Homeschool Nations - New York - Homeschool Blogger

Nutrition 101 - A Review

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:31:00 -0500

Product: Nutrition 101: Choose Life!
A Family Nutrition and Health Program

Company: Growing Healthy Homes, LLC

Price: CD-ROM $79.95 / Book $99.95 / Combo $129.95

Where to buy: Healthy Homes

Brief Overview:
This is a 448-page full-color book on the study of nutrition: how we eat, what we eat, how the body works and how these foods affect the body. This book intends to assist families in understanding the real relationship food has on our "fearfully and wonderfully made" bodies (Psalm 139:14).

In-Depth Look:
For years, I didn't think much about nutrition. I ate what I wanted when I wanted. Then along came my daughters, the "picky eaters". For the longest time, I humored them...figuring it was a phase that they would grow out of. Well, they didn't. So I began gradually trying to make changes in our food choices. Then last year, I was blessed with the pregnancy of our 3rd daughter. This time around, I ended up with gestational diabetes. This increased my chances of getting diabetes again in the future. This was a wake-up call. So I began thinking even more about our food choices. Well after so many years of being stuck in a rut, it was very difficult for me to make any substantial changes for any significant amount of time. But I still wanted to and was still trying. Well along comes my latest product to review for the TOS Crew - Nutrition 101.

I was eager to read through the program and see what it was all about and what we could learn from it. The program isn't about dieting or about a bunch of low-fat, cardboard-tasting recipes. It is an in-depth study of biology and nutrition, of how are body works and how the foods that we eat affect our body (for better of worse).

Of course, one of my first thoughts was "Sure this is all fine and good for the authors of this book. But it will never work for my family of finicky eaters."

To read the rest of the review, click here.

Rocket Phonics - A Review

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:14:00 -0500

Product: Rocket Phonics

Company: Rocket Phonics

Price: $160 (or 3 payments of $53.34)

Where to buy: Rocket Phonics

Brief Overview:

Rocket Phonics is a game-based, multi-sensory, accelerated reading program that takes a child from beginning reading to 5^th grade in 2 years or less (preschoolers can take longer). The program was designed by Stephen Guffanti, MD and his wife Maureen, a former teacher. It is designed for ages 4-10 and requires very little prep time for the parent/teacher. This is a non-consumable workbook, so it may be used with more than one child.

In-Depth Look:

I am using this program with my 7 year old daughter. Up till this point, we had not used an “official” reading curriculum. Instead we had used a hodge-podge of resources and methods and, for the past few months, an online phonics/reading program. My daughter had a good understanding of most phonics rules and could read most simple words. But when she would hit words that she couldn’t figure out, she would become frustrated, not wanting to read anything that she couldn’t read perfectly, first-try. She had yet to gain the confidence to know that if she just kept trying, she would figure it out and it would be worth it.

To read the rest of the review, click here.

Hank the Cowdog - A Review

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:47:00 -0500

Products:

1. The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse in Paperback

2. "Tales and Tunes from Hank the Cowdog" CD

3. Hank’s Tornado Game

Company: Maverick Books

Price: Paperback - $4.24

CD - $3.00 (On Sale)

Game - $12.99

Where to Buy: HankTheCowdog.com

Brief Overview:

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog was published in 1983 by the author, John Erickson. Since then, the company has grown by leaps and bounds. They now have 54 stories, all available in paperback, hardback, CD and audiotape. Also available are a wide assortment of clothing, games, music CDS and stuffed animals.

In-Depth Look:

I had heard of Hank the Cowdog, briefly. But I knew very little about the company and had not seen any of the products first-hand. So when I learned that I would be receiving a sample of products, I was curious to have a look at it.

We received a paperback book (The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse – Book #8), a CD (“Tales and Tunes from Hank the Cowdog”), and a board game (Hank’s Tornado Game).

The book:

Hank, the cowdog, is a self-appointed Head of Ranch Security in the Texas Panhandle. His sidekick is Drover, a not-so-capable “little white mutt”. Together, they patrol and “protect” the ranch. Hank has his fair share of escapades in this adventure, from causing Sally May to break her ankle to fighting Tuerto the Killer Stud Horse. He also has some special times with his human family, from playing dress-up with Amy and Ashley to “almost” having a bonding moment with Sally May.

