Savoring the Beauty of God’s Creation

Touted as the “Christian National Geographic,” Creation Illustrated is a beautifully written, colorfully illustrated magazine for families.  We received an entire year of magazines (4 magazines total) to read, examine, and enjoy for purposes of review.  Let me just say that these magazines are so beautiful I have them sitting out as my ‘coffee table magazines.’

     Creation Illustrated began in 1993.  It is published quarterly (beginning in Fall 1993) as a private, nonprofit, non-denominationally owned ministry dedicated to the eternal impact of sharing Biblical truth through the blessings of God's creation.

The editors and publishers are a Christian couple, Tom and Jennifer Ish, who homeschooled their daughter, Melissa, and have dedicated their lives to serving God by providing positive choices in reading material for the whole family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see by these beautiful cover photos, the Creation Illustrated magazines are graced with stunning photography.  Children and adults of all ages will enjoy the pictures for years to come.  More important than the pictures, however, is the content of the magazine.  Tom and Jennifer approach their magazine from a Christian standpoint with their entire purpose being to share the wonders of God’s creation.

     Here is a glimpse into some of the content available in the current issue:

Current Issue:
Spring 2012 Vol. 19, No. 1
Features include:

• A Creatures Near and Dear to Us feature on hummingbirds called "Flying Jewels"
• An Outdoor Adventure story on Yellowstone National Park
• A Lens on Creation snapshot of birds on "Bonaventure Island"
• A Creation Day 6, Part 3 story on the Creation of Humans
• Creation Highlights in the news
• A Creation Resource Guide
• A Creation Stewardship page
• My Walk with God story called "Bloom Where You're Planted"
• A Genesis Cuisine recipe section featuring Smoothies for homemakers
• A Wholesome Living Guide
• An encouraging children’s story called "Bunny Surprise"
• A Youth Photo Contest
• An Instructional Guide to help homeschoolers and teachers glean key spiritual and character-building lessons from each article
• An Educational Resource Guide
• Uplifting poetry
• And more!

We have enjoyed reading the articles and looking at the superb illustrations. I will be coordinating some of the articles with our science curriculum in the Fall, too.  Creation Illustrated is a great resource.  The Ish’s are so confident folks will love their magazine, that they offer a free copy of one of their magazines at this link on their website.

If you are ready to subscribe to Creation Illustrated, you may subscribe here at the following rates:

1 year (4 issues) - $19.95

2 years (8 issues) - $37.95

3 years (12 issues) - $53.95

Add $5.00/year for Canadian postage
Add $10.00/year for Foreign postage

Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have also been enjoying and reviewing Creation Illustrated.  To read their reviews, visit the main crew blog page here, or click on the banner below.

**Disclaimer:  I received 4 complementary issues of Creation Illustrated for purposes of review.  I have not been compensated by TOS or Creation Illustrated in any way in exchange for this honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own.**

