http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:51:00 -0600 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:51:00 -0600 Do not tell my Tests and Measurements class professor that  I am not a proponent of achievement test taking.  Why?  Because it really does not test what a child is capable of.  However, I have been curious as to how my children would do on a timed assessment of academic progress.  Therefore, I was excited to receive ACT Explore and Plan assessments sent to me by the folks at Act Advantage to review.  I was given the product in exchange for my honest opinion.  These are the same people putting out the ACT taken by high schoolers as a college entrance exam.  Find my thoughts on their Discover career planning program here. Explore is to be used from late 7th grade to 9th grade to give a baseline idea of how ready the student is for high school and college.  Plan is to be used by 10th graders.  Both timed tests have separate English, Mathematics, Reading and Science tests lasting between 20 and 40 minutes each.  An answer sheet is given to fill in the circles with the correct answer.  Answer keys are given as well as information on scoring the tests at home.  These tests are indicators for how well the student will do in high school and college.  Both tests can alert the parent to areas of weakness which can be strengthened sooner rather than later.  For $22.95, the parent receives the test booklet, answer key, how to use results pamphlet and college readiness standards. Both of my 8th graders took the Explore test.  This is the first assessment they have taken since 3rd grade, so I was very surprised at how well they did and hope this is an indication of their future ACT scores.  We are hoping for some scholarship money.    I cannot testify how this compares to other standardized tests, however from what I remember they seem similiar.  Fortunately, I was already aware of weaker areas in their schooling and have been working on those.  I recommend testing students before entering high school, so that any weaknesses can be dealt with before it becomes an issue.  However, testing every year would not be my recommendation. http://actadvantage.org has these tests and also an online ACT preparation guide called The Real ACT Prep Guide costing $19.95. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/754270/ Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/754270/ Through MyBlogSpark, Fiber One sent me a coupon for a free 4-pack of Fiber One nonfat yogurt for Yoplait to try and review for you.  My BlogSpark also sent a coupon for my readers to receive $1 off a pack of Fiber One yogurt.  Find that coupon here.  I found this yogurt at Publix for $1.99 for a 4-pack. With 5 grams of fiber (20% of RDA) this yogurt would be helpful for those having trouble getting in their daily needed amount of fiber.  We eat tons of fresh vegetables and fruit so getting our fiber has never been a problem.  For those who have trouble getting their family to eat foods with fiber, this may be helpful.  Silky smooth in taste, this was similar to other Yoplait yogurt.  We tried 2 flavors-Peach and Strawberry.  Strawberry was the favorite, though each one does have an aftertaste because of the aspartame added.  Because of the aspartame, I would not purchase this again even though the taste was good.  I try to avoid as many artificial additives as possible.  However, for those not minding aspartame, this yogurt has a good taste which may be enjoyed.  Another item of concern is the Red dye #40.  I do not understand why beet juice or other coloring is not used.  Vanilla and Key Lime Pie are two additional flavors available.  L. Acidophilus is one of the active yogurt cultures used.  No grams of fat are in the container, which is small (4 ounces) compared to regular Yoplait yogurts.  Only 50 calories are in each. Fiber One also sent a cooler pack consisting of a lunch bag, dish, cup, spoon, and fork.  And they are allowing me to offer it to two of my readers.  All you have to do is comment on what is your favorite snack to sneak when everyone else is asleep.  Mine is ice cream.    Shhh, don't tell.   I will be assigning a number based on the order of comments.  Random.org will then choose the winner, which I hope to do the evening of  December 26th.  WInners will be notified.  They must then send me their mailing addresses which I will then give to MyBlogSpark for gift fulfillment.   The coupons, online coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Fiber One through MyBlogSpark.  This is "hungry girl approved" at www.hungry-girl.com http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/753357/ Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/753357/ After assigning each commenter a number based on the order they commented, random.org picked #4 which was Terri at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/BurkhertsBrigade/ CONGRATS! Will get the book in the mail ASAP. Merry Christmas to you and yours. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/752800/ Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/752800/ Biographies which bring out the story of historical figures are my favorite reads.  How Do I Love Thee?-A novel of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Poetic Romance by Nancy Moser.  Elizabeth Barrett was a sickly woman tied to her father's home by his overbearing attitude that his children should not marry.  Her life is full of sorrow and then she receives a letter from fellow Robert Browning.  Elizabeth keeps him at arm's length for a long time until she no longer can.  He has fascinated her and they finally meet.  Throughout their courtship she writes Sonnets From the Portuguese about her love for him, but does not give them to him until the perfect opportunity arises after they have been married for some time. Nancy Moser says that the love story of Elizabeth and Robert is even stranger than fiction.  