TOS Crew: Read for the Heart

As homeschoolers, we are very familiar with the book of books concept. Basically these books are books that list books that would be ideal for your children to read. They have been created from several different angles. Some have simply targeted age groups, or genres, or curriculum, etc.. However, I have recently had the privilege of reviewing Read for the Heart by Sarah Clarkson, for the TOS Homeschool Crew.  This book, is written from the students perspective. Interesting!

One thing that is evident by reading ' Read for the Heart" is that Sarah Clarkson has spent her life surrounded by words. She has such a command of the English Lanuage, that she paints vivid, beautiful pictures with her words.  Isn't that our goal for our children?

Sarah Clarkson shares that, reading great literature, gives witness to the world of both good and evil and helps children learn how to decipher between the two with vivid examples of consequences  of choice.  She also makes the case for good literature in a child's life to show life's goodness.  God's love, as well as, sin in the life of the child.  Sarah also discusses the positive outcomes in a child's life from exposing them to a vast number of words throughout their life.

As a parent, when I read this book,  it not only included a list of book recommendations, those recommendations, come with information about each one and why she recommends them !   But the book, also makes the case for whole books in your family. Sarah provides all the reason why you would want to include whole books into your child's life. However, the most persuasive element is Sarah herself. She shares with her tidbits from her life, and how books have impacted her from a small child, through adulthood.  You can see that her parents sacrifice and commitment to their children's education was evident and it is now shining through their daughter!  Additionally, when you are reading the words that she has penned  you can vividly see the product of such an environment. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was not simply informational, it was inspirational!

Read for the Heart is available for $17 , you can get it by visiting the Apologia website! While there you can visit there, to read a sample chapter.

Check out the crew blog, to see what crew mates have to say about Read for the Heart.

**I was provided a free copy of Read for the Heart, in exchange for my honest review.**

TOS Crew: Institute for Excellence in Writing

Way back when in my homeschool journey, I detested the idea of utilizing the computer or the television for any large chunk of our education. I also did not want our school to simply look like we were doing school at home.  And for most of our homeschool journey, that has served us well.

However, what I am finding as my children have gotten older, I have rather enjoyed utilizing these very methods (eegads).  Especially the DVD player and the computer!

Enter in the amazing writing program Institute for Excellence in Writing with Andrew Pudewa. If you have been homeschooling for any amount of time, and have researched writing curriculum options, this program is on the top of many peoples list.  So, why haven't I tried it up until now?

I will be honest with you.. it was the cost. We have a miniscule budget for homeschooling, and while we could have fit this in, I was leary of spending this kind of money, and have it not work. My children are not a fit in the box kind of group.... so I never dove in and made the purchase!

Here is where I would like to proclaim.. God is good!!!!

As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew line up this year was IEW! And praise the Lord, I was able to be on the list and review this writing program, that  I have heard so much about.

I followed the suggestion, that if you had never used IEW  and children are older to choose Level B. So that is where our family started. We also planned on teaching multiple grade levels. Now, typically this level is for grades 6-8. However, if your child has had limited writing instruction, or you are new to this program, it is, indeed,  a good place to start.  I do believe we made the right choice, however, in the beginning my older students took issue with younger students in the video. However, that was soon dismissed and we were able to proceed with the program unhindered!

So first, let's look at what we received in our package. Our family reviewed Teaching Writing/Student Writing Intensive Combo Pack Level B

Teaching Writing Structure and Style

We received a notebook of notes and reference material and  10 DVD's.  7 of the DVD's are teaching the parent, and 3 are demonstration classes, where the parent can watch Mr. Pudewa teach.  One DVD for each age group.   The teachers set is designed to equip you the homeschool parent with all the skills you need to teach structured writing to your students.  It is abundantly clear that there has been much care taken in the production of the Teacher's Program.  It is key that you the homeschool parent have the tools in your toolbox to equip your children with the tools they will need to complete the program, and ultimately achieve success in writing.

At the end of this seminar, you will have all the skills and tools needed to teach structured writing to your children.  However, if you feel that you need some more help.. or an extra boost... that is where the Student Writing Intensive comes in.

Here you can see a video of Mr. Pudewa discussing Teaching Writing Structure and Style.

