On my mind this week.....

Several issues to blog about....

When you find out the house you're building is in the proposed path of an interstate, sure does remind you this world is not our home. A follow-up on that situation is that it probably won't happen for at least 10 years.

Why do some people think they can highjack someone's else's parenting style within a just a few minutes of meeting? One of our children, our preschooler, takes a little time to warm up to new situations, especially when it's loud or around people he doesn't know well, so I have made the decision that I'm here for him and will stay near him until he feels comfortable. I don't hover, but he knows that his mama is there. When he is comfortable, he walks away from me, but I don't force it. And it works. Rather than clinging to my leg and crying as I pry him off, which is humiliating for both of us, he just walks away of his own accord when he feels comfortable. This week, I had someone I'd just met try to manipulate both me and him into forcing him to adjust before he was ready, and it didn't work, and I was mainly irritated that they felt comfortable taking that on barely knowing him or me. Why are we so intent on our kids being independent of us from the beginning? I look back, and a large part of my self-esteem as a child came from the assurance that my parents not only loved me but really were there for me and liked being around me. That also had a huge bearing on my ability to keep peer attitudes in perspective later on as well. Childhood should be the most secure-feeling time in our life. Someday, my little guy will be a very independent, secure young man, and he will know his mama and daddy recognized and did their best to meet his needs and be there for him, and that will have a huge bearing on our relationship later on.

Also, how my eyes become accustomed to clutter! This week has been about decluttering this barn we live in! I am embarrassed as I look at it with cleaning eyes and see piles I've just gotten used to being there. No more! I think I have cleared out a room of junk this week! How is that like my heart, my mind? Are there piles I just don't see because I'm used to them? Do I not pay attention to the Holy Spirit pointing out areas of my life that are junk, that are keeping my heart from being a clean place of residence? Junk is less serious word than sin, isn't it? When Mama would ask me if my room was clean when I was little, I would sometimes answer her that is was clean "physically, but not spiritually", meaning it looked clean, but the closet was a danger zone. As I clean my house physically this week, I'm seeing an opportunity for real spiritual cleaning, as well. The cleaning out of petty attitudes, of laziness, of self-righteousness, of making excuses, and of selfishness, to name a few. And just as I've got my arsenal of cleaning products to shine and sanitize our home, I have God's grace through Jesus, His Holy Spirit within me, and His Word to cleanse, renew, instruct, and encourage my heart.

What about the Lobster Network?

As a member of the TOS Crew, I've had the opportunity to look at the Lobster Network online. This is a free online service that helps you get the word out to others of items you may have for sale or to let friends know of items you are willing to lend. It then has applications to help you track the items you have lent as well.

You can maintain an inventory of multiple items, along with photos and descriptions of your items. According to the Lobster Network site, they use industry standard security procedures as well, collect a minimum amount of personally identifying information, and do not collect your physical address. They are connected with Amazon Web Services, and we've all heard of and most of us have purchased items through Amazon.

Having said all that, I haven't actually bought, sold, borrowed, or lent anything through Lobster Network. I have explored the website, though. At this point, I don't have a need for this service, but I am not in any way criticizing it. I can see potential for our family's use of it, just not at this time. One thing I do want to point out about its search feature--you can filter your searches to include items up for sale, to be borrowed, wanted, or items for free.

I can see how this could be an appealing option for homeschoolers, since, for the most part, we're always on the lookout for good deals and often have items we could be a blessing to others with by sharing or passing on as a good deal.

As always, use wise internet safety tips, especially since this can concern personal belongings. There is a very helpful, informative video on the Lobster Network site that goes into more detail about how to set up an account and get the most out of what it has to offer. You can learn more at the Lobster Network home page or by clicking here to check out what other TOS Crew members have to say.

By the way, this is my last review as a member of the TOS Crew. I hope my reviews have been helpful to anyone who has read them. From this point on, I want to steer more in the direction I've wanted to go for a while but didn't have time, more into the nitty gritty of homeschooling, the resources we use, the freebies I find, the thoughts and strategies that bring success, and the issues that homeschooling families address as we go against the grain. I want to keep it positive and real. So, until the next post, I hope your days are full and blessed!

Looking at Ideal Curriculum's monthly kit.....

As a member of the TOS Crew, I was given the month 1 preschool kit from Ideal Curriculum. This is a set of lesson plans, printable books, workbooks, sequencing cards, and songs which all correspond to the theme for the month. There are nine months in all, and this one is month 1. In this case, the theme is transportation, so all the different components work around some aspect of transportation. Before I tell more about this, let me say I was somewhat skeptical until I really looked at the material. The cost is $30 for the download version, which is what I have, or $55 for the print version, with an extra $7.50 per additional child. After getting to know the materials, though, I believe this is a good product, one that would benefit the preschooler in a homeschool. I didn't see the fluff I've come to expect when I look at curriculum packages, but rather skills-targeting lessons and activities and printables which take on multiple avenues of learning. In fact, as you'll see on the ordering page of their site, you can actually save by ordering sets that contain multiple months.

