Monday, June 22, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
Rebecca Locklear - Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service 1878-1915 ~ A Crew Review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.
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Other Crew members wrote about this resource, as well as another title, The Mayflower at Cape Cod
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Do you take a break off of school for the summer, or do you keep at it year round? We're a family in the former category, although we do continue with some lighter activities and schoolwork. Summer is a great time to liven up your studies with more hands on projects. Unit studies, lapbooks, and other similar resources break up the tedium of textbooks and lectures, helping to bring a subject to life. For example, if I want to engage my 16 year old in history, asking her to read 10 pages of dry text will not have her jumping for joy, and she may or may not retain the information. However, if we zero in on specific aspects of a time period, foods that were eaten and how they were prepared for example,, that has more impact. Rebecca Locklear is an educator who understands the importance of inspiring interest, and has created a slew of workshops that bring subjects to life. She was kind enough to provide us with an e-book version of Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service 1878-1915: 17 Student Workshops with 120 Activities to use and review. Let me tell you about it.
This resource focuses on the Maritime history of the United States in the late 19th century and up to the early 20th century. Described as a series of workshops, students in grades as young as 4th, and all the way up through 12th, will enjoy activities that use drama, music, games, stories, recipes, and much more, to recreate this period of time. I'll tell you something, this was not a subject I would have naturally gravitated to on my own. My attitude turned around as I began scrolling through the pages. It was the stories that first snagged my attention. I love stories. I love learning about the experiences of people. For me, it humanizes the material, connecting me to the characters. Do you know what I mean?
Who can use this? Parents, teachers, schools, co-ops, in other words, wherever there is a willing student. There are 120 pages, divided into 4 units. They are as follows:
-Unit 1. Life at the Station House
-Unit 2. Working Together
- Unit 3. The Culture of Character
- Unit 4. Relevance Today
This study is well organized. Parents and/or teachers only need to read and follow the directions, as all of the hard work has been done for you. It begins with an introduction that explains the purpose of the book, and how to use it. For those that want or need it, there is a chart in this intro section that displays which subjects and/or concepts are taught in a given unit. After this section, simply work through the workshops consecutively. When you finish with the units, you can move on to more activities and projects that allow for additional research.
What I enjoyed in this study:
I mentioned that I love stories, and this is one large collection of stories. I loved learning about the lifestyles, and how and what the life-savers would eat. The section on molasses and gingerbread was good, and I liked the making gingerbread activity. I also liked the recollection included, about kids and their dealings with skunks- apparently, they can still spray even after dying!
There are also plenty of fantastic art projects to complete, whether it's designing a watercolor collage, painting a beautiful design on smooth rocks, or creating a poem. There is an activity for any and every student if you look through it all. It's a wonderful study!
Large families and/or families with students in a range of grades will appreciate the versatility of this resource. Most activities can be simplified for younger ones, or added to for older teens. Homeschoolers that live in areas where yearly portfolios are required will appreciate the detail presented in each workshop. You can quickly see the objectives and concepts covered, at a glance. I have quickly become a fan of Rebecca Locklear, and I'll definitely be adding more of her books to our studies. I hope you'll take a look at her products too! You might also consider signing up for her newsletter, where you'll receive her latest news, and teaching tips. Sign up at http://www.rebeccalocklear.com/contact/
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
HelpTeaching.com - A Crew Review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.
These are definitely weird times, aren't they? 2020 has proven to be a challenging year, to say the least. Our schools dramatically felt the impact. Whether you started out as homeschoolers, or found yourself pushed into it through the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, it's safe to say that the second part of this last school year was...unexpected. We've all felt thrown off of our normal track, and even seasoned homeschoolers might say that they would welcome some extra help with their lessons and planning. If that describes you, you'll be interested in this latest review. HelpTeaching.com has provided our family with a subscription to their HelpTeaching Pro Subscription . Join me for a few minutes as I tell you about it.
HelpTeaching is an online resource for parents and teachers. It is not a full curriculum in and of itself. The site provides a wide variety of printable lessons, worksheets, tests, puzzles, games, and activities for students in PreK-12. As you first take a look around, you'll find thousands of worksheets to choose from, in every subject you can think of, including early education and AP classes. There are Common Core aligned options available if that's important to you. The Test Maker allows you to put together your own tests for whatever curriculum you use. You can format the questions to use fill in the blank, multiple choice, true or false, and essay. After creating a test, you can use the Test Platform if you like, to invite your student(s) via email, to take the test online. If you don't want to create your own test, you can always choose from the offerings already put together. Simply select your grade level, subject, and test, and off you go. There are even answer sheets for the pre-made tests. Easy!