Student Writing Intensive

Once again we received a notebook of materials for the student, as well as, DVD's for the student to watch.  This is again in a seminar format. Mr. Pudewa is teaching a 4 day long writing seminar to actual students.  Your students will be attending the seminar right along side the students in the video.  Instruction, explanation and directions will be given by Mr. Pudewa, and while the DVD  is paused your children will complete the work. The same amount of care that was put into the Teaching Writing Structure and Style, has been taken with The Student Writing Intensive.

Here you can see Mr. Pudewa discussing the Student Writing Intensive.

Portable Wall

The portable wall serves as a place where your students can have the word lists they have been learning at their fingertips. It is a tri-fold folder that also serves wonderfully as a divider on a table if you have more than one student working, to give them privacy, or to help them concentrate if they are easily distracted.

 

Here you can find a quick start guide, as well as, a sample from Level B.

Our Thoughts

Something that I learned years ago is that writing is a very difficult process for anyone, let alone special needs kids, of which we have a few. I  believe that I first learned this while learning about Charlotte Mason and her methods. Putting pen to paper, requires many steps that most children, especially special needs kids, have a difficult time navigating.  The child must have a thought, then verbalize that thought in their head, to see if that thought makes sense. Then they need to construct that thought into sentences and then write them down.  This is why so many children have blank page syndrome,  they simply cannot get started with writing words on the paper.

IEW knows this, and takes out this step initially, by giving the child what to write. Not an assignment, as in go write a paper about  _________. However, with IEW, the student is using a source text, learning how to construct outlines by pulling out keywords, and then rewriting it  in their own words.  These skills are taught in small enough chunks that even a struggling learner will understand and be able to follow along. If you do not have a struggling learner, and your child is excelling, then you can move the pace a little faster.  From this starting point, your child will be given a methodology on how to construct thoughts, and then translate that into written work.  Through the course they will learn to do this with reference material, for research papers, and writing from pictures, to name a few. Ultimately transitioning them to the blank page.

Overall, our family was very pleased with IEW. We enjoyed watching the Mr. Pudewa teach. His style is very personable, friendly and relate-able. We used the program with 4 of our children ranging in age from 11 -16. Some of those children do have special needs and had a few struggles and bumps along the way. However, all in all, as we worked through IEW at our pace, which was a couple of weeks or so to do each lesson, they all have improved in their writing abilities.  They other by product of using IEW that I have noticed is that it has helped their reading comprehension in general. They look at stories that they are reading in a different way altogether.

Below you will see a comparison chart for each of the levels of the Student Writing Intensives.



If you have been contemplating purchasing IEW, like I was for many years, yet you let the price keep you from doing so. Let me strongly urge you, to take the plunge! Your children will greatly appreciate the skills they will learn from Mr. Pudewa and you will be grateful to have laid a strong foundation for them to build on. Our family intends to purchase Level C next year!

You can purchase the Combo pack that I received for $239. The portable wall sells for $7.

Please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about IEW.

 

TOS Crew: The Write Foundation

During our homeschool career, I have struggled with teaching writing. I have always concentrated on the children being able to create complete thoughts; however, I have not focused nearly as much as I should on grammar and dynamics.

I have been looking forward to teaching writing, and finding a program that will help do so,and do it well. While, I feel like I have some level of writing skill. I surely, do not remember all there is to know about writing. And with all of the writing curriculum options, where am I to begin?

Enter in The Write Foundation.  As part of the crew, I was able to choose which level we were going to use, so I started at the beginning. We reviewed the first 15 lessons of Sentence to Paragraph Writing.

I keep thinking of the song Do Re Mi from the Sound of the Music… Let’s Start at the very beginning, .....a very good place to start…. when you read begin A-B-C when you write you begin with The Write Foundation!

In all seriousness, The Write Foundation truly does start by giving you the foundation you need to be a good writer. I am currently taking college courses and I wanted to brush up on my grammar, to ensure that I was meeting the grade in my lessons, as well as, making sure that my children are grasping all that they need to succeed!

So what is included?

The entire Sentence to Paragraph Writing Curriculum for teacher and student by Rebecca Celsor includes:

• Spiral-bound Teacher Instruction Manuals with Lesson Plans (about 160 double-sided pages)


• 1 set notebook-ready printed Worksheets (about 200 single-sided pages)


• 1 CD with additional resources
  
  
  
  • Grading System
  
  
  • Grading Record Sheets
  
  
  • Word Games
  
  
  • Checklists
  
  
  • Teacher Presentation Sheets
  
  
  • Weekly Assignments
  
  
  • Extensive Reading list
  
  
  
  There are several different packaging options that range in price from $65 - $100. Please check out their website to see which set would be a good fit for your family.

Here is what Level 1 aims to teach your student.

• Lesson plans formatted in an easy-to-follow system


• Reinforces the construction of a basic sentence


• Improves sentence structure with basic grammar and figures of speech


• Teaches the organizational process of  brainstorming, outlining, rough draft and editing.


• Quickly develops more interesting, informative sentences


• Steps to writing the basic paragraph


• Progress to writing two-paragraph papers


• Guidelines, checklists and correct structure


• Creative poetry writing


• 30 lessons with lesson plans for either a one- or two-year format

Now, that all of the official information is covered, what did I really think of the program?  Well, I think that it is very thorough. And my children did indeed learn basic grammar and sentence structure, as well as, some poetry. The poetry was particularly helpful, as while we have read poetry, they have not learned a ton of poetry.

While the program did indeed get the job done, it was not something that my children enjoyed immensely. However, they did learn the material and complete the assignments.

If you would like to see what my crew mates think about The Write Foundation, please visit the crew blog and check out their reviews!!

I received a free copy of lessons 1-15 and teachers manual, in exchange for my honest review of the product.

TOS Crew: Our Land Publications ~ California

This land is our land, this land is your land, from California to the New York Harbor....

Well, actually we are staying right here in my home state of California!  Our Land Publications has taken a very unique way to teach history! They have broken up the text book and created easy to use and read newspapers that are put into chronological order. These bite size nuggets of information are just right for students to really hang on to what they are reading. As well as, understanding how each event impacts the next, or another part of history. Most history books are dry and boring, however, Our Land Publications is far from boring!

The program is designed for upper elementary students. I actually used this program with my 6th grader, as well as, some of my older children that have learning disabilities, including dyslexia. I wanted to see how they could handle this approach. Here is what I discovered...

It was right on target for the 6th grader. And for the older kids with learning disabilities it was awesome. This is  not dumbed down information! Many times, as a parent with a child with dyslexia, it is difficult to find reading material to match the intellect of your child. The books and information seem watered down or babyish. Not the case with this program! If you have a struggling learner, then this is indeed a history program you should look into!

So what is included in our package? You receive a teachers manual and a student packet. Within the student packet you have 32 issues of a newspaper to hand out to your student(s) to read. Within the pages are questions, maps, vocabulary, pictures and other activities! The 'Reaction Time' questions at the end of each issue require the child to think before answering! It is not a matter of simply perusing the paper and finding the answers!

In your manual you are given additional information for you to use to help teach that week, as well as some black line masters that will enhance your students learning and understanding.

All in all, this is a unique and successful way to examine history! I only wish that all history books were presented like this.

Our Land Publications also produce Our Land of Liberty, My Illinois, My Indiana,  and My Texas. You can purchase the My California set for one student and one teacher for $65.

Please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about this and other products published by Our Land Publications!

TOS Crew: Digital Frog

As a homeschool parent, I am always looking  for ways to give my children access to new and exciting, field trips and material.  With a limited budget, and limited time,  it takes a toll on what we can access. Especially when you  have a large family. This is where Digital Frog comes in and saves the day! You will be amazed where our current stops are going to take us on our TOS Crew Voyage. In fact, we will be stopping in three unique locations! The Desert, The Wetlands and The Rainforest.  How can that be possible, you ask... let me show you......

The fine folks from Digital Frog  have put together an awesome field trip series that comes on a DVD/CD.  We have had the program for several weeks now and have only begun to uncover all of the features that are available.

While I have looked through all of the field trips, we as a family have spent most of our time in the Rain Forest! My children have thoroughly enjoyed their visits!

Finally, there is a way for you to take your family on field trips of a life time and this time, and you don't even need a passport!   That is because, it is from the comfort of your own home!

On each field trip there is a wealth of information, that I could not possibly do it justice in a simple blog post.  I am going to focus on the Rain Forest Field Trip and share some of the features that are available.  And what our family thought about this program!

