.  My boys spent hours looking through the different charts.  Even Dh was impressed with the special features.  

The recommended ages for the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids  is from 5-10 years of age.  However, I believe the entire family can benefit from this resource.  My ds3 and ds6 were intrigued with just browsing through the pages during our family devotion one evening.  When studying the life of Jonah , we easily looked up Joppa and located it on a map that was included in the book.  A better understanding of Jonah's travels came from actually locating Joppa on the map.  Also, there is an interesting 2 paged spread titled Animals in the Bible.  I had my ds14, ds12, and ds9 research and complete a notebook page of one of the bible animals of choice.  This resource is great for promoting dictionary skills. There are countless ways you can utilize this book.

Check out a sample of this book here. Isn't it lovely?

One of the most impressive aspects of The Holmans Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids is the illustrator uses real life pictures or real life drawings.  I do not appreciate when children bibles or references include cartoons.  Also, I found the colored letter tabs very helpful in locating my word of choice. 

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids can be purchased at Lifeway Christian Store here.  It is a whole lotta book for 14.99.  It is a gem for teaching your children how to research bible topics in a kid-friendly way.  Lifeway Christian Store promotes many other resources here.

To read what my crew mates thought of this beautiful bible dictionary, click here!

I received for  free a  The Holmans Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids  for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Review ~ Virtual Nerd

Virtual Nerd is an online tutorial website that offers online assistance to 7-12th grade students in pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra 2, and Intro to Physics.  Students can gain access to hundreds of interactive step-by-step video tutorials that match up with the practice problems in their textbook, meaning any math curriculum can be used.

This two minute introduction video to Virtual Nerd is very informative.

Manipulating the website is rather simple.  After paying for a subscription to their site, the student will receive a user name and password to view a list of different topics related to the 4 different subjects, pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra 2, and Intro to Physics. Once the student has picked the subject, then they are presented with a list of the topics covered by the tutorial library.   Or they can easily do a search in the search window to locate specific topics.  My ds found the site easily accessible, too.

In the last month, I encouraged my sons to go on the Virtual Nerd website when they needed help with their pre-algebra curriculum.  All their questions were answered after viewing the tutorial videos.  I am aware of only one instance when a topic was not offered in the tutorial library that one of my boys had a question about concerning his pre-algebra lesson.  They continue to add new tutorials regularly.  However, the quality of the video was rather poor.  I'm not sure if it was due to my computer, my internet connection, or if it was their video quality. In my opinion, the quality of the video was not an issue to my children.  They did not complain.

There are several different option subscription plans that Virtual Nerd offers:

* 1 day for $5.00 one time

*1 week for $19.00 one time

*Monthly for $49.00 recurring

3 months for $129.00 one time

Or you can have a one time 2 hour trial period here.

I think that this is a well thought out program that students can highly benefit from when in need of a tutor.  It is much less expensive to subscribe to Virtual Nerd than hiring a private tutor.  Also, Virtual Nerd allows you to have 24/7 access to view the tutorial videos with unlimited use.  On the other hand, I imagine the cost is rather steep for homeschool families who mostly rely on one income. I think Virtual Nerd would greatly benefit a public or private school student who is studying for a final exam. In fact, I wish I had access to Virtual Nerd  when I was struggling through High School math back in the Dark Ages.  LOL!

I received for  free a subscription to Virtual Nerd  for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Review - Math Facts Now

Always trying to fit it into your busy schedule....Drilling math facts with your students?  Sweat no more!  Math facts Now 2.0 is the simple and feasible software solution to improving your students math facts using your home computer. Flash cards are know obsolete in our home.

The boys immediately started implementing Math Facts Now 2.0 program into their daily math routine.  I was anxious to check out Math Facts Now 2.0 because I am unfortunately lacking in this area of our homeschool.  Something I always say I am going to be better about and still DON"T do.   Being somewhat of a computer novice, this software is extremely easy to install and takes no time to learn how to manipulate the software.  Always a plus for me.  The boys are enjoying it and I have a clean heart.  LOL!

