Finally!  We are almost finished with our school year.  Yeah!  It's been a crazy school year.  Although I enjoyed it tremendously, I'm always a little relieved and happy when we can put another year behind us, enjoy the summer and plan for the next year.

I have some really great plans for next year, but I wanted to focus for just a second on this year.  Usually I have a planner/calendar that I keep track of what each of my students has done or I'll use homeschooltracker.com.  However, we since had such an unusual school year, the calendar/planner was not utilized.  So, to put something in writing as to what we accomplished this year, I wrote a report for each child that outlined by subject what we worked on, the original goals and the achievement of those goals.  In addition, I stated our goals for next year and what program we plan on using.  I think this is a great way to summarize all of my students' achievements.  Plus, it gives me a better perspective of what we accomplished, even without established curriculums.

At the end of each school year, I gather all of their completed work, binders, folders, workbooks, etc. and put them in a 12x12x6 box, label the box with my child's name, school year and grade level.  Then I tape it shut and file it away.  Usually I'll take the calendar/planner and place it on top of all the paperwork so that it's the first thing I'll see when I re-open the box.  Instead of adding the planner this year, I'm going to place this Summary Report on top.  What a great way to reflect on what we've done during the school year - even if I review the summary 20 years later!

I hope y'all have a blessed day!

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Unbelievable program!!!  I absolutely love Latina Christiana I.  We had the privilege of reviewing this program, including Famous Men of Rome.  This is my official last review for the TOS Crew and I'm so pleased that I get to end with such an awesome curriculum.

The Latina Christiana program we reviewed included the teacher manual, student guide, Instructional DVDs, and Pronunciation CD.  Cheryl Lowe makes learning Latin fun and easy.  I have never taken Latin before (not in junior high, high school or college) and was a little intimidated to try teaching it without KNOWING it, but I need not have worried.  I simply pop in the DVD and Ms. Lowe teaches for me.  I get to participate with my children and we all learn it together.  Isn't that cool?!!

Each Latin class includes a prayer, vocabulary, derivatives, grammar, songs and lots of help from Ms. Lowe.  We do copywork three times a week with the vocabulary and grammar lessons and then we quiz each other on these same items.  By Thursday we complete the worksheets and on Friday we test.  It's such a wonderful format and very helpful for those like me who want to teach Latin but know absolutely nothing about it.

There are times throughout the day that I find myself singing "Christus Vincit" (which is one of the Latin songs you learn in this program).  We'll sometimes listen to the Pronunciation CD (which has the songs on it) while we're working on our Latin worksheets.  My son (he's 10) comments everytime about how beautiful the music is (and I really have to agree with him).

This program is designed for students in grades 3 and up.  My son is picking it up rather quickly (4th grade) and I'm also using it for my 1st grader.  She's following along pretty good at this point.  We practice the drills together and review the material more than with my son, but she's learning it just the same.  It's really cool how they quiz each other on their vocabulary and grammar, correcting each other as well.  They're really learning the material quite nicely and I'm rather pleased with how this program is working with our regular school work.  We do spend more time on it, but I think it's important to get this information down.  I am not using the tests for my daughter, though.  I think she's a little young for that.

As for Famous Men of Rome, we are really enjoying the full color illustrations (can you say beautiful?!) and the material itself is very interesting.  We read one chapter a week and then my son completes the accompanying student guide material for that chapter.  He finds it a little challenging at times but all in all he's really enjoying the material.  Famous Men of Rome starts with the founding of Rome and the ancestry behind it - all the way up through Rome's fall.  There are 30 chapters and each chapter outlines a "famous man of Rome", including Horatius, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius and many others.  This book is a really wonderful complement to Latina Christiana I.  My son reads each chapter to us (which applies towards his daily reading assignment as well) and then we discuss what happened.  They each give me a narrative of what they've heard or read and sometimes I'll even ask them to write a short paragraph on what they've learned (the wonders of Charlotte Mason!).

In Summary:

• Latina Christiana I:  Teacher guide, student guide, pronunciation CD, instructional DVDs and flashcards = $97.90
  • Very easy system of learning Latin
  • Perfect for those with no previous Latin experience
  • Very detailed curriculum that includes not only Latin but grammar and vocabulary as well
• Famous Men of Rome (teacher guide, text and student guide) = $39.95
  • History of Rome from the beginning to the fall of the empire
  • 30 lessons about 30 different Roman men
• Wonderful program!!!!
• Website also contains free drill worksheets, practice worksheets, free songs, etc.
• Upon completion of the material, you can email Memoria Press and receive a free completion certificate for your Latin scholar
• Overall: 

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Overview of Program

I’ve heard wonderful things about Tapestry of Grace (TOG) all these years we’ve been homeschooling, but have never really looked at the program – until now.  TOG uses a unit study approach for history, geography, reading, language arts, etc.  You only need to add spelling, math and a foreign language to complete your studies.  Each year is divided into 4 units, each unit lasting 9 weeks for a 36-week school year.

There is four years worth of material covering Genesis through the 20^th century.  The entire program is divided into four levels based on grade level.  So, while we studied Year 1, Unit 4, my daughter was at the Lower Grammar level and my son was in the Upper Grammar level, but we studied the same material, just the content was slightly different.  Here are the four levels:

Ø     Lower grammar (K-3)

Ø     Upper grammar (4-6)

Ø     Dialectic (7^th-9^th)

Ø     Rhetoric (10^th-12^th)

Theoretically, you could cycle through all four years several times throughout your homeschooling journey.  With each cycle you would study at the next highest level, covering the same material but with different books and exercises, for a more detailed, intensive study.