I read this book to my 10 and 7 year old daughters. They had never heard of Hank and knew nothing of his adventures. So, it took us a while to get a feel for who the characters were. We also weren’t use to reading from an animal’s point-of-view. At times, especially when several animals were speaking, my daughters had trouble keeping track of who was talking when. After some confusion, I began using voices to distinguish between Hank and Drover...

To read the rest of the review, click HERE

GrapeVine Study (Old Testament Basics) - A Review

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:44:00 -0500

Product: Old Testament Basics – Learn the Facts of the Old Testament using a Question/Answer Format

Company: GrapeVine Studies – Stick Figuring through the Bible

Price: Ranging from approximately $10 - $45

Old Testament Basics Teacher Edition $25/Student Edition $20

Old Testament Basics E-book Teacher Ed. $20/Student Ed. $20

Where to Buy: GrapeVine Studies

Brief Overview: GrapeVine Studies is an innovative Bible study program. The company has several different products to choose from, both from the Old and the New Testament, for ages 5 - Adult. I chose the Old Testament Basics. It is easy to teach, easy to learn, and easy to remember…using a catechism style of questions and answers. And it adds a bit of fun and creativity into the mix by adding stick figure drawing.

In-Depth Look: I had been struggling for over a year, wanting a Bible study program for my daughters with more “meat” to it. I had tried several children devotionals over the years. But lately I felt like it just wasn’t enough. It seemed we were putting more emphasis on the cute little stories and not enough emphasis on learning the facts of the Bible. So when the opportunity came along to review a new program, I was very eager to give it a try. I chose the Old Testament Basics because of its catechism style. The question/answer style was completely focused on the facts. 225 facts, to be more exact. Dianna of Grapevine sent a Teacher’s handbook for me and a Student’s handbook for both of my school-age daughters (10 and 7).

Each lesson contains a question, a Bible passage (for most), an answer, and a stick figure drawing. At the beginning of the lesson, we have chosen to have a sort of review…I go through all the previous questions and let my girls take turns answering the questions. Of course, there are 225 questions, so I haven’t decided how we will handle our reviews once we get farther into the book. But for now, it is working great for us. And my daughters take great pride in recalling the answers. Then we start the lesson for that day, usually doing 2 questions. I read the question and any applicable Bible verses. Then I write the answer on the marker board for my girls to copy. My 10 year old doesn’t need this, but it helps my 7 year old. This study is recommended for ages 7 and up. Some of the longer answers frustrate my 7yo since it is difficult for her to copy them and keep the writing tiny enough to fit into the provided space. But this is rarely the case, as most answers so far have been just a few words in length. Then I draw the stick figure on the marker board to give them an idea of what to draw. My 7 year old likes to draw the one suggested. But my 10 year old enjoys adding a “creative touch” to the drawings...

To read the rest of the review, click HERE

Quarter Mile Math - Levels 1, 2 and 3 Bundle Deluxe Version - A Review

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:40:00 -0500

Product: The Quarter Mile Math – Math Practice Software Kids Love

Levels 1, 2 and 3 Bundle, Deluxe Version

Company: Barnum Software

Price: Standard Versions Ranging from $39.95 to $89.95

Deluxe version ($2.95/month, $19.95/year, $34.95/2 year)

See a comparison between standard and deluxe versions

Where to Buy: The Quarter Mile

Brief Overview: A math practice/drill program that motivates students to solve math problems as fast as they possibly can. Topics cover kindergarten to 9^th grade. The Quarter Mile Math topics correlate to all state math standards and to the NCTM standards. Students race cars or wild horses (no jockeys) to compete against their own 5 best times.

In-Depth Look: I received the Quarter Mile Math Levels 1, 2 and 3 Bundle Deluxe Version. This version covers grades K-9 with 323 topics and 70,000+ problems. Up to 12 family members can use it. These members can play simultaneously on different computers, even competing in real-time tournaments.

