Quinsmomma

TOS Review: ALEKS

2012-02-15T11:18:00.000-05:00

We recently had the opportunity to review ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system.

From the website: ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions.

For homeschoolers ALEKS states it provides the instruction and support you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12 and is accessible from virtually any computer with internet access, making it a flexible and mobile educational solution for your children. You can watch a quick 2 minute explaination for homeschoolers .

Here's how it went for us. After creating an account, Ms. Q logged on and was taken to the assessment page. She answered around 30 questions that tested her knowledge in various elementary level math topics.

The program then produces a pie chart listing all the areas the assessment found the student has mastered, needs to learn, and is ready to learn:

Ms. Q was then able to choose the topics she wanted to learn and the program provided instruction in the area she chose in a very matter of fact and straight forward way.

We are still on the fence about this product. What we liked about the program: I love any product that makes my life easier. Math has been an area Ms. Q and I have struggled with from the very beginning, both because I really don't enjoy math and because I don't seem to be very good at teaching it. ALEKS made life easier in that I didn't need to really teach Ms. Q the math, I just needed to be available in the event she needed some clarification. She also really liked that she could choose the topics she wanted to learn and work on them at her own pace. I liked that I didn't need to create a lesson plan and find resources for each topic and that I could easily see what Ms. Q worked on and how well she was progressing through each lesson.

The only thing we didn't like about the program was that although ALEKS did provide the instruction for Ms. Q for each of the topics she chose to learn, the way it was presented to her did not really keep her interest. One of the reasons that we homeschool is because Ms. Q has a very short attention span for things that are less engaging or not hands on. I think the only reason she was able to focus and complete most of the lessons was because her competitive nature had her determined to complete the pie chart as quickly as possible. After a few lessons though,even that didn't seem to help. She's just used to a much more hands on approach to math that explains the "why" to her as well as the "how."

Subscriptions for ALEKS are available for $19.95 a month, $99.95 for 6 months of access, or $179.95 for 12 months. For families with more than one child discount pricing is available.

We received a free two month trial. If you would like to see if ALEKS will work well with your child click here:

To see what other TOS Homeschool Crew members had to say, please go to the blog.

Disclosure: As a member of the 2011-2012 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew, I was provided this product for free in exchange for my review. No other compensation was given and this review reflects my honest opinion.

TOS Review: Math Rider

2012-02-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

Are you searching for fun and helpful ways to help your children practice their math facts? It seems I am almost constantly these days! Then once I find one that Ms. Q likes she looses interest in it and it becomes just another "school thing" to complain about. Well I think we found the one that will be staying around for A LONG TIME! Math Rider is a fun math game for kids that sends them on a fictional quest while they practice their math skills. It is targeted for elementary aged children who need practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts 0-12.

Math Rider combines fun, adventure, and oh yea - Math! Your child begins by choosing which type of operation they would like to practice and then the quest begins. The child rides a horse over hurdles while solving math problems and completing their quest. The more accurate and quickly the child answers the faster the problems come. After four proficient rides the quest is completed. The child can then choose another operation/quest. Although the quest can be repeated the problems will be different offering even more practice.

The really neat part of Math Rider is that kids can see their progress and improvement. Instead of just a number of correctly answered problems, Math Rider gives point bonuses, time bonuses, quest progress, progressively animated rewards and a comprehensive statistics screen.

Ms. Q really liked the quests. She started with addition and then subtraction, even though she is already pretty quick with those facts. The game adjusts to the user, so she was able to complete those quests much faster than the one she worked on for multiplication. One of the things she really liked is that the operations are all of one kind and not mixed. She sometimes has a hard time with mixed operation problems, especially when trying to answer quickly so that worked out just great for her. It was sometimes difficult to get her off the computer do something else - but I guess that's really not a problem!

If you would like to check out Math Rider for your child, you can try it for free for seven days. If you decide to purchase Math Rider it is on sale for $37.00 through February 15, 2012. After that the price is $47.00.

