Homeschool Programming, Inc. - TeenCoder - Review

Homeschool Programming Inc is the host for KidCoder and TeenCoder, an online computer science curriculum.  It is a self-study program where students move at their own pace.  

The KidCoder Visual Basics Series and KidCoder Web Series is for grades 4th -12th.  This is a light-hearted option for students exploring computer programming.

The TeenCoder C# Series and TeenCoder Java Series is for grades 9th -12th.  This latter option provides an excellent resource for computer science or elective credits for high school.  This course has a more in-depth study of computer programming.

Courses can be purchased separately for a one semester study, or coupled with another program.  Here is a picture of the suggested companion courses:

Learn more about each of these program options by clicking HERE.  I would like to share with you some of the aspects of the program that I liked and stood out to me.

• no prior computer programming experience is required
• each course is self-directed, so the student can move at his own pace
• lessons can be revisited easily
• each course comes with a solution guide and tests (yes, I'm a tester)
• free technical support is provided with each course
• the choice of a printed textbook of lessons, video lessons, or both! Click HERE to see some demo videos and click HERE to see sample pages of the text.

Trust me, there are many more features to this product, but these were real attention getters for me.  For this review, I was given the TeenCoder C# Series which includes the first semester Windows Programming and the second semester Game Programming.  So, this is what I will be referring to as I move forward.   

I allowed my 13 year old son to select which course he wanted to take and when he saw the Game Programming, it was an easy pick.  That will be our second semester course later on in this school year.  He can hardly wait until the final project where he will create his own video game!  But, for now, we are starting with Windows Programming.

Upon receiving access to the links for all of the downloads, I was anxious to get started.  The download process was quite a challenge for me, but I'm computer techie challenged.  I enlisted my husband for this process and it then went much more smoothly.  The download process and registration for the required FREE programs for these courses was a snap.  Homeschool Programming provides excellent step by step instructions from start to finish, including screen shots so you know what to look for.

The TeenCoder Windows Programming, so far, seems to be providing my son with an excellent overview of computer history, windows technology, and the C# language.  The video series are easy to navigate and interesting.  They are a good length so as to deliver the concept of the lesson, but not exhaust the attention of an antsy teen.  He is really enjoying it and is eager to move on.  I am thrilled with the ease of him being able to be self sufficient with the lessons.  We discuss the lesson when he is done so he can share with me what he is learning.  It's been a great experience so far!  I'm thinking this is going to look great on his high school transcript.

Homeschool Programming, Inc offers purchase options to fit your interest, learning style, and budget.  Although the pricing for each program varies slightly, here is an idea of what to expect....

$75.00 TeenCoder: Windows Programming or Game Programming (Course Only)
$90.00 TeenCoder: Windows Programming or Game Programming (Course & Videos)
$20.00 TeenCoder: Windows Programming or Game Programming (Video Only)

You can also purchase both courses for a full year's curriculum at a reduced rate:

$130.00 TeenCoder: C# Year Pack (Courses Only)
$155.00 TeenCoder: C# Year Pack (Courses & Videos)
$30.00 TeenCoder: C# Year Pack (Videos Only)

Remember these above prices are for a FULL year of a computer science curriculum!  I find this to be a competitive price for a quality elective.  The term quality is not just my opinion, Homeschool Programming backs this up with a full page on their website that highlights the many awards their programs have received.  Check it out HERE.

Check out what other reviewers are saying about Homeschool Programming at Mosaic Reviews!

So, which courses will you start with?

Alone Yet Not Alone - Book Review & Movie Preview - GIVEAWAY

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Loved it! 

Yup, no lingering opinions here.  Let's cut to the cookie.  This was a great book!  I finished it in two days.    The story is captivating and the writing is gripping.  For real.

Alone Yet Not Alone by Tracy Leininger Craven is a story rich in historical details.  It is filled with adventure, suspense, family values, faith, and courage.  Here is a brief description...

Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America's new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. That is, until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French and Indian War and the devastating raid known as the Penn's Creek Massacre. 

