Archive for Educational

5 Homeschool Products I’ve Tried and Loved!

April 23, 2009 · Filed under Books, Educational, Everyday Stuff, Great Gifts, Homeschool

I have fallen insanely behind on this website, I won’t waste time with excuses, but I still have SO many great products to share with you! I’m going to start doing 5 and 10 lists until I catch up a bit! Good for you, because you get 5 great products in one great read instead of me taking forever to tell you about them!

So here goes:

5 Homeschool Products that I’ve tried and LOVED!: (In no particular order)

1.  The Man on the Map- a VERY inventive look at our country. The Man on the Map first uses states shapes to create a man, then creates wonderful ways to remember the location of all the states!   

It compares states to mittens,  foods, clothing, elves, and more. My state is steaming gravy! What’s yours?

Get your copy today at the Schoolside Press, for only $19.95!!!

 

 

2. Schleich Toys- You’ve seen these guys before. Hard rubbery-plastic animals that kids (and adults) collect and play with.  Hand-painted in realistic colors. Besides the 008422378_259_quality of the product, the company is even better for thinking of EVERYTHING! They don’t offer just farm animals, but farm workers, farm vehicles,and more,  everything you’d need to truly create a mini farm. They don’t just do animals either, I fell in love with their Knights series years ago when a store I worked at sold them.  Prices vary based on exactly what you pick and can go from a few dollars to big money, but one thing doesn’t vary, the quality of each individual one! You can find them all over the web, and also a lot of toy or gift stores. My local craft stores even have them! And these definitely aren’t JUST for homeschoolers!

 

3. Critical Thinking Books- These great workbooks don’t simply teach counting or other lessons they teach you to think!  They have a wonderful range of books for all ages. Blu and I enjoy a preschool, age 3-4 year old, Mathmatical reasoning already! (He just turned two) Our book features more then 230 pages! Filled with colors, numbers, size, counting, shapes, and oh so much more! I KNOW I’ll be turning to this company for books time and time again! Our book is a complete curriculum that meets national standards. With Critical Thinking you can teach everything from basic shapes to complex Algebra!  If you check them out I know there will be AT LEAST one book you’ll want! 

 

4. Apologia Curriculum-  These science books are the best! They read more like a “Eyewitness” book, but features tons of hands on experiments and projects. Blu and I have done several together, but I can truly picture an older kid simply picking up the book and taking off with it! At the beginning of the book there is a list of EXACTLY what is needed for each lesson, and it IS split up by lesson! So you’re not buying a supply in November that you don’t need until March.  It even lists if you need water, it is that in depth!  One thing I love too is that they help you expand on the lesson to meet the interest level. A website to accompany the book, full of extra material, that helps you add to a lesson, or redo it for a specific area. For example in our book, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, there is a scavenger hunt on page 20, featuring everything from different colors of butterflies, to various leaves, but what if you live in a desert? Go to the website and get a different hunt sheet!  Now, this company IS Christian based, and it is mentioned throughout the book (“Some are strange and unusual, but all of them are a result of God’s special design…”) However I still recommend it to everyone! Even with all the books I have (trust me it’s a lot) I’ve never seen one that makes a bird feeder out of a juice bottle. A milk carton, a old box, a soda bottle with an attachment, they all have those, but the juice was new to me.  Also it was generally just so well done, and in depth. It covered everything from detailed bird parts, to air pressure, to types of nests (and who creates them.) The book prices vary, our Elementary Science is just $35, but higher levels are higher priced (usually $85) They also offer various lab equipment. Check them out on the web, and at quite a few homeschool conventions. 

 

 

5.  I’ve truly fallen in love with Five in a Row!  They are so well set-up and just so easy to put into action! We got Before Five in a Row, which is for a slightly younger crowd. Each book is broken down SO well to cover all the different subjects. For example in “The Quiet Way Home” math is counting daisies in an illustration of a field, science is  ears and the human body, to talk about colors simply use the title page! One great thing about it is that is covers everything for the days you just can’t figure it all out yourself, and also to help people who may not be use to dissecting a story this way.  It’s a simply way to insure that all the subject are covered without having to even crack open another book! Everything else you do is just extra, if you do anything else at all!! The variety of books cover all the way from ages 2 to above 12!  You can find them at their own website, at most homeschool supply places. 

 

So there you go, 5 products I’ve used for “homeschool” (in quotes since he’s only two) this school year, and have loved! Make sure you try them for next school year! Stay tuned for a Top List of items I WISH I had when Blu was a very little fellow!

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I’d like to Compliment this book, or is it Complement?