Brushing up on Math Skills

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I found out we were going to receive a six month subscription to IXL, for purposes of review.  I had perused the IXL website a bit; but, I had not really taken a lot of time to explore everything available.  Well, after many weeks, I can say that I feel like we have barely scratched the surface of this amazing resource.  Math skills tend to wane over the summer months if not practiced regularly.  IXL is providing my kids a fun way to practice their skills, and learn some new skills.
     My son, who has just completed 9th grade, is using IXL to review his Algebra 1 skills.  He will be taking Algebra 2 in the Fall so this is a great review for him.  He has run into many topics that he had difficulty with in Algebra 1 and now, thanks to IXL, he understands.  My daughter, who just completed 6th grade, is using IXL to catch up in math so she is able to start Pre-Algebra in the Fall.  Thanks to the ability to choose whatever level and / or topic she needs to work on, she is able to practice on fractions, decimals, percents, multiplication, division, and other basic skills.  They are both enjoying the program, even though they are not enjoying the idea of practicing math in the Summer.  So, how does it work?
     IXL is a comprehensive and focused math review program.  Once a student is set up, parents and students can choose skills that are sorted according to grade level, from Pre-K all the way through Algebra.  Students can start practicing right away, and it is hard to get them off of the computer once they start!  As a student progresses, he/she gets immediate feedback as right or wrong answers are confirmed.  If an answer is incorrect, an explanation, along with the correct answer, is given.  Students complete skills and receive awards – in the form of virtual game pieces – which they place into a virtual game board to reveal prizes.  The virtual game boards are specific to each grade level. Students can collect ribbons and medals and other cool virtual prizes as they progress. 
     What about parents? IXL assesses your students' understanding as they practice, and generates detailed performance reports to give you valuable insight about your students' abilities. With a single click of your mouse, you can view any of IXL's 37 reports, which include data on grade-level proficiency, trouble spots, and even progress toward meeting state standards. There is a wealth of information available for parents and teachers to use to evaluate student progress.  It is almost as difficult for me to get off of the program as it is for the kids!
     What didn’t work for us? Nothing, really.  I did place my daughter in a lower level to brush up on her multiplication at first, and she thought the level was a little ‘babyish.’ Once I placed her up in her own level she didn’t have that complaint.  This is a quality supplemental program which would work beautifully with any math curriculum.  I recommend it for any family with children who need extra practice on math skills. It would be effective both in a homeschool setting and in a public or private school setting. 
    Is it expensive? Membership options are available here.  There is a monthly option – $9.95 / month, as well as a yearly option for $79. This rate is for one child.  Additional children can be added to the subscription for $2 / month or $20 / year.  Parents are allowed to go to the IXL website and allow their kids to complete up to 20 questions per day for free, so there is a bit of a ‘try before you buy’ policy.  There is not a trial membership since parents can opt for the month to month subscription instead of the yearly subscription. There are also classroom licenses available for classroom teachers.
   I have a lot of Schoolhouse Review Crew friends who have been using IXL and writing reviews about the program.  If you would like to read their reviews, just click here or on the logo below.

**I received the subscription for IXL for free for purposes of review.  I have not been compensated by TOS or IXL in any way.  The opinions expressed are my own.**

Digital Classes for a Digital Generation

We have had a good deal of experience with online classes over the past several years.  With three of our six children already out of high school, we have learned how to navigate online courses, but not always with ease.  In our experience, the online classes my kids have done using Pearson curriculum have been the simplest to set up and use.  Up until a couple of months ago, I was totally unaware that Pearson had branched into all levels of curriculum products.
     We received a copy of Pearson’s My Math Lab, Algebra 2, along with the Parent Access Kit, for purposes of review. Algebra 2 is typically taken in the tenth or eleventh grade; but, individual students and school requirements vary.  This is geared toward high schoolers, definitely. I have been so impressed with this curriculum!  Before this, my only experience had been from the standpoint of the student.  That alone has been impressive.  The student materials are thorough, easy to follow, and are mastery based.  By receiving the Parent Access Kit, I have been able to see what has been going on ‘behind the scenes’ for the online classes my kids have taken.  It was a little bit of a challenge to learn the ins and outs of the teacher resources and set up the class initially; however, after some time on the computer just plugging away and learning, the class was set up to my custom standards and was ready to go.  Honestly, once the class is set up, it is extremely low maintenance from a teacher standpoint. I love that!  I am able to set up due dates, percentage grade required for mastery, a schedule, and password protect quizzes and tests, among a myriad of other settings that are customizable.  From the standpoint of a teacher and a homeschooling mom of high schoolers, this is a dream program.
     What exactly is included in this program? 
Key features and benefits:

• Ready to use out-of-the-box or choose to create your own lessons and assignments
• Fully interactive eText
• Robust multimedia library with videos and animations to improve understanding
• Personalized learning based on quiz and test results
• Easy-to-create online homework, quizzes, and tests that are automatically-graded
• Immediate feedback for all your child’s work

