I will tell you right off the top, I LOVE the products we received from Trigger Memory Systems, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received four books from them, Times Tales and then 3 clean n' flip charts..... Zone Cleaning for Kids, Laundry for Kids, and Bedroom Cleaning for Kids.
I am going to start with talking about Times Tales! I am kicking myself for not ordering this product the first time I saw it and added it to my wish-list! What is Times Tales you ask? It is a handy book, that id mnemonic-based program. It has pictures, where the numbers are turned into characters, while still be able to see the numbe in their body, and then with each illustration, there is a story to go with it. You read the child the story, then they tell it back to you.. and that is how the magic happens inside their wonderful brain God gave them!
I sat down with my 9 year old, who has not mastered her multiplication tables. We sat down one afternoon, we did just as I described above, then we moved on to the included flashcards. There are two sets. One with the characters. So the 6 and the 3 would look just as they did in the illustrations. When looking at the card, she remembered the story, which also included the answer, and she had the answer to give me. We were able to quickly move on to the flash cards with regular numbers, no pictures, and she retained all that she had learned. In a 30 minute session, she knew her times tables. WOW!!!!
Since then she walks around with the flashcards and she tells her self the stories. I see her writing out the times tables down on a pieces of paper, in her spare time! This book is a real gem!!!
Now let me tell you, I have been leery of trying this product, because, you know that old saying, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Well, that was how I was feeling. How can this possibly work?? Please know, that I am not a sales rep for Trigger Memory Systems. This program works!! If you have a child who needs to master their upper times tables this is the product for you! At $29.95 you cannot go wrong!
Now onto the Clean n' Flip Charts. These have been an awesome addition to our household. We are a family that cleans the house together. And with 5 children, the quality of clean is sometimes questionable. Lots of going back, and redoing, which can be very discouraging, to a child who is doing their very best.
That is where the Clean n' Flip Charts come in. It breaks down the chores, into easy bite, size chunks for the child to follow. It is a dry erasable book, so they can use a dry erase marker, to check off what they have done. Or if there are multiple children doing the chores, then you can put their name or initials next to the chore.
These charts have not only helped my children to remember all the steps to cleaning each room, or each step in the laundry process, it has cut down on the squabbles. It has helped each child be accountable for their own chore! Ingenious!!!!
Okay now for the pricing. They have several options!
You can get the Bedroom Cleaning for $7.95
Then you can add the Zone cleaning to that for $22.95
And then you can add to those the Laundry for kids for $29.95
OR you can purchase 2 Bedroom Cleaning for $12.95.
I would highly recommend all of these charts! THey have helped my kids, who range in age from 9 - 16!
I pray that one or more of these products will find it way into your home so that your family will be as blessed by them as ours have been!
The Little Man In the Map With Clues to Remember All 50 States, by E. Andrew Martonyi and published by Schoolside Press.
This clever little book, is wonderful. The goal of this book is to help your little one, and maybe even you in remembering and locating all 50 states in our country. It all starts with the Man in the Map. What is that you ask????
Let me explain, this is a picture book, written in verse, which helps with memory! It tells the story of a class learning U.S. Geography. And they begin with the Man In the Middle of the Map. From north to south.. from Minnesota... his very tall hat, all the way down to Louisiana, which are cleverly his boots. And when you connect the states in between you have that Man in the Map or MIM as he is affectionately called.
Mim, then helps your child through the rest of the map, giving a fun little verse about each state to help them remember where the state is located.
Reading this book through a couple of times, coupled with a regular map, your child will have their U.S. Geography commited to memory before you know it!
All of my kids have enjoyed this book. Even my older kids enjoyed and were not turned away from it, even though it is a picture book. So if you have a child that needs to get this down, this is a great tool.
The book has been honored with the :
Moonbeam Children's Book Award
Independent Book Awards
And was a a finalist for the:
Foreward Magazines Book of the Year and
Next Generation Indies Book Awards
As you can see this is a high quality book, that I would highly reccomend. This would make a wonderful Christmas gift, if you order right away! It is beautifully inllustrated, by Ed Olson. Couple that with the fun writing of Anrew Martonyi, the children will harldly even notice they are learning at all!
The boook retails for $19.95. They also have a wall map that reatails for $21.95 or you can get them together for $35.00.
This has been a favorite in our house, I know it will be a favorite in yours!
I hate Math! Ok, so I know hate is a very strong word, but really Math is not my strong point. I mean I can balance my check book. And I can teach my children their math facts, but as they get older this is really my downfall. I have always been thankful that my husband has the Math brain. Just knowing that he can step in and rescue me from teaching math has always set my mind at ease.
However, now I have something else that is my safety net! ( Yes my husband will always be there, too!) There is the great subscription based website called Aleks .
What I have loved about this site is that my daughter can do her math independently. This is a huge blessing for me! Here is how it works.
When you set up your child's account you designate the level of math they are in. 3rd grade- Pre Calculus. Once you set up your child's account and they get started, they will asked to take an assesment test. Based on the results of their test they will create a pie chart of yor child's skills, as well as, where your child needs to learn.
As you click through the chart, which is divided up into different skill sets, they will present the next thing that your child needs to learn in that area.
Your child is asked to complete a problem, they can click for an explanation, and then work the problems. Once they display mastery, that skill is then set into their pie chart.
When your child returns they are asked review questions on those skills. To ensure mastery.
My daughter who enjoys math, but does not like to sit down and do "seat work", therefore, Math will always come with a scoop full of complaint. However, with Aleks, she was actually asking to do math! Wahoo! Anything that helps my child ( or yours!) want to learn, gets a kudos from me!
Not only is she asking to do math, she is actually learning quite a bit. In the "Master Account" you have the ability to change the level you have your child set at, and you will be able to see how they are doing on their math work. It will let you know, what they have mastered and what they still need to learn and what is going to come up next.
The other awesome thing about Aleks, is that allows me to spend time with the other children in my house, while the student using Aleks is working. This is a huge asset. When you have a large family, that is something is priceless.
Whether you struggle in math, or your child struggles or excels, I would highly recommend Aleks.
Now, down to brass tacks, here is the pricing:
$19.95 per student per month
$99.95 per student every six months
$179.95 per student every 12 months
They also offer a free one month trial. And they have family discounts. Please see their website for more information.
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Home of the frugal, eclectic, hands on, parent led, child driven and special needs learning. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
in remembering and locating all 50 states in our country. It all starts with the Man in the Map. What is that you ask????