Many features of this software attracted me from the very beginning.  One being, there are no cartoons characters or animations that can cause distraction.  The student can concentrate on the drill itself.  The parent can individualize the need of each of their students with Math Facts Now 2.0.  For each lesson you design, you can choose which function and specific numbers to drill.  For example, my ds is working on mastering his 3,4,5, and 10 multiplication tables.  I designed the lesson to cover just those particular facts. Also, you are able to choose the number of problems in a lesson ranging from 50-200.  Honestly, I would rather see an option of 25, making it easier to reach their goal.  An unique feature that Math Facts Now 2.0 offers is it magically remembers which problem your child is having difficulty mastering and automatically continues to present that problem.  Ingenious or what?  When preparing a lesson, you can adjust the time limit for each problem and how many times they have to type the equation for each wrong answered/or took too long to master the equation.  I love this feature.  For example, my ds has 5 seconds to answer each problem, and if he gets it wrong or takes too long, he has to retype the problem 2 times before moving on.  My favorite feature of this software is you can elect to provide a reward for mastering a lesson.  My ds reward for mastering a lesson was Hot Cocoa with Mommy after the little ones go to bed.

The Basics:

System Requirements: Runs on Windows 2000, ME, XP, Vista and Windows 7. 4.5 Mb of free hard drive space required.

You can either purchase this software as a download for 15.95 here or you can chose a cd rom format for 15.95 plus shipping and handling here. This is well worth the money in my opinion. A great tool for all homeschoolers.  All my 6 children will all benefit from this gem.

Try Math Facts Now 2.0 for free now. 

To see what my crew mates think of Math Facts Now, click here.

I received for  free a download of Math Facts Now for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Review ~ Aleks Math

The boys have thoroughly enjoyed this last month utilizing their free monthly trial that Aleks offered my children in return for an honest review.  This was a great month of review and catch up for my ds13, ds12, and ds10.  Some how we always get behind in math. 

Taken directly from their website, Aleks claims the following information....

ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Math Program:

• Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library
• No Textbook Required
• Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
• Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
• Master Account - Monitor and Direct Learning Progress
• Unlimited Online Access - PC & Mac Compatible 

To view a quick video on Aleks click here

Initially before starting a lesson, my sons took an assessment test to see exactly what they knew and what they needed to work on pertaining to their particular grade level.  This resulted in a pie graph looking like this...

This was very motivating for two of my children.  By golly, they wanted to fill in their entire pie chart before the month ended.  LOL!  The student was able to view their pie chart at anytime to see how they were progressing during the program.  As they mastered a skill, more of the pie was shaded.  On the other hand, not much motivates my older son, so filling in the pie was no big deal.  He was more interested in just mastering his required 2 skills per day that I requested.  All my sons were thrilled to be able to select what math topic they wanted to master that school day.  This was a huge plus for all my children.  I really liked how they were not able to administer their given math time on a topic already mastered.  Instead, Aleks encouraged new topics.  Also, my son stated that when ALEKS perceived that he spent too much time on a given topic, it told him to move onto a new topic for that day.  I was impressed with  (Mr). Akeks  teaching skills. lol!  I also liked how each question was not a multiple choice question.  Students had to work out each problem making it impossible to just guess at the answer ~ which is usually the result of a multiple "guess" assignment/quiz.  Each student came prepared with a pencil and scratch paper before starting their lesson for the day.  At each incorrect response, the computer explained how to work the problem correctly IMMEDIATELY.  Then 5 more problems were given to the student to work out that was similar in nature. My boys were not thrilled with this little gimmick..  But mommy was. hee hee!

Each parent is given a master account to view all your students accounts. This made it easy to view each students account,  progress, quizzes, attendance, and so much more. 