Once you open the Rain Forest Field Trip, you will find yourself with a choice to make. From the front Navigation, you will need to choose, whether you would like to take the Field Trip, do a Rain Forest Study, learn about Rain Forest Types, or about the Mechanisms of the Rain Forest or about the Endangered Rain Forests.

From here, I am going to show you what it looks like under one of the sign posts. Simply to give you the idea of the shear magnitude of information that is included within this program.

We are going to visit the Rain Forest Study..

Clicking on the black words, will open a definition window. Clicking on the sign posts, or on the blue words within this text will take you to the next destination.  For us, our next stop will be the Dependency Web.......

Now once you have entered into the Dependency Web section, you see, that once again, there is a sign post of many choices. As well as an option for a game, on the porch.... under each one of the sign posts, you will find a wealth of information on that topic... for us, we will be visiting the habitats....

Now, what you find under each tab, in the individuals sections are unique. You will find text, animations, photos, little movies all that really engage the kids throughout the field trip!  And they are learning interesting facts in context, not simple, boring, dry facts like coming from a textbook!

Now the last photo I want to show you is of the field trip...

Now while this is our favorite part of the program, it is also the part that we had the most trouble with!  Here you see a screen shot of the first post of the field trip.  In the gray screen, you will be transported to that location. You have the ability to click and drag the camera, looking in different directions, as well as, zooming.  As you journey through the field trip, you will be taken to different posts, and everything that is at that post will be discussed in the text, with clickable, definable words.  However, as you see, in this shot, the screen is gray. On this computer, we were never able to get this feature to work. However, we were able to get it to work on our other computer. So the children were able to experience this feature, and absolutely loved it! But I would be remiss if I did not mention that we struggled a bit here.

There are  2 other things, that I feel like I need to mention. First, if you have a struggling reader, whether that is due to a disability or because they are young, you will need to sit next to them and help them with the reading. There is quite a bit of reading. However, my dyslexic told me that the words were in small enough chunks and with all of the animations, and clickable things he could do, it kept him interested. Much more than if it were a textbook.

The second thing would be the fact that this is from an evolutionary foundation. So you will need to decide for your family if this product will be a good fit or not.

Now in addition to all that is available that already showed you, each field trip comes with printables to supplement the field trip. As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, I simply cannot even begin to cover all that is available.

Please visit Digital Frog to learn even more about their product. On their website, if you join their Frogger Club, for free,  you will have access to additional online websites to supplement your field trip.  You can purchase these field trips individually for $60.00 for the Home User License, or you can buy all three on one cd for $125.00.

Please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about the amazing product.

Happy Exploring!

TOS CREW: Foundlings Review

You will find swamps, caves, dragons and dwarfs  at our next port of call. We are visiting Zoe & SoZo and the book Foundlings by, Matthew Christian Harding.

Right off the bat, I will be honest with you. I did not read the book. I simply handed it to my 15 year old son, and assigned him to read it, and allowed him to give me his thoughts on the book.

Here is how Foundlings is billed......

"Foundlings, book one of The Peleg Chronicles
is Historical Fiction that takes place in the
time period of Peleg, soon after the tower of
Babel dispersion. In its pages we meet
dragons, giants, false priests, the death hunt,
an under-city of the Dwarven Brotherhood,
and many memorable characters."

My son says, " This is a book about adventure, and how they trust in God in their tough times."

When I first gave the book to my son to read, he was not all that thrilled. He loves to read, however, the first part of the book was challenging for him. He struggled a bit to feel connected to the story.

However, in the end, he said, " I actually liked it."  It took him a few chapters and then he was hooked!  He even added... "This book was alot of fun!"

One of his favorite parts of the story was reading about these characters trusting God no matter their circumstances. He really liked the part about them trying to get out of the castle.

Author Matthew Christian Harding is a Christian, and the Peleg series is a Christian series of books. You will not find magic, evolution, or humanism within these pages!

Foundlings is available for $11.95, you can even get an autographed copy! Visit Zoe & Sozo to see their  full line of products available.

Please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about Foundlings!

TOS Crew: Vocabulary Cartoons SAT Word Power

This year's voyage is off to a great start! Our next port of call is with the fine people from New Monic Books, Inc.  As part of the TOS Crew, we were sent a free copy of Vocabulary Cartoons SAT Word Power Learn Hundreds of SAT Words with Easy Memory Techniques, in exchange for our honest opinions... and here is mine....

