Uncover Exciting History

When I downloaded my electronic copy of Uncover Exciting History, I knew immediately this would be a history book my kids would enjoy reading and I would enjoy teaching.  How did I know this?  The sub-title of Uncover Exciting History reads:  “Revealing America’s Christian Heritage in Short, Easy-to-Read Nuggets.”  Wow!  Short and easy-to-read appealed to my children, and, revealing America’s Christian heritage appealed to me.  We have used a certain history curriculum for many years now, and it has really not proven to be engaging or interesting to my kids; but, I hadn’t found exactly what I was looking for to help bring history alive – until now.
     Amy Puetz, author of Uncover Exciting History, is a homeschool graduate who has battled illness and other obstacles in her life, yet has not allowed these obstacles to interfere with her love for history and, most importantly, her love for Christ.  Her desire to reveal historical facts while interweaving the foundational Christian truths that made America such a great nation is evident in every aspect of her writing. Uncover Exciting History is one of the most difficult books to have to stop reading.  Each chapter continues, chronologically, the history of our country.  Containing twenty-five chapters and 4 bonus chapters, the book is appropriate to be used as a read-aloud or as independent reading for children ages 12 and up.  My daughter is 12, and these stories are perfect for us to read together.  Each story is around 6-8 pages in length, so whether read silently or aloud, the reading really doesn’t take a long time.  What I am loving is that I am able to coordinate the chapters with the events we are studying – including doing some map work – really easily.  At the end of each chapter, ‘Digging Deeper’ questions / projects are provided which include great questions to help foster discussion of the chapter, suggestions for other books to read, craft type projects, and globe/map activities, just to name a few. 
     Topics covered include Christopher Columbus, The Lost Colony of Roanoke, The Oregon Trail, The Great Depression, and many biographical stories of famous characters in American History.  The bonus chapters are amazing.  The first bonus chapter is about mothers who changed the world through their children.  The other three chapters are biographical in nature and each cover one main historical figure (Marco Polo, David Livingstone, and Robert Falcon Scott).  There are 180 pages in the book, which may seem short, but there is a wealth of information included in these pages.
      I think what we are enjoying the most is Amy’s writing style.  Uncover Exciting History doesn’t read like a history book. It reads like a story book.  It is actually fun to read. Our entire family is greatly benefitting from reading the stories in this book.  I recommend it for any homeschooling family to use to supplement their history studies.
***On a poignant side note, Amy’s writing style reminds me of the way that the now deceased Andy Griffith used to tell of historical events in his performances.  She doesn’t necessarily weave as much humor in as he did, because he took a lot of artistic license when he told stories; but, she paints such pictures with her words that readers are captivated by the stories before they actually realize they are learning history.  This is a mark of a very gifted author.***
     Uncover Exciting History is available in electronic formats, print, and audio.  It can be purchased through the Golden Prairie Press website for $11.96, currently.  It normally retails for $14.95 but is on sale for 20% off.  I love a good sale, don’t you?  Amy has written several other books that have been read and reviewed by my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  You can read their reviews by visiting the main crew blog.  You can read basic information about each of Amy’s books by visiting her Golden Prairie Press website. 
**Disclaimer:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received an electronic copy of Uncover Exciting History at no cost to me in exchange for this honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own or those of my children.**

It Always Helps . . .

. . . to have someone besides Mom giving feedback to a child.  Why is it that kids think moms are either hypercritical or hyperpositive?  Whatever the reason, it really doesn’t matter.  We have found a program that has improved my daughter’s basic grammar and mechanic skills, and it involves feedback from someone besides me.  That program is Time4Writing.

     Time4Writing in an online program with classes available for elementary through high school students.  All of the classes available focus on some aspect of writing:  grammar, mechanics, sentence writing, paragraph writing, essay writing, and advanced essay writing.  Each class last for 8 weeks and costs $99.  There is no set start date for classes (meaning, students can enroll at any time and their specific class begins when they are registered).  A student’s class ends 8 weeks from the start date.  If there are some type of extenuating circumstances (like an illness, for example), parents can request that the student’s class be put on hold for a specific time period.  That way a student can pick up where he/she left off when able to resume course work.  If there is one thing that has been a point that I have a love/hate relationship with about this program, it is that parent’s do not have access to student records when the course is over.  Parent’s can request a one week record extension; but, if you are as scattered as I am, it is better for me to have permanent access to records because one week will fly by with me never remembering to download and print off what I needed.  I think the structure and deadlines are a good thing with Time4Writing – I definitely need parameters; but, I would like for parents to always have access to records. We have been using the Middle School Mechanics program for the past several weeks.  It is extremely user friendly, easy to register and set up, and fun to use.