How do you find what you're looking for? Simply search by grade level or subject, and then choose from the many options. If you don't see what you're looking for after perusing the choices, you can create your own.
There are three membership options to choose from, Free, Pro, and Group Pro.
The Free membership is a limited level. It offers unlimited access to the Test Maker, custom tests, and worksheets. However, there is a limit of up to 5 questions. The free level does not allow you to save anything to a pdf, or use any of the premium content.
The Pro subscription, which is what we have, is $49 per year, and is for teachers and parents. It provides unlimited access to worksheets and tests. You also get unlimited access to the Test Room, which allows you to administer online lessons and tests. The Pro level allows you to save your work to a pdf, and removes ads.
The Group Pro subscription is for schools and businesses. It is $249 per year, and allows up to 30 users. It provides access to everything that the Pro level does, but for more users, and includes one extra perk, the ability to share tests with your group.
We're on our summer break, so my focus wasn't on anything too specific. I like how there are so many pre-made worksheets to help us in science, life skills, and English/language arts. The latter category in particular caught my eye, because I like to keep up with literature during the summer. The ready made questions for a variety of classics make it easy to incorporate. They can also provide you with ideas if you need them. I will say that I would caution parents to look some of these over before using them. While I find the majority of offerings good, I did not like that they included Thirteen Reasons Why as a 10th grade selection. It's not one I find appropriate. But, you can use your own judgement.
There is a lot of material to take advantage here, and families that have students with multiple ages will appreciate having content for the whole family. If you teach it, they will have a worksheet or test for it. This is a very nice resource for parents and teachers. The price is nice too, considering all of the perks that you'll have. If you're not quite ready to commit, try a free subscription first, and go from there. Happy Teaching!
Find Help Teaching on social media:
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Read more Crew reviews by clicking on the banner below!
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| These offerings don't even cover every selection for 11th grade alone! There's something for every student PreK-12! |
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| High School Science worksheets have been very handy for us. |
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| There are reading challenges for every grade. |
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| SAT Prep worksheets for high schoolers. |
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| I like the essays that encourage my teens to explain their point of view, and back it up. |
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| There are some great life skills worksheets. Here is a handy one- the job interview. |
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| Worksheets are available for a variety of literature. We love Rikki Tikki Tavi! |
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Meme Sunday
How about a few fun memes to brighten your evening? Here are some that I found this week, enjoy!
Friday, June 12, 2020
The Critical Thinking Co.™ - A Crew Review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
The Critical Thinking Co.™ is an award winning, family owned business that has been helping students improve proficiency and test scores in various subjects since 1958. As their name suggests, they aim to teach students how to develop critical thinking skills which will benefit them during their school years and beyond. This month, we've been having a go with one of their books, Mastering Logic & Math Problem Solving , which they generously provided to us, to use and review.
This sturdy, glossy paperback book is geared towards students in grades 6-9. It is 180 pages long, with 10 chapters, an answers section, and two appendices. There are also Bonus pages in the very back, which are additional puzzles and vocabulary activities. This is a supplement to your studies, not a full curriculum. An introduction details how to use the book, whether with individual students, or in groups/classrooms. The book has scored, dashed lines on each page, so you can tear them out if you intend to use the book as a consumable. If using this within your home or classroom, you can make copies. Note that copyright laws dictate you may only copy material for use in your own home or classroom.
What kind of problem solving puzzles are covered in this book? Great question! Take a look:
- Chapter 1. Multicultural Logic Problems (puzzles with stories that derive from various cultures)
- Chapter 2. Fun with Classical Brain Teasers
- Chapter 3. Number Theory Problems
- Chapter 4. Problem Solving with Sets
- Chapter 5. Ratio, Proportion, and Percent Problems
- Chapter 6. Algebra Word Problems
- Chapter 7. Geometry Word Problems
- Chapter 8. More Algebra Word Problems
- Chapter 9. Probability Word Problems
- Chapter 10. Topology Fun Word Problems (Topology studies the properties of surfaces and how objects retain their same properties even when distorted)
How have we been using Mastering Logic Math Problem Solving? Well, we are currently on our summer break, so the way we've been using this book these past few weeks differs a bit than if we were in the middle of the school year. If class was officially in session, I would go through the problems in order, for the most part anyway. I would also try to coordinate the problems we work through with the math concepts that we have either already covered, or are covering. As for how often, I would say 2 or 3 times a week would be great way to break up the monotony of regular lessons and drills.
