TOS Review: Science Weekly

Science Weekly is a newsletter-style full color science supplement for elementary aged kids. It is available for six different grade levels from kindergarten to fifth/sixth grade. There are 20 issues per year on different science and math topics ranging from fractions to green buildings to the moon. Science Weekly is full of information on that particular topic and activities that kids can do on their own and a few things they need supervision for such as the Weekly Lab project.

We reviewed the issue on composting, which was very timely for us since we were beginning the preparation for our garden. Farm Boy was super excited to begin gathering items for the Weekly Lab which was designed to show whether or not water was needed to make compost.


The Teacher's Notes, which are included for homeschools upon request, are the lesson plans and background info for the topic. 

There are also several interactive issues available on the website including Pyramids, Living in Space, Kites, Hurricanes and Dams! The last page includes a link to download the PDF.

PRICING
15 issues for $19.95 per student per year The bulk rate is starts at 20 issues for $4.95 each so it would be great for co-ops or homeschool groups to group buy!


CHECK IT OUT
For a free sample issue download on Coral Reefs. The Sport Science issue is available from the order page.The interactive issues are also available for download.


FINAL WORD
Science Weekly is a fun supplemental tool but could be cost prohibitive for larger families unless the subscriptions were part of a group buy. With two kids, it isn't something that I would necessarily put on the "must buy" list for our curriculum at $19.95 but would love to have it at $4.95 per kid. I love the interactive part of the site too and those are available free for download to print at home. Science Weekly would make a great addition to our Workboxes.

Legal Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew I received a sample set of Science Weekly free of charge for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Who Is God? (And Can I Really Know Him?)

When planning out our homeschool year, the thought never occurred to me to use a bible curriculum. I don't know why since my husband and I started our life together (even before we married) working with youth teaching them the about the bible. When we began homeschooling I started the boys memorizing the books of the bible and scriptures and thought that was good enough. Then I started hearing about others teaching bible class and actual curriculums as part of their daily lessons. Christian schools do it- why not homeschools too?

Who Is God? And How Can I Really Know Him? is an amazing bible curriculum designed for families. It makes a perfect homeschool curriculum. Published by Apologia, I immediately trusted that the information presented would be what I wanted my kids to learn. The lessons are straight forward, biblical and easily adaptable across a range of ages from young elementary through middle school. They even designed a sample plan for how to implement the lessons over a two week time period.

True to Apologia format, an important part of the curriculum is notebooking. Notebooking is basically writing what you have learned from a lesson in a notebook. It allows the student to put in their own words what they heard in the lesson and allows the teacher to see what information was retained. It is also great for looking back on the year to see what was discovered. We have not done a whole lot of notebooking before now and loved the format.

Written conversationally to the student, it was easy for my first graders to understand what was being taught. I love that each lesson is full of activities complete with supply list so everything needed for a lesson can be gathered easily. Another thing that was high on the thumbs-up list for our family was that students are encouraged to look up scriptures for themselves. Our boys received bibles for Christmas and are just now beginning to look passages up on their own to read as we memorize them. They loved being able to find the scriptures listed on the lessons in their own bibles and memorize the scriptures from the lessons. Hands-on activities are sprinkled throughout the lessons along (including recipes which are always a big hit in our homeschool!) Vocabulary words are in bold throughout the lessons with the definitions and descriptions following.

There are plenty of questions listed throughout each lesson which really appealed to Farm Boy since he asks questions from the time he wakes until after he is in the bed (and sometimes in the middle of the night!!) The questions challenged us to think about what was being asked and elaborated on the topic as we went deeper into the subject matter.

The table of contents and my favorite, a sample lesson (straight from the book!!) are available on the website if you would like to take a peak inside! Sign up for their free monthly newsletter which includes lesson plans and samples and even a chance to win a free online course for the 2011-2012 school year.

Who Is God? (And Can I Really Know Him?)

