Considering God's Creation by Eagles Wings

Considering God's Creation is an excellent Bible based natural science curriculum for grades 2-6, but can be minimally adapted for upper and lower grades as well.  Perfect for families schooling more than one grade level.  Although this is a wonderful stand alone text, we used it to supplement our existing science program.  The workbook pages were perfect for this.  Designed to be removed and 3-hole-punched and inserted into a binder, they make excellent activities to reinforce the lesson being taught.  Through games, puzzles, cut and paste activities, and research pages, students delve more deeply into the Solar System, the Speed of Light, insects, or whatever the week's lesson is.

Considering God's Creation has 36 lessons which can be covered in 1 year by older grades, or several years for younger grades.  Subjects covered are Creation, The Universe, Rocks and Minerals, Weather, Plants, Animals, Animal Anatomy and Physiology and Human Anatomy and Physiology.  Answers to crossword puzzles and word searches are provided, and additional resources are suggested for more in-depth studies for older students.  Projects call for common materials you likely have on hand, such as a cookie sheet, ice, glass of water, or an egg white.

We used the Weather pages to supplement our Weather study for several weeks.  We became Cloud Detectives, identifying various cloud types, tracking our daily weather on a chart, learning what makes hail (during a timely hail storm) and so on.  My son went on to educate several other people about hail formation.  We are looking forward to continuing to use Considering God's Creation as part of our science curriculum for the next several years.

Considering God's Creation also comes with a CD of original music, directly linked to each chapter, with clever songs to help children remember God's touch in each area of His creation.  Student workbook, Teacher's Manual and music CD come in a package for only $29.95.  Other products are available on the website, for history, math, phonics and more.

See what other Homeschool Crew members had to say about Considering God's Creation.

We received  one set of Considering God's Creation student workbook, teacher's manual and music CD to use and evaluate.  No other compensation was received for this review.                 

     

Learn Spelling with Stories - Talking Fingers Word Qwerty

We had so much fun with our first Talking Fingers program, that when we found out we would get to try Talking Fingers Word Qwerty we just couldn't wait.  My son signed in and started "playing", and as I listened and observed, I was very happy with what I was seeing.  The same company that helped him learn proper finger placement on the qwerty keyboard and helped with his reading skills was now helping him learn to spell and write short stories!




Through a variety of interactive games and exercises, Word Qwerty teaches spelling rules and tricks, such as looking for patterns.  Catchy songs help children remember them.  As is explained on the website,  "Wordy Qwerty – Foundations for Reading and Writing Fluency, takes 7-9 year olds through the next steps of reading and writing fluency, and picks up where our award-winning software, the Read, Write & Type Learning System leaves off."

Students learn about spelling rules, word families and "outlaws" (words that don't follow the rules).  Next comes the spelling challenge - students hear a word and have to spell it correctly and put it in the right box.  The program prompts the student if he misspells the word. 



Then students are shown a few sentences, hear them read, and are challenged to write them as they are read back to them.  Parents can sign in and monitor student progress at any time.





Talking Fingers offers a FREE demo download for Word Qwerty.  The pricing for Word Qwerty online Home Edition is as follows:  1 user $25, 2 users $40, 3/$52.50, 4/$60, 5/$71.25.  CD version Home Edition $35; K-4 Reading Bundle which includes Word Qwerty, Read Write Type and other goodies CD version Home Edition $99.

See what other Homeschool Crew Members are saying about Talking Fingers Word Qwerty.

We received a limited license to Word Qwerty online, in order to use and evaluate this product in our homeschool classroom.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Mad About Mad Dog Math

Mad Dog Math is a fun, downloadable way to have daily math drills.  A great supplement for any regular math program for grades K-5, Mad Dog Math features a friendly golden retriever who fetches math drills for addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.  Students are timed for 2 minutes down to 30 seconds on each level, and earn "club stickers" upon completion.  There is a challenge level that mixes up the fact drills so that children have to work a bit harder and pay more attention.  Progress is tracked for each level and can be reset so students can start over.  Multiple students can use the program by logging in under their own "name".



Initially, we had a lot of fun with this program.  But as the drills grew familiar, my son grew lackadaisical and kept resetting his progress so that he stayed in the 2 minute club and never earned any club stickers.  I knew I had to supervise his usage more carefully then, so as to derive the full benefit from the program.  Still, he likes it way better than his pencil and paper drills, though we don't time those.  In his math book he is working with triple digits and decimal points in addition and subtraction which our trial version of Mad Dog Math does not cover.  The advantage is, that once purchased and downloaded, the program can be used year after year, for multiple students, for drills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts.  As the program's creators emphasize, a solid foundation in the basics makes math more fun, as well as preparing the student for higher levels of math such as algebra and so on.

The Mad Dog Math download is available for Windows in 32 or 64 bit version, for $19.99/1year, $29.99/2year or $39.99/perpetual license.  The company also offers flash cards, timers and certificates to enhance the program.  A FREE TRIAL of the download is available here.

