Math is Essential, So Check Out Math Essentials!

Created by a math instructor, Math Essentials is a program designed to get students ready for algebra.  It is an easy to follow program that requires only 20 minutes per day.

My son who is entering seventh grade had the opportunity to use the No-Nonsense Algebra book.  Last year, as the algebra I was teaching him through another program got more difficult, he struggled with the concepts.

Since we have been using this book, as seen below, he has not complained at all.  The course work each day often takes less than 20 minutes, so he is willing, by his choice, to do more than one lesson in a day.  Imagine how elated I am to see him working through a program he enjoys!!

Check out the program highlights page to find out more about the Math Essentials program for 4th/5th grade and middle/high school.

No-Nonsense Algebra covers topics such as solving equations, solving and graphing inequalities, polynomials, radical expressions and geometry, algebra word problems, and more, in 92 lessons and chapter reviews.  Obviously, in just a few short weeks, we were not able to get all the way through the book, but each lesson is short and to the point.  There is an introduction to each new topic, helpful hints provided, examples worked, and then exercises available to the student.  There are also a few review questions at the bottom of each lesson (except the first where there is nothing to review).  There is a final exam in the book, and the answers to all of the problems are provided in the back of the book as well.

The book is only $27.95 and includes free on-line video lessons.  Nate was working well through the book and didn't need the video lessons yet, but I watched a few of them so that I'd be able to comment on them here.  They are done very well.  The speaker is clear and makes hard-to-grasp concepts easy to understand.  Some of the videos are lengthy, but that is because he makes sure that enough examples are worked through so that the student is sure to understand.  He also encourages the student to work along with him so he/she gets the practice of working out the problem.

I intend to use this program in its entirety with Nate.  The necessary information to learn is included in the book and through the on-line videos, and there aren't more problems to do per lesson than Nate can focus on at any one time.

I encourage you to check out the sample pages for each book so you can get an idea of what they look like inside.

Math Essentials is offering the following promotion to any order through their website:

Any order that includes Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 1, OR, Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2, OR, No-Nonsense Algebra, will include a free copy of Geometry (A $14.95 value) plus a free Homework Kit (A $4.99 value).

If you would like more information, you can contact Math Essentials at

PO Box 1723

Los Gatos, CA  95031

or by phone at 1-866-MATH (6284)

or by email at math.essentials@verizon.net.

If you'd like to read what others are saying about Math Essentials, check out http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/786006/.

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge so that I might provide an honest review of it.

So Many Maps, So Little Time!!

I love maps!  I think my kids cringe when I pull maps out.  "Oh, no!  Here comes another map," they say.  I think they are wonderful because one can have a reference for where events take place.  Things you read make more sense if you can picture the places where those things happen.  It doesn't hurt for geography quizzes either.  ;-)

I received the MapTrek by Terri Johnson series of maps  from Knowledge Quest.  Knowledge Quest is a company started by the Johnsons, a homeschooling family, in 2001.  We will be using the maps they've created for years to come.  There is just so much to do.  Each set comes with a lesson plan, so as they are learning about different topics in history there will most likely be a map to go along with it.  Four of the MapTrek versions are Ancient World, Medieval World, New World, and Modern World.  You can download them or have a CD sent to you for $14.95 (S&H applies for CD).  These four books can also be purchased as a package on CD-ROM for only $39.95.

There is also a MapTrek U.S. Edition for $19.95 available (CD or ebook).  The U.S. Edition and the four-book series above can be purchased as an entire ebook set for $47.99.  They also have an actual book and CD of all 5 sets (Ancient, Medieval, New, Modern, and U.S.) for $55.00.  There are so many options.

The lesson plans are broken down into small and realistic sections.  Each section is one map.  Each section is broken down into 2 or 3 more sections based on age of the student.  A child in grades 1-4 will do less than a  child in 5th-12th grades.  Sometimes the maps are divided for grades 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12.

I love the idea of making my kids look for things and figuring out where places go on the map, but I do have to say that they were not able to do a lot of it by themselves.  There were sections of the Ancient World lesson plan that told them to find all the cities marked on the map.  The dots were very close together, and the ancient maps I found online were confusing.  It didn't seem that there was one particular place to go for the answers, although all of the answers are provided with your purchase.  Sometimes we just had to go to the answers because I couldn't find the right map online.  It would have been helpful if they always listed what cities they had marked on the map and told the student to figure out which dot represented which city.  Bodies of water are fairly easy.

I did notice that there was repetition involved.  My kids had to label bodies of water in the beginning of the Ancient World maps.  I believe the next 5 or 6 lessons after that had them label them as well.  With that much repetition, my kids were learning their bodies of water.

Knowledge Quest also provides curriculum integration guides so if you are using curricula such as Story of the World, Streams of Civilization, TruthQuest History, My Father's World, etc., you will know how to integrate the MapTrek series into your current studies.

I appreciate this program because I want my kids to be geographically knowledgeable.  I want them to know where things are when people mention them or they hear about something going on in a far away country.  This program will take more of an active role from me than I thought it would, but I do not mind.  I do get frustrated when I can't find the right maps, however.

Knowledge Quest has a great deal more to offer than just maps.  They have a wide variety of geography resources.  Click the products tab or just hover over it, and you will see all of the products.

