Review: Christian Keyboarding

As everyone who happens to either own or use a computer knows, typing is an extremely useful skill. Sure you could hunt 'n peck your way around, but to really get your thoughts out fast, you need to know how to type.

Somehow my youngest picked up on typing very rapidly and only partially utilized the "hunt 'n peck" strategy. (Figured she must've picked it up via osmosis.) My older two children didn't use any correct finger placement, nor did they desire to.

Then of course, there's me...I write all the time and live through my keyboard. I naturally wanted my children to learn how to type, but I hadn't found the right program. I didn't want "fluff" and I didn't want "boring". I just wanted something simple and straight to the point.

Enter the following review product, Keyboarding for the Christian School by Leanne Beitel. This program arrived just in time to satisfy my pickiness every requirement. (I love it when that happens!)

Keyboarding for the Christian School is an e-book program that teaches the touch typing technique. The lessons and drills are reminiscent of my old high school keyboarding classes, which I always enjoyed. There isn't anything "fluffy" or "silly" about these e-books at all; just straightforward, honest typing. Perfect!

The e-books come in two versions: K-5th grade and 6th grade and up. However, there is little difference between the two as far as learning the basics and practice drills. In fact, the only difference (at least through lesson 32) was that the elementary version contained color-coded home row keys and the upper level did not.

Now as the title suggests, this program was originally designed for Christian schools. Therefore, you'll find various verses and Psalms included throughout each volume for typing practice.

Both versions contain timed drills (which we really liked!), formatting and enumerated lists. The upper grade version also covers topics such as:

• Writing a bibliography
• Personal and business letters
• Proofreader's marks
• MLA and APA academic reports and more

Keyboarding for the Christian School--Elementary Version contains 87 pages and is available for $12.95. The upper grade version contains 107 pages and is available for $15.95.

However from now until February 28th, the publisher is offering a great package deal: Purchase BOTH e-books for only $22.00! Not too shabby, I say! :)

Try Before You Buy

Take advantage of the free sample lessons by clicking here. (Don't you just love freebies? *Wink*)

Final Thoughts:

We used both e-books over the past several weeks and really enjoyed them. Granted, my oldest still isn't too keen on the whole "keep your fingers on the home keys" but I know it's helping her in the long run. :) Also, my younger two have noticed that their fingers naturally gravitate toward the home row keys without even thinking about it.

For additional practice, I had the children update their blogs each week using the correct finger placement. (Sneaky, eh?)

While I personally would have never even thought to cover such things as a properly formatted bibliography, I was glad to see that at least *someone* was!

Thank you, Leanne Beitel for creating such an easy to use program. :)

We give both versions of Keyboarding for the Christian School two delighted thumbs up!


To read what my fellow TOS Crew Members had to say, please click here. :)

*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a copy of both e-books for free. No additional compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Bertie's War (Kregel Publications)

*As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. No additional compensation was provided and my opinions--and those of my daughter--are strictly ours.*

Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, "Bertie's War" by Barbara Tifft Blakey tells the story of young Roberta (Bertie), a sweet but overly emotional 7th grader, who always tries to do the right thing but often falls short of the mark. Due to the shaky political climate of 1962 and her own emotional instability that often comes with her age, Bertie has a tremendous amount of fear welled up inside of her. She deals with this by retreating into her own imaginary world as often as possible, which doesn't help her situation at all.

To make matters worse, Bertie's family isn't very open or talkative, but instead are quiet and reserved. Neither her parents or siblings seem to "get" everything that's going on inside of her, nor does the family exhibit any of the compassion you'd expect to see after witnessing another person's emotional outburst or in the midst of grief and loss.

While I understood why Bertie enjoyed this brand of escapism, I didn't see it as being very realistic for a girl her age. To me she seemed very immature and quite the "Drama Queen". My oldest (14) read the book as well and thought it was "Ok" but that Bertie "needed to suck it up and quit whining." And even though I've met a few emotionally reserved individuals over the years, I couldn't wrap my head around Bertie's parents. Their "distance" seemed a bit too distant, if that makes sense.

At the end, Bertie and her strict father--whom she readily fears and truly wants to please--have a breakthrough, which is very positive to see. However, both my daughter and I felt the ending was a bit of a stretch after all the issues Bertie had at the beginning of the story.

However, all personal plot/characterization opinions aside, Bertie's War could potentially make for a decent American history supplement. The author does a good job articulating the country's extreme fear of nuclear war, which segues nicely into the importance of not making fear-based decisions.

Bertie's War is available in paperback from Kregel Publishing for $7.99. Click here for more information.

To read what my fellow Crew members had to say about this product, please click here.

Review: Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class (DVD)

For Sierra's 8th birthday (at least, I think it was her 8th birthday?) she desperately wanted a guitar. We bought an acoustic child's size one with booklet and CD for a semi-decent price. However, it went relatively "untouched" after the initial "unwrapping" ceremony.

Fast forward to Abby. On a warm summer's day, she decided to "teach herself". (Because by then we'd lost the booklet/CD. Ahem.) She spent several hours strumming away in the sun while a gentle breeze blew through her long hair. (All that was missing from that picture was a crown of flowers and dancing squirrels.) Then about two weeks later, the fascination was over.

Shortly thereafter, Ethan was bitten by the "I'm gonna be a rockstar" bug. A "bug" that passed through him with the same unfruitful results. :o/

Now they play Guitar Hero and think they're uber-cool. (Oooo! Talent!)

All of this unnecessary preamble to say, when we received a copy of Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class Volume 1 on DVD for review, I had some seriously high hopes. I was sure that this program would provide the necessary "spark" for someone in this family! And I was right....(sly grin)

Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class provides step-by-step instruction in beginning acoustic guitar. The lessons are taught by Jean herself, in a very sweet and gentle manner. The first lesson--which covers parts of the guitar, proper tuning, reading notes and understanding chords--culminates with students playing "He's Got the Whole World" with just two notes! (Pretty impressive!)