See what other Homeschool Crew Members are saying about Mad Dog Math.

We received a free trial version of Mad Dog Math to use and evaluate.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Go Trybe

 

We live a very active lifestyle, caring for our livestock, hauling and stacking hay; growing, harvesting and preserving some of our food; hauling and cutting our firewood, etc.  So I wasn't particularly enthused about trying an online excercise program.  Once we got into it, though, it was actually kind of fun.  My 8 year old son really had a blast!

He started right off creating his avatar, then went to trying out the different workout videos.  When he discovered that he earned points to spend on clothing and accessories for his avatar, he was "off and running".



Go Trybe is a fitness and wellness program for all ages, but focused on children and teens, with an aim to combat childhood obesity.  Children sign in and create their avatar, choose workout videos to complete, learn about nutrition, wellness and motivation and answer questions correctly, and earn points to spend on their avatar.  Favorite workouts can be saved or pre-built workout sessions can be used.  Workouts cover warmups, cardio, strength and flexibility training.

Three tribes address the needs and abilities of different age groups:  ZooDoos - up to 5th grade; Trybe180 - 6th-9th grade; Nextrybe - 10th-12th grade.  Trybers can make and message friends, post bulletins called "shout outs", and earn badges at various point increments.  Trybers with the highest points in each division make Trybal Leader.  The kids fitness blog posts the latest Go Trybe updates, and also provides a link to the trybal store where members can purchase shirts and other gear with the Go Trybe logo. 




For parents and other adults, the blog features tips, recipes and other resources to help encourage a healthier lifestyle.  Go Trybe also hosts forums to address members specific questions or needs.  There is even an opportunity for trybers to participate in Go Trybe video shoots in Tennessee by becoming a Trybe Athlete.

My only disappointment with this program is the immodest dress (so prevalent in our culture, especially in sports).  Parents with concerns, especially for helping their sons to keep their thoughts pure, should definitely make use of the FREE TRIAL, to evaluate whether this is something you want to use with your children, who will be watching it over and over...

To try Go Trybe for one day for FREE, go to the sign up page and enter the promo code GETFIT.  If you want to continue after the FREE TRIAL, the cost is $19.95 a year (regular $39.95).   The kids fitness blog is offering membership for only 99cents a month for a limited time, use promo code KIDSFITNESS.  There is also a discount for AAU members. 

See what other Homeschool Crew Members have to say about Go Trybe.

We received a free limited time membership in Go Trybe in exchange for posting our opinions and experiences with it.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Andi's Fair Surprise

Andi's Fair Surprise, one of the Circle C Beginnings books by Susan K. Marlow, introduces 6 year old Andi and her ranch family to young readers.  Written for ages 6-8, these chapter books take early readers on a rollicking ranch adventure in 1870's California. 

My 7 year old son was into this book before we left the post office with it and finished the first two chapeters by the time we got home.  He could not put it down.  I went to the Andi and Taffy website and downloaded the FREE activity booklet, with mazes, vocabulary, math, writing, history and crafts and printed it out for him.  We used it as a unit study for the next two days.  Then, without prompting, he wrote a short story about the book!  It is so exciting when something clicks!




The Circle C Beginnings books are great "living" books, portraying California ranch life in the 1800's.

Even weeks later, my son still has a renewed appreciation for his "farm life" and enjoying nature.  He frequently looks out the window for his "TV", watching our critters roam and play.  His cowboy make-believe has take on new aspects inspired by Andi's Fair Surprise.  He is teaching himself to throw a lasso, though the goats know they're safe for the time being...  He has finally summoned up the courage to try horseback riding again. 




I can't wait to get the whole set of these books.  I learned with my older sons - when something inspires a boy to read you get it!  Four books are available in the Circle C Beginnings series, with 2 more due out in August.  They can be purchased at Kregel Publications or personalized for your child at Andi and Taffy for only $4.99 each, $9.98 for 2 or $15.96 for all 4, plus shipping.  The FREE activity books and coloring pages can be downloaded at the Andi and Taffy website.

Other crew members reviewed some of the other Circle C Beginnings books as well as this one.  See what other Homeschool Crew Members had to say about this series.

We received one copy of "Andi's Fair Surprise" in paperback for us to evaluate and enjoy.  No other compensation was received for this review.

See The Light - And Draw!

Okay, I may be artistic in many ways, but I cannot draw a stick figure.  I loved coloring when I was little; grandma (a real artist) used to sit me down with tracing paper and carbon paper and I could trace a picture and then transfer it to another paper and color it.  Drawing freehand?  No way.  Mrs. S used to come in and do chalk drawings on the blackboard at school and then take us through, step by step, to draw it ourselves.  Mine were less than impressive and I never caught on to the techniques that she was trying to teach. 