Setting It Up / Installation

Our set up & installation process included several steps and was quite confusing.  However, TOG has fine-tuned their process so that future users won’t go through what we did and now the process is much simpler and easier, which is really wonderful.  When you order the digital edition, directly from your personal account on the Lampstand Bookshelf store, you’ll have instant access to download your material, including the LockLizard software (which is needed to view their copyrighted material).

Just a note - TOG is offering both their original printed material as well as the new digital edition, but the digital edition version is less expensive and some people prefer the digital editions to the hard copy version. 

Personally, I prefer to have a curriculum physically in my hand.  It’s easier for me to figure something out if I have a tangible item I can touch, maneuver, flip through, dog-ear or tab.  It also gives me a full picture of what’s expected.  Some people love e-books, digital curriculums, etc – but call me a traditionalist – I love to curl up on the couch with my children while we homeschool with a good old-fashioned book in our hands.  I understand the reasoning for moving to a digital format, especially in today’s economy, and you can definitely print the portions you need from the digital edition as you need them – which could save you money in the longrun.  

If you would like to learn more about the digital edition of Tapestry of Grace, please visit their website.  Everything you’d ever want to know about TOG is all in one easy-to-find location.

In addition, TOG has a wonderful technical support staff.  They are very helpful and will walk with you through the installation process if you’re having any problems or questions. 

Review of Actual Unit

The Year 1, Unit 4 study covers rise and fall of the Roman Empire, covering topics from Estruscans and the founding of Rome, the everyday life of the Roman Republic, the Punic Wars and the change from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire all the way up through the falling of Rome to the barbarians.

This unit study is very detailed and thorough covering these subjects each week:

Ø     Reading assignments for core history

Ø     In-depth history

Ø     Literature / Language Arts

Ø     Arts and activities and the

Ø     Worldview (Bible reading)

Then, following the reading assignments come writing assignments, memory games, art projects, geography assignments, etc.

How We Used TOG in our Homeschool

Our history this spring has been revolving around Rome so when we were offered the chance to choose which section we wanted to study, Rome was at the top of the list.

My intention was to use TOG alone in our study of Rome, but I had a difficult finding all the books that TOG used/recommended in their lessons.  They were either checked out or our library simply didn’t have them.  Now, if we had a larger homeschool budget, we could have purchased each of the books but that’s just not possible for us (and would have been very expensive).  Now, you probably could do an interlibrary loan and be fine, but we’re in a small town and that wasn’t really an option for us.  So, I ended up improvising and using other books that covered the same material.  This worked for us in most cases but didn’t follow along exactly with the TOG program.  So, while my intention was to follow as closely as possible that’s not exactly how it ended up for us.

I really like the idea of a unit study approach and while we’ve done them before, the format from TOG really didn’t suit us.  It seemed to be a very formal approach for a unit study and in the beginning it was quite overwhelming.  I almost felt compelled to do exactly what they suggested or my children wouldn’t be able to follow along with the material.  I’m not sure that makes sense, but it’s almost like the material mandated what we needed to do and when to do it rather than us using it as it fitted into our homeschool life. 

Now, this may be just the program that other families will love.  In fact, I know other families who really love this program – especially those who homeschool multiple grade levels.  This would be a great program for them because you cover the same topics – but at different levels of difficulty.  I can see where it would be a wonderful timesaver in that situation.

Also, if your students LOVE to read and work on projects, then this would be a great curriculum for your family – from cookie dough maps to paper mache projects. 

I also reviewed the Evaluation supplement and found it to be very helpful.  Even though we weren't able to find and use all the required books, the evaluations allowed me to make sure that my children were still learning the information that was intended with this program.

In Summary:

Ø     Cost

o        Each digital edition unit is $45.00 x 4 units per year = $180.00

o        The printed edition per unit is $60.00 x 4 units per year = $ 240.00

Ø     Unit study approach to history – includes literature, history, geography, reading, language arts

Ø     Great for families teaching multiple grade levels

Ø     Digital edition is downloadable, almost instantly

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I’ve heard wonderful things about the Exploring Creation series through Apologia for many years now.  But, we’ve always been a really tight budget and by the time math, language arts, foreign language, etc. were purchased, there was never enough money to purchase anything else.  But, having had a chance to fully review Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, I can see that we needed to find the little bit of extra money for this curriculum. 

For a general overview, let me explain how the curriculum works and then we’ll dive into what it covers.  First, this entire book covers flying creatures – from the basics of zoology all the way through birds, insects and flying reptiles.  Each lesson begins with basic instruction of a particular topic, like “What Makes a Bird a Bird?” and then it breaks that subject down into manageable pieces for the student to read and understand.  There’s a project or two, a scientific experiment (nothing dangerous) and then the completion of a Scientific Speculation Sheet which is basically a review (including the hypothesis and conclusion) of the experiment.  All in all, it takes a couple of weeks per chapter to fully cover the material – from creating notebooks (which is really awesome to show your child’s work at the end of the year) to completing the experiments and data recording.

As for what this curriculum covers, Apologia’s website states that in this book:

“…your children will begin exploring the dynamics of flight and animal classification, understanding why the design we see in these incredible creatures points us to our Creator God. Then, get ready for the exciting adventure of learning about birds. Your children will learn how to attract various bird species to your yard and identify them by looking at their special physical characteristics, diverse nests, and interesting domestic practices. They will also learn the anatomy and the glorious design that enables birds to do remarkable things. After becoming amateur ornithologists, your children will explore the world of chiropterology, which is the study of bats.”

