Excuse My Absence....

Well, it has been a month since my last post.  How did that happen?  Oh yes, I've been having a summer!  Hope all you moms & teachers have been taking a break.  Summer flies by too fast and is all to often (at least in my house) consumed by plans for the upcoming year and not enough laziness.

Today, I want to review for you a product that we've been using this month called Zane Education.  ZE is more of an online library of educational videos and resources on all topics for all ages.  It is a way to integrate a visual aspect of learning into your curriculum. 

When you log on to Zane, you can search by topic or by age level.  It has videos for Elementary, Middle School, High School, College and Adult.  I found several topics that I randomly clicked on, but found myself watching until the end because they were thought-provoking and new to me.

What makes Zane Education different from some other video learning sites, is the large, readable subtitles under all their videos.  On one hand, if you have a struggling reader, it could help them improve their reading, similar to read-along audio stories.  On the other hand, if you have an advanced reader, they could get frustrated reading the subtitles quickly and then waiting painstakingly for the narrator to catch up.  I have one of each in my household, so there were mixed reviews on that point.

I found the diversity of topics to be quite good.  I enjoyed videos on the Bayeaux Tapestry, The Lost Generation of Post WWI writers, as well as videos my kids will use for their upcoming study on the Erie Canal, Westward Expansion, as well as the Digestive System.  I noticed that the content of the videos seemed a little "kitschy", a la 1960's public service announcements, or in some cases, the old Disney educational filmstrips.  I couldn't tell whether they were old-fashioned or if the Zane people were just being nostalgic on purpose.  I didn't have a problem with them, but I'm wondering if modern kids will find them a tad silly.

Zane's video library does contain topics about puberty and sex education, but they do not come up when searching in the Elementary level videos.  However, the science section (and even the geography section) contains videos that focus on or mention evolution.  With a roll of the eyes, our family skips these.  We currently subscribe to a similar service of cartoon videos for various topics, and I find the same secular components in this service.  In some cases, it's better not to throw the baby out with the bathwater--we just use what we like and ignore the few things that we don't agree with.

Despite some negatives, including the annoying banner that covers the progress bar at the bottom of the video screen and the three icons on the video that seem to do nothing, I found that Zane Education videos are something we could use quite often.  This is especiallly due to the fact that they have downloadable lesson plans which include helpful vocabulary, an at-hand dictionary (I randomly plugged in the words "malicious" and "propogation" to try to trip up the system, but they were there!), a World Fact Book, a thesaurus, and a rather impressive encyclopedia. 

Students can even take online quizzes after viewing the videos in a particular section, which provides some assessment for the teacher. 

Click here to check out the pricing for memberships to Zane.  They range from $8.99 to $17.99 per month, depending on whether you want full access, access to all videos in a subject, or access to all videos in a grade level.  There are many choices, so check out which membership suits your needs.

Click here to see what other Crew members thought of Zane Education.

**I was provided full access to Zane Education for one year in exchange for an honest review.  I have received no other compensation, financial or otherwise.

IXL: A Fantastic Site for Math!!

I've heard my friends who have children in public school rant and rave about IXL.  They just love how their kids can work on their math skills at home, even over the summer.  Well, what product soon comes my way for review?  You guessed it!  It was meant to be....

The kids and I have thoroughly enjoyed IXL the last month or so.  It reviews every skill under the sun in the realm of Math, grades Pre-K to 8th grade, plus Algebra.  Advanced topics such as Trigonometry and Geometry are on their way to being added to the site soon. 

Within each grade level, there are seveal different topics and sub-topics.  For example, if you click on "Fourth Grade", there are 22 general topics to choose from (Money, Time, Fractions, Coordinate Graphs).  Within each topic, there are subtopics which match up to your state's standards.  For instance, in "Money", you will find 8 different money topics, including "Making Change", "Unit Pricing", "Rounding Money Amounts".  You see how it goes....

What I love about IXL is that you can set the grade level for each child and it is kept hidden from their view.  I have one that works below grade level (for now) and it is often deflating for him to see that constant reminder on some of his assignments and workbooks.  Right now, he just knows he works in Level E.  The problems are presented using colorful pictures or some other type of visual to help them understand the problem being asked.  In fact, the Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade problems come with an audio feature to read the problem to the student!  Love that!

