Happy Halloween 2020

 

Happy Halloween! Was it a good day for you? Ours was really different than past years, but good! Our daughters have outgrown Trick or Treating- instead, they spent the evening with friends at a little get together.

My husband and I chauffeured them back and forth, and enjoyed an extended date night while they were with their friends. Since I’m not really a fan of Halloween, it was great! The kids had a great time, my husband and I had a great time...a good night.

Now we can move on to Thanksgiving and all things cozy. Have a great weekend!

Smart Kidz Radio - 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.

We are a music loving family. Between the tastes in our household of four, I think we have most every genre covered. The strains of "whatever-the-current-favorite-band-of-my-daughters-is-at-the-moment" can be heard blaring through the bedroom doors of our home at any given time. Once in awhile, I even get the chance to add in my preferred tunes, lol. I laugh at myself, because I'm now at the age where I think most of the modern music is lousy, and I find myself searching for older selections. Listening to the radio stations can be tricky too, because there's so much garbage that I want my family to avoid. When we were given a subscription for 6 month's access to Smart Kidz Radio: Member's On-Demand Radio Program Library    from Smart Kidz Radio to review, I was interested in finding out how my family would respond.





Even your youngest littles will love the choices that Smart Kidz Radio provides, from songs that teach skills, to Bible songs, to stories.

Smart Kidz Radio is a subscription based educational radio station for kids. The target age range is approximately toddlers through middle school, although there really is something for every age to appreciate and enjoy. Families can stream inspirational, positive music and programs on any device, anywhere, anytime. While this is not a live radio station, many of the selections feature a "DJ", who offers introductions and a brief history of that particular genre. Here are some of the choices available:
-Early learning programs/songs for infants and toddlers-Behavior skills programs-Bible songs- Let's celebrate America programs-Bedtime songs-Study music for the background-Spanish lessons-World music-Science programs-Personal and social skills-Music education-Classical-Country-Reggae-Nostalgia Music-Easy listening-Christmas music-Various stories 
That's only scratching the surface of what is a huge collection of wonderful music, stories, and studies. I feel like I'm speaking in cliches when I say that there's something for everyone, but I think it's true. I love having the music on in the background while I'm working on my laptop, cooking, cleaning up, or lounging. And, we can take it with us when we're commuting here there and everywhere.




There are so many possibilities that will add to your studies, and for every age!

Since we're out of the early learning stage, we don't have need for the younger kids programs, but we did enjoy listening to the children's stories, and the science programs because there's always something to learn, right? Parents, grandparents, teachers, basically anyone who cares for children regularly, will find this a wonderful resource.
The website is easy to navigate. The selections are presented in bright, colorful images, and each category is clearly marked, making it simple to find what you're looking for.In addition to all of the great programs already available with a subscription, members also automatically receive a new radio program every week, so there's always something fresh to look forward to. New programs are being added all of the time, and you'll find the teasers for those at the bottom of your browsing library.



The Glenn Miller selection made me think of my grandmother. Bittersweet memories. I'm happy that my picky teens know and appreciate classical music too.

The first sections that I checked out were the oldies. These were under the Nostalgic Music Programs category, and include volumes of music from the 50's, 60's and 70's. I loved them! So many 1970's tunes that I remember from my childhood. I loved the music featured from all three decades. My youngest prefers older music, which makes me really happy (ha!), so I had a great time enjoying the picks from the 50's. We spent a LOT of time listening to these LOUD.


Choose from World Cultural, and various styles of music.

Smart Kidz Foundation:With each purchase of a subscription, a portion of the membership fees will be donated to the Smart Kidz Foundation. This is a non-profit group that supports young people of all gender, race, and religion, providing resources and opportunities to them, with the purpose of helping them to break through poverty and discrimination, while becoming independent individuals.


This Volume 1 from the 1950's is my favorite!

This is a great resource! I love all of the options. Smart Kidz Radio can be used for homeschool studies, family listening/devotion time, quiet/naptime/bedtime, older student music appreciation studies, and/or enjoyable background music. There really is something for everyone. You can even try before you buy with their 14 day free trial and see what you think. I hope you'll check it out!







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Favorite Book Series

 

I bet I’m not alone when I say that for the last few months, I’ve been in a state of... I don’t know, malaise? Current events are exhausting, and there seems to be little escape from strife and contentious attitudes. I wish there was somewhere peaceful to run to...sigh.

There really isn’t anywhere where I can whisk away, but, there are always books! I love a good book. The best ones are those that you want to read over and over again. 

I’ve been so busy with this and that lately, so I’ve been getting my fix with audiobooks. I love that I can feel productive while I get things done, but still enjoy a good story.

