Ahoy Maties!!!

New Blog Followers Challenge!

2012-02-14T08:44:00.000-06:00

This week I am rewarding new followers of my blog with a freebie! How do you get it? Follow the blog then leave a comment below letting me know you followed. Include your email address so I can send you your gift. The new follower's freebie is a copy of my devotional book called "Reversing Burnout." Hope to hear from you!

Faster than a Dictionary

2012-02-13T10:13:00.001-06:00

Kids (and adults) have become so spoiled to using ‘spell-check’ when writing on a computer. I am a little old-fashioned and I still like to require rough drafts that are hand written. There is no spell-check when you are hand writing something, though. Hearing ‘go check the dictionary’ when a word spelling is needed gets a little old. Kids give all sorts of excuses – ‘I can’t find the dictionary.’ ‘The dictionary is too big.’ ‘How can I find the word I need if I don’t know how to spell it?’

See-N-Spell, a product of CadenaSmith Enterprises, is an easy-to-use and affordable tool to help increase vocabulary and spelling skills. It is not a dictionary. It is a compilation of the “300+ most common vocabulary words and the most commonly misspelled words in the (American) English language.” With See-N-Spell, students simply need to know the first letter of the word for which they are searching. Words in See-N-Spell are listed alphabetically in three sections:

Most Commonly Used Vocabulary Words
Commonly Misspelled Words
My Special Interest Words

Unlike a dictionary or thesaurus, containing thousands of words, the See-N-Spell tool only contains 40 pages and slightly over 300 words. It is much easier to navigate than a large lexicon. It is convenient to slip in a notebook or back pack for use at any time. This is proving to be a great resource for those moments when the word you want is ‘right on the tip of your tongue.’ We are learning the See-N-Spell is fabulous for helping a writer vary vocabulary within a written piece. There are many writing curricula available currently which emphasize varying vocabulary in writing. With the See-N-Spell tool around, this is easy.

When you purchase See-N-Spell you will also receive a See-N-Read tool. We love this tool! It is a must have for emerging readers or for anyone with tracking issues, dyslexia, or other vision / learning difficulties.

See-N-Spell is available online for $9.99. This includes both the See-N-Spell book and the See-N-Read tool. It is recommended for grade 4 – adult, but, I could see younger students using it if they were more advanced in their writing and reading skills.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or CadenaSmith Enterprises in exchange for this honest review.”

Math Facts are Fun!

2012-02-10T09:34:00.001-06:00

A good foundation in math is as important as a good foundation when you are building a house. Learning basic math facts is the backbone of every math operation. Any and every student can benefit from learning and/or reviewing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. As important as this drilling is, it can be very boring. That’s where Math Rider comes in. Math Rider is a fun math facts game geared toward children ages 6-12. It could be appropriate for children outside that age range depending on their math level.

We were able to use and review this game both last year and this year. We have enjoyed it both times and have been able to see improvement in the game with the newer version we are using now. The basic concept of Math Rider is simple. The player is a rider on a horse. The player rides the horse through different fantasy quests, solving math facts over the course of the quest. The quests become more challenging as the player becomes more proficient in the math facts. Parents can choose the math operations covered on the quest, as well as the difficulty of the facts. From the Math Rider website:

“A lot of otherwise good games suffer from quirky controls or from making the game-play itself too difficult. It is incredibly sad to watch kids fail a math game, even though they know the correct answer, because they mistimed their spaceship’s shot, or because jumping over that ledge is just too hard. These things have nothing to do with math, so why put hand-eye coordination requirements into a math game?

In MathRider we specifically designed the controls such that they will not get in the way of practising maths. If you can do the math, you win, simple as that. All the player needs to do is key in the correct number and press ‘Enter’. The game does the rest. Sound effects, animation, riding speed and so on are automatically controlled and adjusted. In this way, your child can fully focus on practising their math while still enjoying a highly entertaining game.”

If you have a horse lover, or a fantasy story (think King Arthur type fantasy) lover in your family, this is definitely the math game for them! Installation is easy and fairly quick. Setting up players for quests is very easy to do, and the quests automatically gauge student’s progress for you. Math Rider is available on the Math Rider website for only $37 (instant download access) until February 15. After that, the price increases to $47. Math Rider is a very easy to use and effective math facts game. To read other reviews of Math Rider, visit the main TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Math Rider in exchange for this review.**

Observing the Heavens

2012-02-09T07:02:00.000-06:00

Jay Ryan has published a new volume of Celestial Almanack and it is beautiful. Have you ever looked at the stars and wondered what you were seeing? I can sometimes find a couple of constellations; but, typically I don't know where to look (or if I am looking at the right thing). Celestial Almanack, available through CurrClick, is a fascinating day-by-day guide to the goings on in the heavens. We have been able to use this second volume for purposes of review and have been greatly impresses. I wish the cloud cover would be a bit more cooperative at night so we could actually see more! Celestial Almanack is a monthly publication, published by Classical Astronomy. It highlights lunar events, solar events, and other seasonal events with the stars. This book is written in an old world type font making it appear to be an ancient almanack. It is really fun to look at and full of more information than one could possibly digest each day. We are looking forward to learning more about our universe as the month of February progresses.
Celestial Almanack is available as a downloadable product for $3.00 at Currclick. Quite a bargain for the amount of astronomical information included! You would be hard pressed to find more current information in any astronomy textbook. To read about what other TOS Homeschool Crew reviewers have to say about Celestial Almanack, check out the main crew blog.
**I have received no compensation from Classical Astronomy or TOS in exchange for this review.**

Kinderbach

2012-02-03T09:16:00.001-06:00

Kinderbach is a fun, computer-based, introductory music program geared toward kids ages 2-7. Oh, how I wish this had been around when my kids were small! The folks at Kinderbach have designed over 20 hours of engaging piano / music lessons. Students learn through video lessons and optional activity pages. I especially appreciate the forward thinking of Kinderbach. The first lesson is available to use on some mobile devices and other lessons will be available soon in the ‘app’ format. Kinderbach is simple to use and, for these introductory lessons, even a toy keyboard will work for practice. After completing this program, students are well prepared to move on to more advanced piano studies. Students are exposed to rhythm, note reading, fingering patterns, and melody, just to name a few of the topics covered in this program. Each lesson is ‘taught’ by an animated character who is very ‘kid-friendly.’ The lessons are short enough for a young preschooler to stay on task yet challenging enough for the older preschooler / young elementary student to remain interested. Most of all, the kids stay interested because they are playing music. What child doesn’t love music? Kinderbach is available for home study (the version I tried and reviewed) and classroom use. I have already recommended the home study version to my oldest daughter (who works as a nanny to 4). She is excited to try it with the preschoolers. All in all, Kinderbach is a thorough program that is spot on for beginning music studies. It will spark music interest in even the most reluctant child. There are many free supplemental resources available on the Kinderbach website. These are optional, of course. Kinderbach is very affordable when compared to the cost of private piano lessons. The online version begins at $7.99/month and the DVD/CD version (great for slow internet connections) begins at $40.45/month. Right now, for readers of the TOS Homeschool Crew blogs, Kinderbach is offering a 30% discount by using the coupon code TOScrew2012. This is good through February 2, 2013! Wow! You can even sample the program online for free! To read other reviews of the Kinderbach program, check out the main TOS Homeschool Crew review blog.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Kinderbach in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.”

Family Check-up Time!

2012-01-23T09:36:00.001-06:00

Check-up on our virtues, that is! Teaching good virtues to our children is not something that can be done overnight. Our society has dimmed the lines between right and wrong so much that virtues such as self-control, respect, and obedience have been replaced with narcissism, disrespect, and disobedience – all without consequence. Heather McMillan, creator of We Choose Virtues, has created a fun, easy-to-use, and effective method of instilling life-long virtues in our families.

We were given the virtue cards, the Kid’s of Virtueville coloring book, the Teacher’s Guide, the Family Character Assessment, and the Kid’s Memory Verses, Bible Heroes, and Truths list for purposes of review. This is a beautifully put together program. Twelve virtues are covered in We Choose Virtues. Heather’s program is designed so families can go through it more than once. This is such a plus since character / virtue training cannot be done overnight – it is an ongoing process. The products we reviewed were geared towards kids ages 3-11. We did think the characters and coloring pages were a little young for kids who are 10-11 years old, since most kids that age have promoted into some type of ‘youth group’ at church. I would have preferred the more youth oriented products for that age group, as would our daughter. She still enjoys coloring and pretend play; but, she does like to have more ‘grown up’ looking graphics on things. However, for preschool and early elementary this curriculum is spot on! There are so many products available on Heather’s website! I have to admit, I got a little greedy looking at all of the goodies available. She offers both a faith-based program and a non-faith-based program. She offers options for younger children as well as youth up to age 18. I led a group of kids through a character study a few years ago and had to put all of my own material together. How I wish I had known about We Choose Virtues then! The complete kits for homeschool, classroom, or church are amazing and contain all of the materials you need for a great study of character traits. We will be using these materials over and over.

Many products, such as the Family Character Assessment, are available as supplements free of charge. The coloring book is available for a nominal $3.00 charge as a download. Check out these updated and special pricing options on some of the products (straight from the website):

Kids Virtue Poster now $11.99 (from $14.99)
3 Rules Poster now $9.99 (from $11.99)
100 Days of Virtue Chart with Butterfly Stickers now $13.99 (from $14.99)

CLEARANCE SALE!

2011 Kids Virtue Poster $9.75 (from $14.99, 35% savings)
2011 100 Days of Virtue Chart and Butterfly Stickers $11.99 (from $14.99, 20% savings)
2011 3 Rules Poster $7.75 (from 11.99, 35% savings)

There is a CLEARANCE category on our website only while supplies last.

Also, The Virtue Clues are $5.99 (from $7.95)

I highly recommend the We Choose Virtues products. They are quality products at great prices. Heather offers even more tips about teaching virtues and parenting on her facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/wechoosevirtues. Head over and ‘like’ her page to get some great info! You can check out the ‘We Choose Virtues’ website, and purchase materials, here. To read other reviews by TOS Homeschool Crew Members, visit the main crew blog, here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or We Choose Virtues in exchange for this review.**

The Story of Swan Lake

2012-01-13T10:04:00.001-06:00

Let’s face it, exposing children to symphonic quality classical music can be expensive. Listening to straight recordings does give them some exposure, but what do they glean from it? Maestro Classics has blended the best of classical music with quality teaching material in their c.d.’s. We were given their c.d. The Story of Swan Lake for purposes of review. I must say I have been impressed with the quality and the content. The c.d. contains over an hour of listening material that is sure to engage even the most reluctant classical music student. There are seven individual tracks on the c.d.. The first track is a combination of the orchestral version of the music from the ballet, Swan Lake, with a powerful narration of the story overlaying the music. It makes great listening material for riding in the car. Even if a child hasn’t seen the ballet, the mixture of music and narration is sure to spur their imaginations to picture this beautiful story. The remaining tracks include things such as information about ‘Who is Tchaikovsky’, a brief explanation of some of the musical elements (like the waltz), and a cute song that the kids can learn (called ‘Tchaikovsky Wrote a Great Ballet’). We love to listen to stories, so this was right up our alley! Children of all ages will enjoy these recordings.From the Maestro Classics website:

A 24-page activity book included with the CD contains a biography of Tchaikovsky, information on acoustic and electric guitars, sheet music and words for a sing-along song, explanation of major and minor keys, puzzles and more. MP3 download from Maestro Classics website includes a PDF of the activity booklet.

Maestro Classics has many other classical music/children’s story c.d.’s available. I hope to be able to explore more of them. You can even preview each of the tracks on the c.d.’s on the website. Their website has some fun links to homeschool lesson plans that cover a myriad of topics and links to other activities.

The Story of Swan Lake is available for purchase through the Maestro Classics website. The c.d. version is $16.98 and the mp3 download is $9.98. Also, check this out:

***JANUARY SPECIAL: Order a Swan Lake CD or MP3 download, and Maestro Classics will automatically send you an additional free MP3 Swan Lake orchestral version!***

If you, or your homeschool group, are planning a field trip to the symphony anytime in the near future, Maestro Classics products would be a fabulous introduction to the symphony. Both you and your child will love these quality recordings. To read other reviews of The Story of Swan Lake, click here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Maestro Classics in exchange for this review.**

Z-Guide to the Movies

2012-01-11T10:13:00.001-06:00

Are you looking for an easy way to incorporate movies into your study of history? Zeezok’s Z-Guide to the Movies is just the ticket! When I was in school (let’s not even go to what year that was), it was such a special treat to be able to have a movie day. My kids are the same way. When they ask “what are we doing in school today,” and the answer is “watching a movie,” the reaction is pure delight.

We were given the Z-Guide to accompany The Great Escape. This is an older movie set in World War II. It is one of my son’s favorite movies. The Z-Guide for this movie is geared toward high school age children. It contains background information about World War II, vocabulary to investigate, and a study through the movie. This is not a study that can be completed in one sitting. It is very thorough and actually takes a few weeks and a couple of viewings of the movie to be able to complete it thoroughly. I must say, Z-Guides greatly enhance both the viewing of a movie and the study of history.

While perusing the Zeezok website, I found that they have a history timeline on the left sidebar. If you click on a time period in the timeline, the Z-Guide(s) appropriate to that timeline will be displayed. Talk about convenient! No more searching through movie databases wondering what movie would be appropriate for a study of ancient Rome or the Great Depression. This takes the guesswork out completely. There are studies available for many ages, and some samples are available on the website. Each Z-Guide is sold for $12.99. on the Zeezok website. We have used the downloadable product and have had no issues at all with it. It was a simple download and I love being able to print the pages I need when I need them.

Overall, we are enjoying the Z-Guide to the movies. This is the second Z-Guide we have had the pleasure of using. I think we will be using more of them. To read my review of the first Z-Guide we used, click here. To read reviews from other TOS Homeschool Crew Members, go to the main crew blog, here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Zeezok in exchange for this review.**

Spanish for Families

2012-01-06T09:09:00.001-06:00

Real Homeschool Spanish has been a great find for us. We received the complete book bundle (download), including the curriculum guide, for purposes of review. I was a bit skeptical because I have a real mental block about learning Spanish. My kids, however, have always dabbled in learning Spanish words and seem to have a real affinity for it. This year, my daughter, who is in the sixth grade, wanted to really learn Spanish. She is in a Spanish class at our homeschool tutorial, but it is technically for older students and she hasn’t been picking up the language like she should. With Real Homeschool Spanish in place, this is changing. She loves worksheets and activity pages, so this is right up her alley.

Real Homeschool Spanish is designed for real families who are homeschooling. It is geared toward kids up to around 8th grade (and a high school supplement is in the works). This is an easy to use curriculum. The bundle came with mp3 audio files to be used with the lessons, an activity book (worksheets, puzzles, review, etc…), a textbook, an answer guide for the activity book, and a daily curriculum guide. It is so thorough and well put together that anyone could follow it, even us Spanish illiterates. I will say that our general school year is 36 weeks and the curriculum guide runs for 48 weeks. We are moving faster through the curriculum so it can be finished by the end of the school year. With a younger student, I can definitely see where the 48 week (basically year round) schedule would be effective for retention purposes. Students learn a huge amount of vocabulary, but it is very practical vocabulary. Some of the words learned are words for common household things, family names, greetings, foods, etc… The curriculum guide gives lesson suggestions and activities for five days a week. The activities can be chosen based on the age range of your kids and level of interest. I have never seen a language curriculum like this. It is completely family friendly. It could easily be used by a family as a group study. The Real Homeschool Spanish website is another plus. Samples from each of the different books can be downloaded so you can examine before you buy. There is a great section on the website entitled “Free Culture Links,” which is a huge selection of links to various Spanish cultural sites or activities. This would be an awesome place to begin a Spanish ‘webquest.’

Ranging in price from $49.95 to $99.95, this is one of the most affordable curricula for language study that I have seen. I recommend the download for families because the activity guide and textbook could be printed for each child, if needed. To purchase Real Homeschool Spanish, visit their website at www.realhomeschoolspanish.com.

To read other reviews of Real Homeschool Spanish, visit the main TOS Crew Blog page, here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Real Homeschool Spanish in exchange for this review.**

Reading Records by Fortunately for You Books

2011-12-31T13:57:00.000-06:00

Reading Records for The Landing of the Pilgrims

Reading Records for The Landing of the Pilgrims is Fortunately for You Book’s version of a literature study. This particular study contains approximately thirty work pages carrying students through a complete study of James Daughtry’s classic work The Landing of the Pilgrims. I have found numerous copies of this book online through various retailers and book exchange programs. Reading Records gives students a systematic method of studying a book. In this case, vocabulary words are studied and comprehension questions are completed for each chapter of the book. The questions are given in a list format and could be completed in a written format or in an oral format. This format lends itself greatly to recitation and narration.