Apologia Press

Hardback, $39.00

Legal Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew I received Who Is God And Can I Really know Him? free of charge from Apologia for the purpose of review and exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Math Rider

My boys are in love with learning math facts. They BEG me to work on them everyday. Several times a day. Wondering how I got them to LOVE learning math facts? I sent them on a quest. To save a princess. On horseback. In Mathland.

It was brilliant really. Wish I could take credit for it. But alas, it was not I, but the amazing folks who created the math program for our latest review.

Math Rider is an interactive intelligent math game where a player completes certain tasks to earn quest points. The tasks are completed by riding your horse through Mathland. There are hurdles to jump as you make your way through the quest. The stories are cute and players can check their progress on a map after completing part of the journey. Returning a gem and rescuing a princess are much more fun than flashcards. Seriously. ;)

Math Rider adapts to what the child knows and struggles with. More difficult problems are repeated until the child answers them easily. The speed of riding changes as well depending on how fast the problems are answered. Math Rider is great for learning the all the basic math operations. Because the controls are easy (typing the answer and pressing enter) Music Man was able to handle this game easily as well.
 

Then the child (or mom can check the progress at the end of the run and see what was accomplished. I always have my boys call me over to the computer when they finish a run so we can talk about the problems they were struggling with. they also like to show me where they are in the quest by clicking the animated map.

The statistics screen also allows you to see the problem areas.

Practice runs allow a player to choose a specific number or numbers to practice but they do not count towards your quest. Since we started our math facts with the higher numbers rather than the lower numbers, I would have loved the option to choose in the actual quest. There are four difficulty levels with different story lines (quests) to complete.

• Easy (0-5) 
• Medium (0-10)
• Advanced (0-12)
• Master

 We worked hard to try to get to Master but never made it past 22% mastery in addition. (I think that was due to us starting with the 9s instead of the lower numbers when we began learning math facts.) I think I'll be buying this game so he can finish the quest. :) The price is a steal for the joy of watching them learn math facts on their own!!

Want to see it in action??

 From the website::

System Requirements:

MathRider uses the Adobe® AIR™ runtime. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. You will need about 80MB of available hard disk space on your computer and your monitor (and graphics card) need to support at least a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels.

Order Math Rider through instant download for only $37!


And always a big plus in my book: a 30 Day Risk-Free Guarantee!!

Legal Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew I received a two-month download of Math Rider from Sharper Edge Pty Ltd free of charge for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: The Curiosity Files™: Blue Diamond

TOS Review: The Curiosity Files™: Blue Diamond

Children are by nature curious. Boys, I think, get a double gene for curiosity. :) Farm Boy has always had a great interest in learning in general but science in all forms really excites him. He loves nature, loves geology, and especially loves rocks. He was totally psyched when we were able to choose from a variety of  The Curiosity Files™ eBooks and was completely awed by the Blue Diamond.

The Curiosity Files™: Blue Diamond

Explorations With Professor Ana Lyze—Expert in Outlandish Oddities

A FUN unit study for kids ages 8–13

Professor Ana Lyze (love the play on words!!) is the main character in The Curiosity Files™ eBooks. She is funny and straight to the point. Each of nine-eBook series is full of factual information and funny descriptions that really help paint a picture for kids. (I never would have imagined that you could liken the formation of rocks to baking a cake but it really made my boys -and me- understand how it works!)  

The Curiosity Files™ eBooks are a complete unit study curriculum! Unit studies are a great break from our regular homeschool schedule. We really enjoy the hands-on activities and learning experiences. (Melting crayons is always fun!) Mom will appreciate how the projects lists use easy-to find items and tell you very plainly how to do it and the kids will enjoy how Mom isn't stressed about how and when to do the "fun stuff." (That NEVER happens here, lol!) 

