Family Check-up Time!

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

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

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

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.**

Fortunately for You Books

Wisdome from the Wardrobe, by Fortunately for You Books

 

Wow! Fortunately For You Books has published Wisdom from the Wardrobe, a unit study based on C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is an amazing compilation of material. Over 300 pages of cross-curricular unit study material are provided. Virtually every subject a student needs to study is addressed in this unit study – vocabulary, reading, life skills, science, history, and more! Math would need to be supplemented separately. Grammar is not addressed specifically; however, students have plenty of writing assignments through which grammar skills can be reinforced. As with most unit studies, Wisdom from the Wardrobe is appropriate for children of many ages. Activities can be selected and adapted according to the age and ability of each child. There are tons of worksheets, handouts, and other templates included to use with various activities. The activities are broken down by chapter and the instructions are very easy to follow. I think this would be an awesome companion resource for both homeschoolers and classroom use. I give it a five-star rating. Wisdom from the Wardrobe is available from the Fortunately For You website and is available on CurrClick. It is a must have for any family reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

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

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

 

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.**