If you would like to read what other TOS Homeschool Crew reviews thought, please go HERE.

TOS Review: Kinderbach

2012-02-02T22:57:00.000-05:00

Ever since Ms. Q started her guitar lessons Little M has been asking to take music lessons too. We kept telling him that he was still too little but as any three year old will tell you, he thinks he's big enough and we are just not fair!

Enter Kinderbach.

Yep that's right - Piano Lessons - At Home - Online!

From their website:

Kinderbach is about establishing a music foundation for young children. Students learn note reading, rhythm, singing, vocabulary and a variety of other skills which provides them the basis for further education. It’s about much more than just playing the piano!

Here's what the interactive lessons look like:

It's a whole preschool music curriculum just perfect for 3-7 year-olds! Little M was totally delighted with the characters and the interactive activities. The first week we started using Kinderbach, he was so excited he literally woke me up in the morning asking me if it was time to do his piano lesson! His enthusiasm has waned slightly (thankfully) however he is really enjoying the lessons and retaining much of the information. I am not expecting a protege at the end of this program but he will have some concept of music theory and a pretty good idea of how to play basic songs on the piano. He's already mastered a few simple ones.

Kinderbach has six levels of lessons each with 10 weeks of lessons and four activities each week. Your child can move at his or her own pace through the lessons making the curriculum customized to your child's needs. A yearly online membership is only $7.99 per month for an entire family! That's right you get a full music curriculum, piano lessons, and printable activities and worksheets for all your children for less than the price of a large cheese pizza. Plus you can try sample lessons online for free and if you decide to become a member you get a 30 day money back guarantee. You must have a piano or keyboard but nothing fancy is required. Any keyboard with 3 to 4 octaves will work. Oh and here's a code to save 30% off through February 2013: TOScrew2012

Little M was right, he is big enough for music lessons. I'm really glad that we were able to review Kinderbach, it has really been a great addition to his school day. What are you waiting for? You should totally check it out!

If you would like to read what other TOS Crew members think about Kinderbach please visit the blog.

Disclosure: As a member of the 2011-2012 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew, I was provided this product for free in exchange for my review. No other compensation was given and this review reflects my honest opinion.

TOS Review: Vintage Remedies

2011-12-18T21:52:00.000-05:00

I used to dread the cereal aisle of the supermarket. It seems innocent enough but inevitably there is always a kid who is having a meltdown in this aisle (luckily it's not always mine). We strive to eat a healthy diet and live as healthy and naturally as we can. But man, sometimes it's really hard to get through to my kids the reasons why I'm making the decisions I am.

That was until I received a copy of Vintage Remedies for Kids. This little book is just chock full of good stuff. Based on their popular Vintage Remedies for Guys and Girls books, Vintage Remedies for Kids is geared toward kids ages 2-6. It is a resource to help parents teach topics of natural living that include wellness, nutrition, immunity, natural body care, and the conservative use of valuable natural resources. This workbook is packed with projects for your little ones to complete that will reinforce the subject matter discussed and help them understand why healthy choices are important (and why the chocolate chip cookie cereal probably isn't the best choice for breakfast).

The book is 201 pages with three sections covering food and drink, health and wellness, and healthy lifestyles, with 18 topics/lessons in all. Each topic is explained first to the parent in the "Parents Section" and then to the child through the "Read to Me" section. Following the read to me section are follow up questions to ask and discuss with your child and projects for you to complete together. The book costs $25.00 and can be purchased HERE.

Little M really enjoyed the projects in the food and drink section. He's usually my helper in the kitchen but it was really fun to have a way to explain to him the choices we make about our food before we buy it and prepare it. The hand washing song in section two has been stuck in his head for days now and he is totally excited to be "The Bag Man" because it's now his job to remember to bring the reusable bags with us when we go to the store.

Although the book is targeted to kids ages 2-6, Ms. Q listened in and learned a few things too. I did change the wording up a bit when I was reading or asking questions to her so she wouldn't think it was too babyish for her. Honestly, the book is written so well and doesn't "talk down" so I really didn't need to change much.