Granted, it does take awhile to get the finger switching down, so you may find yourself starting/stopping the DVD player a lot as you go along. (We certainly did!) Not only that but if you're doing it right, playing the guitar kinda hurts your fingers. From what I've been told by professional guitarists/musicians, you have to build callouses up on your fingertips in order to play without pain. But until then? Yeah. It's gonna be rough. :(

Volume One contains 7 lessons and songs that you can progress through at your own pace. Song titles include:

• He's Got the Whole World
• My All In All
• More Precious Than Silver
• Take My Life
• Lord, I Lift Your Name On High
• This Is The Day
• I Love You, Lord

The entire course consists of four DVD's (28 songs, 50 chords) that provide instruction in both English and Spanish (that's Spanish subtitles--not spoken Spanish). A companion book is also available for each volume.

You can purchase each DVD for $24.95, each companion book for $5.95, or a DVD/Book set for $29.95. Bundle packages are also available and range in price. (Click here for details)

The website comes equipped with free video clips (including the first lesson), helpful articles and more.

Personal Thoughts:

The children tried several lessons but have no desire to continue. Playing the guitar simply isn't their thing. But remember how I said I was right about this sparking someone's interest? Well, that someone happens to be my husband! Dean absolutely LOVED it! In fact, he's considering ordering the rest of the course for himself. (Who would've thought?!)

Overall, I found the course to be a good product for beginners. The lessons are short 'n simple to understand (read: not overwhelming), yet progress fast enough to foster a sense of accomplishment. If you don't have access to private (or group) music lessons, this is a decent alternative.

If guitar isn't your thing, you may want to check out their nifty looking Christian Drum and Percussion course! (You know...for Grandma's house. Wink-wink)

I give Worship Guitar Class 1.5 thumbs up; Dean gives it a high five and a resounding "Woohoo!!" The kids give it one thumb up :)

* As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received this product for free in exchage for an honest review. No additional compensation was provided and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Maestro Classics

I love classical music and enjoy listening to it throughout the day. When I was younger, one of my favorite stories was Peter and the Wolf which provided me with my first taste of this fascinating form of music. This next review product brought back some of those fond childhood memories.

Maestro Classics' "Stories in Music" cd's combines the beauty of the symphony with engaging storytelling. We received a copy of The Tortoise and the Hare for review, which is one of their newest products in a series of 8.

Created by the husband and wife duo Stephen and Bonnie Ward-Simon, Maestro Classics touts itself as "the ambassador of great music for both children and adults, helping them experience the art form in new and exciting ways. Through wondrous new recordings, innovative educational and performance materials, and uplifting live performances, Maestro Classics™ guides audiences as they expand their listening horizons and discover the magic that can only be called music."

The CD was designed for children ages 5+ and features the talented London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Stephen Simon, and professional narration by Yadu.

Other titles include:

• Peter and the Wolf
• The Story of Swan Lake
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Casey at the Bat
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
• Juanita the Spanish Lobster
• Juanita la longosta espanola
  

A coordinating 24 page full-color booklet is included in each CD. The "Tortoise & the Hare" review booklet provided the following:

• Pictures and information about the various orchestral instruments
• Simple explanation of basic musical terminology such as notes, measures and "beats"
• The differences between rabbits and hares (which came in handy right away as I had no clue and Ethan of course, asked!), and turtles and tortoises
• Accompanying music and lyrics to follow along
• and finally, a few games such as puzzles, word finds and dot-to-dots. (Answers can be found on their website under "Maestro Club")
• Because the booklets coordinate to each story, the information and activities will vary.

Each CD is available for $16.98 but you can receive a $6 discount when you order 3 for $45. (Enter coupon code MAESTRO45) Their website offers sound clips as well as lesson plans for 2 of their Cd's (Casey at the Bat and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel). The lesson plans are appropriate for grades K-3 and 4-6.

Final Opinion:

I was really impressed by the quality of this CD and the storytelling in general. Yes, it's more than a bit young for my three, but I know if they'd had this when they were younger, they would have absolutely loved it. Also, I know if we'd received the Swan Lake, my budding ballerina daughter Abby would've been all over it! :)

These lively Cd's would make a charming music appreciation supplement for your preschool through 2nd grade student.

To learn more about Maestro Classics, please visit their website by clicking here.

Now, I'm going to award this product with 2 thumbs up even though none of my children actually "enjoyed" it. (But again they're 9 1/2, 11 and 14 years old.) :)


*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a free copy of the above CD for review. No additional compensation was received and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Tektoma - Game Tutorials for Kids

Anyone who knows my children well, knows how much they enjoy a good video game. (I blame society. And their father...) In fact, my son especially adores all things Mario & Luigi and would love nothing more than to zap himself into Nintendo Land to live happily among all those funky little characters forever and ever. Or at least until he lost his last life. Then he'd want out.

Ethan has occasionally mentioned wanting to work for Nintendo when he's older and enjoys studying other gamer's strategies in order to cheat beat the games. His good friend, Adam is quite the genius (seriously!) and has partially walked Ethan through the process of creating his own video game. :)

Well, needless to say the heavens parted on this next review product and The Boy was very eager to try it out!

Tektoma offers online gaming tutorials for kids ages 7-17 using the free version of GameMaker Software(YoYo Games--which Ethan was already very familiar with). Varying skill levels make it appropriate for almost everyone and users have multiple gaming options:

• Arcade
• Racing
• Platform (Ethan's preferred format as it's most like Mario. Go figure.)
• Fantasy Adventure
• Memory

Tektoma provides several shortcuts and pre-made graphics to make the game creation process easier, however younger children may still require a bit of help. (Or mommies with absolutely no gaming background.)

Tektoma provides fresh content each month, so users never have to worry about getting "bored" and "learning it all". Their well-moderated user's forum allows children to safely ask questions, get help, and converse with other users.