Check out the items listed under "Classes" and "Apps" (for your iPad or iPhone).  Very cool!

Knowledge Quest can be reached at

PO Box 789

Boring, OR  97009

1-877-697-8611

helpdesk@knowledgequestmaps.com

If you are interested in reading what others have to say about Knowledge Quest Maps, please go to:

http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785898/

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge so that I may provide an honest review of it.

Who Is My Neighbor?

Do you ever wonder who your neighbor is?  Who is the person we are supposed to show mercy and love to in our lives?  In Luke 10, we read the story of the good Samaritan.  While geographically he wasn't a neighbor and culturally he wasn't a neighbor of the man who had been robbed and beaten, he had mercy on the man.  In essence, all people are our neighbors.  We are to have mercy on all mankind, as Jesus would.  The product I was able to review with my kids is called 

This is the third book in the "What We Believe" series provided by Apologia Educational Ministries.  It is intended to help children understand what it means to be salt and light and will encourage kids to develop a Christlike servant attitude.  In this way, they will begin to see that all people are their neighbors.

Along with the textbook, I received the notebooking journal and the coloring book.  This book is intended for children ages 6-14.  The textbook is $39.00.  The journal is $24.00, and the coloring book is only $8.00.  

I feel I am slightly biased because everything I have ever used from Apologia for my homeschooling has been of the highest quality.  I have never come across a product from Apologia that I haven't liked.  This is just another one I thoroughly enjoyed.  There is so much contained in one book that it makes teaching so simple.  There are many different stories and activities included in it that my kids do not get bored with it.

Each lesson is intended to take two weeks, but obviously you will go as slowly or as quickly as your students need.  There are eight lessons on topics such as "Does Anyone Really Need Me?", "How Can I Make a Difference?", "What Can I Do For My Country?", and "Why Can't We All Just Get Along?"

In the front of the book is a sample lesson plan for how you can break up the lessons into 3 weeks/2 days a week.  The front of the notebooking journal has  lesson plans broken up for the entire book and journal so that you know which pages of the journal go with which pages of the textbook.  Each student should have his/her own journal, which I find a drawback.  I myself am sure not to spend $24 for each child to have his/her own, but the journals do have a lot of activities, questions, and lists of movies, books, or songs that can be used to find out more information with activities to go along with those.  They are also beautifully illustrated.  They are meant to be keepsakes, books to track the child's journey.

I enjoy the historical stories and the "Encounters with Jesus" sections the most.  They help to make the lesson more real.  My kids seem to remember stories longer than anything else.

My second favorite part of the book (simply because of who I am) is the recipes scattered throughout the book.  What a fun idea!!!

The pictures in the coloring book have titles related to things read in the textbook.  They are drawn well and allow for a lot of different colors to be used.  Paige has enjoyed using this.  I may have to color a picture myself.

I highly recommend any of the Bible studies by Apologia Educational Ministries.  They are located under the Apologia Press tab.  If you are looking for a way to encourage servanthood in your kids, Who is My Neighbor? is a great choice.  I look forward to working through more of this book with my kids so that they will, hopefully, eventually develop that attitude.

Apologia Educational Ministries can be reached at

1106 Meridian Plaza, Suite 220

Anderson, IN  46016

(888)524-4724

See what other TOS reviewers are saying about this product at:

http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785807/

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge in order to use it and provide an honest review.

A Great Literature Program - Hewitt Homeschooling

Now that I have a child entering high school, I am looking for curricula that will stretch his knowledge.  He has had to read certain books for literature classes that he has had, and he really enjoys adventure books; but he has not had to read too many classics that are of a different genre that what he enjoys.

Hewitt Homeschooling Resources has provided a number of different products for us reviewers.  The item I requested and received is called, "Lightning Lit & Comp: British Literature: Early-Mid 19th Century."  The selections in this curriculum include poems by William Blake, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelly, to name a few.  Books that are to be read include Pride and Prejudice, Ivanhoe, Frankenstein, and Jane Eyre.  These are definitely classics but not the type of books that Jake enjoys reading.  The whole way through Pride and Prejudice he kept saying, "Every line in this book has something to do with love."  I had to laugh.

This book is set up at the beginning to help the student understand why we should read literature and how to read literature, how to read poetry, and the steps to take to improve their own writing.  The lessons begin with a biography of the author and a background on the selection(s) to be read.  Students are encouraged to pay attention to a few different things while they read the poems/book.  The poems and the essays are included in the curriculum.  The books to be read can be found at your local library, purchased on line and shipped, purchased through Nook or Kindle, or bought as part of the package through Hewitt Homeschooling.

The comprehension questions for each selection are broken up into sections.  There are a lot of questions, especially for the books, so only a few chapters are to be read at a time with maybe 10-15 questions to go with the reading.  After the comprehension questions, there is a literary lesson that explains things such as person, place, characterization, etc.  The final part of each lesson has writing exercises.  In order to get through enough of this product to review, I only had Jake do one of the writing activities for each unit.  I let him choose.  He enjoyed the writing assignments more than the reading assignments.  I feel that the exercises are appropriate for high school students.  They cause the student to think and really stretch in their comprehension of things and provide an opportunity to master writing skills.