     As for the actual class material and structure, my daughter is absolutely loving Time4Writing.  She is able to login to her course, read her lesson, complete her assignments, check her grades, communicate with her teacher, and (if desired) communicate securely with other students.  Most of the assignments she completes are scored online immediately.  In each unit there is a combination of objective type assignments that are scored immediately and writing assignments that go to her teacher for scoring.  A grading scale is provided in information about the course, so there are no questions about deductions on a paper.  Also, the teacher has been really good at explaining why something needs to be corrected and how to correct it.  Caitlyn hasn’t had a lot of corrections / deductions on her work, so we haven’t seen a lot of feedback; but, what feedback she has received has always been courteous, clear, and easy to understand.  This is not a Christian-based program, so all of the sentences involved in the lessons are secular in nature, but we have not seen anything that was objectionable to our family.  As a matter of fact, many of the sentences are mildly humorous, which makes the lessons more fun to go through. 

     So far, Caitlyn has used Time4Writing as an 8-week grammar / mechanics review.  It has really been great for her.  She has reviewed and practiced identifying nouns, identifying common and proper nouns (including practicing capitalization), forming plurals and possessives, identifying complete subjects, identifying simple subjects, identifying complete predicates, identifying simple predicates, and recognizing complete sentences vs. fragments vs. run-ons.  I think the only time she has gotten frustrated with the program was when she completed a writing assignment and submitted it to her teacher, but wasn’t allowed to move on in the program until the assignment was graded.  Her teacher graded all writing assignments very promptly (always by the next day), but, for a ‘mover and a shaker’ like my daughter, she would have loved for writing assignments to have been graded ‘yesterday.’  It was good for her to have to slow down a bit and wait for the feedback before moving on.  It gave her a chance to digest what she had been learning.  I am looking forward to her completing the rest of her lessons.  I think it is helping her tremendously in her writing skills.  I am contemplating moving on and purchasing the paragraph program for her to do next. If it is as quality as this mechanics program has been, I think it will be a real winner for us!

     If you would like to explore Time4Writing in more detail, visit the Time4Writing website.  On the website, you can explore the different classes available, see placement information so you can decide on the correct course, register for courses, and (my favorite) get a lot of great freebies.  Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew were able to use and review the Middle School Mechanics course as well as other courses offered by Time4Writing.  To read their reviews, simply visit the main Schoolhouse Review Crew page.

**As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew I received the Middle School Mechanics course to use in exchange for this honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  No compensation was received.**

Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers

When we were given the opportunity to read and review Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, I was really excited.  First published in 1999, this book is now available both in print and as an e-book version.  We received the e-book version to read and review.  Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers is 242-pages of fiction that interweaves true history.  It has been written in a very unique style in which students are captured by the storyline only to then learn about the rich heritage left us by the authors of some of the most inspirational hymns of the Christian faith.  Douglas Bond has written this, the first book in the Mr. Pipes series of books, as a living book for students in grades 7-10.  While some of the vocabulary used in the book could be more in line with one such older student, the overall storyline seems to be more in line with students in grades 5-7.  Two of our children fall into the suggested age range, and, while they did retain the historical information, they felt the story was too ‘baby’ for them.  Our daughter, who is in seventh grade now, is enjoying reading this together.  I think the more difficult vocabulary words encourage her to stretch herself and allow her to increase her vocabulary and reading level. 
     That being said, I have been enjoying Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers thoroughly.  I am ‘old’ (at least according to my kids I am) and was raised singing the great hymns referenced in this book.  Our modern-day worship services tend to leave out the older hymns in favor of more modern worship songs.  I’m sure that in the day some of the old hymns were considered modern worship songs and were not quite as popular as they became over time.  So, what is the basic storyline of Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers?
Here is a brief synopsis of Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, from the Christian Liberty Press website: This first book in the series by Douglas Bond tells the story of two teens who, while on vacation in England, are befriended by an elderly English gentlemen called Mr. Pipes. Through this relationship they learn about famous British hymn writers. They also learn about the value of traditional worship and praise.
     The main characters in the book are Mr. Pipes ( an elderly gentleman who serves as the sort of mentor for the children), Annie and Drew (young American teens on an adventure in England for the summer), Dr. Dudley (town doctor who watches out for Mr. Pipes), and Mrs. Beccles (baker who keeps her eye out for the teens well-being).  Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, and John Newton are just a few of the renowned hymn writers included in the adventures.  Mr. Bond even includes Scottish hymn writers and female hymn writers in the adventures. I am not going to spoil the entire storyline, but, I will tell you to expect all sorts of adventurous experiences ranging from fishing expeditions, to train excursions, even talk of royalty.  My daughter enjoys the stories.  She is a little more into ‘girlie’ type stories, but these have been fun and, I think, have given her a greater appreciation for some of the great hymns of the faith.
       The e-book is offered for purchase through the Christian Liberty Press website for $8.79. The print version is available through the website also for $9.89.   It is the first book in the Mr. Pipes series.  Other books in the series, as well as a complete set of the Mr. Pipes series, are available on the website, too.  The other print books retail for $9.89 individually and the complete set retails for $38.99. 
     To read what our Schoolhouse Review Crew has to say about Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, visit our main crew blog page. 
  **As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given an e-book copy of Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers to read and review.  The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.  No compensation was received.**

