See the Light art curriculum

My kids are crafty, and are drawing or creating or coloring a lot. But, we seem to neglect any formal art curriculum in this homeschool, as it is not my "thing." Fortunately, it IS Pat Knepley's "thing" and she teaches it well!!

We received a DVD with Lessons 1-4 on it. It was a treat to watch and learn!! Included on this DVD were the following lessons:

Tools of the Trade , which teaches the basics of what makes a drawing.

It All Starts With a Line, which discusses lines and contour drawing.

Contours & Composition, which shows how to be synchronized and how to place things in a drawing.

Draw What You See, which helps you know if you are drawing what you see or what you know.


These DVDs were enjoyable and educational. My children enjoyed them, and learned from them. I would say they are good for elementary age, but could also be good for older children with little or no art instruction. In all, the entire course consists of 9 DVDs with 4 easy step lessons on each. It is $99.99 for all. You can also start an online subscription for $10 a month. If you go to the website, you can request a free DVD of the first four lessons, like the one I received. It is http://www.seethelightshine.com and it has the curriculum and many added products you might be interested in. It is definitely worth looking into!!

The best part of this curriculum, besides the great instruction, is how it "draws children to Him" as it says in the logo. (I would have added that to this review, but we are having computer trouble and after numerous tries, we gave up trying to add pictures!!) It is wonderful to use a curriculum that is Christ-centered!

I would recommend this "art class" to anyone who is looking for a good foundation in art. It has added extras, like chalk lessons, that are fun, too. Take a look at the website and see if it would appeal to the budding artists in your homeschool!


***Disclaimer: I received this DVD at no cost in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I received no other compensation.***

MathRider

It's fun to find a product that teaches math facts under the disguise of a game, and that is exactly what MathRider is!! My kids had a good time playing MathRider, and that makes learning (or mastery) happen.

MathRider is a fantasy game where the student completes noble quests riding through Mathland on a horse named Shadow. For one example, the child has to answer math facts to try to get a flower to make medicine for his or her sick mother. (hence the "noble" quests!) Just FYI, there is a wizard and elements of magic, so that may be an issue of concern for some families. All through the quests, math fact mastery is going on while the child is having a great time.

There are 4 levels for each operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) so it is a very versatile program for all ages and levels. It works on the areas your students need work on, which is a great feature. The four quests are the same in each operation, but the rewards are different.

Here are some screen shots of the game to give you a feel for it:

I had three of my children work on this game. My 12 year old daughter loves horses, and did like the game. She was able to quickly complete quests in addition and subtraction, and got the practice she needed in multiplication and division. My 9 year old son needed practice in all the operations, so it was great for him. My 7 year old didn't get very far because of his age, but still liked doing it and did well. I love that you can set it up with more than one student, and everyone can do it and talk about it and learn math facts. My little ones often gathered around the computer to watch, and that is great secondhand learning!! I am always looking for different ways to work on mastery, so this is a great supplement to their math curriculum.

If you think this sounds like a good thing for your family, go to http://mathrider.com/ and check it out. For the very reasonable price of $37 for a download, you can give your children a good tool to learn math facts. You can also read more reviews on this product at http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=77474&type=thumbnail to see what others think of it.

Here's to educational, yet fun, products for our students to learn from!!

***Disclaimer: I was given a free trial of this product in exchange for my honest review of it. I received no other compensation.***

VocabAhead SAT Vocabulary

It is fun to find a product that is...well...fun...and helpful... and practical... and useful. That is what this wonderful book from VocabAhead is, and more. It is called VocabAhead SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos, and MP3s. This is a very good tool for all your vocabulary needs.

This book takes a word, gives the definition, adds a black and white drawing, then gives sentences to reinforce the definition. It also gives the synonyms and antonyms to each word. The drawings are clever, oftentimes funny, so they stick with the reader so he/she can remember the definitions easier. How fun is that?!? (well, it's educational, too, but fun sounds better!)