The Curiosity Files™: Blue Diamond is packed full of content including:  

• hyperlinked contents pages and websites throughout the eBook
• Everything You Never Wanted to Know About the Blue Diamond
• In the Beginning (Bible)
• Figure It Out (word problems, measuring, graphing)
• The Write Stuff (essays)
• Spelling and Vocabulary (lists and activities such as crosswords)
• Copywork for printing and cursive
• In the Lab (geology experiments and hands-on activities like making molten rock from crayons)
• Let's Get Creative (arts-and-crafts projects)
• Read All About It (book lists)
• Hands-On Activities
• Wanna Learn More (links to other information on blue diamonds)

In short, The Curiosity Files™eBooks are designed in a fun, fresh format like no other homeschool unit studies I have seen. I personally LOVE them and I think you will too! 

Check out a sample of or purchase your own copy today! 

eBook Format $6.95

9 Pack eBook Bundle $46.00

9 Pack CD Bundle $49.00

Check out the Homeschool Dollar Store at TOS for several of  

The Curiosity Files™ on sale for only $1!!!

Did you know all E-Books published by The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine come with a 7-day, 100% money-back guarantee?! Amazing!

Legal Disclaimer: I received The Curiosity Files™: Blue Diamond free of charge from The Old Schoolhouse for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and opinions expressed are my own. 

TOS Review: Maestro Classics Peter and the Wolf

My introduction to classical music came in middle school when I began playing the clarinet in beginning band. It was an amazing thing to hear a story play out through the instruments. Though my instrument has sat in my closet for many years, I have never let go of my love for the symphony.

It has been a desire of mine to have my own children love the symphony as much as I do. I wasn't really sure how to introduce them to the symphony though since having boys means they don't really want to sit still for very long. Throw in a little ADHD and sensory issues and you have a recipe for disaster when attending a full length production at a theater. And then it happened. I received a notice that TOS would be reviewing Maestro Classic's Peter and the Wolf. I was so excited and promptly went to their website to see what Maestro Classics was all about. I was immediately impressed.

Maestro Classics has taken the guesswork out of introducing classical music to children. Chosen works are arranged and conducted by Stephen Simon and played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They are narrated by Yadu, "the original narrator for Stories in MusicTM concerts at the Kennedy Center." In the Introduction track, he explains which instruments are playing which character in the music. It was amazing to hear the descriptions, even for one who can usually tell what it going on.

Maestro Classics has taken some of the most world-renowned pieces of music and narrated them for children. Other pieces in the series are The Tortoise and the Hare, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Designed for children ages 5 and up, these CDs are a wonderful introduction to the symphony and classical music.

Included on the CD is more than just a narration of the classic. You also get the full length instrumental version as well as various other learning helps for teaching about classical music. Also included is an activity book packed with information and fun things for kids to do. This "music lesson in a box" is a wonderful introduction to the world of classical music. On the newly designed website you will find curriculum guides and articles for use in homeschool and in a classroom. Would you believe they even have the sheet music to download in PDF!? I printed out Peter and the Wolf and surprised my kids with an impromptu concert by yours truly. (Yea, I've still got it - lol!)


Maestro Classics
http://www.maestroclassics.com/
888.540.2811
info@MaestroCassics.com


Ages 5 and up
$16.98 each or
3 for $45 with coupon code MAESTRO45

I received Peter and the Wolf free of charge from Maestro Classics for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Math Facts NOW

I hated memorizing math facts as a child. We drilled with flashcards and it was so boring! Although I think it is very important that my kids memorize math facts, I wanted to find a better way than drilling with flashcards until they memorized them. Math Facts Now! IS that better way!

Math Facts NOW! is a desktop computer program that drills all basic operations of math. The parent sets up the program by creating an account for each child, and then makes the assignments. For each assignment, the parent chooses the operation and the specific number(s) you want your child to drill. Parents also designate number of problems that must be completed correctly before the lesson is finished. Parents can even add a reward in for completion of the lesson which shows up after the lesson is completed! The child can then choose the assignment and get to work. A problem must be answered correctly and in the designated time frame (set by the parent between 2 and 60 seconds) or the student must type the problem out a minimum of two times (again set by the parent.) Parents can view and print reports on how assignments are completed. 