I liked the fact that there is nothing to download and all information is stored on the Aleks site.  Printable worksheets are available for the students and the answers are provided on the master account. This makes it efficient if you only have one computer per family administering the Aleks on-line program. All 50 states' standards and the Common Core State Standards for grades 3 through 12 have been correlated to ALEKS course content.  This impressed me!  I'm not too burdened with the state standard tests, but so many homeschoolers are very concern with keeping up with the state standards.  Customer Service is a high priority to Aleks.  They emailed me before I could contact them in regards to my master account.  I was very grateful that they were on top of things and actually took the time to email me with a suggestion regarding my account.  Thank you, Aleks. I took advantage of the opportunity to sit back and relax while Aleks did the teaching and the grading this past month.  LOL! Each week Aleks emailed me a progress report for each student.  There are so many perks to this on-line math program that one would not be able to fully appreciate unless experiencing it first hand.  So go check it out for your free one month trial period. Beware! You will be addicted!

A newer feature added to Aleks is the Quick Tables.  This drill system adapts to your students individual needs.   To view a short video click here.

A training center is located here that will familiarize you and your student with the program.

There are variety of courses that Aleks offers here.  Higher Education coursed are offered here.

A subscription to ALEKS is

• $19.95 per student, per month, or
  
• only $99.95 every 6 months, or
  
• only $179.95 every 12 months.

Learn about their family discount program.

This is an amazing resource to have in your homeschool, but I don't imagine many large families would be able to squeeze Aleks into their homeschool budget.  Even with their family discount program,  it doesn't fit our allotted yearly homeschool budget. If you had one or two children utilizing the program, it would be an affordable asset.  In our family, I would only be able to implement the program to play catch up due to the cost. I'm not saying that it isn't worth every penny.  It just is not affordable for us.

To see what my crew mates think about this unique and impressive math product, click here.

I received for  free a one month subscription to Aleks for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.
 

Master Innovations, Inc. Review ~ Master Fractions

Master Innovations Inc.was started by faith in 1998 by promoting unique hands-on math products.  These products are designed specifically to aid the students in comprehending math concepts more readily, enjoying the subject of math, and understanding the impact math has in everyday life. This is so important to me because I never had a true understanding of math growing up.  Master Innovations, Inc. selected me to implement and review The Master Fraction2/3/5 and The Master Fraction Workbook. . Also, I was sent a very colorful poster, Marvels of Measurement.   My ds9 had little exposure to fractions, so this was a perfect product for us to review.

I really love The Master Fractions 2/3/5 manipulative set.  These overlays are veraciously what helped my ds comprehend the concept of fractions.  These transparent overlays clearly demonstrate how geometric shapes such as a whole square, a whole rectangle, and/or a whole circle can be divided into equal parts called fractions. Included in The Master Fractions 2/3/5 are three separate devices each resembling a spiral like book. They are designed as followed...
      *  The Master Fraction 2 shows halves, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths.
      *  The Master Fraction 3 shows thirds, sixths, and twelfths.
      *  The Master Fraction 5 shows fifths, tenths, and twentieths.

By placing each overlay on top of each other, it is simple to see how the fractional parts are related.  We used a dry erase marker to color the shaded parts.  The overlays can easily be erased with a paper towel.  These overlays are definitely a keeper in our house.  We will use these over and over again.   I insist on teaching math to my children on a concrete level by using hands on manipulatives.  The Master Fractions 2/3/5 is the most effective and witty approach I have exercised in teaching fractions to my children.  My ds understood the basics of a fraction in one day.  However, I did demonstrate a simple illustration with an apple and explained the definition of fraction before I introduced the The Master Fraction 2/3/5. This was recommended by the publisher. This product is a tremendous compliment to any math program.  Being only 17.95 for all 3 overlays, this is a steal!  I believe you can only buy all 3 as a set. It might be nice to have the option to purchase individually if you need a placement.

