Supercharged Science - e-Science Homeschool Science Curriculum - A Crew Review

We're approaching the month of June in a couple of days. Teachers everywhere are wearily lifting their heads up off of their desks as they see the finish line of the school year, that is, summer break! Speaking for myself, I am ready for the recharge and refreshment that comes with a bit of time off, and hopefully, some sun and warm weather activities. BUT, there are still a few weeks to go, and we have a little more work to do, which includes finishing up our science lessons. My daughters are dragging by this point in the calendar year, so I was more than happy to receive a year long subscription for all levels (K-12) to  the e-Science Homeschool Science Curriculum to review, from Supercharged Science .
Watching the recorded lesson about carbon dioxide.

You'll see from the name of the curriculum that this is an online program. It's fantastic because it can work for the entire family, spanning grades K-12. The creator and teacher is Aurora Lipper, which in my humble opinion, is a fantastic name for a science teacher. Her background is nothing short of amazing, and I suspect that you'll agree as you read her credentials. She is a mechanical engineer, university instructor, pilot, astronomer, oh, and she also is the mother to four children. She has worked for NASA, and began teaching at the university level when she was a mere 21 years old. I suspect that she may have a cape somewhere in the back of her closet, lol. All that to say, she knows a bit about science!
The Intro video with Aurora Lipper- she's fantastic!

There are two ways that this program can be used, by topic, or by grade level. Using this by topic allows you to pick and choose from any and every scientific concept out there. Simply click on the Topics link at the top of the page, and they all come up for you to browse. This option is great for families who are looking for specific lessons, or are taking a relaxed approach to the subject. It's also great for families who are also supplementing with another curriculum, but perhaps need assistance with experiments, or require more help in the lessons. If you do go with the lessons by topic route, you will find that by starting with the first unit, and then going through sequentially, they all build on each other.
Use by Topic...

Other families will choose lessons by grade level. You can begin this way by clicking on Grade Levels at the top of the page, and it will take you to those options. You'll find that in this section, the grade levels seem to stop at 8th grade. After that, there are options for Advanced Topics. Those advanced classes are for high school and on up. They are not specifically labeled that way, so that any student who progresses through the work quickly can use them. But, they are high school classes. The concepts that are under each grade level are the ones that would normally be taught at that age. In addition to the regular grade level work, there are two other sections for Teaching Resources, which includes various articles for parents/teachers, and the blog, and a Science Fair section, where you can get tips and ideas about creating an award winning presentation. As you can see, there is much flexibility in the application of this program, as well as a ton of material.
Or by grade level.

Before you begin the lessons, there is an introduction video that is about 40-45 minutes. This is well worth watching, so I would advise you not to skip it. Aurora Lipper is not the typical science teacher, at least not in my personal experience. Forget the stereotype nerdy male with the slicked back hair, pocket protector, and B-O-R-I-N-G presentation, where he is the only one who knows what he's talking about. I'm having a flashback to my high school physics class, lol. Aurora, if I may call her by her first name, is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and engages the students. She has a very approachable manner about her, and encourages questions, feedback, and suggestions for other lessons. 
The lessons include a video with the presentation, and demonstration of any related experiments. There are assessments for use after the experiments, so you can record your results, including successes, and maybe a flop or two. Every unit includes a downloadable shopping list for each experiment. Many items are one that you already keep in your home. Others will be able to be used multiple times, and are generally affordable. Links are included to direct you to sites where they can be purchased.
Shopping list for Unit 8.

I used this primarily with my just about graduated 8th grader. We decided to use it by topic, since we're at the end of our school year, and needed some fun in our science lessons. I wish that I had recorded my daughter's initial reaction to this program as she scrolled through the possible topics. "Astronomy, Chemistry... Oh, I'm so excited!", were her words. She loves science, and experiments. I have some photos here of a few of our experiments. We tried out the bread chemistry, which satisfied two of her loves, science and cooking.  We also fiddled around with carbon dioxide lessons, and had some messy fun with vinegar, baking soda, chalk, and washing soda. In the short time that we've used this, we are really enjoying the material. We love that the experiments are demonstrated for us on the recordings, so we can see exactly how to do them. The pdf's make our shopping a breeze, and Aurora's enthusiasm is contagious. My girl will be playing with a few of these lessons over the summer for fun, and we will be using this with our science material this upcoming school year. 
Testing the results of what happens when either chalk, baking soda, or washing soda is mixed with vinegar.

Here we go.

Aurora understands our impatience, lol.

And we have a reaction!

