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By y@mf5, February 23, 2010

You may remember our review of All About Spelling, a spelling curriculum we are currently using and highly recommend.  The Beehive Reader 1 is All About Spelling’s (AAS) beginning reader that correlates 100% with their Level 1 spelling curriculum, but the Beehive Reader 1 may be used separately from the spelling program.  The reader is a durable, hard cover book that is beautifully illustrated (black and white) and contains 10 unique short sentence stories.  The stories are cute and entertaining – A’s favorite is Cobweb the Cat (and he’s a busy/mischievous kitty).

A is learning her alphabet sounds and blends but is not yet at a beginning reading level.  This book is one that she has claimed as her own.  She is determined to read this by herself and even pretends to read it.  C is more than happy to read this book to A.  “Sure – I’ll read it to her.  It’s an easy one!”

Even J finds the stories interesting:

I’ve never seen the kids so engaged in a simple reader.  This makes AAS’ Beehive Reader 1 a real success in our family.

The Beehive Reader 1 is available for $19.95 from AAS’ website.

You can read more reviews of Beehive Reader 1 by my fellow TOS Crew members at the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure:  This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew.  Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are our own.

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By y@mf5, February 22, 2010

Math Mammoth, authored by Maria Miller, offers full math curriculum and supplemental math material at very affordable prices.  Their products are divided into four series:

• Light Blue Series:  Complete Curriculum for Grades 1-5, $29.70 for full set
• Blue Series:  Select math topics for Grades 1-5, $2.75 – $7.00
• Golden Series:  Worksheets for Grades 3-9 (Algebra I), $12.95-$13.50 Value Pack (2 sets worksheets and answer key)
• Green Series:  Worksheets by topic, ~Grades 3-7, $2.50 – $9.00

As members of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we had a nice treat, i.e., the option to choose a product to review!  With so many topics and products to choose from, the choice was difficult.  We finally decided upon a topic that the boys could use some extra help with and chose Measuring 2 from the Blue Series (PDF download).

Measuring 2 teaches both standard and metric systems. This workbook is written in such a way that the student can read and work the problems independently (with a little guidance from us).  Each section begins with a description of the subject matter, followed by questions related to that subject.  For example:  The Temperature 1 section gives instructions on how to read a thermometer based on the Celsius scale.  Important temperature facts are given and explained (freezing/boiling point, normal body temp, nice indoor temp).  Students then follow a number of exercises and answer questions.  Examples:  temperature is given and the student colors in a thermometer to show the temp; different temperature readings are given and the student is asked to describe what type of situation they will find at those temps; student reads a thermometer and records findings; student has to determine the temperature based on specific rise/fall of given readings.

What I really like about this workbook is that it helps the student to not only do the problems, but to understand the math concepts.  It’s easy to spit out facts, draw graphs, and take measurements.  J is very good at recording and reading measurements, but comprehension is an area he struggles in.  This workbook will help him understand and apply those concepts he’s learning to everyday life.

Math Mammoth is very affordable and the content is excellent.  I would highly recommend their products and we might even start A on Math Mammoth (it’s early to tell since she’s a pre-schooler, but we have a strong feeling that math will not be her strong subject).

You can order Math Mammoth’s products from their website as well as download free sample worksheets.

You can read more reviews of Math Mammoth (various products) by my fellow TOS Crew members at the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure:  This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew.  Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are our own.

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By y@mf5, February 18, 2010

Originally released as an eBook, this Complete Program CD contains handwriting practice pages in a font similar to the D’N–lian writing style for first grade through senior high. Print what you need, when you need it. Using presidential quotes and speeches along with famous documents from American history, Presidential Penmanship seeks to enlighten students on the principles of our nation’s founding and history while reinforcing character qualities of good citizenship. Great for memorization or discussion as well as penmanship practice.

Presidential Penmanship by Zeezok Publishing is just as the description above explains. Not only are famous quotes and speeches from American history are used, but Bible verses are also included. The program does not teach how to write, but rather provides handwriting/copy-work practice. Presidential Penmanship comes in several different writing methods: AB (Abeka), BJ (Bob Jones), DN (D’Nealian), HWOT (Handwriting Without Tears), Italic, and ZB (Zane-Bloser).

Our children are taught handwriting using Handwriting Without Tears and we received the Presidential Penmanship DN style to review.  Even though J tried to copy the DN style, his handwriting samples turned out to look just like the HWOT style.

The Presidential Penmanship CDs cost $39.99 each (available from Zeezok Publishing’s website), which to me is high just for handwriting practice.  But the CDs include handwriting practice for first grade through high school (separate PDF files for each grade level).  Downloads of individual grade levels are available from the website for $9.99.  Some may find it useful to have the practice pages readily printable, but I prefer to save a few dollars and just pull out some notebook paper and have the children copy text (print to cursive, which is specifically taught in many handwriting programs) for practice.

