Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services (EDUDPS)

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services (EDUDPS)

~Roots & Fruits~
~Career Planning~
~Write With the Best~

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services is a website that offers homeschool curriculum at an affordable cost.  They specilize in productsfor dyslexic children although all of their products will work for any child.  I personally think that the name of the company sounds a bit scary and confusing, but I have been impressed with their products.  I was given these three products to try:

Roots & Fruits
eBook~$14.98 **but is on sale right now for $11.25!
Printed pages no binding~$17.48
Comb binded~$19.98

What a fun name for this curriculum!  When  Ben and I did the first lesson he understood what the "roots" were but wanted to know what the "fruits" were.  I explained that the fruits were the words which had the roots in it, you have to have roots to make fruits!  This curriculum is a vocabulary study the Latin and Greek roots in English form.  There are 673 different roots and prefixes.  It can be used by kindergartners as well as middle to high school students.  This will help your child in SAT and ACT exams as well as understanding the meaning of words.  We have really enjoyed this and look forward to continuing with it throughout the year.

Write With the Best Vol. 1
eBook~$19.95**but is on sale right now for $14.95!
Printed pages no binder~$22.45
3 ring binder~$24.95

This curriculum is geared toward 3rd through 12th graders.  Volume 1 is meant for an 18 week run with volume 2 taking another 18 weeks.  The set would be enough for a full year.  If you want to you can use volume 1 for the entire year and use volume 2 for the next year~ if your child is new to writing or struggles a bit then this would be the better way to go.
What I liked the most about this curriculm is that it takes it in chunks and is not overwhelming.  Both of my boys struggle a little bit with writing and sometimes things we have tried in the past was too much all at once.  There is also a daily guide to follow.  I also appreciated the whys behind good writing.  I asked Ben why he liked the books he read.  He mentioned that they were descriptive.  I told him yes, being descriptive is important in writing.  We talked about how the sentance, "The cat sat on her bed." compared to "The fat, fluffy, long haired white Persian cat nestled on her soft, warm, pink bed."  WOW what a difference, can you see what the first one looks like in your mind?  What about the second one?  I never would have had that conversation with him without this curriculum to guide me a long.

Career Guide
eBook~$34.95**but is on sale right now for $26.20!
Soft cover~$39.95

Ever wonder what your middle school or high school student might want to be when he/she "grows up?"  Me too.  I was so excited to be chosen to review this product.  My son, Sonny, is in the 8th grade this year.  He changes what he wants to "be" every few months.  The Career Guide has four self guided assessments for your child to complete.  This will help you determine the correct classes to teach, jobs to work, or colleges to look into.  This can keep your child focused when it comes to college~ no more wasting time (and money!) taking classes to see if you like it or not!  Sonny had a hard time answering some of the questions but he really liked it.  He is just an indecisive kiddo.


I was impressed with the curriculum I received but not the form.  It was sent to me in an electronic download.  You are allowed to save it to your computer, but it does not come in adobe.  The program only allows you to print twice.  The customer service is great because my printer jammed and I tried to print again and it would not go through so I had lost both of my prints and had to contact them to recieve it again.  Also, ifyou do not save it within a certain amount of time to your computer it is locked and you can not open it up.  I feel that if you purchase a product it should not be such a hassle to open and print it.  I would suggest spending a few more dollars and have the print form sent to you.
On the website there are also free downloads for a portion of the above books, so you can see in this is something that will work for your children.
Do not be intimidated by the name Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services.  These products really are wonderful. 
I have been wishing for a product that can help my children improve their writing.  Writing is such an important part of education and life that I knew I needed to find something that would work.  Thank you to EDUDPS for creating your products and for giving TOS a chance to review your products! 
Click here for more TOS reviews of these products.

Read and Share Toddler Bible

Read and Share Toddler Bible
by Gwen Ellis
Thomas Nelson Publishing

When I first opened up the book my first thought was how cute the illustrations were. I knew that my daughter Julianna (age 4) would like it.  This book is geared toward very young children as the stories are very short in length.  There are 40 stories in total.  The stories are all aapted from the Bible.  There is a DVD that come with the book that contains animated versions of the stories from the book.  It runs 60 minutes in length.  Julianna and my son, Ben~8yrs~ both watched in on Sunday after church and enjoyed it.

