Review: Apologia Press Good Morning, God TOS Crew

I have yet to meet a homeschool Mom who does not loves books. Likewise, Christian homeschool Moms generally love to get their hands on solid scripture based books that they can read to their children. My children and I were very fortunate to be able to review Good Morning, God by Davis Carmen and published by Apologia Press.

Good Morning, God is a beautiful story about a 4 year old boy as he goes through one week marveling at the wonders of all that God does from sunrise to sunset. This book can be used as a simple read-aloud to young children or it can be expanded into an eight day devotional with your children. To encourage using this book as a true devotional, the author has written several discussion questions which correspond with each day in the story. The main focus of this book is on Deuteronomy 6:6-7.

As a family we chose to discuss and reflect upon one discussion question each time we read this book. I was encouraged each day to hear my children talk about what each question meant to them and I delighted in the springboard effect of questions that inevitably happened after each reading of this book. Not only is Good Morning, God beautifully written but it is also enchantingly illustrated which made reading the book even more enjoyable. From our family discussions I made mental notes of biblical topics I needed to discuss and reference more often in our studies.

Good Morning, God is recommended for children ages 1-8 but can easily be adapted for older students especially in the discussion question sections. My 9 year old was almost more enthralled in this book than his younger siblings. Additionally, Apologia Press sells a coloring book to accompany this book which retails for $4.00.

You can purchase Good Morning, God by Davis Carman from Apologia Press for $14.00.

As a member of the TOS Review Crew I received this book for free from Apologia Press in exchange for my honest review. No further compensation was received.

If you would like to read what other TOS Review Crew members are saying about Good Morning, God be sure and visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog!

Good Morning, God reviews

The Patience of Motherhood

My dear readers, I know it has been months since I posted anything containing creative substance here on my blog. The trials of life and motherhood have kept me away from my creative writing. I wouldn't have it any other way though. We are settling into our new house more and more everyday and we are expecting a new blessing in May 2011. With that said though, it feels great to have the creative writing juices flowing again in my little brain.

On my mind today is a comment made by an unassuming postal worker at my small town post office. Being a Mother herself, I know she did not mean any offense by her comment. And frankly, I did not take any offense to what she said. However, her words struck a chord within my heart and started my mind wondering, why? What was it that she said you ask? After realizing that my 3 kids and I along with our little dog had walked down to the post office she said, "You have the patience of a saint." My immediate response was, "No, I really don't, they are great kids." She could not be convinced otherwise however. So I left well enough alone, wished her a good day, and happily left the post office with my 3 well behaved (at that moment) children and always well behaved dog.

As we walked the few blocks home I reflected upon her comment and the sentiment in general regarding what Moms of "more than 2" go through on a daily basis. Please keep in mind I am not singling out those of us with more than 2 as being anything above those with 2 or fewer children. I am simply making an observation that society feels that those of us with more than the standard national family average of 2 children sacrifice or endure more than Mothers with less children (a sentiment with which I do not agree).

Two main thoughts about her comment came to mind as I walked home this afternoon. The first of which is, Moms of many do not have any more patience and understanding than those Moms with fewer children. We all make our own choices about our family size. The fact that I have 3 and soon to be 4 children does not give me any more patience than friends of mine with only one or two children. Mothers everywhere take each day as it comes to us. Each moment of our day is about protecting, nurturing, caring for, educating, and loving the children God has blessed us with. I should point out that stay at home Moms do not have any more patience or understanding than those Moms who venture off to work everyday. We all have motherly duties and those duties do not stop just because you are sitting behind a desk or bringing home a government taxed paycheck. Perhaps the lady at the post office today caught me in a "good patience" mood, perhaps that is why she said what she did. Honestly, I can tell you that like Mothers across the globe I definitely have days when my patience tank is run dry. I am not even running on empty those days, my tank has dried up and not even one more drop can be squeezed out. We have all had those moments, yes even those Moms you know who seem to always have it together. (that is a whole other blog post altogether) The patience I feel towards my children grows directly out of the vast and unending loving that I feel for them. Each day they are growing and learning. It is my job to shape and nurture that process. I feel a great sense of joy and accomplishment watching my children experience life. Patience for their mistakes and bad behavior is a beautiful gift God has given me. It does not make me a saint, it makes me a Mother.