Our Opinion

Like I said, Ethan was more than eager to try this out. However, he found himself struggling immediately and we couldn't figure out why the site/downloads weren't working the way they should. Well, it turns out---his mother's an idiot. Seems I failed to read the Compatibility and User Requirements before giving it a go.

Tektoma runs on Windows XP or Vista....not Windows 7. (Yeah. Guess which one we have?) But all wasn't lost. Seems there's a handy-dandy "compatibility mode" button at the top of the status bar....that and Abby's machine still runs on XP. Voila`!

Tektoma's tutorials are great. The graphics are nice and smooth (not choppy or "stupid looking"--Ethan's words), the explanations are very thorough, and students can work at their own pace.

However, getting through every single step involved with game programming is tedious to say the least. Especially when you're a mixture of Mexican, Irish, Spanish, Cherokee and Jewish blood. You have no patience with that mix of blood flowing through your veins, my dear readers. None! So needless to say, after spending over 2 hrs on one video game, we were ready to scream Ethan wanted to quit. (I don't see a desk at Nintendo on the horizon quite yet.)

I struggled a bit with Tektoma too, but only because video games are not my forte. Never have been, never will be. I had to keep going back over everything I just looked at/read because--whoosh! It was already out of my head by the time I got to the next step. (Oops)

If you have the patience coupled with a solid interest in gaming or programming, then Tektoma would be a good fit for you and your children.

A subscription to Tektoma is $14.95 per month or $140/year. You can try it out FREE for 14 days.

It requires a broadband internet connection and either Windows XP or Vista. (There is no Mac version available just yet.) The required GameMaker Lite software is available as a free download through their website.

Overall, I'd have to say that Tektoma is a useful product. Although my son and I have the patience of a gnat, that doesn't mean the website itself is to blame, nor the process of video game creation as a whole. However, we'll have to take things MUCH more slowly in the future if we ever hope to see Ethan's "inner vidiot" shine through. :)

Tektoma receives 1.5 thumbs up! :)

*I received a free membership to Tektoma for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: 3P Learning/Mathletics

This is by far one of the coolest educational websites ever! Mathletics from 3P Learning is a web-based K-8th program that provides a full math curriculum with the added bonus of friendly competition.

The site boasts an impressive array of over 750 learning games that walk students through various math concepts in a fun, step-by-step manner. Children create their own custom Avatars (think "Wii" with a purpose!), get immediate feedback on their assignments, and earn points based on their score. These points are then used to buy various features for their Avatars. (I've always said shopping was the best way to do math!--Hee hee) Children also receive printable Reward Certificates for a job well done.

Parents have the option of choosing what their students work on or give the child free-reign to work as he/she pleases. You also receive reports detailing your child's progress.

For those who enjoy putting pencil to paper, Mathletics offers nifty workbooks in pdf format, but just FYI--not all grade levels are available just yet. (They're working on it, though.)

In addition, Mathletics also offers students the chance to compete against other users from all across the globe in live races! (How cool is that?) This was the defining aspect of the program for my kids. They're all fiercely competitive and loved seeing their scores rise to the top.

Oh! One more thing. Just because they're competing against other users, doesn't mean they can actually "talk" to them. Complete online safety is one of the hallmarks of this program. Users cannot speak to one another, so you don't have to worry about some weirdo yakking to your child through this site. (Very cool!)

A subscription to Mathletics costs $59 per student per year. However, if you know what the Human Calculator's favorite number is (Psssst! The answer's 9!), then you can subscribe for $49.95. They're incredibly pro-homeschooling and even offer a beefy, 6 page brochure on the subject here.

I must admit that the price was the *only bummer* about Mathletics. Our family simply cannot afford to spend $49.95 x 3 children, no matter how cool it is. However, I may consider it later on for Ethan who absolutely ADORED the program and hates to see our trial subscription end. Price may or may not be a factor for you, based on your family's income and personal preferences. But just so you know---if they decide to offer a family rate, I'm totally jumping on it!

Overall, I'd have to say that Mathletics is a super fun, super cool program. The graphics were superb, the instruction was effective and simple to understand, the use of avatars made for a fresh, relevant approach, and the consistent pattern of rewards made for a delightful, engaging time. To learn more about Mathletics, please click here.

We proudly award Mathletics 2 Snoopy dancin' thumbs up! :)

Review: ACT Inc. Explore & Plan Assessment Tests

Attending college was never really "tops" on my Things To Do When I'm an Adult" list. I understood the reasons why some of my peers were working themselves into a frenzy over their SAT or ACT exams, but it just wasn't a priority for me. (After all, you don't need a degree to become a ballerina or a wife/mother, which were my goals at that time.)

As a homeschooling mom, college still isn't high on my list but I realize that one--if not all three--of my children may eventually want or need to attend college, based on their career choices. Enter the Explore & Plan Assessment tests from ACT Inc.!

The Explore and Plan Assessments are handy tools for parents to determine whether or not their child is on the right path for college. By taking either assessment, students gain valuable practice for the actual ACT exam, while parents are alerted to any potential learning gaps or holes that need to be covered in the process.

The Explore assessment is for 8th-9th graders, while the Plan assessment is designed for 10th graders to use as a pre-ACT exam. Each exam assesses your student's skills in four core subject areas:

• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science

Both assessment packets are available for $22.95 and contain:

• Testing booklet titled Sample Test Booklet and Answer Sheet
• Using Your Explore (or Plan) Results brochure—a brief overview of score results and the process
• College Readiness Standards handbook—a handbook that provides ideas for progress in each subject to prepare students for college or the workforce

While I may not be a huge pro-standardized testing, pro-college person, I did enjoy using the Plan test with Sierra. It didn't tell me anything I wasn't already aware of as far as her skills were concerned, but it did provide her with a helpful visual aid at this stage of her academic career. She also didn't seem to mind the testing process at all (especially when I told her it was just a "give it a shot" thing and not a "If you flunk, you have to practice saying, "Do you want fries with that?"). I'm actually looking forward to using the Plan Assessment in another year or two to see where she's improved.