 

Math Facts NOW! is a bargain at $15.95 for the downloadable version or CD version!

Pros: I love this program. It is fun and challenging. Great price!! I love that the program is so customizable to suit each child's needs. Free technical support is offered through phone or email!

Cons: For special needs kids who may take longer to type the answers, it would be nice to set the time limit longer than 60 seconds. Other than that - we loved it!!

I received Math Facts NOW! 2.0  free of charge for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

 

TOS Review: Telling Time with the Master Clock

In our very digital age when penmanship is considered outdated and card catalogs are obsolete, an analog clock could also be revered as a thing of the past. Watches are digital, if worn at all. It seems America's main time telling piece is a cell phone!

Master Innovations aims to combat some of the digital age with a simple and effective way of teaching time telling concepts through The Master Clock. The Master Clock curriculum is a breath of fresh air for homeschools and classrooms competing with the digital age. The 100-page workbook is filled with worksheets for all levels of time-telling. The three geared hands are color coordinated with three clear overlays for measuring time in varied increments. And they are also fun to adjust. :)

I've said before that when Music Man came home last summer he could not read a calendar, tell time or work a simple addition problem. As we worked on the very basic of math skills, he started to thrive. Especially as we took the time he needed to grasp the concept rather than adhering to the state mandated time constraints. I began, without a curriculum, explaining little things to Music Man as we de-schooled through the summer. We did not really begin looking at time until the fall (of '09) and once he got the hang of time to the quarter-hour, his grasp of time came to somewhat of a stand-still. So we put time aside and focused on something else. When we received Master Clock to review, I was thrilled and have not been disappointed! He is able to see so much more clearly the correlation between hours, minutes and seconds through the colors and layers of the Master Clock.

Master Clock is a bargain at $14.95! Other products available include Master Ruler, Master Fractions, Master Angles. (They are all on my list for upper level math learning!) 

Want to see the Master Clock in action??

I received Master Clock free of charge from Master Innovations for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received. The opinions expressed are my own.

TOS Review: Buckets O' Fun

It is almost certain that if you have boys, you anticipate dirty things, creepy-crawly things or yucky things. It is just part of their life and what makes them boys. There are exceptions to the rule, my Music Man for instance, but for the most part, moms deal with these things and just blame it on "boys will be boys."


Buckets-O-Fun makes clean yucky fun! Made from polymers, this non-toxic substance takes on several forms depending on which Yuck is being played with.

Sticky Yuck

Saucy Yuck

Snowy Yuck

Chunky Yuck

Marketed originally for youth groups, Buckets-O-Fun would be great for science class! I would have loved to try out some of the suggestions mentioned such as Saucy on a Slip N Slide or in a water balloon but being it is fall here, it was a bit too cool outside to try those. :) Other suggestions include Pirate's Treasure (hiding toys in it), Saucy on a Slip-N-Slide, Yuck Wrestling, and a Yuck Balloon Toss! Can you imagine the mess when it breaks?


My first thought when I received my samples was the sensory input. Music Man has never liked getting dirty and usually takes a while to warm up to a new texture. (The kid still hates the feel of grass or sand under his feet.) Yucks could be very useful for occupational and speech therapists who are treating kids with tactile aversions.


Want to see it in action? Check out these YouTube videos!

Buckets O' Fun

http://www.buckets-o-fun.com/
Prices range from $16-20 for one pound of Yuck
Ages 5-95

** Due to chemical allergies in my boys, I was the sole reviewer for these products. 

Music Man and Farm Boy did not actually play with the Yucks. **

I received several samples free of charge from Buckets-O-Fun for the purpose of review. 

No other compensation was received.

Pictures ARE Worth A Thousand Words (Or At Least 210 Words!)