She did take some liberties in her writing, but based most of it on actual evidence.  At the end of the book is an epilogue of what happened to other characters in the book.  She also gives examples that were so perfect she could not have made up information so romantic and fascinating.  A "Fact or Fiction" section goes through each chapter and tells extra information about points in the chapter as well as what Nancy did not know  so just took an educated guess.  I especially appreciate her including Sonnets From the Portuguese which I referred to as Elizabeth and Robert's courtship progressed. A negative of this book was how it dwelt so long on her infirmity and depression, but I understand this is realistic.  I just was wanting the story to get on with the romance.  Also her addiction to opium was sad, but something that happened in that age.  She did seem to be one who wanted to follow God and felt torn with her feelings when they went against her father's who was supposedly so godly.  This book is one my daughter will  read during her homeschool high school years.  I also am interested in Nancy Moser's other books, Mozart's Sister (Nannerl Mozart), Just Jane (Jane Austen), and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington).  I received this book as a member of Bethany House Publisher's reviewers.  I received no other compensation for my review other than the book itself. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751949/ Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:05:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751949/ Jesus Calling is a devotional with readings for each day of the year written by Sarah Young.  Each of the short readings, usually just two paragraphs, is written as if Jesus were speaking directly to the reader.   Sarah writes in the first person as if Jesus were speaking directly to her heart.  Her heart could be any reader's or mine.   She says that the Bible is the only inerrant Word of God, so is not trying to rewrite it.  Scripture references relating to the reading are given each day.  She encourages the reader to keep a journal as they read in a quiet place. The entry for my birthday tells me to not be discouraged with how easily my focus can turn away from Him.  I am to aim for being aware of being in his presence each day.  He is thrilled when I initiate communication with Him and He notices each improvement I make.  He tells me to rejoice every time I break through the distractions and spend time with him.  Doesn't that fit just about everyone?  Another entry reminds me that He is taking care of me and that every part of my life .  He tells me that what the world understands is so tiny compared with His knowledge.  If only I could see what He is doing for me, I would never doubt Him again. Jesus Calling is a small hardback book with a daily page.  Included is an attached ribbon to keep your place.  The cost is $14.99. This book reminds me that Jesus is my friend and He is calling me to Him.  Am I going to listen?  Thomas Nelson Publishers sent me this book solely for the purpose of reviewing.  The only compensation I received for reviewing was the book itself. http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751929/ Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751929/ "Mom, 'Dash' is making up a new game.  Instead of Mario Brothers, it is Kovach Brothers," said my youngest son last night.  He had been watching his 12 year old brother create a new game using Tektoma video tutorials.  "Dash" loves playing computer games, so being able to create them has been a fun learning experience.   I expect him to continue using these skills and gain more as he creates various games.  Tom Marx and Matilda O'Connor have been teaching computer summer camps for  some years now.  In 2009, they started Tektoma to provide round the clock access to video tutorials which teach game programming to children.  They use the free GAMEMAKER 7 software, downloaded off the internet.  The online video walks the student through the game making process.  Even I was very clearly able to follow the instructions and began making a racing game.   The ease of use surprised me.  Sometimes even  "easy" computer teaching is confusing.  "Dash" has made a very simple game before, but these are ones someone would actually play more than once.  He stated  the instructions were very easy. Screen shot of "Kovach Brothers" All three of the children have gotten involved with Tektoma.  "Violet" is the designer, "Dash" is the programmer, and "Jack-Jack" is the tester.  This morning I played Kovach Brothers, a platform game with a German Shepherd theme.  My dog went through a maze of platforms jumping and shooting tomatoes at any animal in the way.  This weekend we will see if it passes the Daddy test. Even though you could find some written tutorials for Gamemaker online, the video with the calm man's voice was much easier to understand than words on a page looking like gobbleygook.  It also is more personal hearing him show the student  how to do each action while highlighting it on a "view screen" page.  The site itself is made to be safe for teens.  There is no violence or blood depicted in the five game styles taught on the different videos.  Hopefully, this will continue.  Other sites  we have explored have too much violence/darkness depicted.  The recommended ages are 8-17.  Once the basic game is created, the child can become more creative.   After a game is created, the student is able to upload it to the Tektoma website.  This lets others see and play the new game.  In the time we have had Tektoma for reviewing purposes, no new content has been added, but I understand it will be coming.  The monthly fee for using Tektoma online is $14.95 a month or $140 for the whole year.  