Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Readers In Residence Volume 1 (Sleuth)

     For a couple of years, my precious little girl struggled with reading.  We tried many different avenues to help her learn to read.  I was frustrated. She was upset.  It wasn't an easy time for us. 

     THEN, one day it was like a light bulb went off.  She finally understood all the things we had been going over. All those phonics lessons and memorizing sight words paid off.  She was a READER!!!!  I think I cried a dozen times that day.  They were tears of joy.  My girl was no longer struggling in this area.  She went from reading stage 1 books to reading full chapter books in a short 6 months.  

      You can imagine how excited we were to be picked to receive and review Apologia Educational Ministries new homeschool reading curriculum Readers in Residence Volume 1 (Sleuth) by Debra Bell.  We love learning fun and educational ways to study books. 

      This curriculum teaches our children how to really dive into the books they read.  They are taught how to comprehend and understand what they are reading. It has a very unique way of guiding them through the process.  

      The All-In-One Student Text and Workbook is a great resource to walk you through how to examine a book from cover to cover.  The six units include:

• Unit 1: Sarah, Plain and Tall
• Unit 2: On Your Own Historical Fiction
• Unit 3: Charlotte's Web
• Unit 4: On Your Own Animal Fantasy
• Unit 5: Because of Winn-Dixie
• Unit 6: On Your Own Your Choice

      You will have to purchase the three books mentioned above in order to have them on hand for the unit studies.  We already had two of them so that worked out well for us.  

     Right away, my daughter loved this study.  She loves a good mystery and looking for "clues" to find out how to tell what a book is about was fun for her.  I loved how excited she was to learn how to become an expert reader.  

     

     As a planner, I really appreciated the daily schedule that came included with the student text. The schedule is for 32 weeks total, and I think it works out just perfect for the amount of work that needs to be completed.  During our review time, we were able to get through the first 6 weeks of the schedule as we worked for 5 days a week instead of the four that are recommended. The student work is broken up into modules then sections, and as you can see from the schedule above, you usually complete 1 to 3 sections each day. After you complete an entire module you will go through a checklist and you will be giving points based on how well your child completed each item on the checklist. This will help you see areas that may need more work before moving on. My daughter, who is in fourth grade, didn't have any problem finishing her daily schedule and didn't feel overwhelmed at all.  

     I asked Hope what her favorite part has been so far, and she said it was making the cover of her own book that she will be writing. She looks so happy with her idea.

     This curriculum is good for kids who need help with reading comprehension or children who would like to be able to better understand books they will be reading throughout their lives. It will help them build larger vocabularies.  I feel this will help Hope be able to get a better grasp on what she reads in God's Word, as it teaches ways to study the text, characters, and meanings behind the words on the page.  I feel teaching how to study is an important part of educating our kids.
   
     If you would like to read some more great reviews of this product, please come over to the Homeschool Review Crew website and see what others have to say.

     Have a blessed day!!!!

     

Help For Your Child That Fidgets

    We have a very active twelve-year-old son.  He has a hard time sitting still and is constantly fidgeting with everything within his grasp.  It can be very trying for us to get him to focus.  

     Recently we had been looking into getting him a cube that is good for children who fidget. They can be pricey, but it seemed like a good fit for him. We were so blessed to find one at our local $5 & Below store.  

     The minute he took it out of the box, we knew he was going to enjoy having it.  What really impressed me was the fact that he didn't touch anything at the grocery store that day.  Instead, he focused his attention on the cube.  He keeps it in his pocket and when he feels the need to fidget, he pulls it out and it keeps his mind and hands busy.

     The cube has 6 different sides with different activities.  

 

     The Pros of this little toy:

• Keeps his hands busy when we are out and about
• Keeps him focused as I teach or as he is listening to online classes
• Seems very durable and well built
• Small enough to place into his pocket
• He can use it anywhere 

   

    The Cons:

• Can get a bit noisy when he clicks it over and over
• Will irritate siblings if they are in earshot of it all day long

     

     I was happy to see this have such a positive effect on him.  I am glad that we found something that is helping him to concentrate.  There are days that I see him struggling and it hurts to see him like that.  I feel anything we can do for him is worth any price or effort on our part.  

     Do you have a child that fidgets?  How do you help them to focus and keep their hands to themselves?  I would love to hear from you. 

Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Web Design {CompuScholar, Inc.}

     My son, who is a Junior in high school,  was excited when he heard we were chosen to review the  Web Design course from CompuScholar, Inc. CompuScholar was previously known as Homeschool Programming. 

      He loves to learn all he can about computers. Web design was one aspect he had not studied before.  I knew this would be a good fit for him. 

     

     So what is required to begin this study:

• A student that can:

          1. Use a keyboard and mouse to select and run programs 

          2. Navigate application menu systems

          3. Can interact with their operating systems

          4. Should be able to load and save files on hard disk

          5. Should be able to use built-in operating systems.

• A computer that has internet access

      Right from the start, my son told me he liked the ease of use.  It was not difficult to sign in and the website was easy to navigate.  This is important for students.  They need to be able to log on and go right to the lesson they are on for the day. 

     The course covers these topics: 

     For a complete course syllabus and planner, you can visit the link posted on the web page Web Design.

      Before doing this review, I sat down with my son who is doing this course and asked him to give me a list of pros and cons.  I was pleasantly surprised to see his list.  There were many pros, but not one con.  Here is what he listed on his list:

• The course is very informative
• Everything is explained step by step
• It is simple to use.  You don't need an extensive background in computer to use this course
• The tests and work are easy to complete as long as you read the text and watch the videos.
• You don't need a high-powered computer to run the program
• He loved how they taught you to file exploring and organization
• He liked the fact that they frequently reminded you to backup your data
• He said this course was much better than any other ones he had checked out before

     As I went over the website, I too found it easy to navigate. I liked the fact that you can pick exactly what chapter of the course you want to study for the day.  If you are already proficient in one area you can choose another chapter.

  

     Along with Web Design, CompuScholar also offers other courses like Digital Savvy and Java Programming.  These are just a few of their wonderful online classes.  If you would like a full course overview and more information on how this works,  you can visit their site CompuScholar, Inc.  

   Each course has a list of prices with two types of subscription plans being self-led or teacher-led. They also allow you to choose the monthly or yearly plan. My son, because of his grade and age is following the self-led option.  I like the fact this site offers two options for families. I love the flexibility!

    CompuScholar has a wonderful and informative website, but they also offer some great knowledge on their Facebook page CompuScholar Homeschool and on their Twitter account HSProgramming.  I also enjoyed watching some of their videos on their You Tube Channel Homeschool Programming, Inc.

    I encourage you to check out this site if you want to obtain better computer skills or if your child is interested in Computer Science. These courses are great for junior high or senior high students, but if you are an adult that would like to learn more about these subjects it is wonderful for you too.  I know I have learned quite a bit from watching my son take his classes.  

     If you would like to read some other reviews on this product and others from CompuScholar, Inc., please come on over and check out the Homeschool Review Crew website.  

     

Our Homeschool Calendar

     When we began homeschooling 19 years ago, I was very rigid with our schedule.  I would try to follow the calendar of the local school district.  I didn't realize how much frustration it was bringing to our home until I read an article on being more flexible with your homeschooling calendar.  

     It was like someone took the blinders off. Could we really have a more relaxed agenda? Could we take days off to do family activities? The answer was YES!!!!  That day was a turning point in our homeschool.  

      I was excited to read about the 6 weeks on, 1 week off schedule.  It was a perfect fit for our family.  It took the pressure off of me and the children.  Our homeschooling days became more peaceful. We had something to look forward to and it made our household less stressed.  

      Here are our reasons we loved this set up:

•  During our week off, I would have time to catch up on household chores.
•  We could schedule family outings around our week off. 
•  It gave us time to relax after working hard for 6 weeks. That 1 week off, made a huge difference in attitudes.
•  It gave me a week to make out our assignment sheets for the next 6 weeks. 
•  We felt more in control of our schedule.

     The only negative to this schedule is a shorter summer break, but honestly, summer breaks were always too long anyway.  After 7 or 8 weeks off, my kids were bored and looking for things to do. This new schedule gave them intermittent time off during the entire school year where they could have fun and not have time to get bored with their toys/games.  

     Lately, I have been reading about some new schedules families are trying like 4 weeks on, 1 week off, or 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off.  I am happy to see homeschoolers finding what works best for their family and not worrying about what others are doing.  It's important to find your niche.  I feel it makes for a happy home.  

     What schedule works best for your family?  I would love to hear some different ideas.  

 

     

Faith As Small As A Mustard Seed

     In my daily Bible study, I have been reading through the book of Luke.  As I read Luke 17, this verse really spoke to me. 

      After reading this verse several times, I realized that true faith in our Heavenly Father can cause great things to happen in our lives.  Do we realize how tiny a mustard seed is?  A typical seed is about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter.  That is so small, yet faith that small can cause BIG things to happen.  

      If we put our faith in God, He can use us in a mighty way.  He will take our little offerings and use them in a magnificent way.  He wants us to have a pure faith, one without doubt and unbelief. That is all it takes to make a huge difference.

    So how do we increase our faith?  

     When we study our Bible and spend time in prayer our faith is increased.  The more time we invest in learning God's Word, the more our faith will grow.  There a few ways to gain knowledge of the scriptures.  We can read it, listen to it on our devices, and purpose to get all we can when we hear it preached.  Christian devotionals are also a great way to obtain understanding of His Word.  

     I know I want to have a faith that can move mountains like Jesus spoke about in Matthew 17. I want to make a difference.  I want God to be able to use my life to glorify Him.  I don't want others to see me.  I want them to see Him.  I must work on having Mustard Seed Faith.  

     The area I need to work on most is having faith that God will take care of things out of my control. I am a person who wants to control everything, so this is a hard one for me.  Letting go is so difficult, but I am working on it one day at a time.  

     What areas do you lack faith?  Are you ready to have God use you in a mighty way? 

     

Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer

     I was intrigued by the cover of this book right from the start and was delighted to be chosen to review  Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer by Peggy Consolver - Author.

     Before reading a new book, I like to study a little bit about the author.

    Peggy Consolver is not only an author. She is a wife, mother, and teacher of God's Word.  She enjoys instructing others how to dig deeper into the Bible. Her experience from visiting lands mentioned in the Bible and being involved in an archeological dig gives her the knowledge she needed to help us visualize the setting of this book.  She isn't just describing an area that she has never visited.  The little details make the book come to life. 

     The story is about a young shepherd boy from Gibeon named Keshub whose family are potters.  It is set back in the days when the Hebrews were just coming out of the wilderness and beginning to conquer the lands that God had given to them. The family of Keshub fears that their land is next and begin spying on the Hebrews.  They believe they need to find a way for their land and family to be spared. 

     While this book is fiction, there is history weaved throughout it.  We see Biblical stories shine through as we read the adventures of Keshub's family and friends. I enjoyed seeing the faith that grew in the "Star Namer". This is the name they gave to the God of the Hebrews. This family saw the many ways He was helping the Israelites, and were amazed. They had heard many stories passed down from their ancestors and thought the God they were hearing about, may be the very one from these accounts.  

     If you love to read the Old Testament, you will enjoy this book.  It takes you on an adventure that is unlike any I have read before. Peggy's writing is so detailed.  You feel like you are right there.  I can't really describe how well she brings you into a period of history that is rarely illustrated in this way.  I love books that capture your imagination and explain scenes in vivid details that you can easily picture in your mind. 

      In my opinion, this book is best suited for high school students and adults.  It is 375 pages and requires a high level of comprehension.  In the back of the book, there is a group of discussion questions that can be used for personal use or for a small group.  These questions allow you to internalize the lessons found in the book.  You can compare what Keshub went through to what you go through today.  