This week, I started over one of my favorite series ever. The Mitford Books by Jan Karon tell the story of the goings on of an Episcopalian priest, and the sweet, quirky folks in his small town of Mitford.

They have a Christian bent, are somewhat slow moving, and wonderfully peaceful to read. I’ve read them through twice, and it’s been long enough since I last went through them that they feel new again. 

This series just refreshes my soul, and it’s been great to kind of mentally relax. Best of all, there are a LOT of books to enjoy. What are you reading, or listening to?

Sweetest Day?

 

Ok, am I the only one who didn’t know it was Sweetest Day today? It’s really just a Hallmark holiday, right? I think I may have remembered a time or two in recent years, with a treat for my girls. I also remember my now husband sending me flowers for the occasion when we were dating, but it’s not something we celebrate, really.

Still, we had a sweet day. My girls and I did some spontaneous shopping. Then a lazy afternoon watching old tv shows and munching on candy ( cause we needed sweets for Sweetest Day). I think it was even better since we enjoyed our time together just for the sake of liking each other, and not because a holiday told us to. Did you do anything to celebrate?

Friday Night is Alright for...Chemistry?

 

What are you doing on this fine, Fall, Friday evening? Being the party animal that I am not, I’m looking at a new Chemistry curriculum for my teens. Fun right? Ha. 

Maybe it’s just the weird tone of 2020, but getting our school year flowing smoothly took a couple of months. We’re in a pretty nice rhythm now, except for science. It’s been slow going finding something that fits. 

So here’s my next choice. I guess we’ll see what’s what. So, back to my lesson planning tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll gather ingredients for our first experiments, and we’ll jump in come Monday.

Are you happy with your science curriculum? What are you using?

How funny is this bird?

 

Look at this finch. I don’t know if it’s male or female, but doesn’t it look like a little old lady? I love to see the creativity in God’s design of nature. What a striking orange !

“Tails” from the Backyard

 Our little guy, Crosby, is a funny little dog. He really appreciates a cozy place to nap. One of his favorite spots is the sofa in our living room. There’s a blanket we keep draped o we the sofa’s arm, that Crosby has adopted as his own.

But, the little stinker likes to drag it off  and onto the floor. Then he arranges the blanket into a poofy mound and catches some z’s. We love our pup!

NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle - 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.

Have you visited any homeschool forums on social media lately? If so, I would be willing to bet that two of the most talked about topics relating strictly to subjects themselves, are Math and Science. Both are core areas of study, and both can send students and homeschool parents alike, into a panic attack. Why is that the case? I wonder if it's because we tend to think that school must be taught according to a certain formula, or else we fail our children. But is that really true? Think about your own education for a moment. What subject or teacher stands out to you as your favorite? Now consider what it was that made it such a positive experience. Shouldn't our goal as parents and teachers be to instill a love of learning in our children, rather than a stale, by the book approach? If we can slow down and take an attitude of "Let's learn (fill in the blank) together, we can eliminate a great deal of stress, and get better results. A great way to instill a love of learning is to incorporate nature in our studies, and I have a resource to share with you on that very topic. This month, we were fortunate to have been provided with one year of access to NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle from NatureGlo's eScience to use and review.
NatureGlo's eScience is, as you can already see from its name, an online resource, suitable for students ages 10 years and up.  It's creator, Gloria Brooks, uses a relaxed, eclectic, unschooled approach. She has a BA in K-12 education, certificates in Wilderness awareness school, and has over 20 years of experience in presenting child-led experiences with a focus on nature. 



A look at study options:

There are a lot of fascinating unit studies in this program. Lessons are self-paced and can be used  independently. A single family can share an account, although one account per child will be better if students work at different speeds. 



Interesting videos:

Each course provides a general outline  and is easy to follow. Just click on the activity you need:

Lessons include videos presented by Gloria Brooks.  Each course includes study guides, coloring pages, crafts, slide shows, fact sheets, and a list of additional resources from the web. The pre-recorded videos also include students that participated in the class, which I think makes it interesting. Students can check off assignments as complete as they progress, and earn digital awards. This can be used as a stand alone curriculum, particularly for the younger ages. High school students that require physics and/or chemistry may want to supplement other materials. Take a look at the offerings:
-Botany-Bubbleology-Geology -Rockhounding-Herps - Komodo Dragons-Herps -Frogs, Geckos & Chameleons-Herps - Anatomy, Caecilians, & Crocs-Herps - Marbled Salamander, Children's Python, & Galapogos Tortoise-Herps -Poison Dart Frog, Python, & Caiman-Intro to MathArt-Invertebrates: Insects of the World-Mammals - Wildcat, Gray Wolf, Right Whale-Marine Biology -Cephalopods, Marine Turtles, Snakes-Marine Biology - Dramatic Deep Sea Creatures-Marine Biology - Invertebrates & Fish-Marine Biology - Jellies, Mollusks and Whales-Marine Biology -Oceanography, Marine Plants & Invertebrates-Marine Biology - Tide Pool Communities-Marine Reptiles-Marine Zoology - Mandarinfish, Hermit Crab & Queen Conch-Marine Zoology - Seahorses, Beluga Whale & Loggerhead Sea Turtle-Math Connections with the Real World-MathArt -Introduction to Patterns and Shapes in Nature-MathArt in Ancient Cultures-MathArt -Mathematics in the Arts & Sciences-MathArt -Patterns in Nature-MathArt -Polygons and Patterns in Nature-MathArt- The Geometric Beauty of Snowflakes-NatureGlo's Math & Science Courses Roadmap-The Life and Mathematical Art of Leonardo daVinci-The Life and Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher



There are study guides for each course:

A cute craft is often included:

Impressive? Um, yes it sure is! This program is a great way to break out of a textbook slump. The courses are for the most part, fairly short, ranging in length from 1 lesson to 6 weeks. The courses can work for virtually any homeschool family. I like that they can be used as a stand alone course, or as a supplement. For us, I'm adding in courses here and there to break up what can be the monotony of High School Chemistry. My daughters and I have always loved Zoology, and Marine Biology, so those courses have been fun for us. Is this a program worth checking out? Our family thinks so! Visit the site today!





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Institute for Excellence in Writing - 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.

When I was but a young, distracted high school student (does that sound dramatic enough?), I detested writing assignments. The thought of having to compose my thoughts on a particular subject and somehow put together an intelligent essay caused me great anxiety. Many years later, I can see what was behind my dislike- fear of failure. Simply put, I felt inadequate for the task. I cannot recall being taught the basics of writing. I had my share of papers to write, but I was simply given the homework, and the due date. Somewhere, the how-to's were missed. Outlines, titles, introductions...ugh. I was so intimidated, and it wasn't until sometime in my college years when I finally pieced it together (through many tears, I might add) and sort of came into own as far as writing goes. As my daughters began their school years, I was determined that they would be taught the foundations for writing that were so lacking in my own education. Just in time for our school year, Institute for Excellence in Writing® provided our family with Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level C (High School) to use and review. See the  Structure and Style® for Students page to look at the program.

This course is appropriate for students in 9th-12 grades. It is a 24 week class.
Included in the kit:-Student Packet-Student Binder-Teacher's Manual-SSS Forever Streaming Card - this has an online activation code that provides access to the teaching videos, forever, although this is for use by the purchaser only.
Everything comes in a sturdy cardboard box, which I will definitely keep, because it's an excellent box, and I'm told that's what adults do.

A look at the lessons:

Sample weekly lesson:

Source Text:

Tabs show where to store texts

There is a small amount of preparation before you begin, but the program is well organized, and easy to follow. You will go to the IEW website and create your account. Select your level, add your activate your code, and you then have access to the videos.
Next, you'll set up the student binder. There is an Introduction within the Student Packet that will guide you in getting everything together. There are tabs in the binder that tell students where everything goes. You'll begin by putting all of the papers for Week 1 in the front of the binder. As you work through the lessons, students will be instructed when to pull out specific pages. 
There is a suggested weekly schedule included in the binder that breaks down the Units into manageable parts. Of course, you can decide if you want to use this or not. I like the schedule just fine, and we're using it just as it is presented. Material covered in this course:
Unit 1: Note Taking and OutlinesUnit 2: Writing From NotesUnit 3: Retelling Narrative StoriesUnit 4: Summarizing a ReferenceUnit 5: Writing From PicturesUnit 6: Summarizing Multiple ReferencesUnit 7: Inventive WritingUnit 8: Formal Essay ModelsUnit 9: Formal CritiqueResponse to Literature

Sample of text guide

Key Word Outline or KWO

List of -ly verbs was one assignment

You can elect to work through the course with the videos and the material included in the kit. If you like, you can add to the course by having your students read the books that are used for the Source Texts. You can also round out the program by including Fix It! Grammar in your lessons as well. It's up to you. We're doing both the literature and the Fix It! Grammar ourselves.
Andrew Pudewa is the instructor for this course. He is, without exaggeration, the teacher that I always hoped to have, whatever the subject. When first looking at his appearance, dressed perhaps somewhat formally in a suit, you might expect him to be, if not stuffy, at least not necessarily personable. However, Mr. Pudewa is indeed very personable! He has a somewhat soft spoken manner, a fun sense of humor, and a welcoming personality that quickly makes a student feel comfortable. He is also known for his corny, but funny jokes.
The videos were filmed with Mr. Pudewa teaching a live class of students, so you'll get a sense of in person teaching. I really like the way that he interacts with the students in those videos. As students provides answers to his questions, he encourages their responses, perhaps helping to complete a thought, or gently leading them to the answer. It's a safe environment for students to bring their ideas, without fear of scorn. 