First, let's talk about what are Vocabulary Cartoons? Are you familiar with mnemonics? A mnemonic device helps you learn something new, by using something that is familiar. Usually a picture and some sort of 'saying'. We, as a family, have used these to teach  geography and math, so I was excited to try this with my kids.

The purpose of Vocabulary Cartoons is to help your high schooler, really any age child, to remember unusual words that will be found on the SAT. Click here to see a few pages from the book.

As you can see, these 'Vocabulary Cartoons' are a lot of fun! Kids really do retain much more when they are having a good time!

How is this book used.......  (from the book introduction..)

" Each page has five elements:

1) The main word.  The word you wish to lean. It is followed by the phonetic pronunciation, part of speech, and a definition.

2) The link word. The link word is a simple word or phrase which rhymes or sounds like the main word.

3)The caption.  The caption connects the main word and the link word in a sentence.

4) the cartoon. The caption is illustrated in a bizarre or humorous cartoon which incorporates the main word and the link word into a visual mnemonic.

5) Each cartoon is followed by two or three sample sentences."

When you put all of these elements together, it really is a successful combination!

Now.. how did we use this book?

I simply handed the book, to two of my teenage boys. the instructions I gave them was to work on  2-3 words a day, and work their way through the book. To test each other, and do the little quizzes that are throughout the book.

The boys enjoyed the book, not only were they learning the words that were in the book, they had a good time doing it! They will never forget those visuals!  And in the end, they really did retain more words than they typically do! That scores points in my book!!!

And to top it off... the book is available at the ultra affordable price of $12.95!  Be sure to check out New Monic Books to see their whole line of vocabulary helps! Create a milieu of words in your home!

Take a moment, and visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about this neat product!

TOS Crew: Math Tutor DVD Review

Well, I must say, that I have been thrilled each year that I have served on the TOS Homeschool Crew that Math Tutor DVD has decided to be part of our voyage! I have been a long time fan of Math Tutor DVD.You can read my first review here and my second review here.  For those of you who have read my blog (or know me in real life) know that math is simply not my thing!

So as a homeschool mom, I have been on the lookout for math help! And for me, that has come in the form of Math Tutor Dvd!  Jason Gibson, math tutor extra-ordinare, walks you and your children through math.  Math Tutor DVDs have been such a helpful tool to us. When I simply cannot explain something to my children in a way that they can understand, I pop in the DVDs and Jason explains it for me!

As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew this year we were sent 2 FREE DVD's in exchange for our honest opinion.

I was sent Pre Algebra Tutor and the Texas Instruments  TI-83/ TI-84 Calculator Tutor

Both of these DVD's are available at the links listed above for $26.99.

As in all the previous DVDs that I have either purchased or reviewed for Math Tutor DVD, your student will receive clear instructions on how to figure problems, or in the case of the graphong calculator how to use the calculator.

Now, I must admit, I do not have a child currently in Calculus so the Graphing Calculator DVD, I looked at, but we are not yet at the point where we need it. However, I put in on of the DVD's and Jason, once again, explains how to use the calculator in very clear and easy to understand terms.  There is an awesome screen shot of the calculator, which enables you to see exactly what he is doing, as he explains it!

If you are a family that will need help teaching math at any level, please look into Math Tutor DVD to help you teach your students! These DVD's have really blessed my family over the years!

Please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates are saying about Math Tutor DVD!

Happy Calculating!

TOS Crew Review - Travel Kits E-book

Just picture it, traveling down the interstate  with a handful of  screaming kids..with the incessant  'Are we there yet??? ' coming from the back row......have you had a car trip that resembled this tale?? I know that we have!!!

Travel Kits, A Simple Way to Bless Others an E-Book by TOS is here to save the day...

As part of the Homeschool Crew we were given a free copy of Travel Kits E-book in exchange for our honest opinion.

Donna Rees the author of Travel Kits challenges you to demonstrate a little love, a little ingenuity, and a little organization: by making a travel kit—a simple way to bless others.

So what is a Travel Kit you ask ~ it is a collection of gifts that you can create for your family, or as a gift for a family you know who is about to set sail, that are designed to entertain and/or delight the recipient.  I should note here, that Travel Kits are not just for young children. While that was my example, and yes, little ones need lots of things to keep them entertained. Everyone, any age, love to be thought of, and Travel Kits are a wonderful way to help them feel loved and cared for!  Even grown ups!