With that being said, we have had the opportunity to review this book and really love it!  My son asks to do this every day.  He really enjoys science in general, but this book is put into such a great format that it’s easy for him to read through and understand.  He really enjoys the science experiments and getting out and exploring what we’ve learned.  This book is not designed to be read and then answer questions at the end of the chapter – BORING!!!  It’s designed for the student to immerse himself, reading the material, applying what he’s learned in simple experiments or projects and then using the scientific method to complete his work.  It’s a really awesome format and both of my children are really retaining what they’re learning.

I definitely plan on purchasing additional material from Apologia for next year and will continue to use them as our science curriculum from now on.

In summary:

Ø     Price:  $35.00

Ø     Title:  Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 – Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day

Ø     For Elementary Grades

Ø     No worksheets or boring assignments, hands-on science experiments and projects

Ø     Overall: 

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Critical Thinking has done it again!  We have had the chance to review Mathematical Reasoning Level B (for 1^st grade).  Vivid color pages, easy to understand instructions and full of fun activities, what first grader wouldn’t love this math book! 

What I really like about this book is that it covers the complete core requirements for first grade and includes topics such as:

Ø     Addition

Ø     Bar Graphs

Ø     Calendar

Ø     Capacity

Ø     Fractions

Ø     Language

Ø     Manipulatives

Ø     Matching

Ø     Money

Ø     Shapes

Ø     Subtraction

Ø     + many more topics

Critical Thinking has always done a great job of making learning fun – from language arts to science and math.  This book is no exception.  It follows the same format as the other Critical Thinking material in that each lessons builds upon the next, helping your child become “more comfortable with concepts but also challenging them to continue building their math skills.”

My daughter is in first grade but is already doing second grade math.  I used this book as a supplement to what she has already learned and it’s seemed to help her with what she’s doing now.  It’s been a wonderful addition to her “free time” activities although it’s really learning.  I love how that works!  She thinks she’s having fun and all the while she’s learning and reinforcing the things she’s already learned!

In summary:

Ø     Price:  $32.99 (book)

Ø     Core curriculum for 1^st grade math

Ø     Overall: 

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We've had the pleasure of reviewing (aka playing with) various toys from Schleich:  a goose, swabian-hall pig, koala, sea lion, African black rhino calf and a gazelle.  My son is a little too old for these (or so he says) but my daughter immediately brought down her Noah's ark set and added them to her menagerie. 

Since then, she's had many adventures with her new crew.  They've sailed the high seas, fought off enemies (and fought with each other) but in the end, they end up being good friends, learning to get along with each other.  Every day is an adventure when you have Schleich figures to play with!

Although the figures are made in China, Schleich complies with the new Federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) to ensure that its products do not contain lead.  In fact, each shipment's packing slip contains a unique 7-digit number that allows you, the consumer, to find the Certificate of Conformity for the items you purchased.  That's pretty cool.

I went to their website to see what else Schleich offers and my goodness, they have TONS of different animals, from wildlife to barn animals, trees, sea animals, human life, prehistoric mammals.  You name it and they've probably got it!

These are really wonderful little toys and suitable for children 3 and over.  I've seen their products in various stores around our area and my daughter has always gravitated to them as we walk by.  She just loves animals!!  To say the least, we were extremely pleased to receive these toys to review and I would recommend them for anyone who's children love animals.

In summary:

• Various wildlife & barnyard figures
• Prices range based on the animal / set
• Suitable for children 3+
• Can be purchased on-line or through a local store
• Overall: 

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I just received an email from 4th Day Alliance.  They are hosting a month-long membership drive (FOR FREE!!).  And, a chance to win cool prizes.  Here's all the info:

Content is actually still being posted and updated weekly.  Since this is the International Year of Astronomy, evolutionists are doing all they can to inculcate the world with their false science, and they are using astronomy as a means to do it.  We'd like to counter their efforts as best as possible.  So, we are asking you to help us with a membership drive. 

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 What an awesome lap book / activity pack!!  I’ve never used a formal “lap book” pack and I’ve never had the opportunity to use one of the Homeschool in the Woods products.  What a joy!

We had a great time reviewing The New Testament from the Homeschool in the Woods.  Each day we were able to read from the Bible and study the Word of God, taking time to use the projects in the pack.  In this particular pack, there were 15 projects covering the lineage from David to Jesus all the way through Paul’s journeys.

Now, to be truthful my son (he’s 10) doesn’t really like coloring or cutting, etc.  He never has.  He’s always rushed through these kinds of projects and not really cared about how they turned out.  With that being said, he was actually very patient and took his time with this project. 

My daughter on the other hand LOVES to color, cut, glue, tape, paint, etc.  Anything that involves any kind of arts or crafts is right up her alley.  She just loves it.  But, she tends to rush through projects so that she can get started on the next one without really taking the time to enjoy and appreciate what she’s currently working on.  She’ll start out very detailed using various colors and then as she gets bored with it, her pictures become hurried and monotone (all blue, all green, etc.).  Anyway, we are definitely taking our time with this activity pack and working through it slowly, appreciating what’s taking place within the Bible readings and in our projects.  One of the projects was about the miracles that Jesus performed.  So, we took our time and read through each of the verses and sections in the activity pack.  By the time we are done they will have very nice (and well appreciated) lap books on the New Testament. 

We’ve tried a few lap books this year on our own as part of our independent studies and they’ve turned out pretty well.  However, most of the material I come up with on my own.  After doing one of Amy Pak’s activity packs, I must say that ours pale in comparison.  The materials that Amy has put together are beautiful with very creative ways of conveying the information we’ve read and learned.  I can’t wait to see how my children’s finished projects turn out!

