School Days: Math Shed/Spelling Shed

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!