Pat Knepley, of See The Light, is reminiscent of those blackboard days.  With her easel and a clean sketchpad in front of her, she slowly explains each basic drawing technique and then illustrates it on the sketchpad.  The great part is that this is all on DVD, so you can replay it over and over until you and your students are able to do it yourselves.  For our free trial we received the first DVD in the 9 DVD series, "The Basics".  In it Pat shares her infectious enthusiasm for art and shows students how to set up their own tool kit, basic line drawing, contours and using common everyday items for their subjects.  There is also a bonus lesson, chalk drawing, by another artist.  After watching the first lesson, my son was so excited that he immediately began putting together his own tool kit, then had to watch the lesson again to make sure he had everything, making a list of what he still needed for mom.  Luckily most of the supplies we already had on hand for our everyday homeschooling needs.  No charcoal pencils or brushes and paints yet;)  We now have days of marathon drawing sessions and my son is much more careful with his coloring projects.  After watching all four lessons plus the bonus lesson, he started begging for more of the DVDs.  I have to say I agree with him, even I'm inspired!

Designed for grades K-8  I think even high schoolers and adults, such as myself, can truly benefit from this art curriculum.  Simple Bible lessons are woven in throughout.  The first DVD is FREE!  Subsequent DVDs are $14.99 each or all 9 for $99.99.  Each DVD includes 4 lessons plus a bonus lesson.  Year 2 is in the works and the company also offers a number of related products on their website.


See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about See the Light.

We received the FREE DVD "The Basics" for this review.  No other compensation was received.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life

I love this book.  Ever since I was in high school I have been reading everything I could get my hands on about health and nutrition.  My parents liked to tease me about being "the healthiest corpse in the graveyard", but I didn't care.  I've always thought that what life we do have we should try to enjoy fully.  I've also always had a strong suspicion that what we eat has alot to do with how we feel.  And at Growing Healthy Homes unbelievable as is may seem, are four people who agree with me. 

Based on sound scientific research and flavored with a Biblical perspective, Nutrition 101 is chock full of information on each of the body's systems and each one's specific nutritional needs.  This is a text that can be used year after year for health class in all grade levels.  With young children, you may just want to touch on the basics of each chapter, and do one of the fun activities and make the power recipe.  Older children can study in more detail, delving into such areas as the Nervous System and amino acids, diabetes, heart disease and natural and artificial sweeteners and their effect on the body.

My personal favorites were the alkaline/acid food charts in the Appendices, and the menu ideas.  I printed out copies of the "Food Pyramid Serving Checklist" and found out I wasn't doing nearly as well as I thought I was in trying to include more vegetables in our daily menu.  This has become a favorite reference for my weekly meal planning.

Nutrition 101 will help you to raise healthy eaters as children learn and understand how food is processed, what preservatives do to our bodies, advantages and disadantages of natural vs. artificial sweeteners.  There are lots of fun projects and a power recipe incorporated into each week's lesson (see activity guide starting on page 285).  In the very first chapter, The Brain, children make guacamole and sprout an avocado seed.  High schoolers study the effects of ethylene gas (from and apple) on the ripening process.

The initial investment in this product does seem a bit high, at $79.95 for CD, $99.95 for the book, and $129.95 for the combo, but keeping in mind that it is designed for repeated use, year after year with all grade levels, and that works out to about $10 a year for just one child, less than that for more children!  When you find yourself and your family actually eating better, likely there will also be a substantial savings in health care as well.  An extra bonus the company has offered to Homeschool Crew readers - that's you! Is a special 15% off.  Just go to their website and enter the coupon code at checkout:  TOScrew11.

See what other Homeschool Crew Members are saying about Nutrition 101.

We received a special download edition of Nutrition 101:  Choose Life for review purposes.  No other compensation was received for this review.



Kinderbach - Music Lessons Made Easy

I have to confess, my son has been playing the piano since he could crawl up on the bench and reach the keys.  He has learned in a very natural, organic way.  As he has gotten older and his hands have grown into the keyboard, I have taught him the names of the keys, and a bit of how to read music.  We have been playing simple duets together, and I have taught them to some of his friends, too.  None of them are prodigies, but they have fun, and I don't have a hard time listening to them.  My son has also been composing short pieces for quite some time now.  I'm impressed, but then I'm his mom...

That said, for the average parent who doesn't have *&^% years of music lessons and performance behind them, Kinderbach can be a real answer to "how do I teach my child music?"  A keyboard is not even necessary for the first few lessons, and an inexpensive, toy model will do for the rest.  As long as it plays somewhat in tune, and has the keys in the right places.  Children ages 2-7 will enjoy learning about high and low sounds, loud and soft sounds, rhythm, beats, patterns and intervals, along with Frisco, Dodi, Carla and all the Piano Pals.  In six levels, with a seventh on the way, 22 hours of video lessons and printable activity books to complement each level, children will soon be playing simple songs.