The black and white Master Fraction Workbook is designed to correlate with the The Master Fraction 2/3/5 set.  The workbook advances the concept of fractions at the concrete level and progresses to the abstract level. I received the workbook in the mail, but would have liked to received as a PDF file.  The workbook is reproducible, but it was time consuming for me to make copies.  The workbook contains fraction activities for grades 1-5.  Initially, I was really impressed with the workbook and was simply pleased at my sons progress.  It was fun for him to work the real life story/word problems utilizing the overlays.  However, when we got to page 16 the teachers directions were minimal and I had a hard time understanding what was being asked in the problems.  The problems were unclear to my ds and I.  This frazzled my son a bit. There is a teaching suggestions and answers section in the back of the workbook that I believe are too brief.  I didn't find the section very helpful.  Usually I don't require hand holding, but I was confused.  I did watch the video that was recommended on their site here.  Most of the pages I was able to explain to my ds easily, but some lessons I thought needed more precised teaching instructions.  The Master Fraction workbook sells for 15.95.  I thought this was a bit pricey.  But then again, you can make unlimited reproducible copies.

Here is the very colorful poster that I have hanging in our school room called Marvels of Measures.  The poster demonstrates different forms of measurements with pictures making measurement very easy to understand.  Even my little ones enjoy looking at it.  I have a hard time justifying 10.00 for a poster, but was very gracious to receive it and actually kinda like it myself.  OKAY....I'm not a poster girl, but this one serves its purpose. 


Overall, I was very impressed with The Master Fractions 2/3/5 and think it is an invaluable tool for any classroom.   It can be used with any curriculum and is priced very reasonable.  Actually I think Master Innovations, Inc is ingenious.  I just wished I would have thought of it myself.  You do not need to purchase the Master Fraction Workbook to utilize The Master Fractions 2/3/5.  However, you do need to purchase The Master Fractions 2/3/5 to successfully manipulate the workbook.  Available from the vendor is a teacher Master Fractions 2/3/5 that can be used on an overhead projector making it perfect for a coop setting.

The Master Fractions 2/3/5, The Master Fraction Workbook, and the Marvels of Measures can be purchased through Master Innovations, Inc here.  There are many other products that look very interesting, such as, The Master Ruler, Master Clock, and Master Angles that Master Innovations, Inc offer, too here.

To see what my crew mates think of these fun hands-on math supplements click here.

I received for  free The Master Fractions 2/3/5, The Master Fraction Workbook and a Marvels of Measures Poster for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Review ~ Bright Idea Press

What a joy it was for my ds13, ds12, and ds9 to receive the full science curriculum, Christian Kids Explorers, Physics in the mail last month.  Bright Ideas Press, the publisher, offered me several different products to chose from, that being said, I left it up to the boys to make a decision based on their interests.  They all opted to utilize this fun engaging hands-on science curriculum, Christian Kids Explorers Physics.

 

The back cover states.......  The universe that we live in is the result of God’s thoughtful design and careful building. Physics gives us a glimpse into the materials, laws, and structures of that universe. Behold the wonders of creation with this series of 30 easy-to-understand lessons for grades 4-8. Each lesson helps develop an understanding of matter and energy and the rules they follow. Exploring physics is an exciting adventure!

In the beginning of the colorful paperback book is an encouraging note from the author.  I have to admit, I'm definitely not a science girl, and for sure not a physic scholar. However, this curriculum is extremely easy to teach and is surprisingly fun and interesting.  Very little prep time is needed for mom.  There are 3 simple pages in the beginning of the book that explains how to use the book properly.  Provided in each unit is a very simple format for completing lessons, such as, Preparation, Teaching Time, Review It, Hands-On Time, Coloring Pages, Think About It, and a Unit Wrap-Out at the end of each unit.  

The preparation section provides you with a list of unit objectives, vocabulary words, and a list of materials needed for that particular unit.  I left the boys in charge of the material lists.

The Teaching Time section is more or less the text section.  The teacher can read to the younger ones if needed.  However, older children would be able to easily read and comprehend the information. I chose to read this section to my boys. 

The Review It section contains a very short fill in the blank exercise that the student should be able to master without any trouble.   I read the questions out loud to my boys and they wrote their answers on a piece of paper.  We discussed orally.