     For the student, my eleventh grader is one of those students who HATES to write out math assignments.  He did have to take a little time to learn how to negotiate the class and how to type in answers, but it didn’t take long at all.  He is not terribly fond of the teaching videos that are available, but, he is a boy and thinks they are ‘boring’ and a waste of time.  He just likes to get in and get his work done and get out. So, I customized the course so that the teaching videos are available to him, but not required. Every child is different, aren’t they?  That’s the beauty of being able to customize the course!  I, frankly, love the videos.  I think they are extremely helpful because they give step-by-step instruction for the concepts being studied. He, along with my other kids who have used Pearson curriculum, loves the help feature.  When he comes to a problem that he doesn’t understand, the help feature takes him through a similar problem, very systematically, so he can work the homework problem alongside it.  It is like having a teacher beside him while he is doing his math.  He is also able to access the completely interactive eText whenever he feels he needs a little extra help.  Another plus is the fact that homework, quizzes, and tests are graded immediately so he can see how he did. (That’s a plus for the teacher / mom, too.  No grading papers!!!)
     We are using the My Math Lab Algebra 2 to complete his Algebra 2 requirement for high school.  We are also going to be using it for our younger son this coming school year.  I am so excited about it that we are going to actually purchase and use the Algebra 1 program with our daughter next year.  This is one of the biggest bargains I have ever come across for such an innovative and thorough program.  The course is available through Pearson’s website for $49.97, and the Parent Access Kit is available for an additional $30.  There are many, many more courses available for all grades, pre-K through 12.  My fellow Schoolhouse Review Crewmates have been using and reviewing several of these.  You can read their reviews by clicking on the Schoolhouse Review Crew banner below, or by clicking here.
**I have received no compensation from Pearson or TOS in exchange for this honest review.  I received the product for free for purposes of review. The opinions expressed are my own, and my children’s.**

Our Summer Reading Challenge

Motivating kids to read becomes more difficult as they get older and busier.  Reading, however, is crucial to vocabulary expansion and critical thinking skills.  We don’t do much in the way of formal school activities over the summer months; but, this summer I am giving our kids who are still school age a reading challenge. Our school age kids will be in 12th grade, 10th grade, and 7th grade. When they were younger we participated in our local library’s summer reading program.  It was based on number of books read.  Our challenge is based on number of hours read because the kids are so varied in age.  The time challenge is more fair. I really think this will encourage reading and even some healthy competition between the kids.  This is going to be their educational goal for the summer.  Along with this goal, they will each be setting a spiritual goal and a physical goal.
Here is the reading challenge:
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to read for a minimum of 20 hours between June 15 and August 15.  For every 10 hours completed, you will earn a surprise gift card.  You may read for more than 20 hours.  Your reading time must be documented and/or verified by an adult.  Mom and Dad reserve the right to discuss your reading with you to see if you are actually reading.  You may choose to read books, magazines, the newspaper, the Bible, and other printed material.  E-books are acceptable with permission, but other assorted internet reading does not count toward your time.Good luck and happy reading!!
This is going to be printed and presented to the kids along with a reading log.  I know how competitive my kids are; and, I know how much they love to get gift cards for ITunes, restaurants, the movies, etc… I am praying this will motivate them to read and hopefully will instill a love for reading for fun.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  If you would like a copy of the reading challenge and reading log, please e-mail me at sbdugger@aol.com, with ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ in the subject line.  I look forward to hearing from you!
         My friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been coming up with other fun ideas for summer reading. If you would like to read some of their great blog posts, visit the Blog Cruise page, here, or click on the picture below.

So excited!!!!!

I wanted to take just a minute and say how excited I am about the fabulous homeschool products I am using with my family currently.  I will be reviewing them over the summer.  Our newest is the Map Trek 6 book e-book set.  It looks amazing!  We are also having our first online Spanish lesson today.  Sounds exciting! Be watching for a lot of new reviews in the coming weeks.