If you've got a college bound student, are curious to see where you student's skills reside on the grand college scale, or simply want to brag about your skills as a homeschool teacher (Ahem! Not that any of us actually do that...), check out either the Explore or Plan Assessment Packets from ACT Inc. Click here to visit their website and learn more.

We give this handy product 2 thumbs up! :)



*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received free copies of both the Explore & Plan assessments for the purpose of this review. No additional compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: GyMathtics DVD

*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a free copy of Exploramania's GyMathtics DVD for review. No additional compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*


Most of my friends and family know, I'm a big fan of exercise and working out. My daughters are following in my footsteps and can often be found moving through their ballet steps (Abby) or taekwondo forms (Sierra), riding on my stationary bike, or even working out with me. My son? Well...that's another story. Ahem.

When we received a copy of the GyMathtics DVD from Exploramania, we were hoping it would be similar to my other workout videos. The children weren't too keen on the whole "let's incorporate math into our workouts" but they were up for reviewing it regardless. :)

GyMathtics is a 30 minute DVD that provides children in grades 2-5 with a low-impact workout routine while teaching math concepts such as geometry, prime numbers, and skip counting. The program segments include:

• Shape Stretches Warm Up - Stretches cover lines, circles and polygons.
• Counting Calisthenics - This is the aerobic portion of the routine
• Pattern Power - Pattern combinations that get the mental juices flowing.
• Well-Being Wind Down - A cool down routine with a very soft, flowing tone. Incorporates lots of positive imagery and thought processes. ("Eat super healthy foods...", "Relax your body and open your mind...")

GyMathtics seeks to encourage children to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle while incorporating gross motor skills to help solidify math concepts in the brain. Many parents and homeschoolers realize that movement is essential to kinesthetic learners, so the idea behind GyMathtics is great.

Our Opinion

Like I said, the idea behind this DVD is admirable, and we already enjoy and engage in regular exercise. However....my children did not care for this DVD at all. As the opening sequence began, Ethan and Abby stared at the screen. Then, ever so slowly, both of their heads turned toward me, their expressions mirror images of one another. ("Are...you...serious?!") They skipped ahead a bit, hoping there was something they'd appreciate or want to get up off the couch for but alas, no such luck. :o/

While they agreed it "wasn't a bad program", they felt it was "just too babyish" for them. Ethan (11) said it "felt like Barney with a math book" and Abby (9) said "it would be better for little kids--like kindergarten or first grade." (Of course each child is different, so please keep that in mind before totally disregarding this program.)

I think part of my children's dislike for this product may stem from the fact that they're used to adult level workouts. As a matter of fact, I don't think we've ever owned a children's workout video before now.

But while I can honestly say this product didn't work for my children, I can see it being a huge hit with other children I know (who are--yes, younger).

The tone and style of the instructors is very encouraging, and the quality and cuing of the movements are great. The math lessons covered various concepts we haven't even attempted yet, which I was appreciative of. I feel this would make a great phys ed. supplement for younger homeschoolers, while providing them with a fun "wiggle busting routine" during nasty weather days.

GyMathtics is available for $24.99 and comes with free shipping. To learn more about it and view additional screen shots and product information, please click here.

There are additional GyMathtics products such as GyMathtics 2.0 which is designed for older students (something we may look into), as well as Exploracise Floor Mat which is a yoga mat with math facts built in, and Exploracise Thumballs which help reinforce multiplication skills. To learn more about these products, please visit their website by clicking here.

We give GyMathtics by Exploramania one thumb up. :)

Review: AVKO

*As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a free one year membership to AVKO.org in exchange for a review. My opinions are strictly my own, and I encourage families to research this and other programs to determine what is right for them.*


AVKO (which stands for Audio, Visual, Kinesthetic and Oral) is a non-profit organization founded by Don McCabe. AVKO "is dedicated to teaching everyone how to read and spell, regardless of their mild to moderate learning disabilities, dyslexia, poverty, or opportunity."

Don McCabe is also the author of Sequential Spelling, a highly popular spelling program among homeschoolers. I've never used Sequential Spelling myself, nor did I have access to it for this review. Therefore, I will only give my opinion on the website itself and its content.

I have to admit that I really didn't think much of this program at first. Wait--let me rephrase that. I didn't feel I had a genuine need for this type of program. However, the more I played around on their site, downloaded their e-books, and listened to Don McCabe's mp3 workshops, my whole attitude changed. Suddenly, a light bulb moment took place inside my head; "Could this be the answer to my son's struggles with reading and writing?"

For years, I just figured Ethan was allergic to pencil and paper. Not literally of course, but I figured since my husband isn't a huge reader/writer and struggled all through school, Ethan was just "taking after Dad". I knew Ethan would learn as he went along, and I never tried to push him beyond what I knew he was capable of. Neither my husband or my son has been formally diagnosed with any sort of learning difficulties, but like I said, the more time I spent on the AVKO website--the more everything started to make sense.

I'd always understood dyslexia to mean flipping letters or numbers around, or reading backwards. However, by reading Don McCabe's book, "To Teach a Dyslexic" (McCabe's personal story that was really interesting, but does contain a few zingers/curse words--FYI), I learned that dyslexia creates difficulty in a number of areas including memory retention, delayed speech (Ethan didn't utter more than "mama" or "dada" until he was over 2 years old), and sometimes math.

Needless to say, this was one review product I was very glad to receive! I learned far more than I had expected, and I noticed awesome changes in Ethan's retention and understanding after following some of the suggested teaching methods. I'm now saving up to purchase Sequential Spelling to see how it stacks up with our current program. :)

An individual AVKO membership costs $25/year and provides access to a multitude of helpful products including:

• E-books aplenty, including all 10 volumes of The Patterns of English Spelling, To Teach a Dyslexic, and Starting at Square One
• Supplemental materials such as word games, puns, and worksheets
• Discounts on all AVKO materials through their webstore
• Access to Don McCabe's mp3 audios (which are very informative!)
• AVKO newsletter and more.