For someone looking to buy a preschool curriculum, this one encompasses pre-reading skills, writing skills, math skills, science skills, and plenty of music and games, as well. The download version came with files of lesson plans, literacy assessments, student workbooks, and sequencing cards. The books have high quality illustrations and are both informative and age/level appropriate. The lesson plans are clearly and thoroughly written. I was very impressed with the student workbook, which had practice in areas that preschoolers actually need practice in, such as drawing straight and curved lines, concepts of print, and listening. And the music files contain songs that are both educational and entertaining for that preschool age, reinforcing skills across the curriculum spectrum. The songs are simple, but reinforce as well as foster the use of the kids' imaginations.

Especially for someone new to the idea of homeschooling or someone who just isn't sure where to start, Ideal Curriculum provides the bulk of what you need to get off to a great start in the next school year. And considering what you get, I think this downloadable version is a good value, too. To learn more, go to the Ideal Curriculum website. You can also find out more about this product by checking out what other members of the TOS Crew have to say. In fact, in the month of May, Ideal Curriculum is offering TOS Homeschool Crew followers a 10% discount on their first purchase. Be sure to use the code welovekids .

Find teaching resources around the globe with Lesson Planet....

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to try out Lesson Planet, an internet search engine for teachers. According to the website, it gives teachers access to over 225,000 lesson plans, worksheets, and teaching ideas. These resources come from all over the web, and the teacher reviewers rate them with a star system. Teachers can access printables and plans in a variety of subjects--

• art and music


• health and nutrition


• geography


• research


• social studies


• education


• language arts


• math


• science and technology

When searching for resources, you can filter your search by not only subject, but also by type of resource (and even more detailed filters pertaining to types of questions), grade level, and teacher reviewer rating. Each resource listed in a search has a short description to give you a heads up about what it really is. I found the grade level filter particularly helpful as I searched for printables to go into our maps unit. I've also used this site to seek out resources that fit the dinosaurs and rocks and minerals research projects our two oldest are working on this month. Some of the sites Lesson Planet pulled up for me, I'd never have found or thought of on my own and didn't recall seeing them in my own searches. I did find a few duplicate resources, but that wasted all of about ten seconds. You can also search for information on your state's educational standards. However, when I did this, the list of standards for my state was incomplete.

In addition to providing an internet search engine for teachers, Lesson Planet also provides tools for subscribers to help them create their own web sites, lessons, and email newsletters. You can also access a calendar that gives ideas for learning experiences based on events that are significant for each day and find articles to help in lesson planning.

The cost is $39.95 annually, which comes to about 11 cents a day. You can sign up for a free 10-day trial on the website. Why not check it out and see if it's right for you? The site has a very informative FAQ section as well, which provides answers to questions about the resources you can access as well as membership guidelines and fees. You can also click here to find out what other Crew members had to say.

Super Star Speech: Speech Therapy Made Simple!

As a member of the TOS Crew, I received Super Star Speech: Speech Therapy Made Simple! to review. I'll be honest....I was quite skeptical about the nature and contents until I received this resource. Deborah Lott, the developer, doesn't make grandiose promises or take on issues that truly need a professional. This book is simply strategies and guidance for a workable at-home plan to tackle very minor speech issues. And it is very simple to read and implement. And at a price of only $12.95 for the ebook version, it's not a huge investment.

Super Star Speech includes instructions for a pre-program articulation test, directions on how to teach and practice each sound, 240 practice cards, and a number of reproducible practice materials. It is not meant to be used in treating severe speech problems, but rather minor issues in a child's speech development. And I can say that the strategies we have applied around here have been very simple for me to explain and demonstrate, thanks to the easy-to-understand language used in the program.

On the website

http://www.superstarspeech.com/speech-therapy-materials.html you can actually look at some sample pages as well, including the table of contents, specific sound instructions page for p/b, sample speech picture cards, and a printable game. The ebook version is 74 pages. I was, before I took the time to get familiar with it, very unsure of whether this was something I could do, but the instructions are so simple, and Deborah truly lays it all out very plainly and in a very organized manner.

The strategies are easy to understand and systematic to implement for those of us who are not speech pathologists, and she even provides the forms for lesson plans and record keeping, as well as instruction for how to do this very simply. Another aspect of Super Star Speech I really like is that the games and resources within it are reproducible, so they can be used with more than one child. These reproducibles are engaging and appropriate for either boy or girl.

If your child's speech development has hit some minor snags, and you're ready to learn what you can do to get past it, check out Super Star Speech: Speech Therapy Made Simple. This is one product I feel sets realistic goals and then goes on to give parents real information and resources to reach those goals. You can learn more at http://www.superstarspeech.com/speech-therapy-materials.html, and you can also check out what the other TOS Crew members had to say here.

Include the little ones with Time4Learning!

As a member of the TOS Crew, my 4-year-old and I have had the opportunity to review the Time4Learning website and its many offerings for preschoolers. Let me say first of all how refreshing my dealings with their customer service representatives have been! I was able to get fast responses to my emails and even talked to the same person I'd emailed! I was very impressed with the graciousness and attention to helping me as the customer that was displayed as my questions were taken care of.

What is Time4Learning? To call it a website seems an understatement. It is a site that has a variety of components to stimulate learning in a fun and safe way, simple enough that my 4-year-old can navigate semi-independently. We are enrolled in the preschool section, so what we found were a collection of topics that each have a short song/video and correlating games, art, and writing activities. There are matching games, memory games, pre-reading and counting/early math skills games, just to give you an idea. Different topics include, but are not limited to:

• human body


• nature


• pets


• measuring


• making music


• rhyme time


• numbers


• weather


• on the farm

There are two levels within the preschool age category, so it can serve both those little ones just starting out on their educational adventure as well as those who are practically ready for kindergarten. I found that my four-year-old benefited from a mix of both, and it was as easy as clicking a link on the side to go back and forth.

Something else kinda cool is the "playground" feature. What it is is a page with educational games, puzzles, and activities, and external links, like to pbskids.org . I like this because I can let him choose where he'd like to go for his "recess" and feel confident it will be to a safe site, and he likes to be the boss for a little bit, too. You cannot be careful enough these days, it seems, so I really appreciate this feature. I was familiar with some of these links, but not all, so I had something to learn here, too. This playground feature is a timed one, also, which I like because it makes it more of a special deal to get to play those games. By the way, as a parent, I can set up how long his lesson and playground times should be.

And the lesson plans....this is where it gets good to me. This site has tons of lesson plans, from pre-K through 8th. Each lesson has the learning objectives, activities, and resources it covers or includes in the scope and sequence parents can access.

While we have gotten to experience the preschool level of Time4Learning, there are features for both elementary and middle school students as well. In fact, according to their site, some homeschoolers use Time4Learning as the core of their curriculum. Time4Learning has built-in progress reporting features, too, which can be a huge time-saver for parents. I will say, though, that the preschool version of this is in progress. On the FAQ page on their site, there is an explanation of what subjects and objectives are covered for different levels. In fact, the FAQ page really explains a lot about what all this site can be for students and how parents can make the most of it, too. What is the cost? $19.95 for the first child and $14.95 for each additional child monthly. There are no other costs to use this site. If you're curious about how it works, you can access demo lessons from their site. Okay, here's my take on the cost. If you are like me and thoroughly enjoy the challenge of staying up all night to find internet games and activities that align with your lesson plans, the price may give you pause. Otherwise, you are really paying for someone else to do the hard work here in providing a meaningful educational experience for your students on the computer. You just will have to check out their demos and the rest of the site to decide whether the cost is justified in light of what your kids will get from it.

You can check out what other TOS Crew members have to say here. Be sure to head on over to the Time4Learning site to see for yourself, too!

A world of math practice with Math Galaxy!

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to review two products from Math Galaxy, the Math Galaxy Fraction Riddles ebook and the Math Galaxy Whole Numbers Riddles ebook. Let me just say that what I like about both of these is that they combine straightforward practice in essential math skills with a touch of fun. What is it about riddles that propel kids through a worksheet they otherwise would whine and dawdle about?

I chose the ebook format, which is handy because I've got it and can print off what I need when I need it. The price, by the way, of each of these is $12.95. The Whole Numbers Riddles ebook contains 130 riddle worksheets, while the Fraction Riddles ebook has 215 riddle worksheets. They are in color, which is a nice touch, and include the answer keys, of course. Many paper practice books cost more and then you can only use them once. With these, I can reuse them with each child. I like that.

I taught fourth grade for several years, and now as a homeschooling mom, one of my biggest goals is to build a strong foundation in the basics. I am all about lots of math practice. The riddle worksheets in these ebooks do just that. They are full of just good, solid practice sheets. I think these are products that would complement just about any math curriculum. In fact, I don't know of any curriculum that actually couldn't benefit from some additional practice.

Even my younger daughter, who isn't as interested in math as her sister, gets engaged by a riddle. She loves to solve them, so she will focus on the problems and work diligently until she has the answer.

I can truly recommend these ebooks. To find out more about these and the other ebooks and software downloads available through Math Galaxy, click here. You can actually access a lot of freebies, too, which is always cool! To see a list of the products you can order, click on the "order" icon at the top. My impression of this company is that they are out to provide quality products and to listen to what customers have to say about them and what they offer. You can also check out the reviews of other TOS Crew members here.

Check out this springtime unit!

We just finished a great weather unit, capped off by a visit to the local news station, and now we're moving on to a study of springtime. Each year, we do this, but we can take our study a little deeper each year as the kids get older. We spent Monday's science time reviewing just what causes the seasons and watched some pretty neat videos online. I'll try to remember to post the links for them later. Then, on Tuesday, we began a unit available online through http://www.nappc.org/curriculum/ . It's called "Nature's Partners: Pollinators, Plants, and You" and is made up of six modules. So far, we have done modules 1 and 2, and it hits all the learning types! It includes background information and reproducibles, too! One word of caution--there is some hint of an evolutionary slant, but you don't have to share that. It's just as easy to point out, instead of evolution, how God created the plants and pollinators to work together in the pollination process.