The second thought that grew out of the postal workers comment was a bigger and more spiritual one. I do not have the patience of a saint, I have only the patience that God has blessed me with. God gives us everything we need at exactly the perfect moment in our lives; never too soon nor too late. When I went from a single woman to a wife, step-Mom, and birth-Mom in less than a year God was there. After the birth of my daughter God was there also, he gifted me the patience needed for a Mom with school age children and 2 littles, 2 and under. Yet again, coming this Spring God will give me the love and patience needed to lovingly Mother and homeschool 4 children. He has not granted me that level of patience today nor will he give it to me tomorrow, He will grant me the love, understanding, and wisdom needed for my life at just the right moment. I can not ask for or expect anything less or more. He gives me all I need at exactly the right moment in my life. How could we as believers ever ask for anything more than that? We can't and shouldn't.

Review: KB Teachers TOS Crew

In the world of educational websites the options are nearly endless. While the options are almost limitless, the quality of most sites leaves a lot to be desired. As homeschoolers are time is precious and wasting time searching through a sea of educational websites does not typically rank high on our everyday to-do list. Imagine then, how excited I was when as part of The Old Schoolhouse review crew I was given the opportunity to review KBTeachers.

Initially I expected the average run-of-the-mill educational website. You know the kind, one full of busy work worksheets and lacking in educational content. Upon delving into KBTeachers my low expectations were blown out of the water! The first night I explored KBTeachers I could not possibly look through all of the wonderful resources and worksheets available for preschool through older students (roughly junior high). KBTeachers provides teachers with graphics and clipart, custom worksheet generators, activities, printable worksheets in a wide variety of subjects (even biology lessons), coloring pages, and handwriting sheets (printing, cursive, etc). No matter your subject matter there is sure to be a resource available on KBTeachers while will add educational content to your lesson.

How we used this resource:
Unlike other educational websites, I was able to utilize KBTeachers for all 3 of my children (ages 3, 6, and 9). Some days this option proved to be a wonderful time saver. If one of my children finished their schoolwork early or needed extra help with a topic I simply (and quickly) found a worksheet or activity for them to complete and enjoy. When my 9 year old needed extra cursive practice which our current handwriting curriculum does not support I simply printed out the appropriate worksheet from KBTeacher. When my preschooler needed something to color which corresponded to a lesson I was teaching her older brothers I found some wonderful coloring resources on this site. Lastly, when my 6 year old wanted a math lesson which his current curriculum did not cover to the depth he desired I was able to customize and print additional worksheets from him to complete. The more and more I used KBTeachers the more I realized the educational limits were endless.

The best part of KBTeachers is that much of their worksheets and resources are completely FREE! If you find that you want to use their premium resources you can purchase a premium membership for a reasonable fee.

At the time of this posting: 1 year $29, 2 years $49. If you pay with paypal you can enjoy their premium services for 10 days risk free. If you pay with your credit card you will have 30 days risk free to use their premium resources.

Be sure and check out the other wonderful reviews from my fellow TOS Crew reviewers!

TOS Crew KBTeacher Reviews

Review: Corps of Re-Discovery Fringe Pouch Kit

As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew my boys and I were given the opportunity to review a wonderful craft item from Corps of Re-Discovery. The fringe pouch kit is a complete craft kit that when completed is an article I can imagine a frontiersman carrying during the frontier days. Corps of ReDiscovery was started by a homeschooling family inspired by their journey along the Lewis & Clark trail. They offer complete craft kits for items found during the Frontier era of American history.  

About the product:
The fringe pouch kits includes pre-cut suede leather pieces, needle and thread. When completed the fringe pouch is a cute little drawstring bag that any child studying early American history would enjoy using. When complete the bag measures approximately 5.5" x 6" not including the fringe.