There was one story in the book and DVD that bothered me a bit because of my beliefs it was the story of Adam and Eve.  The story was portrayed with a "ssssneaky snake."  I have taught my children that it is in fact Satan tempting Eve.  My daughter said she liked the story of Eve with the snake the best, so then I had to discuss with her about the snake etc.. 

Other then this it is a really cute book.  It is small enough for little hands to carrry and look at.

The Potluck Club Cookbook

by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Revell Publishing

If you have read any of The Potluck Club books then you will love this cookbook. If you have never read any of The Potluck Club books then you will still love it. so, either way you would get a lot out of this great cookbook. My son, Ben, who is 8, loves to cook. We like to look at cookbooks and see what we would like to try. There were so many in this cookbook that we did not know where to start.
I do wish their were pictures of some of the dishes, if not all. It would have been lots of fun if Linda and Eva were in some of them. I think it would have made it more personable, kind of like their books. But, of course if you ask my friend, Tami, she will just say that I like cookbooks with pictures. I do not tend to buy a cookbook if there are no pictures so I am not sure I would have picked it if I was not sent it. However I am glad they did.
Throughout the book there are personal notes and tidbits from the authors. This makes it enjoyable to read too.
Don't know what to make? Need easy down to earth recipes? Get this cookbook~ NOW!!
"Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Are you still not sure? Try one of these recipes from the cookbook:

Grandmother’s Coconut Chess Pie
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. flour (should be heaping)
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ Cup white sugar
¾ Cup white Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
unbaked pie shell
¼ lb. butter
12-14 oz. coconut (can or bag)

Beat eggs well and set aside. In mixing bowl blend flour, salt, and sugar, then add eggs. Next add syrup and vanilla, beat until well mixed. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Slice butter into thick slices and cover top of pie. Sprinkle coconut on top of pie and bake for about 1 hour in 300 degree oven or until firm and brown.
Serves 8

Linda: “I inherited this recipe from my Grandmother Evans. It’s one of the best pies I’ve ever tasted!” (Page 83)


Corn Pudding au Gratin

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup diced cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine corn, flour, cheese and pepper; mix well. Add melted margarine and well-beaten eggs. Warm milk and add to mixture. Pour into 1 ½ quart casserole pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in oven until pudding begins to set, then sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over the top and reduce heat to 325 and bake until firm. If bread crumbs are not sufficiently brown when pudding is firm, turn to broil briefly. Cooking time is about 30 – 40 minutes.

Eva: “This recipe reheats nicely.” (Page 169)

Linda’s Chicken Tortilla Casserole

2 ½ Tbsp. chopped onions
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups milk
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. jalapeno peppers
1 ½ cups chopped canned tomatoes (stewed)
3 cups cubed chicken, cooked
½ cup shredded cheese
12 tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips

Sauté onions in butter, then add flour and cook until mixture is bubbly. Stir in milk and broth gradually. Stir in salt, peppers, and tomatoes.
In casserole dish, layer chicken, cheese, then strips of tortillas. Pour sauce over layers then sprinkle casserole with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.
Serves 6-8.

Linda: “You can’t go wrong with this tasty dish. It’s a potluck crowd favorite.” (Page 130)

A Taste of Fame

The Potluck Club Book Two
by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Revell Publishing

 

Even though this is the second book in the series, it is a great stand alone book. I think reading the first one will give you a deeper understanding of the characters in the book, but is not needed to read this book.

There are several women who are apart of the Potluck Catering Club. In this book they are accepted onto a television reality catering show. These ladies must go to New York and work their magic for viewers all over the country. Of course everyone has their own personal issues which get in the way along the way. Each of the ladies has to work through issues in the book. They try to stay down to earth and good friends while the TV world is doing their best to tear them apart.
I really enjoyed this book and am anxious to read the first in the series and anymore they decide to write. I found the ladies easy to get to know and in almost all of them I saw a piece of me. I rooted for them to win the money and title along with the rest of their church congregation! When you read this book you will want to read all the books by these authors!

"Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Love Has a Face

Love Has a Face
by Michele Perry
Chosen Books

Not very often to I come across a book I do not finish.  This was one.  The first two chapters were very interesting, but in the middle of chapter 3 it got really weird.  The author started to talk about her falling on the ground and not being able to move for 4-5 hours because she was caught up with the Spirit and a lot of what she was saying did not make much sense.  I felt really uneasy finishing this book so I did not.  Of course do not take my word for it, try reading it yourself.  It is about a woman who goes to Sudan to open a home for children, a missionary experience of sorts. 

Goodnews Express Series Volume

Goodnews Express Series The Birthday Gift   
by Passkeys Foundation

Passkeys Foundation has character building procusts for children and adults alike.  We were sent one of the Goodnews Express books to review. The Goodnews Express is a series of 4 books geared toward children ages 3-5~  The Cheerful Grump (Cheerfulness), Thanks, But No Thanks (Thankfulness), The Special Wish (Friendship), and The Birthday Gift (Sharing).  Each of the books sells for $7.50 or the set for $20.  Also, each of the books comes with a CD.

We were sent The Birthday Gift to review.  I read this not only to Julianna (4) and Ben (8) but also to my day care kiddos (ages 1-4).  They all were interested in the story and loved the colorful illustrations.

It is hard to find books these days that have good moral messages in them.  This books is just one of 4 that teach your children good character traits.  I loved the message in the book we reviewed, but do not just take my word for it check out what other TOS crew members had to say about the series.

Journey Through Learning

Journey Through Learning
Lapbooks~

Reptiles                                                                      
Amphibians
Autumn
Desert
The Parables of a King

I guess I am not a fun mom, because before we recieved these lapbooks to review we had never done a lapbook at home.  We were sen 5 different lapbooks to choose from (see above) I let Ben choose the one he wanted to do, I was hoping he would choose Autumn because I know a bit about that~ not so much the others.  Of course he chose Reptiles. 
We hve not finished the lapbook as of yet because we are going slow, but when we do I will post pictures.
These lapbboks come with answer guide, are color coded for help in putting the lapbook together, and in color!
Has any of your kiddos wanted to know what turtles eat or why snakes can be poisonous?  This lapbook will answer them for you.  I always thought that lapbooks were all fluff and not very useful, but these are a creative way to do a unit study on any topic.
I went to the website to see what other lapbooks they have.  Journey Through Learning has almost anythng you could ever want for lapbooking topics!  There are topics on science and social studies plus more.  Check it out and see which ones you need to amke your homeschol fun!  The lapooks come a few different ways.  The first is the say I received them~ in a download format, these run about $13 each.  You can also order a CD rom for $14 or you can orderthe printed full color version for $21. (some go for $20).
In my opinion, I think it is a bit pricey for this, but I am not that familiar with lapbooks and the cost. 

Please read what some of my crew mates say about this product here.

American's Heritage~An Adventure in Liberty

American's Heritage~an adventure in liberty
The American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc.


The American Heritage Education Foundation "AHEF is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation dedicated to the understanding and teaching of America's factual and philosophical heritage to promote constructive citizenship and Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility among our students and citizens.

AHEF accomplishes this patriotic mission by writing, producing, and distributing FREE K-12 lesson plans to teachers, students, and families in all 50 states and through additional initiatives, programs, and partnerships."

America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty is a K-12 teacher lesson plan resource. When we received the CD in the mail I was so excited. We are learning about American History this year and this fit in nicely. There are grades K-12 on the CD, so it is easy to teach American Heritage to all of your children using the same program.

All lessons are based on the themes: unity, freedom, progress, and responsibility. What I really like about this program is it does not have the children spit out facts, but hlpes the students think, explore, and understand the importance of liberty in United States history.