Rainbow Sentences

We love games of any kind at our house.  When education comes in the form of a fun activity or game, that makes the activity even better.  Rainbow Sentences, by the Mobile Education Store, is a game / activity app that is designed to give kids practice in forming grammatically correct sentences while they are having fun. 
     Rainbow Sentences is designed for children ages 3-10.  We are using the IPad app version.  We have mainly used Level 3, although we have explored all of the levels.  Level 3 is more complex and is intended to be used by the older age students.  This app is very easy to use, there really isn’t a learning curve at all with it.  Multiple children can use the app just by selecting which child wants to play.  The app opens straight to the settings screen.  Parents or students can adjust many settings such as whether or not audio instructions play, the option for students to read and record correct sentences, color coding, and play level.  It is a truly customizable app. Once a student is set up and ready to play, the student taps play and the first sentence appears.  The sentence is scrambled.  There is a picture depicted by the sentence displayed also.  Depending on the settings, there may be color coded lines to drag the color coded words to in order to put the sentence into the correct order.  Once all the words are in place, students tap “I’m done!” and the sentence is checked for correctness.  If it is correct, students are given the option to record the sentence in their own words.  If it is not correct, the incorrect words return to the starting position and students can try again.  When students solve a certain number of sentences (this changes as they progress), students earn a puzzle piece.  When all of the puzzle pieces are earned, the level is complete and a new picture is revealed. 
     At first, when we were trying out the lower levels, my daughter thought the app was boring.  When we tweaked the settings and moved up to the higher level, the app became challenging to her and she has had a lot of fun with it.  She is learning how to place prepositional phrases correctly as well as placing subjects and verbs correctly.  I can tell a definite improvement in her remembering to capitalize the first word in a sentence and punctuate a sentence correctly.The ability to read and record sentences in her own words is great and has improved her reading skills.
     For parents, there is a section for stats so you can keep track of how your child is doing.  There is even an option to e-mail stats to a parent or teacher. 
    I think the most enjoyable part about Rainbow Sentences is that it is portable.  We have used it in the car as well as in the orthodontist office as well as in the house.  It is really convenient to not have to have a grammar workbook or textbook in hand to get some sentence structure practice. 
     Rainbow Sentences is available through the ITunes app store for $7.99.  It is quite a bargain since it can be used with multiple children. 
    My Schoolhouse Review Crewmates have been using and reviewing Rainbow Sentences as well as other fun apps from Mobile Education Store.  To check out their reviews, click on the picture below.



**Disclaimer:  I have not received any compensation from TOS or Mobile Education Store in exchange for this honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own.**

Dark Chocolate Pie

I am a certified chocoholic.  And this pie satisfies my greatest chocolate needs.  It is simple to make, rich, and just plain good.  If you are not a fan of dark chocolate, you can substitute milk chocolate. 

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
8 oz. chopped dark chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 frozen or refrigerated pie crust (bake according to package directions)

For Topping:

Stabilized whipped cream (see recipe below)

1 Dark Chocolate Bar, refrigerated then grated; or chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk milk and egg yolks until combined. Pour milk mixture into pan while whisking. Whisk until smooth.
Place pan on burner set to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly (yes, constantly), making sure to scrape bottom and edges of the pan, until mixture starts to thicken, about 7-9 minutes.
Remove from heat and immediately whisk in chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Transfer hot filling to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that the wrap rests in contact with the filling so a skin does not form. Refrigerate filling until cool, 1-2 hours.

Once filling and crusts are cool, spoon filling into pie crust.  Spread or pipe stabilized whipped cream on top, decorate with shaved chocolate or sprinkles.Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

**I usually double the filling and the whipped cream because I like a really full pie and a lot of whipped cream.  There will be a little leftover, but it makes for some great snacking!