Also, this pack comes with very detailed instructions for each project.  The only one I had problems with is the Beatitudes fold-out piece.  It’s confusing as all get-out (that’s Texan for, “It makes no sense to me.”).  We ended up putting it together our own way.  It doesn’t look like it’s supposed to look, but I just couldn’t understand how to put it all together with the instructions.  Out of all that we’ve done, that was by far the trickiest.  Everything else has worked out wonderfully and we've all really enjoyed reading and learning from the Bible as well as applying what we've learned in the form of the New Testament activity pack.

In summary:

Ø     Price:  $18.95 download or $19.95 on CD

Ø     Hands-On History Activity Pak

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What a privilege!  We were given the opportunity to review Artistic Pursuits, Book 2 for grades K-3.  What a great way to study art!  The book is divided into 32 lessons and each lesson contains projects for your students.  Each of the Artistic Pursuits books is uniquely different, but this particular book covers Gothic, Renaissance, and Academy Art of the 18th Century featuring artis such as Cimabue, Giotto and Van Eyck, all the way to Vermeer, Fragonard, Turner and Millet.  A materials list is printed in the front that groups the materials together (i.e. paint, drawing, printmaking, etc.) so that you know exactly what you need to conduct that lesson. 

With 32 lessons, there are 16 artists and then 16 projects.  You and your child can dive into the history of the artist, read through a fictional story that about that artist and what was going on in that artist's world and in the world around him.  Then, your own little artist has the chance to work on a project, whether it's painting, sculpting, drawing, or scratch art.

What I really like about this program is the background given on the artists, the era in which they lived, their techniques, as well as the beautiful pictures that the artists created.  The pictures of the works of art are beautiful.  My children were able to see beautiful works of art right in the book and in some cases, even enlarged portions of the pictures for more details.  In taking that one step further, they could then try out that particular technique or feature with the projects.

And, depending on your child's interest, this curriculum provides a great way to introduce new bits and pieces of history and geography as you study the artists.

As an example, we studied lesson #8:  Jean Arnolfini and His Wife by Van Eyck.  The lesson included a brief history of the customs of the time and the significance of the items in the painting.  We were able to dive into the painting and really get a good study out of it.  Then, we did the corresponding project of layering oil pastels in our own masterpieces.  And when I say "we", I mean the children and me.  I LOVE ART!  I love studying it and creating it - whether it's drawing, painting, sculpting, whatever it is (I love it!).  So, anytime we do an art lesson, I'm right in the middle of it with my children.  Plus, it's a great way to spend some time with my children, exploring our creativity and afterwards we show our masterpieces to hubby / daddy. 

Needless to say that Artistic Pursuits is definitely at the top of my list for art curriculums!

In summary:

• Art curriculum for students from kindergarten through high school
• Price:  $42.95
• Art supply sets can also be purchased from Artistic Pursuits - the prices of the bundles vary based on the Artistic Pursuits book purchased
• Overall: 

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I received two products from Math Mammoth to review for the TOS Crew:  Clock and Grade 4 Curriculum. 

Clock

For grades 1-3, this curriculum covers telling time, reading the clock, telling time intervals, and also covers understanding the calendar.  I chose this material for my daughter as she has a hard time reading analog clocks.  Digital clocks are no problem, but analog clocks are very different (as we all know).  This book is not necessarily meant to be covered from beginning to end as it is for grades 1-3 but you can pick and choose what your child needs help with. 

With my daughter, who’s 7, we’ve done some basic time-telling exercises with a “pretend” clock we purchased at Target for $1.00.  She’s able to move the hands and can definitely tell time by the hour.  And, if you tell her to show you 6:30, she can do that (time by the half-hour).  So, I thought this material would prove very helpful for her in explaining the “rest of the story”.  The first few lessons were indeed helpful, but she had a hard time wrapping her head around the idea of “half-past 6:00” which is how the material is presented in Clock.  Again, you could ask her for 5:30, 4:30, etc. but the “half past” knocked her off her little feet.  So, I took it back a step and we continue to work through some of the pages a little at a time. 

She tends to do things more hands-on and learns faster that way so I find that working with the physical clock rather than the worksheets works best.  We take the worksheet problems and work through them on the actual clock and this has been really helpful.  Some of the material she’s not ready for so we’ll wait until a little later to cover that.  I do like the program and we’ll definitely continue to use it until she completely has analog time-telling down.

4th Grade A&B

For my son, we’re currently working with a separate math program, but as I mentioned in a previous post, he has problems understanding what to do with word problems.  He can do basic addition and subtraction word problems, but when you throw in problems with multiple steps that incorporate more than one concept, it throws him for a loop.  When I explained the situation to Maria (the author of Math Mammoth), she was kind enough to offer us the Grade 4 curriculum to review the word problems in it.  So, we did.  We would do my son’s normal math curriculum, but I would toss in extra word problems (maybe 1-2 a day) for him to work through from Math Mammoth.  The explanations in the Math Mammoth material were very helpful and he seems to be getting a better understanding of what to do and when to do it.  We’re going to continue with this method because I believe it’s helping him. 

Plus, my son’s working through fractions right now and Maria’s section on fractions is very helpful.  It helps to solidify the concepts that he’s been working through with the regular curriculum.  Yeah!!!  We’re going to take a break from his regular curriculum to focus on specific fraction issues until he gets those down and then we’ll move forward.

In General

Also, both curriculums offer additional websites to go to for games and “create your own” worksheets to help cement the concepts in each program.  Very cool!