This is a free curriculum and really gets brains in gear as kids observe, make models, process data, and learn tons about the importance of those tiny beings we call pollinators. Check it out!

What Am I?.....More from All About Spelling

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to review the set-to-be-released-today....... What Am I? A Collection of Short Stories, from the folks at All About Spelling. This is the followup to The Beehive Reader Vol. 1 and will probably sell for the same, $19.95, through the All About Spelling website. As of the time I'm writing this review, it's not on the site, yet, though.

What Am I? was written to correlate with All About Spelling, Level 2, steps 1-14. For anyone using this program, that's very helpful in streamlining your curriculum across the language arts spectrum. It's a collection of ten short stories, ranging from 10-18 pages each. It's a hardbound book, with black and white illustrations on practically every page. The stories deal with surprises and friendship and nature and animals, and there are poetry selections included.

If you plan to use the All About Spelling program, you may want to check this book out. It's always nice to be able to integrate concepts through multiple subject areas, but I am concerned about the price. $20 is not very economical for just one reader with ten stories in it. My daughter/assistant in reviewing these books is very visual, and the lack of color in this book is a drawback. Overall, I am not convinced concerning the literary quality of the stories or the significance and quality of the illustrations. Some of the stories, such as "Champ", which relates the relationship of a young girl and her horse, are fairly rich in detail and story elements, while others, like "An Elf in the Alps" just seem like nonsensical fluff. Some of the illustrations are beautiful and enhance the stories, but others seem rather like the work of a hurried teenager.

Like I said, check it out for yourself. Everyone has different reading preferences. To learn more, you can check out what other TOS Crew members have to say here.

Super Star Speech games to build interest and reinforce learning!

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to review three games from Deborah M. Lott, creator of the Super Star Speech home speech therapy program. I chose "All About Animals", "The Insect Game", and "Covering the Continents". Each of these is marketed through CurrClick and priced on sale at $2.80 just now. Okay, I think these are all three a tremendously good deal!

The goal of "All About Animals" is to aid young students, K-5, according to the product description, in learning the defining characteristics of different animal groups. While younger students can use picture cards, there are fact cards for older students to read. And there are a good number of these fact cards.

As you would guess, "The Insect Game" is all about the characteristics of insect life. Students answer questions and collect game pieces. The first to get all the pieces needed wins. This game is suggested for grades 2-6.

The goal of "Covering the Continents" is more than just identifying the continents' locations--it's about getting to know the basics about each one. This one gets a little more exciting with chances to own continents. This is suggested for ages 6-10, but I think older students could get into it, too.

I was impressed with the number of game cards in each game, reflecting the amount of information presented and reviewed. The games are printable, and I would recommend laminating them for longevity. Also, the directions are very simple to understand, and I think that once they've played a time or two, these are games the kids can play independently. You can actually look at sample pages for each game by clicking on the links for each game on the CurrClick site or by clicking on the names of the games that are highlighted above.

Educational games are not cheap online or in local stores, but Mrs. Lott offers a large variety of games, most of which sell for less than $3.00! That's hard to beat, especially when they contain clear directions, colorful boards, and can be modified to fit the age of the students playing. Check out the games I've described above, as well as all the other products Mrs. Lott offers on the CurrClick site by clicking here. You can also see what other Crew members have to say here.

Seasons of Faith audio books from CBH Ministries

As a member of the TOS Crew, I received four titles from the Seasons of Faith series from CBH Ministries: Race With Midnight, Seventy Times Seven, You Can't Come In, and Braving the Storm. The intent of each title is to instill in kids the reality of God's care and His desire for us to know Him follow His Way and share His Word. While I am very impressed with the quality and price and overall message of these books, that everyone needs Jesus and His teachings are best, I cannot recommend them because I do not agree with the way the plan of salvation is presented. I know that judgment is left to God alone and we are totally saved by his grace and no merit of our own, but it troubles me that baptism is totally omitted in these books. This isn't meant to be a sermon at all, but I need to share my reason for concern. This is honestly the most frustrating review I've written because these books do teach kids that they can follow Christ's teachings in their lives and that they are not too young to share the Gospel. These are soft-cover illustrated books, each with a read-along cd. For further information, please go their website at http://www.cbhministries.org/seasons_of_faith.php.

Nurture their artistic skills with Artistic Pursuits....

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to review An Introduction to the Visual Arts, the Grades K-3 Book One from Artistic Pursuits. This, in my opinion, is a quality art curriculum for the lower elementary grades. It's made up of 32 lessons, which we are pacing at one a week. So, we basically have a year-long art curriculum when taken at that pace. An Introduction to the Visual Arts is broken into three sections, What Artists Do, What Artists See, and Where We Find Art. Each section provides insight into the mindset and habits of an artist without squelching the child's natural skills or interest. There are numerous examples of the masters' works throughout the book, as well as those of other kids. I like that because I want the kids to have high goals and be exposed to those works which were the result of years of hard work, but I also want to stress that what they do now is art and worthy of being proud of, too.