How we used the kit:

One cool and quiet day my boys and I decided to have some craft fun with our fringe pouch kit. Because there was only one item to complete and 2 boys, this project became a lesson in sharing and working together. What Mom doesn't love that! We read the directions that accompanied the kit together a few times to make sure we all understood how to properly put the pouch together (the directions were very clearly written). As the boys assembled the pouch they took turns in using the needle and sewing the pre-cut pieces together.  My boys (ages 9 & 6) have never sewed so this was a wonderful opportunity to teach them about stitching, needle work, and sewing safely. While they worked we discussed what types of things they thought frontiersman would put in their pouch during those early American days.

Completing the kit did not take long at all, less than a half hour. As a craft inept homeschool Mom I truly appreciated the fact that this kit was complete. I did not need to hunt around the house for anything. We simply opened the bag and dove in. Our fringe pouch now carries everything from toy cars to rock collections.

You can purchase the fringe pouch kit for $11.99. If you are currently studying or will be studying early American history in the near future I highly encourage you to check out the other high quality craft kits offered by Corps of Re-Discovery.

Be sure and check out the other reviews from TOS review crew members for this and other items offered by Corps of Re-Discovery!

Corps of Re-Discovery Reviews

Review: Soli Deo Gloria Resources Map Skills

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew I had the opportunity to use and review Map Skills by Soli Deo Gloria Resources. I was excited for this review because of our in depth geography study that we are currently doing. Map skills and geography go hand in hand.

About the product:
Map Skills is a complete unit study which includes map reading, supplemental math skills related to maps and geography, language arts, bible, and geography. This product is recommended for K-6th grade although the website indicates K-3rd. Once you read the until overview you will see that it can be used with K-6th graders. When using this unit study you will only need to add a standard math curriculum and a phonics program for a young reader. Otherwise, this product is a complete 2-3 week curriculum.

The objectives of this unit study include:

1. Learn basic directional skills
2. Demonstrate basic map reading skills at the appropriate grade level
3. Concept of "direction" (map and in life) will be discussed as it pertains to the bible
4. Demonstrate basic language skills related to map reading,  geography, and directionality.

In addition to this unit study you will need to supply basic maps and atlases. There is also an optional workbook that you can add to this study. This workbook is optional and in no way is required to adequately complete this study.

How we used the product:

As I mentioned, we are completing an in depth study of geography this school year. In addition to being a fun supplement to our normal curriculum I knew my boys would learning to read maps better, something I have been lacking in our school studies. We currently school 5 days a week so this unit study took us about 2 weeks. If you school 4 days a week or take time off during the week from this study you will complete this study in 3 weeks or more. For us 2 weeks was the perfect amount of time for this in depth study. I did not purchase this optional workbook and did not experience an issue learning from this study. 

During our 2 weeks of study our school room was transformed into a map reading haven. The walls were labeled with directions, names of local and far away towns decorated our walls, and my boy's ability to read maps soared. Since completing this study I have noticed a considerable increase in my boy's ability to read maps that we encounter in our geography studies. No longer am I explaining basic map characteristics, they are both adept at reading and translating the maps on their own. This aspect has obviously added a tremendous amount to our overall learning.

I was thoroughly impressed with the completeness of this unit study. I have purchased or received for free other unit studies that are sorely lacking in certain aspects of the unit. Kim Kargbo at Soli Deo Gloria Resources has done a wonderful job with this unit study!

Pricing Information:

$14.00 for a spiral bound Map Skills book.

$11.50 for the Map Skills ebook.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Please visit The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews on Map Skills.

Review: Talking Fingers Read, Write, and Type

As part of the TOS Homeschool review crew, my boys and I got to review another great product recently. We were given the opportunity to use and review Talking Fingers Read, Write, & Type.


About the product:
Talking Fingers Read, Write, & Type is typing program available online or in CD format that teaches K-3 students phonetics, spelling, reading, and typing. This program was developed by a neuropsychologist and is designed toward how the young brain learns. Throughout this program there are numerous ways in which mastery of reading, writing, and typing is ensured. Students learn to sound out, read, and type every word that they learn. This program is also written in such a way that students get instant feedback on their progress and get to correct mistakes when they happen. Additionally, parents have access to a progress report on their child's achievements. Also included in this program are "review stations" where students review the progress they have made. A child cannot progress until they have mastered the previous skills taught. Read, Write, & Learn can also be used by students who are learning the English language (ESL learners). Presently this program has instructions in Spanish, Arabic, and Bahasa-Melayu with more languages being added in the future.

How we used the product:
Both of my boys (ages 9 & 6) are strong in their computer skills. They can navigate their favorite online game websites without any help and are proficient mouse users. However, they both needed to improve their typing skills. Needless to say, I was excited when we were given the opportunity to review this product. Initially I sat down with boys to get them started and then let them navigate the program on their own as I watched.

Lefty (left hand) and Rightway (right hand) walked the boys through their letter adventure. As the boys saved each letter from the character in the game that stole all the letters, the corresponding letter gets added back to the keyboard. During the adventures the boys both improved their reading and writing abilities. My oldest who struggles with sounding out words especially improved with this area of his reading ability. However, as expected the limiting factor with this program was my boys' typing abilities. Both boys often times resorted to "hunt and peck" but with gentle reminders returned to the proper hand positions this program had taught them. My youngest son whose hands are smaller and perhaps doesn't have the finger strength required to master typing struggled the most. However, with more time and practice I know he will be able to master this important ability. I am amazed at all my boys learned with this program and the best part is that they didn't even know they were learning, they were just having fun on the computer with Lefty and Rightway.

The boys and I both agree that this is a very well written and fun program that is packed full of reading, writing, and typing education.

Pricing information:
For this review, we used the online version which with purchase includes a 5 year subscription. Single use is $35, additional prices are: $55 for 2 users, $70 for 3 users, $85 for 4 users and $100 for 5 users.


Talking Fingers also has a CD version which may be more cost efficient for large families.

You can read more Talking Finger reviews on the TOS Homeschool Crew blog

 

New Monic Vocabulary Cartoons Review

Are you looking for a fun way to teach your third to sixth grader vocabulary words? Or perhaps you are in search of a new way for your upper elementary child to retain the vocabulary words they learn? If you are in either of these situations, I would suggest you look into New Monic Vocabulary Cartoons, Elementary Edition.

About the book:

New Monic Vocabulary Cartoons, Elementary Edition uses mnemonics to help students retain the vocabulary words they learn. Mnemonics are devices such as poems, rhymes, or formula that help aid memory retention. New Monic couples a cartoon with an easy to remember sentence to help with vocabulary word retention and recall. This book contains 210 challenging vocabulary words that third through sixth graders should know. After every 10 words there is a quiz to test retention. The quizzes are in matching and fill in the blank format.

You can view a complete word list for this book as well as page samples on the New Monic website.


How we used this book:


As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew I was given the opportunity to review this book with my oldest son who is a fourth grader. To say that vocabulary is his strong subject is quite an understatement. We struggle on a daily basis with many common vocabulary words. Hence, I was very excited to find out that we were being given an opportunity to review this book.

Each school morning during our group study time I would introduce a new word, show the cartoon, and read through the definition, sentence and accompanying mnemonic sentence. All of my kids thoroughly enjoyed these exercises. Later in the day I reviewed the word with my oldest and had him read the page on his own. As a writing and retention exercise I often times asked him to write 1-2 new sentences on his own using the word.  When we had completed 10 words my oldest would take the corresponding quiz. I am happy to say that he always did very well on the quizzes, which is more than I could have hoped for.

Using mnemonics proved to be a fun yet effective way for my son to remember the vocabulary words presented in this book. As a result, I have begun introducing and creating mnemonics for other words he struggles with. Again, he is showing improvement with words that he previously struggled with.

Pricing information:


New Monic's Vocabulary Cartoons, Elementary Edition is available for $12.95. Large quantity order discounts are available.

Want to read what other TOS Crew members are saying about this book? Hop on over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more.