This Reading Records study would be appropriate for later elementary students who are able to work independently. I could also see it being used with younger students if the book were read aloud and the questions completed orally. This study is a great complement to any study of American History. I could even see it read by an older child to a younger child and the questions completed together. Suggestions are given in Reading Records to compile the work pages into a notebook. The pages are so beautifully designed that this would create a keepsake.

Reading Records could be used in a homeschool or a co-op setting. They would also be appropriate in a traditional classroom. This product would fit in nicely with a Charlotte Mason philosophy. I use a more eclectic philosophy and we have found the pages to be a great fit. My kids are always in need of a guide of some sort when they are reading anything for educational purposes. FFYB has created such a guide with Reading Records.

I am looking forward to using other guides in the Reading Records series. This has been a great help for my children. I definitely recommend it to other educators, no matter what the setting.

Science Unit Studies

2011-12-31T13:55:00.002-06:00

Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers, by Susan Kilbride, is a new tool to add to any educator's arsenal of science resources. This book can be used in both homeschool and traditional classroom settings. The unit studies are geared toward children ages 4-13; however, virtually all of the units could easily be adapted for any age by simply adding or deleting activities. I really enjoyed the variety of topics covered in Susan's book. Life Science, Botany, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and Health are all included in this book. These unit studies are very straight forward and easy for the teacher to follow. Supply lists are given at the beginning of each unit. I have found that most all of the supplies are either things that I have on hand or things that are inexpensive and easy to purchase locally. Susan's book is full of so many activities that one would have a very full study of general science over the course of a school year if every activity was completed. I teach a General Science class at a local homeschool co-op and I am implementing a lot of the activities in this book into my class this year. There are even short quizzes (complete with answer keys) provided for the older student unit studies. The quizzes are multiple choice in format and cover the main points students should glean from each unit. I highly recommend this book for any science teacher or student. It really makes the teaching of science quite simple and fun. Overall I give Susan's book 5+ stars.

Hiding the Word in Our Children’s Hearts

2011-12-21T09:39:00.001-06:00

World’s Greatest Stories is an auditory version of different Bible stories, geared toward children between the ages of 8 and 12. These are beautifully done recordings by George Sarris, a Christian communicator. We love listening to the Bible, as well as reading; but, sometimes adult recordings can be dry and boring for kids to listen to. Not true with World’s Greatest Stories! We have been listening to “The Prophets” c.d. and all ages in our family have enjoyed it. Our ‘electronic savvy’ kids even know how to put the c.d. on my portable device so we can take the Word anywhere we want to listen to it. World’s Greatest Stories is not a ‘play’ recording. It is a recording of the actual text of different Bible stories, done in a dramatic fashion. Mr. Sarris is engaging and has a knack for keeping listeners attention throughout an entire recording. The World’s Greatest Stories products are available for purchase in either c.d. or cassette format and either NIV or KJV. At $7.95 per c.d. or cassette, these are a great bargain. Currently, Mr. Sarris is offering six different c.d.’s, each around an hour in length. These can be purchased through his website. He has other recordings in the works. You can even listen to samples of the recordings here.

To read other reviews from TOS Homeschool Crew members, visit the main crew website, here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or World’s Greatest Stories in exchange for this review.**

Mastering Fractions Can be Fun!

2011-12-16T09:15:00.001-06:00

We have had so much fun using the Fractazmic card game by I See Cards! The word ‘fractions’ can elicit fear in the most expert of students and adults. With Fractazmic, that fear is forgotten and replaced with fun. This is an easy game to learn and play. If your child is not quite up to speed with fractions, yet, that’s fine. You can make some adjustments or give your child some helps (like a fraction ‘cheat sheet’) to use while he/she is learning. The object of the game is simple, match cards to make a whole. From the I See Cards website:

Fractazmic is a 2-4 player game that uses math and language skills. The object of Fractazmic trap is to gather as many hands as possible before the first player runs out of cards. Hands are captured by either (1) playing a card that brings the sum of all cards thrown to 1 or (2) forcing the next player to throw a card that brings the sum to greater than 1. If any of these events occur – the player captures the round and is the first to start the next round.

Each card clearly numbered
Each card clearly labeled with the fraction and reinforcing graphic.

Fractazmic gets a huge thumbs up from our family. I love games that can reinforce skills while you play. Games that are small enough to be portable are an even bigger plus! Being a card game, this game can be carried and played in the car (great for road trips). You can purchase Fractazmic for $6.95 from the I See Cards website. It would make a great stocking stuffer! Fractazmic is geared toward kids in grades 1-8; although, it could be enjoyed by anyone with a basic knowledge of fractions. We will be playing it a lot!

To read other reviews from TOS Homeschool Crew members, visit the main crew blog page, here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or I See Cards in exchange for this honest review.**

Fabulous and Frugal!

2011-11-28T11:39:00.000-06:00

One of my family's favorite recipes during the Christmas season is Super Moist Double Chocolate Chip Muffins. These are soooooooo easy to make that it is embarrassing! Enjoy!

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz)
1 cup mini-chocolate chips

Mush cake mix and pumpkin together. Add chocolate chips. Scoop batter into greased muffin tins (I use the miniature muffin tins and spray with no-stick spray. A small ice cream scoop is great for portioning the batter.) Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean (melted chocolate doesn't count as dirty. LOL!)
Serve warm or cool - they actually get more moist as they are stored. I store them in a large ziplock bag or a plastic container with a lid. I usually get around 48 mini muffins from this recipe. It is great to make and take to a breakfast gathering, too.

I almost always have the ingredients for these muffins on hand. As a matter of fact, I usually double the recipe and use the large can of pumpkin and 2 cake mixes. If you are not a chocolate lover, use a different flavor of cake mix and add in nuts or dried fruit instead of chocolate chips. I haven't found a combination yet that my family didn't love.

Reading Fluency

2011-11-20T17:37:00.001-06:00

Read Live is a computer-based reading fluency program designed for both polishing a good reader’s skills and developing fluency in struggling readers. We have had a love/hate relationship with this program. Why? At first, the set up and assessments were a bit tedious. Once we began actually using the program, my daughter saw immediate improvement in her reading skills. She didn’t like “practicing” reading stories aloud several times; but, when she saw the improvement, she decided it was well worth it. How does the program actually work? Once the teacher (parent) sets up the initial information, students take computerized fluency assessments. The teacher selects the level at which to administer the fluency assessments. I administered several assessments until my daughter was at a level where she didn’t meet the benchmark score. Once there, I placed her in the last level at which she met the target score. Now, my daughter can login to her area and go through lessons somewhat on her own. She selects a story and reads aloud to me or an older sibling, making note of the last correct word read in the allotted time. This is for practice. Then, I, as the teacher, login concurrently and score her reading the selection aloud. This gives an initial score. She then is given opportunity to practice reading the selection several times. There is an option to listen to each selection, too, which helps with reading cadence and confidence. After the required number of practice readings, she is timed while reading aloud again. If she reaches her benchmark, she will be allowed to move on to another story. Part of the final assessment on each selection is a short comprehension quiz. There is immediate feedback for the quiz. “Awards” are given to students as they meet or surpass benchmark scores. Once all stories are completed at a given level, students move on to another level.

Although Read Live seemed complicated to me at first, we settled in to the system and are actually enjoying it. I think it will be something that we will keep up for this year because I am seeing so much improvement. Read Live is available for purchase on the Read Naturally website. It is purchased by the number of students who will be using the program. Pricing begins at $149 for one “seat” (student). Plenty of support (both technical and educational) is available through the the program and the website. Take it from a total “non-technical person, the “techno” side of the program is not difficult at all. If you just follow the installation and set up instructions step-by-step, you will not have any problems with the program. I really see the benefit of this program. I have been using it with a 6th grader; however, it is designed for students with reading levels in grades 1-8. I could see it being used by a very advanced kindergarten student just as easily as it could be used by a 10th grade student who reads at a 6th grade level. The stories are very appropriate and don’t look “baby.” The juvenile look of stories has been the main complaint of my kids when using computer based reading programs. We were thrilled with the professional look of Read Live.

To read other reviews of Read Live, as well as reviews of other Read Naturally products, visit the main Homeschool Crew Review Blog, here.

**I was not compensated in any way by Read Naturally or TOS. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Math Mammoth is a Grand Slam!!

2011-11-16T11:04:00.001-06:00

“Can I always do this math, mom?” This is the question my daughter asked after just three pages of work in her new Math Mammoth Blue Series Division 2 Worktext. I actually caught her at 10:00 last night working on math. She has always excelled in math, but for some reason the concept of division has alluded her. When I found out we were going to receive Math Mammoth as a review item, I knew this would be the answer to her problem. I used a different Math Mammoth worktext years ago with a student I was tutoring, and loved the layout of the curriculum. I had completely forgotten how thorough each product is! Maria Miller, author of the Math Mammoth curriculum, is a former math teacher with a master’s degree in mathematics (minoring in physics and statistics). She is no longer in a traditional classroom because she is a homeschooling mom. Her products are her solution to math curricula which contains more “fluff” than content. Maria offers both worktexts (complete instructional curriculum) and worksheet collections. We are currently using Division 2, but will be moving into Decimals and then Fractions when we are finished with Division 2. These worktexts are designed for students to work fairly independently. I have found that my daughter is able to read the examples and explanations and complete the accompanying exercises with little to no assistance from me. Most importantly, she seems to be retaining what she is learning. The topical nature of the curriculum enables her to focus completely on one area and master that area before moving on. We will definitely be continuing to use Math Mammoth for mastery in math as long as possible.

Math Mammoth is a digital product. The Blue Series, which we are using, is fabulous to use as either a complete curriculum or as a supplement for topics where your child is struggling. Maria gives a very generous use license policy for her products. Parents / teachers are allowed to make as many copies as they need for their child(ren)/students forever. Math Mammoth products can be purchased as downloadable products or in a c.d. format. You can choose to print one worksheet or an entire worktext. For my purposes, I print an entire worktext, remove the answer key pages, print a front and back cover on cardstock (which I then laminate), and comb bind the book. This gives a sturdy math workbook that will withstand being carried in a backpack. I require all math to be done in pencil so mistakes can be corrected neatly. The Blue Series worktexts are very reasonably priced from $2-$7 each, or the entire series for $95 (download), $100 (cd). The beauty of the entire series is that it covers all topics necessary for grades 1-6. Think about it, an entire math curriculum for grades 1-6 for under $100! Amazing! And the fact that you can print these files over and over (think multiple children) makes it even more affordable. Maria generously offers a sample pack of her worksheets on her website. With the sample pack, you will receive around 300 worksheets representing her different products. By utilizing her “try before you buy” sample, you can have a great idea of whether or not this curriculum will be a good fit for your child. To purchase Math Mammoth products, visit the website, here. You will select your product(s) and then be redirected to Kagi to make your purchase.

Math curriculum choices are highly individualized; however, with Math Mammoth there are so many affordable choices that it is simple to find something that works for you. Maria is one of the most gracious curriculum publishers I have ever encountered. If you are not sure about what curriculum to choose, simply contact her and she will expertly guide you through the selection process. In my opinion, Math Mammoth is one of the most thorough and easy to understand math curricula on the market today.

To read other reviews of these worktexts, as well as other Math Mammoth products, visit the main crew blog page, here.

**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Math Mammoth in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own".**

Increasing Vocabulary Painlessly

2011-11-15T18:59:00.001-06:00

College Prep Genius has created a great new series of books designed to increase vocabulary by simply reading. The Vocab Café book series is an ingenious set of novellas, geared toward teens, which incorporate SAT level vocabulary words in context. We have been privileged to use this series for the past month, and have enjoyed it thoroughly. There are four books in the series. Each book has a mystery theme of some sort. These stories are intriguing, engaging, and wholesome. No foul language is used and no “adult” type themes are used. Some of the action may be a bit strong for younger readers, but that is up to a parent to decide. 300 vocabulary words are used in each book. These words are set off in a boldface print so students will recognize when they come upon a word to remember. Each new word is defined at the bottom of the page on which it appears. At the end of each chapter, the vocabulary words introduced in the chapter are listed for review. So far, my high school boys have had no trouble reading and understanding the new words and have thoroughly enjoyed the story lines. We are continuing to use the books for the rest of the school year as a supplement to our regular curriculum. I definitely recommend Vocab Café as a new approach to vocabulary study. If your child is focusing on college entrance exams, such as the SAT, this type of study is crucial. “Based on a three-step approach to increasing vocabulary, each book highlights 300 advanced words by using DEFINITION, REPETITION, and REINFORCEMENT.” (from the College Prep Genius website) I teach college entrance exam prep classes and will be recommending these books to my students.

Currently, the creators of the Vocab Café series are offering a great special on the books. If you buy 3 books, you will receive the 4th book free. So, all four books in the series are available for $38.95. I love this deal! I have been recommending this series to homeschooling friends who have high school age children. We really love it!

One tool that could provide even more reinforcement for your child, if needed, is something I found in the current TOS High School Planner. There is a vocabulary study page in the planner. This page would be an awesome companion to the Vocab Café series. Students could create a page for each word as they read each chapter. What an easy way to add 1,200 new vocabulary words to a student’s repertoire!

To read other reviews about the Vocab Café series, visit the main TOS Homeschool Crew Blog. To purchase the Vocab Café series, or explore other products available through College Prep Genius, visit their website here.

**I have received no compensation by TOS or College Prep Genius in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

The Person I Marry, by Gary Bower

2011-11-09T10:10:00.000-06:00

"Long before thinking of diamonds & glitter,
here are some things that I need to consider."

The Person I Marry is a 32-page, beautifully illustrated book, written by Gary Bower. This book is written in a poetic form in a style that is easy to understand by any age. Bower addresses Godly character traits that young men and women need to focus on developing in themselves as well as looking for in a potential spouse. He does a masterful job of demonstrating to readers the importance of inner beauty versus outer beauty. Readers are also shown that choosing a lifelong mate is not something to be entered into haphazardly. Bower masterfully exhibits the importance of deeper qualities, such as kindness, honesty, and faithfulness, that are crucial to strong relationships. The illustrations are gorgeous original oil paintings done by Jan Bower. This book is so beautiful! It would be an amazing keepsake book. We have enjoyed reading it so much. I am thinking of buying several to give to new parents as gifts. Children, single adults, teens, engaged adults, married adults of all ages will enjoy The Person I Marry. Bower's book retails for $11.99 and is available through the Bower Books website at http://www.bowerbooks.com/brightfuturebooks.html. For further information about this book, check out this video:

The Person I Marry from Bower Books on Vimeo.
To read other reviews, visit the TOS Homeschool Crew main blog page here.
**I have received no compensation from TOS or Bower Books in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Reading and Writing in High School

2011-11-02T10:18:00.000-05:00

Excellence in Literature, by Janice Campbell, is a comprehensive reading and writing curriculum for high school students. We have been utilizing the ninth grade (English 1) program and have been thoroughly impressed. What makes Excellence in Literature so special? First of all, the overall objectives for the program are much more comprehensive than the overall objectives for most literature programs I have examined. Take a look at this exerpt from the Introduction to Literature book itself:

Excellence in Literature (EIL) is a college-preparatory course of study. It is my goal to:

• Introduce students to great literature from the western literary tradition.

• Teach students to read with discernment.

• Train independent, self-motivated learners.

• Provide tools that students can use to strengthen their writing skills.

• Introduce students to sources for high-quality online and offline research.

• Prepare students for college classes by expecting carefully researched, well-thought-out material to be presented in standard format, with preliminary proofreading completed.

We haven't come anywhere near to completing the curriculum, yet, because this is a full year curriculum. However, from what we have been able to do so far, this is definitely a winner. Janice Campbell has done a great job of compiling an assortment of classic literature assignments and very thorough explanations about things as simple as "How to Read a Book." There are examples and explanations for every type of writing assigned. The first unit covers an assortment of short stories. These short stories could be difficult to find in a library, so Campbell includes links to websites where the short stories can be either read online or printed out and read. We like the ability to print out short stories so things can be highlighted and notes taken. This is a great help when a student is working on an essay over a story. Students are given at least one writing assignment over each story. My son likes looking through the extra resources and internet links that are given with each unit. These links are really helpful when the time comes to work on writing assignments. He has also really appreciated the fact that the writing assignments are not 'over the top' in length. Some literature programs are so deep in the first year program that students stay confused and discouraged. This program eases students into literary analysis in a way that is challenging but not discouraging. Nine units are included, each unit being four weeks long. This allows for a full year curriculum. Assignments are divided out by week and are easy for students to follow.