AVKO also offers a selection of freebies, such as sample book pages and articles, that can be found by clicking here.

Overall, I was very pleased with Don McCabe's methods and the selection of products offered through AVKO. The materials are incredibly helpful and simple to use, and I was very impressed with how the tone of voice didn't come across as babyish or "dumbed down" to the student. It was just simple, logical, and to the point.

On a little side note, I did find their website a bit overwhelming at first (there's a LOT of info!), but if you play around with it a bit, you'll find what you're looking for.

If you have a struggling reader--whether dyslexic or not--in your family, I highly suggest checking out AVKO.org. I happily award them with two thumbs up!

Review: ACT Inc. Discover Career Planning Program

Some of us are born knowing what we want to do in life, while others haven't a clue. In junior high and high school we're given a series of tests that measure our skills and interests, in hopes that we find *something* suitable to make us productive members of society.

I remember those tests. They always said I should be a teacher, writer, actress or doctor. (Ahem) The last one's pretty funny, considering I faint at the sight of blood. However, I did enjoy taking those tests even though I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted out of life.

Since my children are obviously homeschooled, I wasn't sure these types of tests were open to them. Lo and behold, they are! Sierra and I were pleased to receive access to the Discover Online Career Planning Program by ACT Inc. for review.

The Discover Career Planning Program walks students through a battery of tests that measure their interests, strengths, weaknesses, work place ethics, and values. The tests and website are both very user-friendly, and the results were surprisingly accurate. The site lists all the various skills and college requirements of each chosen career path, and even offers a list of colleges by state that cater to those programs. The Discover Program also provides a list of related military careers as well.

Student's results can then be stored in their Discover Portfolio, which can easily be printed and referred to later in the school year.

With the Discover Online Career Planning Program students will:

•Assess interests, abilities and job values.

•Explore occupations, majors and schools.

•Build an education plan that relates to career plans.

•Improve job-seeking skills and develop a resume


Sierra's tests revealed that she would be best suited for a career in culinary arts (no big shock), a career in writing, teaching, or working outdoors in an engineering or construction field. (Talk about your variety of vocational pursuits!)

I really liked how it allowed her to see which area colleges were best suited to her, how much education each vocation required (2 years, 4 years), what sort of classes she'd need to take (more math, science, etc), as well as the information about scholarships and financial aid.

Sierra appreciated the welcome "break" from school work and liked how it listed career options she'd never thought of before (like owning her own bakery or running a hotel restaurant).

The Discover Career Planning Program is available for $19.95 for a 3-month license or $24.95 for a 6-month license. It's a great tool for students planning their high school courses, as well as high school students in their junior or senior year.

I was really pleased with the way the Discover program worked and all it had to offer. Therefore, I proudly award it 2 thumbs up. :)

To learn more about this or other great ACT Inc. programs, please visit their website by clicking here.



*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received free access to this online program in exchange for review. No other compensation was received. My review is based on my personal opinion only, and should not be considered a substitute for investigating the program yourself prior to purchase.*

Review: Educaching

Whether you're directionally-challenged or not, chances are you have some sort of GPS device planted in your car or cell phone. Ours happens to be a nifty little Garmin, affectionately named "Martha".


Martha's been fairly good to us over the past year or so, helping us navigate through the rugged terrain of the Greater Seattle area. Although most roads lead to the freeway, there's the whole getting off the freeway and finding your way around after that, that's the hard part. Martha may have a quirky panache for taking us along the scenic route, but overall she's been a helpful, "fluent in droning monotone" co-pilot.


Why all this discussion about Martha? Well because without a Martha of your own, you'll have an impossible time utilizing this next homeschool product review, Educaching.

Educaching is a GPS based curriculum that incorporates math, science, and technology. Many homeschoolers are already familiar with GeoCaching, which (for those of you scratching your heads in confusion) involves using a hand-held GPS device to locate various hidden treasures or "cache" (pronounced "cash") in the area. You can learn more about this by visiting Geocaching.com.


Our family had never been Geo or Educaching before, although we do know a few families that have and ADORED it. This was actually something I'd been curious to learn more about but, due to my Swiss cheese brain, never got around to it.


As part of the TOS Crew, I received a digital copy the Educaching curriculum to review. My review is based on my family's experience only, and I received no additional compensation beyond the product itself.



What is it:



Educaching as previously stated, utilizes a hand-held GPS receiver to lead students on a hunt for various treasures or "cache". The cache can be hidden in any number of areas (near a rock, in a mailbox, up a tree, etc). All you have to do is track of the cache's coordinates, plug 'em into the receiver, send your kiddies on their quest, and off ya go!


This 128 page manual is available in PDF format for $32, or in a 3-ring Binder for $32 plus $6.95 shipping. Classroom Kits are also available for $129 and up, containing 1 or more hand-held GPS devices.


The curriculum is broken down into 5 Sections for easy navigation (Ha! Get it?):


Section 1: Teacher Training

• I totally needed this as, like I said, I've never done any sort of Geo or Edu caching before. The section explains in plenty detail just what it is you're trying to accomplish and how your GPS system works (didn't know all that myself!--Ahem).

Section 2: Lesson Plans

• Pretty self-explanatory, really. In this section, you'll find several lessons divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced sections. Also provided is a National Standards List which may or may not be beneficial to you. (I personally don't seek to conform to standards, so I skimmed this part.)

Section 3: Field Sheets

• These printables coordinate to the various lesson plans. Also provided are student and teacher maps.

Section 4: Acquiring GPS

• Information about Grant Writing and fundraising. This section would be most helpful in a classroom or co-op setting, not your average homeschooling family, seeking to add GPS based curriculum to their school.