More carbon dioxide fun. What happens when we mix yeast, sugar, and warm water? Lots of fizz and bubbles!

Time for Bread Chemistry. We mix...

This isn't cooked yet, it's only rising, yikes, is the pan too small?

Umm, yeah, should have used two loaf pans, ha!

Anyone who lacks confidence in teaching science will benefit from checking out this program. They offer free science activities too, so you can take it for a sort of test run. The curriculum meets and exceeds school requirements. Even if you have another resource that you use for science, there is a curriculum conversion chart included in the resources that will show you how to use this program with your current choice. It's worth checking out. I like how Aurora put it in a video, "Science is messy, just get started." 

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Memorial Day 2019

Tomorrow is Memorial Day here in the United States. If you are an American citizen, how are you spending the holiday weekend? It's been a rainy, somewhat stormy Spring in my neck of the woods, but we've had enough peeks of sunshine to allow a bit of camping, grilling, and gardening. We're expecting yet more storms tomorrow, so our plans for the day are uncertain. But we will be sure to take time to reflect on the many brave, courageous soldiers, who gave their lives for our freedom. Whatever your plans may be, I hope you will do the same.

EdAlive- Typing Tournament Online, Math Invaders Online - A Crew Review

Hello homeschooling parents and teachers! Many of us are quickly staring down the end of the school year, but there is still plenty of time to squeeze in a few more useful skills. This past month, my daughters and I have had the chance to try out and review an online program from EdAlive . We received a one year subscription to two of their subjects, Typing Tournament Online , and Math Invaders Online. 

EdAlive is a company that seeks to customize the learning needs for each individual child. They recognize that students are not cut from the same cloth, and vary in their learning styles and needs. As such, their programs are designed to offer reports that will aid in targeting areas that need to be strengthened. They also recognize that learning can and should be enjoyable. Homeschooling parents and teachers alike can agree that when our kids are having fun, the lessons are learned and retained better.Before I tell you about our experience with these two parts of the program, I'll provide an overview for each subject.

 First of all, Math Invaders Online:

The general age range is 5 years old to 15 years old. Kids can brush up on the following skills:

- Addition

- Subtraction

- Multiplication

- Division

- Fractions

- Decimals

- Percentages

- Counting

- Squares, and Square roots

- There's even more!

The Math questions are presented in a video game format. Students have to fight off the "Invaders" by solving Math questions. As they answer correctly, the program notes that, and slowly increases the difficulty of the problems. Every level slightly increases in speed as kids move ahead. The great thing about this is that they can work at an individual pace. Another asset to this program, is its compatibility with basically any device that you have. We are a culture continuously on the go, so if you need to squeeze in some Math practice in the car, waiting room, at a sibling's extracurricular activity, or wherever, you can!

Typing Tournament Online is appropriate for ages 6 years old to adult. Anyone and everyone can benefit from this program, as it meets you at your skill level, beginner or advanced.  There are 128 lessons that will have you typing with every key on the keyboard! Every lesson builds on the previous one, slowly adding more letters to your typing repertoire. Unlike many programs that take you through boring lessons, this one teaches with games, drills, and sound effects that will keep you on your toes, or fingertips, as it were! Students can set their own goals as to how many words per minute they would like to be proficient at typing by the end of the course.

Between Math and Typing, we decided that typing was the bigger area that we need to work on. For whatever reason, my daughters keep resorting to the hunt and peck habit, and that needs to stop. The program will get you started with a placement test. When established at your level, you will work through 3 drills. Upon completing those, you can test to jump up to the next level. You will receive your results as soon as you finish each exercise.

There are instructions for the proper typing posture.

 My 13 year old decide to set her first goal at 28 words per minute. She has been doing well, even jumping up to 31 pretty quickly. Fans of dragons, knights, and the like will enjoy the theme of the games. We jumped in with Powder Keg. There is a fire breathing dragon, and there are barrels of gunpowder that he keeps lighting on fire. As you type the right keys, it puts out the fire. Your competitive students will enjoy that one. After that level, you'll get to Dragon Chase, where you type your fastest to stop the dragon from breathing his fire on you. Honestly, it's a little stressful, lol, but fun. Your ultimate goal is to complete the quest, and get to meet The Dark Typist- cue the dramatic music.

I can see the progress that my daughters make, view certificates, and simply see where they are in the program.

This displays where a student is in their quest.

The typing drill itself.

Handy instructions.

Powder Keg!