I seriously wish I had had Vocabulary Cartoons as a kid. I am such a visual person that mnemonics have always been something I relied on to help me through daily life. I learned early that by making up a silly rhyme or using one already thought up would help me remember something for a test. 


Or someone's name. 


Or how to make my kids' favorite breakfast. 


Oh yes, now the truth comes out about the way I memorize recipes. Well, anyway. That's another post.


The tag line, "Kids Learn a Word a Minute and Never Forget It" is true in our house. Designed for elementary aged kids, my second-ish graders loved the book! There are 210 cute cartoons that create a visual, giving the student an edge in remembering what the word means. Definitions and pronunciation guides are also listed with a separate page dedicated to each single word.

  

I am a big fan of online samples. Many a time, samples are the deal maker for me purchasing a curriculum helper for our homeschool since it gives me a chance to see if something is really a good fit for us. Vocabulary Cartoon's fourteen (!!) pages of samples are straight from the book! One of my favorites is actually the first one in the book and the first one we learned. 

Farm Boy, my youngest, loved Vocabulary Cartoons so much and will still laugh about "abducting a duck!"


This book is great for independent learners who need some extra work to do or for students who struggle in vocabulary. And for public schoolteachers, there are blackline masters, PDF formatted discs, and overhead transparencies, in addition to the books. 


Still not convinced? Here is a word list in its entirety!


In short, we loved this book and cannot wait until we are ready for the SAT Prep volumes!  


The Details

Vocabulary Cartoons from New Monic Books (Love it - even the company name is a play on words!) 

$12.95 each

Age: 3rd-6th grade

------

I received Vocabulary Cartoons from New Monic Books for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and these opinions are my own.

I Made the Crew!!!

The TOS Homeschool Crew, that is! I am so absolutely thrilled! I received an email about a week ago but it got buried in my inbox since we were at the Special Olympics Summer State Games in Atlanta. I was finally cleaning out my inbox on Saturday night and found the "Congrats" email! Woo Hoo!

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I will be a homeschool product tester/reviewer for the next year starting in July. We will have the opportunity to try out some new products and then dish about them on my blog! I am super excited! (Can you tell??) My first two try-out reviews were for Download N Go Expedition Austrailia and When I Grow Up ... I Wanna Be a Firefighter!


Bear with me as I bask in the excitement a few more days! :)

TOS REVIEW: Download N Go Expedition Austrailia

Farm Boy is my geography nut. He has loved maps from a very young age and now, at six years old, can name and point out almost all of the 50 United States on his wall map. He enjoys world geography as well and often asks about different countries. One of his favorites is Australia.(I have a cousin living there and he thinks that is super cool!) This week we had an opportunity to learn more about Australia through Download N Go Expedition Australia!

This ebook was very well organized and told me what to expect out of it in the intro letter/description. There are "five daily lessons with lapbook components for each day." For someone who has never lapbooked before, this was absolutely the best way to begin! There were book suggestions for each day, some kind of video and links to other websites with tons of information about Australia! The vocabulary words were right on target for my kindergartners.

Music Man has trouble with drawing and writing so he was able to dictate his answers easily while I filled in the blanks for him. (We just skipped the drawings for the most part!) We haven't tried lapbooking before because he also has trouble with cutting. I quickly discovered the benefits of lapbooking as an occupational therapy activity.Cutting, gluing, coloring, thinking and planning were all part of the lapbooking experience.

There were tips throughout the ebook for the teacher such as how to "hide" the comments in YouTube in case something was posted there that you were prefer your kids not to see. I have been using YouTube for years and did not know how to do that!

I personally loved the recipes as I love trying things from different cultures! We were not able to work in an Australian meal during the week but plan to do it the weekend.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with this ebook. It is totally worth the price. I am even looking at writing a subscription into our school budget for next year. It is a must-have if you enjoy lapbooking. I know we do now!