From the moment this book arrived I was impressed. The book came so beautifully packaged, I wish I had taken a picture but I was so excited I didn't even think about it! I also received a copy of The Kitchen Herbal as gift for Mom. This is another fabulous book! Vintage Remedies offers many different products and resources from online courses in professional herbalism and holistic wellness to natural food cookbooks and resources for children. I have added Vintage Remedies for Girls to Ms. Q's must have curriculum list for next year and have added some of the mini lessons to my wish list as well.

To see what other TOS reviewers have to say about Vintage Remedies and their youth programs check out the BLOG.

TOS Review: I See Cards

2011-12-14T23:11:00.000-05:00

Fractazmic is a card game for 2-4 players that uses math skills, specifically fractions, in a fun and engaging way. The object of the game is to create as many "hands" as possible before a player runs out of cards. "Hands" are made by adding together the fractions within a suit to equal one (1).

Fractazmic includes 60 sturdy, colorful, and clearly marked cards.

The cards are divided into three suits:

Sixteenth suit (red) 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4; 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, and 1/2,
Twelfths suit (blue) 1/12, 1/6, 1/4, 1/3, 5/12, and 1/2,
Tenths suit (green) 1/10, 1/5, 3/10, 2/5, and 1/2.

There are a few different ways to play with Fractazmic. You can check out this site for rules to play Fractazmic Trap or Fractazmic Rummy. Or you can download a free 28 page booklet that describes how to play Fractazmic and the other card games available from I See Cards.

Ms. Q and I played the Fractazmic Rummy game because she is already fairly familiar with the rules of rummy (pick a card, make a hand, discard, etc.). What she is not that familiar with is fractions. The advertised age for this game is 1st through 8th grade. However, Ms. Q is not that familiar with fractions yet (she's in 4th grade this year) so we started the game out with a lesson in how to add fractions. I should add here that I was totally terrified when I sat down to play this game. I have never been that good with fractions. As a matter of fact it took me quite a while to even remember how to add them when they have different denominators. But after a quick refresher and a brief lesson for Ms. Q we were off and playing. As we played the game we created a cheat sheet because well we're new at this and adding fractions with different denominators on the fly kinda takes a long time when you're new at it. It was also a confidence builder for Ms. Q so that she felt she was able to play the game. I'm sure after a while she (and I) won't need the cheat sheet anymore.

I have to say that at first this game can be a bit challenging. It was really fun though! Yep I said it, a game about fractions is FUN! With a bit more play and a bit more practice I'm sure Ms. Q and I will be adding fractions like nobody business. The idea that this card game could take something that made me afraid and intimidated into something fun to share with my daughter is mind blowing. Who would have thought that we would be bonding and having fun with fractions?

I See Cards, the company that makes Fractazmic, has other math card games including I See Cards Spanish/Engish, Prime Bomb, and Pyramath cards. Fractazmic (and the other games as well) can be purchased here for $6.95 each and there are also various bundling options. You can also play Fractazmic Speed online for free so check it out.

The see what other TOS Crew members thought about Fractazmic go HERE.

TOS Review: Artistic Pursuits

2011-12-07T00:48:00.001-05:00

I can't wait to tell you about Artistic Pursuits. I think I just may be in love!

Artisitc Pursuits is an art curriciulum designed specifically for homeschoolers. It uses fun art lessons to "teach both the expressive and technical aspects of art while allowing children to make choices about what and how they will draw, paint, and sculpt."

There are books for preschoolers, and elementary school students, as well as books for middle and high school students. Each level focuses on a different concept of art and teaches through a different approach. For instance, the preschool level aims to encourage exploration of art materials and the world. The focus of the elementary level program is art instruction through hands-on art projects and art history. The middle and high school levels provide more technical drawing and painting instruction using artists and art history.

For this review we received a copy of Artistic Pursuits Grades K-3 Book One.