Each lesson encourages the students to really open their eyes and other senses to elements of art around them. For example, in lesson 1, they are encouraged to take a walk, just observing the detail all around. When I did this with my kids, I was amazed how much more they then included in their art. And the lessons really do teach good art practices, as well, such as how to properly use the supplies called for in the lessons.

Probably my favorite thing about this course is the variety of art supplies the students get to use. I comparison shopped and was able to get everything we needed for just over $30 online. As we go through this course, my kids will get to work with sketch pencils, oil pastels, soft pastels, watercolor crayons, and clay, as well as a variety of papers and surfaces.

Each lesson takes about 10 minutes to present, and you would want to allow up to an hour for the students to create. I like that I can use this same book for all 3 of my kids, ranging in age from pre-k to second grade. What we do is focus on the same lesson for a week, but each day I add a little twist to it to keep it fresh for them.

I really encourage you to head over to the Artistic Pursuits website to check out the sample pages for this book here. The cost for this book is $42.95, and I think this one is worth it. This is way more than what I have seen in elementary art books in terms of really teaching techniques and how to use elements of arts. It really provides a framework in which they can practice correct methods of using media, discover the elements of art all around, and practice expressing their own imaginations and emotions through art. I know I am learning right along with the kids in our house!

Artistic Pursuits offers several other products you may want to check out, as well. Their home page is http://www.artisticpursuits.com/index.html. From there, you can see what else they offer.

The Family Mint....encouraging financial responsibility from youth!

Okay, this is free, people! I love that! Yes, I am reviewing the Family Mint as part of the TOS Crew, but it's free for everyone!

What is The Family Mint (and don't we all wish we had the real thing?)?

It's a website that allows registered users to set up virtual family banks. No actual funds are transmitted at any time. It simply allows "bankers" to record financial transactions that take place. The banker can set up accounts for each family member and can record deposits, transfers, and withdrawals. Interest levels can even be adjusted! Financial goals can be set and tracked by individual account holders. Money can be distributed into multiple accounts based on customizeable percentages. You can read more about these and more features on their site by clicking here.

Okay, growing up, we could set a financial goal, fill up the glass Snoopy (in my case) or piggy bank, and then break it open and count the contents, hoping we had enough to reach our goal and buy a new bank. This is so beyond that! Kids can learn how the banking system really works. They can track their deposits and withdrawals and learn to keep a budget. They can see on the screen when a goal has been reached or when deposits they've made have been verified.

Y'all, this is more than likely the closest I'll ever be to being a banker, setting up these virtual accounts, but I still took that seriously. One concern I had was privacy. No, we're not dealing in big bucks here, but do I want my kids' financial business online, on a site that isn't a real bank? I figure I'm not alone in being extra careful about my kids and online privacy issues (we were victims of id theft a few years ago, so I'm a little paranoid about it), so I wanted to share what I thought of to counter this concern. I didn't use the kids' real names. Wow, you're thinking--I know. No, seriously, the closest you come to giving your address is your zip code, but it does ask for birthdays, so using the screen names added an extra level of security, in my opinion. Having said that, I encourage you to check the Family Mint security information on their site here. I'm still being careful, but I am impressed.

What age is this for? Well, I would suggest at least school age, up. Reading and basic number skills are needed to navigate the site, log in, and enter and understand transaction information.

In this age, financial responsibility is such an undertaught skill, for the most part. This is one tool to help those of us trying to buck that trend. I can see how The Family Mint can help parents instill the attributes of financial discipline and analysis from an early age through experience and practice. In order to check it out, click here. There are videos and forums to help you get started, as well.

You can read what other TOS Crew members think here, too.

The Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts C....unlocking some brain power!

As part of the TOS Crew, I received the Language Smarts C student book from The Critical Thinking Co. My girls and I love this workbook! It is 314 pages of quality critical thinking skills material for the second grade level. Skills that are covered include:

• following and writing directions


• mnemonics


• palindromes


• rhymes and riddles


• correct word usage, such as good/well


• subject/verb agreement


• synonyms and antonyms


• homonyms


• homographs


• root words, suffixes, and prefixes


• categorizing


• literary elements


• letter writing

..... and much more!

While the introduction states that this book can be used as the core of a language arts curriculum, I found it more to our needs to use it as a supplement. Actually, my girls complete the activities as a team, allowing them to learn from one another and practice verbalization and listening as they cooperate to complete each activity page.

So far, what I have observed from the activities in this book is that they are geared toward the higher level thinking skills, rather that simply recalling facts and information. Allow me to quote from the Teaching Suggestions section (p. v)....

"The activities require students to analyze a variety of diagrams and apply problem solving skills. Targeted thinking skills include convergent and divergent thinking as well as inductive and deductive reasoning. Students will learn to recognize, analyze, and sythesize information."

While most language arts curriculums I have had the opportunity to use do include critical thinking sections, they are normally small, scattered sections. Language Smarts C provides enough activities to do at least one and more often more each day of the school year.

