Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament from Wizzy Gizmo ~ Review and GIVEAWAY

Wizzy Gizmo.....teehee

The name just makes me giggle.  When the offer to review this product and share my honest opinion on my blog was presented, that is exactly what I did.  I giggled.  With a name like that, I thought, this has to be a fun product.  Wizzy Gizmo is a company that offers a great (and growing) selection of products that present God's Word in new and interesting ways, both for fun and education.  Most of their products are geared toward children, but are enjoyed greatly by adults.  I brought my collection of the Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament Series to look at while at my son's karate school and had adults asking me about them and wanting them for their own Bible study.  The folks at Wizzy Gizmo are thoughtful and creative, so they provide lots of ideas on how to use these awesome cards for age groups from ages 2-5 to 12 and up (yup, I'm in that "up" group).  You can check out those ideas by clicking HERE.

This is a 27 card set.  Each large card covers each book of the New Testament and is heavy stock.  They are chuck full of information like book summary, key chapters, passages, doctrines, and people.  Check it out!

Sure, I picked the book of Matthew to show you because that is my favorite name (my son).  Can I get another "teehee"?!  As you can see, the information is beautifully organized and provides a generous overview of the book.  What a great way to capture the key elements of the book!

Like I mentioned before, you'll find lots of ideas on how to use these cards with all different age groups, but I would like to highlight some of my favorite ideas:

• Bible Study
• Children's Bible Lessons - think Children's Ministries at church!
• Homeschool Bible Curriculum
• Bedtimes Stories
• Fun Quiz Games
• Scripture Memory Verses
• Biblical History Lessons
• Family Devotions

Is your mind churning yet?  For only $14.99, this set makes my "must have" list.  Purchase a pack for your family, as a birthday or Christmas gift, as a gift for your Children's or Youth Pastor, or just to be a blessing to someone.

Wizzy Gizmo has other amazing products also, like Audio Dramas and a Book Series.  Checkout all they have to offer and get in on all the chatter:

THE WIZZY GIZMO WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST

Read lots of other reviews on the Fast Track Bible Pack and other Wizzy Gizmo products by visiting the Home & School Mosaics WEBSITE.

"I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.

 One lucky winner will receive a copy of their own Wizzy Gizmo Fast Track Bible Pack:  New Testament.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Wednesday, November 12, 2014.  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

Writing with Sharon Watson ~ The Power in Your Hands: Writing Non-Fiction in High School REVIEW

Homeschool ~ Christian Schools ~ Co-ops

The Power in Your Hands is a high school non-fiction writing course written by Sharon Watson.  It is one of three courses available, including a Middle School course.  You can check out the others by clicking HERE.

So, let's get to some details.  Let's start with the basics first....

• Grades 9-12
• 422 Page Student Text is $39.98
• 212 Page Teacher's Guide is $14.98
• 8-1/2 x 11 Soft cover
• for Homeschool, Christian Schools, and Co-ops
• designed as a two year curriculum, but there are some interesting suggestions on how to use this for a 3 year program

What's inside the student text???

•  100 daily lessons and complete instructions for 22 essays and reports
• instruction and practice for persuasive essays, compare/contrast essays, a biography, a literary analysis, a research paper using MLA documentation, description and narrative essays
• self guided lessons requiring no prerequisites
• tools for brainstorming, organizing thoughts, creating outlines, citing sources, and proofreading
• engaging instruction and assignments with bits of humor and life applicable topics

What's inside the Teacher's Guide???

• all the answers for the daily work....Woohoo!
• ability to see exactly what your student is working on so you can be monitoring their progress
• an easy and user friendly grading tool to grade each assignment....Amen!
• 14 minute power surges designed to provide fun writing prompts for your student
• tips and guides for helping your student along the way

My Thoughts....

Here's the thing.  I love to write.  It comes easy to me.  However, I can't teach writing to save my life.  That presents a big homeschooling problem for my reluctant writer son who is about to enter 9th grade.  We have been using another program for the past 7 months and it has been helpful, but it is not cheap.  To continue with that program will likely break my bank.  When I was first presented with the opportunity to review this product I was excited!  Yay, another writing curriculum to look into that might be the answer to our struggles.  The affordable price sparked my interest and the information I gained from the website was intriguing.  After receiving the product, here were my favorite aspects that I would like to share....

