factsfirst is an online math program from the publishers that you brought you Saxon Math. 

factsfirst was created for children to develop fluency in basic math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division through placements tests, lessons, review, and practice.  Arcade style games reward students upon completion of a unit.

To start, each child creates a self portrait in the Character Creator.  The image is then featured in every lesson throughout the program.

The lessons consist of five basic segments: new facts, commutative property, practice, quiz, and scoring. New facts are gradually introduced to children as they work toward mastery.  Facts are grouped into units with each lesson in a unit introducing two new facts. A child must master these facts before moving into a new unit.  Students practice over many sessions to reinforce their understanding of basic math facts in each unit.  A child will need to master these facts before beginning a new unit.  There are more than 360 activities to engage and encourage children to quickly and accurately respond to questions and advance to the next level.

An arcade featuring five games rewards children for completing a lesson. This helps to reinforce math facts and provide incentive, as well as relaxation and fun before beginning the next activity.

For parents, there is a Math Fact Matrix that provides an overview of your child’s performance on individual math facts. It is calculated based on speed, frequency, and other indicators of proficiency.

factsfirst is being distributed by Saxon, but was created by Skills Tutor, a sister company to Saxon. This program will complement any primary math program, and was not created specifically to accompany Saxon Math.

You can view more details and access demos on their website.  Crew members received a 90-day subscription.  A one-year subscription is available for $49.99.

Last year, I shared a bit about my in-a-hurry children and how frustrated I get that they can't (or won't) write neatly.  I was excited to receive Barchowsky Fluent Handwriting and start using it with my children.  I definitely saw marked improvement in their writing. 

8 members of this year's Homeschool Crew will have the opportunity to test and review various products from Barchowsky Fluent Handwriting ---

Beginners' Handwriting develops gross motor skills. It introduces children to the rhythmic movement they need for a lifetime of easy, legible handwriting.

Twenty-eight, reusable, large sheets (11 x 17 inches, or 28 x 43 centimeters) come with a Teacher's Guide. Place the sheets on an easel for maximum eye-hand coordination, or tack them to a wall. Trace and copy patterns and letters. Most sheets have simple, warmup patterns to assist lowercase letter formation. Two sheets introduce capital formations.

Let children love to learn with the pre-writing activities in the Teacher's Guide. And yes, there are ample suggestions for using each sheet, and for teaching both right and left-handers.

Have you ever read a book or heard stories about what students learned in the pioneer days of this country?  The breadth of knowledge they covered was astounding and the depth of the students' understanding was simply amazing.  Thinking about it always leaves me wanting to capture those days and bring them into the learning environment for my children.
 
Now, we CAN!  Dollar Homeschool brings us several curriculum choices directly from those pioneer days of one-room schoolhouses.  The Ecclectic Education Series was used almost exclusively in American classrooms from roughly 1865 to 1915.  Included in this series is Ray's Arithmetic and the McGuffey Readers along with books for History, Science and Grammar.
 
Dollar Homeschool has put these valuable tools on CD for easy-to-use books that you and your family will cherish and enjoy for the length of your school career.
 
This year, the Crew will be reviewing Ray's Arithmetic which is "a complete K-12 math curriculum, from counting to calculus."  Over 100 million students were educated using this curriculum!

 
On the Dollar Homeschool website, they also have a video which goes into great detail about why they want to make these wonderful teaching tools available to every student.  After you check out the video and website, come on back here to see what the Crew members are saying about Ray's Arithmetic!

Math Tutor DVD is returning for a second voyage with the Homeschool Crew!  I must say that this was one of my favorite vendors from Year 1, simply because it helped my oldest daughter (who hates math) better understand Algebra concepts.  Jason Gibson, the man behind Math Tutor DVD, is an excellent tutor! (You can read his credentials here.)  While he is very modest, I think he's something special - anyone who can take difficult math concepts and make them understandable and fun is pretty great in my book!

Year 2 Crew Members will be receiving a copy of the Basic Math Word Problem DVD.  Year 1 Crew Members already reviewed this DVD here.  This DVD sells for $26.99, and contains approximately 8 hours of teaching time.  It covers topics such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers, decimals, and fractions; as well as covering percent, ratio, and proportion.  You can learn more about this DVD, and see screenshots, at the website.

In addition, all current Crew Members (which includes returning members from Year 1, and all new Year 2 members) will be receiving  the Young Minds Numbers and Counting DVD.  Young Minds is new to the product line at Math Tutor DVD.   It sells for $24.99 and is targeted at preschoolers. Young children will learn to count from 1 to 10 while listening to classical music and viewing interesting and entertaining photographs and videos.  You can view a sampler video here.

Crew Members - please sign the Mr. Linky with the name of the title that you are reviewing (or put "both" if you're reviewing both of the above-mentioned products).  Thank you!

Apologia is another vendor that we are proud to have returning for Year 2 with the Crew.  If you've been homeschooling for long and have not heard of Apologia, you must be living under a rock!  In my personal opinion, they are the leader in homeschool science curriculum. 

Last year's Crew members had the opportunity to review several Apologia science products.  You can read those reviews here.  If you'd like to learn more about their science curriculum choices, you can see the elementary curriculum choices here and the junior high and high school level choices here. 

This past year, Apologia Educational Ministries has undergone some changes and has added some new features to their ministry.  One new addition is the Apologia Academy, which offers online classes for your students in the areas of Bible, Apologetics, and Worldview.  Apologia Press offers curriculum and parent resources.

The entire Crew will be receiving The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell from Apologia Press.  Here's some information about the book (taken directly from the website):


Debra Bell's best-selling manual has been revised and updated for a new generation of home educators! This indispensable resource belongs on the shelf of every family taking part in home-based learning. Inside you will find:

• Six ingredients of a successful homeschool
• Subject-by-subject guidelines and program recommendations
• Keys to unlocking your child's learning potential
• Ten ways to motivate the reluctant learner
• Creative solutions for burnout, budgeting, and managing your time

This new edition includes a guide to using the Internet and new technology in your home school. You will also get the latest information on teaching middle school and high school courses, including a list of academic contests and competitions. Tips on multilevel teaching and engaging toddlers and a resource guide with up-to-date contact information round out this amazing tool!

Read the reviews of this book here:

Some of my very favorite books from Kregel include the Circle C Adventure Series by Susan Marlow (titles include Long Ride Home, The Dangerous Decision, The Family Secret, my personal favorite San Francisco Smugglers, and the soon to be released Trouble with Treasure) and The River Series by Stephanie Reed (titles include Across the Wide River and The Light Across the River).

Many of our Crew members have received a copy of Bertie's War - a new title from Kregel. Barbara Tifft Blakey's name is familiar in the homeschool arena, as she is also the author of the Total Language Plus series. 

Each member of the Year 2 Crew will be sharing their thoughts on Kinderbach here: