HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF Creating A Masterpiece

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

      For the last month or so, we have had the wonderful opportunity to receive and review the  Art History Program from Creating A Masterpiece.  Our family loves to be creative and we enjoy it when we can get out our art supplies and just have some fun.  My daughter and I use the supplies more than anyone else in our house, but you will see my husband getting out his sketchpad and pencils once in a while. He is gifted in drawing but is a busy guy and doesn't get to use his skills as much as he would like.  I actually showed him this program and he said he wants to try his hand at a few projects next time he gets some time off. 

     Since we are doing this review during our summer break, we decided to just pick a few projects and have some fun trying to learn new techniques and such. However, this program is best used to complement an Art History Curriculum. They want to teach how to create art similar to different time periods like The Realism Period or Gothic Period.  

     Once you purchase your program, you will log in, and all your projects will be right there for you to choose from. Here is our Daley Art Studio Page.  From here we can pick what projects we would like to do. 

     There are different levels and media to choose from. The levels range from: 

• Core Beginner to Core Level 5
• Beginning Drawing 1 to Drawing Level 6
• Styles of Art History
• Historically Themed Projects
• Exploring the Art of Yesterday
• Capstone Program

     There are many different media that you will be taught as well such as:

• Acrylic
• Balsa Carving
• Batik
• Block Printing
• Colored Marker
• Colored Pencil
• Conté Crayon
• Copper Tooling
• Faux Metal Working
• Faux Stained Glass
• Glass Etching
• Glass Mosaic
• Gouache
• Ink
• Mixed Media
• Oil Painting
• Oil Pastel
• Pencil/Charcoal
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Silk Painting
• Soft Pastel
• Watercolor
• Watercolor Pencil
• Woodburning

     Each class has up to 7 lessons of videos to watch and a supply list of what you will need to complete the project you have chosen.  Most supplies are not expensive, but you really do get what you pay for when it comes to art supplies.  Sometimes cheaper ones are not easy to use or won't blend well like you need.  I enjoyed watching the videos and her instruction was simple.  She is encouraging and that makes all the difference when taking classes such as these. 

     The classes can be used for younger children but range clear up to adult level. I only hope one day to be able to complete the masterpiece level :) 

     My daughter had fun watching the videos and learning some new techniques with using Black Artagain Paper and soft pastels. You only had to purchase a few colors for the projects, but we decided to buy a kit of soft pastels since we love art so much.  Here is a couple of her creations.  She is a private person but allows me to share some of her creations here so you can see what the program can teach you. 

     Most of the time you will find her creating her masterpieces on our couch with her sketchpad and iPad for watching videos and such.  This program was great for its versatility! 

      Would you like to learn more about Creating A Masterpiece?  I would encourage you to check out their site or visit their social media pages listed below: 

FACEBOOK

YouTube

We also have more reviews of this program over on the Homeschool Review Crew site. Just click on the link below

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HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF CTCMATH

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

     For over 4 years now, our family has been blessed with amazing online math courses from CTCMath. In this review period, we were given a 12-month subscription with accounts for as many students in your immediate family as you need. Here is how CTCMath works.  After reading through my review, head on over there to check it out for yourself.  

     

    As a homeschooling mom, I have always had anxiety when it came to teaching high school math subjects like Geometry, Calculus, Algebra 2, and Trigonometry.  With CTCMath, I don't have to worry.  They are an Australian based company that teaches math lessons through videos. Their courses range from Kindergarten to 12th grade. They provide quality lessons for our children to learn what they need to know in a way that they will remember.

Here is what they offer:

• Video Tutorials
• Interactive Questions
• Worksheets and Solutions
• Reports of the Students Progress

    This time our daughter Hope, who is 14, is using the courses to learn Geometry.  She has been loving these courses so much.  She says she finally "gets math".  She has never been a fan of math since she is our avid reader.  She didn't want to take time out to really sit down and try to understand the skills taught in Geometry instead she kept putting off taking it.  Now she is enjoying it and learning so much along the way.  