If you are looking for an honors literature program, Campbell provides optional assignments to use EIL as an honors class. Additional reading assignments and papers are required for honors. She provides directions for the parent on how to grade the writing assignments and on how to facilitate the course for students.

Overall, we are enjoying using Excellence in Literature. I hope to continue using it with my children through their high school years.

Excellence in Literature Introduction to Literature is available at http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng1.shtml in print for $29 + $4.95 shipping and handling or as an e-book for $27. We have used the e-book version and love the versatility -- especially when using one of the web links provided. It is much easier to copy and paste a web address than to type it in correctly.

To read other reviews about EIL Introduction to Literature, check out the main crew blog page, here.

**I was not compensated in any way in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Family Game Night Strikes Again!

2011-10-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

We were thrilled to find out our family would once again be reviewing a game from Northstar Games. We enjoyed our experience with Wits & Wagers several months ago (and still enjoy playing it), so, we anxiously awaited the arrival of a new game from Northstar to add to our game arsenal. Say Anything did not disappoint us in the least. We have had hilarious evenings playing Say Anything. The makers of Say Anything say this:

Say Anything is a light-hearted game about what you and your friends think. It will get people talking, laughing and having fun in minutes. Enjoy it with three to eight family members or as an hilarious party game with adults. So dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty - this is your chance to Say Anything!

We have played with as few as three and as many as six players. It is really difficult to get our entire family at home at the same time these days! I must admit, it is just as much fun to play with a few players as with many players. The really fun part of this game is that players get to "lobby" for their answer to be chosen as the favorite. Say Anything is easy to learn. Basically, on a players turn, the player selects a card and reads aloud the question on the card. All of the other players write down their answers to the question on the provided dry erase cards. Cards are placed face up in the center of the table and players lobby for their answers as the one in turn is secretly choosing his/her favorite answer. He/she indicates the favorite answer on a color coded wheel (each color corresponds to a player) and places the wheel face down while players make their wagers. Players wager on which answer they think was chosen. The answer is revealed and players receive points based on whether or not they have wagered on the correct answer. The player who wrote the correct answer also receives points. After each round, points are recorded on the dry erase scoreboard, and the turn passes to the left. The rules say to allow play to continue until everyone has had two turns, but, we usually erase the scoreboard and keep on playing. Say Anything is geared toward ages 8+. Adults as well as children enjoy playing. This game would be a great ice breaker at a party because it really helps people relate and have fun at the same time. I highly recommend it as an addition to any family game collection. It is sure to be a classic!
Say Anything comes with 60 question cards covering 360 different topic, 6 dry erase pens and 6 dry erase cards, 1 SELECT-O-MATIC-6000 (a wheel with a spinner which is used to indicate the "correct" answer for each round), 12 player tokens, 1 dry erase score board, and 1 rules booklet.
Say Anything is available for purchase for $19.99 at various retailers both online and in physical stores. To find a place near you to purchase Say Anything, visit the storefinder on Northstar Games website, here. To read other reviews by TOS Homeschool Crew reviewers, visit the main crew blog page, here. Happy game playing!!!

Brand New Giveaway!

2011-10-19T10:32:00.002-05:00

Visit the Brand New Giveaway section of this blog for information about the giveaway I am having for the next 10 days. You don't want to miss out!!!

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Always IceCream!

2011-10-19T10:10:00.001-05:00

Woo hoo!!!! Can you hear us cheering for Always IceCream? We have been privileged to access and use the Always IceCream educational website for the past several weeks and have enjoyed it thoroughly. This is the first educational website that our daughter has begged to play. She has had so much fun with it that it has been a majority of her curriculum. Through the Always Ice Cream program, our daughter has been reviewing basic operations in math, grammar skills, vocabulary, science, Bible, history, geography, typing, and Spanish. She absolutely loves the program. Everyday, when she logs in, there is some type of fun activity to do to earn a few scoops of ice cream. In this program, ice cream scoops are currency. They are awarded for correct answers to questions and other activities. Scoops can also be assigned and awarded by parents through a parent account linked to the child's account. This is a great feature. Parents choose tasks such as "cleaning my room" and select the number of scoops to award when this task is completed. So, not only is Always IceCream an educational program, it also can be used as a chore assignment and reward program. Scoops can be exchanged for access to other games or to purchase a virtual pet and accessories for the pet.
The questions that are asked in the different subjects increase in difficulty as girls progress through the different levels. Scoops are not lost for incorrect answers. If a question is answered incorrectly, the correct answer is shown and that question will be rearranged and asked again later in the level. Girls are able to move at their own pace through the levels. Our daughter was so excited to complete all of the levels in different math topics! The great thing was, there was something else for her to progress to once she completed a topic.
Always IceCream can be used as reinforcement for an existing curriculum or, with a few supplements, could be used as a majority of your curriculum. It is a very thorough program. Always IceCream is very secure and is constantly monitored for safety. (Read the Always IceCream safety policy here.) Your child's personal information is never visible to anyone. Girls are able, with parental permission, to become friends with other girls on Always IceCream for the purpose of chatting and messaging. We have not used this feature yet, but I have not heard anything but good things from those who have. I have felt completely comfortable leaving our daughter to work on the program with little to no supervision at times. I have seen nothing but wholesome, fun content. The website is colorful, easy to access, and actually really inexpensive. Subscriptions range from $.99 for a monthly subscription (after an initial $4.99) to $99 for a lifetime subscription. The program is geared towards girls ages 7-12. Our daughter is 11 and has loved it. I have really appreciated a program geared to young girls that isn't trying to "grow up" young girls.
Always IceCream is innocent, fun, and educational. I give this site one of my highest recommendations. To read other reviews about Always IceCream, visit the main crew blog page, here. To visit the Always IceCream website and investigate some of the features for free before you decide to purchase, go here.
**I was not compensated in any way by Always IceCream or TOS in exchange for this review. The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

Principles of Marketing

2011-10-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

Professor in a Box has released another great computer-based course for high school students and older. Principles of Marketing is a dvd course suitable for older high school students wanting to learn about marketing, students desiring to prepare for the CLEP test in marketing, or adult learners wanting to learn about marketing without the exorbitant expense and time of a college classroom. I wish that we had this course a year ago! One of our children enrolled in a college marketing class, and the pace was so furious she dropped the class. If she had been able to go through this dvd course first, I really think she either could have CLEPPed out of the course, or if she wanted to take the course she would have passed it with flying colors!
Using the Principles of Marketing course is simple. Students watch a lesson on the cd. To view a sample lesson, you can go here. The sample lesson looks exactly like the lessons student's view on the dvd. After students watch the video / powerpoint type lesson on the dvd, they are able to complete the homework assignment (also on the cd). Once all of the assignments are completed, students take a test over the lesson. Everything students need to succeed in the course is provied on the cd. Retailing for $199.99, with free shipping, this course really is a cost effective solution to traditional classroom based marketing courses. Any student who has an interest in business studies will benefit from Principles in Marketing.
Here is a brief description from Professor in a Box:
Principles of Marketing, by Julie Pirsch, Ph.D. is a challenging college level introductory Marketing course similar in content to the first marketing course taken by all students in university and college schools of business across the country. Principles of Marketing is also known as Basic Marketing, Introduction to Marketing, Fundamentals of Marketing, Marketing, or Marketing Principles. Any high school level student with basic reading and math skills can handle this course.
This course was created as an elective for high school students interested in pursuing a career in business and for students interested in taking the CLEP Principles of Marketing Exam. On a more formal level, this course provides students with a description and evaluation of the ways in which goods and services are developed to meet customer and consumer needs, and how they are distributed for domestic and international consumption. It examines the economic, government, social, and other environmental forces in relation to the marketing function, placing emphasis on relevant social problems and responsibilities.
For more information about Principles of Marketing, visit the Professor in a Box website at http://professorinabox.com/?page_id=765 . To read other reviews of this product, written by other TOS review crewmembers, go here.
**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Professor in a Box in exchange for this review. The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

What do you get when. . .

2011-10-12T09:23:00.001-05:00

you cross Scrabble with a Rubik's Cube? You get Scruble Cube! What, exactly, is Scruble Cube?
This is directly from the Scruble Cube website:
What if you took some of the known playing patterns of some of the most popular word games and puzzles in history and combined them in a brand new, unique format to create the World’s Greatest 3-D Word Game?Well, you’d have the “SCRUBLE Cube™ a patent pending game with over 7.4 x 10⁴⁵(that’s 7,401 septillion)possible configurations that anyone who can spell can play. And all in a portable format that can be played anywhere- anytimeThe SCRUBLE Cube™ is a word game and a puzzle- on steroids!
Wow! Over 7.4 septillion possible configurations!!! We haven't come anywhere near finding that many, yet, but we have been having a lot of fun with our Scruble Cube. We have been able to play with our Scruble Cube for almost two months now. I love the portability of this game. It can go anywhere. It has been a lot of fun playing in the car. You can come up with all sorts of variations on the rules (for instance, play a round where all words have to start with a certain letter). As all of my readers know, we are a game-loving family. Word games are our current favorite type of game. Scruble Cube is in this category. I can't say that we always followed the exact rules, or used the timer, but we have had fun and quite a challenge from Scruble Cube. I have even "caught" our kids playing with the cube and trying to find words without anyone else playing (kind of like Scruble solitaire). Any game that helps encourage spelling practice and discovery of new words is a great game in my book. Scruble Cube looks like a Rubik's Cube gone wild. There are 16 squares on each side, each square containing a letter and a point value. Players rotate the cube and try to find the highest point total word possible within the time limit (an egg timer is included with the game). When each turn is over, the player tallies his/her score and records it on the score sheet (included). Directions and suggestions for play are included. There is a video about the game on the Scruble Cube website. Both educational and fun, Scruble Cube gets a five-star plus rating from us! Scruble Cube is available for purchase for $24.95 through the website as well as at retail stores. A listing of stores is available on the website. For other reviews on Scruble Cube, visit the main Crew Blog page, here.
**I have received no compensation from TOS or Scruble Cube in exchange for this review. The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

Aletheia Writing Magazine

2011-09-30T09:40:00.000-05:00

"Aletheia Writing Magazine is a quarterly publication focusing on the literary and artistic works of Christian teens, ages 13 to 19*." Our oldest daughter was intrigued with Aletheia Writing Magazine when we received it. She is a writer and is always looking for outlets for her writing. We were able to examine two issues of this lovely magazine. After reading Aletheia, our daughter was inspired to create more of her songs, poems, and stories. She loved seeing the artwork that had been created, too. Full of stories, essays, poems, artwork, and book reviews all written by teens, this magazine provides an opportunity for teen writers to submit their original works for publication and for teen readers to enjoy submissions of their peers. The magazine is published quarterly, consists of forty pages, and is available for subscription through the Aletheia website for $26 (including shipping and handling). Aletheia is perfect for any budding teen writer. It is a great way to encourage teens to both read and write. My teen boys were not quite as enthralled by the magazine as my daughter was; but, they would rather read about football than anything, so that wasn't surprising to me. As with any magazine, the reader may not agree with the content of all of the articles; however, this is a magazine for Christian teens, so the content is geared toward Christians and is clean and wholesome. It is quite refreshing to allow your child to be able to read a magazine without fear of the content they may be exposed to. All in all, we enjoyed Aletheia Writing Magazine. To read other reviews from TOS Homeschool Crew members, visit the main blog post here. If you would like to "try before you subscribe," you can view the Spring 2011 issue here.

**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Aletheia Writing Magazine in exchange for this review. The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

Book Review: The Fight of Our Lives

2011-09-28T12:17:00.000-05:00

The Fight of Our LivesKnowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth, and Choosing to Win the War Against Radical Islam

By William Bennett with Seth Leibsohn

This book ranks with my favorite reads of 2011. Ironically, while I was reading this book, Osama bin Laden was killed. That event gave a different slant to the material presented because the parameters used as part of the premise of the book changed. Containing eight chapters in 180 pages, Bennet and Leibsohn do a masterful job at presenting clear and factual information about the true war on terrorism we face not only as a nation, but as the world. Read the following summary of the book (from the BookSneeze website):

Want to know the dirty little secret in the war on terror? Some of us have already surrendered.

Since the dreadful events of 9/11, America has waged an international war on terrorism. But are we prepared to win, or are we practicing surrender? We have foiled dozens of terrorist attacks since then. But while the Fort Dix terrorists were stopped, an Islamist terrorist at Fort Hood unleashed hell on American servicemen. Despite Maj. Nidal Hasan’s shouting “Allahu Akbar” as he pulled the trigger, the official Pentagon report refused to mention Islam or use the word Muslim. And said the army chief of staff, “As horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that's worse.” As William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn show, for lack of clarity, conviction, and determination, America is on the verge of declaring preemptive cultural surrender in the war on terror. The Fight of Our Lives will reinvigorate the discussion and embolden those who wish to win the war on terror.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bennett's book, and learned a great deal from it. It was really interesting, to me, to be reading about terrorism and terrorist threats while watching the events surrounding the demise of bin Laden unfolding. Although he is gone, the war against terrorism still exists. There are other leaders in place who are just as frightening, if not more so, than he was. Because of this, I recommend Bennett's book to anyone interested in keeping current and accurate about the situation of our country. Bennett' s book is available through Thomas Nelson for $19.99, or through Amazon for various prices depending on whether you purchase a used or new book.

Tri-Cross from Games for Competitors

2011-09-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

We are a game-playing family. We love to play games! We were chomping at the bit when I found out we would get a chance to try and review Tri-Cross, by Games for Competitors.

This vendor was extremely generous and gave reviewers the standard board game as well as the eco-friendly travel version. Both games are constructed of high quality parts. Trading in the large cardboard box for a resource reducing, organic cotton drawstring bag, the organic cotton cloth board, printed with non-toxic soy-based inks, is easily folded to fit inside with the game pieces. Perfectly compact to fit on the shelf or to throw in your bag for on-the-go game play, Tri-Crosss’ eco-friendly board game sets the environmental benchmark for future game manufacturing.
Tri-Cross is a
strategy game designed for ages 10-adult. It is sort of a cross between Chinese checkers and chess. The beauty of Tri-Cross is that it can be as simple or complex as the players want it to be. There are many versions of the rules to choose from, each of which change the strategy and complexity of the game just a bit. Sound complicated? No problem! The Tri-Cross website is totally user friendly. If you go to this page of the Tri-Cross site, you will find links to all of the rules as well as links to videos which show how to play Tri-Cross. The rules seem a little complicated at first, if you just read them. But, if you watch the videos and just dig in and play, everything makes sense and the game becomes really competitive.