The book is broken down into three sections: what artists do, what artists see, and where we find art. There are 32 lessons, each with a corresponding work of art to view and discuss and a project for the student to complete. The lessons are so easy for me to present. Both Little M and Ms. Q are participating so what we do is get comfy on the couch and read the lesson together. I ask them a few questions and then we look at the work of art. We then discuss the piece and I ask the kids some of the discussion questions listed in the book. The next page of the lesson is the project. This is where the fun really starts. The kids get to create their own piece of art using the skill or idea discussed in the lesson and viewed in the masterpiece. They have really had a lot of fun with these projects. We decided to go with the K-3 level so that Little M can learn too. They are really enjoying doing projects together and so far they have composed a still life, painted from their imagination, sketched an observation in the backyard, and drawn pictures that "talk." I can't wait to see what they will create next.

You can see samples of Artistic Pursuits Grades K-3, Book One HERE. K-3, Book One book costs $42.95. The books are non-consumable so you can reuse these for all of your children! The art materials needed vary depending on the book however you can see a list of the supplies necessary on the Artistic Pursuits website. Materials are available for purchase through the website and materials are commercially available at the majority of craft and art supplies stores as well.

To see what other TOS Crew members had to say, or to see a review of a book of a different level, check out the TOS Homeschool Crew BLOG.

Enjoy!

TOS Review: The Easy French!

2011-12-04T22:35:00.000-05:00

Ms. Q has been bugging us to get her a French curriculum for at least two years now. I kept putting her off because honestly other courses kept eating up all our homeschooling budget. So when we had the opportunity to review Great Commission Languages, The Easy French! I couldn't have been happier. Either could Ms. Q. When it came she was so excited I wish I could have kept the book hidden until Christmas morning - it was that kind of excitement.

Le Francais Facile! (The Easy French!) is a complete homeschool French curriculum. Owned, operated, and developed by a homeschooling family, Great Commission Languages (GCL) The Easy French! uses fun stories and an easy to understand audio CD to help your children (and in our case me too) to learn the French language, grammar, and culture.

We reviewed Level 1A which is geared to students in upper elementary/middle school through high school. The book in the picture states grade 7 and up but my copy of the book does not. The curriculum includes:

Textbook with 18 lessons, appendices with information on phonograms, spelling and pronunciation rules, and sentence structure, as well as recipes and cultural projects
Audio CD which includes lesson stories and vocabulary
Data CD to view or print answers to textbook activities
Phonogram cards (additional purchase)
Test booklet and answer key (additional purchase)

The textbook is very easy to use. Each lesson includes an audio story with new French vocabulary mixed with English, a vocabulary list, a student helps section which highlights an important piece of grammatical information, Scripture memory work (which we skipped), and information on French culture and trivia. Some lessons also include a few words of everyday vocabulary such as oui (yes), non (no), or s 'il vous plait (please) and an activity to complete. Each lesson includes a lesson planner template to help both the teacher and the student to stay on track completing the lesson. You can view sample lesson pages HERE.

Although the textbook and the curriculum are really user friendly I have to admit that Ms. Q and I had a little difficulty with the program at first. I think the only thing that got us through the first week was her enthusiasm.

I don't know a word of French other than cafe au lait and croissant.   I know a teeny bit of Spanish but none I would say aloud to my mother and although I took four years of German in high school and have been to Germany, I don't think I could even hold a conversation with a German preschooler at this point.

So to make a long story short, when we put in the audio CD that first day and heard the conversation we were both a little overwhelmed. There is a lot of new vocabulary in lesson 1! The textbook introduction states this level can be completed in one year. It's going to take us a ~~lot~~ little longer.

Ms. Q and I decided that we would break each lesson into two or three sections and spend a week on each section instead of a week on each lesson. We spent three weeks on lesson 1! Honestly though it wasn't bad. Ms. Q is really enjoying the lessons now and I am too! The extra time spent on each lesson is really helping her to thoroughly learn the vocabulary and practice her pronunciation.