Price: CD Rom is FREE
Binder is $19.50 per level.

Here is what other TOS crew members thought about it as well.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life

Nutrition 101: Choose Life
by Growing Healthy Homes



We all try to teach our children proper nutrition.  As a homeschooling mom I hope that by eating all meals at home that we are teaching our children correct principles.  We also want them to learn about how their bodies function.  I have tried to find a curriculum that encompassed both aspects but was also fun and enjoyable.  We were sent Nutrition 101: Choose Life by Growing Healthy Homes to review.  This program is fantastic.  It is biblically based with scriptures to aid in the discussion.  We are LDS so we also have the World of Wisdom to incorporate into our discussion of nutrition as well.  We have learned so much in just the short time we have had it.  It is a full curriculum so we were not able to get through the entire thing, but what we have done is great. 

This nutrition program comes in two forms, CD-ROM, $79.95 and a printed book form, $99.95 or can order the combo which is both the CD-ROM and the book for $129.95.  We received the ebook to review.  There are six units and 448 pages.  Each unit is broken up into chapters.  There are recipes for new dishes to try, websites to go to, discussion questions to talk about, activites, and fun colorful pictures.

My son Ben, (almost 9years), was reading in Unit 2 (digestion) that it is not good for you to drink ice water with your meals, because it shocks your stomach and hinders digestion.  Well, I love ice water.  I tend to drink more water if I drink it with ice.  Ben is a great helper and gets me my ice water when I ask, so one day at dinner I asked him if he would get me a large glass of ice water for me.  He comes back to the table with a large glass of room temperture water and informs me that ice water is not good for me, which leads us into a discussion on why etc...  Brian, my husband thought that was funny that Ben was telling ME what was best.  I am not sure that I want him to learn anything ever again!!  Just kidding.  I love it that he is learning and teaching me as well.  We also made guacamole from the brain unit.  We learned that avacados have healthy fats that are good for our brain function.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life is a bit expensive but you will not have to buy another program for nutrition and human body again.  It is good for all ages, there are enough activites and discussion questions that you can make it as easy or as hard as you want.  I encourage you to go to their website and watch the video on the program and to check out the other TOS bloggers and read their reviews.

An Eye For An Eye

by Irene Hannon
Revell Baker Publishing

This book #2 in the Heroes of Quantico series. Unlike the last book I read that was in series this is a stand alone book. Each book in the series of three tells a story of one of three friends. This story is about Mark Sanders. Sanders is an FBI agent. he has recently been shot and is recovering both physically and mentally away from Quantico. One day as he is jogging in the park he comes across another jogger, a familiar one.
Emily Lawson is also jogging in the park that same Saturday morning. Emily and Mark were teenage sweethearts. Neither kept in touch with the other. However their reunion in the park is cut short when they are shot at. But, which of them was the target?
There is a lot of intrigue in this book. Every few chapters Hannon reveals a bit about the shooter in the book as we read about him. The book reveals how the FBI and law enforcement work out these types of incidents.
The big question in the book besides who the shooter is and will he try to kill one of them again is Will Emily and Mark fall in love again? and is the FBI too much of a dangerous job for Emily to deal with Mark having? Guess you will have to read this book that I give 4 out of five starts to in order to get those questions answered yourself.
There are many times in our lives when we feel we can not deal with trials etc... I saw myself a little bit in Emily and how frightened she was in loving and losing another man like her first husband.
Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Studypod

Studypod
by Genio LLC



What is a Studypod?

A Studypod is a fabulous innovation that I wished they had when I was in high school and college! It is essentially a book holder. It holds heavy textbooks as well as papers and paperback books. We even used it to hold a large songbook. It opens like a book so is able to hold a book open to two pages. We have another brand of book holder, but it can not hold an open book or a large heavy textbook like the Studypod can. The Studypod holds not only books,papers, and music, but a calculator too!

