Christian Keyboarding

In today's world technology plays a huge part. It is an absolute necessity to  know how to type and work a computer.  

Leanne Beitel looked at many keyboarding programs that are on the market, but did not find what she was looking for.  As she works in the private Christian school area she wanted to find  a keyboarding program with Biblical scripture references for typig practice.  Sshe decided to design her own.  She came up with Keyboarding for the Christian School.   

"It combines the fundamentals of touch-typing, MLA and APA report formatting, with the added bonus of using passages of Scripture for typing material." 

  Christian Keyboarding sent me "two products for review – Keyboarding for the Christian School (suitable for grades 6 and up) and Keyboarding for the Christian School, Elementary Version (for grades K-5). Both programs focus on mastery of the keyboard using the touch-typing method and drill practice using Scripture references.  Each lesson begins with an introduction of two new keys, followed by a review section for previously learned keys, and half the lessons include optional timed typing drills."

I think this is one of the better keyboarding products on the market.  It lets the students go at their own pace, while teaching them the fundamentals of keyboarding and computer skills. 



The upper level program also covers the following topics: 

• MLA Reports
• APA Reports
• Cover Page
• Works Cited
• Bibliography
• Personal Business Letters
• Business Letters
• Envelopes
• Proofreader’s Marks

Although Christan Keyboarding was designed for a private Christian school setting it is very workable for homeschooling families as well.

See sample pages here.

Both versions of Keyboarding for the Christian School are available as e-books.

Price:  upper level is $15.95 elementary version is $12.95.

 

ACT~Explore & Plan Assessments

ACT Advantage  "has provided standardized testing services to students, parents and colleges for 50 years. Although their 4 part marathon college entrance exam test is used by nearly all colleges and universities throughout the United States as a standardized representation of academic excellence of the students who take it, ACT, Inc., offers a number of other career planning and college preparatory services to assist people of all ages in meeting their professional and personal goals. Their offerings fall under their ACT Advantage program."

EXPLORE  is a great tool designed for 8th and 9th grade students to measure their academical ability in English, Reading, Mathematics, & Science.  Their results from these tests can aid students, parents, and teachers in helping the student choose a career path.  The results can also identify the student's strengths & weaknesses as well as see if he/she is on track for future college entrance exams.

As Sonny is in the 8th grade, this is a great tool for him and for me as his mom.  Of course he was not to thrilled to do this, but i think it is important for hm to learn to do these types of tests to get him used to the college entrance ones later.  However I take these types of tests with a grain of salt, as they really do not give an accurate picture of what a student knows.  But to have this available to "practice" for later exams is a great option.

Price $22.95

PLAN is especially designed for 10th grade students to measure their readiness for the ACT college entrance exam.  This would be given the beginning of the student's 10th grade year so that he/she would be able to work on whatever weaknesses he/she may have.

We did not use this program because our oldest is only in the 8th grade, but I know it will be a resource for us in a couple of years.

                                                                              Price $22.95

Other TOS crew members also reviewed these products.  To see what their opinions are click here.

*I was sent these products for free to use and review on my blog.  I am not compensated for my review nor am I required to post a positive review.

Math Tutor DVDs

We received two DVDs from Math Tutor DVD for the TOS crew to review. 

The first one, Young Minds Numbers and Counting,  is geared toward young children.  Julianna just turned 5 and she thought it was kind of boring, so I would guess that it would be for children in the 2-4 range. 

There is classical music playing throughout the DVD, which is really soothing.  The DVD teaches counting from 1 to 10 through pictures of animals and other objects.  

Price: $19.99

The second DVD,  The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor, we received is geared for 1st through 4th graders. 

The DVD is an 8 hour course.  It contains 2 DVDs which start from basic addition and subtraction word problems and gradually works up to ratios and fraction word problems.  Ben, our 9 year old, is advanced in math.  He is doing 4th grade math right now.  The beginning of the DVD is pretty simple for him, so he was a bit bored, but as the Math became harder Ben learned more. 

Price $26.99

Click here to see what other TOS reviewers had to say about these DVDs.

*I received both of these DVD for free from the publisher in order to review them on my blog.  I am not compensated and I am not required to post a positive review.

Worship Guitar Class

My almost 14 year old son, Sonny, has talked about playing the guitar off and on for a couple of years.  I never gave it much thought, but when we were asked to review the first DVD  in the series Worship Guitar Class
I decided that I would let him try his hand at guitar playing.

He is still working on the DVD lessons, but so far has been enjoying them.  I am glad that the lessons are easy to follow and that Sonny can do it all on his own.  I think when I have a bit more time (yeah I know when will that happen?!) I would like to try to learn as well.

We received a free copy of the adult/teen edition from the publisher for writing a review for TOS.  There is also a children's version available as well. 

"Students can easily learn their favorite praise and worship songs from Masterfully trained, worship guitarist, Jean Welles. She considers it her purpose to enjoy her God and to help others know how great He is. She received her Master's in Guitar Performance from USC."