Learning to Defend Our Faith

Every so often, a curriculum product comes along that is so meaningful that it’s content spills over into many areas beyond it’s original use.  I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist is just such a book/workbook combination for me and my family.
     Written in 2004 by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, the original book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, is over 400 pages of basic, thorough apologetics.  This book gets down to the basics of what is truth, where did we come from, who is God, why we know the Bible is true, and much more.  Geisler and Turek provide countless citations, examples, and illustrations in their systematic approach to apologetics.  As deep as their book is, it is made even more meaningful with the addition of a new workbook, authored by Frank Turek and Chuck Winter and published by Apologia Press. 
      Turek and Winter have done a masterful job of weaving the content of the original book together with study questions and assignments that are thought provoking, insightful, and informative.  This workbook is designed to be used with high school students and older.  It is suggested that students take 2-3 weeks to study each chapter of the book and complete the companion workbook pages.  We are finding that it is taking us a little longer than that, mainly because of the discussions that are resulting from our study.  I think we could have discussed for a lifetime the importance of the five most consequential questions in life.  What are those questions? 
1.  Where did we come from?
2.  Who are we?
3.  Why are we here?
4.  How should we live?
5.  Where are we going?
Deep? Definitely! And this is just in the introduction!!! The book and workbook are very challenging because there is so much evidence for Christianity and arguments for Christianity presented.  The history buff in me loves the biographical sketches that are provided in the workbook.  We have read about C.S. Lewis, Augustine, Carl Sagan, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, and many other renowned historical figures – both Christian and non-Christian.  It is so interesting! Each chapter of the workbook is divided into four sections:  Hook – this is like a warm up for the workbook activities; Book – this section is where the actual topics students read about in the book are covered; Look – this section includes assignments to extend the lesson.  Some of these assignments are lengthy, so parents need to choose which assignments they want their child to complete.; and Took – this is the summary and, most importantly, the application section.  Students are guided through reviewing what they have learned and then learn how to apply the new concepts to their lives and to their witness for Christ.
     My high schoolers are enjoying the logical presentation and practical applications in the workbook.  For example, in chapter 3, one of the questions students answer is:  “How would you answer a friend who asks you, ‘Who made God?’”  This is something that is very realistic and really made the kids think through all of the evidence they had been studying so far. The boys don’t enjoy all of the writing (mainly because they are boys), but, I have found that they do enjoy discussing a lot of the questions with me and with each other.  This is a young earth, biblically based study that seems to be very sound theologically.  It lends itself to discussion opportunities in every single chapter.
     On a completely different note, I have been enjoying both the book and workbook so much that I am going to be using both products in an adult Bible study class at our church beginning in September.  I have found that many Christians know they are Christians, but they have no idea how to actually defend their faith.  Through our study, I hope to equip the adults in our study to be able to not only defend their faith but also proclaim their faith without reservation. With 14 chapters plus an introduction and conclusion to cover, it will be interesting to see how far we actually get in our allotted 13 week class.  I have a feeling that discussion time will be a lot of fun!
    Now for the bare facts:
How can the I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist book and workbook be purchased? Visit the following web pages, through the Apologia website, for ordering information:
For the book: ($16)
   https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.phpmain_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=220
For the Workbook: ($33)
https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.phpmain_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=222
Sample pages from both the book and workbook are available at the above links, also. 
     As a mom, I love a curriculum that inspires my kids to discuss the things of God with each other and with me.  I hope they are really taking these lessons to heart and will use them to defend their faith as they go through life.
     Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reading and using the I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist material.  To read what they have to say about it, visit our main crew blog.
**As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received the products mentioned in this review free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  No compensation was received.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.**
    

Taking the Pain out of Vocabulary and Spelling Practice

  VocabSpellingCITY.com has been one of our family’s favorite online educational programs for quite a while now.  A few years ago, before the vocabulary feature was added, we used this for all of our spelling practice.  Now we are using it for both spelling and vocabulary practice.  This is a quality program that is easy to begin using, affordable, and saves me a huge amount of time each week.  Time saver? Definitely.  With multiple kids needing spelling and vocabulary drills, VocabSpellingCITY takes care of the drill, practice, and even testing beautifully!