Within the pages of Travel Kits,  Donna Rees takes  you step by step on how you can create your own Travel Kits.

At the foundation, you are ministering to the family you are blessing. Whether it is your own family or a family you know the principle is the same. In the bible we are instructed in Luke 6:31, ' And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.'   In Phil 2:3 it says '...let each esteem other better than themselves'.

Keeping these biblical principles in mind, Donna has you look at who your recipients are, how long will they be traveling, and what are some of their interests. Once you have done that, you will be able to create a Travel Kit that will bless those who receive it.

Donna will then show you how you can gather items for each member of the family. How to wrap them, assemble them and even how to disperse gifts throughout the trip.

Donna really makes the process fool proof! No expertise needed, only a loving heart, and a desire to bless!

As I read this book, not only did I think of many ways that I could use travel kits for my own family, as well as, families I know. But, I also thought of several ideas that I could use for many occasions, using the same principles.

I challenge you to stop by the The Schoolhouse Store and purchase your copy of Travel Kits, (available for $12.45)  and start blessing those around you! And better yet, come up with even more ideas to bless those around you, using the ideas you learned using Travel Kits, and then come back here and post about them!

Take a moment to visit the Crew Blog to see what my crew mates have to say about Travel Kits!

May you all be blessed as you bless those you love!

TOS Crew Review - Schoolhouse Planner Module June 2010

The 3rd Voyage of the TOS Homeschool Crew has set sail, and our first review item has boarded! We were given a free copy of  The June 2010 Module Travel the World, for the Schoolhouse Planner for free for the purpose of review.

Now, I should tell you before we go any farther, I have always loved the Schoolhouse Planner and the modules! So, I was looking forward to reviewing this one!

So many times when you get one of these  'E-books', they really are geared for the younger set. While Travel the World, does have plenty of information and activities for that age group, (coloring pages, word finds, lapbook beginnings, etc..). What impressed me was that they have gone the extra mile to include a high school section. Now that I have 4 high school students, this is a very important aspect for me.

This is not simply an E-book that you can print out and use, which you can do, by the way. However, it is chock full of interactive links throughout the module. Links are included in both the younger section, as well as, the high school section.

The links consists of additional information, as well as games that your child can use to help cement the information into their brains.

Another blessing of this module, is the fact that it is from a Christian Worldview.  God and His Word are throughout the unit. And not just as an afterthought. Each passage included is relevant to the point of study.

While clearly not a year long course, for $7.95 this is an awesome supplement that will help your child, no matter the age, either become familiar with the geography of the world, or for the older students, help concrete knowledge they may have already been exposed to.

I highly recommend Travel the World to any homeschooler!

Visit the Schoolhouse store to find Travel Around the World and other Planner Modules!

As always, please visit the crew blog to see what my crew mates are saying!

Happy Traveling!

SALE: Math Galaxy

Below you will find my original review for Galaxy of Education, for Math Galaxy.  While looking through my reviews, trying to find one to place  in our local homeschool group newlsetter, I discovered that Math Galaxy is having a huge sale for a limited time!!! It appears that their prices are 50% off. For a limited time!

If you need a math supplement, please take a moment to visit their website to see if it is a good fit for your family!!!

Our next stop on our TOS Homeschool Crew Voyage is with the fine people at Galaxy of Education. As Crew Mates we were given free access to their Math Galaxy Programs and E-books in exchange for our honest opinions.

If you have followed my voyage for any amount of time, you know that math is not my favorite subject. So anytime I stumble across a program or tool that will help me teach my children math skills, this intrigues me. Will it indeed be a program that will help us?

First, let's look at what they have available. There are several Java-based programs covering the topics of;

~Math Galaxy Whole Numbers Fun
~Math Galaxy Word Problems Fun
~Math Galaxy Fractions Fun
~Math Galaxy Decimals, Proportions and Percents Fun
~Math Galaxy Pre-Algebra Fun
~Math Galaxy Algebra Fun

There is also something available called The Riddler Worksheet  Generator. It is available in the following titles;

~Whole Numbers
~Fractions
~Decimal Proportions Percents
~Algebra

Math Galaxy also offers several E-books they call Riddles Books. They are

~Fraction Riddles E-book
~Algebra Riddles E-book
~Whole Numbers Riddles E-book
~Decimal Riddles E-book

I have seen pros and cons with these programs. The PROS: my son enjoyed using them! That is half the battle right there, isn't it? He would sit down and work about 45 minutes on his math. Secondly, it really was helping him The way the program works is when you click into a subject, say... 'Area' off of the screen below...