Section 5: Beyond the Basics

• This section is actually pretty interesting as it contains info about forming your own Geocaching club, incorporating iPod usage into your hunts (Podcaching), races, postcards and more. While many of the ideas are great in theory, I would think they'd require a large group of students to perform properly such as (again) a school or co-op.

My Opinion:


I found this curriculum to be a great introduction to the world of geo/educaching. I appreciated the way everything was broken down, step-by-step, so that even newbies like me could get the gist of it.

Although Martha gave me more than a few fits at first, we soon came to an agreement that if she behaved herself, I wouldn't dump her in the nearest receptacle. (Seems she prefers my husband to me. Ahem.)

The kids really enjoyed the whole process (once Mom figured it out), and are eager to go on more educaching adventures in the very (very!) near future. In fact, my son asked if school could be like this all the time! :) (I told him that'd be fine but next time, Daddy's dealing with Martha.)

To learn more about this fun product, please visit their website by clicking here.

We're pleased to award Educaching 2 happy, snoopy-dancing thumbs up! :)

College Prep Genius: Part One (aka Product Overview)

Instead of a formal review, the good folks over at College Prep Genius have asked that we--the TOS Homeschool Crew-- write an initial product overview, followed by a more detailed review in the coming weeks. So, without further ado, it is my extreme pleasure to present: College Prep Genius: Part One.

College Prep Genius is "The No Brainer Way to SAT Success". The course is designed to teach students "the hidden strategies, profiles and patterns" presented in the SAT which will:

• Eliminate testing anxiety
• Substantially raise test scores
• Improve their chances of obtaining scholarships

The program consists of a textbook, workbook, and 4 disc "Master the Class" DVD set, shown below.

Packed full of practice problems, acronyms and logic strategies, College Prep Genius teaches you everything from writing an essay in 15 minutes, to answering higher math problems without ever using a calculator (an aspect I'm most curious about!).

In addition, program creator Jean Burke (a homeschooling mom of 2 college grads--each receiving huge scholarships) offers a variety of free articles on her website such as:

• 13 Common Myths of the SAT (my personal favorite!)
• Nailing the College Interview
• The Differences Between the SAT and PSAT
• To CLEP or Not To CLEP, and more.

College Prep Genius is currently available for $79, a savings of 30%.

I'm really looking forward to using this product with Sierra. (Even though to be perfectly honest, I never took the PSAT/SAT myself.) In fact, I was amazed at the timing of its arrival. I was just discussing with my husband about preparing her for high school and college when, lo and behold, this ditty of a program arrived. Neat, huh?

I'll be back in a few weeks with my formal review! :o)

Review: Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services (EDUDPS) offers a host of unique products designed to make the most of your homeschooling efforts. They offer everything from tests and assessments, literature-based writing curriculum, an in-depth college and career planning guide, to a comprehensive vocabulary program that can be used for all grade levels.

Founder and author, Jill J. Dixon "holds a Bachelor of Science in English Education (magna cum laude) and a Master’s Degree in Special Education (summa cum laude)." She's amassed 27 years of teaching experience in the private and public sectors, as well as 16 years homeschooling her own four children. She opened EDUDPS in 1993 to offer "educational consulting, tutoring, and testing services to parents, schools, and homeschool support groups" and presently serves as a "national consultant to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association" among other endeavors.

Our family received digital copies (E-books) of 4 products: Write With the Best Volumes 1 and 2, Roots and Fruits, and The Complete Career, College, and High School Guide for Homeschoolers.

Write with the Best Volume 1: Modeling Writing After Great Works of Literature, is a descriptive writing program for grades 3-12. The premise is that in order to become a great writer, one must study great writing. (Works for me!)

This program is broken into nine units, each covering a specific writing aspect (or genre), which is then represented by an excerpt from a classic tale or poem. (No separate book purchase necessary! Woohoo!)

Topics include:

• Writing a descriptive paragraph (focusing on a specific object, place or character)
• Writing a dialog
• Short Stories
• Fables
• Writing a friendly letter (a lost art these days)
• and finally aspects of poetry (rhyming verse and a ballad/narrative poem)

Excerpts from such famous works include Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Vernes' 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and more.

Units consist of 10 lessons, which take between 15-45 minutes each to complete. Prep-time is basically "zero" as daily objectives are included (reading the passage, learning the parts of speech, using a thesaurus), with the entire e-book presented in a clear, easy-to-follow manner.

We didn't delve into this book too deeply yet, but so far we're really enjoying it. The lessons and schedule are short enough to implement into our busy day without feeling burdensome.

This terrific resource is available on sale in E-book format for only $14.95 (regular price is $19.95), $22.45 (Pages Only, 3-hole punched, no binder), or as a 3-Ring Binder for $24.95.

To learn more, you can download sample pages by clicking here.

Write with the Best Volume 2 is designed for 6th-12th graders and covers elements of expository and informative writing. As with Volume 1, Write with the Best Volume 2 incorporates excerpts of literary classics to illustrate its eight distinctive units (genres). Each unit provides 10 days worth of lessons, which take approximately 15-45 to complete.

Genres and corresponding excerpts include:

• Poetry - Free Verse from Emily Dickinson
• Business Letters from Helen Keller
• Persuasive Essays from Thomas Paine
• Expository Essays from Francis Bacon
• Literary Critiques from Edgar Allan Poe
• Newspaper Articles from Ernest Hemingway
• Speeches from Marcus Tullius Cicero
• Dramatic Monologues from William Shakespeare (my personal favorite!)

This is a phenomenal program that I was very happy to receive, especially since Sierra loves to write. I love how both Volumes 1 and 2 break down heavier literary concepts, making this program not only effective but enjoyable (for teacher and student alike!).

This volume can be purchased in Ebook format on sale for only $18.65 (regularly priced at $24.95), $27.45 (Pages Only, 3-hole punched, no binder) or $29.95 (3-ring binder).