Download N Go Series from The Old Schoolhouse Store and Amanda Bennett (Samples Available!)
Single Editions $7.95 with monthly, semester and yearly subscriptions available!
Ages:  K-4th Grade 
All ebooks published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine come with a Money-Back Guarantee!

PS I need to seek forgiveness for no new personal pictures the past few weeks. My camera is experiencing technical difficulties and my iPhone does not take blog-worthy photos.

Parenting Special Needs Magazine Winter '10

This issue features the son of a college friend of mine, Sarah Cook! It focuses on autism.Ain't he the cutest thing? His mom is a photographer too so the pictures of him are fab!

Parenting Special Needs Magazine

Money, Money!

This week's math lessons have focused on money. We dumped our big change jar out and I let the boys each have their own piles. They sorted the coins (using the pincher grasp for Music Man) and picked out anything that didn't belong in there (such as screws or foreign money.) Then we talked about what the different coins were and who was on them. The boys are fascinated by the Presidents this month since we just have the holiday and the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington. So we talked about the Presidents a bit as well. Then they were instructed to make $5 out of the coins. Farm Boy decided on two dollars worth of dimes, one of nickles, one from quarters and one from pennies. I showed him how to organize and stack the pennies so he could easier count my tens. Music Man struggled a bit with the difference between nickles, dimes and quarters. I abandoned him creating the dollars and just let him sort. We talked about the different shapes. We'll pick up money again at another time for him.

Two Months - Really??

It has been a while since I took so long to blog. The weather has been frightful the last few months and our computer was in a room that we don't heat up often. I came in today and realized there was much to blog on. However, I will just have to play catch up at another time.

There isn't a whole lot I can just begin blogging about because so much has happened since November!! I will attempt in the next few weeks to get you all caught up on our life since November.

The biggest news is that Farm Boy did not return to public school after the break. We are enjoying having him home with us and it has been good for Music Man and they learn from one another.

CURRENT CURRICULUMS
Explode the Code 1
Handwriting Without Tears
basic math - time, calendar, money, memorizing math facts
Bob Books
Exploring Creation with Zoology 1
Unit Study on Georgia

We are also taking some extra-curricular classes (PE, dance therapy class for Music Man and taekwondo for Farm Boy.) Several of the moms from the PE class are also talking about an American Sign Language class. We stay busy and it is tiring but I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Music Man still attends physical, occupational and speech therapies. So that's what we are up to at the moment.

A New Year and a New Student

(Note: When we moved to GA last year, we continually hyped to the boys that they would be "farm boys" once they moved to GA. We explained that they would be living in the country full time, something they had only done for a week at a time on visits to see their grandparents. My youngest son quickly adopted the name "Farm Boy" once I began using anonymous names for them online.)

Around Farm Boy's birthday, we gave him the choice between going back to "school-school" or staying home with us. He overwhelmingly chose to homeschool. We continued our regular homeschool plan through the Christmas break taking the week between Christmas and New Year's off, but getting in our regular three days with him during his break. We hit a few snags since he is a rule follower, lol! He kept wanting to tell me how to do things and that I was making a "sad /l/." His teacher at school-school apparently used this term as they were beginning to form their letters. I finally had to tell Farm Boy that Music Man and I wrote differently than he was taught and that he was going to have to choose which way he wanted to write. We'll see.

As we hit the mid-year slump that always visits in January, I am exploring new curriculums. Both boys are on the same level for many things (math, science and social studies.) I am planning to go back to Explode the Code 1 to teach them both all the way through. Farm Boy loves workbooks and worksheets. Music Man does not care for them.

So here we go! Two students! I am so glad to have us all together again and to be embarking fully on this adventure called homeschooling!

Homestead Academy: Calendar Math

We are beginning with the very basics of math (well, of every subject really!) Here is Music Man helping me organize our newly laminated calendar. He is putting them in number order and we will add them to our calendar later today.