Games for Competitors is even having a giveaway for the Eco-Friendly Travel Game on their website. You must be part of the Tri-Cross Facebook group to enter, but it is worth it because they are giving away 10 games! I'm thinking Christmas present?!!
Overall, we have enjoyed playing Tri-Cross. It has been a great addition to our game collection and we will continue to play it for years to come. The only drawback for us is that only four people can play the game at a time, and we have eight people in our family. Not a problem, really, because we can have both of our games going at once or we can play tournaments. Either way works for us. Prices for Tri-Cross range from $19.95 for the Eco-Friendly travel game, to $24.95 for the standard version game, to $35.95 for a deluxe wooden version of the game (which is beautiful!). I think any game loving family would enjoy taking a crack at Tri-Cross. You can purchase through the Games for Competitors website, here, or find a retail store through this link. Our family gives Tri-Cross a 5+ star rating. Great family fun!!! To read other reviews about Tri-Cross, visit the TOS Homeschool Review Crew Blog. Let me know what you think about Tri-Cross after you play it!
**I was not compensated in any way by Games for Competitors or TOS Magazine in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Aims Education Foundation Earth Book

2011-09-23T10:24:00.003-05:00

As a TOS Homeschool Crew member, I was given the privilege to use and review the Aims Education Foundation Earth Book. This is a giant activity book, geared toward grades 6-9, containing hundreds of hands on experiments and other educational opportunities dealing with understanding how planet Earth works. Topics cover the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. I teach a General Science class at a local homeschool enrichment center, and the Earth Book has been and will continue to be an amazing supplement for this class. I was impressed with both the thoroughness of each activity and the simple manner in which each topic is presented. The lessons plans provided for parents/teachers are complete and very easy to follow. Another plus to the Earth Book is that it is available both as a print workbook and a downloadable E-book. The e-book is a great option for families with multiple children or a teacher in a classroom setting. I also like to be able to make a new copy of a worksheet is a child "accidentally" destroys or messes up a worksheet. All of the worksheets and activities are in black and white, but there is plenty of space to add coloring if desired. At first glance, I thought that the Earth Book looked a little juvenile for eighth and ninth grade students. After reading and using some of the activities, I have learned that the content is definitely appropriate and adaptable for 6th - 9th grade students. Some of the activities are a little too simple for the older students, but, other activities are too difficult for the younger students, so there is a good mixture of projects and activities that can be chosen from by teachers to ensure age appropriateness. The Earth book is a great supplement for any earth science class. The Earth Book is available on the Aims website for $49.95. Go here to purchase or investigate the product further. A preview of the Earth Book is available for viewing here. There is a c.d. containing printables included with the book. I highly recommend this book for any parent or teacher who is currently teaching earth science or contemplating teaching it in the future. With almost 500 pages of earth science resources at your fingertips, The Earth Book is a great item to have.
**I have received no compensation from TOS or Aims Educational Resources in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Before Five in a Row

2011-09-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

Years ago, when my youngest daughter was kindergarten age, I had my first experience with Five in a Row products. I was hooked from the beginning. Before Five in a Row is the preschool version of Five in a Row. It is a literature based curriculum for children ages 2-4. Written by Jane Claire Lambert, Before Five in a Row, uses classic children's stories and builds entire unit studies around those stories. Here is what Jane had to say about preschoolers in a recent article:
First Things First: Suggestions for Working with Preschoolers
by Jane Claire Lambert
Homeschooling Today Magazine, September/October 1997
Jane writes, "... these few, precious preschool years are so much more than just a season of waiting for school to begin. This is a special season when we have the opportunity to prepare our child for the life long adventure of learning; when we can equip him with the tools he'll need to tackle learning successfully." ...
Before Five in a Row contains 24 (plus 1 bonus) mini-units. Each of these units are filled with activities related to the story for that unit. Activities range from simple craft activities, to fun in the kitchen activities, to Bible activities, to Geography and Science activities, and the list could go on and on. There are many more activities for each story than you could possibly complete. It is wonderful to have so many well thought out and explained activities already provided for each unit. All you have to do as the parent is assemble any necessary supplies. Conveniently, most supplies needed are common household and school supplies.

Our family is beyond preschool years now; but, I have a dear friend who teaches a 3-4 year old preschool class. She was so excited to be able to implement the Before Five in a Row curriculum in her classroom. The books used were either already in her collection or easily available in the library and the supplies were easy to obtain. She was able to pick and choose activities based on the needs and interests of the children in her classroom. She loved Before Five in a Row and is going to keep my copy as a gift for using it and giving me her opinion on it. I am so thankful she was able to use and enjoy the curriculum. Before Five in a Row is a great curriculum for beginning homeschoolers to use. It is a gentle way of getting into the process of parent directed learning. As the parent, you are able to schedule and select activities based on the needs of your child. Before Five in a Row can easily be used with more than one child. This makes it very economical for the family with more than one preschooler. Before Five in a Row is available through Rainbow Resources for $35. If you do not have access to the books used in the units, you may also purchase a complete set of the literature used in Before Five in a Row here for $97.50. Many of my TOS crewmates have also been able to use and review Before Five in a Row. To read their reviews, go here. I highly recommend Five in a Row resources for families with preschool or Kindergarten age children. They are quality products fostering creativity and age-appropriate play and interaction. Exposing children to the beautiful and exciting world of literature at a young age can be the springboard to a lifetime love of reading.
**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Five in a Row. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Time4Learning

2011-09-14T10:14:00.001-05:00

“Time4Learning is a new approach that takes advantage of today's technology. It's a convenient, online home education program that combines learning with fun educational teaching games.”

As a TOS Homeschool Crew reviewer, I was given a 30 day membership for our family to Time4Learning. It has been an interesting 30 days, to say the least. On a positive note, Time4Learning is a comprehensive program. There are hundreds of lessons from which to choose and the program covers children in grades preK – 8. Time4Learning can be used as a stand alone curriculum for Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Math; or, it can be used as a supplement to your existing curriculum. Parents are given the opportunity to set up a parent account which is linked to student accounts. The parent account allows parents to assign lessons, track progress, and award success. From a curriculum standpoint, this is a thorough program which tackles tough topics very systematically with careful attention to detail.

From my kids viewpoint, unfortunately, Time4Learning was not a good fit for us. We used the 6th and 8th grade levels in Time4Learning. The kids did not like the sound effects and computer voice talking to them, so they had to mute the sound. Also, they felt like the explanation of every answer (especially in math), whether right or wrong, was overkill. I think they would have enjoyed the program more if these upper levels had been a little more fast-paced with feedback and opportunity to correct at the end. There was quite a learning curve with the Algebra area, also. It took my son a long time to get through all of the tutorials on how to enter answers and he was tired of the program by the time he completed them. I think, with some changes to make Time4Learning less childlike in the upper levels, it would be a hit with my kids. But, at this time, and with the program as is, it was not.

From my viewpoint, Time4Learning appears to be a good program overall. It was not a good match for our family, but definitely will be a good match for others.

Time4Learning is available on a monthly subscription basis for $19.95/month for the first child and $14.95/month for each additional child. To read about what other crew members had to say about their experiences with Time4Learning, go here.

**I was not compensated by TOS or Time4Learning in any way in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Family Game Time

2011-09-07T10:55:00.004-05:00

Flea Circus is a fabulously fun family game by R&R Games. Designed for kids age 6 and up, Flea Circus has become one of our favorites. Our entire family enjoys playing Flea Circus. The funny thing is, we are not really cat lovers at our house and that is reflected when we play the game. (Meaning, everyone likes to collect the dogs over the cats.) The object of the game is to collect the most cats and dogs by the end of the game. Our family loves to collect the dogs, even to the point of exchanging 2 cats for one dog when able. We have gotten a lot of laughs out of that! Flea Circus is easy to play. You need to learn the meanings of the “special” cards before you play. For instance, when one plays the dog catcher card, he/she gets to take the number of dogs/cats showing on each player’s top card. This game can get really competitive. It is great fun and play goes quickly which makes it ideal for a game night where you want to be able to play lots of rounds of a game instead of one long game. I recommend it highly for families. To find out more information about Flea Circus, visit R&R Games website here. Retailing for $15.95, Flea Circus is a game kids will want to play over and over. I enjoyed the fact that our younger kids were practicing math skills (adding and subtracting their point) without even realizing it. To read other reviews about Flea Circus, go here.
R&R Games is graciously offering a 20% discount to anyone purchasing Flea Circus through the TOS Homeschool Crew reviews. Just enter the coupon code, CREW20, to receive the discount now through December 31. Gotta love discounts!!!
**I was not compensated in any way by R&R Games or TOS in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Happy Anniversary Dickson and Shirley!!!

2011-09-03T12:43:00.000-05:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Special Offer

2011-08-16T14:52:00.000-05:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is offering their Summer 2011 Digital Edition completely free of charge to anyone who wants to take advantage of this amazing offer! To grab your copy, simple go here.
Let me know what you think! This magazine is an awesome tool for homeschooling families!

It’s Family Movie Night Again!!

2011-08-06T18:44:00.001-05:00

“Who Is Simon Miller” is the premier family movie airing on NBC tonight, August 6, 2011, at 8p.m. eastern/ 7 p.m. central. Our family was given the privilege of a preview viewing of “Who Is Simon Miller” for the purposes of review. In the words of our six children, “This movie was great!,” “We loved it!,” “Can we see it again?” Filled with suspense, intrigue, and plenty of family friendly action, “Who Is Simon Miller” is sure to be a classic. Be sure and tune in to NBC this evening for a great family movie night. To view a trailer of “Who Is Simon Miller,” go to

Website: http://familymovienight.com/who-is-simon-miller/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/familymovienight

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/fmnib

"Who Is Simon Miller?" Synopsis:

When unassuming geoligist Simon Miller mysteriously disappears one night, the Miller family is thrown into a desperate search to find him. Simon's wife Meredith and their two kids, Sarah, 18 and Kevin, 15 frantically search Simon's office for information. When they find a stash of passports, all with Simon's picture but each with a different alias, they realize that their father has been keeping more than a few secrets. Who is Simon Miller? And what has he gotten himself - and his family - into? Not sure they can even trust the dad they thought they knew, the Millers embark on an international mission to get him back. It's a heart-pounding adventure that tests the limits to which families will fight for each other.

Again, our family gave this movie 5 stars! We are off to watch it, again!

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I

only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:

“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

New Artist C.D. Review and Giveaway!

2011-07-27T18:12:00.002-05:00

Robert Pierre, an eighteen year old recent high school graduate, has released his first full length album. I was graciously given a copy for purposes of review, and I must say, it has quickly become a favorite. Robert has a beautiful voice and his songs have a strong and clear Christian message. His new album, “I’m All In,” received the highest accolades possible in our house – teenagers who like the songs and want to listen to the music. I can’t wait to hear more from him in the future. He is definitely an artist to watch. To learn more about Robert, his album, or his upcoming concert ministry schedule, go here.
You can even follow him on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/RobertPierreMusic
Or, you may purchase his new album, “I’m All In,” at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0059388YI/ref=dm_sp_alb?ie=UTF8&qid=1310674129&sr=8-
Robert Pierre is a talented young artist who conveys the Gospel message in his music. Check him out here. Now for some real fun, I have one copy of Robert Pierre's c.d. to give away to one lucky reader. Comment below and let me know why you want this c.d.! Winner will be selected August 2 by random drawing. Please follow this blog and note your e-mail address so you can be contacted if you are the winner!
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I

only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:

“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Woo hoo! Free Digital Edition of TOS Magazine!!!

2011-07-27T13:48:00.001-05:00

Take a look at the brand new Summer digital edition of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. TOS is offering this digital issue of the magazine totally free with no strings attached. Enjoy this free gift from TOS—no registration or email address required to view the magazine! Take a peek here. Then share the link with your friends by clicking on the share button at the top of the magazine pages.

Yippee!!

2011-07-18T15:56:00.001-05:00

I am so excited! I have my first TOS Homeschool Crew review assignment for this year. I will be reviewing “Flea Circus,” a family game by R&R Games. I can’t wait to try it out! Be watching for the review. It will be posted by September 7.

Pen Pal Kids Club Review and Giveaway!!!!

2011-07-13T12:37:00.001-05:00

Pen Pal Kids Club is a safe, interactive website for children. It takes the experience of having a pen pal from another state or country to a higher level than just letter writing can achieve. Parents are able to completely monitor their child’s experience on Pen Pal Kids Club through a parent account. Parents can consent to or reject requests and can control how kids can interact on the website. The site itself is very simple to navigate. Most kids today are so “tech savvy” they will have no trouble navigating it. As “non-tech-savvy” as I am, I still found the site easy and fun to navigate. My dd and on of my ds’s are going to enjoy interacting on Pen Pal Kids Club this summer and Fall as we study countries of the world. I think this site is a great enhancement to any study of geography or World History. It is lots of fun for the kids to play the games. They don’t even realize they are learning as they play. Here is a little information about Pen Pal Kids Club:

Pen Pal Kids Club is the world's only safe, translated, global social network for children. Pen Pal Kids Club is an edu-tainment website where kids can freely SHARE, EXPLORE & PLAY with other kids around the world. '"I have always believed that if kids had the opportunity to experience one another on a ‘global playground,’ learned prejudices would be virtually non-existent,” says Pen Pal Kids Club Creator and Co-Founder Shelley A. Aliotti. “Here is that opportunity,” she adds.

Many of today's parents grew up with pen pals -- friends from other parts of the world with whom they exchanged letters. Pen Pal Kids Club fosters these nostalgic relationships and takes it to a new level, thanks to the automated and filtered safe translations in 7 key languages - English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian and German!

Pen Pal Kids Club's interactive games entertain, as well as teach about other countries and cultures. On the site, kids will establish their likes, interests and country locations all within the safety of an avatar, which protects their personal identities.

Within the Pen Pal Kids Club site, high quality, fresh, relevant information is provided through an exclusive partnership with Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. for Kids. This database is the world's leading online encyclopedia, collecting and offering data since 1768. This partnership delivers age-appropriate and accurate text, graphs and videos 24/7 to every child, without any links to take them off the Pen Pal Kids Club protected site.

"Through the latest in technology and around-the-clock monitoring by administrators, Pen Pal Kids Club ensures that no inappropriate activities are taking place...guaranteed." Aliotti also adds, "We believe it is up to the parents to have full control of his or her child's activities with their personal Parent Controls within the site. This control allows a child to only share as much information and content as his or her parent is comfortable with."

Pen Pal Kids Club is one of the best deals around in interactive games for kids. For the month of July, you can try the site out for free. After July, it is only $4.99 / month. That’s a little less than $60 a year! Wow! I pay more than that for a textbook or a video game. I am so excited about Pen Pal Kids Club. I know my kids are, too!

As a special bonus, Pen Pal Kids Club is offering one of my readers a free 3-month subscription to the site. To be entered for this, please follow the blog and leave me a comment below, including your e-mail address, letting me know why you would like to win. The winner will be chosen at random on July 28.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The New Crew Year Has Begun!

2011-07-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

This is an exciting month as the 2011-2012 voyage on the TOS Homeschool Crew sets sail. I am thrilled with the new items we will be reviewing. Be watching for new reviews in the next few weeks.
I will be hosting several 'back to school' giveaways very soon. You won't want to miss them!

Field of Vision

2011-06-23T17:29:00.001-05:00

Field of Vision is a feature film exploring the reality of bullying. We were able to view this movie prior to it’s television debut for purpose of review. Overall, the message conveyed by Field of Vision is: “Bullying hurts everyone involved and people need to stand up against it.” One of the shining stars of this film is Kelly Ripa. She portrays the mother / high school guidance counselor character. The movie is free of foul language, sexual innuendos, and violence. The theme of the film may be a little rough for younger children to deal with; however, I could definitely see children and teens from around age 10 gleaning some good from the film.

I did enjoy this movie. The only critique I have about Field of Vision, as well as other inspiring family films, is that the dialogue and plot sometimes come across as predictable and a little corny. I think the message of the film outweighs this aspect of the film.

To view a trailer or read a synopsis of Field of Vision, go to these sites.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

2010-2011 TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards

2011-06-01T12:05:00.001-05:00

The favorites products of the 2010-2011 TOS Homeschool Crew have been announced. Check out the extensive list here.

How to have a librarian at your fingertips:

2011-05-27T15:35:00.001-05:00

Read for the Heart, by Sarah Clarkson, is truly akin to having a librarian at your fingertips. Published by Apologia, a curriculum company whose name is synonymous with quality, Christian worldview, user-friendly products, Read for the Heart is a must have for parents who desire to inspire a love for reading great literature to and with their children.

From the Apologia website:

A great book spurs the imagination in childhood, inspires our dreams in adulthood, and nourishes the soul with depictions of life fully and courageously lived. Among the greatest gifts you can bequeath to a child are a love for reading and a passion for books. But how do you sort through the many thousands of books available to your children to find those that are worthwhile? Apologia has the answer. Keeping Read for the Heart close at hand is like having a children's librarian for a best friend! Let Sarah Clarkson be your guide to the best in children's literature for your family. From timeless classics to modern favorites, from picture books to adventure novels to read-aloud favorites, more than 1,000 wonderful stories for young people are recommended within these pages. Now you can make great literature a lasting part of your child's life and education.

For me, Clarkson’s book reminds me a lot of the huge annotated bibliography project I had to complete in one of my literature classes in college. It is divided into twelve chapters. The first four chapters give the reader a glimpse into the value of using wholesome reading material with your family. The last eight chapters focus on different genre of literature. Each chapter begins with a brief discussion about the genre and the merits / pitfalls encountered within the genre. Following the discussion, authors whose books fall within the genre are highlighted. For most authors, at least one book is annotated and then a list of other books by the author are listed. Six different appendices are included which organize books according to categories such as Caldecott Medalists, Historical Fiction by G.A. Henty, and “A Few of My Favorite Things” (a listing of Clarkson’s favorite family read-alouds. Read for the Heart contains 384 pages (including the index) and is available on the Apologia website for $17. If you go here you can also download sample chapters and the table of contents.

