Vocab Videos

ACUITY, ASTUTE, DISCERN, INCISIVE, KEEN, PERSPICACITY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Week in History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Math Made Easy–Multiplication

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

King Alfred’s English

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

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

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

      Here are just a few snippets you will explore:

Did you know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Create Better Writers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Planning, Planning, Planning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zane Education

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

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

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

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

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

Level 1:  Basic, Free Membership (FREE)

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

A Basic Membership provides:

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

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

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

A Gold Membership provides:

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

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

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

A Silver Membership provides:

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

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

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

A Bronze Membership provides:

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

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

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

A Topic Taster Membership provides:

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

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

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

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