January 26, 2009 · Filed under Books, Educational, Homeschool

In case you didn’t know, compliment and complement are Homophones, words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Honestly I forgot what a homophone was in about 5th grade, so how do I know, because of All About Homophones, (and yes I did use the book to find homophones to use in the title.) So what is All About Homophones, it’s a teaching manual, but they call it a “complete toolkit for teaching homophones.” Truly, I really liked it! It refreshed my memory quickly about homophones, had a great intro, and is a great book for teaching homophones to your kids. Whether you’re a homeschooler or just adding to what your kids learn in school.

It really is a complete toolkit because it includes worksheets, games, riddles, a suggested book list, and more for grades one through eight (or is it ate?) It breaks down many pairs of homophones by grade level, and had some interesting thing thrown in just for fun.  It wasn’t a complicated lesson book, with pages of extra reading to wade through, it got straight to the point, and stayed there for all 250+ pages. It’s well separated by grade level, so it’s easy to use for one grade or several.

At first I thought the price seemed high for some worksheets, but as I continued through the book I saw all it really has to offer. As I continued through I became more and more impressed with it, and thought the price is actually really good, especially for 8 grade levels in one book!

What more can I say, I liked it, I think you will too! My advice though, pay the extra $2 and get the printed version, then you can make copies of individual pages that you need. A $2 savings isn’t much for an e-book in my opinion.  You can order yours, and see sample pages, on the website, All About Homophones. There are some really neat extras on the site too, check out the Homophone Machine!

Stay tuned, I’m reviewing the Spelling Curriculum too, All About Spelling!

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Have Resolutions?

January 11, 2009 · Filed under Books, Educational, For Dad, For Mom, Great Gifts, Homeschool

A belated welcome to the new year! If you are like most people you have some resolutions for the year. If your resolution is to clean your house more, or even to get better at math (or if you’re teaching your kid the same things!) check out Trigger Memory Systems. This stuff is neat! I got a few different products to review, and I’ll talk about the more resolution-like one first.

Clean N Flips! This books are simple, step by step guides to cleaning various areas. Okay, so they are intended for kids (and GREAT for them!) but to be honest I know they helped me too! Sure I’m beautiful, eloquent and amazing, but I could definitely be a better tidier! I thought the quick approach they target for kids is also good for busy, or A.D.D (or just absent minded) parents!

They make one for bedroom cleaning, and one for laundry, but let me tell you about the zone cleaning! It features three sections, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Not only can you mark who does each room, but give a time zone of when, AND write in special jobs for certain days. For a time zone you can be detailed, “At 10 A.M” or a little more lenient, “After breakfast!” Some special jobs would be things like bringing in wood for the fireplace on Monday only, or take out the trash on Wednesday. Each zone also has existing  jobs for one day a week, such as vacuuming the living room (actually done twice a week) mopping the kitchen floor, or scrubbing the toilet. Really versatile for families of all sizes. It is also dry erase to highlight steps completed. Which while it serves as a reminder and checklist for kids (and for mom to check behind them) can also serve a good purpose to a new housewife who is adjusting, especially with a baby.

Another product they have, that I truly think is just amazing (where was this when I was a kid?!?) is the Times Tales.  It’s a mnemonic-based way to learn the times tables. Each number3,4,6,7,8, and 9, has a pictured image, for example 8 is Mrs. Snowman.  Then you simply read very quick stories to the kids, without even explaining it is  math.  After the kids know the stories, tell them the points of it. Suddenly the story isn’t just that “Mrs. Snowman stood on her Chair to reach her 3 buttons and 2 mittens.” It’s “Oh 8×4=32!” I think that the stories are cute, quick to remember, and very helpful! Very thick pages, and high quality.

One complaint, and it’s a stupid one, the coiled bindings, like many coiled bindings,  tend to uncoil slowly right out of the book. I had less trouble with the coil on the Times Tales then I did on the smaller cleaning books.  Not such an issue, but worth mentioning.

These products are a great addition to your shelf, and I highly recommend them! The Zone cleaning is $18, and the smaller two cleaning are $8. The Times Tales is $30 and reusable for multiple children! Trigger Memory Systems has other products to for home education, be sure to check them out!

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Let’s get Arty!

January 6, 2009 · Filed under Books, Educational, Homeschool

When I received the Spears Art Studio art curriculum, at first I was really “blah” and didn’t really give it a chance. As an artsy craftsy person I thought it wouldn’t have a lot to offer me.  When I finally gave it a chance I was really impressed! For only $40 you can receive the complete teachers manual for K-8 on cd. (High school is also available) The whole thing is well arranged, and in PDF format. Included in the curriculum is 9 months of art lessons, arranged with one theme per week. Each weeks lesson includes ideas for various grades and skill levels. One thing I love is that the theme is the same, so if you are homeschooling a range of kids they can all create the same item, but at their skill level!