You can set up your parent account to receive emails daily or weekly to receive progress reports on your child.  You will see what they have been working on, how long they worked, how many problems they completed and what the outcome was.  This is all presented in a very easy to understand report, complete with a pie chart to see where they have been spending their time.  When you are signed in with your Parent login, you can poke around in all of the levels, even trying out the problems, and no progress is recorded.  I loved that feature.  Sometimes you just want to see what they are going to ask your child (did we cover this?  is the difficulty too low, too high?  etc.)

You will receive notifications when your child has mastered a topic, worked 100 problems, worked on IXL for 1 hour, etc.  You are able to print nice, colorful certificates to present your child, right there from these progress emails.  This was a nice touch.  I started not to print them (my kids are about to enter 5th and 7th grade).  But they still appreciated the certificates, so I'm glad I did :)

One of the coolest things about IXL is the virtual reward system.  Once they reach certain goals, colored ribbons show up in their sidebar.  They can then go to the Awards screen and uncover virtual rewards, such as a yacht or a starfish, etc.  Even my oldest son got excited.  We would all gather around when he finished his lesson and when he revealed his award on the chart, he, myself and his younger brother would yell (in a really exaggerated way)  "Oh my goodness!!!! It's a walrus!!! Woo-hoo!!!"  LOL.

What you need to know about IXL is that it does not TEACH your child concepts.  It is designed to work ALONGSIDE your math curriculum as a review, skill-builder, extra-practice.  It will not present a lesson or lecture.  If it did that, we would abandon all math curricula and just do IXL forever.  That's what my kids want, anyway! 

According to the IXL website, here are the benefits of membership:

• Complete coverage of math curriculum from pre-K to algebra. Your kids won't miss a thing!
• Unlimited questions in over 2,000 skills.
• Fun and colorful practice formats.
• Questions that adapt to your child's ability, increasing in difficulty as they improve.
• Immediate feedback and question-specific explanations to solidify understanding of each concept.
• Audio for all pre-K through first-grade skills.
• Weekly e-mail updates on your child's progress.
• Informative, detailed reports pointing out successes and trouble spots.
• Awards and certificates for you and your children to print out as they reach important milestones.

Pricing for family memberships starts at just $9.95/month or $79/year. Each additional child costs $2/month or $20/year.  When my trial subscription is over, this is something I will definately be getting for the 2012-2013 school year.  I don't want to be without IXL again!

**Disclaimer:  I was given a 6-month trial subscription to test-drive IXL for review purposes.  No other compensation was provided to me and my honest opinion is what I have provided here.

See what the other reviewers from The Homeschool Crew Review Team thought about IXL here

Creation Illustrated Magazine

Creation Illustrated has been around for almost 20 years, yet it wasn't until I had a chance to review it this month, had I even heard of it.  Where have I been?  Probably perusing popular book-chains who would rather carry magazines whose covers I wish I could...well, COVER UP.  With Creation Illustrated, you don't have to worry about the cover.  It is not only family-friendly, it is beautiful!

 Creation Illustrated has been called the "Christian National Geographic" by many readers.  It is a publication that you'll want to read and then save to read again and again.  Each issue is a keepsake.

 Each issue contains motivational, uplifting articles that spotlight all of the wonderful thing that God has made for us to enjoy in this world, from the largest whale in the ocean, to the smallest eye on a fly.

This is a magazine devoted to nature, family and glorifying God in everything, even the pattern of a leaf or the stillness of a forest.  It truly is a treasure.  However, I didn't realize it at first glance.  My first thought was, "Where are all the cool graphics?  Where's the edgy, modern feel?".  But that's the point.  We get enough of that in society, on the news, in television programming, texts, tweets and whatever.  Creation Illustrated is something you'll pick up to read when you want to get away from all that and focus on the beauty of God's creation, while learning at the same time.  And while your kids are learning, they are also picking up great character and values from the content and tone of the articles, as well as the focus on scripture. 

I got a chance to peruse the last 4 issues and they seem to all follow the same format.  "In Nature", "In Scripture" and "In Living".  There are freelance articles and photography that are scrutinized for the upmost quality and content.  "In Nature" contains articles from a first-hand experience in nature by the author (Charlotte Mason would approve, I believe).  "In Scripture" contains lots of "creation confirmation" moments and news on scientific finds that support creation.  "In Living" will include recipes from nature, children's stories, photo contests for youth and (I love this part)...Instructional Guides!  You can use this magazine as part of your education with your children by using the guide questions to go with the articles. 