     How does this work?  Well, our family was given a premium membership for up to five children.  Sign up is quick through the VocabSpellingCITY.com website and retails for $29.99.  I still have 3 of our 6 children in school, so this was a perfect membership for us. It is able to be used for children in elementary through high school.   I also downloaded the app to my IPad.  The app itself is free, but won’t be useable for premium membership features unless you have an active premium membership account.  Once our account was set up, I went into my teacher tools and added my kids as my students.  Then, I was able to either input my own lists of spelling / vocabulary words or choose from lists already stored in VocabSpellingCITY.  I like to input my own lists since we use our own spelling/vocabulary curriculum.  Actually, since all of my kids using the program are in middle school / high school, I usually let them put the lists into the program.  It saves me time and gives them extra practice with the words. 

        Once their lists for the week are in, the fun begins!  I can either assign specific activities I want the kids to complete or (what I usually do) I can assign an amount of time I want them to spend with the program.  The activities available vary from puzzle and game type activities to dictation type activities.  Mainly, I check their progress and watch what activities they have been using.  Then I check their grades on their tests.  If their grades are not where they need to be, they can do more practice and take their tests again. 

      The kids love the independence of this program.  They each have their own login and password.  It also eliminates the pen and paper activity for spelling and vocabulary.  They love to be able to choose the activities that are the most fun for them and help them learn the words for the week the best.  Overall, VocabSpellingCITY is a winner for us!

     If you would like to read some other reviews written by my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew, visit the main crew blog page. 

**As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a 12-month Premium Membership to VocabSpellingCITY at no cost to me in exchange for this honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  No compensation was received.**

Vocab Videos

ACUITY, ASTUTE, DISCERN, INCISIVE, KEEN, PERSPICACITY

Hmmmm, how many of the above words can you use correctly or define correctly?  Vocabulary usage is a skill that is greatly overlooked in education today.  Most educational systems simply require rote memorization of words and definitions without moving to the next level of learning which is implementing those words into everyday language. I have taught for more years than I want to mention (because it makes me feel really old). A common thing I have noticed with kids and new vocabulary words is that they don’t know how to use new terms comfortably.  I often return essays to students and ask them to make some word substitutions to enhance the essays.  Funny thing is, most students just use a thesaurus, find a word they like, and plug it into the spot where a new word is needed without any regard for how the word fits with the flow of the sentence, paragraph, or entire essay.

     Vocab Videos is an online vocabulary practice program, designed for students in upper middle – high school, which gives students, as well as adults, the astute ability to discern how to use vocabulary words with perspicacity.  Yes, I did just use 3 of the words I listed at the first of this post.  I just had to use some of the new words I have learned – but, I digress.  “Vocab Videos was originally developed to teach SAT Vocabulary and tailored around learning key SAT Vocabulary words. Since that time, the system has proven an extremely effective vocabulary-learning tool for a variety of different tests beyond the SAT such as the ACT, ISEE, SSAT, and GRE tests. Vocab Videos is also an exemplary learning and teaching tool for any vocabulary learning program/class or individual vocabulary learning needs.” I currently teach ACT prep classes and I am so excited to be able to use this program with my students this year.

     What exactly is included with the Vocab Videos program?  As an educator, I am able to set up students so I can monitor their progress.  The set up process is simple.  After setup, each student receives a username and password via e-mail.  I also have access to activities such as crossword puzzles, quizzes, and worksheets that coordinate with the various video episodes.  The fun thing for me was that there are both printable and digital worksheets and quizzes.  I am able to decide if the kids take an online quiz with immediate grading or a paper quiz later that I grade (or both). From a pricing standpoint, for educators:

1 Month Free Educator Trial $0.00
Small (up to 20 students) $74.99
Medium (up to 40 students) $134.99
Large (up to 100 students) $254.99

Educators needing more than 100 student licenses can contact Vocab Videos directly for pricing information.  These prices are for a 12-month premium package.  A student account, which has access to the videos and the study resources, is available for $24.99 for a 6-month subscription and $39.99 for a 12-month subscription.  Honestly, as a parent and educator, if I had more than one child who was going to use the program, I would purchase the small educator license.  It is a great value. There is also a companion workbook available here beginning at $11.99 (depending on the number purchased). 

     One bit of advice:  as with any video program, parents will want to preview the videos and make sure the content is in alignment with their own values.  The free educator trial gives parents the ability to do just this before committing financially. 