Hewitt Homeschooling is a very interesting company.  They have a school, curricula for sale, and achievement testing.  They provide basic information about homeschooling and how to get started.  Satisfaction is guaranteed on curricula.  They state you can return any item in new condition within 90 days for a full refund.  They have curricula for arts and music, Bible and character, history and geography, language arts, manipulatives, mathematics, parental resources, science and health, thinking skills, and typing.  There are hundreds of items for sale through Hewitt.

The Lightning Lit & Comp programs are intended for 7th and 8th grade (full-year courses) and high school (half-year courses).  The high-school programs offered are American Lit Early to Mid 19th Century; American Lit Mid to Late 19th Century; British Lit Early to Mid Early to Mid 19th Century; British Mid to Late 19th Century; British Late 19th Century; British Medieval; American Christian; Shakespeare Comedies and Sonnets; Shakespeare Tragedies and Sonnets; World Africa and Asia; and World Latin America, Asia, and Africa. 

You have the option of purchasing the pack for each program.  The Early to Mid 19th Century British package includes the student guide, the teacher guide, and the four books that are to be read.  The total for the package is $48.39.  The student book alone is $29.95, and the teacher edition alone is $2.95 and includes the answers to the comprehension questions.  It also includes a teaching schedule, teaching and grading aids, and a copy of the writing exercises and discussion questions.

I highly recommend Hewitt Homeschooling for your literature curriculum.  Even though Jacob doesn't want to read some of the books or poems included, I know it is helping him with his comprehension of the subject and helping him to understand different literary elements.  I will most likely be purchasing another program within Hewitt for him for the second semester.  As an FYI, some of the books are of public domain and can be downloaded for free through Nook or Kindle.

Hewitt Homeschool can be reached at Hewitt Homeschooling Resources; PO Box 9; Washougal, WA, 98671.  Their phone number is 800-348-1750 or 360-835-8708.  Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8-4 PST.  Their email is sales@hewitthomeschooling.com.

If you are interested in seeing what others have to say about Hewitt, please go to http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785798/.  

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge so that I could use it and provide an honest review.

So Glad God's Got My Back

Well, we moved to Florida three weeks ago.  If you followed our story, you know how everything was orchestrated by God, from the selling of our house to John getting the job at Stein Mart to our being accepted into the co-op down here right before we left.

God's hand in this whole process has been evident to us even after having moved.  While I was back in PA for a week while John worked down here, he had an opportunity to attend our friends' church and go to Bible study with the husband, who is a friend from college.  When John came back to PA for our last week to close on our house and pack up, he said that he hoped Brian's church would work for us because he really enjoyed it.

The week after we officially moved to Florida, we went to church with our friends and found out it was just like the church we left in PA, just much smaller.  It worked for all of us.  We are becoming members tomorrow.  We have joined a small group and have already hung out with them three times.  God has provided a church and an enormous amount of friends right away for the kids and John and me.  I'm especially thankful that John has a large group of guys that he can be accountable to and have fun with.

Our co-op has a forum on their website.  I was able to get on and ask for recommendations for a Christian dance school.  I received a reply right away and was able to sign Paige up for dance classes that started last Thursday.  She is taking tap and ballet technique.  The teacher was so impressed by her natural talent and the instruction she has already received (from Bethany Pellow) that she is considering allowing her to be a part of the dance company which tours as a group to malls, nursing homes, etc.  I'm not sure where all they go, but this special group that is separate from the regular classes does more than just a recital at the end of the year.  Paige loves her dance instructors, although she says nobody can beat how sweet and nice Miss Bethany is.  :-)

I also asked on the forum if anybody knew of any activities for a boy like Nate.  He doesn't like sports at all, but he loves Legos (as most of you know) and making movies.  One of the recommendations was for a place called Bricks4Kidz.  They have day camps all summer long, and I was able to find an advanced movie making class using Legos.  There has never been a more perfect class for him.  He was also able to participate in a summer activity with a group of co-op kids where they learned about the science of building, and they made straw towers and pasta bridges.  He even won a few of the competitions because of his design.

John, Jacob, Paige, and I are all taking Tae Kwon Do.  I have decided to try new things and get over the uncomfortableness I feel when I look like I don't know what I'm doing.  I am learning that I will never know about certain things if I don't just try them out.  It's been a great feeling!

I even found out today about a First Lego League that the boys can participate in.  I signed them up, but I don't know yet if there is room for them.

It has been truly amazing to watch God work through everything.  Now that we're here, he continues to provide the things we need.  I am so thankful that God has my back.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  He knows the plans he has for us, and it is fun to see them unfold.

Take a Look at IXL Math

Chances are, if you're a homeschooler, you've seen advertisements for IXL Math.  Have you thought about buying it but weren't sure what it was like?  I know I have.  Now that I've had a chance to use it for a little while, I will share with you my thoughts and what it is like.  It may work for your family; it may not.  At least you'll have a better idea what you'll get if you purchase it.

The IXL website says it is "A Better Way to Learn Math."  It also says, "From the vibrant images that permeate IXL's skills, to the enticing awards and certificates that are hidden throughout the site, students cannot wait to hop on IXL..."  It is a very colorful website, and it is full of different topics based on your child's grade.  IXL Math covers PreK through Algebra.