You can read more reviews of Presidential Penmanship (various styles) and other products offered through Zeezok Publishing by my fellow TOS Crew members at the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure:  This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew.  Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are our own.

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By y@mf5, February 16, 2010

Apologia is a well-known name when it comes to homeschool science curriculum.  But recently, Apologia has made some new additions:  Apologia Press (offering curriculum in apologetics/worldview, geography/history, writing and other homeschooling resources) and Apologia Academy (online classes in Bible, apologetics, and worldview).

One product offered through Apologia Press is The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling, a resource book (newly revised) authored by Debra Bell.

Debra Bell’s best-selling manual has been revised and updated for a new generation of home educators! This indispensable resource belongs on the shelf of every family taking part in home-based learning. Inside you will find:
-Six ingredients of a successful homeschool
-Subject-by-subject guidelines and program recommendations
-Keys to unlocking your child’s learning potential
-Ten ways to motivate the reluctant learner
-Creative solutions for burnout, budgeting, and managing your time

This new edition includes a guide to using the Internet and new technology in your home school. You will also get the latest information on teaching middle school and high school courses, including a list of academic contests and competitions. Tips on multilevel teaching and engaging toddlers and a resource guide with up-to-date contact information round out this amazing tool!

This book was one of the ones that I turned to when we were doing our homeschooling research.  Debra Bell offers a wealth of information about every aspect of homeschooling:  reasons to homeschool, choosing curriculum, what/how to teach, preventing burnout, homeschooling teens, homeschooling with little ones, resources, etc.  I like how she is straight-forward and talks about the struggles of homeschooling and offers encouragement.

When we received the updated version of this book to review, DH looked through it first and said, “It has a lot of information, but it’s geared for homeschooling moms.”  And I have to agree with him.  After our home-income situation changed, where DH now homeschools the kids and I work full-time, we realize that we are a minority in the homeschooling community.  Since most homeschools have mom as the primary teacher, this book was written from that perspective and for that perspective.  Dads who homeschool can benefit from this book, but I think they will likely have a different perspective and approach than most moms do.  I know DH’s approach is different from mine, and it has been a huge adjustment for me to let go and let him teach.  But along the way, my eyes have been opened to see our strengths/weaknesses and how that has made us work together as a team.

This guide to homeschooling is a great resource, especially for the beginner homeschooling family, but it would be nice to see something in the book from a homeschooling dad’s (as the primary teacher) perspective.

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling is available for $20 from Apologia’s website.

You can read more reviews of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by my fellow TOS Crew members at the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure:  This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew.  Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are our own.

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By y@mf5, February 15, 2010

Dollar Homeschool is a company that provides Charlotte Mason/Classical-style educators with a series of curriculum (textbooks in PDF format) that was published in the late 1800s to early 1900s.  We were given a copy of Ray’s Arithmetic to review for the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Click here to read the biography of the author, Joseph Ray.  Ray’s Arithmetic is a series of 38 books (most have 150+ pages, some more than 400 pages) that teach basic math through advanced math and includes extracurricular texts such as Norton’s Elements of Physics, Schuyler’s Principles of Logic, Ray’s Elements of Astronomy, and Ray’s Surveying and Navigation.  There is a lot of material to sift through and can be overwhelming when looking through these texts just to get an idea of what they cover!

What I like about Ray’s Arithmetic is the application aspect of math – there are many word problems involving ‘real life’ situations, although from a perspective of the late 1800s.  An example problem from the Elementary Arithmetic text, “A man whose expenses were $1.70 a day, saved $46.50 in 30 days:  what did he earn a day?“  This curriculum was written for the classroom of that era, which is pretty much what many homeschool situations are today – multiple aged children learning together.  Even though some of the vernacular are no longer used today, definitions are given prior to the start of the word problems (e.g., gills are used in measurement, but at least it is defined – 4 gills = 1 pint).

I value the Charlotte Mason and Classical methods in regards to teaching history, culture and language arts.  Math and science, however I would differ.  I mean, it’s great and important to learn about the history and principles of math and science through classic literature,  but using that approach solely in today’s highly competitive technological society is, in my opinion, out-of-date and would not adequately prepare the homeschool student in today’s fast-paced math and science world, especially if that is the area your child is interested and would like to have a future career in.  I think Ray’s Arithmetic would be good and interesting supplementary material to one of today’s more substantial math curriculum.

Ray’s Arithmetic is available on CD for $59 from the Dollar Homeschool’s website (30-day money-back guarantee).

You can read more reviews of Ray’s Arithmetic as well as other curriculum reviews of Dollar Homeschool’s Eclectic Education Series (EES) by my fellow TOS Crew members at the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure:  This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew.  Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are our own.