Along with great instruction and fun characters, I feel like there is a bit too much music theory thrown into the program for beginners.  For young children, the video lessons are engaging and keep them moving.  There are coloring pages to reinforce the lessons and cut and paste activities.  Other advantages to the program are that it can be done at home, at the child's own pace.  No expensive instruments are needed.  Try the first 2 lessons for free, then decide whether to purchase an online subscription for $19.99 a month or $95.88 a year (that's $7.99 a month!).  You can also try it out for a day at $5.95.  Several DVD packages are available starting at $55.95.  Kinderbach stands by their program with a 30 day money back guarantee.


See what other Homeschool Crew Members are saying about Kinderbach.

We were given a free online subscription to Kinderbach in exchange for reviewing and commenting on our experience with this product.  No other compensation was received.

GoGo Kabongo!!

Start the school day with computer games?  No way!  But as reading is our first subject of the day, usually, GoGo Kabongo quickly became a favorite warm-up.  Designed to foster skills such as attention and focus, working memory, processing, successive and simultaneous processing, visualization, planning and comprehension, Kabongo captivates children with colorful alien guides, fast action roller coasters and frequent interactive rewards.



Three "habitats", Laughter Lake, Galaxy Garden and Twister Top feature three games each, with 6 skill levels each.  As children master skills they earn rewards such as a sticker for their comic book, ramps for their skate park, and cool collectibles to put in their treehouse.  Coloring and activity pages can also be printed out.  Ages 4-7 will benefit most from this program, as it teaches and reinforces pre-reading skills. 

My seven year old son is already an enthusiastic reader, but he still enjoys the games.  His favorite habitat is Twister Top and he has mastered level 6 of Crazy Maze!  I receive weekly progress reports, so I know what games he has been playing and what level he is on.  Also included in the emailed progress reports are helpful tips for reinforcing the skills he is learning.



Right now, Kabongo is still in Beta format, some of the games load slowly, but Laughter Lake and Galaxy Garden are FREE for a limited time, and Twister Top is only $4.95!

See what other Homeschool Crew members have to say about GoGoKabongo.

We received all three Kabongo habitats FREE in return for reviewing this product.  No other compensation was received.

Kid Scoop

Teaching children to read is one thing.  Getting them to read is another.  This is where Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solution comes in.  Recommended for grades 2-8,  Reluctant Reader Solution includes a 12 month online subscription to Kid Scoop newspapers, plus 365 fun activity sheets that can be used individually, or as provided in 60 mini-unit studies. 



The online version of the newspaper is kid-friendly, with lots of graphics and color.  Students can page through the articles online, print out activities and get drawn into the stories.  Kid Scoop also offers fun online learning games for kids as well as lots of tips for parents and teachers to use the newspapers to help foster love for reading.

The downloadable activity pages are organized into mini unit studies of about 5 pages each.  They can be used chronologically, by season, holiday or event, (St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day) or by theme (baseball, backpacks, skin protection).  There are even more thematic lesson resources on the website, offering everything from bugs to financial literacy to the Philippines.

For only $97, students and parents can take full advantage of Kid Scoop - The Reluctant Reader Solution, including 12 full-color issues of Kid Scoop News online, and 365 Kid Scoop Worksheets.  With Kid Scoop's unconditional money back guarantee, you just can't lose.

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about Kid Scoop - The Reluctant Reader solution.

We received one week free access to the online newspaper Kid Scoop and one free download of The Reluctant Reader solution with over 365 fun activity pages in 60 mini unit studies for  review purposes.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Teaching Love For Music - Peter and the Wolf by Maestro Classics

I remember listening to Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" with my mom when I was small.  I don't recall if it was narrated or if mom told me the story while it was playing.  All I know is that it was the beginning of a lifetime of music appreciation.  Maestro Classics goes far beyond the basics of listening to and enjoying music by using simple exercises to reinforce musical abilities and train the ear, such as identifying instruments, recognizing themes and telling the composer's own story.  The piece is also performed in several different styles.

My son and I enjoyed listening to Peter and the Wolf, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with Stephen Simon conducting and Yadu narrating.  After the first session, my second grader plunged into the accompanying workbook with vigor, enjoying the colorful illustrations and completing the puzzles as he listened to the story again.  I perused the program myself, to read more about Prokofiev, the Trio Voronezh (a Russian folk group who plays a version of Peter and the Wolf on the CD) and traditional Russian folk instruments. 

Stephen and Bonnie Ward Simon, who produced and conducted the story, also created a "Stories in Music" concert series for children and parents at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.  Many of these concerts are now available along with Peter and the Wolf  at Maestro Classics.  All the "Stories in Music" CD's are designed to be enjoyed by parents and children of all ages together.  If you feel challenged by the very thought of teaching music appreciation, Peter and the Wolf will make it feel like child's play.  In addition to the music and story, each CD has a story about the composer, what to listen for in the music and a fun participation track, like a sing along or dance along. 