My girls are first and second graders, and I have honestly been surprised how they remind me when it's time to do "critical thinking" as we refer to these activity pages. They enjoy the challenge of each activity, and I am very impressed by the variety of activities and the quality presented in this book. The pages are glossy and colorful, yet they still copy well in black and white, too. We normally open up our Language Smarts C at the conclusion of our regular reading and language arts class time. The activities are challenging, but not frustratingly so. They are normally able to complete each one with minimal assistance from me. However, I will say this--I firmly believe that it is imperative that we model and verbalize critical thinking skills, so I don't simply check their answers. I want to make sure they understand the logic behind what they're doing. I can see the brain exercises this book is guiding them through, but they just consider this a treat before recess!

Something else that I really, really appreciate is that it's okay for me to make copies to use with them! Not many companies allow that these days.
What's the cost? This 320-page, reproducible workbook is $39.99. Seems like a lot, I know, but consider this. In my case, I have 3 kids, which means that figures out to about $13.34 a child since I can make copies. You can actually see sample pages when you click here for the sample pages, or here, which is a link from the Language Smarts C page to the answer key pages. This product is one of a series, and you can check out the others here, as well.

The Critical Thinking Co. offers other products you might be interested in as well. You can check out a number of freebies on their site, too.

Enhance your projects with Graphics Toolbox....

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the past month to experiment with Graphics Toolbox, a graphics editting software that allows ordinary individuals to create some pretty neat projects. Over the last seven or eight years, I've used a couple of different graphics softwares, one a free download and one that was part of our old computer's suite of programs. And I have made some pretty neat stuff, so I came at this with high expectations. So, as I approached Graphics Toolbox, I was most interested in just how much I would actually be able to do, how easy it would be, and what I could do with it. The creator of this product was kind enough to provide some instructional sessions and videos for those of us learning to use Graphics Toolbox, and it was after I watched one of those videos that I finally got the hang of it.

Okay, if you're like me, before you buy anything, you want to know just what it will do for you and if it's worth the price. You see, I have been very pleased with the capabilities of the free software I've been using for several years now, but I know it has limitations. So, I kept the GT (Graphics Toolbox) manual pulled up while I learned just what GT had to offer me. Would it be as easy to learn? No, it was not nearly as easy to learn. I have become conditioned to Windows and its drop-down menus, and I had to get used to the format and functionality of GT. Now, once I played around with it a while, I got used to the icons and how they are the key to using this program, so that's not a big deal to me.

Something else was ease of use compared to what I had been using.....once I got used to the format of GT, then it was almost as easy to use as the software I'm accustomed to. Honestly, for those of us used to the world of right-clicking and dragging and dropping, it felt very stilted to use initially, like everything took two or three steps longer than it should. But, as I became more familiar with it, I realized it has more capabilities than what I was using. I can control elements of my projects with, I think, a greater deal of precision. Now, if what you want doesn't require a lot of pixel-by-pixel precision, there are other programs out there that will get the job done for less money. But this one will let you get really precise with color and position and size. I will say, though, that I found the text menu on my older program has more flexibility about rotation and sizing.

Graphics Toolbox also comes with many graphics you can use in your projects, from a small amount of layout templates to a fairly large collection of computer generated illustrations of objects. Below you can see two of my projects. One is a birthday invitation, minus the words, of course, and the other is a sample scrapbook page. I used one of the built in templates for the invitation, and used the frame subcommand to wrap a ribbon effect around my scrapbook page. Here's how precise GT will let you get. I was even able to play around with the individual colors in the ribbon frame. Which reminds me to tell you that you can set up your own color cards within the color card icons, so you can have all your colors organized by your own system.

Okay, here is my bottom line on Graphics Toolbox. It's $149, but they offer a free 30-day trial period. Try it out and see if it fits your needs. If it doesn't, you're not out anything. If you're seriously looking for graphics software, you need to check out several products, anyway, to know what they offer so you can make a wise decision before you buy. So, no, I can't say, go get your wallet and buy it right now, but I can say it is a software that does offer a lot of graphics capability to non-professionals, IF you are willing to read the instructions and the videos and practice. And I am excited about using it to create projects here at home and for our homeschool resource group. I also think this is a product that will work well for me in conjunction with my old one that I'm used to, and I am fairly sure I should be able to use it with additional templates I can find free online.

You need to check other reviews online, too, from other TOS Crew members and other creditable sources online.

The Beehive Reader 1, for the practically independent reader...

My first grader and I have been reviewing the Beehive Reader 1, a product from Takeaway Press that I'm reviewing as a member of the TOS Crew. Our homeschool is very eclectic in nature, and I have become familiar with the reading products from several companies. What is the Beehive Reader 1?

Well, it's a reader for those students who are just practically to the point of being able to read on their own. Or you could even use it as part of a guided reading experience for you and your child. It's a hardback book, but the quality of the inside pages is somewhat inferior. Each page has about 1-2 phrases or sentences with a large illustration in black and white. The illustration is very helpful for those young readers who benefit from the nonverbal clues an illustration can provide. There are ten stories, from about 10-20 pages apiece. My first grader can easily read one story in a sitting, and she liked the illustrations. The stories are just sweet, cute little stories about children and animals and silly fantasies. The language is simple and uncluttered. One benefit to this reader is that it correlates to the All About Spelling Level 1 program. It's always nice to have components of your homeschool that work together and reinforce each other.