Aside from the programs that we reviewed, there are TONS more on the Math Mammoth website.  You can choose material based on topic (i.e. clocks, measuring, metric, place value, money, etc.) or grade level.  You can purchase grade levels by sections (A or B) and pay a fraction of the cost that you would with normal curriculums (which is very nice in today’s economy!).

And, I must add that Maria Miller was very helpful in helping us determine what would be best for our family.  Every family is different and the needs within each family are as wide as the Grand Canyon is deep.  I am truly grateful for her help!

In Summary:

Ø     Clock Program

o        Price:  $3.50 (if you download it) and $9.25 (hard copy book)

o       Free Clock Reading Worksheets 

o        44 lessons in 56 pages

o        For grades 1-3

o        Overall: 

Ø     Grade 4

o        Prices:

§         Grade 4A is $6.25 for PDF download

§         Grade 4B is $7.00 for PDF download

§         Answer keys are $2

§         Buy both + answer keys for $12.00 for PDF download)

§         The hard copies are $18.00

o        Grade 4A:  57 worksheets

o        Grade 4B:  64 worksheets

o        Overall: 

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SpellQuizzer is a very interesting product – and quite versatile, too.  After downloading the SpellQuizzer softare, you are able to easily incorporate spelling into your daily lessons:  import words from other software programs, add your own lists or use one already in the SQ database (even download lists from their website!).  It can be easily tailored to what you’re already studying or programs you’re already using.  Even if you use the Charlotte Mason method, you can use SpellQuizzer.  Simply create a spelling list from a science, literature or history book you’re reading and you’ve got your own unique spelling program!

In a nutshell, here's how the program works (from the SpellQuizzer website):

Using SpellQuizzer you can enter the child's weekly spelling list and make audio recordings of the words in the list. The software then quizzes the child, playing each word back to him one at a time, checking his spelling as he types in the words. SpellQuizzer corrects him when he types in a word incorrectly, and re-quizzes him on any words he missed once the first pass is completed. Just set up the child's list on Monday, and have him spend no more than five to ten minutes a day letting SpellQuizzer quiz him. By the end of the week he will be ready for his Friday spelling test at school. SpellQuizzer is also ideal for spelling bee preparation.

To take this one step further, maybe you could have your children type in the words or come up with silly sentences.  What a great way to review!  Plus, that frees you, (the Mama/Teacher) to work on something else (or with another child).

For my review, we didn’t have a microphone (although they’re relatively easy to find and cheap), so I chose to review the program by using it as not only a spelling quiz but also as a vocabulary program, too.  For those individuals that cannot afford a microphone, don't have the means to get a microphone or simply opt to not use a microphone, you also have the option of typing in a sentence.  I used words from other science or reading material and typed in the definition of the word.  So, not only were we able to use the program for spelling, but also for vocabulary! Isn’t that cool?!!  This product can be used in so many ways.

I would recommend it as something for any homeschooling family.  I can see how we could use this program for many years.

However, the one drawback I see is that you can’t print the tests for a file – which could be a problem for families who live in states with reporting requirements (and therefore need some sort of documentation).  However, you can still practice during the week with SpellQuizzer but simply take a written test for your files.

In summary:

Ø     Software spelling program  suitable for all grade levels

Ø     Import, export or type in your spelling lists

Ø     Customizable for each of your children

Ø     Use as part of your spelling or vocabulary curriculums

Ø     Great way for children to practice spelling lists while you work with another child (if they enter in their own words)

Ø     Price:  $29.95 (click here to purchase)

Ø     No monthly or annual fees

Ø     Free trial!

Ø     Overall: 

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Sweet Sara at Embracy Destiny has blessed me with the Lovely Blogger Award!  That was so very thoughtful of you!  Do you ever have those days when you wonder if you're doing the right thing?  Teaching the right material?  Using the right books?  I've been wondering that lately since we haven't really used any set curriculums or programs.  This has been an unusual year but a very delightful one and I just wonder if it's all been worth it.  I know my children are learning, but as a homeschooling mom, I just wonder.  Then, this morning I get a wonderful note from Sara and this blogger award.  Thank you very much!!!!!

So, with great joy, I pass this award on to others.  And to those who whom the award passes, must in turn pass it on to 8 others.  Here's the gist of it:

Let your readers know where you received the award, then pass it on to your favorite "lovely" bloggers. Have fun!

Now add this text:

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Here are eight more bloggers who exemplify the "Lovely Blogger" Award:

School in our Home

Ramblings from the Crazy House

Homeschool Ducks

Treasure Seekers

Homeschool Highlites

Homeschooling Katt

Life on the Hilltop

Learning at His Feet

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My son is really good at math.  Although he’s in 4^th grade, he’s doing 5^th grade math and still doing quite well with it.  The biggest struggles for him, though, are word problems.  It really wasn’t evident until this year, but as he works through fractions, the word problems are causing him a lot of grief and heartache.  Needless to say, I was really thankful when we received two DVDs to review from Math Tutor DVD:

Ø    The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor – 8 hours of math instruction

Ø     The Algebra 2 Tutor – 6 hours of math instruction

The Basic Math World Problem Tutor has 2 discs covering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, and then covers the same concepts with decimals and fractions.  Plus, it also has two sections on percents and one section on ratio and proportion.