Other Stories in Music titles include Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Casey at the Bat and Swan Lake, as well as several others.  A superb tool for music appreciation, the Stories in Music are only $16.98 each for CD and program/workbook; Casey at the Bat and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel are also offered with a large program or as gift sets and have lesson plans available on the website.


As a lover of great music, I highly recommend this series to develop a well rounded appreciation of music in your student, as well as spend some great old fashioned family time together, listening, learning about and having fun with music.

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about Maestro Classics.

We recieved one copy of Peter and the Wolf with accompanying program from Maestro Classics for review purposes.  No other compensation was recieved for this review.

Easy Classical - Classical Education, Charlotte Mason Style

The Easy Classical program offers a full 36 week set of lesson plans, or "schedules" for teaching a classical curriculum using living books, as Charlotte Mason proposed.  The system seems to be built around Susan Bauers' book,  "The Well Trained Mind:  A Guide to Classical Education At Home", which is recommended reading before starting the program.  I have not read this book and it was not included with the review materials, but I am familiar with the Charlotte Mason method of using living books, and this seems fairly similar.

Our review packet was the Early Modern History Schedule, specifically, American History, beginning with pre-Columbus America and continuing on with Explorers through 1820.  This schedule, designed to use one year during the kindergarten through 6th grade years, and repeating one year in the upper grades, includes daily reading and writing assignments, art lessons, and suggested projects.  It incorporates everything but science and math.  (Although Easy Classical offers a Complete Schedule that includes more Language Arts and also includes Science. Saxon is suggested for Math.)  The schedule is heavy on reading and writing, and the quizzes require a higher level of comprehension, so I don't think I would be using this particular curriculum until my son is older, say 5th or 6th grade. 

I really like the lesson plans laid out for you, and suggested books for the reading and study part.  I find I am not able to get alot of these books from our local inter-library loan, but it helps to have the list for searching for other books to use.  I also really like the method of using living books to bring history and other subjects to life.  I think it aids in retention and actual learning, not just "learning to pass the test" and then forgetting it all.

Using the schedule "as-is" will require a very structured school day and a very focused student. However, as homeschoolers, we do have the freedom to tailor our curriculum to the needs of our students. Hence, we can do much of the reading out loud, together, and modify the writing assignments to suit. The art lesson can be followed step by step for older students, or just colored in by younger students. Older students can do more in-depth study on each topic, younger may just get an overview. and the quizzes may be eliminated altogether for younger students.


The schedules list other Easy Classical resources for writing and copywork assignments, however, as these were not provided, I am unable to give an opinion on them. The sample pages available on the Easy Classical website, do offer a glimpse of whether they might work for your particular student. It would be easy enough to assign appropriate topics for each lesson without them.

Although we do not use Easy Classical schedules in our classroom, we do use a curriculum whose yearly lesson plans are in a very similar format, and I can tell you, it saves so much stress and work.  For only $29.95 you can download the Digital Version of the schedule, and for $35.95, Easy Classical will print it out and send it to you in a handy notebook.  It is a wonderful thing not to have to make up lesson plans from scratch, and easy enough to modify ready made lesson plans when an interesting learning opportunity presents itself.  I highly recommend you check out Easy Classical and see if this might work for you and your students. 

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about Easy Classical.

We received one digital copy of the Easy Classical Early Modern History Schedule for this review.  No other compensation was received.

See N Read - Reading Tools That Rock!

See-N-Read Reading Tools are simple, effective aids to reading.  Just lay the small, gray plastic guide on your page and line up your text in the window.  See-N-Reads can benefit anybody, from beginning readers, to adults struggling to get through all the fine print in a contract.  My son was so excited about the See-N-Read tools that he usurped them all for himself.  His favorite is the document size See-N-Read, I suspect because he doesn't have to move it so much.  A fringe benefit of See-N-Read is that it can also act as a bookmark in between reading sessions.  My son is now sitting down to read, just so he can "play" with his See-N-Read. 

When I finally did get my hands on the See-N-Read Memory Mark, I found it just as beneficial for myself.  The gray tint surrounding the reading window filters out distractions on the page and helps me stay focused on what I'm reading.  Memory Mark has the window cut out, so I can mark passages of text that I want to highlight, or otherwise make note of. 

For such a simple tool, an amazing amount of research went into See-N-Read.  I didn't understand alot of the 20-page research packet that came with our tools, but I did gather that they were tested extensively in schools, and that several reading experts and teachers had alot of good things to say about them.  I know this - they work GREAT!

See-N-Read also has a PC version, that you can easily download and bring up on your computer screen.  I didn't think I'd like it, but I was pleasantly surprised.  After a few fits and starts getting it to the right size for what I was reading, and to a convenient size for my screen, I found it to be a great help to reading all the "fine print" stuff - EULA's, Terms of Agreement and so forth.  I found it also came in handy for reading lengthier blogs and articles, as it can be easy to lose one's place, staring at the computer screen.  My son really enjoyed using it for reading his e-books on the computer.