I believe this is a great resource to use for any family, not just homeschooling families. There is so much available now with regards to books. There are print books and electronic books. There are internet resources too numerous to attempt to list. The problem is, we are on such information overload, it is difficult to discern what is quality and what is just portrayed to be quality. “This book will help you discover how great stories can form the lives of your children—how books can be powerful companions and teachers that will spur your children’s hearts and minds to life.” (p.15) Of course, the first and foremost source of reading material for families should be God’s Word. But, in addition to that, quality reading material will help shape your child’s imagination, intellect, and beliefs. I know my kids are worth taking the time to investigate what they read and making sure they are reading for the heart.

To read about what other crewmembers thought about Read for the Heart, go here.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Apologia in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

A Biblical Approach to Natural Science

2011-05-25T20:38:00.001-05:00

For the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to examine and implement Considering God’s Creation, a creative biblical approach to natural science, produced by Eagle’s Wings Educational Products. This is a comprehensive science curriculum which is able to be used for multiple children in grades 2-7. It is different from any science curriculum I have ever used. Instead of a text heavy student book, the student book is all hands-on activities. Don’t let the words hands-on scare you! Most of the activities in the student workbook are worksheets, or cut and paste, or coloring of some sort. The pages are perforated for easy removal. There are 272 pages in the student workbook. It is divided into 36 lessons, which are designed to be completed one lesson per week. The scope of this curriculum is broad. Topics begin with creation. From there, students study through several weeks of earth science. Then students move into a study of plants, and on to the animal kingdom. A general survey of the different classifications of animals is completed first in the study of animals. Once this is completed, students move into animal anatomy and physiology. Students complete the final quarter of their science study with a comprehensive study of the systems of the human body.

The teacher’s manual provided provides the teacher with all the material he/she needs to guide students to complete the lessons. There is also an audio c.d. provided which contains recordings of the various jingles used throughout the curriculum. For each lesson, teachers are given an exhaustive list of materials needed for the lesson, a listing of new vocabulary words for students to master, factual information needed to teach each lesson, and explanations of activities to complete for each lesson. The activities beyond the student workbook utilize materials readily available in most homes.

My daughter was so excited when this curriculum came in the mail, she asked to begin using it immediately. I actually already have it planned into her curriculum for next year. It will be a fabulous course for her to complete in preparation for more difficult science classes. I love the adaptability of the curriculum. She loves the fact that she gets to make her own science notebook. This is a wonderful curriculum which exhibits a strong biblical worldview. It is a great groundwork for further science studies as the years go by. The complete curriculum is listed for $29.95. You can order additional student workbooks for $13.99. Visit the Eagle’s Wings website here to examine sample pages and hear sample audio from the c.d.. To read what other crew members thought about Considering God’s Creation go here.

I would recommend this no-frills science curriculum for anyone who is looking for a thorough, biblical, natural science study requiring minimal teacher preparation but resulting in maximum learning.

**I received no compensation from Eagle’s Wings Educational Products or TOS in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Let Your Fingers do the Walking!

2011-05-20T11:43:00.001-05:00

WORDY QWERTY is a follow-up program to Read, Write, and Type, published by Talking Fingers. WORDY QWERTY is designed for 7-10 year old children, although any child who needs to brush up on his/her decoding skills could benefit from the program. Basic typing skills are useful, but not required. My daughter completed the Read, Write, and Type program last year, and still goes back to it to keep her typing skills sharp. She is really enjoying the WORDY QWERTY program as well. She is 11 now, and has difficulty decoding words, so this program has been wonderful for her. The songs (karaoke) on the program really help reinforce the different phonics rules covered. They are pretty catchy little jingles! The TOS crewmembers were given the online edition of WORDY QWERTY for purposes of review. The program was very easy to download and install. As a matter of fact, my daughter was able to start playing right away. Talking Fingers, as a company, is great at customer service. If there are any “bugs” in a program, they are very quick to help resolve the issue. There is a place on the website for “patches” that you can download to fix any bugs that may arise.

WORDY QWERTY is a great supplement to an existing phonics program. Look at what is covered (straight from their website):
20 LESSONS IN WORDY QWERTY (SPELLING RULES)
Silent E
Sounds of C
Sounds of G
J or DGE
W or WH
C or K
CK or K
CKS or X
CH or TCH
LL, SS, FF, ZZ
OI or OY
VE Words
Open Syllables
Double Consonants
Doubling rule
ER, IR, OR, UR, EAR
I Before E
Plurals: Add ES
Plurals: Y to IES
Plurals: F to VES
For pricing information, go here. Prices on the online version range from $25 for a single user to $71.25 for multiple users. According to the website, all online licenses are good for 5 years. That alone makes the price seem nominal.
This program has been, and will continue to be, a valuable tool in our family. I hope your family can enjoy it as well. To read about how other crewmembers have implemented WORDY QWERTY into their homeschool day, go here.
**I have received no compensation from TOS or Talking Fingers in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Trial Run

2011-05-20T10:34:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to see how this works. I am using Live Writer for the first time. I think this may revolutionize my blogging!

Math Facts Drilling Can be Fun

2011-05-18T22:57:00.000-05:00

For the past six weeks, crew members and their families have been able to try out and enjoy Mad Dog Math. Mad Dog Math is a fun, Windows PC application, designed for children in elementary school (through 5th grade), that can be used as a supplement to any existing math curriculum. I think it could be used for older grades as well for a child who needs reinforcement and drill on basic math facts. What exactly are the facts of Mad Dog Math? (from the website)
The Essentials of Mad Dog Math
Enables children to master their +, -, x, and ÷ facts in a fun challenging, exciting, and motivating way
Math supplement for any math curriculum
For grades K through 5th; remedial middle school and high school
Standard, daily 10 minute time commitment from start to finish
Huge body of math facts broken down into bite-sized pieces any child can master
Applied system that works in every classroom and in every home
Students, teachers, and parents LOVE it

We have used Mad Dog Math as a reward for completing other school work and as review of multiplication facts (especially). My dd has enjoyed it -- we will probably have to purchase the forever license so she can continue to play it once our trial runs out. The drills are timed, although parents can turn off the visible timer if need be, and rewards are given to children based on speed and accuracy. If a drill is passed (less than 2 incorrect), a child can move on to the next drill. If a drill isn't passed, that drill can be repeated until it is passed. We were using paper and pencil timed tests for math facts. That does get a little boring. Using Mad Dog Math puts some spark back into drilling. It is fun, easy to use, and challenging. The pricing seems really reasonable to me. Prices range from $19.99 for a one year license up to $39.99 for a perpetual license (forever). The program is instantly downloadable. To order Mad Dog Math, go here. There are other products available on the website also. To read about how other crew members have used Mad Dog Math, go here.
**I have received no compensation from TOS or Mad Dog Math in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Maps, Maps, and More Maps!

2011-05-16T23:20:00.000-05:00

I am frequently described as being "geographically challenged" or "directionally challenged." I am mainly characterized in this manner because I have a problem with geographic orientation. I.E. - I get lost easily! I also have a great deal of trouble with cardinal directions (N,S,E,W), but do great with landmark directions. So, when I found out our family would be receiving the WonderMaps collection from Bright Ideas Press to review, I was intrigued. Geography is not my strong suit, so I generally learn geographical facts right along with my children. Map books are so cumbersome and large, if they are thorough. Also, using map books is inconvenient when the maps are not accurate because they are old. WonderMaps solves both of these problems. What exactly is WonderMaps? (from http://brightideaspress.com/)
It’s a customizable collection of over 350 different maps. With nearly endless possibilities, WonderMaps makes it easy to regularly integrate map study into a variety of lessons and make the most of every learning opportunity.
WonderMaps are beautifully constructed, computer accessible, and customizable. There is a layering feature which allows the user to select how much information is displayed on a selected map. This feature is great to allow you to make maps for your child to fill in on their own or to make map tests. The Teacher's Guide section is full of so much information and suggestions for lessons and projects that I haven't come even close to applying all of the information. Maps are categorized in either eight general categories or by curriculum. The general categories are: The World: Continents, Regions, Nations; United States of America; Historical Maps; and Thematic Maps. These four categories are also categorized either by alphabetical order, chronological order, or theme. The curriculum categories are designed for The Mystery of History curriculum and All American History Curriculum. We have been completely intrigued by the color and available detail of these maps. We will be integrating them in a huge way in our World Geography studies next year. At $49.95, WonderMaps is an amazing value. Bright Ideas Press will be periodically releasing updates / upgrades to these maps so as to keep users current. That is a big plus! Imagine not having to purchase new map books when your maps become obsolete. The over 350 maps in this collection are more than most school programs of any kind will ever need. To see what other crew members have to say about WonderMaps, go here.

**I have received no compensation from Bright Ideas Press or TOS in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Go - Fitness!

2011-05-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

"Teen obesity has grown to epidemic proportions in the United States. The US Department of Health and Human Services recently published teen obesity statistics regarding this dangerous trend. According to the report, 14% of adolescents in the United States are overweight. This figure has nearly tripled in the last 20 years. This means that 14% of our teens are at risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Type 2 Diabetes has also increased dramatically in teens as a direct result of teen obesity. Additionally, teens who are dealing with teen obesity have a very high probability of being obese as adults further increasing their risk of other serious health problems."(http://www.troubledteen101.com/articles42.html)

As a parent, I find these statistics alarming. The explosion of our teen's dependence on electronic entertainment has influenced the overall activity level of our children and teens. GoTrybe is an organization taking action against the distressing epidemic of inactivity and obesity in children and teens. As a crew member, I was given a membership to GoTrybe to test and use for the purpose of this review. The registration process was very simple for the program. I was able to set up my pre-teen and teenage children with their own user names and passwords. They each were then able to "personalize" their avatar for the program. Now, I am not as tech savvy as kids are, so I didn't exactly know what an avatar was -- my kids quickly informed me it was an animated guide to their program.

Once set up, the kids were able to choose from using a pre-set workout program or designing their own. There are a lot of options for the workout -- from basketball skills to kick boxing to yoga (and just about any other type of workout activity you could imagine). The activities are demonstrated via video and once the workout is put together, you exercise along with the video. Each day's activities include a workout, a nutrition "trivia" type quiz, a motivational moment, and a wellness tip.

Overall, we had mixed reactions to the program. The kids loved getting set up in the system, loved getting their avatar, loved designing the workout, but. . . didn't love actually working out. One of my kids was in the Trybe180 group (middle school), the other 2 were in the Nextrybe group (high school). We are going to be working on this for a while! I do think I am going to try hooking my computer up to a video projector and projecting the video on a large wall and the sound through external speakers. I think this would make the workout time seem more like we were in an exercise class. All of my kids will be studying health and nutrition this Fall, and I know that I want GoTrybe to be part of that study. I love it. **And mom needs to get healthy and fit, too!**

There is a kids blog / chat feature which we did not use, simply because we don't allow our kids to chat with folks they don't know. I think GoTrybe is a great value right now because, with the code GETFIT, you can get an entire year subscription for $19.95. There is a free trial on the website also. Click here to sign up for the free trial or to go to the subscription purchase area. To read what other crew members have to say about GoTrybe, go here.

**I received no compensation from TOS or GoTrybe in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Feed Your Addiction!

2011-05-04T23:32:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am a book addict. I am not ashamed to admit it at all. At any given time I have at least three books I am working on. Being a book addict is fun, but, it has it's drawbacks. The major drawback to being a book addict is -- I don't have the shelf and storage space in my house to be a book addict. I have a gory little secret . . . . shhhhhh, don't tell anyone . . . . I have plastic tubs (multiple) full of books in my storage building, books stored in drawers, on shelves, on tables, and yes, even in the bathroom. The question is, am I the only book addict in my house? No, I am not. My husband and children, though not as bad as me, are book addicts, too. So, what do you get for the family that can never have enough books or enough space for the books they have? E-books!

I am new to the world of electronic books, and I have quickly become a lover of electronic books. There are times I still enjoy the feel of a book in my hand, but electronic books are so convenient! When I found out I was selected to receive a huge set of Yesterday's Classics electronic books, I thought: "That's great! I will get to look at a few books and let my kids enjoy reading them with me." I never expected to receive such a huge set of electronic books. Many people are familiar with the hard copy versions of Yesterday's Classics. The electronic version of their books is of just as high caliber. With Yesterday's Classics, you are able to download, in either EPUB or Kindle formats, 225 classic children's books, completer with color illustrations and covers when available on the original books. Each book has a table of contents feature and extremely easy to read text. These are not "scanned and posted" versions of classic books. These are high quality, recreated classics.

With the purchase of the Yesterday's Classics e-book package, you receive immediate access to all 225 books. And, as a bonus, their are no download limit restrictions. You are able to download and save the books on as many devices as you own. You can even save them on a flash drive for portability if you don't have an e-reader.

Our daughter has enjoyed reading aloud from the Yesterday's Classics collection. I can see this habit continuing for a long time. There are books in 22 different genres, so there is something that almost any child will find of interest. Currently, Yesterday's Classics is available for a limited time at a price of $99.95 by clicking here. The limited time offer is good until the end of May. After that the price reverts to the original price of $149.95. You would be hard pressed to find 225 books to purchase for the total cost of $99.95 anywhere (even at a thrift store). You are even able to download a sample book to enjoy before you make up your mind.

I will tell you, with such a huge number of books, the download process is a bit lengthy. It is not difficult at all; however, different devices have different methods of downloading, storing, and organizing files, so be familiar with your own device. I loaded our books onto my IPad. I am not very much of a "techie," but I figured out that I could download the books to my pc, import the files into my ITunes, then just sync my IPad and the books were there. It couldn't have been simpler. Our daughter has enjoyed being able to choose from the great number and variety of books when we are out and about without having to carry around a lot of heavy, individual books. For our family, Yesterday's Classics is a great value and a treasure we will enjoy for years to come.

To read how other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew have enjoyed and used their set of Yesterday's Classics, go to this link.

**I received no compensation from Yesterday's Classics or TOS in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Healthy Kids, Healthy Parents, Healthy Homes

2011-04-20T22:58:00.000-05:00

As a science oriented mom, I am always looking for solid, family-friendly, factually accurate health and wellness curricula. I was so excited when I was able to use and review a copy of Nutrition 101: Choose Life!. The TOS Crew received an electronic .pdf version of this huge resource. I must say, I have been extremely impressed. Up till now in our homeschooling journey we have used standard health curriculum materials which, unfortunately, were boring. Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is different. This is a book which can be used across a myriad of age/grade levels. It doesn't just focus on the "do's and don'ts" of health, it focuses on why the "do's" are the "do's" and the "don'ts" are the "don't" and what we can do from a nutritional standpoint to support a healthy lifestyle. Check out what is included in this amazing resource:
Co-authored by homeschool mother Debra Raybern, N.D., M.H., C.N.C., I.C.A.; homeschool mother and researcher Sera Johnson, B.MU; mother and writer/editor Laura Hopkins, B.S.; and mother, grandmother and former Home Economics teacher Karen Hopkins, B.S.
Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is a three-in-one family nutrition and health program for all ages that presents the major body systems, how they function, their common health issues, the benefits of good food and the consequences of bad food. Its 448 pages include into six units:
1.The Brain and Nervous System
2.Digestion and Elimination
3.Respiration and Olfactory
4.Muscular and Skeletal Systems
5.Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
6.Endocrine System and Emotions.

Biblically based and packed with hands-on activities, science and art projects and nearly 80 family-friendly recipes, this program teaches and reinforces the why’s of what we should eat, not just “because I said so.” Containing a complete reference guide filled with nutrition facts, charts, practical tips and an exhaustive index, Nutrition 101: Choose Life! will serve as a constant resource for improved health and abundant living. (From the Growing Healthy Homes website)
This beautiful text is available either as a c.d. (.pdf format) for $79.95, a hard copy for $99.95, or a combo pack including both the c.d. and hard copy for $129.95. The quality of the graphics and information is absolutely amazing. This book will be a treasured resource for years to come. With 3 children still homeschooling, I can guarantee we will be using this as our health curriculum for many years. We have been able to sample recipes and discuss many of the topics covered already. I can't wait to be able to use this for an entire school year! This has even been a great resource and complement to the biology curriculum that we use. To order, go to Growing Healthy Homes.
The Old Schoolhouse is hosting a webinar with Sera Johnson, one of the authors of Nutrition 101. This webinar will take place at 4:00 p.m. EDT, tomorrow, April 21. The webinar is free! It should be great!
One last goody to mention. Because you are a reader of the TOS Homeschool Crew reviews, you have the chance to save 15% using the coupon code: TOScrew11. This is the same discount you would be able to get at a homeschool conference. This discount makes this thorough and comprehensive curriculum very affordable.
**I received no compensation from TOS or Growing Healthy Homes in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Ahoy Maties!!!: Waterbook / Multnomah Press Reviews

2011-04-13T15:47:00.000-05:00

Ahoy Maties!!!: Waterbook / Multnomah Press Reviews: "Plain Wisdom, by Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud, is a unique book. This book is a glimpse into various aspects of both Cindy's and Miriam'..."