I really liked how the book had a review page after every 10 words. There the reader can match the word to the correct definition, and fill in the blanks with the appropriate word. What a good feature to test how well the reader understood the words! It's just a very good review.

You can download cartoons, videos, and MP3s to reinforce the book. The download is large, and will take a bit, just FYI. Those kinds of things can really cement the words in the minds of the reader.

My older kids enjoyed looking at the book and videos. There were laughs and aha moments, which is always good to see. (and hear.) One example is the word "writhe." It says it is a verb, then gives the definition "To twist or bend and roll around,usually in pain." Then, the picture shows a young man on the ground holding his head, obviously (from all sorts of squiggles and marks) writhing in agony. That is a good word picture!

You can get the book at Amazon for $12.95 currently. There is also a DVD-Rom that other crew members reviewed that is $24.99. Check out the website at http://www.vocabahead.com/ and discover all it has to offer. There are a lot of helpful resources just waiting for you. It just may be something that will be a lifesaver for your school!

Find other reviews of this product at: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783745/

As with any homeschool materials, you will want to preview it to make sure it is appropriate for your tastes.

Have fun!!!

***Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review of it. I received no other compensation.***

Maestro Classics--Peter and the Wolf

It's nice to find products that are both fun and educational. I was sent a copy of Peter and the Wolf by Maestro Classics to review, and we feel it is a good find!!
The CD has 7 tracks.


1. Introduction

2. Peter and the Wolf

3. About the Composer--Prokofiev

4. A Russian Peter

5. About the Music

6. Peter and the Wolf (Instrumental version)

7. Invitation to Grandfather's Party

8. Kalinka (Dance Along--Trio Voronezh)


We enjoyed Peter and the Wolf. It's different than anything my kids have been exposed to, but it was good to hear a sample of a symphony orchestra. It was beneficial for my kids to realize that music can set a mood or tone in a story. They didn't always understand it, but enjoyed the music nonetheless.


There were many extras on the CD. The introduction was very helpful to set the stage. It talked about the characters, and the instruments that would represent them, among other things. The other extras were fun and interesting, and I was glad they were on the CD.


There was a booklet included in with the CD, and it had puzzles and information about the composers and instruments. That was so nicely done.


The only thing I didn't like was it being said in the extra material that it wasn't right for Peter to disobey, but if he didn't they wouldn't have caught the wolf. Other than that, it was very enjoyable. I can see that it would be good for homeschool families to listen to in the car or in productive free time.


You will definitely want to check out the website: http://maestroclassics.com and see all that it offers.


The CD sells for $16.98, or CD's for $45. The other titles available are The Story of Swan Lake, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, and Juanita the Spanish Lobster.

Read what other reviewers said about this product at http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783654 to see more and decide if you think it would be something your family would enjoy.


***Disclaimer: I received this CD free of charge in exchange for my review of it. I received no other compensation.***

Virtual Nerd

Math and science have never been my strong subjects, and a few of my kids are following in my footsteps. I reviewed a product that I thought was really good--a math and science tutor on the computer!!





Virtual Nerd is an online tool to help with math and science, and I was really impressed with it!
The concept (from the website) is easy:



My daughters and son are not exactly at the place in their math and science where the videos are, but I had them watch some of them anyway. I watched them, too. and I thought they were good. (and so did my kids.) Really good. The tutors were pleasant and knowledgeable, dressed in black shirts to help prevent distractions, and explained things clearly and simply in front of the whiteboard. It was not dry at all. Could I even go so far as to say it was sort of interesting? (coming from someone who isn't mathematically or scientifically bent!)

The subjects covered were Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Physics, with more on the way. You could search for the topic you wanted by keyword, topic, or textbook. While you watch the video, the problem is being displayed on the right side of the screen. If there are any questions or problems within the topic, there is a link for that, too. You'll go to another section to get the question answered. It is quite the set-up, if you ask me--very cool how you can go from one thing to another to get all your questions answered. You really shouldn't have any excuse to not understand with so many options!!