I had my daughters use this 4 to 5 days per week for 20 - 30 minutes at a time. They both liked the theme of knights and such. My 15 year old enjoys the exercise of typing in and of itself, so there was no trouble motivating her to get going. She was not a huge fan of the beeping that sounds with every mistake though, as it kind of stressed her out. Turning down the sound takes care of that issue though, so if you have students that are sensitive to noise, that's an option. The lessons include tests, and they allow you to go back and make corrections when you make a mistake. Now most people, myself included, would say that's fantastic, but my girls actually felt like they were cheating a bit, and it did also impact their overall typing speed. However, I think it's great. Overall, I find this company to be a solid option for families. They offer a fun way to tweak important skills. You can use this with pretty much every age that you're likely to have in your family, making it practical too. Visit their website and take a closer look.

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Christian Focus - Elizabeth Prentiss : More Love - A Crew Review

"More love to Thee, O Christ, More love to Thee! Hear Thou the prayer I make, On bended knee; This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee, More love to Thee, More love to Thee!
Are you a churchgoer? If you are, and if you attend or have attended a more traditional denomination, chances are that you have heard this beautiful hymn referenced above. More love to Thee was penned by Elizabeth Prentiss, a name that in all likelihood, is largely unknown today. Our family was given a copy of Elizabeth Prentiss : More Love, from Christian Focus , to read and review. I've said it so many times, even here on my blog, that I love biographies. I love to hear a person's story, where they came from, their life experiences, and how those events shaped their character. I suppose that my fascination comes from a basic human longing to know and be known. I find a person's history particularly compelling when discovering the inspiration behind a song, or a story. That background information provides a rich context for the words, particularly when the author has known suffering. Such is the case with this account of Elizabeth Prentiss. I will never read or sing her words of praise to God again, without considering the faith of this woman. Pull up a chair, and let me tell you about her. When I was about to begin this book, I must confess that I was preparing myself for flowery language, lofty, pious tones, and a general dryness. Simply put, I was wrong, and happily so. The older that I get, I find that I have less patience for Christian platitudes, and a holier than thou faith. I want transparency. I desire honest connection with a person, or people. It is an encouragement to discover that my struggles are not unique, and that there are those that would come alongside so we might walk our spiritual path together. I found those characteristics in Elizabeth Prentiss: More Love.  Elizabeth, if I can be so informal, was born in Portland, Maine on October 26, 1818. The first part that stood out to me was that she was loved well. I feel like I've read so many biographies where the subject was abused and/or cast aside, so it was a joy to read that she was genuinely valued by her family. The second, and probably most important trait of their family that stood out to me, was the emphasis on God. In everything, her parents pointed Elizabeth to the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. HE was the focal point of their family, but not in a legalistic, fearful way. They emphasized the relationship with Jesus, and they seemed to effectively implement Deuteronomy 6:6-7 which says: "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Elizabeth knew suffering from an early age. Her beloved father passed away from tuberculosis when she was not much more than 8 years old. Her loving mother carried on and cared for their family, with their faith in Christ ever before them. Prentiss was a woman that I would loved to have met in person. She was known for her kindness, especially with children. I enjoyed reading about her move to Richmond, Virginia, where she taught young girls for a time. Her love and servant's heart was apparently evident to all, because the girls flocked to her, and thrived under her instruction. 

I was even more impressed with Prentiss' view of marriage. She had purposed in her heart that she would not settle for marrying a man because it was expected of her. She would only marry for true love and devotion. Elizabeth found her love in a wonderful man named George. This is one of my favorite aspects of the book, their love and care for each other. They were soon blessed with children, but it was tinged with sadness. Although they had six children, two of them died. Their life was not easy. Illness took its toll on the family time after time, at one point requiring a quarantine that required Elizabeth to be separated from her husband for forty days while she was confined, with her children to one room. I cannot even imagine the stress of those circumstances. 

From the time that she was young, Prentiss had a talent for writing, and it was her outlet for the pain and suffering that she experienced. Her trials resulted in many children's poems, stories, as well as that famous hymn that I first referenced in the first paragraph. Interestingly enough, that was not the central theme of this book. What stands out to me the most is the way that Prentiss approached her troubles. She did not hide from them, or become bitter, rather she seemed to expect them as part of this earthly life. It is a big contrast to the way so many of us, myself included, handle our struggles. Our modern culture avoids pain, runs from it, self medicates it, while Prentiss embraced it not only as a reality of this life, but as a tool in preparing us for Heaven. We could all use more of that perspective. Elizabeth Prentiss died on August 13, 1878, at 59 years old.  She was dearly missed by her husband and children, but oh what a legacy she left behind. Oh, that we would follow her example, and seek as hard after Jesus. 