Sometimes there are "Banned Words" Points are lost if these overused words are used

The course itself is fantastic. It has everything that I had hoped for in a writing program. Students will learn all of the components needed to write well. Among skills that are taught are writing outlines, learning various stylistic techniques, and vocabulary words. They will even learn the do's and don'ts when speaking in front of a group.

A final draft of an assignment

My oldest teen is known for her intense dislike for writing, and I was eager to have her begin this course, and hear her opinions. Andrew Pudewa is a great teacher for her. His humor and relaxed attitude have her laughing throughout the lessons. She still may not love the general subject, but she likes the class. As I think about her feelings, I'm reminded of one of Mr. Pudewa's jokes, where he quips, speaking of one of the assignments, something like, "That wasn't so painful was it? Don't worry, there will be more pain." I showed my husband some of the first videos, and his response was that he could easily get caught up in the lectures, even as an adult. 
This is a wonderful course, and I'm thrilled to use it with my teens. My only regret is that I didn't discover IEW sooner in our schooling. If you're students are not high school age yet, there are other other levels to check out:
Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level A (Grades 3-5)
Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level B (grades 6-8)






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Rainbow

 

Pictures never seem to do a rainbow justice, but I tried anyway. It was an off an on rainy sort of day. In the midst of the grey and mist, this gorgeous rainbow appeared.

I can’t remember ever seeing one with such beautifully vivid colors. We could see the demarcation of them all. Remember Roy G. Biv?

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.

In the midst of the chaos all around us this year, it was a welcome moment of beauty.

Simply Coding - 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.

Every once in awhile, I consider the differences between the courses and curriculum that are a part of my daughters' school experiences versus those of mine when I was a student. Some are basically the same, you know Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and all of that. The biggest, and most obvious difference is the technology of my days or really, the lack of, compared to modern education. Computers were just coming on the scene when I was in junior high and high school. A student might or might not take a computer class back then, whereas today, students in the earliest grades need to be much more tech savvy. The idea of Coding wasn't on the schedule for most kids back then. These days, it's a mainstream class. There are a variety of programs to choose from, and we had the opportunity to use and review the Coding For Kids Annual Membership from Simply Coding over the past month.

Simply Coding offers homeschool coding curriculum for students that are 11 to 18 years old. There are a variety of courses to choose from:

Intro to Websites

JavaScript Game Design

Minecraft Mods in Java

Python- Multiplayer Adventures

3D Game Design

Through these programs Simply Coding teaches HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python and Java. Students will learn the how to's of building websites, games and apps. In our tech driven world, these are good skills to learn, and will hopefully provide them with the confidence and knowledge to excel in their future careers.

The list of courses:

An overview of lessons:

Getting students set up is easy enough, and the course options with their syllabuses ( the plural sounds wrong, but I looked it up so there you are) can be found on the dashboard. Choose the class you want, and then follow the slide prompts. Each lesson has a series of steps to complete. Students have the option of watching a video that explains the material, or reading the slide. Most slides include a simple exercise to complete before moving on. It might be typing in certain content, or clicking on an icon.

A video lesson with Seth:

Slides usually include a small exercise to complete:

I've been using Simply Coding with my youngest teen. She's had some interest in coding, and has dabbled a bit with it here and there. I sat with her for most lessons. We liked the instructor, Seth. He has a very nice manner about him, relaxed and personable. 

I admit though, that we both found the program hard to follow. Seth clearly has knowledge of coding. But the video lectures often felt like they jumped around, and he would type in so much, so quickly, that we felt lost. We decided to stick to the slides, which helped a bit. 

This exercise got the game of Pong going:

This slide had students test their knowledge:

I think it would help those that are beginners to have the instructors break it down into very small bites. What I mean is, have lessons that focus on one part of the text at a time, define what it is, what the purpose is. 

This program would probably work better with students that have a little more background in coding, and come to the table with a basic understanding up front. Those that have little to no experience in the subject will need someone to sit in on lessons to assist. 

Simply Coding does offer a free trial so you can try it out and see if it would be a good fit. Visit their site and check them out.

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