GCL has a program for grades K-3 called French Jr. which may have been a better fit for Ms. Q.   But we like a good challenge. It may take us a little longer than the average user to complete The Easy French! Level 1A but Ms. Q and I are confident that we will be successful because Great Commission Languages has provided us with a curriculum that is well planned, smartly written, and fun.

The Easy French! Level 1A costs $84.95 and can be purchased through the Great Commission Languages' website. The test booklet, answer key, and phonogram cards can be purchased for an additional $10 each.

To see what other TOS Crew members have to say about this and other Great Commission Languages programs check out the TOS Blog.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: As a member of the 2011-2012 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew, I was provided this product for free in exchange for my review. No other compensation was given and this review reflects my honest opinion.

A Visit With Santa

2011-12-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

Do you take your kids to visit with Santa and get their picture taken? We trekked to the mall yesterday for our annual photo with Santa. This event is one of my favorites. I think I might even enjoy it more than the kids. We try to go during the day on a week day so we don't have to wait in line. The kids get to tell Santa what they are wishing for and they get a reminder from Santa to behave, be nice to their siblings, and listen to Mommy and Daddy (at least that's what our Santa always says). Then we go out to eat.

This year we got a classic picture:

used with permission

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Week 3

2011-11-18T22:24:00.000-05:00

In my life this week...

We had a blissfully boring week this week. I got to stick to my regular routine and I love that. I was able to get some really good coupon deals this week (yep I'm bragging) and even snuck out of the house all by myself to do some shopping. This never happens! I'm trying to talk the hubs into letting this be an every week thing. It was soooo much easier to shop without the little people whining, and asking for things, and without worrying about losing anyone in the store.

In our homeschool this week...

Little M did not do a letter of the week this week. He has really been into completing puzzles so I let him just go with it. He completed his reading lessons and worked on different jigsaw puzzles, alphabet puzzles, shapes puzzles.

Ms. Q is finishing up some lessons about Louis XIV and reading The Man in the Iron Mask. Which fits in nicely with the fact she has FINALLY started French lessons. She has wanted to start learning French since last year. We looked into a few different options but couldn't find one that fit academically or financially. Until now. Yeah! I'm having a hard time helping her because I don't know any French but it's become something that she and I are now learning together. And if we really find ourselves struggling we do know a few people who speak French that I'm sure would be willing to help us out.

We enjoyed a wonderful guided nature walk on Monday with our homeschool group. The sun was shinning and the temperature was a balmy 68 degrees. We saw a number of flying squirrels and learned how the Lenni Lenape tribe used the area before settlers arrived here.

Everyone was disappointed that our homeschool group kickball game was rained out this week though. That beautiful weather just didn't hold out. Not sure if we are going to be able to make it up. Seems our Indian Summer is over and winter is showing it's face around here. Oh well, I'm sure it will be ok when they are out playing in the snow and making snowmen.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

This weekend we are going to a local city zoo for their Critter Story Time. We have gone to this program before and the kids really loved it. They listen to an animal related story, make a craft, and then we get to walk through the zoo and see all the animals.

My favorite thing this week was...

Baking ginger snaps with the kids. I love, love, love baking with my kids. Yes it often takes longer and the mess is bigger but it's totally worth. They are always so proud of what they've made and I enjoy spending that time with them.

What's working/ not working for us...

I'm having a difficult time figuring out what to do with Little M for naps. He often refuses to take a nap but come 4-5pm he's groggy and grouchy. He eventually gets a second wind but never really gets out of grouchy and falls asleep in the car if we drive anywhere. This really isn't working for us. I may try having him at least lay down to rest even if it's to watch television so he can at least get some quiet time.

Things I'm working on...

I'm working on planning a cookie exchange for December. I've thought about doing this for a couple of years but this is the first time I will actually host the exchange. I am really excited!

I'm cooking...

I'm in charge of bread baking for Thanksgiving. I just mixed up some wet dough to sit in the fridge for a few days so that it will take on a slight sour dough flavor. I will bake the loaves on Wednesday to bring to my parents' house Thursday.

I'm grateful for...

A very patient and tolerate old dog. (See below.)

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...