• The lessons were of manageable size, clear, and speckled with humor.
• The flow of the lessons was not intimidating.  The student is led gently into the world of writing and the different essay styles are well covered and explored before moving on.
• The curriculum objectives were comprehensive and will enable the student to become a confident and experienced writer by the end of the program.....well prepared for the SAT.
• The Teacher's Guide was filled with helpful tips, tools, and plans.  It includes the answers to the student assignments.
•  Amen, there is a grading tool.  This is one of the hardest parts for me when it comes to writing.  But, the tool provided is a scale system for multiple aspects of the assignment.  I am leaping with joy to use this.
• I really liked the 14 minute power surges.  These will be great when we want to take a break from the student text and just have some fun exploring writing.
• The price is RIGHT.  Wow, this is wonderfully affordable, especially for such a complete and masterful curriculum.
• There is a section in the Teacher's Guide with sample works and critiques on how to earn an A, B, C, etc.  It really helps decipher the differences and what to look for.

What I did not like....

• I don't care for soft bound books.  I wish this book was at least spiral bound.  It does not stay open on its own and that is annoying to me.
•  Um, yeah, that's it.

We look forward to using this for our 9th/10th grade school years.  Actually, we'll dapple with some of the 14 minute power surges this summer just to get the juices flowing.  I'll come back here and give you some updates as we move along.  Maybe I'll even post some of my son's writing samples!

iTooch by Edupad App Review

iTooch by Edupad offers apps for:

• Elementary - Grades 3-5 in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Health
• Middle School - Grades 6-8 in Language Arts, Math, Health, and Music
• SAT preparation in Math, Critical Thinking, Biology II, and US History II
• Languages - TOEFL and French

Most offer free trials.  I tried the Language Arts for 8th grade which offered only the first exercise for free.  It was enough for me to get an idea of how things would roll and help me decide whether or not to go ahead with a purchase.  The app was easy to navigate and the content was grade appropriate and varied.  Otherwise, these apps are $4.99 - a fair/competitive rate in my opinion.

Here are some general factoids:

• there are 1500 - 6000 questions per title
• comply with Common Core Standards
• users unlock levels and receive badges for achievements
• math apps come with a virtual blackboard and calculator
• a lesson summary accompanies each chapter, so the user is learning to succeed
• no internet connection is required
• the app will automatically sync for updates when you do have internet access
• Apple, Android, and Windows compatible

Check out iTooch by Edupad at their website HERE.  Want to know what other reviewers are saying?  Visit my fellow Mosaic Reviewer peeps HERE. 

Math Mammoth ~ Light Blue Series ~ Review

I love math.  I'm a nerd.  It's my favorite subject to teach and I proudly admit that I even do Algebra for fun on my own.  There, I said it.  Don't judge me. 

Hello, my name is Doreen, and I'm a math junkie.

So, when the opportunity came up for me to review Math Mammoth, you know I was first in line.  I chose the Light Blue Series because it is the complete curriculum and I wanted to get a true feel for the comprehensive offerings of the product.  I selected Grade 6 because I tutor a child in math who is working on that grade level and, well, I thought she would make a great guinea pig for my experiments.


First, let's take a brief look at your product options:

• Light Blue Series - full elementary math curriculum for grades 1-6; Each grade level in the curriculum consists of two student worktexts (A and B), and supportive materials, which include answer keys, tests, and additional cumulative reviews. Full Set Download $34 ;  Printed about $58 - downloads set to increase by 10% as of October 2013.
• Blue Series - worktexts or units on specific topics for grades 1-8. "Worktext" means that the books contain both explanations of the concepts and lots of varied problems. It is like a textbook and workbook combined. Each unit only covers a few of topics. $2-7 - set to increase by 5% in October 2013.  This is an excellent selection for extra review, summer skill maintenance, or to supplement with a different curriculum.
• Golden Series - collection of worksheets for grades 3-8.    Each collection contains 120-150 worksheets and each worksheets concentrates on one topic.  Grade Bundles $12 - 12.50  This is also a great selection for extra review, summer skill maintenance, or to supplement with a different curriculum.
• Review Workbooks - grades 1-5.  The topics of these books correspond to the Light Blue Series. Each download $5.50; Printed $10.50
• Make It Real Learning Workbooks - grades 3-12.   The workbooks contain activities or problem situations taken from real-life, with real data. Some examples of the situations are: cell phone plans, autism, population growth, cooking, borrowing money, credit cards, life spans, music downloads, etc. etc. $4.99 each

OK...I received the Light Blue Series for Grade 6, so that is what I'll be writing about.  You can see all of the products and categories listed above at the Math Mammoth website by clicking HERE.  But, if you are interested in what I have to say.....follow me!

I found the Grade 6 to be "spot on" for content.  Here is a list of the concepts covered:

• four operations, whole numbers, place values
• introduction to exponents
• ratios, proportions, scaling
• fractions, decimals
• percents, integers, basic geometry
• statistics, probability

I love the mastery method of learning/teaching.  The curriculum I have used for the past 4 years for my (now) 8th grade son uses this method and he has excelled.  We also love the worksheet style.  My son was never into the manipulatives for math.  If your child is a strong kinesthetic learner, then Math Mammoth may not be the best choice for him.