     I am seeing results from using Vocab Videos with my own kids.  We have not done much of the written work during the summer, but we are using it now.  The interesting thing is, they are remembering words that they learned from videos many weeks ago.  They can’t necessarily write out a formal definition, but they can use the words properly.  I think that is more important than being able to write a formal definition. After all, what is more practical, using words correctly in context or writing out what the dictionary says?  For SAT and ACT testing, being able to use words in context correctly and to identify word relationships is important.  The techniques used in Vocab Videos effectively teach these skills. My newest ACT Prep class begins in 2 weeks.  I hope to be able to update this post with many positive results from my class using Vocab Videos.  I can’t wait to show it to them!

    Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have also been using and reviewing Vocab Videos.  If you would like to read some of their reviews, simply visit the main crew blog page.

**As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a small educator license for Vocab Videos for purpose of review.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.  No compensation was received from TOS or Vocab Videos.**

This Week in History

Do you ever reach a point in your homeschooling journey where you are either so overwhelmed by the abundance of available information that you can’t break it down into useable bits or there is so little information available about a topic that you don’t feel you are doing an adequate job teaching it?  I know I reach that point every now and then.  For quite some time, to me that point was in our history studies.  I stay conflicted between trying to make sure my kids know about relevant points in history while trying to make sure they know how those things have affected us currently.  What’s a parent to do? 

     Thomas Jefferson Education has come up with a resource that has greatly reduced my stress and workload with regards to history and the integration of history into other areas of our studies.  What exactly is TJEd?  TJEd gives you the “how” and the “why” to make the “what” more powerful, more memorable, more relevant to your children. It is an educational philosophy that operates under the premise that “Every person has inner genius. Thomas Jefferson Education consists of helping each student discover, develop and polish her genius. This is the essence and very definition of great education.” As part of this education system, the developers of TJEd have put together a comprehensive and engaging resource called “This Week in History.”

     This Week in History is a subscription program, available for $9.99 / month, giving parents and students (adaptable to any age student) resources in math, science, language skills, geography, current events, the arts and so on – all tied to events in history.  This resource is so much fun.  It is like getting a gift in your inbox every week. Subscribers can access it via e-mail or through the This Week in History blog feed on the TJEd website. Resources range from audio/visual resources to print resources (through internet links).  Suggestions are given for how to tie different historical events into many different subject areas.  We have been using it as a history supplement over the summer and it is going to be tied into our overall history curriculum this Fall.  How is that possible?  With a subscription you have access to a year’s worth of This Week in History archived posts.  These posts are searchable by date, topic, and keyword.  So, if the current week’s topics don’t fit with your studies, all you have to do is search a bit to find something that works. 

     We are enjoying the eclectic arrangement of the topics.  Yes, different topics are covered based on the week in history they occurred; but, those events are not necessarily chronological by year.  It is fun to be in WWI one week and the American Revolution another week.  For our summer this has been a great way to learn some fun facts, to integrate these into other areas, and to keep some history study going on.  I think using it with our American History studies this Fall is really going to be fun.  Kids today are such ‘electronic learners.’ Anytime a topic they consider boring can be supplemented with something that is electronic, they jump at it. 

    A fun perk for adults is the opportunity to sign up for the TJEd newsletter and to receive 5 free e-book gifts.  Information about this is located on the ‘freebies’ tab on the website.

     I recommend this resource for any teacher of history, student of history, or history enthusiast.  It is fun, interesting, thorough, and economical.  With gas prices continually on the rise, one would be hard pressed to spend less than $10 traveling to multiple libraries to compile even a smattering of the information available through This Week in History.

     Subscription information, as well as a sample week of This Week in History, is available through the This Week in History tab of the TJEd website.  If you would like to read some other reviews, check out the Schoolhouse Review Crew page. 

**As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given a subscription to This Week In History for purpose of review.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.  No compensation was received from TOS or TJEd.**