This softcover book has 13 chapters and is a fairly fast read. I finished it in one day, but I do read quickly. My 13 year old and 15 year old daughters took it at a slower pace, and completed it in a couple of weeks. We read the book separately, and then discussed. It was interesting to find that we all had basically the same thoughts. We all enjoyed the way that this biography is told as a story, that is, in a conversational tone. We also found ourselves reading bits, then backing up a bit, because the style in which it's written jumps around somewhat. You need to pay attention, because one minute you're reading of her early childhood, then in the next paragraph you jump to her adult years. It was a small issue though, and once you get accustomed to the writing style, it's not a big deal.

When you come to the end of the book, there are some pages titled, Thinking Further Topics. These consist of some passages from the book, and then questions and a "Challenge" for readers to consider. These make excellent talking points, and can be used in a variety of settings. You might use them with your family, small group, youth group, Bible study, or co-op/classroom. You will also find a timeline of Prentiss' life that will be helpful in tracking the events of her life.However you choose to use this book, it is a valuable addition for your personal, classroom, or church library. I will leave you with some more lyrics from the beloved hymn: "Once earthly joy I craved, Sought peace and rest; Now Thee alone I seek, Give what is best; This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to Thee, More love to Thee, More love to Thee! For anyone who is unfamiliar with the song, this is lovely, reverent version of the hymn, sung by  Fernando Ortega that I really like. Enjoy.

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Another Sunday evening has rolled around. The house is settling down after a busy weekend. I'm enjoying a rare bit of quiet before I climb into bed. The past few days have seen us scampering hither and thither, to end of school year band concerts, family members' homes, church, errands, and other get togethers. I really need to do some school planning, for the remaining weeks of this year, as well as the next. That won't happen tonight though. I'm tired. So, I'll watch a few more minutes of tv, program the coffee maker for tomorrow morning, and that will be that. Ready, set, go.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!! I hope all of you enjoyed a sweet time with the special moms in your life today. Have a great evening!

The Critical Thinking Co. - Vocabulary Book 2 - A Crew Review

How many times have you heard a company promise that their product, resource, supplement, will make learning (insert subject here) fun? I'm not sure that I've counted myself, but I have heard it quite a bit. Some ads are more persuasive than others, but I tend to take a wait and see approach before I make a conclusion. Take this review of Critical Thinking Detective-Vocabulary Book 2 from The Critical Thinking Co. , for example. They claim that this resource, and their products in general, make learning...fun! They've won awards, and the consensus from most is really, really good. But c'mon, are they serious? I should really wait for the last paragraph, but I'll put the spoiler out now...YES, this is a fantastic resource, and I love it, and the company.
The basics of the book: Vocabulary. That's it in one word. Students in grades 5th-12th will have their minds challenged with a slew of words that have been collected from a variety of sources, including SAT and ACT word lists. That may get the attention of those of you with kids preparing for college prep tests. Some may hear "vocabulary" and think that this may be a fluffy supplement, but they would be sorely mistaken. Some...many...okay, MOST of these words are hard! The length of the book itself is rather short, with just under 40 pages, and 12 separate activities. However, the assignments take some mental gymnastics, and students are advised to take their time as they work, in order to get the most out of the material.
Our book arrived in an E-Book format. If you go this route, you'll have to register the book in order to receive the license to use it. Once you set that up, this particular book has the option of using it directly from the computer, filling in the blanks, circling the words, etc. If that doesn't appeal to you for whatever reason, you are allowed to print off a personal copy for your students. It is important to note though, that this is copyrighted material, and is for use for one copy per family. You may not distribute it outside your circle.
What are the activities like? You are the detective, and there are 12 different cases to solve. At first glance, the work appears to be short and sweet, with only 2 pages per case. Don't be fooled. There are 2 parts to each case. For the first part, you will read the "testimonies", which include several truthful statements from the "witnesses". There are images of the suspects on the page that will help as you attempt to determine which description fits each witness account. Sounds easy, but the descriptions are filled with vocabulary words that you never knew existed, lol. The second part of each activity is a fill in the blank exercise, where you will decide which vocabulary word completes each sentence. Once again, it isn't as easy as it sounds. 