The printed books come in black and white.  This surely has helped keep the cost so affordable.  The download version has lots of color.  So, if this is important to you than....download, it is!  You can then choose to print in black and white or color.  That brings me to my next point.  We don't use internet based or software based curriculum.  My son and I both prefer to have a book in front of us.  Now, you could print the curriculum and three ring bind it, but there are over 200 pages for each book and that is a whole lot of ink.  You could just print what you need to keep the cost down.  I would imagine that a child could work right from the computer, as well, and just show his work and answers in a notebook.  There is definitely flexibility there.

The download is large and takes some time to do, but the process was not too complicated.  The software itself is very user friendly and easy to navigate.  I like two features in particular.

Notice on the left side of the picture how there is a separate scroll/navigation menu with pictures of the pages.  It is easy just to quickly scroll through to select a page you want to see, click on it, and BAM, there it is.  

Also, the Table of Contents makes it easy to locate a concept you may want to get to quickly.  I'm all for easy and this feature does that.  At the beginning of each book, there are also many clickable links for additional resources and games. 

Here are some additional points that you may find interesting:

• free math assessment test to get a suggested starting point
• free samples
• aligned with Common Core Standards
• designed by Maria Miller - teacher turned housewife/homeschooler
• Spanish and South African versions available

Overall, I liked this program.  I don't like downloads or curriculum used on the computer, so that prevented me from using it as I fully wanted or intended to.  But, I loved the methodology.  If I were to use Math Mammoth, I would definitely get the printed version.

Hey, don't just listen to me!  Check out all my fellow reviewer peeps at Mosaic Reviews to see what they have to say.  I've read several of them and the opinions and experiences are quite varied!  Check it out HERE.

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?

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. 

My Home School Grades ~ Review

My Home School Grades is a program designed to help you organize and store several aspects of homeschool life.

• Manage students' grades
• Organize curriculum
• Create Lesson Plans
• Track Extra-curricular activities
• Export official college ready transcripts - check out this sample HERE
• Calculate GPA's

I have tried a few different programs for similar purposes and I have never stuck with them because they were so complicated and time consuming to use.  My Home School Grades is so easy to use.  It is intuitive and the process "just makes sense".  There are video tutorials to walk you through every aspect of the program, but I found that I didn't need them very much because of the user-friendly aspect of this product.

The web app lets you take your My Home School Grades with you everywhere.  You don't have to worry about trying to remember to record a field trip or activity when you get home.  Just do it while you are there!  Are you traveling?  No problem.  Record grades and adventures right from your phone or tablet.  There is no need to try to find a computer.  The activity section of the program allows you to share as much detail as you want about the activity, including awards.

My Home School Grades offers a FREE 14 day trial.  Wow!  You can try it out before you buy it.  You'll be amazed at how easy and thorough it is.  Then, when you decide to make your purchase it is only $49.99 for a LIFETIME membership!  That's right.  A lifetime membership for as many children as you have.  I'm thrilled and excited to have my membership now as my son is entering 8th grade.  I've been wondering how I would effectively record and store a comprehensive transcript of his courses, grades, and activities for high school.  Problem solved!

Learn more about My Home School Grades by getting in the loop....

• visit their website at https://myhomeschoolgrades.com
• visit their blog at https://myhomeschoolgrades.com/blog
• visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MyHomeSchoolGrades
• visit them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HomeSchoolGrade

Waterproof Bible ~ Review

Waterproof Bible?  Seriously?

Yuppers!

I had never heard of such a thing and my curiosity went bonkers!  I couldn't wait to get my hands on this Bible.  My 13 year old son and I awaited anxiously for its arrival.  One day he came running into the house with the package.  He could barely wait to open it.

Ta-Da!  I was thrilled with the color they sent me! PINK!

The teenaged boy.  Not so much.

"What?", he exclaimed in his most dramatic teen voice, "It's pink!".

We had a brief stare down.  

Stare at each other.  Stare at the Bible.  Stare at each other.  Stare at the Bible.

LUNGE!

Rats!  The kid won!  He grabbed that Bible faster than me and tore off into his bedroom to check it out.  I didn't see that thing for two days.  He hid it in his room and only took it out to read in the secure cover of his bed and to take it in the shower with him.  

So much for "It's pink!"  blah blah blah.