I LOVE this product. I keep thinking how I wish I had one during all of those studying sessions. It would have relieved a lot of back and neck strain. I am glad we have one so that my children will not have to go through what I did with neck pan. I like that it is lightweight and easily folds up to store in a drawer or backpack. The Studypod comes in three colors black, (which is the one we were sent), blue, and pink. The price is about right in my opinion. It is $19.95 for one. When you buy two or more they are $16.95. This would be a great gift for a high school or college student. Of course it is a wonderful gift for any homeschooler as well. Use it as an easel for painting for the little ones as well. this product has so many uses that it would be a great gift for nearly anyone. I just want to thank Studypod for sending me this product to review and for inventing it in the first place!!

If you want to see other reviews for this product please go to TOS blogger reviews

A Dream to Call My Own Brides of Gallatin County #3

By Tracie Peterson
Bethany House Publishing

A Dream to Call My Own, is the third book in a series. I was sent only this book to review. In my opinion this book is not a stand alone. It was really a continuation of what happened in the earlier two books. This made it confusing and hard to understand at times. I still liked the book, but was also disappointed that I had not read the previous two books. I think I would enjoy the whole series.
Aside from that fact, it was still a good book with good morals. Lacey Gallatin is the third daughter in the Gallatin family. Her father was killed two years previous and she is determined to find his killer. her two sisters are married and deliver their first children in this book. Lacey is in love with Dave, the local law enforcement, but is unsure if she really is. during this book she wrestles with that fact and tries to decide if she will marry him.
The truth comes out in this book about who killed her father and justice is served. i suggest you read the first two before you read this one. I know when I have a bit of time I am going to go back and read the first two!

Stray Affections

by Charlene Ann Baumbich
Waterbrook Publishing

Cassandra Higgins is a young mom of four boys. She still struggles with the suicide of her father when she was a young girl. Her mom, "Bad Betty" and her do not get a long. Not only does she have all of this on her plate but she discovers a snow globe at her annual shopping trip at a collector's convention, that sparks her interest. Does this snow globe hold the answers to all of her problems? But how can it? It is just a snow globe isn't it? Cassandra not only finds answers she did not know she was looking for but also healing.
I enjoyed this book. It has a bit of intrigue in it that is just enough to make you wanting to read just another chapter. I am not sure that I could relate personally to any of the people in the book, but the book helped me think about what might be holding me back from my dreams and desires. Take a leap of faith and go read this book today!

Fearless

Fearless
by Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson Publishing

Does fear run you life? Should it? With the day and age we live in, there are many things that we fear~the economy, losing our income, swine flu, nuclear war, wars, death, etc... I guess it is no wonder that we do fear the world we live in to some extent.
After reading this book I have pondered fear. Do I not believe in a Father in Heaven? Then why do I fear? Max Lucado writes that we should have faith in God and not have fear. there is no need to fear. Jesus Christ states many times in the Bible not to have fear~just believe in Him.
When we trust in Him we will have peace and come to an understanding of the fear the world knows. We must trust in our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. They know us the best, they are in "charge." Our object in life is to return to our Heavenly Father, fear will keep us from having the faith we need to trust Him.
There were places in the book that I disagreed with on a religious basis. My beliefs are a little different then Lucado's, however the book had so much good in it that it was easy to overlook. It is a simple to read book. Each chapter deals with a different fear and guides us to let go of that fear. I know that we as a society let fear override our life with worrying and carrying on about things we can not do anything about. We need to trust in God and what he has for us and let go of our fear and become Fearless.

Fools Rush In

By Janice Thompson
Revell Baker Publishing

Bella's family is crazy and zany but very loving. Her parents have run a wedding business and recently turned it over to Bella to run. Her ideas for the business are not only different but may cause her family to lose it. She finds herself plain and not pretty and is worried that she will become an old maid. She has just recently ended a three year relationship with a self centered man. When Bella is desperate to find a deejay to work a wedding in two weeks will she discover not only a deejay but the man of her dreams as well? She worries that he will not like her family, does she have need to?
This book was a hoot. I loved Bella's family. Fools Rush In is not your typical love story. It has a lot of family dimensions, fun, and twists. Get your copy today!

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