Samples can be viewed by clicking here.

Next up is Roots and Fruits. This comprehensive vocabulary program for grades K-12 teaches the English forms of Latin and Greek roots and prefixes. In only 15 minutes per day, younger children (K-3rd grade) learn one root per week, while older students (4th and up) learn 2 roots per week with corresponding vocabulary words.

Suggested activities are provided for each weekday and include:

• Writing the roots on a large sheet of paper (the idea is to keep the roots visible throughout the week)
• Looking up the meanings of the roots and vocabulary words in the dictionary
• Using vocabulary words in sentences
• Using provided "games" to test retention

The games are actually pretty neat and were my favorite part of the program. Two of my favorites were "Beat the Clock" (matching game) and "Goofy Sentences" (self-explanatory).

Roots and Fruits is a great way to teach vocabulary in a simple, non-intimidating format. Dixon's writing style throughout is one of a cherished friend, never pushy or over-the-top.

You can purchase this great product in E-book format for only $11.25 (regular price: $14.98), $17.48 (Pages Only, 3-hole punched, no binding) or $19.95 (Comb-binding).


You can download samples of this program by clicking here.

Last but not least is the The Complete Career, College, and High School Guide for Homeschoolers. This nifty volume arrives jam-packed with over 200 pages containing a wealth of necessary information to plan your college years with success. Examples include:

• Various assessments and questionnaires
• Job profiles (including those specifically for stay-at-home Moms!)
• GPA calculation
• CLEP and AP tests
• ACT, and PSAT/SAT testing information and a whole lot more.

My oldest daughter, Sierra is developing a passion for cooking and baking (don't know where she gets that from!), so the section on Culinary Arts was especially helpful to us, as were the personal assessments.

This well organized and extremely useful tool is available for $39.95 (softcover) or on sale for $26.20 (E-book). Regular price for the E-book is $34.95.

To get an idea of just how spectacular this product is, please click here to download your free sample pages.

Overall, I was very pleased with the quality of products from EDUDPS. Mrs. Dixon provides an outstanding amount of information in several neat little (and some not so little!) packages. Her prices are affordable and her style is friendly, caring, and supremely helpful. Whether you're a homeschooler, or send your children to public or private school--or are perhaps looking for a way to teach your struggling or disabled learner, EDUDPS has something for everyone.

Their products are fantastic, their customer service exemplary. Visit their website today to learn more about this great company.

We award EDUDPS two Snoopy-dancing thumbs up!

Review: StudyPod

When we first received this doohickey in the mail, I pretty much dismissed it as a "nice idea, in theory." It looked nice enough, borderline chic really, but I just couldn't believe its claims of helping a student "finish their work faster" and be the ultimate book holder. Nope. That wasn't happening. (I'm a born skeptic, what can I say?)

I placed it on my oldest's desk and said, "Here ya go." "What is it?" she asked, turning it over in her hands. She then gave me a quizzical look as she read, "Study...Pod? Seriously?" (Clearly, she's a born skeptic, too.)

I explained what it was designed to do, showing her the little enclosed instruction sheet. She shrugged, made some lunch, then set up the StudyPod on the kitchen table with her paperback-of-the-day, and read...and read...

"Hmm..." said I, "We may be onto something!"

StudyPod by Genio Products is a sturdy, compact, plastic book holder that's actually shaped like a book (portability? Check!).

Designed to prevent having to place heavy objects on your book pages in order to make 'em lay flat (we all know what that's like!), the StudyPod holds virtually any sized book at a comfortable eye level, freeing your hands to write, type, or--in Sierra's case--eat. The StudyPod also eliminates the aggravating neck/middle-of-your-shoulders pain that comes from hunching over a book for longer than two minutes at a time.

The StudyPod also contains a nifty, removable left-side pocket to hold essential study items like pencils, pens, iPod, cell phone, or calculator. On the right is a small, printed rectangle containing inspirational quotes and factoids. (The only bummer here is the fact that the writing is too small for me to read without my eyes going buggy...)

We tested the StudyPod with several different sized books and were pleased with the results. The handy invention successfully held our dinky paperbacks, beefy hardbacks, brick-like Bibles, and flimsy magazines with incredible ease. It even held the oversized books I've been using for work purposes without buckling under the weight! (Something I was sure would happen.)

Page-turning with the StudyPod was a bit tricky at first. Although the video demo below explains how to do this with one hand, I'm partial to the ol' two-handed approach. (Ditto with Sierra!) Ethan and Abby however, found that the one-handed approach worked just fine for them.



StudyPod is available in black, blue, and pink and retails for $19.95 or $16.95 for two or more. As a special bonus to Crew review readers, you can take $5 off your order by entering coupon code: TOSBLOG5 at checkout.

If those colors don't suit you, check out the BookPod (same thing, just marketed as a book-reading tool vs. a study tool), which is available in black, gray, or beige. (We received the black StudyPod, despite my preference for all things pink. Not that I'm complaining...just stating as a matter-of-fact. Ahem.)

The one solitary "con" to this product (per Sierra), is the fact that it leaves slight indentations on the book's pages as it holds it in place. Sierra's of the "keep my books pristine" mentality, and therefore felt that little aspect deserved mentioning in the review. I don't believe the indentations are permanent but rather a temporary "blemish" on an otherwise perfect page. However, depending how long your book was held open (like a week or more on the same page?), it *could potentially* be permanent.

Our family loves the StudyPod and proudly awards it two thumbs up! :)

Review: American Heritage Education Foundation

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." ~ James Madison

Normally this is where I'd mention that "As part of the TOS Crew I was provided with a free CD from American Heritage Education Foundation for the purpose of this review." Which I was--but this time, not only do I receive this freebie but so can you!

According to their website, the American Heritage Education Foundation (AHEF) is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation (501.c.3) dedicated to the understanding and teaching of America's factual and philosophical heritage to promote constructive citizenship and Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility among our students and citizens.