We started out with the first section of adding whole numbers but my son found it too basic for him.  By using both pictures and numbers to explain the problem, the word problems were pretty easy.  My son had the answers on these before Jason (the instructor) finished reading the question the first time, though.  What I really liked about Jason’s method is that he gives you “key words” to help students figure out it’s an addition or subtraction problem. For example, when you read the words “total” or “sum” or “in all”, it generally means you’re going to add.  My son was giving the DVD a pretty hard time about how “easy it was” and rolling his eyes at how many times Jason did the same problem and repeated the same information.  That part was a little much while you’re watching it.  For the first few addition word problems, it seems as if the problem is read 3-4 times and explained many, many times as he’s working through it. Now, this was a little much for us, but I must say repetition is the key.  If you think about it, how many times are phone numbers or websites given in a commercial?  At least 3…and that’s within a 30-second timeframe.  People need to hear something at least 3 times before they remember it.  I understand what Jason was doing, but it got to be a little much after awhile.  

I must say this, though.  The next day my son was doing his word problems and low and behold, HE REMEMBERED THE INFORMATION!!!!!!  He read “in all” in the word problem and KNEW IMMEDIATELY that he was to add.  Alleluia!!!!!!!!!!!  Even though I’ve given him that information before (time and again), it seemed to really sink in with the repetition in the video.  So, while my son was such a hard critic while watching the video, it was definitely worth it to see the proverbial light bulb go off in my son’s head while he’s working through a word problem.  

Since my son’s doing fractions right now, we flipped to the fraction section and it was the same basic format:  explaining the key words, setting up the problem, reviewing the problem, breaking the problem down into pictures and solving it through both the word problem and the picture.  It also helped my son, but I think the key for my son was not only the repetition (which he didn’t like) but the key words (which is really helpful for him).  

The Algebra 2 Tutor is a 6-hour video covering graphing equations, the slope of a line, writing equations of lines, graphing inequalities, solving systems of equations by graphing, substitution, addition and a host of other topics like adding/subtracting and radical expressions and the Quadratic Formula.  While I watched this video and really like the information, I thought it was too advanced for my son at this point.  However, I know that when we reach Algebra 2, this video is going to be my new best friend!!!

In Summary: 

Ø     The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor – 8 hours of video!  $26.99 (on sale!)

Ø     The Algebra 2 Tutor – 6 hours of video!  $26.99 (on sale!)

Ø     Bonus!  For a limited time, each new Math Tutor DVD customer receives 60 minutes of free, LIVE, online tutoring available 24/7 through tutor.com ($35 value!)

Ø     Overall: 

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One 2 Believe has done it again!  I really love their products.  Their Noah’s Ark Set is awesome!  It comes with Noah, the ark, and several pairs of animals (elephants, monkeys, camels, ostriches, and several others).  Also included with the set is a short Bible story about Noah’s ark.

Now, Noah’s Ark is one of my favorite Bible stories.  I love the idea of building an ark at God’s direction.  Noah went through a great ordeal to build the ark, but he also endured the ridicule of those around him.  But, his perseverance and faith in God saw him through.  He was literally one of the last men standing … simply amazing.  When we were studying Noah’s Ark in our Bible lessons a few years ago, my children couldn’t comprehend the size of the ark and how long it took to build.  So, we determined that if you took our house and multiplied it 900 times, that would be the size of the ark. Wow!!!

Needless to say, when the Ark and its menagerie of animals showed up on our doorstep, my children were ecstatic.  We tore open the box and relived the story once again.  Love it!! 

And what’s even cooler than that?  The ark really floats!!!  We weren’t sure that it would float but since the pieces were water-safe and the ark was to … we tested it!  My daughter was ready for her bath and requested the Ark so she could play with it.  I thought … why not?  It actually floated!  Now, she relives the entire Ark experience when she bathes … from the rain (water pouring out of the faucet to fill the tub) to tumultuous seas (lots of splashing) to calm seas and dry land (when the water drains from the tub).  

I’ve caught her several times getting out the animals and the ark and re-living the tale.  She truly enoys it and remembers the story each and every time.  It’s a great refresher for her to know that God’s wisdom far surpasses our own and that He always watches over the ones He loves.  Plus, she loves the rainbow.  

I love this product.  And, all the pieces stow away inside the ark.  The deck of the ark is removable so that all the animals and Noah and the ladder all fit inside, safe and sound.

If you have the chance or are looking for a way to tell and re-tell Noah’s ark … you need to buy this product.  It is worth the money!!!

In summary:

Ø     Noah’s Ark play set

Ø     Price:  $29.99

Ø     For ages 3+

Ø     It floats!

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I know that most homeschooling families have heard of the Lamberts, authors of the Five in a Row series.  We were allowed to review one of their products, Beyond Five in a Row Volume 2.  Within Volume 2, there are 4 books to read.  According to what I’ve read, each volume will take about a semester (3 months) to complete.  But, as each homeschool is different, that time could definitely vary one way or the other.

For those of you not familiar with FIAR, the premise is to read through a book and literally dive into all it offers one chapter at a time:  science, history, geography, reading, art, creative writing, life lessons and human relationships, etc.

We chose to read the book Sarah Plain & Tall by Patricia MacLachland in order to do this review.  We’re about halfway through the book and have learned so much already.  I THIS PRODUCT!!!  Through this study, we’ve learned about Maine and the Plains, the differences in the animals and plants, the relationships between individuals and how each person can have different characteristics and how those characteristics intertwine with others.  We’ve learned about symbolism and created beautiful art masterpieces, written wonderful creative writing assignments, and learned about different points of view (and these are just a few of the things that we’ve learned or done).  

After we read through a chapter, it takes us about 2 days to go through the different lessons, writing in notebooks about the different animals and plants specific to each region (Maine or the Plains).  We then go through the science segment, looking up the animals or material on-line.  We’ve been drawing pictures of plants and birds, studying rocks, etc.  We end with a writing assignment and then move on to the next chapter.