I created an account as the parent under which I placed all three of my kids with their own secret word to sign in so they could work under their own profile.  They were able to choose a picture from a small collection to decorate their profile.  My daughter chose a horse since she loves horses.  The boys didn't have a choice they liked, so they chose a face.

As my kids worked through problems in their respective grades, they were asked to answer multiple choice questions.  I didn't notice any progression in the difficulty of the problems.  When my daughter worked through place value in fifth grade, it seemed to jump between easy and difficult problems.  When Jacob worked through identifying linear functions in algebra, all of the problems were roughly of the same type.  The thing I disliked most about this program is that no instruction is given.  It seems like it would be better for  a supplementary program after the topics are taught using a separate curriculum.  In my opinion, for homeschooling, this would not be a curriculum of choice.  I would not recommend any homeschooling family to use this as their sole curriculum for math.  If your child needs extra help, this would probably be the way to go.  The only instruction comes from getting a wrong answer.  The correct answer is given, and you can choose to have it explained.  The explanations are good and help in future problems of the same kind, but a child who encounters a problem that they are unfamiliar with can feel overwhelmed.  Even as I worked through some problems in algebra, I was unsure of the answers (because it has been quite a while since I have done algebra).  There also is a lot of computation that goes into some of the problems that could be made a lot simpler and still teach the concept.

Some screen shots of problems

As students answer questions, there is a bar on the right that keeps track of what they are answering and gives them a score out of 100.  The questions keep appearing until they reach 100.  If they incorrectly answer a question, they lose some points.  Depending on your child's understanding of the math concept, it could take a while to reach 100.  My 7th grader got frustrated with this.  He had difficulty with a topic and had done a lot of problems and was only at 60.  He just quit doing math that day.  When they hit 100, they receive awards.  These awards are virtual items they can uncover once they reach 100 points.  They are things like dinosaurs and evolutionary stages.  My son who was doing algebra uncovered the Cambrian Period.  This would not sit well with most homeschoolers.  My daughter uncovered a skyscraper, a scooter, and a bike.  I personally don't see any use for these types of virtual awards, although I am sure there are children who would get a kick out of seeing what they can earn.

Parents are able to receive, through email, feedback on their child's progress in the program.  That way, they don't need to sit with them the whole time they are working, and they know where they will need to give them extra attention.

IXL is $9.95 a month or $79 a year.  If you'd like to read what others on the Homeschool Crew have said about IXL Math, go here http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785456/.  If you'd like to contact IXL, you can reach them at 855-255-8800.  Their company headquarters is at IXL Learning, 777 Mariners Island Boulevard, Suite 600, San Mateo, CA, 94404.  You can also email them at info@ixl.com.

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge in order to use it and provide an honest review of it.

A Nature Magazine for Christians

I had the privilege of reviewing a year's worth of issues of 

I have seen this magazine advertised in various Christian publications and online but never subscribed to it because I didn't want to spend the money when I didn't know if I'd like it or not.  Now that I've seen it, I can tell you that it is truly a beautiful magazine with many different types of articles.  It works very well with homeschooling because the articles are not just about nature, but they include science facts about animals and habitats.  They include history as well.  There is a great deal of learning included in this magazine, most importantly, biblical learning.  The back of the magazine says, "Dedicated to sharing the wonders of God's creation in nature, in Scripture, and in Living."

The magazine is, hence, broken up into three sections: In Nature, In Scripture, and In Living.  The "In Nature" section has articles about different things in nature: animals, trees, places to visit, etc.  Again, the photos are stunningly beautiful.  The articles are interwoven with Scripture in very descriptive and easy to follow and understand ways.  I am an aspiring writer and hope to some day be able to write as vividly as the writers who are in this magazine.  "In Scripture" looks at Scripture first and then applies various aspects of creation to the topic.  The series in these four issues I received was on Creation Week.  Aftre the main article in this section, there is a page that talks about creation highlights.  There are a few very short articles, just a few paragraphs, which provide "capsules on Creation to encourage the pursuit of Bible-based convictions."  One story debunked the myth that the missing day of Joshua 10 had been found.  The other page in this section is about creation stewardship.  It provides tips for living in a way that we are being good stewards of creation.  I really enjoyed the Highlights page and the Stewardship page.  Finally, the section entitled "In Living" contains articles called, "My Walk with God," where the writer shares an understanding of life they have experienced while in communion with God; it almost reads like a sermon illustration.  This section also has 3 recipes.  I haven't tried any of them yet, but they look absolutely delicious.  They are printed in the magazine in such a way that they can be cut out and used as recipe cards.  My only complaint about the magazine is that they should have more recipes.  ;-)  The is a children's story towards the back of the magazine.  The font size on the children's story is bigger, so it is easier for them to read it.  The youth have a photo contest in each magazine that gives away monetary prizes.  Even photos that don't win get a consolation prize.

One of the things that I love most about this magazine is the instructional guide at the end.  It lists the articles in the magazine that can be used as devotional readings and then has questions for each article so that any reader, especially a homeschool student, can dig deeper and get more from what they read than just time spent reading.  There are some activities also that are purely for fun.

This magazine is priced at $19.95 for one year (four issues), which in my opinion is completely worth it.  The quality of the writing and the pictures, the quality with which this magazine is put together, and the attention to Scripture and teaching that Scripture to the rest of us is God-glorifying.