Since we are on holiday, I wanted to take a more relaxed approach. My youngest gets into this kind of thing more readily than my oldest, so I wanted to make it a fun experience. So, rather than taking a, "Let's sit down with our notebooks and pencils and do some Math", I've been presenting a problem or two as we're relaxing on the couch, or around the table after dinner. The latter is fun, since Dad is there to participate, and he is Mr. Logic all the way! Also, I've been picking and choosing from various chapters, rather than going in order. I also want to say, form the perspective of the woman pushing 50 who wrote this review, some of these are very challenging!
How do we like it, and will we continue using it? My youngest is on the oldest end of the target range, just barely past it actually, since she moves into 10th grade this next school year. That being said, yes, I'll bring it out and continue. The review is always helpful, especially when you're coming off of a break and feeling a bit rusty with math skills. But even beyond that, used in a group, these are a fun way to sharpen problem solving skills within a group and/or family. You can find more information by checking out the website. There are other titles from this company that our Crew members reviewed as well, so be sure to read those also!
Find The Critical Thinking Co.™ on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
Read more Crew reviews that feature other titles by clicking on the banner below!
The Critical Thinking Co.™ is an award winning, family owned business that has been helping students improve proficiency and test scores in various subjects since 1958. As their name suggests, they aim to teach students how to develop critical thinking skills which will benefit them during their school years and beyond. This month, we've been having a go with one of their books, Mastering Logic & Math Problem Solving , which they generously provided to us, to use and review.
This sturdy, glossy paperback book is geared towards students in grades 6-9. It is 180 pages long, with 10 chapters, an answers section, and two appendices. There are also Bonus pages in the very back, which are additional puzzles and vocabulary activities. This is a supplement to your studies, not a full curriculum. An introduction details how to use the book, whether with individual students, or in groups/classrooms. The book has scored, dashed lines on each page, so you can tear them out if you intend to use the book as a consumable. If using this within your home or classroom, you can make copies. Note that copyright laws dictate you may only copy material for use in your own home or classroom.
 |
| Charts help outline problem solving steps. |
What kind of problem solving puzzles are covered in this book? Great question! Take a look:
- Chapter 1. Multicultural Logic Problems (puzzles with stories that derive from various cultures)
- Chapter 2. Fun with Classical Brain Teasers
- Chapter 3. Number Theory Problems
- Chapter 4. Problem Solving with Sets
- Chapter 5. Ratio, Proportion, and Percent Problems
- Chapter 6. Algebra Word Problems
- Chapter 7. Geometry Word Problems
- Chapter 8. More Algebra Word Problems
- Chapter 9. Probability Word Problems
- Chapter 10. Topology Fun Word Problems (Topology studies the properties of surfaces and how objects retain their same properties even when distorted)
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| Fun mindbenders! |
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| You will definitely need extra paper and pencils! |
How have we been using Mastering Logic Math Problem Solving? Well, we are currently on our summer break, so the way we've been using this book these past few weeks differs a bit than if we were in the middle of the school year. If class was officially in session, I would go through the problems in order, for the most part anyway. I would also try to coordinate the problems we work through with the math concepts that we have either already covered, or are covering. As for how often, I would say 2 or 3 times a week would be great way to break up the monotony of regular lessons and drills.
Since we are on holiday, I wanted to take a more relaxed approach. My youngest gets into this kind of thing more readily than my oldest, so I wanted to make it a fun experience. So, rather than taking a, "Let's sit down with our notebooks and pencils and do some Math", I've been presenting a problem or two as we're relaxing on the couch, or around the table after dinner. The latter is fun, since Dad is there to participate, and he is Mr. Logic all the way! Also, I've been picking and choosing from various chapters, rather than going in order. I also want to say, form the perspective of the woman pushing 50 who wrote this review, some of these are very challenging!
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| Problems later in the book get trickier. |
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| A quick review of the concept. |
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| Appendix A has an evaluation, so students note what they liked and didn't like. |
How do we like it, and will we continue using it? My youngest is on the oldest end of the target range, just barely past it actually, since she moves into 10th grade this next school year. That being said, yes, I'll bring it out and continue. The review is always helpful, especially when you're coming off of a break and feeling a bit rusty with math skills. But even beyond that, used in a group, these are a fun way to sharpen problem solving skills within a group and/or family. You can find more information by checking out the website. There are other titles from this company that our Crew members reviewed as well, so be sure to read those also!