I cannot say enough good things about this product.  The only textbook we’re using this year is math.  We’ve mainly been reading books, reviewing them, working on writing, etc. and this fits so well with what we’re doing.  It’s tied in all that I’ve been missing and have been wondering about how to amend.  It’s the perfect compliment and companion to our studies.   

And talk about retention!!!  My children can remember where we left off even if we haven’t read the book in a day or two.  They can remember the details, understand the symbolism and have done some very wonderful writing assignments (which has been our big focus this year).

Not having used Beyond FIAR before, I would do things a little differently next time.  For example, their notebooks would be more than manila folders with papers thrown inside.  Next time we’ll make them more interesting, better organized, etc.  

If you haven’t tried Beyond FIAR before now’s the time!  Plan for next year and order early!

In summary:

Ø    All-encompassing program for science, writing, history, geography, human relationships

Ø    Price:  $24.95

Ø    Message Board:  Share your suggestions with other homeschooling families or learn from others!

Ø    Overall: 

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 If your children struggle with ADHD or have other learning struggles, Heads Up! may have a product that could help your children.  Scott & Melinda Boring, the owners of Heads Up! ,

designed their company to “provide expert information and products for struggling learners.”  The products they carry are “easily implemented, promote learning, and lessen frustration for children with challenges and those who care for them.” According to their brochure, their goal is to “provide materials and information for homeschooling families, occupational therapists, speech therapists, teachers and specialists who work with children who have development delays, learning disabilities, autism and other special needs.”

I was given the opportunity to review the following products:

Ø     Large Heads Up!  Frames in six colors.

Ø     Small Heads Up!  Frames in six colors.

Ø     Heads Up!  Readers in six colors and a clear Reader

Ø     Heads Up!  Double-Time in two colors and

Ø     Heads Up!  Top of the Line in two colors

Basically, these frames highlight one or two lines of text or entire blocks of text (like a paragraph) to help children keep their place on the page.  They also act as bookmarks in-between reading sessions.

I tried these with my 7 year old daughter who tends to use her finger to keep track of where she is on the page.  I find that she reads slower doing this and misses the meaning of what she’s reading.  When we tried the frames (all of them), she no longer used her finger and her reading improved!  She was able to keep track of where she was on the page and didn’t need to ask me where she was.  We tried all the different colors (yellow, red, pink, blue, etc.) to see if there was a difference for her and there really wasn’t.  However, that may not be true for other students with other reading challenges.

These frames are very inexpensive ($1.00 apiece) and well worth the money – especially when it helps with reading. 

Heads Up! also offers a multitude of other products like handwriting tools, weighted animals to help with tactile issues, board games, memory helps, etc.  to help your children, no matter what challenge they face.

In summary:

Ø     Reading guides in multiple colors

Ø     Inexpensive!!!!!  $1.00 apiece

Ø     Products to help children with learning challenges

Ø     Read the Boring’s blog for a peak into their world – share your challenges with them

Ø     Overall: 

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Is it hard for your children to write creative stories?  Do they need help in getting the story started? 

One of my children LOVES to write stories.  She’s only 7 but from about 4 years old, she would ask me to write her stories down.  She would then come up with short stories that sometimes made sense and sometimes didn’t.  However, she thought they were masterpieces.  To help her along, I would type her story while she told me.  Then, I would separate her story into one sentence per page – with the text at the bottom of the page.  Once her story was finished, I would print it out for her and she would draw a picture above the words to illustrate the sentence on that page.  We would create a cover page with her name as the author and the book title, staple all the pages together and she would have her very own book!  We have quite a few of these books in a very safe place.

Now, my son is quite different.  He loves to have stories read or told to him but he doesn’t really like to sit down and write stories.  He’d rather be out playing army, strategizing on new games he wants to make, or hunting and fishing.  This year we’ve focused quite a bit on writing in our little homeschool and Story Builders fits in perfectly with our plan!

I knew very little about Story Builders until I received the email from WriteShop StoryBuilders.  The idea behind Story Builders is to help your children (however old they may be) create wonderfully interesting stories.  According to the WriteShop website, StoryBuilders are:

“…card decks help to jumpstart a creative writing project by providing students with the basic elements of a story—character, character trait, setting, and plot—laying a foundation for a joyful writing experience with some clever surprises thrown in along the way.”

Each e-book is divided into several sections.  The first section is an explanation about Story Builders and instructions on how to use the e-book / card decks.  Then, there are two sections behind the intro.  They are exactly the same but one has the story elements (character, character trait, setting and plot) in color and the other section is black & white.  The reason behind this is that if you have a color printer you can print the color version but if your printer prints only in black & white, you can print the story elements on colored paper so that each story element section is easy for the students to see.

We received two card decks to review:

Ø     World of Animals StoryBuilders

Ø     World of People StoryBuilders

It didn’t take quite as long to cut out the story elements / card decks as I originally thought.  It went fairly quickly and then the fun began!  My children would flip through each set of card decks searching for just the right elements from which to create their masterpieces.  They started out with one element from each set and then they ... wrote and wrote and wrote!  When they were finished with one story, they’d start another one!  Sometimes they would add more elements to make the story more interesting.  Or, other times they would search for specific cards and would write about those.  I didn’t have to argue, cajole or demand that they do their writing.  Instead, they WILLINGLY did it!!!  How cool is that!?