The lives of this simple, God-fearing family are forever altered when Barbara and Regina, two young sisters, are carried away by the Delaware tribe. Driven by their faith in God and the powerful bonds of family, Barbara and Regina hold firmly to the belief that they are never alone, even in their darkest hour, and that they will be reunited again. 

Rich in historical details, Alone Yet Not Alone is an inspirational, true story of a family caught in the cross fire of the French and Indian War. 

A beautiful read for ages 8 and up, this story is sure to inspire and captivate.  I would even find this to be a great family story to be read aloud together.  I couldn't stop talking about the book while reading it and now my 13 year old son is getting ready to pick it up.  We love to read the book before the movie and....you guessed it....the movie is set to release on September 27, 2013.  Click HERE to find the closest theater showing to you.  I can't wait!

Get connected with more details and join in on the excitement with these links:

                Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aloneyetnotalone

Movie Twitter: https://twitter.com/AYNAthemovie

Movie Website: http://www.aloneyetnotalone.com

Since my copy of the book will be in full use within my own family and amongst my friends, I guess I'll just have to......

have a GIVEAWAY!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!

One lucky winner will receive a copy of their own book, Alone Yet Not Alone.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Thursday, September 12, 2013.  Entrants must be 18 or older to enter. Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.  This giveaway is not connected to any social media site.  The winner will be contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back from you then I'll pick another winner, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out!  Get started now on Rafflecopter... 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I am Second

Inspire Me
Change Me
Awaken Me
Remind Me
that...

I am Second

From the website:

I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.

When I first visited this website and began to explore the many videos, I was connected.  These were people just like me.  They had struggles and stories.  They had testimonies and victories.  One of my favorites was Ashley Rawls.  Here is a link to her video.  I felt like she was speaking right to me.  Towards the end she quotes a scripture, Romans 14:7-8.  It spoke to me and changed me.

I watched at least a dozen more.  Each one was more inspiring and more meaningful.  They were stories of hope and love.  Above all, they were stories of the One who is First. 

Become a part of this movement and make a difference in the lives of people just like you.  Seconds Change is a way for you to help fund more I am Second films.  Click HERE to learn more.

Are you ready to know how amazing it is to be Second?  Visit these links to get connected and be changed.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Iam2nd.Nashville

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IamSecond

Website:  http://www.iamsecond.com

Come back here and leave a comment telling me which film was your favorite.  

What's For Dinner? ~ Chicken Piccata

It's that time of day again.  What's for dinner?  Hmmmm.  Yes, it's Monday and I don't have to "work" today.  Yeah, right.  All that means is that I don't have any tutoring today and I'm not on the schedule for my website job.  But, trust me.  There is still plenty of work to be done.  What this does mean is that I do have time to actually cook a nice meal and have it ready for when my hubby gets home from work.  It still means that I don't want to be chained to the oven for 2 hours.  So, here we go with a new recipe I'm trying.... Chicken Piccata.  I got the recipe from the website for Progresso Soup Starters.  Of course, I had to tweak it.  Well, because, it's just what I do.  If you follow this recipe and use the same sides as me, this will feed 6 people.

Gather your ingredients!

1/2 Cup flour (white or wheat)
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbsp EVOO
8 cloves of fresh pressed garlic
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dried parsley
3 Tbsp capers
1 lb pasta (any kind)
1 can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Roasted Garlic

Go ahead and pound out that chicken to be about 1/2 inch thick.  This isn't necessary, but it does make the chicken more tender and gives you more surface area too for the yummy coating you will put on it!

Heat the oil in a large skillet with fresh garlic.  My skillet could only hold 3 breasts at a time, so I did this in two stages, using 1/2 the oil and garlic for each batch. *NOTE:  I did the same with the Recipe Starters and lemon juice mixture, parsley, and capers.

Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish.  Dip the chicken in the flour mixture, coating on both sides.  Place into the hot skillet.  Cook on both sides until golden brown - about 4 minutes on each side.

While that is cooking, mix up the Recipe Starter with the lemon juice.  Get your water boiling for your pasta.