     The book also has a companion study guide called Digging Deeper Into HIStory.  Along with the study guide, Peggy has listed a few wonderful research links and maps of sites where the book took place.  These links are very informative and I suggest you take a few moments to look them over as you consider buying this book.  

     If you would like more information about this wonderful book you can go to their Facebook page, Peggy Consolver or visit their website Digging Deeper with Peggy.  We also have some more great reviews for you to read over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  

    Have a blessed day!

Homeschool Review Crew: Review of The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic Set and 200 Questions About American History Set

     When I was in school, I didn't enjoy studying American History.  I didn't want my children to feel the same as I did.  I wanted to make American History interesting and fun for them to learn.  I was very happy when I was told we would be reviewing The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic Set and 200 Questions About American History Set by Memoria Press. This meant that two of my children would have the privilege of using this curriculum.  

     When the sets came in the mail, my older son, who is in the 11th grade, asked if he could be the one who taught the classes for these sets.  I was thrilled to hear Ryan wanted to be a part of this experience and agreed he could be the teacher.  He loves History and I knew he would only enhance what the books were going to teach. 

   

     Due to the amount of writing involved, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & Great Republic Set was used by our 12-year-old son, Josh.  He was a little apprehensive at first, but after hearing his big brother bring the stories from Guerber text to life,  he was excited to do the class each day.  The textbook is a great resource and reading it aloud made it fun for the kiddos. All children love to be read to no matter what age.  When they finished reading the textbook, Josh would open up the Student Guide and answer the questions. When he was finished, Ryan would check his answers in the Teacher Guide and then offer any help when Josh had difficulties answering the questions.  After completing 8 lessons, Josh would take the Test of those lessons. I feel the tests were a great way for me to see exactly what he was retaining. I was pleasantly surprised how well he did on each one. He was remembering most of what was being taught.   

      

     Our 9-year-old daughter, Hope used the 200 Questions About American History set. This set was made to be used with the Guerber text and Everything You Need To Know About American History Homework book. We happened to have this book already in our homeschool library, but since it is out of print, you can go to their website page with the  200 Questions About American History Set and get the compiled list of modifications to use instead. 

      Each day, Hope would sit in and listen to Ryan read the Guerber textbook, then she would come to me and we would read the pages from Everything You Need To Know About History Homework book.  She would then work independently to answer the questions in her Student Guide.  After she completed the questions that went along with the lessons read for the day, I would check her answers with the Teacher Guide.  We would discuss any questions she got wrong and I would quiz her with the wonderful flashcards that were included with the set.  It was a fun time for us. I got to see what she was learning and she enjoyed sharing her knowledge with her Mama.  

       This Student Guide has a few extras that helped reinforce the lessons.  Filling in the timeline of American History and going over the famous quotes that accompanied the daily lesson was very informative. The next part of the guide is reviewing the Presidents of the United States.  We will be filling those in soon as we memorize each of them. 

      On Fridays, Ryan would get out the flashcards and they would race to see who got the answer right first.  Josh and Hope love to play games, and this gave them another opportunity to go over what they were learning throughout the week.  It was a such a joy to watch them.  Their giggles were contagious.  Who would have thought learning History could be so much fun? 

     I absolutely love these two sets. This was just what I was looking for.  I have always wanted for my kids to be able to study History together and these sets made that possible.  It wasn't too hard for our 9-year-old and wasn't too easy for our 12-year-old. They worked together perfectly!  The Guerber Textbook was written very well and filled with information that even impressed our History buff.  As I listened to Ryan read to the kids, he would stop and say "Wow, that isn't in the other History books."  I knew that this set was teaching my children more than they had ever learned from their other History curriculum.  We will be praying about buying more of their wonderful resources for our next school year.  

    To learn more about these resources and much more please visit the website of Memoria Press, or their Facebook page: Memoria Press.  We also have some more reviews for you to read over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  I always enjoy seeing different perspectives of books we are considering for The Daley Academy. 

May God bless you!