For example, the first week of January is Winter and Snow. First there is a page with the objectives, thoughts on the theme, and recommended images (old painting and drawings to look for that go with the theme.) Then since it is a Christian curriculum it also includes bible verses and a religious inspiration for the theme. If you aren’t religious, have no fear, I think the religious aspect could be overlooked easily and you’d still get a great curriculum for $40! The next page is the art for kindergarten, draw a snowman and add paper accents (mixed media,) then first grade draw a daytime snow scene (teaches drawing dimension.) Second graders  draw a nighttime snow scene, and third graders draw a monochromatic snow scene (using ink!) Fourth graders punch holes in paper with a pin to depict a snow scene, and fifth graders draw a monochromatic scene with coffee! See what I mean? Each child creates somewhat of the same item, and they could all be done at one table, but each child is expanding his skills!

Even as an adult craftsy type this curriculum gave me projects I wanted to do, or techniques I never learned!

Really I was just truly impressed! This one CD is simply SO jam packed with great info and ideas! She rounds off each lesson really well, complete with vocabulary words, and is so detailed in the steps! Each individual lesson, every grade, includes a picture of a finished example. Anytime she mentions something specific (a handhold for a pencil, a certain way to fold paper, etc) a diagram is right there to help you!

If you’re worried about finding the supplies, don’t be! Most are readily available, but she also has a section of her site to easily order through a major art supply retailer. She really simplified the whole process!

Once again you can buy grade K-8 (wow!) on one cd for $40, or high school for $30. She also offers a printed edition, arranged in a notebook, for a higher cost.  I really recommend it! Check it out for yourself (including free sample lessons) at Spears Art Studio!

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Do you Really want to know? Really?

December 22, 2008 · Filed under Educational, Everyday Stuff, Homeschool

I rarely have a review item that isn’t just amazing, but boy lately I’ve had some stinkers!  Unfortunately part of the job is telling my real opinion, even if I think the product stinks. One product I think stinks, Puppetools.  Please, please, really I’m begging you, don’t waste your money there! Why you ask?What could possibly be that bad? Oh shall I count the ways it rips?

1- Overpriced- Costing $20 for a 60 day trial, or $99 a year, the price is outrageous for the absolutely minisule amount of content.

2- Complete lack of content- The whole website is dedicated to the use of puppets in education, a very great idea. However, the entire website comes across as a sales pitch. It doesn’t seem like “oh this is the site I paid for,” but more like “oh so they want me to pay for more info? where?” As if they are pitching the use of puppets to get you to sign up for the actual site. After you log in you have access to videos of people using puppets, because of course you’ve never seen that before! Only about 30 actual puppet patterns, and a very few videos of how they construct their puppets. I found their instructions to leave me more puzzled then creative, and I craft all the time! You can also see pictures of lots of other puppets people have made, in case you are so uncreative that you can’t think to make a bear puppet, or a dog puppet. You can really see everything the site has to offer in an hour or less. If they offered a free one hour trial, or even paid 3 day trial, I doubt anyone would need to log in again after that! They would have no sales at all!

3- Complete lack of creativity- Seriously everything I saw was SO obvious. If you make a bear puppet, did you know you could use a “low, gruff voice” to make the bear talk? No? Really?? DUHH!!

4-  The man’s voice in the videos is dull and boring.

5- The hinge technique they use for puppets, while producing more options for puppet decorating, I found to be MUCH harder to control.  A paper plate folded in half is an easy alternative!

6- The whole website really is about WHY you should use puppets, not anything exceptional to put into use.  I can read reports about how play is important to learning without having to pay for it. If I pay for a puppet site, I want good, useful, creative ideas for exactly that, puppets!

The only time I’d recommend this site to ANYONE is if you had absolutely NO creativity and wanted to waste money. Even if you are uncreative, this website won’t exactly bring you ideas. So really I’d NEVER recommend this to anyone! To me, even if 20 teachers went in and paid for it together, paying only $5 a piece, they wasted their money.  Really the website should just be a free (or insanely cheap) educational reference. I don’t really understand what you are paying for! There is so little content. From what I can tell the only new content is pictures uploaded by other users, not the sites creators.

I could continue, but really, just spend your money somewhere else! If you want to spend $99 that badly, stock your craft area with felt, craft foam, google eyes, and more and make your own puppets!

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