Pour the sauce mix over the chicken, top with the parsley and capers.  Let that simmer on low for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly.

I chose to use Whole Wheat Rotini pasta and steamed green beans.  Serve it up!

It was delicious!  There was plenty of leftovers for my hubby to take for two days of his lunches this week.  Yes...thinking ahead to some of my busier days when I don't have time to cook up something good for him.  Enjoy this easy dinner.  It took me 30 minutes from start to finish!

The Classical Historian ~ Modern American History Curriculum and Ancient History Go Fish Game ~ Review

The Classical Historian provides curriculum, resources, and games that promote critical thinking, thoughtful discussion, and independent learning.  John De Gree is a married father of 7 with over twenty years of experience in teaching History and English.

I was provided with parts of the complete curriculum for Modern American History for Grades 9-12 in exchange for my honest review and opinion.  This is a full one year curriculum and may be used for High School credit.  Yay!  I'll explain what I received, give a brief description, and share my thoughts.

1.  32 Week Modern American History Guide - This is a printed copy of 49 pages that comes stapled at the top.  I would recommend doing 3 whole punch and securing it in a binder to keep it clean and prevent tearing or rapid wear.  This, in my opinion, is a must have for curriculum like this.  This is a lesson by lesson walk through for both teacher and student.  This provides a tutorial of sorts on how to use the curriculum and each day's lesson outlines what needs to be done, along with the time it will take.  You could follow it to a "T", or just use it as a guideline.  Check out a sample HERE.  When purchased separately it is $24.99 and worth every penny, IMHO.

2.  Take a Stand!  Student's Edition and Teacher Key - This is a 93 page soft cover book.  This tool teaches students how to be historians.  It teaches them how to analyze historical events, and not how to memorize dates and facts.  It is a thinking, reading, speaking, and writing guide to history using the method of Socratic discussion.  You will need supporting history texts and documents to use this tool.  Check out a sample HERE.  When purchased separately, the Student Edition only is $18.95  I found this to be an interesting tool and it is valuable to the experience of this curriculum.  I particularly liked the guided outlines and questions that assist the student in notetaking.  There is a fair amount of writing required.  My son is not a confident writer, so this is something we would need to ease into.  We would likely focus more on the verbal discussion as he analyzes the information he is taking in.  When you purchase the complete curriculum, you also receive the 62 page teacher key for this book.  When purchased separately the student and teacher key set is $24.95.

3.  Teaching the Socratic Discussion History DVD Collection - This is a set of 3 DVD's offering 3 hours of run time that come in a hard case and a 77 page spiral bound, soft covered book.  This set teaches the teacher and the student the tools of the historian, the Socratic Discussion, and how to foster critical and independent thinking.  Essentially, it will prepare you to use the curriculum in the most productive way.  If you are not familiar with the Classical method of teaching, this is essential.  Click HERE for many more details about this piece.  When purchased separately it is $79.99 and would be an absolute need for someone like me who is not experienced enough in this method of teaching/learning.

The remaining two items are part of this curriculum, however, I did not receive them.  So, I can't share my personal experience or opinion on them.

4.  A Patriot's History of the United States - This is a 932 page (GULP!) book by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen.  This serves as the "textbook" for this curriculum.  It focuses on the virtues of our Founding Fathers, in contrast to the revisionist historians.  When purchased separately it is $19.99.  

5.  The Patriot's History Reader - This explores the original documents, speeches, and legal decisions that shaped our country.  When purchased separately it is $12.95.





If you're like me, you are looking for the best deal.  When I do the math here, I come to a total of $162.87 for all of the pieces that are included in the complete curriculum package (if each is purchased separately).  But, the website offers the Complete Curriculum Package with one click for $146.99.  That's almost a $16 savings.  Yahoo!