     The lessons are short and easy to follow. She can sit down, watch the videos, and do her questions both online and off within a 45-minute time period.  After they watch the video, they do online questions. They can then print out a worksheet to reinforce their lesson and after they complete it, they can enter their answers online.  The parents are given all the answers to the questions so you can check their work as well.  

     The students work at their own pace and never feel rushed. They will not feel like they are competing, only learning! It doesn't matter how long it takes to understand a concept. You can watch the videos over and over again until you do.  It's that simple!!!  

      This math program is a great fit for our family. We have never had any issues with it and my kids are more confident in their math skills.  Our son Josh used it last year and scored the highest percentage he ever has in Math on his achievement test.  We can't wait to see how this helps Hope on her test.  Math is an important subject and with this program, you know you are giving your child the skills to master it.   

   Would you like to learn more about this program? I encourage you to look over their website CTCMath or check out their social media pages: 

Facebook 

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Instagram

We also have more reviews for you over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  Just click on the image below

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF Home School in the Woods

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

      Over the past few weeks we have been working through one of  Home School in the Woods Individual Timeline Sets (Grades K-12).  Ours is the Timeline Set: America's History (Explorers to 21st Century) This printable set is an amazing way to study characters and subjects from American History. From Leif Erikson to the attacks on our World Trade Center, you will get have the opportunity to study each timeline figure.

     Our daughter is a bit older so we decided to do a notebook study of each timeline figure. Each day we worked on the notebook we would take one or two figures to study.  She would either get online to learn more about them or we would head to the library to find a book about the timeline figure. I want to use this as her American History curriculum so I want her to take it slow and really learn about these timeline figures. She is very creative so I am allowing her to make up her notebook timeline the way she wants to then we are doing notes and/or essays on the side in her history notebook. 

     This set includes 4 different ways to use it. They have: 

• Wall size with text description 
• Wall size with just name and date
• Notebook size with text description
• Notebook size with just name and date

     We chose the notebook size with text description for her personal timeline. She has made her own timeline on cardstock and is using washi tape for the actual line. She also made her own cover page, but you can use the one that comes with the set.  For younger students, I would recommend using the Wall Size.  They will love cutting out the individual timeline figures and pasting them on their own timeline or sheet of paper to be hung on the wall.  You can hang them in time order and they will love seeing their work displayed on a daily basis.  You will be able to review easier with them if they are right there as well.  

     We have been using resources from Home School in the Woods for years now. They have been such a wonderful part of our homeschooling life. From these amazing timelines to Project Passport World History Studies, they will keep your students focused on learning with wonderful hands-on history activities. They have studies for Kindergarten all the way to high school.  You will never be disappointed if your child loves to work with their hands and enjoys creative ways to study history.  

     Would you like to know more about Home School in the Woods ? I would encourage you to check on their website and social media pages listed below:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

YouTube

We also have more reviews for this product and others on the Homeschool Review Crew site. Just click on the image below

                                     

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF EdAlive

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

     Recently we were given the opportunity to receive and review Baggin' the Dragon Maths Online from EdAlive. Our daughter has never enjoyed math classes but this took them to a whole new level and she has been having so much fun reviewing old skills and learning a few new ones.  

   EdAlive is an online learning company based in Australia. They pride themselves on teaching reading, writing, and math skills through fun games.  They make these subjects fun but also very educational. Students don't realize how much they are learning because the approach is all about exciting games that will help develop skills without making them boring.  

     The games on  EdAlive are for students of all ages and grades.  It doesn't matter if you are using it to introduce new skills or review old ones, this program can be a great asset to homeschooling families. I was pleasantly surprised to see our daughter enjoying math.  

    Baggin' the Dragon Maths Online is the course we were given to review.  This course teaches math skills while playing math games.  This is geared towards students ages 5-15 but can be used for older students as well.  Whether you are playing single games, multiplayer games, or just answering math questions, your child will be learning math operations.  These basic math skills will help them throughout their lives.  