There is a discount when more than one year is purchased at a time.  A 2-year subscription is $37.95, and a 3-year subscription is $53.95.

There are a few advertisements in the magazine, but they are for creation products, homeschool products, and products for wholesome living.  The magazine is predictable in the sense that everything is laid out in the same way in each issue, virtually on the same page in each issue.  This makes it nice because once you've been through 2 or 3 issues, you can find what you're looking for very easily.

Creation Illustrated offers a free issue to help you decide if you want to subscribe.  Through this blog, you can click www.CreationIllustrated.com/TOS to receive your free copy or you can simply go to the Creation Illustrated website and request it.  I'm certain you will be amazed as much as I was.  Not only is it beautiful to look through, but it teaches so many things.  It is an invaluable resource, especially with children.  It easily captivates their attention.  I had my children read it themselves, but I think even more could be gained from using the whole thing as a devotional or teaching tool and reading everything together.

If you have further questions, you can contact Creation Illustrated at 530-269-1424 Monday through Friday from 9-5 Pacific Time or at their address which is

Creation Illustrated

PO Box 7955

Auburn, CA  95604-7955

You can also email them at ci@CreationIllustrated.com.

See what others are saying about Creation Illustrated at http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785451/.

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge in order to use it and provide an honest review.

Pearson Homeschooling - Reading Street

Are you looking for a reading curriculum for your children for next year?  I will be reviewing Reading Street, which I received to use with Paige (5th grade).  I will try to provide as much information as possible so you can make a decision as to whether this product will work with your child(ren).

Pearson Homeschool is a branch of Pearson School PreK-12 Education.  The homeschool branch of this company has given a great deal of thought to how their products will work in the realm of homeschooling.  They provide reading programs, math programs, science, and social studies.  They also try to make their products affordable, understanding that the typical homeschooling family does not have a lot of money to spend on curriculum.  I will speak to the Reading Street curriculum which I used and leave the other products to you to view on their site.

The grade 5 Scott Foresman Reading Street bundle includes a student edition package (2 volumes), a teacher resource DVD, "Guide on the Side" instruction book, an ExamView CD for creating tests, and a parent guide.  All of these items are included in the bundle when purchasing from Pearson Homeschool.  The price is $124.99.  There are quite a few items that could be used in conjunction with this reading program that can be found at the Pearson School Reading Street Common Core page, but they are not necessary.

The Scott Foresman Reading Street curriculum is used from 1st grade through 6th grade, each year being slightly different based on the needs of the students in those grades.  After 6th grade, curriculum from Prentice Hall is used.  There is also Reading Street that teaches grammar and spelling.

Paige is probably my most difficult child to teach.  She has her own idea of what she likes and does not like to do when it comes to school.  If she does not like something, she fights me tooth and nail to do even a little bit.  This curriculum was no different.  It did not work for us, although part of the reason could be that it is summer and we are not doing a full course of school right now.  There are, however, a lot of things I do like about it.  Chances are it would work for you much better if you have a child who is a little less head strong.  <sigh>

The parent guide explains the purpose of each component.  It talks about creating lesson plans.  While lesson plans aren't provided, the table of contents provides a breakdown of what is taught for each unit during each week of the unit.  You can use these as a basis for creating your lesson plans.  There is a chart in the "Guide on the Side" that gives you a "pacing schedule."  Of course, as a homeschooler, you know that you adapt to the needs of your child and may not find this pacing schedule useful, but it is there if you would rather have everything planned out for you.  I had a hard time understanding the "Guide on the Side."  It is really geared towards a classroom setting.  The whole Reading Street curriculum is for sale on the Pearson PreK-12 education site.  Pearson Homeschool seems to have just taken this curriculum from the PreK-12 education site.  While the price is significantly reduced from the education page, it doesn't seem to be geared specifically towards homeschoolers.  For me, it is too much like the type of curriculum a public school teacher would use.  There are a lot of activities for 2 or more students or an entire group.  The "Guide on the Side" provides support for grouping and managing small groups, research-based routines, embedded professional development, and so on.

As a homeschool teacher, I am not looking for anything to complicate my teaching.  I have become pretty adept at adapting a bare-bones curriculum to my children's needs or developing my own curriculum.  There are homeschoolers who would rather have the year mapped out.  This curriculum might be a great one for those of you in this group.  I really am not sure the "Guide on the Side" is needed.  Perhaps something else could be written that would be more appropriate for homeschoolers.

The teacher resource DVD has a lot of things on it that are for a group of students, but it also has practice books for each unit.  I do like these.  They are simply worksheets that teach more concepts about grammar and writing and are usually based on the main story in the unit.  There are worksheets located under the Digital Whiteboard Transparencies section of this DVD.  There are student and teacher sheets.  I would print out the student ones.  The teaching methods and stories are current.  There is a story about Bethany Hamilton, the surfer.  There are activities that require looking up web sites.  Of course parental supervision would be necessary in this case.  In the text, there are a lot of activities for reading and giving directions.  One is about folding the flag.  Who ever learns that anymore?  I love that that is included in this book.