While I do like this product, the price is $19.95. That seems a little much to me for what you get. This is a book that we can go all the way through in a little over a week. I do encourage you to go to the beehive readers website at http://www.beehivereaders.com/ to find out more for yourself, though. Check out the reviews of other TOS Crew members here, too!

Math Mammoth--reinforcing foundational math skills at an affordable price...

As a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity to review a few of the products offered from Math Mammoth. I chose the Addition 1 workbook for first grade, Measuring 1 workbook for elementary, and the Subtraction 1 for elementary.

Let me right from the start, I think these are an excellent value. I can't always say that, so it's nice to find a product that lines up with how much I would actually like to pay for it. These are very affordably priced. The Addition 1 download is just $3.75, the Subtraction 1 is $3.50, and the Measuring 1 is $4.50. You can purchase print versions, but the downloads are a much better deal, in my opinion. At approximately 65-80 pages apiece, the cost of paper and ink isn't that much, but you get quality practice material. I've noticed with some other practice materials from other companies that just as many pages are taken up by answer keys as by the actual practice material, and that irks me, but with the workbooks I've reviewed from Math Mammoth I appreciate that the keys are condensed, even though they do contain some supplemental and helpful information. That means more of the total number of pages are actually meant to be used by the student.

I really like the progression of the work as well. Maria Miller, the creator of the Math Mammoth products, starts at square one in the Addition 1 and Subtraction 1 workbooks, and progresses at a logical pace for young elementary students. I've worked with many different types of learners, and math is definitely a subject that needs multiple approaches for lots of kids. That's what these practice pages can help provide. And that's what early math learners need. While they work through different sets of exercises that incorporate lots of visualization of the concepts to practice basic addition and subtraction skills, that also helps them to memorize those addition and subtraction facts. Mrs. Miller uses several methods to help students understand what they're doing and to help make the information learned stick. You can see this in the sample pages. She also provides ideas for other more 3-dimensional learning activities, as well. And for those parents who are actually as uneasy about math as their kids, Mrs. Miller has you in mind. The lesson sections are written simply and abundantly illustrated.

The Measuring 1 workbook contains exercises dealing with all manner of measurements that early elementary students should become familiar and proficient with, including:

• customary and metric length measurements


• customary and metric weight/mass measurements


• measuring volume


• proficiency in using a ruler


• measurements and geometric figures


• measuring temperature

I really like how Mrs. Miller starts at the beginning, just as she does in the addition and subtraction workbooks. Beginning by leading the students in discovering the necessity of standard over nonstandard measurements, she then goes on to explain and demonstrate and provide practice in measuring using both customary and metric units. She progresses at an easy pace and includes opportunities for real world measurement and provides a number of word problem exercises throughout. You can find sample pages by clicking here and then looking to the far right.

These workbooks can be used to supplement your current curriculum, like we're doing with them, or you could use them to build your own. Mrs. Miller does actually offer a first grade math curriculum.

You can check out the Math Mammoth website here and read what other TOS Crew members have to say here. I really suggest checking out the Math Mammoth site. Mrs. Miller has a package of free worksheets to share, plus faq's about her products, and a series of placement tests to aid in choosing which products fit your students.

Zeezok Publishing....introducing great musicians

As a TOS Crew member, I received Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray and Edward MacDowell and His Cabin In the Pines, as well as study guides for each and an accompaniment cd that goes with both products. These are elementary biographies of these composers, originally published in the 1940's. The stories behind their most well-known compositions, along with the tunes themselves are interwoven as well.

These are written at an elementary reading level, with black and white illustrations interspersed throughout. The authors polished up the stories of these two men to make them as much of role models as possible. These are not necessarily authentic biographies, but they do give children a glimpse into the lives of men who sometimes seem above we mere normal people and a little stuffy besides. The sheet music of some of their compositions are included in the books, with descriptions of the conditions in which some of them were composed.

Of course, these biographies only include what was deemed acceptable for children by 1940 standards. I normally appreciate the morality standards of that era in children's literature, but there are some issues that should be addressed with the book about Stephen Foster. We often talk about how morality has plunged in the past 50 years, but one area in which our society has actually made some positive strides is in the area of racial issues. No, we're not near where we ought to be, if you ask this Southern girl who sees and hears way too much prejudice still from people who ought to know better, but I think we've made progress. However, in 1940, it was still common to use degrading terms to describe our minorities, particularly African Americans. These terms and the accompanying attitude toward the days of slavery are found in Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray. No, I didn't find the most offensive word, but there are other phrases used and an attitude toward African Americans that conveys the notion that they were simpletons who reveled in the life of a slave. He grew up in that era in a home with slaves. I seriously doubt those slaves truly felt the nostalgia the authors injected into this time period. The study guide for this selection does address this issue, but glides over it as typical for that time period. At this point, as we strive to model what is good to our children in a region in which is still taken very seriously, I don't want to confuse them with introducing this attitude or the terms that are used in the book to describe the African Americans Mr. Foster knew. My conscience and the respect I have for my African American friends demanded I express that about this book.