   

  This can be used in conjunction with your math curriculum or alone depending on your needs.  The skills that are taught are: 

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Fractions
• Percentages
• Ratios & Proportions
• Geometry
• Algebra

     Our daughter was excited to sit down and play this game. The dread that she usually has about anything math was gone. She actually enjoyed answering the questions and beating the computer to earn achievements and meet her personal goals. I liked that the game learns how your student is doing and asks if the questions are too easy or too hard.  It wants to meet them where they are and make learning fun for them. When questions are too hard or too simple, students get frustrated or bored. It's important to teach at their level of learning and this game does just that. 

     There are more than 10,000 math questions that your student will be going through if they start at the beginning. It is endless fun!!! When I sat down with her to see how the game worked, I wanted to see the "questions only" section.  In this section of the game, you can pick what skill you want to focus on and I really liked that.  We went through a few skills such as Algebra and Geometry so I could see how much she knew, and I was happy to see she was doing well in these subjects. 

          Do you have a student that dreads math? Do you have a child that learns well with games? This may be a great fit for your family.  I would encourage you to check out this game and their others on their website EdAlive  or their social media pages listed below:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

YouTube

We also have more reviews of this product and others over on the Homeschool Review Crew site. Just click on the image below 👇👇👇👇👇

                          

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF Pursued to Eternity

 

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

     Our family loves to read.  We have so many books and bookshelves, some may think we overdo it a bit, but we just love books and reading! We were happy to hear we would be receiving and reviewing Pursued to Eternity by author John Riley and published by Covenant Books, Inc. We are always ready to read books that are wholesome and encourage us in our walk of faith.  

     John Riley has a Master of Science degree and worked for over 30 years as an engineer.  After retiring from engineering,  he and his wife Nancy, have been teaching subjects such as robotics and physics.  They have also helped students prepare for their SAT tests.  In addition to these, they teach courses on creation versus evolution.  Some of those courses, available on SchoolhouseTeachers.com, are also mentioned in this book.  His heart for teaching students about their Creator is evident in this book and in all he does. I am always excited to see others professing their belief and not afraid to speak about their love for God. 

     This is a soft-back book that is about 150 pages. It is geared towards teens in middle school and high school, but I feel parents and even some younger students will enjoy it as well. As a parent, I am always looking for resources that teach apologetics and this book is good for that.   

     

     

     Pursued to Eternity, is a book that describes God's pursuit of his children.  God wants us to search for Him as much as He pursues us.  He shows his great love for us all throughout history.  In this book, you will read about Conner and his brother Alan who are at odds with their beliefs.  Conner is a teacher and Christian who believes in the Bible with all his heart.  His brother Alan is an atheist and isn't interested in what Conner believes.  As you read through the story, you will see how God can work in the life of someone who doesn't believe and how He uses actual artifacts and history to do it. 

     My daughter and I are the ones who read through this book and we found it to be interesting, but sometimes it was a little hard to follow. We would suggest taking your time reading it and really think about what the author is trying to get across as the story progresses.  

     John Riley is clearly a man of God and wants others to see how wonderful His Creator is.  I am inspired by his creativity in this story and his passion for teaching Creation. 

     Would you like to know more about Pursued to Eternity ? I would encourage you to check our other reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew website.  Just click on the image below.

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF YWAM PUBLISHING

 

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

     Our family has been enjoying the wonderful books from YWAM Publishing for over 4 years now. We were thrilled to find out we would be receiving and reviewing HEROES OF HISTORY George Washington Carver: From Slave to Scientist from the Heroes of History series.  My daughter Hope wanted to read it first, so you will hear about what she learned from this book today.  

     This is a softback book that can withstand years of use. We have our oldest one from 2017 and it still looks great even with much use.  This particular book is 190 pages and can be used by students of all ages.  Younger ones may need help when reading through it, but older students will read it with ease.  They are written well and easy to understand.  My kids were in elementary school when we started reading them and now in high school they still enjoy them.  They keep your focus and will teach so many wonderful facts about the person you are reading about.  