This curriculum includes spelling, grammar, writing, reading, comprehension, etc., and includes a lot of activities, especially with the teacher resource DVD.  I would recommend the parent read the stories first that are included in the book and be ready to either skip them or discuss them with your child(ren).  One story talks about a Chinese tale of the origin of the earth.  There are a lot of stories, however, that teach concepts that work very well if teaching from a Christian perspective, things that all people should practice, like gratitude.

I have obviously not been through the entire curriculum with Paige yet, but because of the wealth of information and abundance of learning activities that are included in this curriculum I will continue using it.  Hopefully once we enter into the formal school year with all other subjects being taught she will be more inclined to work through this book.  I will not use the "Guide on the Side."  I find no use in it myself.

I feel like this review will never end.  There are truly many wonderful things about this curriculum even though it isn't geared towards homeschoolers.  It can most definitely be adapted.  There are science topics, historical topics, folktales, beautiful illustrations, life-saving reading like one about survival tips, sports history, cultures around the world, poetry, etc., etc.

With that all being said, I'm not sure I'd spend $124.99 on it.  I don't usually spend that much on any one curriculum.  If you are looking for something, however, that includes all areas of language arts and can be used for other children you may have who are younger, this is definitely something you should look into owning.  The DVDs are invaluable, but, like I said, the "Guide on the Side," for me was pointless.  I just don't spend that much time trying to read something like that.  I like my curriculum to be fairly self-explanatory as to its use.

Read what the rest of the Crew had to say about Pearson Homeschooling at http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785429/

DISCLAIMER:  I receive this product free of charge in order to provide an unbiased review.

Am I Missing Something?

I have wondered lately if a new version of the Driver's Handbook has come out recently and I missed it.  I was still under the impression that a construction zone called for a slower speed limit.  I do my best to follow the speed limit in a construction zone because I don't want to get a double fine.  Everybody else passes me, though.  They even cross the solid white line to get away from me.  Men are working behind the jersey barriers.  Does this give us the right to speed through the zone?  Am I the only one who didn't read the revised version of the rules of the road?

I also missed the parking rules when related to purchasing movies from Redbox locations.  Was it in the fine print when I signed up for Redbox.  "If you are purchasing from a Redbox, you are given permission to park catawampus in a parking lot and ignore the painted lines designating actual parking spaces.  Those spaces are for the consumers of the store where the Redboxes are located, not you the Redbox consumer."  Has anybody else read this?  Am I missing something?

Oh, yeah, then there's the rule that says if your car is shiny and you view it as the vehicle that makes you THE MAN, you can take up two parking spaces.  Seriously, what if everybody did that?  What goes through a person's mind to take up two spaces.  Do they think their car is so much more special than everyone else's or is it a phobia, closecaraphobia?  Am I missing something?

Now, I know when I took my driver's test 25 years ago the rule was that if a sign said, "No Turn on Red," you didn't turn right on red.  Does the rule not apply to people who can't read?  If you can't read, should you be driving?  I am only assuming that is the case for all those people who actually turn right on red when there is a sign.  And what's up with the people who don't turn right on red when you can?  Are they the ones who turn right on red when there is a sign not to?  Do they lack something in reading comprehension?  Have the rules changed in the last 25 years, and they are just that slow to take the signs down?  Am I missing something?

Granted, I am not the perfect driver.  I don't pretend to be, but there are certain things I just won't do.  I believe in using turn signals even when people aren't around to see.  I believe in doing 25 through neighborhoods where the posted speed is 25 mph.  I like to move over a lane, if I can, to let people enter the highway. Just let me know, am I missing something?

;-)

The British Middle Ages

Would you like to study something like the British middle Ages without having to go to the library to search for the books you'll need?  What if all the books you'd need came on one disc?  Well, that's exactly what you get when you purchase curriculum through Heritage History.  For only $24.99 you get a "complete illustrated text of 55 books, over 60 maps, timelines, battle dictionaries, reading recommendations, geography terms, short biographies, historical era summaries, and a ready-to-print study guide."

Heritage History employs the use of "living books" to learn about history.  The idea is that students will learn more through the use of engaging books instead of rote memorization of names and dates.  Besides the British Middle Ages, they also have a CD for young readers which includes books from a broad range of historical periods and is appropriate for elementary students.  There are CD curricula for Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the British Empire as well.  These CDs contain books for all ages, introductory, intermediate, and advanced.  All 5 can be purchased together for $99.99.

Upon placing the CD into your computer, the first-time user of this curriculum is encouraged to read through the Introduction and Getting Started links (located on the left-hand side) in order to understand the purpose and how to use it.  It would seem self-explanatory, but the introduction is quite detailed.  As I read through it, I got excited for all that my children could learn from it.  I am beginning to write my own curriculum/unit studies, and the way they have put this together is the way I would put something together.  It can be a challenging program if one takes full advantage of it.  The student (and parent) is guaranteed to learn quite a bit from this program.

The scheduling of the program is left to the parent/student.  The exact course used is left to the parent/student as they peruse the library and decide the course of learning for the year.  The parent and student are encouraged to spend a few days deciding which books are going to be read; more books can be added as the path of learning is understood.  Each book includes a brief description to help understand what the book is about to make it easier to decide when choosing.  A "Book Selection Register" is included so that the student can keep track of the books that have been read.  The wonderful thing about this curriculum is that the books available on the CD can be printed without having to worry about copyright infringement since the books are public domain, and they can be downloaded onto any e-reader or tablet.