AHEF accomplishes this patriotic mission by writing, producing, and distributing FREE K-12 lesson plans to teachers, students, and families in all 50 states and through additional initiatives, programs, and partnerships.

AHEF is inclusive of individuals of every race and creed and every religious or non-religious persuasion. (This means that while their materials do touch on our country's Christian foundation, it's not to be considered a Bible-based program.)

Their CD titled "America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty" contains 4 e-books filled with hundreds of pages worth of supplemental/basic education in American History for all grade levels:

• Elementary (184 pages)
• Elementary (Spanish edition)
• Middle School (182 pages)
• High School (187 pages)

Information for the teacher, such as the length of the lesson, necessary materials, lesson objective, etc. are also included.

The lessons incorporate games, puzzles, discussion questions, information, and plenty of additional activities. However, being that this curriculum was designed to be used in a classroom setting, some of the activities aren't well-suited for the homeschool setting. Several had to be adapted, which was fairly easy to do. But overall, it would've been easier if we'd had more people. (Please disregard that comment if you plan to use this at your local co-op, or happen to have a larger-than-is-typical family.)

In addition, "the elementary lessons meet the nationally applicable Core Knowledge Skills (grades K-6) (national edition). Each middle and high school lesson plan correlates with the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) standards (national edition)." While this fact bears no weight in my final verdict of the product, I did feel it deserved an honorary mention as many fellow homeschoolers like that sort of thing. :)


My Opinion:

I'd been looking for an effective way to cover history with my little brood for some time now. History isn't one of their top five favorite subjects (or even among their top two!), but it's important that they understand their country's foundation and where it is now in comparison.

I loved the fact that every grade was included on one CD, making it easy to zip between my children's respective grade levels. The teacher planning is done for you, which means all I had to do was gather our materials and hit "print".

While like I said, some of the games and such just weren't possible with our little group, the overall gist of the lessons were simple and effective to use. I felt we'd covered more American History in this one brief review period than we have over the past few years. (And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, the materials added a nice bonus to our Colonial America discussions!)

Best of all--everything's absolutely free!

You can download their lesson plans directly from their website in pdf format or request a free CD by clicking here. A printed version is also available for $19.50 per grade level.

To learn more about the American Heritage Education Foundation, please click here.

We give American Heritage Education Foundation's "Adventures in Liberty" CD 1.5 thumbs up. (It would've earned a full 2 thumbs if it'd been a decidedly Christian product. Not too keen on the whole "separation of church and state" thing.)

Review: Nature Friend Magazine

I've never been a huge fan of nature, science or the "great outdoors". When I was a kid, I'd often pout whenever my Mother made my sister and I go outside and play. I would much rather stay inside where it's warm 'n toasty, reading a book, playing with my dolls, or writing something in a journal. (Or pretending I was a rock star, but that was another phase...)

Climbing trees? Didn't happen. Camping? Yuck. Bugs? Don't go there. I like various furry animals (who can resist a bunny rabbit?) but not enough to actually seek them out.

But of course, God has a real snappy sense of humor and enjoys tossing a few pranks my way. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I gave birth to three nature lovin' kids. (I also cast partial blame upon my husband. He's a tree-hugging hippie.)

As part of my participation in the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received both the August and September issues (and supplemental Study Guides) of Nature Friend Magazine for review.

I'd heard of Nature Friend from my fellow homeschooling mommies but never actually read a copy. When the August issue arrived in my mailbox, I opened it up, found some very articulate photos of locusts, shrieked like a little girl, and handed it over to the kids. (Ahem)

But then I remembered that I'm a professional (nudge, nudge) reviewer, and therefore I had to give the magazine a fair shake. Once I "screwed my courage to the sticking place" (Thank you, Shakespeare), I sat down and began to read....

Nature Friend Magazine is a wholesome, Christian publication designed to teach children (about 8 years and up) all about the beauty of Creation in a simple, lovely manner.

Each monthly issue is free of advertising and filled with some of the most lush photography I've ever seen! Everything from locusts (ahem) to bunny rabbits (so cute!) to the solar system is covered in exquisite, rich detail. I found myself literally staring at some of the photos for several moments, pondering their beauty. Even my husband, an amateur photographer, commented on how extraordinary the photographs were. (Check out samples from their Photo Gallery here.)

Additional highlights include:

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  Short stories, hidden pictures, crossword puzzles and word finds,
  
  
  
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  Reader-submitted artwork, poetry, letters and "nature" experiences
  
  
  
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  Articles about a variety of animals
  
  
  
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  and a neat "You Can Draw" art lesson, Science lesson/experiment and of course, plenty of Scripture. Sample issues can be downloaded here
  
  
  

For an additional cost of only $2 per issue, you can receive their amazing Study Guide supplement. Perfect for homeschoolers, this excellent resource comes packed with additional puzzles, fill-in-the-blanks, photo critique, research questions, and a detailed writing lesson, designed to reinforce the topics covered in that month's issue. The Study Guide is reproducible, making it a supremely economical and mom-friendly!

A one year subscription to Nature Friend costs $36 (for 12 issues). The Study Guide costs an additional $24/year, bumping your subscription price up to an even $60. While this may be a bit steep for a lot of us (including myself!), I do feel that the benefit of this superior publication is well-worth the price.

To sweeten the deal a bit, Nature Friend is currently offering $3 off the subscription price from now until November 30th. Simply enter coupon code: BLOG93. (New subscribers only.)

I'm honestly very impressed with the quality of Nature Friend Magazine. Although it did little to curb my distaste of nature hikes or camping trips, I do find myself appreciating all that the Lord created just a bit more. My children have enjoyed reading it, filling in the puzzles, and studying the photography immensely. It is without a doubt, one of the best items review items we've received so far!

We proudly award Nature Friend Magazine with the highly coveted two thumbs up! :)

~Check  out what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about Nature Friend by clicking here~