The Hands-On Time is considered the Fun stuff!  Each lessons ends with a Hands-On type of activity to reinforce the concepts and for the students to experience actually being a physicist.  My boys completed all the hands-on activities amongst themselves without my assistance.  Totally loved it!

One Coloring Page is included per unit located in the back of the book after the glossary.  These are impressive coloring pages.  My ds 9 and my little guys adored them.  However, my ds13 and ds12 were not interested. 

The Think About It section is considered the critical thinking exercise that correlates with the results of the Hands-On Time activity.  This is optional, but recommended to engage their critical thinking skills.  We did these orally.

Lastly, an Unit Wrap-Up multiple-choice questions are provided for your student to complete after each unit.  These question are all taken form the lesson review questions.   An answer key for the unit wrap-up are located in the appendix.

The curriculum keeps God at the center which is such an encouragement to me as a homeschool mother who strives to keep all subjects centered around God  Most curriculum  just throw a verse or two in it and call it God-centered, but Christian Kids Explore  Physics truly stresses that God is at center of all science, including the study of physics.  Each lesson has a scripture printed on the right margin.  We recited the verse several times before and after teaching time.  

Suitable for teaching a single child, multiple aged children, or in a coop setting makes this curriculum very universal.  I think is best suited for children ages 9-12, but can easily be beefed up by requiring the student additional study outside the curriculum.  For example,  I assigned all my boys to complete either a notebook page or power point presentation on one of the scientist listed in Unit 1.  In fact, I think this curriculum would even work for a High School student who needs to know the basics, but is not choosing a career path pertaining to Science.  My oldest son is gifted in art and doesn't need to go in great depth in the area of physics.  On the other hand, my ds12 is leaning toward a career in Vet Science.  I will chose a more in depth curriculum for him.

Bright Ideas Press also sent me via email a file to print the student activities sheets.  This makes it so much easier than trying to make copies from the book.  I highly recommend  purchasing the download consisting of all the student sheets that are in the book. I liked the simplicity of the entire program.  The author explains all vocabulary words in simple terms that students can understand.  Also, I appreciate that there is a place to write teachers note in the right hand margin of the book.  This is always helpful to me when anticipating I will be teaching this course again to our younger children in the future.  Interesting facts known as Discovery Zones are also in the margins to spark interest. The boys were able to do the hands-on time by themselves and fully understand without my help.  Yea!  

Check out sample pages here.

Christian Kids Explorers can be purchased through Bright Idea Press here.  The science curriculum sells for 34.95 and the Student Activity Book download is priced at 12.95.  There is whole lot of physics in this 400+ paged curriculum for this price.  Bright Ideas Press offers several other Science curriculum products in this series:  Earth & Science, Chemistry, and Biology.  Check out the vast amount of other homeschool products  Bright Idea Press promotes here.  

My boys loved Christian Kids Explorer-Physics and want to continue.  They're not too fond of their current science curriculum.  To see what my other crew mates think of Bright Idea Press click here.

I received for  free Christian Kids Explore Physics and Student Activity Sheets for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

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Review ~ The Write Foundation

 

The Write Foundation

Sentence to Paragraph, Paragraph and Essay Writing

Step by Step Lesson Plans

with

Examples, Checklists, Grading System

Teaching the Writing Process and Structure

Basic

Structured

Creative

Formal

 

This past month I was thrilled to evaluate and teach my ds13  and ds12  writing lessons using the writing curriculum, Paragraph Writing Lessons 1 - 15.  I adore teaching writing and think it is a vital tool in becoming a successful adult in our society today.  The goal of The Write Foundation is for students to become well thought-out and organized writers, which will aid them in becoming effective communicators.  This is an essential in becoming effective disciples in my opinion.  Read the story behind why Rebecca Celsor wrote this writing program here.