I have barely had a chance to read it myself and, when I can, it is under the watchful eye of the new proud owner of a pink Waterproof Bible.  My son. He leaves it on his bathroom counter and takes it in the shower with him.  After his shower he likes to sit on the floor of his tub and read, enveloped in the steam and pool of water he has manage to collect.  One night he left it there in that partially filled tub...for experiment's sake for this review.

He is good about drying it like the directions describe.  He stands it up on its spine and fans out the pages.  Usually by the next day it is pretty dry or may need a little bit of a wipe down with a hand towel.  Good as new!  Now, back in for another shower baptism!

I did manage to (oops!) spill my coffee on it one morning.  It wiped right off even after I let it set on there for a while.  The liquid sort off rolls of the synthetic pages.  We also tried tearing the pages by flipping through it quickly or at odd angles much like a child would and....nope.  No tears.

Let's get the run down of what this Bible has to offer and what makes it unique.

• durable, synthetic pages
• ultra clear text
• no bleed through with highlighters and pens
• tear resistant cover and pages
• tightly stitched binding
• variety of translations:  NIV, NKJV, KJV, ESV, NLT
• variety of colors:  pink, blue, lily pad, camouflage
• Waterproof
• It FLOATS!  That's right....drop it over a side of a boat and it will float.

This is the ideal Bible for any individual or family!

• outdoor activities like hiking, boating, skiing, etc
• missionaries
• campers
• boy scouts, girl scouts, and cub scouts
• reading around young children with cheeto fingers and juice boxes
• travel
• beach or pool reading
• every day use 

Check out all the Bibles they have to offer at the website, www.waterproofbible.com  Prices are $24.95 - $44.95.  They also offer a variety of accessories to use with your unique Bible, like dry highlighters and space pens.  Check them out HERE.  I'm thinking I need to get a camouflage one for my son, so maybe I'll actually get the pink one for me!  We'll see!

 

Ooka Island Adventure - Learn to Read - Review

Ooka Island is a Learn-to-Read game for ages 3-7, or through grade 2.  Its comprehensive approach includes the following fundamentals:  phonemic awareness, phonetics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  From the very beginning, children are involved in their own unique Ooka Island adventure!

• First, set up your password!  Ooka uses pictures for passwords instead of words so even the pre-reader can be as independent as possible when logging in.
• Second, create your avatar!  Have fun making your avatar look just like you, or just like a cooky alien creature.  There are so many colors and features to choose from, your child's avatar is sure to be as unique as he is.
• Third, meet your guide, Zobot!  Zobot will take you around the island and encourage you along the way.

As the parent, you can either choose to just get started or have your child take an assessment "test" called the Ooka Compass.  Ooka is all about mastery, so your child will not be rushed along.  He can work at his own pace and progress to each level as he masters each lesson. Ooka uses a system called the Learning Flow Cycle.  Here is how it goes....

Because each child works at his own pace and has the opportunity for optional added activities and learning, it is a great fit for any level.  Whether your child is an emerging or reluctant reader, or advanced and gifted, Ooka Island can help them grow into a more fluent and mastered reader.  The instruction is adaptive and progresses at the learning pace of your child.  The e-readers are narrated and the progress reports allow the parent to have a record of their child's learning adventure.

Have fun away from the computer with the Ooka Tunes app and Ooka Island Workbooks.  Encourage your child to explore books that align with the level they are at in their program.  Reading can be fun and easy and Ooka Island can be the tool to get your child excited about mastering his reading skills.

Ooka Island offers different membership options, from individual to family to full class size.  Choose the Home Edition, School Edition, or Homeschool Edition.  Since most of my readers are Homeschool families, I will share the pricing for that option.  But you can visit the website by clicking HERE to see the pricing for all of the options.  

For a family of up to four students:  $19.95 per month OR $149.95 a year
For one student:  $12.95 per month OR $124.95 a year

For an additional 30% off your membership, just use the special link for my readers below!  Woohoo!  Big savings!

http://offers.ookaisland.com/inblog?purl=enGad 

Take this quick 45 second tour of Ooka Island to catch a glimpse at the fun learning activities your child will be using.  Buckle your seat belt!


Ooka Island is a downloadable program and is compatible with Mac or Windows.  The file is pretty big, so be patient as it loads.  I had a little difficulty getting it to load onto one of my computers, but the customer service at Ooka was right on top of things to help me out.  I contacted them with a couple of other questions as I got started and they were very quick to respond and helpful.

You should also be aware that Ooka Island has aligned with Common Core Standards.  Personally, I am not in agreement with CCS and its agenda, however, I will not boycott a product simple because they are in alignment with CCS.   I would not exclude an outstanding reading program simply because they follow these standards.  My priority is to provide the best educational option for my child and for the students I tutor. If Ooka Island is that product, then I will choose it regardless.  I realize that there are others who feel more strongly about this topic though, so I thought I should mention it.
 