While we have just begun with this program, I am thrilled that I now own it so that we can take our time learning through reading.  Because it includes books appropriate for all levels of students, I can use it with all three of my children this year if I want to, or I can hold onto it and use it with the younger ones later.

While this resource is a little bit difficult to navigate in the beginning due to the all of the instruction that is provided, once the books are chosen and learning begins, it becomes an invaluable resource.  It is worth so much more than $24.99 because of all of the leg work that has been done in finding books and putting them in one location and providing all of the additional study aids.

I wholeheartedly recommend this product!

DISCLAIMER:  I received this product free of charge in order to provide an honest review of it.

Go Science!!!

As science is a favorite subject in our household, we were excited to receive these videos to review.  On the back of The Go Science videos it says they are geared towards children ages 6-14.  Since my children are 10, 12, and 14, these were to work perfectly with my family.  The LES website says the recommended ages are 5-11.  Ben Roy performs experiments on this video about 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd class levers; incline planes; pulleys; trebuchets; singing glasses; singing rods; sounds waves; singing pipes; making a cloud; weather balloons; tornado tubes; and air pressure.  There are a few experiments on this video that are interesting such as singing pipes and air pressure, but the rest of them are ones that have been performed over and over again.  Ben Roy speaks and gestures in such a way that I feel this video would be more appropriately geared towards children 4 through 8 years of age.  He speaks to the children as if they are very young and have a hard time understanding things.  Even so, he mentions terms that an older student should know or be learning about.  He does not explain things very well.  He performs the experiments and throws out harder scientific words, but he does not tell us the science behind the experiments.

Everyone in the video is wearing a yellow “Kid’s Time” t-shirt.  The kids don’t look very comfortable when they are standing up front with him to do an experiment.  He asks questions and feeds the children the answers if they give the wrong one.  The whole video isn’t very polished.  He makes errors as he speaks.  Those mistakes are caught, but he leaves a feeling of confusion.  In some of the later experiments, it seems as if he gave the children the answers ahead of time to the questions he was going to ask.

His whole animation is a bit unnerving.  I had a very hard time watching the entire length of the videos.  Biblical topics are discussed very quickly in some segments and not at all in others.  They are mostly the Bible stories that children hear growing up.

The back of the video says, “Even kids who claim an aversion to science will be engaged by the high-energy science demonstrations of Ben Roy!”  I would have to disagree.  There is nothing about these videos that makes my children want to learn more about science.  It also says, “Ben captivates, motivates, and inspires students to be excited about science, while providing effective instruction based on science phenomena.”  Again, I would have to disagree.  There is no effective instruction.  Nothing is explained well.

Older children and children who are interested in science already would NOT benefit from this product.  There is no challenge in it whatsoever, and it is tough to listen to him make the mistakes as he is speaking, including grammatical errors.

The Go Science videos sell for $8.97 individually and $47.95 for all six including Motion; Simple Machines, Sound, and Weather; Magnetism, Engineering, Electricity, and Design; Chemistry; Air and Flight; Water, Space, and the Solar System through Library and Educational Services.  Even though I wouldn't recommend these particular videos unless your children are very young, Library and Educational Services has a wide variety of other products to choose from at great prices.

Their website is http://www.libraryanded.com/goscience, and they can be reached at PO Box 288, Berrien Springs, MI 49103.  Their phone number is 1-269-695-1800.

DISCLAIMER:  I received these products free of charge in order to provide an honest review of them.

Love Books? Looking for a Good Sale?

The Homeschool Library Builder is an online book store that serves the homeschool community.  It is owned by two veteran homeschoolers, and they understand the need to find affordable books to fill our shelves.  I don't know about you, but I love seeing bookshelves full of things for my kids and myself to read.

Now through May 31st, Homeschool Library Builder, HSLB, is having a 25% off sale on all items.  No coupon or discount code is needed, and you can even use additional discounts or coupons if you have them with this sale.  If you become a member, you will receive one bonus point for every dollar spent.  Fifteen bonus points counts as $1.00 which you can use towards a future purchase.

In addition to the current 25% off promotion, if you make a $25.00 purchase, you will receive Of Earth and Sky: Spiritual Lessons from Nature, a $4.99 value, at no additional cost.  It includes literary selections that highlight the "seven virtues as taught through nature."

Some examples of the products available are The Tree and the Trail (softcover), usually $11.95, HSLB price $6.50, PLUS an additional 25% off.  There is a book about Buzz Aldrin called, Reaching for the Moon; the list price is $12.95.  HSLB's price is $4.99, PLUS you can take an additional 25% off.  That is amazing!

The page for each book gives a good description of what the book is about, whether it is soft or hardcover, the intended age range, and the condition of the book.  They tell you how many are available and how much it costs.  Discounts, like the 25% off promotion, are taken at checkout.

HSLB will even search to find a book you may be looking for if they don't have it at no extra charge.  Suppose you heard of a great book years ago and have been searching high and low for it to no avail.  Simply give HSLB the information, and they will do everything they can to locate it.

The different categories of books they have are fiction, non-fiction, activity books, award winners, classical literature, "for the homeschool teacher," "helping hand," holidays & seasons, inspirational, science, and story books.  You can search by curriculum, age, geographically, and even vintage and hard-to-find books.