I see the benefits of this curriculum, especially if you enjoy the Classical method.  The value of learning critical thinking will seep into other areas of learning, especially science and literature.  The Classical Historian would be best suited for a classroom or family with several children.  As they learn together, the skills of discussion and debate will naturally occur.  As a family with one child, this would be limited.  In addition, we have not enjoyed the Classical method in the past.  However, the material in the product I received looks interesting and we are looking forward to exploring it further once we are able to get the final two essential pieces needed, The Patriot's History of the United States and The Patriot's History Reader.

Now, moving on to the game I received....

Ancient History Go Fish Card Game!  This is for ages 5-129.  This game is a Four in One!  Let's look at each game you can play with this 50 card deck.
1.  Go Fish - players match 4 of a kind cards in 12 different categories
2.  Collect the Cards - practice your knowledge of historical facts as you try to guess your opponent's card.
3.  Chronology - race against the clock to beat your own best time or your opponent's as you arrange the cards in chronological order.
4.  Geography - race against the clock to beat your own best time or your opponent's as you arrange the cards in geographical piles by continent.

These cards are high quality, heavy stock.  The larger size makes them easy to handle and the graphics on them are interesting and colorful.  There are lots of visual codes on these to help remember facts.  They can be played in a group, or games 3 and 4 can be done solo. I LOVE that it comes with an answer key for games 3 and 4.  These cards are $11.95.  Check them out HERE. 

A Song in My Heart ~ Need You Now

The past weeks have been a wear on my knees.  Crying out to my God, my Savior, my Comfort.  Imagine the groaning spirit of a mother; the desperate cries of a wife; the lost heart of a daughter.

That's me.

Have you been there?  Have you been to that place where primal cries of your spirit replace the tears that seem all too human?  There I am....in the shower, in the closet, at the foot of my bed crying out to the only One who can save me.  Help me, Father!  Change my story!

"Need You Now" by Plumb

Well, everybody's got a story to tell
And everybody's got a wound to be healed
I want to believe there's beauty here
'Cause oh, I get so tired of holding on
I can't let go, I can't move on
I want to believe there's meaning here

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this?"
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now

Standing on a road I didn't plan
Wondering how I go to where I am
I'm trying to hear that still small voice
I'm trying to hear above the noise

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this?"
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now

Though I walk,
Though I Walk through the shadows
And I, I am so afraid
Please stay, Please stay right beside me
With every single step I take

How many times have you heard me cry out?
And how many times have you given me strenth?

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this?"
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

I need you now
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.
I need you now
I need you now

How Do We Know God Is Really There? ~ Book Review

Ah, the question every child asks at one point.  As an adult parent this can be a hard one.  How do we keep it simple enough so our child will understand?  Inquiring minds want to know!

How Do We Know God Is Really There? by Melissa Cain Travis is a beautifully illustrated book that is a perfect share with your child. 

This hardcover book is presented to you by Apologia.  Here is a little clip from their website to tell you more about it...

Thomas and his father escape to their backyard tree house most evenings to watch the night sky through a telescope. Thomas is dazzled by what he sees of God’s creation, but he has questions. “Dad, how do we know God is out there?” he asks one night. “I know the Bible says He’s there. But how do we really know that’s true?” Together, Thomas and his father begin to examine the cosmological evidence for God’s existence. This is the first in an exciting new series of picture books designed to introduce kids to important questions of the Christian faith in terms even pre-readers can understand. Read this aloud with your family, and you’ll come away knowing that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1). 

I especially loved that the story begins with a father and son sharing their nightly time together.  What a treasure!  You are invited to share in their special time as they discover new things and learn about God's creation.  I read this aloud to my 13 year old son.  Yes, he still loves to hear me read and he is such a trooper when I need to review books for younger children.  We both agreed that the story was interesting and the illustrations were whimsical and fed the imagination.  I was told that this book is for grades K-3.  My son and I both agreed for that to be accurate for the illustrations.  However, we felt the story line and language used was more for grade 2-4.  I would still recommend it for younger children as the story is fun and has an attention grabbing flow to it.  Click HERE to see a sample of a few pages.

You can purchase your own copy of How Do We Know God is Really There? at the Apologia website for only $16.00.  Click HERE.