     Hope is in the 9th grade and it took her about a week to read through this book.  We also went over the digital study guide to reinforce some things she was reading about.  The digital study guide has so many amazing applications.  It can be used for supplemental curriculum in areas such as: 

• Creative Writing
• Drama
• Movie Critiquing 
• Reading Comprehension
• Essay Writing 
• History and Geography Concepts

     I asked Hope what she learned from the book and she said with tears in her eyes, "Mom, I can't believe what this man endured yet he still managed to live a wonderful life."  George Washington Carver was a man that was kidnapped as a baby and taken into slavery.  Instead of allowing his past to hurt him, he chose to rise from it and learn everything he could. He lost so much yet gained far more. His perseverance brought him out of bondage and into a life of wonder and amazement.  He became a  wonderful and creative Scientist whose experiments saved the southern economy from poverty. 

     Even though this man suffered he picked himself up and didn't quit.  He never allowed people to tell him he couldn't do something.  He purposed to do good with his knowledge and he did it!  He was acknowledged by many for the creative ways he came up with to save farms and use resources. I encourage you to get this book and read it for yourself.  You will be inspired by his story.    

     Would you like to know more about YWAM Publishing?  Go check out their website and their social media pages listed below. 

FACEBOOK,  TWITTER,  INSTAGRAM, or PINTEREST

     We also have more reviews of this book and many others over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  Just click on the image below 👇👇👇👇

Feeling Overwhelmed? What To Do When You Feel Like Giving Up

     "Mom, I lost my workbook."

     "Honey, where are my keys?"

"Friend, will you babysit my kids all weekend?"

"Mrs. Daley, can you cook 48 cupcakes for the church bake sale?"

     From running errands, paying bills, answering emails, responding to texts,  to cooking for our families and cleaning our homes, our lives can get very hectic at times. Then as homeschooling moms, we get to add teaching, scheduling, and grading into the mix.  Day in and day out, we are bombarded with things that can overwhelm us.  So what do we do when we feel so overwhelmed that we want to give up?  You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that says "I CAN'T DO THIS FOR ONE MORE DAY".  I have been there a few times in our 21 years of homeschooling.  

     When I sit down feeling stressed, I think what can I do to make my life a little less nerve racking and the first thing that comes to mind in those wee hours of the morning is I could send the kids to school.  It sure would take a lot of pressure off of me and I could have 6 to 7 hours of quiet everyday where I could get things accomplished without distraction.  It isn't long before God brings to mind that He has called me to homeschool my children. It is my ministry in this season of life and if anything else is  keeping me from doing it with excellence, those are the things I have to give up. 

     I have had to give up a lot over the years, and I don't regret one thing.  When I felt like our homeschool was suffering due to my outside activities, I had a choice to make.  I could keep trying to do it all and get burned out or I could choose to let things go that were causing my anxiety. 

      I had to say no at times.  I couldn't let anyone take advantage of me just because I was home all day " just doing school".  I had to put our family first. I had to be obedient to the Lord and make sure that my kids were getting the best of me and not what was left over.  

     So, my advice to you is to sit back and look at your day to day life.  Are there things you could give up so that your homeschooling days are not so hectic?  Do you set time aside to take care of you, so you can take care of your family?  Are you able to say no when something may conflict with your homeschooling schedule?  

     Now don't get me wrong.  We still need to be hospitable.  We need to love on others.  We just need to do it as the Lord calls us to.  We need to follow the Holy Spirit's promptings.  If God is in it, we won't feel overwhelmed.  He will give us peace and strength to do what He has called us to do.  It is when we step out and aren't listening to Him that we get into trouble.  Make sure you pray about everything before you say "yes".  

     I hope this post encourages you.  I will be praying for you everyday! Remember to let God have control and make sure you are taking time to spend with Him each day.  He will always be there for you and will never fail you.