Creation Illustrated is published quarterly in the United States for $4.99 per issue.  You can also subscribe here, using the following rates:

1 year subscription is  $ 19.95
2 Year subscription is  $ 37.95
3 Year  subscription is $ 53.95

Those who pay now with a credit card will save another $5.00 per year per subscription.  ALSO, YOU MAY REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY TO CHECK IT OUR FOR YOURSELF!

**Disclaimer:  I received 4 free issues of the magazine to use for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions are mine, and no other compensation was provided.

See what the other reviewers thought about Creation Illustrated magazine here.

Buying Used----Frugally Homeschooling

For the second year in a row, I've worked at a large used curriculum sale in Orlando.  Boy, is it big!  It is also two days of hard-work, lifting, loading, categorizing, assisting shoppers and cleaning up.  I find it to be well-worth it for the spoils I bring home.  Yes, those are brand new 7th Grade Daily Grams workbooks for $5 each!  The Fallacy Detective for $3!  IEW Theme-based writing for $5! Novels in excellent condition for 50 cents!  Encyclopedias! Wall charts! Jonathan Park on audio! Biography magazines!  Card games!  Board Games!  Math Manipulatives!  I got nearly everything on my list this year in "gently used" or "brand new but discounted" condition.  I was thrilled!

All of this was purchased for $186, and some items were in the "FREE" area--oh, how I love free.

I used to be very snobbish about used items.  I liked everything to line up on my shelf in pristine condition so I could marvel at its perfection and beauty--LOL.  Now, after calculating the costs of homeschooling two boys in the manner in which I want to homeschool them, I've realized that it ain't cheap.  Ebay is fine, if you can find what you want and don't mind paying for shipping (or finding a box a packaging materials if you're the one selling).  But I much prefer to buy/sell to local homeschool moms.  I belong to two homeschool support groups and we are fortunate to have a "forum", where moms can chat about curriculum, field trips and used items up for grabs.  Also, just recently, a Facebook page was created for our area specializing in curriculum exchange.  So, it's been nice to get what I need for relatively little this year. 

I have had a few splurges......we bought Rosetta Stone Spanish at the Homeschool Convention (new, but at a great promotional price for Levels 1-3).  Sometimes I'm leary of buying software used, fearful that the alotted number of registered users has been surpassed and it will be unusable to me.  I've purchased used copies or borrowed Teaching Textbooks in the past and we were easily able to add new registered users to that, so I got lucky there.  Always do your research before buying anything with CD-ROMs.

Do you have a fantastic library?  Does it have used items for purchase?  I do and I have to say that is the #1 way I've built my personal collection over the past 15-20 years.  New, hardback versions of best-sellers and classics---$1, or even 50 cents!  Anything I no longer use that isn't "curriculum" or of possible interest to homeschooling families gets donated to my local library.  I like to give back to the service that has given so much to me :)

So, check out your area and see if they have used curriculum sales.  If they are small-scale, encourage more people to participate.  It's much more fun!  If nothing exists, create something!  Local churches are usually more than happy to provide a fellowship hall for use on a Saturday, in exchange for a small fee for electricity.  This can be re-couped by charging sellers $5 or $10 per table.  Everyone wins in the end and it's a great way to promote homeschooling in the area with signs and advertisements.  Never underestimate the power of word of mouth (i.e. Facebook posts!). 

Good luck with shopping frugally this summer!  I'd love to hear of your best deals!

Kimberly

Choices, Choices

I'm just back from the FPEA, Florida Homeschool Convention in Orlando, FL!  This was my second year venturing out to the Gaylord Palms Resort for another relaxing, overwhelming, encouraging and moving weekend. 

This time I vowed to spend more time in the speakers' sessions and less time in the Exhibit Hall shopping.  But you know how that goes......All in all, we made it to three seminars all weekend.  But how many hours did we spend perusing curricula in the Exhibit Hall?  I lost count.

Here are the things I was looking for and the things I'm still contemplating for 2012-2013:

Core/History:  Tapestry of Grace, Year 3 (the 1800's).  I've used this curriculum for two years in a row--hoping to use it for a third if I can find it used at the right price (or borrow it--hint, hint).  I love the classical model for education and Tapestry is the ultimate in my opinion.  It's overwhelming to look at, but I use it as a foundation for history, literature and activities. 

I like to use Story of the World alongside Tapestry and this year we will be vaccilating between Volume 3 and 4.  The booklist for this year is exhaustive, consisting mostly of books on the Louisiana Purchase, Westward Expansion, the Civil War, the Underground Railroad and the Industrial Revolution.  Lots of good titles for history and literature in this mix!  I also purchased two of Greathall Productions storytelling CDs for history (Lewis & Clark and Abe Lincoln).

Math:  Continuing with Teaching Textbooks.  This year, Math5 and Math6. 

Science:  For the first time, I'm farming this subject out with a local Young Anatomist Class in a nearby town.  Looking forward to letting an expert who is passionate about science take the reigns from me for at least one subject!  We will continue to stay engaged with quality science documentaries as we have time.

Grammar:  First Language Lessons has come to the end of its available levels, so we are moving to Winston Grammar.  Also keeping with Daily Grams for daily grammar warm-ups.

Spelling:  This one has been the bane of my existence since the beginning.....the first program we tried was called Spelling Power, but it wasn't the "genuine" Spelling Power that everyone loves.  It was some knock-off brand of workbooks with (you'll never guess)....spelling errors!!  I was appalled.  We switched to Sequential Spelling, but it wasn't sticking with them.  We have used a Harcourt workbook from Barnes and Noble for the rest of this year and it's worked okay.  My 10 year old flew through the 6th grade book with hardly any errors.  My 12 year old, who struggles with spelling, was having a lot of difficulty, though. So I have two problems.  To find a better hands-on method of teaching basic phonics to my 12 year old so that he can fill those mental gaps and become a better speller.  And also, to properly challenge my 10 year old, who seems to have a photographic memory! 

This year, I'm trying All About Spelling Level 5 for my struggling speller.  I'm still learning the program, but it appears to use letter tiles to incorporate a kinesthetic element.  It is promoted by IEW as a forerunner for Phonetic Zoo.  I'm hopeful.

For my spelling whiz, I'm hoping to take a closer look at MegaWords, or just have him study the Abeka Spelling Challenges book, which is designed for Spelling Bees and Competitions.  Still accepting suggestions in this area!

Handwriting:  Cursive Connections

Bible/Worldview:  I thought we'd read through Ken Ham's Answers, Books 1-3, as well as go through God's Great Covenant (New Testament), which was a product I reviewed this year.

Critical Thinking:  My kids go cuckoo for analogies and logic puzzles, so I didn't want to deprive them.  Thought we try Inference Jones, and continue with the next level of Perplexors by MindWare.

Writing:  I have to admit, we fell off the IEW wagon around Christmastime, due to my taking a second job.  It just felt like too much.  By doing so, I've noticed a significant drop in the quality of the kids' writing.  We are getting back on the straight and narrow and going back to basics with Student Writing Intensive A.  As we move through the year, I thought "All Things Fun and Fascinating" or "Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales" would be a good themed unit to use with the program.

Reading Comprehension/Test Prep:  McCall-Crabbs Reading Comprehension booklets are so cheap $3.95, and the lessons are short and sweet, I couldn't resist.

Vocabulary:  Worldly Wise 3000, Grades 5 and 6

Foreign Language:  So excited for the whole family to try Rosetta Stone Latin American Spanish, Level 1!  I absolutely loved the look of it at the convention.  It's tried and true--I hope it works for us!

Typing:  Typing Instructor Platinum, Version 21 for PC.  The Typing Instructor for Kids, from the same company, looked a little cutesy for my boys, so I thought I'd bump them up to this level which still looks fun.

Art:  A friend and I are toying with the idea of an art/art history co-op.  Looking at God and the History of Art or Simply Draw with Bob Parsons.  There really isn't that great of a selection when it comes to drawing programs.  Still dilligently looking!  This year, I want to study Chagall, Matisse, Hopper, Rockwell, Warhol and O'Keefe.  I know I'm going to use Mike Venezia's "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists".  Just need something of quality to help them with art instruction.

Memory Work:  Continuing with my Poor Man's Classical Conversations program that I created, memorizing any of the History Sentences that correspond with what we're studying or the Science Sentences that pertain to our topics.  I'm so proud that we've learned so many pertinent dates in history, scripture and poetry this year (and they actually UNDERSTAND what they've memorized!)

4H:  Archery and Riflery, possibly Etiquette (LOL)

Music:  continuing with piano for Solomon, guitar for Denver

We are headed toward our last half-week of school right around the corner.  I can't believe how it all flew by.  Looking forward to a summer full of relaxation, reading and beach trips!  I know the kids are ready :)

Write Shop Junior: A Review

Write Shop sent me a product to review this month!  It is the Write Shop Junior Book D, designed for 3rd and 4th graders (and maybe 5th graders who rebel at writing).  My Write Shop set came with a sturdy spiral-bound Teacher's Guide, the Student Activity Pack and the Time-Saver Pack.  You could complete this program without the Time-Saver Pack, but it is a nice addition for not alot of extra money and includes ready-made props for games you will use such a cards and spinners.  There are instructions for making your own items in the teacher's guide, though.




This is an example of what's in the Time Saver Pack.

 Each lesson is split into 8 sub-lessons, so you could finish each in 2-3 weeks depending on your schedule and pace. Topics for Junior Book D include:  Letters of Invitation, Humor, Adventure, Science Fiction, Mystery, Haiku, Folktales, Historical Fiction, Personal Narrative and Expository Writing. 

Lesson objectives are clearly stated and any materials needed or preparation on the teacher's part is marked write at the beginning of each lesson.  There are some parts that are scripted for you.  Take just 10-15 minutes or so and look over what you'll be teaching each day before you get started.  It will make everything run smoother!

"Brainstorming Cake"

Lesson Plan example

WriteShop Junior teaches children to:

Discern between fiction and nonfiction
Identify and write in different genres
Narrow a broad topic to a specific topic
Organize ideas before writing
Learn about characters and plot
Write details about story setting
Develop the middle of the story and make it interesting
Choose strong words instead of weak ones
Use descriptive writing
Develop voice and show emotion in their writing
Vary sentence length
Use proofreading marks
Develop and improve self-editing skills
Use reference materials
Write a 5-paragraph composition (Books E and F)

A highlight of this program is that children will make and use 10 Portable Grammar Guides throughout the year which will help them with skills such as punctuation, grammar and parts of speech, as well as self-editing.  The Fold-N-Go Grammar Packs are one one side of the student folder, while the other side holds the Student Worksheets.  They are in a gummed "rip-out" tablet format, which makes it very easy for copying for multiple students to use if you wish.

The Time Saver Pack has cards and game pieces to cut out to play various games that are included in the lesson plans to reinforce the concepts. 

You can purchase Write Shop Junior products at this site.  You will also find Write Shop Primary products for younger students at this site.  The Write Shop Teacher's Guide is available for $39.95 for the print version and $34.95 for the downloadable version.  The Student Activity Pack is available for $39.95/$29.95.  The optional Time Saver Pack is available for $13.95 (same price for print or digital download.

Junior Book D is new for Spring 2012!  Be sure to take a look at all the products they offer and see which is "write" for your child ---(ha ha....couldn't resist..)

Click here to read other reviews of Write Shop from my friends at the Homeschool Crew!

Disclaimer:  I was provided with the products listed above to review honestly.  No other compensation was provided to me.

Homeschool Library Builder

Homeschool Library Builder is an online compay that specializes in helping you build your classroom library without breaking your budget.  This is the time of year that we're all meticulously planning out next year's school year, looking at curriculum and the corresponding reading lists that go with them.  Sometimes I think, "Hmmm.. I could by a compact car for what all these books are going to cost me."  I have already tallied the retail value of the books JUST for history this year and the total was over $700. 

Homeschool Library Builder to the rescue.  They have new and used books in hardcover and softcover.  They also carry rare and vintage books, all categorized by author, subject, or even the curriculum in which they are used!  They have their books currenty categorized by some of the popular curricula:  Tapestry of Grace, Sonlight, Ambleside, Five in a Row and Beautiful Feet.

What sets HLB apart, is that you can build book points for every dollar you spend on their books and redeem them for discounts on future purchases. There is no cost to join their site and start building your points and your collection!

For the month of May, you can also receive 25% off anything on the website!

Go to this site and see how you can start building your classroom library for not a lot of cha-ching.

Disclaimer:  No compensation was provided for this review.

Click here to read what other TOS Crew members thought of Homeschool Library Builder!