ZGuide to the Movies: Les Miserables

2011-04-01T20:43:00.000-05:00

Using movies as literature? What a "novel" idea! Zeezok Publishing has taken this novel idea and created a first class product both you and your family will love. Zeezok not only provided the TOS crew the opportunity to review their movie guides, they generously allowed us to have our choice out of all of the Zguides they produce. I chose "Les Miserables." This classic film is available for purchase on DVD through Zeezok to even make the process of using this film study more simple.

Exactly what is included in this fabulous unit study?

Zeezok Publishing’s z-guide to Les Miserables is a great way to incorporate media into your study about nineteenth-century France.

This guide contains a topic overview, movie synopsis, and ten learning activities for an in-depth study of the film. Ponder the development of socialism in the town of Vigau. Analyze Inspector Javert’s personal problems and the reasons behind parental decisions. Decide whether or not you would spare Javert’s life, or draw a Jean Valjean Wanted! poster. Begin a life-long habit of doing random acts of kindness for others. Evaluate your own beliefs with the “Worldview Activity,” probe the director’s mind with “The Filmmaker’s Art” activity, and get the entire family involved with the “For Family Discussion” section at the end of the guide. Choose those activities which best fit your student’s course objectives, areas of interest, or time schedule. Find out what real love and forgiveness is all about with the Les Miserables movie guide!

One thing I did notice, the answers to the discussion type questions (as with all discussion type questions) are very subjective. There are factual bits of information that need to be included in the answers, but the interpretation of those facts can, to a degree, be open for a lot of discussion. Zeezok currently has the Zguide studies available for more than twenty movies. Each movie guide retails for $12.99 and is well worth the price. These are very thorough unit studies. There are titles available that would be enjoyable for younger children, middle school children, and high school children. Descriptions of the movies are also given on the website to aid parents in determining the appropriateness of a particular movie for their family. To see all of the products in the Zguide line, go to:

http://www.zeezok.com/cat-z-guides-to-the-movies2.cfm

To see what other crew members have to say about this movie guide, as well as other titles available through Zeezok, visit the crew blog page here: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783834/

**I received no compensation from TOS or Zeezok in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Blog Party Giveaway!

2011-04-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

I am giving away a free e-book of your choice from the seven e-books I have written. The available e-books are:

Star-Studded Poetry

Sensational Short Stories

My ABC Scrapbook

Camp & Learn - Book 1

Camp & Learn - Book 2

Camp & Learn - Book 3

Camp & Learn - Book 4

Camp & Learn - Comprehensive

I'll be posting descriptions of each throughout the week.

To enter, comment on this post and let me know which e-book you would like to win, and let me know that you follow this blog. The winner will be chosen on April 11. If there are more than 25 entries and new followers, I am going to give away more than one prize, so invite your friends to follow!

Teacher's Toolbox for April

2011-04-01T08:49:00.000-05:00

Teacher's Toolbox for April has been released! The theme this month is Camping. You will be amazed at all of the free goodies you will be able to download this month! http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/teachers_toolbox/?tos_logout=true

Latin for Older Students

2011-03-30T22:58:00.000-05:00

I have been very curious about teaching Latin in a homeschool setting. When I was given this opportunity to examine and review Latin Alive, I jumped at the chance. Latin Alive is published and distributed by Classical Academic Press. Latin is just the tip of the classic curricula offered through Classical Academic Press. To see a complete listing of their products, visit their website at http://classicalacademicpress.com/. The website itself provides customers with a wealth of free resources and information. The free resources page, located at http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16, offers charts, games, flashcards, and other resources that are available as .pdf's. If you can't find the help you need between the teacher manual, the course dvd's, or the website, then, the "ask the magister" feature of the website is an option.

What exactly is Latin Alive?

Latin is an elegant and ancient language that has been studied for many generations. It is also quite alive in our culture, and in the languages we speak today. Latin Alive! is a series of Latin texts for junior high or high school Latin study. Written by experienced and enthusiastic Latin teachers, Latin Alive! is an excellent introduction to the classical language. With an emphasis on grammar and solid understanding of the language, it goes on to frame the study of Latin in Roman culture and mythology, and also to remind us of the many ways Latin is present in our culture today. Latin Alive will be a three year series.
You can view an introductory video about Latin Alive here:

We were able to try out Latin Alive at just the right time for our family. One of our children is in the 8th grade and another is in the 10th grade. Working through Latin studies provides additional depth to our English grammar and vocabulary studies. It is fascinating to see all of the areas Latin and English complement each other. I foresee this program being a great asset to our family's homeschool studies.

There are many components to the Latin Alive program. There is a student workbook, which is consumable and is beautiful. There is a teacher's manual, a set of lesson dvd's/cd's, and a test packet. The bundle pricing for Latin Alive is $139.95 and includes a student workbook, teacher's manual, and a set of dvd's/cd's. The test packet must be purchased separately. The individual components of the bundle may also be purchased separately. For pricing information, go to http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_6_14&products_id=62. To see what other crew members have to say about Latin Alive, as well as other products from Classical Academic Press, go to the main crew blog page here: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783860/.

**I received no compensation from TOS or Classical Academic Press in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Online Learning

2011-03-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

BigIQKids is an "online learning academy"which provides extra practice and skills for students in grades K-12. We were allowed to try a membership to BigIQKids for the past several months. Two of our children tried out the program. This program is a little bit overwhelming at first. There are so many options and things to try out that it is hard to know where to begin. There are several areas of learning that can be drilled and enhanced through BigIQKids:

Spelling: With a over 40,000 word dictionary, SpellingTime comes pre-loaded with 40 lessons for K-8th grade appropriate word lists. Or, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and SpellingTime will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the Friday spelling test.

Math: You can set up a child's lesson to mirror what they are doing in their current curriculum. For example, if the child is on double digit addition and single digit multiplication, the program can focus on just these two areas providing invaluable practice and reinforcement that is certain to provide them with the tools to ace their next test. Or, BigMathTime can automatically generate grade specific and subject specific lessons as per your requirements.

Vocabulary: With an extensive library of elementary through SAT prep words, BigVocabTime comes pre-loaded with word lists OR, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and the program will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the week’s vocabulary test.

U.S. States: Every elementary student will be confronted with the need to know their US State facts to mastery. BigStatesTime is the ultimate tool in learning the state's location, capital, spelling, abbreviations and general state facts. The program allows parents/teachers to add additional facts which will be included in the child's lessons and the program culminates in a “State Mastery Exam” that, if passed with 100% mastery, awards the child a State Master Certificate.
Once into the program, students play games and do exercises until concepts are mastered. Students are given immediate feedback and parents receive e-mail reports of their child's progress. The prices of BigIQKids vary from a free version to many different subscription options. To see the pricing structure and options available go to: http://www.bigiqkids.com/Pricing.html
Overall, my kids weren't completely sold on this program. It has so many options they had trouble focusing on just one area. Also, there is an option for some words in the spelling and reading sections to be read by the computer. The computer "voice" is a little unusual and so my kids didn't use that option. I think the program just wasn't a good fit for us right now, but I'm sure it would be a great fit for other families. I recommend reading about the program on their website and trying the free version, then purchasing a subscription if the program fits your family. To read what other crew members have to say about this program, go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783856/

**I received no compensation from TOS or BigIQKids in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

A New Approach to Art Instruction

2011-03-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

I was privileged to be able to use the Artistic Pursuits: Junior High Book One, The Elements of Art and Composition, curriculum for the past several weeks. My children have taken "art lessons" of various types for years. I have seen some progression during those years, but not as much as there could have been. Artistic Pursuits is a different type of art curriculum. The book we have used is:
--A text written in conversational manner so students can work independently;
--A full year course in one book, designed for students to complete two lessons per week
--Four unique projects in each unit including creative exercises, art history and appreciation, techniques, and exploration of various subject matter.
We enjoyed the easy-to-understand manner this book is written in. My eighth grader was able to read and understand the lessons and create projects with no assistance from me. I also appreciated the complete supply list that is provided in the very beginning of the book. The projects actually require very few supplies and are not "messy" type art projects. This book focuses more on training the student's eye to hand skills. Throughout the entire book there is a emphasis on the student learning to "focus on one element of art at a time, while drawing, and block out the others." This curriculum is such a bargain at $49.95! I don't know of any art lessons my kids could take for that price for a month, much less for an entire year.
I can definitely see our family using this curriculum for years to come. For more information about this curriculum, or to purchase Artistic Pursuits, go take a look at their website at: http://www.artisticpursuits.com/index.html
To read what other reviewers have to say about this Artistic Pursuits book, as well as the other Artistic Pursuits books, go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783838/

I spoke too soon

2011-03-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like the head cold has been passed back to me! I wish everyone would quit sharing their germs. Lots of fun books and products to continue working through. No time to be sick! Church tonight, yeah! Off to do schoolwork with the kids now.

Finally back!

2011-03-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like we are finally over the month long flu siege in our house! Our final two victims are down to having a raw throat and cough, so mom can finally stop being a nurse for a while. I am working through some great home school products for my next reviews. I can't wait to share with everyone about them. Meanwhile, enjoy your journey and try to find something everyday to make learning fun.

Math help is on the way!!!

2011-02-25T21:54:00.000-06:00

Drilling math facts can be such a drudgery! I think it ranks right up there with reviewing spelling words as far as my kids are concerned. Timed tests and drills get so boring after doing them over and over. Math Rider is a great, downloadable, innovative game to help kids drill math facts without realizing they are drilling. Here is a little description from the Math Rider website:
Ride your horse on noble quests through the magical MathLands. MathRider combines fun game play with a highly sophisticated question engine that adapts to your child. The game propels your child to mastery of all four math operations using numbers 0 to 12.
I would compare the fantasy/quest elements of the game to something along the lines of King Arthur tales or Lord of the Rings type tales (very much scaled down). There is no violence in the quests. Children navigate their horse through the quests by correctly answering math fact questions. It took my daughter a few minutes to get used to navigating her horse and to get her timing down, but, once she was acclimated she really excelled. I have seen a great improvement in her speed and accuracy since she has been using the game. Parents have access to statistics to track their child's progress. Math Rider is available currently for $37. It is a download product. Multiple children can play games once you have downloaded the software. The download was really simple for me. Computer system requirements are listed on the Math Rider website. I would recommend this game to any child who needs extra drill and review of their math facts. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts from 0-12 are covered in the program. There is even a video preview on the Math Rider website. For more information about the Math Rider program, go to http://mathrider.com/. To see what other TOS crew members have to say about the program, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783766/.

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Math Rider in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Teacher's Toolbox Released!!!!

2011-02-25T13:00:00.000-06:00

Just released!
The subscribers-only Teacher’s Toolbox membership is
ready for visitors!
Here’s a small list of what you’ll gain with your Teacher’s Toolbox membership:
• Access to EVERY digital issue ever created!
• Access to a special password-protected section of the TOS website available only to subscribers, containing article after article of inspiration and support.
• A month’s worth of recipes—one for every day of the month (recipes will change monthly).
• Monthly calendars featuring “This Day in History” activities and lessons for each day.
• Frugal tips with Molly!
• Guest “speakers” popping up to inspire us. Think of it as a homeschool seminar at your fingertips!
• Free E-Books, crafts, printable content, unit studies, and so much more!
Not a subscriber yet? Why not subscribe today?

From the outstanding content in each issue of The Old Schoolhouse® to the bonus content and monthly encouragement between issues, the benefits of subscribing now are fantastic!
Whether you are seeking motivation, encouragement, creative learning adventures with unit studies, art activities, or a scriptural foundation relevant for your day, you will find these and so much more in the nearly 200 glossy pages of TOS.
You will treasure the compassionate encouragement from homeschool experts you know while enjoying a growing community of TOS subscribers who share in the excitement and benefits of home education. TOS is so much more than pages in a magazine!
Grab your subscription TODAY!
We’ll look for you in the Teacher’s Toolbox, where inspiration builds education.
Click on the Teacher's Toolbox button to go directly to the Teacher's Toolbox page.

Help for reluctant readers!

2011-02-18T18:35:00.000-06:00

KidScoop's Reluctant Reader Solution is a creative set of 365 small unit-type studies. Also available on KidScoop is a beautifully laid out "kid-friendly" newspaper. The newspaper is available to read online and print as desired. A cool feature of the newspaper is that students can choose to have the computer read to them. This is great for the younger reader who is struggling with word recognition.
The Reluctant Reader pages are engaging and full of activities. My eleven year old daughter was the perfect age for these sheets. She is not always the most enthusiatic reader. These sheets allow her to practice reading without realizing she is doing so.
On the KidScoop website, you can also sign up for "30 Days of Reading Fun." This is a series of thirty e-mails you receive, each containing a unique reading idea. I'm all for anything to make reading fun.
This is a view of the opening page of the latest issue of the KidScoop News. It is colorful and packed full of really fun and interesting activities. Do you know how lead gets into a pencil? I didn't, until I read the KidScoop News! Most of the activities are geared toward middle-late elementary ages. There are a few activities provided for a younger reader. I did not print the KidScoop News. My kids viewed and read it online. (Only because my colored ink was running really low!) The Reluctant Reader Solution pages are in black and white. They are quick prints and would be great to keep on hand to supplement any reading curriculum. I could really picture myself keeping a few sets handy to grab for that unexpected long wait at the doctor's or dentist's office. The only supplies neccessary are the worksheets and a pencil (or, for my dd - colored pencils).
For $97, purchasers have access to downloadable packets of worksheets covering almost 60 topics that are kid and parent friendly and a monthly 20 page online Kid Scoop newspaper in full color. If you have a struggling reader, only you can determine the value of this type of program. KidScoop does offer a unique 365 day money-back guarantee. I think this type of customer service is greatly appreciated.
I did find their website a little difficult to navigate - partly because there is so much available on the website beyond the Reluctant Reader Solution and the KidScoop News.
To see what other TOS Crewmembers have to say about KidScoop, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783761/

**As usual, I received no compensation from TOS or KidScoop in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Cicada -killing Wasps?

2011-02-11T15:12:00.000-06:00

Are you looking for something to liven up your studies? I know a lot of folks around the United States have had many snowbound days this winter. Those days are fun, to a point, but there comes a time when the cries of "I'm bored" must meet with a new activity. The Curiosity Files are just the ticket!

The Curiosity Files are nine new exciting unit studies being offered through The Schoolhouse Store. I was privileged to explore the "Cicada-killing Wasp" study. Each unit study is available individually through The Schoolhouse Store for $6.95; however, the most economical product is the nine study bundle available either by a 2-C.D. set for $49 or a download for $46. If you do the math, that is a savings of around $10 over buying the studies as single e-books.

The "Cicada-killing Wasp" study contains 88 pages of information and activities geared towards children ages 8-13. The study lends itself to adaptation for either younger or older children. The graphics/pictures are beautiful! Many internet links are provided to enable further study. This unit study is very thorough. Subject areas covered include math, Bible, penmanship, statistics, grammar and writing skills, spelling and vocabulary skills, science discovery, arts and crafts, and cooking. There are activity sheets provided and answer keys for those activity sheets.

I must say this study is very interesting! I have taught science for years and had never heard of cicada-killing wasps. Looking at the other titles in the series, I can see where kids would really enjoy these studies as supplemental or stand alone. Kudos to the authors! You have done a great job.

To see what other homeschool crew members have to say about Curiosity Files, go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783746/.

**I have not been compensated in any way by TOS for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Vocabulary can be fun!