With all the work and testing and research that went into developing See-N-Read, it is surprisingly affordable.  The small sizes are only $2.99 each or 3 for $8.99, document sizes are $3.49 each or 3 for $9.99.  See-N-Read also offers larger quantities for special prices and combinations of several or all products for a special price.  The eSee-N-Read program is $29.99 and is available for immediate download.

See what other Homeschool Crew Members are saying about See-N-Read.

We recieved one set of See-N-Read and Memory Mark tools and a free download of eSee-N-Read for this review.  No other compensation was recieved.

No More Flash Cards! Math Facts Now!

My son has a love/hate relationship with math.  He hates it and tries to refuse to do any of it when he is struggling to grasp a concept.  Once he's got it and can fly through the problems, he loves it.  He loves addition, hates subtraction.  Loves word problems involving money.  Hates word problems that use subtraction and don't involve money.  Loves working out difficult problems orally, one by one, with mom (argh!).  Hates working on his own in the book.  Do we see a pattern here?  It's not that I think he should do it all on his own.  I enjoy presenting a lesson, teaching a concept, and reviewing.  It's the practice I get frustrated with.  I know he needs to practice to really internalize and learn the concept.  He hates practicing.



Enter Math Facts Now!2.0.  A simple downloadable program, also available on CD, that enables the teacher to customize practice sessions in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  Lesson options cover numbers from 0-12, and allow the teacher to choose which numbers will be practiced, for instance adding or subtracting 0-12 with any combination of numbers 0-12.  Like 0-3 plus or minus 0-12, etc.  The teacher then sets a time limit for answering each problem, I give my son 10 seconds, as he is keyboard proficient and it keeps him focused without rushing him.  I have him write out missed problems 2 times each, that is also adjustable.  At the end of each lesson there is a reward, from a piece of candy, to 30 minutes extra game time, or whatever I feel is appropriate. 

Since he has been playing on Math Facts Now!, my son likes addition even more, and is warming up to subtraction.  One drawback I see is that you can only work with numbers 0-12.  I would like to see and option for practice with higher numbers, and with that, lower minimum number of problems.  The present edition of the program has a minimum of 50 problems per lesson, and a max of 200.  My second grader mastered 0-12 addition and subtraction last year, and has been working with higher numbers, though we have not gotten into borrowing yet.

Another thing I like about Math Facts Now! is that the teacher can print out a progress report, showing how the student performed on each lesson, including a detail of which problems were tested, how many times, and whether they answered correctly, incorrectly, or took too long answering.  This helps teachers to adjust the lessons to focus on problem areas, making them more or less challenging, according to student ability.

In conclusion, for $15.95 download, or $15.95 + $3.95 shipping and handling for CD format, Math Facts Now!2.0 is an excellent supplement to elementary math programs.  It's even better than the old standby, flashcards, in that it is in the more desirable (to most children now), computer format; parents can tailor the lessons, and bribes (oops, I mean rewards) can be used as incentives for students to practice frequently.  If you're like me and want to try before you invest in any extras, Math Facts Now!2.0 offers a FREE TRIAL available online or in download.  You just can't lose with an offer like that.  Go give it a test drive now.

See what other Homeschool Crew members say about this product.

We recieved a free, downloadable version of Math Facts Now!2.0 to use in our homeschool and give you our opinion.  No other compensation was recieved for this review.

Tiny Planets - Science and Space Exploration

Tiny Planets websites are a complete learning tool for 3-5 year olds and an exciting enrichment experience for older children.  Co-created by Sesame Workshops, the producers of Sesame Street, and endorsed by Montessori Centre International, Tiny Planets uses games and safe social interaction to provide an engaging science and space exploration experience. 

Tiny Planets encourages stewardship of the earth as children adopt and care for their own planet, rid the universe of trash and go on space missions with their alien friends Bing and Bong.

After I set up my Parent Account, which manages all child accounts and purchases, we began to explore the websites.  The Tiny Planets Books and TV shows offer preschoolers gentle lessons in social and emotional development, such as fear of the dark.  Other episodes treat weather cycles, patterns, music and shapes. The companion books are designed to be read online by parents and early readers.  Lesson Plans on Tiny Planets Learning tie TV and Books together along with critical thinking exercises, games and art and craft projects.  It also includes printable worksheets for letter and number recognition, as well as online puzzles and printable craft project directions.  

My seven year old son went straight to My Tiny Planets to begin his missions, get his own spaceship and adopt a planet to design and care for.  He can name his planet, grow oxygen-releasing plants to keep it healthy and choose landscapes, buildings and scenery to make it attractive.  More games are available on Tiny Planets Labs, where new content is created and tested.  Tiny Planets Fun has puzzle games, coloring books and comics for all ages to enjoy.