Each book has an accompanying study guide, which includes supplementary outlines and information concerning the composer's life and works, as well as suggested discussion/comprehension questions for each chapter. I also received a cd which contains audio files of the compositions in the books, coloring sheets and other printables, and sheet music. I will say, though, that, as these are original illustrations for the books, the African Americans depicted in the coloring sheets (and I think there's only one like this) are not presented in a flattering light.

What is the cost?

The books themselves are $12.95 apiece, the study guides are $4.95 apiece, and the cd is $7.95. However, you can buy the Foster/MacDowell bundle for $35.80, which is a savings of $7.95, I believe, and includes all the above.

Zeezok has an entire series of Great Musicians, which includes Bach, Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, and more. You can find out more about these and other Zeezok products here. And you can check out other TOS Crew reviews for a variety of Zeezok products here.

Math Tutor DVD products.... covering a wide variety of math concepts

As a TOS Crew member, I received two dvd's from MathTutorDVD.com to review, Young Minds Numbers and Counting and The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor. These are two of the numerous instructional dvd's available from mathtutordvd.com .

The Young Minds Numbers and Counting dvd focuses on counting concepts, providing vivid images and colors and appealing-to-kids photos that visualize the concept of the lower counting numbers, showing the kids what 1, 2, 3, etc. look like as classical compositions play in the background. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Along with my kids, I viewed the Young Minds Numbers and Counting dvd. While my elementary girls soon wandered off to play, my 4-year-old was held by the vibrant colors and the apparent suspence of wondering which number would come next. He responded to the different images with enthusiasm and interest as the dvd progressed. And it normally takes something pretty engaging to keep him watching.

My take on this dvd in a nutshell? While I was impressed with the quality of this one, the vibrant images and the way it took plenty of time to visualize each amount, I was disappointed when I went online and checked out the price. The list price is $29.99, and the purchase price is $19.99.

We also examined The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor, which is an 8-hour course. What does it cover? The following is from the product description on the mathtutordvd.com website.

Disc 1

Section 1: Adding Whole Numbers

Section 2: Subtracting Whole Numbers

Section 3: Multiplying Whole Numbers

Section 4: Dividing Whole Numbers

Section 5: Adding Decimals

Section 6: Subtracting Decimals

Section 7: Multiplying Decimals

Section 8: Dividing Decimals

Disc 2

Section 9: Adding Fractions

Section 10: Subtracting Fractions

Section 11: Multiplying Fractions

Section 12: Dividing Fractions

Section 13: Percents, Part 1

Section 14: Percents, Part 2

Section 15: Ratio and Proportion

After viewing it, it was immediately clear that this is for at least upper level elementary students. The instructor, Jason Gibson, does present the material in a fairly clear manner, but I was concerned with the wordiness of the dvd when using it with elementary level kids. The students have got to really be able to hang with this one and pay attention to each step. Now, he does really break down each problem, guide the students through deciphering the mathematical jargon to determine what is being asked and what needs to be done, but this one really is aimed at the traditional learner in its format as Mr. Gibson explains and executes each problem with his dry erase board behind him. This one, to me, would serve a homeschooling family best as a tool for the parent who is unsure of his or her own word problem solving skills as the teacher, to help the parent become more knowledgeable as they customize this knowledge to work with their own kids. I know we are presently in the beginning stages of solving word problems around here, and I'm big on incorporating as many of the senses and avenues of learning as I can. Now, for older students who can pay attention well and just need some extra practice, this may be just the thing. You can check out video samples on the website here.

The price on this one is $26.99. Again, it does contain a lot of information, but I am concerned about the price. I suggest that you carefully consider how your kids learn before purchasing this.

MathTutorDVD.com has a large number of products. You can find out more about these and the creator Jason Gibson by visiting the MathTutorDVD.com website here. You can also read of TOS Crew members' reviews here.

Winter savings alert!

This is a great deal. No, it's not the $7.95 deal they offered the end of '09, but this is so much cheaper than the cover price or regular subscription price. So, if you got a little Christmas cash in your stocking, here you go! Let me just tell you what I personally have received through my TOS subscription:

• practical advice about the nitty gritty day to day of homeschooling, like how to be better organized and how to find some neat and useful freebies or almost so.
• encouragement as a Christian mom and wife and reminders of Who is the Center of our school and our home.
• information about curriculum and resources and where to find them.
• craft ideas that are actually affordable.
• motivation to be more and do more as a homeschooling family and as the teacher of our homeschool.
• a web site that is full of freebies, as well as resources and products that are reasonably priced.
• That's how I first learned about the TOS Crew, too!

I first subcribed last year when the cost dropped to $15, and this would be the last subscription I'd let go. So, for more information, click on the photo above to head on over to the TOS site.