2011-02-07T22:48:00.000-06:00

VocabAhead's SAT Vocabulary Cartoons, Videos, &MP3S is a unique approach to helping students learn vocabulary. This particular book uses cartoon association to help students retain definitions. Antonyms and synonyms are also associated with each vocabulary word. After ten word pages, a brief review is provided. My reluctant spelling/vocabulary child is very spoiled to this method of learning vocabulary words now! The fun thing about this product is that the cartoons are very entertaining and cause your child to "forget" he is learning. This particular version comes with a code to enter on the VocabAhead website to enable the purchaser to download free videos and MP3S to support and enhance the book. The download is a rather large zip-file. If you do not want to go through this type of download process, there is a c.d. /book combination also available. There are sample videos located on the VocabAhead website: http://www.vocabahead.com/This version of the book is available both on the website: http://www.vocabahead.com/ and at http://www.amazon.com/VocabAhead-SAT-Vocabulary-Cartoons-Videos/dp/0984313516/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1290146133&sr=8-3

At $12.95, I really think the content is worth the price. This is a book that can be used for many children and will be enjoyed by almost anyone! I even learned some new words myself. So, if you want to bolster (page 206) your vocabulary, your child's vocabulary, or prep for a standardized test like the SAT, The VocabAhead SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos, &MP3S is the product for you! To read more reviews of this product, you may go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783745/.

**I have not been compensated in any way by TOS or VocabAhead in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Can you Dig-It?

2011-02-04T23:19:00.000-06:00

Roman Town: (click on the caption or picture to go to the Dig-It Games website!)

The world’s best Interactive Archaeology Computer Game for kids ages 8 to 88
Have all the fun of a real archaeological excavation without getting your hands dirty!
◦Dig in and participate in a full excavation from start to finish
◦Find authentic artifacts at a real dig site
◦Learn about Roman Daily Life – accurate, historical information
◦Replay for hours of Archaeological fun and learning
◦Fun for the whole family – from 8 to 88 years old

Roman Town is an interactive game where kids will be able to explore ancient Roman culture and civilization. The game is currently available as a c.d. program. There is also a multi-use version for teachers and a parents guide available. The game is actually reasonably priced right now to TOS readers because Dig-It games is offering a discount to those readers. While Roman Town is regularly $39.95, between now and February 21, 2011 you can get Roman Town for just under $20.00 with the code TOS2011 (I believe the final price is $19.96).

This game is ideal for a homeschool family that is studying ancient cultures like Rome or for the family studying archeology. I did make one mistake with the game and that was I loaded mine onto my laptop instead of our p.c. Manipulating the game would be much easier with a regular mouse rather than a touchpad. My son got frustrated after a while of playing when using the touchpad to control his actions. I think that if we try attaching a regular mouse to my laptop, the frustration would be ended. He did say that, to him, the game was a little slow. Now, I don't know if that was because he is used to the video gaming system games that are popular today or because it was really slow. I think the mouse issue may have been the root of the problem, honestly.

Take some time and explore the Dig-It Games website. There are some interactive computer games and activities to even further enrich your Roman Town studies.

Roman Town is an educationally enriching experience. To see what other reviewers have to say about Roman Town, take a look here: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783744/.

**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Dig-It Games in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Times Tables Made Easy!

2011-01-31T15:36:00.000-06:00

I was so happy to be able to try out the "Times Alive" software by City Creek Press. My 5th grader has had a terrible time memorizing multiplication tables. This software has been like more of a game to her and she has learned her math facts without struggle. She loves to get on the program and watch the videos and learn the songs. The songs and videos are cute and catchy. They make the facts easy to remember. City Creek Press is a great company to work with. They have been very quick to answer any questions and have been very helpful. City Creek Press products come from a very solid background:

From http://www.citycreek.com/ :
The success of City Creek Press, owned and operated by educational pioneer Judy Liautaud, comes from its continued dedication to the education of children. In 1992, while operating the Sylvan Learning Center in Bountiful, Utah, Judy was determined to find a way to help her students learn math tables in a fun and meaningful way. She created a unique method that connected visual images, stories, and songs to mundane number facts. Judy tested her method through the teachers at the center, who were delighted to discover that their students now approached math tables with real interest. Further studies demonstrated that students using Judy’s method retained 95% of the facts on average.
The great success of this method led Judy to create her first publication, Times Tables the Fun Way, which was published in 1992 through a company she established called Key Publishers. Judy’s second book Addition the Fun Way soon followed, achieving the same high levels of success among students.

Click on the image to the right to take a look at a video from the Times Alive software:

Or, click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/TimesTablestheFunWay#p/u/4/F35_ZRpRzJI RzJI

Or, to explore other features of the software, go to: http://www.citycreek.com/Articles.asp?ID=133
The software itself is priced at $44.95. There are multiple companion products available through the City Creek website as well. I have enjoyed being able to watch my daughter learn her times tables very independently. Because the age at which children learn their times tables varies, Times Alive software is suitable for virtually any elementary age student. It is a great supplement to any existing math curriculum. Reports can be generated for the parent/teacher and lessons can be repeated as desired. All in all I think this is a really well-rounded software for learning times tables. It worked for us!

To see what other reviewers have to say about Times Alive go to:
http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783695/

Enjoy!

**I have not received any compensation from TOS, City Creek Press, or Times Alive Software in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Amazing Math Site!

2011-01-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

I must admit, I have been skeptical about online math programs. TenMarks has been a pleasant surprise. This program can serve as either a supplement to an existing math curriculum or as a stand alone curriculum. Students are able to watch video help lessons, work online math worksheets and receive immediate feedback, earn rewards, and take online math tests. The parent area is very user friendly and allows parents to customize the number of worksheets their child completes, the rewards their child can receive, and multiple other options. "TenMarks offers lessons and personalized programs that cover all the core math skills and concepts your child will need in school."
•Grades 3-10
•Over 100 core skills per grade
•Hints and video lessons for every topic
•Mapped to state standards
(From the TenMarks website)

This is a screen shot from one of the worksheets. A great feature of TenMarks is the immediate feedback at the end of a worksheet and the ability for students to go back and rework just the problems they have missed. Students love not having to re-do the entire worksheet. Our daughter worked on the 5th grade math and has loved it! The reinforcement for her math curriculum was wonderful. TenMarks really helped move her on to more challenging material. She was a little frustrated at first, until she learned that she could watch help videos and get hints. Then she really took off. TenMarks has been so helpful that I recommended it to a friend of mine who is a math teacher. She is recommending it to all of her students. It is a great bargain at $10/month for the premium program. I have a feeling we will be continuing our TenMarks program. If I even attempted to stop it my daughter would have a fit! Using TenMarks is her reward everyday! To see what other reviewers are saying about TenMarks go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783666/. To visit the TenMarks website go to: http://www.tenmarks.com/tmother/parent-index. Enjoy!

**I have received no compensation from TenMarks or TOS in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Cool Bible Dictionary!

2011-01-26T21:34:00.000-06:00

For the past several weeks, my family has been enjoying the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids. Actually, our eleven year old has completely confiscated the Bible Dictionary and taken upon herself the task of being the authority on biblical information. She loves being able to look up Bible terms and characters and learn more about them. She even carries the dictionary to Sunday School with her!
Sold through Lifeway Christian Stores, the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids is a colorful, hard-back book. Over 750 Bible terms and characters are addressed in the book. It is geared to kids ages 5-10 (our daughter was ten when we received the dictionary), although older kids enjoy the wealth of information it contains. At $14.95, the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids has definitely proven it's worth to our family. My children renewed their interest in Bible study and research through using this book. I would recommend it to any family as an introductory Bible dictionary. It is a beautiful book and we have thoroughly enjoyed using it. We will continue using it for years to come I'm sure. To see what other TOS crewmembers have to say about the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783689/

**I have received no compensation from TOS or Lifeway Christian Stores for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Tandem! Wow!

2011-01-14T15:45:00.000-06:00

Tandem, published by Waterbrook Press, is a thriller! If you are at all fond of the vampire stories, you will love this. It is a vampire story with a Christian theme. Twists and turns in the plot abound. You can read more about the book on Waterbrook's website or CBD. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Heaven!!!

2011-01-14T11:50:00.000-06:00

If you haven't signed up for Homeschool Freebie's e-mail, you need to do so. Yesterday, the free resources were about snow. Today, the free resource is a slow cooker cookbook. If you are anything like me, you enjoy putting ingredients in the crock pot in the morning and enjoying a hot meal in the evening with little to no additional effort. This is a great cookbook, and it is free today if you visit the homeschool freebie website. Here is the link: http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
Happy slow-cooking!

Snow, Snow, Snow!!!!

2011-01-13T15:10:00.000-06:00

I ran across a great bunch of resources today. We have been snowed under for several days, as has a good portion of the country. Homeschool Freebie has a lot of free resources related to snow for their daily freebie. Most of these resources will be available for several days, but some are only available today. There is even an audio story with a listening guide about the Blizzard of 1888. Great stuff to use to alleviate cabin fever!
Click here to go to their page: http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/

Need Help Focusing?

2011-01-07T21:50:00.000-06:00

See-N-Read tools, at first, appeared to me to be cute little tools that my family might enjoy for a while. I was skeptical as to the actual effectiveness of these tools. Boy, was I wrong! These tools have proven to be invaluable to my children who have trouble staying focused in their reading. My daughter improved both her oral reading skills and her comprehension in just a few sessions. As a matter of fact, she took over the ownership of all of the tools and won't read without one of them. I plan on taking the Memory Mark tool back for her as it is fabulous for use when studying and highlighting. We have found such usefulness out of these tools that I want to purchase a set for all of my children. My husband has found it very helpful in Bible reading. The tools are very reasonably priced. They range in price from $2.99 - $69.99 (for large quantities). The tools come in various sizes to accomodate different text presentations. One of my favorite tools is the eSee-N-Read. This is an electronic tool to be used in conjuntion with text on the pc screen. For now, the application isn't available for Macs. I would love to see an application available for e-book readers. I could really see that being productive. As a co-op teacher, the eSee-N-Read is very helpful in highlighting and isolating text for students. The tools are firmly grounded in research, as evidenced on the See-N-Read website:

The See-N-Read® Reading Tool (patent pending) was designed and developed by Sylvia R. Smith, Ed.D. as a practical reading intervention tool to support the essential visual and cognitive skills necessary for readers to more effectively receive, process and remember information. Dr. Smith’s conclusions are grounded in research in the areas of learning theory, reading, visual discrimination, ophthalmology and psychology.

On a personal note, my husband has been recovering from a head injury for the past fifteen months. One of the results of the head injury was a problem with tracking and focusing. He has been using the book size tool to help him focus on text and has seen great results. The anti-glare, matte finished material that the tools are made of is helpful to eliminating both glare and distractions. I have seen similar tools before that are made of shiny plastic which is distracting and causes eye pain after extended use. None of us experienced distraction or eye pain when using the tools. On the contrary, we all noticed less eye strain and completely eradicated page distraction when using them.

I would highly recommend this product for anyone, child and adult alike. It is not solely for those with reading difficulties. It is effective for all readers. I especially recommend the eSee-N-Read for anyone who spends a lot of time on the computer. The opaqueness of the tool can be adjusted to suit your needs and you can open as many tools as you need at one time. Using the e-tool removes a majority of distractions from pop-up type ads as well as back-lit computer screen glare. To read what others have experienced while using See-N-Read tools, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783605/.

**I was not compensated in anyway by TOS or See-N-Read for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Family Fun Time!

2010-12-15T19:23:00.001-06:00

My family was so excited when we found out we were going to be allowed to review "Wits & Wagers Family." We have played the original "Wits and Wagers" game at grandma's house, and loved it; but, not all of our children were able to play because the questions were a little above their ability. The family edition contains questions that can be easy or challenging, a great assortment. The instructions and rules are very easy to follow. Our 10-year old dd read the instructions and rules and explained them to us.
As stated on the website:
Wits & Wagers Family simplifies the rules and scoring system of the popular Wits & Wagers. Now families and kids can get into the Wits & Wagers action! First, every player writes down a guess to a fun question. Then players try to score points by choosing which guess is closest to the right answer without going over. That is it!
The game features 300 new family-friendly questions. And even better than that, Wits & Wagers Family includes Meeples-- fun, cute, human shaped wooden pieces that the players use to select which answers they think are correct. Meeples have been a hallmark in European style strategy games for years, but this is the first time they have made an appearance in a party game.
So check out Wits & Wagers Family, the game that combines laughter and learning in a way that all ages can enjoy together!
What could be a better Christmas gift than something to bring the entire family together! We have had a blast with this game and I'm sure it will become a classic. We have six children ranging in age from 11 (now) - 21 and all of them have enjoyed this game. If you have older children, you may want to look into the regular "Wits and Wagers" game too.
Wits and Wagers Family retails for $19.99. As of this morning it appears to be sold out through the shopping cart link. To check for availability click here and then click on the shopping cart on the right hand side next to the game. You may want to check your local retailers. This would make an excellent Christmas gift.

To read what other TOS reviewers have to say about "Wits and Wagers Family" click here.

**Except for being sent a copy of the "Wits and Wagers Family" game to try, I have not been compensated in any way by TOS or NorthStar Games.**

ALEKS Web-Based Instruction

2010-12-13T20:26:00.000-06:00

I have been able to use, and let my children use, ALEKS web-based instructional system. It has been a bit of a chore for us to find time to use the system right now. Most of the trouble with usage has just been because of a very busy end of semester schedule. The ALEKS company has been gracious enough to extend the usage of their system for two additional months and I am so greatful! My children have really enjoyed the parts of the program they have tried. I have children ranging from 5th grade - 12th grade using the program, so we have tried a little bit of everything in the system. For me, one of the most useful features is the beginning assessment. This assessment gave me a great picture of where each of my children needed additional math help. I also love the feature that allows the students to move on when they master a skill. Take a look at some details of the program straight from the ALEKS web site:
What is ALEKS?

Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS offers truly individualized instruction that meets the student at her learning level and instructs her on the exact topics that she is most ready to learn. As a result, no two students will experience the same learning path while working in ALEKS.
ALEKS can provide you with the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. With a comprehensive course library ranging from elementary school math to complex subjects such as PreCalculus, ALEKS acts much like a human tutor to help take the stress off of homeschooling parents.

ALEKS offers highly-targeted, individualized instruction from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a comprehensive and mobile education solution for your children. A subscription to ALEKS offers access to all courses and your child may take as many courses as needed during their subscription period.

ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Program:

Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library
No Textbook Required
Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
Master Account Includes Quizzing and Automated Reports to Monitor Learning Progress
Unlimited Online Access - PC and Mac Compatible
QuickTables - Complimentary Math Fact Mastery Program for Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction

ALEKS has been used successfully by homeschoolers, as well as by millions of students at schools and educational institutions throughout the world. Additionally, some ALEKS course products are American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended, meaning that your student may be eligible for college credit at participating colleges.

Student Account

Assessment: Students begin in ALEKS by taking an individualized, adaptive assessment to determine what they already know and what they are ready to learn next.

MyPie: The ALEKS Pie summarizes a student's current knowledge and offers topics that the student is ready to learn next. The darkened portion of each pie slice represents the topics that the student has mastered and the lighter portion represents what the student has yet to learn.

Input Tools: ALEKS provides a free response environment and sophisticated input tools that avoid multiple-choice and require students to demonstrate content mastery.
Learning Mode: The Learning Mode provides students with practice problems, and offers explanations of topics and procedures as needed. Once a student has demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the topic is added to the ALEKS Pie, and new material that the student is now ready to learn becomes available.
Explanations: When a student is working on a particular problem, she can access an explanation of that problem by clicking on the "Explain" button. The explanation typically provides a step-by-step solution, with commentary. In some cases, an alternative or more detailed explanation is also available.
Feedback: Students receive immediate feedback and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.
Worksheets: Students have the ability to print out 16-question worksheets for additional practice or review. These worksheets are uniquely generated based on the student's current knowledge.
ALEKS QuickTables: QuickTables is a research-based, math fact mastery program for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

Interactive Games: Provide additional review and built-in rewards.
Master Account Homepage: Easily manage all student accounts, monitor student progress, view customized resources, and more.
Attendance Report: Track student time spent in ALEKS per day, the topics attempted, and the topics mastered and added to the ALEKS Pie.
Student Progress Report: Track student progress made throughout the course. The blue bar represents the percent of course material that the student has mastered during an ALEKS assessment; the green bar represents the percent of new topics the student has mastered in Learning Mode since the last assessment; and the yellow bar represents the percent of topics the student has yet to learn in order to complete the course.
Quiz Results: Quizzes are automatically graded and the results are available to both the parent and student immediately. View a detailed quiz results sample report (PDF).
Pricing Information:
A subscription to ALEKS is
$19.95 per student, per month, or
only $99.95 every 6 months, or
only $179.95 every 12 months.
To see what other TOS Reviewers have to say about ALEKS go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783474/.
**Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this review by ALEKS or TOS. The opinions expressed are my own.**

Fractions Made Simple

2010-12-01T21:55:00.000-06:00

Master Innovations Master Fractions came to me at just the right time! I have a fifth grader who has been struggling with fractions. She understood dividing things into parts, but really struggles with equivalent fractions and mixed numbers. Using a combination of the Master Fractions overlays and the Master Fractions Workbook has given her a lot more confidence in working with fractions. She can work very independently with this system. I'm going to be keeping the overlays handy for a long time. They are very sturdy and are a great visual reminder of equivalent fractions. Master Innovations is not only about Master Fractions, but this was the only one of their products I was privileged to use for the past several weeks. Some of the features of the Master Fractions system include:
•The Master Fraction (2) , divides geometric shapes into halves, quarters,eighths, and sixteenths.
•The Master Fraction (3), clearly illustrates thirds, sixths, and twelftths.
•The Master Fraction (5), also dividing geometric shapes, clearly illustrates fifths, tenths, and twentieths.
Fraction, Decimal, Percent, Equivalents are printed on the back of each of the three units.