How did we use it? Unless you're a vocabulary whizz, you'll want a good dictionary handy as you work through these challenges. We happen to prefer old fashioned paper and pencil, so we opted to print out our book. Our strategy was and is to take an initial stab at guessing the meaning of the words and use a process of elimination approach. Then, if we still find ourselves stuck, we admit defeat and look it up, lol. I'm using this with my two teen daughters, who are 13 years old and 15 years old, respectively. Our general consensus is...this is fun! We all found ourselves laughing as we tried to solve the mysteries. I couldn't believe my ignorance regarding vocabulary. I do love learning new and unusual words, and I'm excited to share this with my fellow word nerds.This is a great supplement to your regular English/Grammar program. It would also be a great activity to use with youth groups, Sunday schools, Co-ops, as an ice breaker. Students can have a good time, and add new vocabulary to their repertoire. 
It's a great time to pick this, and other titles out from The Critical Thinking Co. , because right now, through 12/31/2019, you can get FREE Shipping, and 15% off any size order. Use the code TOSCREW19 Don't miss this one!

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Pathway to Liberty Homeschool Curriculum - A Crew Review

It's been said that those who don't learn from History are doomed to repeat it. Unfortunately, for many students, History is not at the top of the list of favorite subjects to study. I remember sitting in class as a teen, watching my teacher write notes on the blackboard that we had to write down in our notebooks. The cycle was the same, write down the notes, memorize the notes, spit the notes back for the test, forget about the notes, lather, rinse, repeat. Unsurprisingly, I retained next to nothing from those lessons. It wasn't until college that I realized how much I loved reading about the lives, cultures, and events of days gone by. As a homeschool parent, this is now one of my favorite subjects to teach. I have some favorite resources that we use, and it seems that I'm adding to my list constantly. These past weeks, we've had the pleasure of  reviewing Pathway to Liberty's History Curriculum from Pathway to Liberty Homeschool Curriculum , more specifically, the Pathway to Liberty's US History.  About this curriculum: Unlike many programs/courses today, Pathway to Liberty is presented from a Biblical worldview. Founder Jayme MacCullough desires to teach character, free thinking, and an understanding of the foundations of our country/world. As a Christian parent, those aspects are important to me. These materials have been designed to be used with multiple ages and grades in a family, from K-12. There are 26 weeks of lessons, making it a year long course. There are 4 levels within the program.

- Level 1, for K-5th grade

- Level 2, for 4th-6th grade

- Level 3, for 7th-9th grade

- Level 4, for 10th-12th grade

As you would expect, each level includes more in depth study and assignments. My 13 year old 8th grader is using Level 3. 

My personality is such that I appreciate details and schedules, and this provides both. We received the Teacher Guide, Student Guide, the book, The Chain of Liberty, and its accompanying Study Guide. Getting started is easy, as the Teacher Guide is organized beautifully. You will find the following for each week:

-Weekly Overview - What will be covered during the week, including teaching objectives, charts, and weekly Scriptures.

- The Lessons - they might last 20 minutes or an hour, depending on the age of students.

- Videos - found on YouTube, and most weeks include one to watch.

- Word Studies - this is something you probably won't find in most History courses. 

Your student will need a simple spiral notebook for writing assignments. The first two weeks are "Foundation" weeks. Students will delve into the subjects of Divine Providence, Liberty, Self-Government, and their origins. Week 3 is where you'll jump into US History, as you take a look at Jamestown, and the colonies of Roanoke. There are 4 lessons per week, and the schedule lays out what is to be completed each day. The Teacher guide also includes the assignments for all levels, so if you are teaching multiple grades, you only need the one manual. A typical week looks like this:

Day 1 - Write out the weekly Scripture, Principle, and Leading Idea. Read a passage from the book, The Chain of Liberty, and Bible verses that relate. Complete Discussion questions.

Day 2 - Complete Word Study. Memorize Bible verse. Watch video.

Day 3 - Read Chain of Liberty with Study Guide.

Day 4 - Read Chain of Liberty with Study Guide.

I would note, although it's obvious I'm sure, that you can move around the schedule to complete the assignments to fit your schedule.

Our thoughts:

I was very excited to be reviewing this curriculum. I want my daughters to have an accurate portrayal of History. I was thrilled that this material is presented from a Biblical worldview. Interestingly enough, this feels more like a Bible study than a History resource. There seemed to be a lot of writing assignments, and research, but not as much depth as far as the actual Historical content goes. My daughter found it to be a bit dry, and mentioned that she would have liked it to have more actual History. I think that this is good for character lessons, and yes Bible study with a US History theme, but I do see us using this along with another History program. 

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Other Crew members reviewed curriculum featuring:

- Universal History

- Middle Ages

- World History

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