Say you are using a curriculum you borrowed from someone, but it doesn't have the readers that are supposed to go along with it or maybe you are using a study guide for a particular book; chances are HSLB has it or can locate it for you.

There are American Girl books, My First Little House books, and other historical fiction books.  Under the science category, there are books about animals and nature, explorers, geography, and inventors and inventions.

As I perused the website, I was very impressed with the selection of books that are available and the prices.  I am sure I will be back to buy some things as we begin our next year of homeschooling.  I think you will be blessed if you check them out.

Under their "About Homeschooling" tab, there are biographies of  "Heroes of History," interactive lesson units about art topics, and links to various sites that can help with your homeschooling.

HSLB can be reached at Flower Mound, Texas, 75022.  Their phone number is 800-718-7986.  Their email address is info@hslibrarybuilder.com.

DISCLAIMER:  I did not receive any products to try.  I am simply providing a review of their website and sale.

How God Paints a Future, Part I

   It is easy to see how God paints a sky.  From the sunrises to the sunsets, every day is different.  There is not an artist in the world who can create such beauty.  He does the same thing with our futures, if we let him.  This is the story of our journey over the past year.


   I was born and raised in Southwestern PA and, except for the one summer I spent two months in Ocean City, NJ, I have lived here all of my life.  There was never any desire or even the faintest notion that I would ever live anywhere else.


   John, my husband, had wanted to move south since he was a kid and spent time with his brother in both North Carolina and Florida when he was in the military.  He shared this with me on a few occasions, but he never pushed the issue.  He was pretty sure I would never move south.  My reasoning was that Florida was too hot, and there were too many bugs.


   Last April, John had had a frustrating day at work and came home wondering what job could be more enjoyable than the one he was currently doing.  As he looked on line for employment, he found a job at Walt Disney World working in their IT Department (computers).  Just applying I think made him feel a little better.  He didn't really expect to hear back from Disney World.  I mean, come on, you have to be really, really good at what you do.  Well, three weeks later, he got a call.  This started the ball rolling on the idea that we might one day move.  We had our friend, who is a real estate agent, come look at our house and advise us as to what needed done before we put our house on the market.


   John had his phone interview with Disney but turned down the opportunity for a second interview.  We just weren't ready.  Since we had started to think about moving, John and I both were of the belief that God was calling us out of our current house.  He had done that in the past.  When we lived in Ellwood City, there came a time when we knew it was time to move on.  Having nowhere to go when our house sold, we moved in with John's parents for seven months.   That was not an easy time for me.  Two women in one house does not work well.  Hindsight has allowed me to see God's plan in that, though.  John had the opportunity to spend time with his mom before she died the following year that he would not have had if we had still lived up north.  I am very grateful for God's wisdom.


   We spent a lot of time looking online at houses in our area, but we didn't have much motivation to get anything done with the house.  I had started to paint some of the rooms that needed painted, but there was no urgency.


   In November, we drove to Disney World for our annual vacation.  We had been there in 2008 and 2009 as well.  This time, however, as we were driving out of Florida and into Georgia, I almost cried.  I felt like I was leaving home forever.  What was that?  Why did I feel that way this time when I had never felt that way before?  As we drove home, the decision was made to try to move south.  My arguments from before no longer held any weight.  In the sweltering heat of the summer in PA, I spend all my time inside in the air conditioning.  The same thing would happen in Florida.  At least down south, things would be in bloom all year, and there wouldn't be any snow.


   Around this same time, I started going to counseling for help in dealing with the stress in my life.  My front teeth hurt all the time from clenching my jaw while I slept.  While in counseling, I learned that I was a control freak and, also, that I had a very low opinion of myself.  Through counseling, I was able to break free from the control issue and was also able to believe the truth.  Jesus loves ME!  Really, he does.  I am wonderfully made.  I don't have to believe the lies I let myself belief since I was a young child.  I dealt with some really heavy issues over the next couple of months.


   For the first time in my life I wasn't afraid of what my future held.  God often puts us in the dark so we can't control how things turn out.  I have always hated that.  I have to know.  I have to be able to see what is going to happen.  I no longer cared.  I handed God a blank canvas and said, "Paint it, God, with whatever you want.  I look forward to seeing the picture when you're finished."


  John had started applying for positions the day we got back from vacation.  He had had some phone interviews, but nothing materialized.  In March, we had our friend, the real estate agent, come back to remind us of all we needed to do with the house.  We got started right away.  There was a sense of urgency now.  All five of us did our fair share in completing the painting of four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two hallways, an entire basement, stairway, deck, etc., etc.  It was exhausting completing it in the short amount of time we had, but there was motivation and determination.


   I believed it was time to put our house on the market.  John had reservations, though, since we had nowhere to go.  I told him I would look into finding a place to rent in the area.  We weren't prepared to go to Florida without a job.  I put feelers out for information on a rental.  I had told people that I was pretty sure our house would sell quickly.  It went on the market the Monday before Easter.  That Wednesday, a couple came with their agent and looked at the house.  The sign was placed in our yard on Thursday.  Thirty minutes after that, our agent called to tell us that the couple who had come the day before wanted to give us an offer.  Four days...that's quick.  Four days...that's God!

TO BE CONTINUED...