I was given an option by the vendor, The Write Foundation, to chose between the 3 levels that they offer on their website .  I chose Level II, Paragraph Writing  .  However, I almost wish the boys would have started with Level 1 because of the thorough and vast amount of information that is covered in Level II.  Not that they can not handle Level II, but I keep on insinuating that they are missing a great deal of principles pertaining to sentence structure.  Level I could only benefit them in perfecting their sentence structure. The boys learned more in the first day we utilized this program than they have in a month with their current writing program.  Mommy was thrilled!  (:

Included in the Paragraph Writing  Lesson 1-15  package is a spiraled Teachers Guide which consists of step by step lessons plans which include examples, checklists, grading system and More.  There is a daily schedule recommendation in the teacher manual that is helpful.  I encourage my children to write on a daily basis with shorter lessons than what is suggested.  This program is very adaptable to fit your family's schedule. Rushing the student will result in frustration and aggravation for both the student and teacher the author, Mrs. Celsor  implies in the teacher manual..  There is a small amount of preparation for the teacher.  In other words, you must familiarize yourself with the lesson format before you can be successful in teaching your children this writing curriculum.  I had absolutely no problem preparing myself ahead of time to teach lesson 1 and happened to learned a great deal in writing a quality paragraph.  Also included in the Paragraph Writing Lesson 1-15 package, there are paragraph writing worksheets that are mandatory for each student. Both teacher manual and student worksheets are required in teaching this writing course.  Mind Benders are suggested to help develop the student's organizational processing.  We do not have this, but I plan on purchasing this book in the future to aid in their logical thinking process.  Mind Benders are optional for this writing program.

I really like the notebook system that the author recommends which includes 8 different tabs in a 3 ring binder. Also, the student must learn the total process each time before going forward in the program.  All lessons build on previous lessons.  A quote is present in the teacher manual by Keith Lamb...."Repetition is the price of knowledge."  I could not agree more with this statement. Primary objectives are printed in the teachers manual to give you a better understanding of what is to be expected by your students.  There is a suggested highlighting system that is required for each written paragraph which my boys found extremely helpful. Also, games are provided for each level.  As you can see this quality curriculum is designed as a tool for teachers to teach using their own styles while not being a slave to the curriculum itself..  All students are required to type their work except specified poetry.    


Paragraph Writing (Level II) is designed for ages 12-15 depending on the maturity of the student.  Click here to view samples in Level II.  The Write Foundation offers 3 different packages for Paragraph Writing Curriculum.....

Curriculum Package 1: Paragraph Complete Lessons 1-30  $100 + tax/shipping.

            Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 1 – 15 & Lessons 16 – 30

            Student Worksheets Full Set Lessons 1 – 30

            Paragraph Additional Resources CD

Curriculum Package 2: Paragraph Lessons 1-15   $65 +  tax/shipping.

            Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 1 – 15

            Student Worksheets Lessons 1 – 15

            Paragraph Additional Resources CD

Curriculum Package 3: Paragraph Lessons 16-30  $65 + tax/shipping.

            Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 16 – 30

            Student Worksheets Lessons 16 – 30

            Paragraph Additional Resources CD

The Paragraph instruction manuals are also available separately for $75 for Lessons 1-30 or $40 each for Lessons 1-15 or 16-30 + tax and/or shipping.

The Paragraph Additional Resources CD is also available separately for $15 + tax and/or shipping.

Also, The Write Foundation offers Level 1 and Level III to correspond with Level II, Paragraph Writing.

I believe this is an excellent writing program that will successfully equip your children in becoming better writers and communicators.  This would be an easy and affordable program to utilize during a coop setting.  The student would just have to buy the student worksheets here. My boys asked me if we could use this program instead of their current writing program.  Due to the simple step by step lessons and checklists, my ds13 believes this program would help struggled writers. He loves it!  Honestly, I was not thrilled with their current writing program so I happily agreed to continue with the program.

To see what my crew mates think about The Write Foundation, click here.

I received for  free a Curriculum Package 2 Lessons 1-15  for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.