I would highly recommend StoryBuilders, especially if your children are reluctant writers or need help with story starters.  In fact, in only 5 minutes a day (sort of as a warm-up to the regular homeschool routine), you could have your students write a short story - just to get their creativity flowing for the day!

In summary:

Ø     World of People StoryBuilders:  $7.95

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Marie Rippel has outdone herself with this wonderful e-book All About Homophones.  Incorporating grades 1-8 and divided into each grade, children can learn age-appropriate homophones.  If your children are catching on pretty quickly, then you can adjust the levels to fit your students.  In addition to the grade levels, there are also worksheets for writing sentences, definitions or drawing pictures to further reinforce the homophones being learned.  Marie does a great job of defining homophones in the introduction and further explaining how to use her 240-page e-book for your family – including worksheets, games, additional reading material, etc.  Some of the games include simple crossword puzzles, card games (like Pig, Go Fish, etc.).

For our family, we don’t use a formal language arts program but rather use a quasi-Charlotte Mason / eclectic approach.  This format has fit into what we’re doing quite nicely and has been an added benefit to our studies this year.

Quite honestly, I’ve really enjoyed this e-book!  It’s easy to use and I only need to print what I want – when I’m ready to use it.  The instructions are very easy to follow and in doing these a few times a week, my children have:

ö      Used the dictionary to find definitions (reinforces using resources and doing some researching)

ö      Created original sentences (reinforces sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, etc.)

ö      Drawn pictures to reinforce the meaning of the words & their sentences.

ö      Created their own unique homophone books

In summary:

ö      Multi-grade homophone book

ö      E-Book price:  $27.95

ö      Wonderful worksheets, games, puzzles, etc. to reinforce learning

ö      30-day, no questions asked, money back guarantee if you don't like the product

ö      Overall:

HURRY!!!!  To celebrate the launch of All About Homophones, get $10 off any order at www.all-about-homophones.com! To receive the discount, visitors to the site need to enter "FUN" in the customer code box during checkout. The coupon code is good for one week, through February 2, 2009.

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I was given the opportunity to review the cutest book:  Nana Star & the Moon Man by ee publishing & productions.  The package arrived with both the Moonman Lovey doll (which is super-soft and when you squeeze him, he lights up and plays a song from the story).  In addition, the book came with a CD that told the story and the "music" of Nana Star.

This book is the second one in the Nana Star series where Nana Star is trying to take a baby star back to his home in the heavens: 

Nana Star is ready to bring the lost baby star back home where he belongs, but the world has gone to bed and she feels scared and alone. With help from a new friend, she learns that she is never alone, that the Moonman is always watching over and guiding her, even when she can't see him.

The Nana Star books are really beautifully illustrated and the theme surrounding this one is how to be helpful and strong despite being scared and lonely. 

My 7 year old daughter really loved the book.  She didn't care too much for the Moonman Lovey doll (although I thought he was really cute), but I think a younger child would absolutely love it.  My 10-year old son wasn't too interested in the book (he's really into the military and aircraft) so this wasn't particularly up his alley.  However, I did find the book to be engaging, especially for younger children - maybe toddlers through pre-school.  I really like that the website has so much extra information that ties into the books.  My daughter really wanted to play the games, etc. but our computer connection isn't always the fastest so we had a hard time getting the game to work.  However, if you have DSL or another high-speed connection, then you wouldn't have any problems at all.  The website activities are a great way to fully enjoy the book and all the messages of kindness, generosity, etc. that are highlighted in it.

In Summary:

• Book Price:  $15.95
• Moonman Lovey's price:  $19.99
• Website:  www.nanastar.com
• TONS of information, coloring pages, lesson plans, videos, games, and songs on the website - even includes videos & songs in sign language (pretty cool!)
• Children can even join the Little Twinkles Club
• Overall: 

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The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is celebrating the one year anniversary of its digital edition.  If you don't currently subscribe to TOS, this is a great way to get the magazine - straight to your in-box!

Digital subscribers enjoy the many benefits of digital, including:

• The same high quality support from the Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  You will receive the exact same information and encouragement for which TOS is known, it is the perfect companion to our beloved print subscription.
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• Huge savings.  Our digital edition is 32% less than our U.S. print subscription price, 43% less than our Canadian print subscription price, and 65% less than our international print subscription price.  If price has kept you from subscribing before, you can't go wrong with the huge savings on our digital edition.
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• Never lose your magazine again.  Store your magazine online or save a copy to your computer, backup drive, or flash drive where you can view it offline and save bandwidth on your Internet connection.
• Going green.  Reduce the amount of print paper in your home.

The digital edition is created simultaneously with the print edition, but instead of waiting weeks for delivery, you'll be connected with your digital magazine in days.  You'll be notified by email when each issue is ready!

The regular price of TOS Digital is $16.95 per year.  However, TOS is celebrating its first anniversary with some awesome savings and FREE gifts.

Order today before the price goes up!

• January 19th-24th, $10.95 for a 1-year subscription and 5 E-Books
• January 25th-31st, $12.95 for a 1-year subscription and 4 E-Books
• February 1st-8th, $14.95 for a 1-year subscription and 3 E-Books
• After February 9th, $16.95 for a 1-year subscription

5 free bonus gifts include:

• Living and Learning on One Income (E-Book) by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
• Valentine's Project Pack (E-Book) by Hands of a Child
• Hands-On History Activity Pack  (download version) - Artists of the 16th-20th Centuries (E-Book) from Homeschool in the Woods
• Jesus - The Life-Giver (E-Book) by Katherine Loop
• What's the Matter:  An Introduction to Chemistry (E-Book) for 3rd-9th grades from Treasure Box Press

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