I enjoyed the Tiny Planets Blog, where more detailed postings cover such subjects as the planet Jupiter, Mirrors and Math, and making a Winter Scene under a clear plastic drinking cup.  I also like that Tiny Planets is designed to be a "safe" online experience for children.  There are no ads to distract from the desired content and "accidentally" click on.  All "chats" are through pre-set blurbs, programmed into the games.  Most of the content is free, although with the purchase of "keys", 10 for $1.95, parents can allow children to "buy" extra television episodes of Bing and Bong, as well as extra features for their games.

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about Tiny Planets:  Homeschool Crew

No compensation was received for this review.

Good Morning God - Apologia Books

Three.  That's how many times my second grade son read this book with his dad before I even got a look at it.  "Good Morning, God" by Davis Carman, illustrated by Alice Ratterree, published by Apologia Press, is a very child-friendly book.  It spoke to my son's heart, which was evidenced by the fact that he kept re-reading it during our extended visit with family over Thanksgiving.  He even insisted (really, with no prodding from me!) upon doing all of the Questions and Activities in the back of the book.  Good Morning God became our reading and faith building curriculum for the week we spent homeschooling on the road.  The story follows a young boy in his daily life for one week, from Sunday to Sunday.  It can be read straight through, or as a bedtime story.  If you choose you can read one day at a time and do the questions and activites for that day.  No matter how this book is used, it demonstrates to our children and ourselves, "the simple and wonderful ways we can worship God...with our entire being all through the day." (from How to Use this Book).

Written for 1-8 year olds, this book is a non-denominational Christian discipleship tool, emphasizing whole hearted, joyful love for God and faith in Jesus.  The many scripture references in the Question and Activities section are taken from the Zondervan edition of the New International Version of the Holy Bible.  Questions and Activities include subjects such as heaven, what is a soul, sin, how can you take care of your body, go on a bike ride, and draw a picture of an ear. 

This is a quality, hardcover childrens book, with sturdy pages and beautiful color illustrations, priced at only $14.00, it is constructed to last a lifetime with gentle care.  The accompanying coloring book is only $4.00.  Other books are available from this company at Apologia Press.

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about this product here: Homeschool Crew.

We received one copy of "Good Morning God" free for posting an honest evaluation.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Worksheets on Demand - KBTeachers

Looking for a fun way to reinforce that grammar lesson?  Math activities for your pre-reader?  A fill-in body parts identification chart?  Teachers, homeschoolers, parents, KBTeachers offers worksheets, workbooks and clip art to supplement almost every subject.

KBTeachers has seasonal themed worksheets and acitvities, changeable elementary math worksheets, English worksheets plus manuscript and cursive practice pages.  There are printable charts showing the American Sign Language alphabet for letters and numbers, as well as decoding charts for Morse Code letters and numbers.  We really like the ASL chart, as we're trying to incorporate ASL into our schoolday.  My son is getting interested in codebreaking, so I can see Morse Code coming into the school room very soon.

Other printable worksheet and workbook subjects include astronomy, geology, weather and climate, and biology.  We just did a study on tears this week, and the printable eye anatomy chart (simplified) came in extremely handy.  The social studies section is geared primarily for middle to high school level students and includes ancient civilizations, medieval Europe, the cold war, and much more.  We're touring the continents this year and are currently studying South America.  I've just printed out the Map of South America as well as a research chart to compare and contrast three of it's countries.

To get unlimited access to all this great stuff, KBTeachers offers a FREE 10 day trial.  If you like what you're getting, you can continue on for just $29 for one year, or a discounted $49 for two years of premium membership.  You can't lose with KBTeachers' 30 day money back guarantee.

As if all of the above weren't enough, you can sign up for KBTeachers' free newsletter, which notifies subscribers of updates to the site, featured seasonal themes (fall, halloween, Christmas), special day worksheets (Veteran's Day, National Sandwich Day, Daniel Boone's Birthday), and new offerings.

Many worksheets can be customized and revised to use over and over and unlimited printables mean more fun for students and less work for the teacher.  Did I mention that worksheets are extremely helpful when you're on the go, carschooling, or overwhelmed?  High-fives for KBTeachers, which is turning into an awesome resource for our homeschool classroom this year!

See what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about KBTeachers.

We received a free one year membership to KBTeachers in exchange for publishing our opinion here.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Historical Craft Kits by Corps of ReDiscovery

The Corps of ReDiscovery is more than a great educational resource.  It is the story of a homeschooling family who took a year and a motor home and travelled the path of the original Corps of Discovery - Lewis and Clark - and then some.  They lumberjacked in Minnesota, swam where the Boston Tea Party took place, and harvested wild fruit along the way.  By the time they returned home, they had explored 47 of our great states, dozens of national parks and even more museums.

With imaginations fired and enthusiasm driving them, they began to produce craft kits based on their adventures into history.  Their emphasis is on early America and the skills and crafts needed to survive as American Indians, pioneers, frontiersmen and colonists.  Some of the kits available are:  Corn Husk Doll, Drop Spindle, Quilt, Moccasins, Bear Claw Necklace and many others. 