The Master Fraction (2/3/5), with their transparent overlays make fractions easy to see and understand. Students of all ages quickly grasp the concepts of equivalency, reducing, improper, proper, adding, subtracting common and uncommon denominators, mixed numbers, and more! The geometric shapes, bright colors, and "easy turn" overlays make this a favorite of teachers and students alike.

After using the Master Fraction set, students will have a further comprehension of:
•Equivalent Fractions
•Reducing
•Common / Uncommon Denominators
•Adding / Subtraction
•Proper / Improper
•Mixed Numbers
Master Fractions is not a complete math curriculum but rather is a supplement to your existing curriculum. It is recommended for students in 1st-4th grades, but I have been using it for remediation with my 5th grade daughter. This has been a real confidence builder for her because some of the work was very easy for her, but it became increasingly difficult and she was able to do it. At $17.95 for the overlays and $15.95 for the workbook (you can copy for your own children), this is a bargain for the struggling math student or the beginning math student. We have really enjoyed this! For more information go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783420/.
** I have not been compensated by TOS or Master Innovations in any way. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.**

Satisfy Your Inner Librarian

2010-12-01T16:47:00.000-06:00

"Book Collector Connect - Catalog and share your book collection online. Automatic book details and cover images, just scan ISBN barcodes or enter authors & titles."

After using this software for a month, I would have to say it is really easy to install and use. This is an ideal program for the family with a lot of books or for someone who loves to loan books to friends. Some of the features of collecterz.com are:Manage and browse your collection online, from any PC or Mac - just go to the Connect website using your favorite browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, you choose), and log in to your account. No software downloads needed.

Check your collection while on the road, from any mobile device. Open the specially designed mobile Connect website on your mobile phone to check which books you own. Use it in the book store and prevent duplicate purchases.

At $19.95 / year, the collecterz.com software is quite a bargain for the book collector. I can't count the number of times I have duplicated the purchase of a book because I couldn't remember what I had at home. I would definitely recommend the additional purchase of a hand held scanner. With this software you can opt to enter the ISBN codes manually or scan the codes. Obviously it is much faster to be able to scan the codes into the computer. Collecterz.com is a great program for homeschool families. You can organize curriculum products as well as your personal library. For more information on collecterz.com go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783319/

*The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated by TOS or Collectorz.com in any way.**

Illuminations by Bright Ideas Press

2010-11-22T19:49:00.000-06:00

Illuminations is the newest product product put out by Bright Ideas Press. Illuminations is a user-friendly downloadable product. It is designed as to be used with Mystery of History or All American History. The program is a type-in .pdf which allows for the user to adjust assignments as needed. There are two levels of Illuminations -- Grades 3-8 and High School. Within the levels there are three different years, each year corresponding to a different period of history. Currently, Year 1 (covering Ancient History), Year 2 (covering Early Church and the Middle Ages), and the first semester of Year 3 (covering the Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of the Nations) are available for purchase. The second semester of Year 3 will be available soon. The books necessary for following each plan are available through many bookstores, libraries, and curriculum distributors. The prices vary, but most of the full year programs are in the $240 price range.

I tried both levels of Illuminations with my children. I have to admit, the ability to have my children studying the same topics did simplify my homeschooling. I did have to add in my own math curriculum. I do not own either MOH or All American History; and, because of the design of the program I was able to substitute the world history and geography curriculum that I do have with very little effort. All that was needed was for me to type in the assignments as I changed them. I have been so intrigued by this program that I am seriously considering changing over to it completely with my kids. It really simplifies my lesson planning to have the basic outline already done for me. I also love being able to print out the assignment grids for my high school age children. All in all I think this is a good product. To read more reviews about Illuminations, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783393/http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783393/

**I have not been compensated by TOS or Bright Ideas Press in any way for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

The Write Foundation Writing Curriculum

2010-11-10T21:06:00.000-06:00

As a mom with a very strong English grammar and writing background, I was excited to sample the writing curriculum by The Write Foundation. I have had the opportunity to use all three levels of their curriculum for the past month. My children are reluctant writers, as a general rule; however, they have been inspired to become more fluent writers through the use of this curriculum. My youngest daughter, especially, has discovered a love for writing and has begun writing her own book.
From a teaching standpoint, I wasn't completely sure about the best way to utilize this curriculum in a homeschool setting. The curriculum is designed more for a co-op setting. After some studying and a little tweaking, I adapted the lessons to suit the needs of my children. The lessons were not difficult nor were they time consuming. The lessons were easier to adapt and use as I adjusted to the curriculum. By the time I was working with the third level, the lessons were fairly effortless on my part yet challenging to my children.
The Write Foundation writing curriculum is a result of 8 years of successfully teaching homeschooled students in a one-day-per-week co-op setting. It has been adapted for a homeschool and used by numerous homeschooling parents to give their own children the tools of how to quickly organize and write an essay with excellence. (from http://www.thewritefoundation.org/10_About.html)
The pricing structure for the curriculum ranges from $65-$100, depending on what you order. Each level is a complete curriculum including teacher's materials with lesson plans, student worksheets, and additional c.d. resources. There are three levels to the program.
Suggested Age Levels
Level 1: Sentence to Paragraph Writing Ages 11 – 13
Level 2: Paragraph Writing Ages 12 – 15
Level 3: Essay Writing Ages 14 – 17

Information about pricing for each level can be found at http://www.thewritefoundation.org/24_OrderInfo.html.

I would recommend this program for homeschoolers who are struggling with writing at any level. The basic information is useful for initial writing instruction as well as reinforcement and review. To read other reviews about the products from The Write Foundation, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783366/.
*Disclaimer: I received no compensation from TOS or The Write Foundation in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**

"Accounting for a Non-Accounting Person!"

2010-11-03T13:12:00.000-05:00

I'll have to admit, I am a totally non-accounting person. I don't even like to have to balance a checkbook. The entire concept of debit and credit from an accounting standpoint has never made sense to me. So, I when I received a copy of Professor in a Box: Financial Accounting, I was leery. My oldest daughter is a senior this year, and she needs to take economics next semester. I have enough understanding of some economic theory to teach her, but I really don't have any background in accounting -- so I have felt inadequately prepared for her study of economics. After examining Financial Accounting and trying out some of the lessons, I have changed my thinking completely. Michael Licata has done a tremendous job of presenting a daunting subject in an easy-to-understand format. This is a c.d. driven course. For $99 you receive all student instructional c.d.'s, which include lectures, problems, solutions to the problems, key concepts, and printable slides, and an instructor c.d. containing lesson plans, quizzes, tests, solutions to the quizzes and tests, and the Excel documents needed for all of the lessons. There is no additional textbook required. The course can be studied as either a full college course or an abbreviated high school course. The course includes twenty-eight lessons. Each lesson, including homework, is estimated to take approximately three hours to complete. The lessons are very easy to follow and the c.d. format is extremely user-friendly. The available print options allow you to give your student hard copies of anything they need in hand from the program. This program gives a thorough study of financial accounting and can prepare your child for the CLEP test in Accounting.

About the author:
Michael P. Licata, Ph.D. is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Accountancy in the Villanova School of Business2 at Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Professor Licata has taught the financial accounting course dozens of times in his 24 plus years as a Professor at Villanova University. He has also taught the financial accounting course for 4 years (as a graduate student) at Northeastern University, Texas A & M University, and Harvard University. The past eight years Professor Licata has specialized in teaching 100% distance learning courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Throughout his career students have consistently rated Professor Licata among the best teachers in his department and in his college at Villanova University according to the Course and Teacher Surveys (CATS) at Villanova University.

The courses available through Professor in a Box currently are:
Financial Accounting
Financial Accounting: Study Guide
Principles of Marketing
Entrepreneurship
I noticed on the website that they are currently running an online special. If you purchase Financial Accounting at $99.95, you can pre-order Principles of Marketing for only $89.95.This is a great deal. Most textbooks for accounting or marketing classes cost well over $100.
I am exited to get to use this with my daughter and with my other children when they are old enough. I love the c.d. study. It is so convenient and much less bulky than a traditional textbook. Several of my kids are quite entrepreneurial, so I am really thinking about trying out the marketing and entrepreneurship courses as well. I think this accounting course would even benefit adults, like myself, who are challenged in the area of accounting.
For more information about Financial Accounting, pay a visit to their website at: http://www.professorinabox.com/index.php. To read additional reviews of this product go to:http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783255/.
**Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way by TOS, The Homeschool Crew, or Professor in a Box in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.**

Keeping Our Family Safe

2010-10-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

For the most part, the Internet can be a rewarding place for kids, teens, and adults, but the potential risks to privacy and personal safety are real. While surfing the Web, your children may stumble upon disturbing information or images, or they may innocently accept or share files that could expose your family to identity theft or computer viruses. They may encounter cyberbullies who try to embarrass or intimidate them. Even worse, your children may unknowingly communicate with child predators, who use the Internet to befriend vulnerable children by pretending to be another child or a trustworthy adult and then try to persuade them to meet in person.Being aware of the risks and engaging with your children about safety are the most important things you can do to keep your family safer online.

"PGKey (http://www.pgkey.com/) was created and endorsed by a team that includes Internet security specialists, law enforcement, educators, parenting experts and family psychologists to give you the first complete Internet safety solution. PG Key gives you everything you need to keep your children and teens safe online and be alerted and informed when dangers do come up – all with one simple, plug in device."

PGKey places the control of Internet security in the hands of parents in one easy step. Plug it in and go! Take a look at some of the reasoning behind the development of PGKey:
Strong and effective parenting is the most critical part of any strategy to deal with these challenges. They have designed PG Key to be the all in one technical product for this purpose.
Simply plugging PG Key into a child’s or teen’s computer allows parents to follow the advice so often given by law enforcement and parenting experts: 1) Control when and how long the computer is used, 2) Properly setup your system with filters and web site blocking, 3) Create the “over their shoulder” environment that encourages kids to act the same way “on line” as they do in every other part of their life.
Simply put - PG Key does NOT replace parenting with technology - It ENABLES parenting with technology.

Here are some of the features of PGKey, straight from their website:
Access Control
Control computer use by inserting or unplugging PG Key.
Time Allowance
Decide the amount of time the computer can be used daily.
Content Filtering
Eliminate unwanted results from innocent searches.
Site Blocking
Block sites you decide are inappropriate.
Activity Tracking
Review all activity on the PC with a DVD-like interface.
Activity Notifications
Be informed via text message or e-mail of any flagged activity.
Chat and E-mail Logging
See both sides of chat and e-mail conversations.
Computer Configuration
Properly configure all users of the protected PC.
User Name and Password Logging
Keep track of user names and passwords.
Inappropriate Activity Evidence
Use video recording to show obvious or suspected inappropriate activity.

From my own experience, PGKey is easy to install and use. It is so simple that even a "techno-challenged" person like can understand and use it. We have always followed the policy of keeping computers out in the open, and we have always locked our computers to prevent unauthorized usage, but PGKey adds many more layers to the security when my children are on the Internet. I would highly recommend PGKey for any family desiring the safest possible Internet experience for their children. Just like any computer "gadget," you do need to spend a little time becoming familiar with the features and setting up parameters. The minuscule amount of time spent in learning the system is inconsequential to the amount of peace of mind you have in knowing everything your child does on the protected computer. Our families are definitely worth it!

For other reviews of PGKey see: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783233/

**The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I received no compensation from TOS or PGKey in exchange for this review.**

Let's Take a Trip!

2010-10-08T09:03:00.000-05:00

As a science "nut," I was thrilled to be able to examine Digital Frog International's field trip series DVD. **I have not been compensated in any way by Digital Frog International or TOS. The opinions expressed below are solely mine.**

When I received this DVD, I was unfamiliar with the company itself. From the name listed I assumed the DVD I would be viewing would be a virtual frog dissection. Digital Frog International does have a virtual frog dissection, but they are about much more than this.

What exactly is Digital Frog International?

(from the Digital Frog International website: http://www.digitalfrog.com/products/index.html
We are an innovative, enthusiastic, software company, dedicated to creating high-quality educational, multimedia CD-ROMs with an ecological focus. Our corporate headquarters is a converted barn surrounded by frogs, dogs and bogs in rural Ontario, Canada.

Our focus is on biology and ecology. Our goal is to make a difference to the way people view the natural world. Our computer-based learning tools encourage a lifelong interest in, and respect for, the world around us. We believe that people cannot care about a world they do not understand. To this end, our products present accurate, detailed information in an interesting and engaging way.

I received the Digital Field Trip Series. This DVD series is beautifully mastered and delightfully informative. The DVD contains three virtual field trips. Here is a screen shot of the field trip to "The Rainforest." Notice the vibrant colors. The DVD program is interactive and very user-friendly. How many children and parents can actually visit The Rainforest in person? Very few, I would venture to say. This DVD is as close to the actual visit as you could get. The material would be a fabulous add in to a study of geographic regions or a science study of different ecosystems.
"Experience the tropical rainforest of Belize with 28 virtual reality posts from deep in the forest and even up in the canopy. Other topics covered include rainforest types and mechanisms, an interactive dependency web game and a botany primer."

The Wetlands is another field trip on this DVD. Through this interactive DVD you feel like you are in the field observing an actual wetland. The video is fascinating and the graphics are clear and informative. Children of all ages will enjoy these videos.
"Explore wetland ecology with a virtual field trip to a wetland in southern Ontario. Includes wetland types, bog formation, plus detailed sections on photosynthesis, food chains and webs and nutrient cycles."
Our final destination was the Desert. Again, the video and graphics are absolutely stunning and a wealth of information is presented.
Five deserts of the southwestern U.S.—from the saguaro cacti of the Sonoran to the sand dunes of Death Valley—are brought to life in our biggest field trip ever. Try your hand at building your own desert, learn about landscape formation and in-depth sections on adaptations and homeostasis.

Pricing Information:

Save more than 20% off individual prices .
The Digital Field Trip Series costs only slightly more than two individual field trips. Lab packs and site licenses, as well as both single educational and home versions, are available from prices as low as $99. See our price list for details.

The Digital Field Trip Series, as well as many other products such as the virtual frog dissection, are available from the Digital Frog International website. http://www.digitalfrog.com/products/digital-field-trip-series-dvd.html

At first glance, the entire series does seem a little pricey; however, there would be no way the average family could actually take field trips to discover, explore, and study these three regions for anywhere near the individual license price.

I have enjoyed learning about Digital Frog's virtual field trips and will be incorporating these into our World Geography studies this year.

To read other reviews about Digital Frog go to: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783186/

Enjoy your trip!

Cranberries and Cream Tote is Here!!

2010-10-01T14:32:00.000-05:00

Carry your heart for homeschooling everywhere you go with the FREE TOS Magazine Homeschooling with Heart tote bag.

It's their Cranberries & Cream edition--how cute for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It's yours free with a $19.95 two-year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. The subs in this sale start with the Winter Issue, BUT they are going to give you the Fall Issue free (mailing in October), plus their new E-Book: Cranberry Christmas.

This two-year deal is only good through midnight on Saturday, October 2. Then, the offer goes to a one-year subscription from Sunday through Wednesday.

The sooner you get your free Homeschooling with Heart tote bag, the better!

To purchase your bag, follow this link:
http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=460&products_id=18232