You are then taken to a screen that gives you a couple of options. One of those options is 'review'. When you click on that area, it is a tutorial. Your child will click through a series of screens learning the skill he will be using in that section. Once he completes that  he can move onto the doing the practice problems. You can choose to have them do 'step by step' or 'final answer only'. We always chose 'step by step'.  These programs have helped to move him along quicker than he was working through his math previously. That is a plus!

Now, what are the con's? First, your child needs to be a reader! If you have a struggling reader, then this program is not going to be a good fit. They have to read through the tutorials and problems.  We have several dyslexics in my home, so this was an issue for some of my children.  The second would be that, when the child does his work he earns robots, that allow him to play some games that are included with the program. Which is a great incentive. However, you must be aware that the robots do not carry over for future use. So you need to work that reward time, into the time you have allowed them to use Math Galaxy.  And the final con, is that it is not a tool that you can use, and see really how your children are doing. There are no reports offered to show they have mastered a skill, or even what kinds of problems they have been doing. Having this feature would really enhance this product.

However, even with the cons that I listed, I really did like this program. We learned how to work the program to best serve our family and it really has been a blessing.

You can order any of the Java Based Programs and the Riddlers Worksheet Generators for $24.95 each. The  E-books are available for $12.95. You can order all of these products  by visiting Math Galaxy.

Please take a moment to cruise on over to the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about these products.

TOS Crew - Blog Walk - Week 3

How are all of you coming along on your new exercise routine?  What  routine you ask??  You know the one, our Blog Walking!! The best thing about this form of walking.. blog walking,  is that you can get your walking in at any time of day. Even, late at night... in fact that is the best time for it.. when the house is quiet, and you have a few minutes to get to know some new friends!

This our 3rd week of getting to know the crew mates of the 3rd Voyage of the TOS Homeschool Crew!  Take a moment to get to know some of our crew mates! And don't forget to join us in July... you will begin to see the reviews rolling in!  Our mission is to Steer You to Great Homeschool Products!!

Here is your Walking Assignment for Next week! Enjoy! And don't forget to leave comments and get to know each of your crew mates!!

All American Family

Growing Fruit

Learning to Teach
Stairsteps Homeschool Academy
Kingdom Academy
Living Sola Gratia
The Cow Queen
Peace Creek on the Prairie

Happy Walking!!!

TOS Crew - Blog Walk - Week 2

Here we are again! Our second week of Blog Walking! This is my kind of exercise! I can get to know my friends, both new and old from the comfort of my own home! Have you started to meet some of the awesome crew members who are at the ready to shed light on some awesome homeschool projects?

Once again, we have a line up of 10 blogs for you to visit and meet their awesome authors! Remember to leave them a comment! I know they each are looking forward to meeting all of you!

Happy Walking!!!

1. Second Star to the Right and Straight On Till Morning
2. Surviving The Testosterone
3. Family Style School
4. School Around The Bible
5. 1628 The Story of The Goebels 5
6. Morris Family Madness
7. Homeschool Musings
8. Homeschooling (and then some!)
9. Heartfelt Homeschooling
10. following Him home

See you next week!!!!

TOS Crew - Blog Walk - Week One

As our 3rd voyage for the TOS Crew is gearing up to set sail, we thought we would take time to meet all of our crew mates! Each week we are going to list 10 of our crew mates and their websites.

Our hope is that not only will we get to know each other, as we take time and focus on each other's blogs during their features week, we hope that each of you will take time to get to know the crew that has signed up to help you find great homeschool products!

We begin our tour with...........

1. Reaping a Harvest
2.  Pink & Orange Coffee
3. Live, Laugh, Learn!
4. Mrs. Mandy's Musings
5.  The Fantastic Five
6.  Refined Metals Academy
7.  Just A Moment in Time
8.  Providence Farm
9. My Journey
10. Petra School

Thanks for visiting and we look forward to seeing you all next week!