We received the Tomahawk Kit from the American Indian Package.  It arrived with everything needed to assemble it.  My seven year old son could barely contain himself on the ride home and as soon as we entered the house he opened it up and put it together all by himself.  He added several embellishments of his own which were not included.  To his disappointment, and his mother's relief, the blade was leather instead of steel.  The kit retails for $7.99 and is a great way to enrich your study of early Americans.  It is also offered as part of the American Indian Package which also includes the Headband, Bear Claw Necklace, Skin Frame, Fringe Pouch, Stone Arrowheads and Moccasin Kits all together for a special price of $59.94.

View all the great products from Corps of ReDiscovery.  Read reviews on other Corps of ReDiscovery products here:  The Homeschool Crew.

This product was received free of charge for review purposes.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Collectorz - All Your Books At Your Fingertips

For all those with ginormous collections of books, hehemm, homeschoolers...here is a terrific way to organize them.  Collectorz.com offers database software to organize your books, music, movies, comics, games, mp3s, and photos.  We received Book Collector for our review.  Just input your ISBN or scan it using one of three barcode scanners offered by the company.  Up pops cover art, author, publisher, title, publication date, plot summary and other book data from the company's online data base.  You can then edit and add details, such as purchase price, where you bought it, who you loaned it to, your own plot summary and notes and just about anything else you want to remember about the book.

For just $29.95 plus $19.95 for the most economical scanner, you can have your books organized better than the local library's.  You can also create and export a page to your website or blog, to share or sell your books.

Anyone with a large media collection will benefit from using these databases and maybe organizing your collection on the shelf a bit.  How many times have you racked your brain, knowing you saw that book somewhere but can't remember where?  Simply add a location note to your list, and you'll find it in no time!  Ebooks and audio books can also be cataloged with Book Collector.

I'm having so much fun, I think I'll try photos next.  Now if they would just come up with one for home videos...

We received this product free of charge in return for publishing our opinion.  No other compensation was received for this review.

Read more reviews about Collectorz.com here:  Homeschool Crew

Talking Fingers - Learning to Read, Write and Type

I taught myself how to type on dad's old Royal portable typewriter using an ancient college typing text. I was about fifteen years old and I remember how much it hurt my fingers to strike those keys. Now I tend to type too fast for the computer to keep up. (Ya, that's it, not my accuracy problem, the computer's.) My son has been using the computer, under supervision, of course, for at least two years already. So that makes him ten years ahead of me there. Still, he is benefiting by leaps and bounds with Talking Fingers.

Talking Fingers “Read, Write, Type” is an online program that teaches proper qwerty hand position and typing technique through interactive games and stories. At the same time, children learn letter sounds, spelling and reading, as well as composition. My son is reading well above his grade level, but does not get bored. He looks forward to his daily session on Talking Fingers and proudly prints out every certificate he earns.



There are 40 levels for students to work through, learning finger placement, building sentences and stories, with certificates awarded for every 4 letters mastered. The program keeps track of each student’s progress and starts them where they left off at the end of their last session. Parents can sign in and print out progress reports and see where their child is in the program. Students and parents sign in with separate usernames and passwords (student’s account is set up by the parent), so multiple children can each have their own record. Younger children may need help signing in, but should be able to work independently from there, as the animated characters guide them through everything.



Two options are available to take advantage of Talking Fingers. Online license for 1 student and parent is $39 and includes unlimited usage and printable reports. The Home Edition is $79 and is good for all children in the family, and has the same great games and interactive instruction as the online version PLUS progress reports, printable stories, clip art for stories, activity book, laminated practice keyboard and 2 sets of stickers. We test drove the online version and were very pleased, although being able to print out my son’s stories, which is a feature of the Home Edition, would be nice. For more keyboard-shy children the Home Edition would definitely be an advantage, though, as it includes a practice keyboard and other offline activities. Also, the Home Edition would be better for anyone with more than one child using the program, or families that would want to use it for several years, thereby saving the yearly license fee.

Once a child has mastered all the levels in Read, Write, Type, he is ready to move on to Word Qwerty, another program available from Talking Fingers. If you wish to purchase both programs, a K-4 Reading Bundle is available. Jingle Spells, songs to spell by, sounds like a great CD to have in the car for road trips.

One final feature of all these programs is the ESL option. Students learning English as a Second Language can click on a yellow balloon on screen for clarification of any portion of the program in Spanish, Arabic or Bahasa Melayu.

I am proud of my self-taught typing skills and look fondly at old portable typewriters in second hand stores, but I am ever so grateful for the light touch required of my computer keyboard. Talking Fingers has come along at just the right time for my son and I am glad that he is enthusiastic about Reading, Writing and Typing!

We received one free one year online license for the above product, for the purpose of using and commenting on it. No other compensation was received.

To see what other Homeschool Crew members are saying about Talking Fingers click:  http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783204/