At this point, I would be interested in the $14.95  a month subscription until I see how much new content is added.  "Dash" finished several games and is working on two additional types. A sample of the video tutorial can be seen here. If someone in your home enjoys computers,  sign up for a free 14-day trial at  Tektoma.  This is said to work with XP and Vista only. Gamemaker requires 128mb RAM.  DirectX8 needs at least 32 mb of video memory and the screen resolution needs to be at least 800 X 600. A three month subscription to Tektoma was given to me for the sole purpose of using with my family and reviewing it.  My observations are truthful to the best of my ability.  I was given no money in compensation for my review. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751209/ Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:18:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/751209/ Most homeschools do not have enough fine arts in the curriculum.  Maestro Classics comes along to change that.  They offer stories set to music with more learning included.  Stories on CD include Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Casey at the Bat, Peter and the Wolf, and The Story of Swan Lake.  We received for reviewing purposes The Tortoise and the Hare, a classic told by my dad for years.  The CD begins with the story being told with musical accompaniment.  The expression of narrator Yadu is fantastic.  After the story, Bonnie Ward Simon, the author tells more about the story.  In this case she tells about it being a fable of Aesop.  Next is a rendition of the vocal song used in the story.  Stephen Simon then explains how he composed the music perfectly going with the action and characters of the story.  Then, they can listen to the story again noting the music in comparison to the story.  Lastly, Ms. Simon prepares the students to perform the vocal song with the accompaniment provide.  My youngest son loved it and the older children would not leave the room until the story was over. I plan to loan it to a friend for her family to listen to on their Christmas vacation. Along with the CD comes an activity-type booklet which reminds us to expand listening horizons, develop listening skills, accumulate musical memories, and listen to music as a family.  Pictures of orchestra instruments are shown.  An explanation of notes and time signatures is given along with information about turtles, tortoises, rabbits, and hares.  A dot-to-dot, crossword puzzle, and word jumble are available for the children to do.  Also, the words of the song sung in the story are given. I would love to purchase some of the other CDs in this series.  They make a great addition to any homeschool curriculum and would be perfect purchases for gifts.  Each CD is $16.98 or 3 may be purchased for $45 with a special code found at the Maestro Classics website.   A listening sample of Peter and the Wolf  can be found there, too.  Explore around to find other samples and listings for other CDs. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750754/ Wed, 9 Dec 2009 12:25:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750754/ Zondervan sent me a box of advance copies of new books to read for review.  The first one to catch my eye was 25 Days, 26 Ways to make this Your Best Christmas Ever.  This book really reiterated to me what I had already decided this year, that this season was not going to be packed with too much to do each day, but instead December would be a lovely time to enjoy with family.  So far, on this 9th day of December, the season has been lovely.  My entire Christmas shopping is done and Christmas cards have been sent.  We have taken time already to go to the huge light display in Lexington, eat peppermint ice cream, read a story for Advent each day, and enjoy a special Christmas movie each night.  Ace Collins, the author, takes each of the 25 days of Christmas and focuses on a seasonal topic. Day 3 was a look at what "Merry" in Merry Christmas and God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen means.  I will not give it away here, but you may be surprised at the meaning.  At chapter's end, Mr. Collins gives A Shortcut to the Season with an idea on how the reader can make the reading come alive.  For example, he suggests figuring up how much it would cost to give to your true love today the 12 gifts of The Twelve Days of Christmas.  My oldest boy will love that.  My father always said his tree was decorated on Christmas Eve, which I always found strange.  Now I know this was typical in  the 40s and earlier.  Early Christmas shopping did not begin unto World War II.  So why do we kill ourselves trying to rush around so now?  We need to get back to the joy of the season. The US price is $15.99 for a hardback.  25 Days, 26 Ways can be found at Zondervan.com  or other retailers. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750643/ Tue, 8 Dec 2009 23:30:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750643/ For the next two weeks A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is our study.     This Literature Highlights unit by The Highlights of Homeschooling can be a stand-alone unit for the mid to upper graders which allows me time for extra Christmas duties.  My first grader is also using it with modifications.  I also used Charles Dickens and Friends by Marcia Williams with him.  Vocabulary, copywork, creative writing,newspaper prompts, artistic activities, literature element exercises, and comprehension activities are included. This literature unit is thorough enough for my older children.  My older son complained about the unusual words making it harder to read quickly.  got this during the Black Friday sale at Currclick  but am reviewing this just for fun.  