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Math Shed/Spelling Shed - A Crew Review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
It's hard to believe that summer is just about upon us, but here we are! This time of the year finds many homeschooling families enjoying a much needed break, and I count our family in that group. Or, you might homeschool all year, but work at a lighter pace during these months. Whatever your homeschool style, many parents worry about losing skills during a break. In our family, there are a couple of subjects that we'll continue to keep up with this summer, but on a much lighter schedule. Most students don't get too excited about pulling out the heavy textbooks this time of year. Can I get a witness?
Two of the most common subjects that I hear parents say are problem areas for one or more of their kids, are math, and spelling. If only there was an engaging resource for those, that would pique the interest of students...
Wouldn't you know it, there is! (Great lead in on my part, eh?) Math Shed/Spelling Shed , from the company EdShed , helps make learning concepts from both subjects, a lot more palatable. They provided me with a one year subscription to both of these programs to review.
Math Shed and Spelling Shed are online programs, suitable for students in grades 1-5. Subscriptions include a license for up to 5 students, as well as parent tracking. Each student can create their own personalized avatar. As they play the games, they will earn points which can be used to "buy" different accessories for those avatars. Students also have their own log in information. It will be easier to speak about each of these programs separately, so I'll begin with Math Shed.
Math Shed uses a variety of games with a space theme, to teach math concepts. Students will practice:
- Number Bonds
- Times Tables
- Powers of Ten
- Adding & Subtracting
There are different levels that can be selected, according to ability. The Teacher Hub allows parents to track assignments and progress. To get started, you'll choose a concept, and the level, whether easy, medium, or hard. The object is to answer as many questions as possible in a one minute time frame. When the time is up, the score is shown on the screen, along with the problems and their answers. Students will appreciate practicing concepts without the boring worksheets!
Spelling Shed also uses games to teach. This one is my favorite, but I've always been partial to language arts. The theme incorporates a bee hive. You can once again choose your skill level. The easier level presents a word, along with its definition, and whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, etc.. Students read the word, then click to the next page, where the word is scrambled. They will use their mouse to unscramble the word as quickly as they can. They earn points with every correct answer. As with Math Shed, the games make learning fun, without the drudgery that can come with worksheets.
These programs are a very nice option for students to reinforce math and spelling concepts. If my daughters were still in the targeted age range, I would use EdShed with them. Do you have children in grades 1-5? Visit the website, and take advantage of the free trial!
It's hard to believe that summer is just about upon us, but here we are! This time of the year finds many homeschooling families enjoying a much needed break, and I count our family in that group. Or, you might homeschool all year, but work at a lighter pace during these months. Whatever your homeschool style, many parents worry about losing skills during a break. In our family, there are a couple of subjects that we'll continue to keep up with this summer, but on a much lighter schedule. Most students don't get too excited about pulling out the heavy textbooks this time of year. Can I get a witness?
Two of the most common subjects that I hear parents say are problem areas for one or more of their kids, are math, and spelling. If only there was an engaging resource for those, that would pique the interest of students...
Wouldn't you know it, there is! (Great lead in on my part, eh?) Math Shed/Spelling Shed , from the company EdShed , helps make learning concepts from both subjects, a lot more palatable. They provided me with a one year subscription to both of these programs to review.
Math Shed and Spelling Shed are online programs, suitable for students in grades 1-5. Subscriptions include a license for up to 5 students, as well as parent tracking. Each student can create their own personalized avatar. As they play the games, they will earn points which can be used to "buy" different accessories for those avatars. Students also have their own log in information. It will be easier to speak about each of these programs separately, so I'll begin with Math Shed.
Math Shed uses a variety of games with a space theme, to teach math concepts. Students will practice:
- Number Bonds
- Times Tables
- Powers of Ten
- Adding & Subtracting
There are different levels that can be selected, according to ability. The Teacher Hub allows parents to track assignments and progress. To get started, you'll choose a concept, and the level, whether easy, medium, or hard. The object is to answer as many questions as possible in a one minute time frame. When the time is up, the score is shown on the screen, along with the problems and their answers. Students will appreciate practicing concepts without the boring worksheets!
Spelling Shed also uses games to teach. This one is my favorite, but I've always been partial to language arts. The theme incorporates a bee hive. You can once again choose your skill level. The easier level presents a word, along with its definition, and whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, etc.. Students read the word, then click to the next page, where the word is scrambled. They will use their mouse to unscramble the word as quickly as they can. They earn points with every correct answer. As with Math Shed, the games make learning fun, without the drudgery that can come with worksheets.
These programs are a very nice option for students to reinforce math and spelling concepts. If my daughters were still in the targeted age range, I would use EdShed with them. Do you have children in grades 1-5? Visit the website, and take advantage of the free trial!
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Read more Crew reviews by clicking on the banner below!
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