The CD is simple to install. Once installed, the parent adds the students’ names, assigning each a password and appropriate grade level. A student then logs in and picks the subject/topic that they wish to practice. (Here is a list of the topics covered.) The student can also choose if they want to race dragsters or wild horses (no jockeys). The computer shows a question based on the topic selected and the child enters the answer. If the answer is correct, the car/horse accelerates. If the answer is wrong, the car/horse maintains its speed. A student gets 3 chances to get the correct answer...

To read the rest of the review, click HERE

Web Design for Kids (and curious grown-ups) - A Review

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:36:00 -0500

Product: Web Design for Kids (…and Curious Grown-Ups!) – a fundamental DVD instruction on learning basic HTML to create web pages and websites

Company: Click Drag Solutions

Price: $40.00 (Special summer pricing of $19.95 with $3.99 s/h)

Where to buy: WebDesignforKids.net

Brief Overview: A fundamental DVD, geared towards children ages 8 and up, with instruction on learning basic HTML (hyper text markup language) to create web pages and websites, using Notepad and Internet Explorer.

In-Depth Look:

This DVD is geared towards kids, more specifically, middle-school aged children. It will be helpful for an elementary-aged child, who feels comfortable with the basics of the computer and keyboarding. It is also great for an adult, who knows absolutely nothing about html (like me).

The DVD was produced in 2007. It is approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes, with 7 chapters.

Ten Basic Lines of Code
Sandwiches and Colors
Make Subject Stand Out
Stand Alone Tags
Designing Backgrounds
Fonts and Paragraphs
Pictures

It includes a bonus segment on File and Folder Management. It is a quick basic crash-course for those who are not yet familiar or comfortable with using files or folders on their pc.

Brian Richardson, a middle school computer literacy teacher, is the creator and the host. His demeanor is friendly, down-to-earth, and funny. He speaks on an elementary level, avoiding the big, scary terms that might scare a beginner away. He invites two middle-school aged children to “come along for the ride”...

For the rest of the review, click HERE

TOS Homeschool Planner - A Review

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:52:00 -0500

Product: 2009 Schoolhouse Planner – Making a plan for school and home

Company: The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC

Price: $39

Where to buy: The Schoolhouse Planner

Brief Overview: A 375-page e-book containing forms, lists, recipes, calendars and additional resources to help you organize both your home and your homeschool.

In-Depth Look: A gigantic e-book containing most every form feasible for homeschooling and homekeeping. You may decide to print out the entire 375 pages to keep in a binder or may pick and choose the pages you need right then or on a regular basis. The e-book allows you to fill in the forms before you print them, which is a very nice feature.

The first few pages are calendars. The boxes are large enough to write sufficient notes.

This is followed by a monthly breakdown, each month containing a unit study idea with an overview, fact sheet, and resource list, plus 2 recipes. For example, here is September’s information: Unit study idea – brief weather lesson by Jay Wiles, PhD, Fact sheet – cloud types, Resource list – A thorough listing of all items sold by Old Schoolhouse Magazine pertaining to the weather, a recipe for Mexican Tortilla Stack-ups and one for Chicken Cheese Enchilada...

To read the rest of this review, clickHere

Parental Rights Amendment needs your help

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 22:12:00 -0500

A parent’s right to raise their children as they see fit is a time-honored American tradition, but today it is being threatened. The Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville decision in 2000 undermined a 75-year heritage of Constitutionally-protected, fundamental parental rights, which 8 of the 9 justices abandoned. At the same time, a growing body of international law fuels activist judges to legislate foreign standards from the American bench, while treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child would subject parental decisions to government oversight and international review.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI-2) has proposed HJR-42, the Parental Rights Amendment, to stop the erosion of parental rights in American courts while simultaneously defending our laws from international invasion. Please, visit Parental Rights to learn more about the Amendment, and to join their email network by signing the petition to protect parental rights.

LEAH Homeschool Convention in Rochester is next weekend!

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:07:00 -0500

If you plan to attend the convention, make plans for next weekend in Rochester New York.

Rochester Convention Coming Soon

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:42:00 -0500

LEAH Convention will be in Rochester, June 4th-6th.

For more information, click here.

http://www.leah.org/convention/2009/index.html