Have an Ookarific Fun Time learning to read!

Spanish For You! Review

I have always wanted to learn Spanish.  I have several friends who speak Spanish, some as their native language.  I have tried different programs and have one, in particular, that I really like.  But, if there is one thing I have learned as a homeschool parent it is that I need to keep an open mind about different curriculum choices.  So, I was very interested to have the opportunity to review Spanish For You!.

Spanish For You! is a curriculum for grades 3-8.  The lessons are broken up into grade levels: 3/4, 5/6, 7/8.  It is designed to promote fluency through speaking and writing skills, reading, and grammar knowledge.  The program is 24 weeks for grades 5-8 and 30 weeks for grades 3-4 and should take about 10-30 minutes per day.  Debbie Annett, author of Spanish For You!, encourages families to work at their own pace though.  She sees this program as a journey and adventure in learning and not a race to the finish line.  Many lessons provide optional activities that can help the student to dive deeper into learning not only the Spanish language, but the history and culture.

Spanish For You! offers three different themed curriculum: Viejes (travels), Fiestas (celebrations), or Estaciones (seasons).  More themed packages are soon to be introduced.  They offer different option for purchasing which are:  

• Viajes in a 4 week trial for $5.99 - grades 5-8
• Viajes in a 6 week trial for $12.99 - grades 3-4
• Fiestas for $19.95 per grade level (3/4, 5/6, 7/8)
• Fiestas for $64.95 for all grade levels
• Estaciones for $39.95 per grade level (3/4, 5/6, 7/8)
• Estaciones for $64.95 for all grade levels
• Extra workbooks can be ordered for $12.95

 ALL Spanish for You! packages come complete with:

• soft cover book, or, for trial packages, an e-book
• 24-30 week lesson guide for the grades you need in a PDF download
• self-checking worksheets in a PDF download
• audio files of entire book done by Debbie and a 2nd audio file of a native speaker in an MP3 download
• flashcard/activity pictures in a PDF download

Teacher lesson plans are not included, but can be purchased separately for class use of Spanish For You!

You will also have access to the following at the Spanish For You! website:

• activities
• games
• mini lessons
• worksheets

 Here are some of the things I liked about Spanish For You!:

• It is affordable.  Whether being purchased for a specific grade level or as the complete package for all grade levels, the price is much less than most language curricula on the market.
• It offers a variety of that will suite most learning styles.  Oral, written, audio, and kinesthetic.
• It offers a money back guarantee.  
• Payment is easy with paypal right at the website.
• The two audio files are a wonderful touch!  The native speaker file is more difficult to understand, but it really helps to be able to hear the native tongue.
• The breakdown of grade levels is very helpful in making sure you select the package that will best suit your child.  I like that the complete package with all grade levels is offered for those families with multiple children.
• I love the idea of the themes.  Not only does it make it more interesting, but your child can choose his favorite!  Then, you could even select a different theme as you continue on with the program with the different grade levels.
• Customer Service is STELLAR! 

 Here are some of the things I did not like about Spanish For You!:

• To keep expenses low for the large number of reviews being done, I received my entire Fiestas package as a download.  It took a long time to download and I had a lot of technical difficulties.  I will say that when I contacted Debbie about these problems she addressed them very quickly and helped me complete the process.
• I greatly dislike e-book or e-file products.  I never get them.  It's almost as if I have to have a book in front of me or I can not function.  For this reason, I had an extremely difficult time navigating the many files provided to me.  They were disorganized and confusing.  It took me several times of stopping and re-starting in an attempt to really get going in the program just because of my frustration.  I had to walk away.  I will say that as soon as Debbie was made aware that the reviewers were having a difficult time with this, she immediately re-organized the files into a very user-friendly format and that is what you will receive when you make your purchase.  Debbie is ready and willing to make whatever improvements to her product to meet the needs of the customers.
• Overall, this product was not a good fit for my family.  I did not feel that it offered enough foundation for a person who has never been introduced to Spanish.  It dives right in.  There is a lot going on and, in my opinion and experience, it required a lot more than 10-30 minutes per day.  It was a one hour a day project for us.  I would recommend that if it is taking that long to complete one lesson then go ahead and chop it in half.  Do a little each day and not the whole lesson.

Spanish For You! would be a good fit for the following families:

• Those wanting a casual and fun approach to learning Spanish, while still having the opportunity to master it.
•  Those families with multiple grade level children - the full package price really is a great deal!
• Those families who enjoy e-book or e-file products and/or do not mind printing out the information and creating a binder or other book-like set up.
• Those families wanting to try the trial package to see if Spanish is a good fit language for them.

Visit the Spanish For You! website and check it out for yourself.  Here you go.....  http://www.spanish-for-you.net/index.html  Go ahead and shoot Debbie an e-mail with any questions.  I can assure you that she is willing and eager to help!

 

 

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner & The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students ~ Review

Every year I plan to use a planner for our homeschool lessons.  Every year when I go to the FPEA Convention I look at a dozen different planners and pick them apart with their pros and cons until I finally settle on the one I will buy.  Every year I come home without a planner.

Why?

None of them seem to fit well enough.  None of them have everything I want.  None of them seem worth their high price.

So, when I was asked to do a review for The Ultimate Homeschool Planner and The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students by Debra Bell I was thrilled.....but, leery.  I wanted so bad for this to be THE ONE.  The planner I would fall in love with and live happily ever after with (well, at least until my son graduates).  Was I disappointed?  Well, let's see.

Here they are!  Yes, I know.  They are purrrrdeeee!  So colorful, modern looking, spiral bound, water and tear resistant covers.  *sigh*  Is this love at first sight?  I'm thinking...."Don't be drawn in by the beauty, Doreen.  Keep your head on straight!"  So, I dove deeper into seeing what The Ultimate Homeschool Planner had to offer me.  Here is what I found.

• Pockets for storage on the inside and back covers
• An at-a-glance calendar that went all the way through 2016
• An information page to record children's names, address, phone number, etc
• Table of Contents to help me find what I need easily
• User's Guide 11 pages long!  It's filled with tips on planning, organizing, and sample schedules.  For the visual diva inside of me, Debra even included pictures!  Let the angels sing!
  
• 2 full pages to record your students' Character Goals and Academic Goals
• Family Priorities page
• Resource List spanning 3 pages
• Monthly Planner spanning 23 pages with fill in your own date option!!!  Woohoo!  Start this planner at any point in the year and you won't feel like you are wasting pages with pre-dated calendars!  Each page hosts an inspiring Bible verse and an encouraging quote with a notation space to record whatever you want....goals, dreams, field trips, family events, etc.
• Weekly Planner spanning 191 pages!  Lots of space to plan the details.  There are spaces for Bible Plan, Battle Plan, Prayers, Hospitality/Outreach, the week's Memorable Moments and Achievements, and Evidences of Grace.  What a beautiful way to record the homeschool journey!  
• Records & Grades across two full pages allow you to record each subject and any test, quiz, project, or homework scores
• Reading List to record books, authors, and genre
• Field Trip and Outside Activities pages to record all of your fun and educational homeschool events
• Teaching Tips for 6 pages!  Everything from motivating the reluctant reader to learning styles and thinking skills.
• A special section just for high school planning
• A Year End Review section to summarize your school year
• In case you weren't paying attention and didn't account for some of the pages I didn't mention, that is 263 pages.

I have spent a month with this planner and I have not yet missed anything.  The only thing I can think of that this planner does not have are tabs.  But, I can easily put those in myself.  So, I'm not going to place any cons on the content factor.  Let's look at the size.  It's a good almost 10x11 planner.  That might seem hefty to some of you since that is the size of a text book.  But, I don't mind.  It gives me plenty of room to write everything without trying to cram it in.  It still fits in my bag.  The only way to make it smaller would be to take things out and I say a NO WAY to that idea.  I need and want everything in there!  The price of this planner is $28.00 at the Apologia website.  Now, at first you might think...what, $28.  Trust me.  I thought the same thing.  But, I'm telling you that after spending time looking through and using this planner I think it is worth every single penny.  I can't imagine needing or wanting any other planner.  I am not just saying this.  I don't get paid to say that.  I could tell you don't get it, it's not work it and it wouldn't matter to me.  But, that would be a lie.  Go order it today, or go get it at your next convention. 

Now, let's move onto The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students.  Debra Bell also offers The Ultimate Weekly Planner for Teens, but I picked the other one because I thought it would fit my son better.  We'll switch to the one for teens next year when he is in 8th grade.  OK, the planner for students is much smaller and measures about 9x7.  Did I like this planner just as much?  Well, let's see what it has to offer.

• Clear, thick plastic inch and centimeter ruler
• Information page to record name, address, e-mail, phone numbers, and courses
• 4 pages of About Me, My Future/I Want To Be, Personal Goals
• 6 pages of Study-Smart Tool Kit filled with tips 
• 21 Monthly Planner pages....once again, fill in your own dates!  Woohoo!
• 95 pages for weekly assignments with each day of the week in it's own row.  There is a space to check when the assignment is done and when it has been checked.  Each week has a Bible verse and a history trivia Q&A.  There is also a place to check that the student has had some quiet time....reading, praying, or just sitting quietly with his thoughts.  Oh, how important this is.
  
• 2 Pages to record Grades for each test, quiz, project, etc in each subject
• 4 pages to record a Reading List and Activity Log
• 2 pages to record a 6 week Active Lifestyle Activity Log
• 22 pages that include the following:  Timeline of US & World History from 500BC-2009, US Map with State Capitals, Map of the World, Scientific Method Diagram,  Charts of US to Metric Conversions and Multiplication & Division, Measurement Equivalency Chart, Fraction/Decimal/ Percent Chart,Guide to Punctuation / Italics / and Capitalization, Guidelines for Good Writing, Recommended Middle School Reading List, Greek and Latin Roots , and Notes
• A pocketed page with an at-a-glance calendar through June 2015.
• 2 sheets of stickers for the calendar

I ask you, my treasured reader.  What is missing?  I say, the only thing I would like to see are tabs.  Again, I can slap them on myself.  These planners are $19.00 at the Apologia Website.   Once again, this frugal homeschool Mom says it is worth it.  Not only does it have everything and more of what my son needs, but I love that a lot of it goes in tune with my planner.

Debra gave us a link to a flyer that gives some more detail about the planners.  Here is the LINK.  There are also some great pics on that flyer. 

Well, that's the scoop!  I am so happy to find my true love planner LOL  I'm willing to share with you though, so go get one.

Janet's Planet Exploring Microgravity DVD Review & GIVEAWAY

Welcome to Janet's Planet!  This website will create a spark of excitement for science for you and your children!  Here is a message from Janet:

“For the past decade, science education has been my passion and America’s children have been my inspiration.  It is incredible to see how excited children can become about the world around them when the information is presented in an accessible and fun way.  That is the mission of Janet’s Planet, and I look forward to continuing to support better science education in the years to come.”  

At the website, you will find the following:

• Explore amazing photos in the Space Photo Log
• Test your knowledge and learn something new at the Speed of Thought game
• Create your own planet
• Check out what non-government organizations are doing to better our planet and communities
• Ask Janet questions and see what others are curious about
• Janet's Planet Space Store
• Listen to Janet Planet's theme song, Rock the Planets
• Watch videos to learn more about body, mind, space, and memory

Ah, videos!  That's where I come in.  I was given the DVD for Exploring Microgravity to review and share with my readers.  Janet does a great job in this DVD explaining all about microgravity in a fun and easy way.  My son (age 13) and I loved listening to Janet.  She takes something that could be complicated and has it make so much sense!  We loved all of the cool examples she provided so we could see how microgravity works and how it is in our world.  This video, and the others on the site, can easily be used as part of a science curriculum, to enhance a lesson, or just for some extra knowledge!

Although you can watch the DVD, Exploring Microgravity in its entirety on the website, you may purchase it for $13.49 at the website store if you want to have your own copy that you can take with you in the car to watch or play on the TV.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway below for your chance to win your own copy for free!  So, visit Janet's Planet to check out all the amazing features and have fun!  You can also get connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Janets-Planet/59026154727

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpjanetsplanet

"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."

 One lucky winner will receive their very own copy of  Janet's Planet:  Exploring Microgravity DVD .  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Wednesday, April 10, 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

We Choose Virtues Review & Coupon Code

 

As parents, especially homeschool parents, we sometimes get caught up in the academic teaching and forget to focus on the real thing we are called to teach our children....virtuous character.

Children are ready to learn about virtuous character at a very young age.  With  love and encouragement, even a pre-school child can begin to understand and embrace virtuous character and weave it into their identity and daily behavior.  Heather McMillan, creator of We Choose Virtues, knows this and has developed a wonderful approach to sharing these characteristics with your children.  Her love for children and passion to help them reach their full potential sparked this unique product that can be used at home, in a classroom, in Sunday school, or in missions.

We Choose Virtues is primarily for grades 3rd - 5th.  But, that doesn't mean that your little ones can't join in and learn, or that your older children can't benefit from this product.  This can really be a family journey.  I'll share some examples in a bit about how everyone can get involved.  First, let's take a look at the different products and kits you can get with We Choose Virtues.

There are many products to choose from, so I'll talk about the ones I received for the purpose of this review.  First, we started with the Family Character Assessment.  This item is free!  It is just a little scoring tool to help each member of your family evaluate themselves and identify their strengths and weaknesses.  Here is a pic of the one my son filled out for himself.  He is 13.

 

I was pretty impressed with how honest he was.  I would have given him some different scores in some areas, but looking at oneself with full truth is pretty hard!  Especially for a teenager.  He identified Helpful and Forgiving as his two weakest areas.  I was a little surprised that he scored himself so low on the Forgiving category.  I find him to be quite gracious and forgiving.  But, this prompted a conversation between us about his feelings of unforgiveness about something someone did to him.  It was a silly something, but he still felt bad that he hadn't let it go.  After a nice talk, we ended in laughter as he realized how silly it was and just let it go.  We Choose Virtues was already helping my teen explore his character and we hadn't even really gotten started!  

Now, the Helper part was a pretty accurate score.  He gave himself a 5.  Don't get me wrong.  He is a great Helper around the house.  He will do anything I ask him to do.  But, he is lacking in the area of just doing something because he notices it needs to be done, or going out of his way or out of his comfort zone to be helpful.  Yes, an area to improve upon.  So, we decided he would spend time focusing on Helpful and Forgiving.  Here is a pic he wanted me to take with his "yeah, I'm slacking in these areas" face.

The cards he is holding are called Virtue Flash Cards.  They are $14.99 for a set of 13 double sided cards.  You can get them in NIV, KJV, or secular with no Bible verses.  The cards are beautifully illustrated and colorful!  One side has the character trait being addressed and a character that exemplifies the trait.  For example, Hat Matt is for Helpful, and Feather Heather is for Forgiving.  This is a fun way to talk about the traits with younger children who often relate to cartoon like characters and what they stand for.  

On the reverse side of the card, you will find a brief statement about what it means to have that character trait, antonyms to the trait and a Bible verse (if you choose this type of card)  They do come in secular.  For example, on the card for I am Helpful, the back reads:

"I find things that need to be done and I do them.  I am NOT...selfish, lazy or unwilling to serve and I don't have to be asked!"  Ecclesiastes 4:9  Two people are better than one.  They can help each other in everything they do. (NIV)

I also received a sample of the Parenting Cards.  Mine was "I am Attentive".  How appropriate that Heather would send me this one!  I do need to work on being more attentive.  I am a uber multi-tasker.  That can be a good thing, but it can also mean that when my son or husband is talking to me that I am listening, but also doing something else at the same time.  I need to be more attentive and just look at them and listen, but not do something else.  So, can you guess what I've been working on?

Parenting Cards are the family or homeschool version of the Teacher Cards, which would be used in a classroom setting.  They are $34.99 for a set of 13 cards.  They are bright and colorful just like the Virtue Flash Cards.  On the back of each card are tips on how to implement the virtue into every day life, teachable moments that will emphasize the virtue, and ways to help yourself remember the virtue without being reminded.

I also received the Teacher Handbook as a PDF file.  This is $5.00 or it is included for free with any kit.  It is 48 pages and full color!  Heather doesn't recommend printing this tool, but rather using it as a reference to help you teach the virtues.  It was easy to follow, gave great tips and ideas to incorporate the virtues into every day, and helped me to stay focused on the task at hand.

The next two items are an excellent addition for younger children.  The Butterfly Award is a PDF file that is a beautiful, full color award you can give your child in recognition of their hard work on a virtue.  The file is  $3.00 or free with any kit.  The Kids of Virtueville Coloring Pages PDF is a fun and creative way to explore each virtue further.  Your child can color these beautiful illustrations and create his own book of virtues as he moves along from one to another.  The file is $3.00 or free with any kit.

I keep mentioning kits!  Yes, We Choose Virtues offers complete kits in many areas:  Classroom, Family, Homeschool, Church, Kids, and Teacher.  You can see these kits, all of the products I mentioned, and many more products by clicking HERE to go straight to the online shop.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, this product is primarily for grades 3rd-5th.  However, it can easily be used with little ones.  Heather recommends using The Three Rules for little ones:  Obey, Be Kind, and Be a Helper.  These are the foundational virtues that all children can learn at a very early age.  For older children, this is a wonderful opportunity to serve and guide their younger siblings towards learning these virtues.  My son is 13 and an only child, so we tailored this a bit different for him.  We focused on the memory verse, holding one another accountable, and using this as a tool to open conversation about the virtues we struggle with and how we can move forward to be more Christ-like.

Are you ready to get started?  Hop on over to the shop using the link above.  While you are there, I have two awesome discount codes to share with you.  Use HOME20 to receive 20% off the Homeschool Kit during the months of March and April only.  Use VIRTUE15 to receive 15% off any product and this has no expiration date!  These coupons can not be used together.  Only one per order.

I would love to hear your thoughts!  How do you think this will help your family find greater virtue?  visit Mosaic Reviews HERE to see what the rest of my review team had to say about We Choose Virtues.  There are dozens of reviews to check out.