Math Made Easy–Multiplication

This has been the summer of reviewing basic skills for my kids – especially math skills.  One skill that needed honing was instant recall of multiplication facts.  We have been using the Math Made Easy Homeschool Multiplication Package for several weeks now.
     This product is basically a teacher / student workbook all in one.  Teacher instructions, suggestions, and lesson plans are located in the front of the workbook, student activity pages follow.  Also included are flashcards, games, and quizzes for students to use to enhance their learning.  I have had mixed feelings about Math Made Easy.  From a teaching standpoint, I do like the approach of having students focus on the math facts that are not usually memorized by patterns.  This makes the process of memorizing multiplication facts much less daunting than when students are told they must memorize all of their multiplication facts.  I know it is a mental thing, but thinking that only 20 or so facts need to be memorized as opposed to 90 being memorized seems to really relieve a lot of pressure.
     I also appreciated the fact that a few new facts were introduced at a time, reinforced with several different exercises, then students moved on to more new facts. Flashcards can be used for practice and quizzes are available to test progress.  From the perspective of a mom and an educator, I was a little disappointed that there is little to no direction for what to do with the various game type pieces provided in the back of the workbook.  I actually just abandoned even using them because I didn’t want to cut up the pieces if they weren’t meant to be cut.  This program is intended for children in grades 1-6, most specifically grades 3-4.  I felt most of the exercises and activities were appropriate for children around grade 3.  They were beyond the scope of most first and second graders and they were much too juvenile for my sixth grader.  She had fun coloring by number and doing the puzzles, but she thought they were too young for her to actually be doing for a grade.
     That being said, I have seen progress in my daughter’s recall of multiplication facts since using the workbook.  I definitely can tell that using this for her as a review has been effective and, since it is a light program for a sixth grader, she has been able to progress through lessons quickly and has actually enjoyed them.  I would suggest that the teacher materials and extra materials were separated into their own workbook and the student materials were by themselves.  This would make the teaching easier and would allow parents to purchase one teacher’s guide and multiple student workbooks if needed.
      From a pricing standpoint, this spiral bound curriculum is available from the Math Made Easy website for $24.95.  Keep in mind that it is a complete multiplication teaching package.  To view sample pages and to order Math Made Easy Homeschool Multiplication, visit the Math Made Easy website. 
     Many other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using Math Made Easy products.  To read their reviews, visit the main crew blog page.
**Disclaimer:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a copy of the Math Made Easy Homeschool Multiplication Package in exchange for this honest review.  No compensation was received.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

King Alfred’s English

I remember, with great thoughts of pain and suffering (at least at the time), studying the origins of the English language when I was in high school.  No offense to any teacher, but those studies were the most dry, boring, and uninteresting studies ever – to a teenager. 

     Enter King Alfred’s English some ???? years later.  WOW!  Maybe it is because I am older, maybe because I am a mom, maybe because I love to study origins, I don’t know – but this study is anything but dry, boring, and uninteresting.  Laurie White has done a masterful job of researching and weaving together the intricacies of the origins of English.  King Alfred’s English is captivating.

    We are reading aloud some of the book, reading silently some of the book, but greatly enjoying all of the neat tidbits of information we are gleaning.  This is one of those books that will be read and re-read with new pieces of information retained every time it is read.  Don’t you love it when a child is reading a book and he/she comes to you with a ‘Hey, mom! Did you know . . .?’ question?  I absolutely love that.  I think that is the mark of a classic.  In our family, King Alfred’s English is just that type of book. 

      Here are just a few snippets you will explore:

Did you know?

• The English were NOT the British. In fact, they fought each other…a lot. And still today, if you call an English person British, he might very well correct you even though he knows you probably won’t understand.
• You probably don’t pronounce the word “when” like your parents. When you say “when” and “win,” do these words sound the same? If you’re under 50, they probably do. If you’re older, you may still pronounce the sound of the “h” and the words sound slightly different. I still pronounce the “h,” do you?
• The Brothers Grimm compiled German fairy tales, but they were also famous philologists (and what IS a philologist?)
• There’s a law for the way languages change that backs up Intelligent Design.
• For over 300 years the official language of the English court was…French! Seriously. But the English were always fighting the French. That’s true. Find out why.
• There’s a reason we write “knight” but say “nite,” and you won’t believe how they used to pronounce it.
• It was once punishable by death to translate even portions of the Bible into English! Yikes!
• Recent scholarship has shown that at least 80% of the King James Bible is the translation work of just one man. Who was he?

     Touted as the only complete book covering the history of the English language for students below college level, King Alfred’s English is a masterpiece in research.  Exploring Mrs. White’s website, The Shorter Word, reveals resources galore to use with her publication. There are worksheets, tests, videos, and online links. Also, the complete bibliography for King Alfred’s English is available with functional links so you or your student can do further research. 

     Although intended for children ages 12 and older, I could see selected portions being used along with an Ancient History or World History study with younger children. We are incorporating it into both English and History.  If the entire book is completed, this can count as either 1/2 credit for History or 1/4 credit each English and History.  This is one of the only History books that has actually captivated my boys.  There is actually a lot of action.  As crazy as our version of English seems when Grammar is examined, King Alfred’s English helps readers of all ages make some sense out of the unique nuances of our language.  It helps students of all ages appreciate the intrinsic beauty of our language and the complexities that have developed as it has developed.

     I highly recommend King Alfred’s English for any homeschooling family.  It will quickly become a favorite resource.  For purchasing information, visit Laurie White’s website, The Shorter Word.  On this page she gives you several options of places to purchase the print version as well as a link to purchase the Kindle version. Prices vary from $5.95 for the Kindle version up to $16.95 for the print version.  Laurie graciously has listed multiple vendors and directs her readers to the best available price. I received the Kindle version and have enjoyed it.  I do like a print book so I can ‘mark it up,’ so to speak.  I could see myself purchasing at least one print version to use in our study (mainly so my IPad will quit disappearing). 

     Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reading King Alfred’s English as well.  To read their reviews, visit the main crew blog page. 

**Disclaimer:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a complementary copy of King Alfred’s English for purposes of review.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.  No compensation was received.**

Create Better Writers

Create Better Writers is a comprehensive writing curriculum for grades 3-12.  Our family has been using the How to Teach the Paragraph, How to Teach the Five Paragraph Essay, and Homeschool Writing Action Plan e-books for the past couple of months.  As a mom of many kids, I have often wanted a writing curriculum that could be used with all of my children at the same time.  Create Better Writers curriculum is just that type of curriculum.  The Homeschool Writing Action Plan gives homeschooling parents a road map for every grade from third grade through twelfth grade, all in one convenient book. 

     Using the action plan, parents can implement a semester-by-semester program.  All books and materials necessary, including page numbers in those materials, are listed in the action plan.  The action plan is easy to use and is helpful in coordinating multiple grade levels. 

     We have been focusing mainly on the How to Teach the Five Paragraph Essay e-book.  I have a couple of high school children and thought this would be just the thing they needed to brush up their essay skills for their college entrance exams. Using the pacing chart provided in this book, we began by reviewing good paragraphing skills.  Since we had not used this curriculum before, we referred to the How to Teach the Paragraph e-book to review those skills.  We then moved into writing a 3-paragraph essay and writing different types of introductions.  I can’t say this is my kids favorite curriculum, because they really do not like writing; however, I have seen improvement in their essay writing skills.

     Honestly, this curriculum is high quality and very thorough; but, it is not a good fit for our family.  Having worked as a professional educator for many years before homeschooling, I have seen too many curricula that are basically scripted.  That is helpful for the teacher in a large classroom, but is not effective for most homeschooling parents.  I have my degree in English and know my kids better than any scripted curriculum knows them.  Therefore, I have had to implement the concepts presented in Create Better Writers curriculum while ignoring the scripting for the teacher.  For the homeschooling parent who is not confident in teaching writing, the scripting will be a good thing, though.  I think it would give that parent assurance that the methods were being taught correctly.  Many of the activities suggested are suggested for a classroom full of students, so, those activities have to be adjusted to fit each individual home.

     All of the Create Better Writers curriculum products can be purchased on the Create Better Writers website.  The Homeschool Writing Action Plan is available as an e-book for $15.95 or soft cover for $19.95.  How to Teach the Paragraph is available for $7.99, and How to Teach the Five Paragraph Essay is available for $17.95 for the e-book and $22.95 for the soft cover version. There are other products available as well on the Create Better Writers website.  Product bundles are also available for quite a good value.

     Many of the other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using and reviewing this same curriculum.  To read their honest reviews, visit the main crew blog post.

**Disclaimer:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received the above mentioned products free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  No compensation was received.  All opinions expressed are my own.**

Planning, Planning, Planning

    I have a confession to make.  I love to plan things.  Now, I didn’t say that my plans always get implemented exactly the way I envisioned them; but, I do plan.  This is true in all aspects of my life – housework, church activities, homeschooling, family things, well – you get the picture.  I am a little bit (o.k. a lot) of a control freak.  I am not the OCD type who has things planned and then doesn’t allow for change.  I am the type of planner who plans while always remembering that life happens and sometimes plans have to change. 

     So, how do I plan our homeschooling?  We have a lot of kids (6) – although 3 are still homeschooling.  We also have tons of different activities and other things going on in our home right now.  This flurry of activity has prompted me to bump my planning up to a higher level.  I have created “Mrs. Sarah’s Brain.”

     What exactly is “Mrs. Sarah’s Brain?”  It is a binder that has sections for any and every aspect of my life that requires planning.  I use the TOS Planner pages and set up a master calendar section, menu planning, grocery lists, address book, medical information, budget information, teaching information for the co-ops I teach in, and planner pages for each of the kids schoolwork.  I also have assorted pens, pencils, and highlighters so I can mark things to remember.  Because my blogging schedule has gotten so busy, I have an entire section for my blogging planner. 

      This binder goes with me everywhere!  The reason I call it “Mrs. Sarah’s Brain” is so that if I lose it I can ask my kids “Has anyone seen my brain?”  They think that is funny and help me look for it! 

     You may not be a binder person, but, let me tell you, this binder is what works for me.  It is working so well, that my kids want to set up binders of their own to use for school. 

     I typically plan a week at a time for school.  In the beginning, I planned out an entire school year.  This proved to be very frustrating for me because of all of the adjustments that had to be made during the school year.  By planning a week at a time, I can take into account appointments and known events that will take us away from the house during the week.  I have learned my kids learning styles over the years and now know that some of my kids like to study in a block type format (all of one subject for a week in one sitting), and some like a more traditional format where they do a little of each subject everyday.  I have no preference as long as what they like is working for them.