I found this on the website:

"Created by an expert tutor and a designer, Virtual Nerd gives students a new option to turn to when they need help. For a fraction of the cost of private tutoring, students gain access to hundreds of interactive step-by-step video tutorials that match up with the practice problems in their textbooks. Virtual Nerd's patent-pending e-Learning system anticipates students' questions, so they can easily drill down to related tutorials if they get confused. The innovative design makes it easy for students to stay focused. Plus, unique reporting features mean parents and teachers can stay involved with students' progress."

There are daily, weekly, monthly, and 3 month subscriptions, with varying costs. It would be handy to purchase a day or week "pass" if you are having specific problems with math and need immediate help, or a longer subscription if you know there will be lots of problems. It is not intended to replace a textbook or a teacher, but it is so good when there are problems to have some good explanations to help. That is exactly what you'll find on the Virtual Nerd website!!


It would be worth your while to check out the website : http://www.virtualnerd.com/ and see if it would be something that would be a help for your family. You can see prices, FAQ's, and other details concerning the product.

You can check out other review of this product at http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783627 and get even more opinions on it.






***I received a subscription to this online product in exchange for my review of it. I received no other compensation.***

Easy Classical Early Modern History Schedule

It's always nice to find a product to make our job as homeschoolers easier. I was sent a link for the Early Modern History Schedule from Easy Classical to review. I am just reviewing the schedule and how it could be used in a homeschool, but did not receive any of the books on the schedule to review.



This schedule, intended for grades K-6, includes history reading, writing, geography, hands on and other activities, read-alouds, quizzes, review questions, and a shopping list for the next week. What more would you need?? It has 36 weeks worth of schedules, plus 45+ pages of charts, sheet, and helps.

It is set up really well. It is easy to read and understand. I like having something in front of me to direct us, and this definitely fits the bill. It tells you what books you will read, and the activities to go along with them. It even has some symbols to let you know if you need to complete a mapping exercise or history summary, sing history songs, or complete a reading narration.

The notebook version of this product is $35.95. The digital version is $29.95. You can go to www.easyclassical.com to find out more about this product. It just may be a perfect fit for you and your family!

Check out other reviews of this product at http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/ to see what others say about this product.



***Disclaimer: I was giving a copy of this product free of charge in exchange for my review of it. I received no other compensation.***

See-N-Read

I received a handy tool from See-N-Read that I would like to tell you about. It is a See-N-Read reading tool, and it is a practical reading intervention tool. From the website, it says it improves reader focus on the line being read, reduces distractions on the page, reduces word- and line-skipping and pattern glare, and reduces eye strain and fatigue. It puts text in manageable chunks, and helps with smooth eye movements on a page. There you have it--a BIG help with reading!

It is made out of a flexible material and has a reading window called a ReadBar. You place this on a page with words you are reading in the cutout window, and move it down the page. It's a very easy concept for a big job! You read the text in chunks and not individual words, so it is easier to stay focused and comprehend what you read. It helps you to see, focus, and remember, which are the goals of reading. The material surrounding the window is tinted, so you don't totally isolate the text in the window.

It is a handy tool. We found it to be somewhat hard for my little ones, but the older ones can manipulate it easier. It would be worth trying it out to see if it helps a problem reader. This morning I mentioned this product to my husband for the first time,and he said it sounded like something that would help him stay focused as he reads. I guess I'll have to loan it to him!

This product comes in different sizes. I got the book size, which is 5 1/2" x 3". The document size is 8 1/2" x 3". You can pick your size to help you meet your needs best.

The book size costs $2.99 for a one pack, $8.99 for a three pack, and $27.99 for a ten pack. It is a very cost-effective product, in my opinion. Look at the website see-n-read.com to check out this product, and see the other products available.

Try it out and see if it can make a difference with the readers in your family!

You can read other reviews of this product here:

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783605

***Disclaimer: I received this product in exchange of my honest review of it. I received no other compensation.***