I believe the one for sale has more activities than this particular version. You can find A Christmas Carol online at Project Gutenberg. Below "Violet" and "Jack-Jack" show their book cover assignment. Scrooge looking out at the happy children below. Mean ol' Scrooge Some of the other things I look forward to seeing the children do are making a clay model of a character in the story, creating a game with the vocabulary words, and writing newspaper articles. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750525/ Tue, 8 Dec 2009 14:27:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/750525/ My youngest is actually having fun with Math.  Sounds crazy to this math disliking mother, but it is true.  "Jack-Jack" is enjoying Mathletics , a subscription-based math practice program which has a component allowing your student to play with students around the world.  A child can begin math drills on concepts from their grade level or any other grade level. These grade levels are based on New Zealand classes, but are easy to figure out.  Year One seems to be kindergarten, etc.  The online competitive game has children online at the same time racing to see who can answer the fastest without striking out (missing 3). Five levels are available for play. My children competed with children from Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA, Korea, Canada, Brazil, and Kenya. This was great fun. When they first started playing, I would hear a shout for each new country.  There is no actual contact between children, so this is a safe program. A Rainforest Maths section is available for each grade level.  They have from 30 to 200 different activities covering many topics for each level.  To give you an idea of topics, level 2 includes equations, volume, probability, 3-D shapes, money, place value, rounding, and more.  The activities are a cross between a game and a workbook page. The Games section seems to be only in the lower levels.  In "Jack-Jack's" level there are ten games, but only three are actually "fun".  An Animated Math Dictionary defines terminology for the student in a visually stimulating way.  "Dash" liked this aspect of the program. In the Parent Centre (Yes, British English spellings are used.) printable workbooks for the upper levels are available.  The second level has just a few workbook pages.  These are not necessary because they are just more of the same problems, but could be useful for those  wanting to give their children extra practice.  Note:  A fellow crewmember told me that she had been notified that the workbook pages were only for schools, so you may want to verify that you can print the workbooks if that is something you are interested in.  The Parent Centre allows the parent to see the student's progress-what the student is doing and how he is doing at it.  A weekly report is available and tells just what topic activity was done and the student's score. The parent can also found out the amount of time the student is using Mathletics.  In the Task Manager  the parent may assign up to four activities for the student.  A Parent's Presentation seems to have MANY topics with instruction for the parent to teach with however I have been unable to access them through Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer.  I assume they are going to get this working for us soon. My younger son rushed through grade level one and two and has come to a standstill at grade level three because he hit multiplication.  He did some of the sections, but stopped at the 6 facts.  Since they get points as they go through the grade's topics, I wish they would get points for the Rainforest Math section, too.  "Jack-Jack" got over 4000 points the first week, but now does not get as many since he reached a level he is not yet ready to master.  This has been discouraging for him as he does not want to play online every day. A question button gives the student more explanation.   The explanations are not thorough enough to stand alone as a curriculum, though they are helpful when the concept has already been taught.  I must emphasize that this is not a whole curriculum, but more of a enrichment math program.  My daughter does not care for this type of math.  She does not like competition in any way, though playing foreign children did intrigue her.  My older son said he wished an online calculator was available for the harder problems.  Yes, he could pull up the computer calculator.  He also wishes that once you get 5 problems right, you could move on rather than doing all 10.  They enjoyed setting up their Facemaker avatar.  "Jack-Jack" has green hair while "Dash" has blue.  As long as it is only online!  "Violet" is in a snowman scene.  You are also able to "purchase" different items for the avatar.  A skateboard item was a purchase the boys made. This program is fine for my younger child, but for the older two it is more like plain old Math, except for the online gaming which has been fun for them.  I would not purchase this for the older two, but the younger one could have started this last year and would still enjoy it. A screen shot of playing the other nationalities An annual subscription to Mathletics is just $49.95 PER CHILD if you enter the Human Calculator's favorite number, 9, when purchasing.  Otherwise, the cost is $59.  For more information go to the Mathletics website. While at the site, you may want to contact them to ask about a discount for multiple members of the family.  From what I understand, one is available but I could not find it on the site. Read my other TOS Crewmembers' reviews on Mathletics here.   I received the 45-day Mathletics subscription for the purpose of reviewing it.   However, my true feelings on this product are reflected above. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/749542/ Fri, 4 Dec 2009 14:37:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/749542/