     I am not going to tell you that my system is perfect, it is far from it; but, I am staying on top of most things.  My family can attest to the fact that if something isn’t written in my brain, it will totally get forgotten or overlooked.  So, whatever your system for organization, whether it is  a computer planner, post-it notes, highlighters, colored pencils, folders, etc…., find what works for you and use it.  It really takes the stress off your brain to plan ahead – that is, as long as you don’t misplace your brain.  Hey kids, has anyone seen my brain?

Zane Education

     As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given a 12-month Online Gold Subscription to Zane Education.  Using the world's largest and most comprehensive library of fully subtitled education video currently available online, Zane Education provides a highly effective and unequalled online visual learning solution using curriculum-based educational video, interactive quizzes, video study tools and free lesson plans. Zane Education differs from other online video services in that all of the videos are fully subtitled.  This is incredibly effective in helping students with reading fluidity and comprehension. 

     Zane Education offers nearly 2,000 curriculum-based education videos and a quiz database of over 23,000 curriculum-based multiple-choice questions. The website also provides online learning resources such as lesson plans, study tools, and interactive quizzes for 11 different subjects and more than 260 curriculum topics for K-12 grades. Some of the subjects included are Art, Biology, History, Geography, and Literature.  Not all grades are included in every subject right now; however, more videos and resources are being added all the time.

     We have had mixed feelings about Zane Education.  The videos, in a lot of cases, remind me more of the filmstrips that were popular in classroom when I was in school (yes, back in the Dark Ages).  Some of the videos seem more like a series of picture slides accompanying a lecture. There are control buttons on the video screen which, right now, don’t control anything.  Those buttons are distracting and frustrating.  My kids were disappointed that they couldn’t watch the videos on full screen.  I hope that feature gets added soon, because watching the video as an insert on a web page is distracting for kids who have trouble focusing.  On the flip side, the educational content is sound.  I am incorporating the videos mostly in Biology and History right now.  As our school year progresses, I will be using more of them.  Even though my kids aren’t 100% in love with them, the videos do give good introduction to a topic or reinforcement of a topic we have covered.  A word of caution, these videos are not promoted as being strictly from a Christian worldview; so, I advise parents to screen videos before allowing your child to watch them – especially in the Biology section. 

      I do appreciate the length of the videos.  They range from just a few minutes in length to around 20 minutes in length.  Zane’s videos are concise yet thorough.

     There are five different levels of membership available for Zane Education:

Level 1:  Basic, Free Membership (FREE)

Access to all the free facilities on the Zane Education website.

A Basic Membership provides:

• Access to demo versions of Zane's 1,000+ subtitled curriculum videos for K-12
• Access to the non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the More Resources section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 72-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to ALL 1,500+ curriculum videos for K-12 on the website PLUS all other facilities on the Zane Education website.

Level 2:  Gold Membership -  Cost: $17.99 per month or $197.89 per year

A Gold Membership provides:

• Access to ALL of Zane's 1,000+ subtitled curriculum videos for K-12*
• Access to the non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all 260+ curriculum Topics for K-12
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Free downloadable copy of Zane's Learning Video Catalogue (worth $49.95)
• Free downloadable copy of Zane's Christian Home Learning Guide (worth $49.95)
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to all education (K12) videos within the GRADE LEVEL you have chosen PLUS all other facilities on the Zane Education website.

Level 2:  Silver Membership – Cost: $12.99 per month or $142.89 per year

A Silver Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected GRADE LEVEL**
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all curriculum Topics within your selected Grade Level
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

  Provides access to all videos within in the SUBJECT you have chosen.

Level 4:  Bronze Membership – Cost: $8.99 per month or $98.89 per year

A Bronze Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected SUBJECT***
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all curriculum Topics within your selected Subject
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to the video(s) within in the SINGLE TOPIC you have chosen.

Level 5:  Topic Taster Membership – Cost: $5 per month  - $ 5.00 for 30-day access. A great option for teachers in schools to try out our online curriculum

A Topic Taster Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected SINGLE TOPIC
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to the Free Lesson Plan for your selected Topic
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the More Resources section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

     Overall, I think we will be using the Zane Education videos for the remainder of our subscription, but I will have to evaluate it’s overall effectiveness at the end of our school year before I decide whether or not to continue the subscription. 

     Many of my crewmates on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using Zane Education.  To read their reviews, simply visit the main crew blog by clicking here or by clicking on the graphic below.

**Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a 12-month Online Gold Subscription to Zane Education for purposes of review.  No compensation was received.  The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.**