"The DVD formats come with combined English and Spanish. Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class is a tool for Christian churches and worshipers in over 60 countries. It is sold online and in over 1500 stores. The lessons are also available in VHS format in English or Spanish. Each volume contains around a dozen new chords, half a dozen new strumming and finger-picking patterns with 7 familiar worship songs. With the set of all 4 DVD's you will learn 28 songs, over 50 chords and over 20 strumming & finger-picking patterns. The lessons can be used individually or with a group. Students learn many tips on playing the guitar with much less excess effort."

On the website there is also a free lesson so click here to view it.

PRICES:
$24.95   each DVD
$99.80 for the set of four DVD's. ($40 Bonus eBooks available free with set of 4.)

JW Worship Guitar Class for Kids $29.97.




Check out what other TOS crew members had to say in their reviews.

Maestro Classics

Maestro Classics have created 8 CD's that combine classical music with the retelling of classical stories we all love.  


Borne out of the Stories in Music series, the creative team of Stephen and Bonnie Simon debuted at the Kennedy Center. The Simons decided to expand their innovative music series so that children everywhere could enjoy listening.

 This entertaining and educational series has earned several prestigious educational awards,

Other stories and music CDs currently available are:

                                    Peter and the Wolf
                                    The Story of Swan Lake
                                    The Sorcerer's Apprentice
                                    Casey at the Bat
                                    Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
                                    Juanita the Spanish Lobster
                                    Juanita la longosta espanola 

I was sent a free copy of
The Tortise and the Hare to review for TOS.   

The CD contains:

1.  The story with the music

2.  About the story

3.  Pretzel Vendor of Paris Song

4.  About the Music

5.  Now that we know a bit more (this is where they replay the story and we listen for various things we have learned about on the other tracks.

6.  Pepare to Perform

7.  Pretzel Vendor of Paris sing a long

I was curious to see how my children would think of listening to this.  They loved it!  I played it in the car when we were running errands.  They all wanted to listen to it again right after we listened to it the first time.  My older two picked up on the various instruments and tried to listen and "find" various instruments.  We really enjoyed it.  My only concern about this particular story is that the hare stops to eat and and talks about drinking wine.  I find that it should not have been put in the story.  I do not think having animals (or anyone) drinking in a story specifically designed and marketed to children to include drinking alcohol.

To see what oher homeschooling families had to say about Maestro Classics see here.

Price:  $16.98 for each CD

There are additionally 3 gift sets including books also available for $24.99.

To purchase visit Maestro Classics website.

3 P Learning / Mathletics

Website Membership

We love this website!  Instead of doing math in the book we opted for several days to have Ben do the Mathletics website.  He thought it was so fun, he did not want to stop!


3P Learning, the home of Mathletics, is a web-based math service, providing children a chance to compete with students from around the world, or to rack up points by working through grade-specific content, which includes step-by-step animated support. There is access to additional games at Rainforest Maths, and the students get to go shopping for clothing and backgrounds for their character with the credits they earn from many of the above activities. There are also games that reinforce math concepts. In other words, the students have a variety of ways to interact with math.

I really liked that my child is able to do certain math problems in areas that they may need help in.  For example if Ben needed more practice in fractions there is a whole section all about fractions.  The kids can earn points for certificates.  They can also compete in points earned with kids all around the world.

Mathletics is an internet subscription based product, with a price of $59 per student per year. If you know the Human Calculator’s favorite number (hint: it’s ‘9’!) and you enter that when asked, you can purchase a single child subscription for $49.95 for a year at their website.




* We received a 45 day free trial to use in order to review it.  (from the TOS crew).

Tektoma

Do you or your children want to learn to make a video game?


My children sure do!  They have always wanted to make their own video game.  I think all boys do nowadays.


Tektoma offers:


*Engaging video tutorials for ages 7-17


*Tutorials of varying skill levels and topics


*Learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home


*Natural progression helps develop technical skills


*Customize your learning experience


*Low monthly membership fee gives access to all our resources


*New curriculums available monthly
   
 
Requirements:




• Windows XP or Vista (Mac versions coming in the future)


• Broadband internet connection


• For GameMaker tutorials, you need a copy of GameMaker software installed.(Lite edition is available for free.)

 
You can learn to design a racing game, arcade game, platform game and/or adventure game.
 
I have two boys ages 9 and 13.  They usually only get about 30 minutes of computer time per day.  Since we have had access to this website my boys have been begging for extra time to use this.  They each are making a game.  They are having so much fun and are using their imagination to come up with what they want in their game.
 
This is what Sonny (our 13 son) has to say,
 
"My first game was a memory game called 'Whats New'. The object was to click on the shape that just came up.  Programming the game was the most time consuming, but the most important. The tutorial was very disciptive.  It said why the programming worked the way it did.  I finished the game.  Now I am working on an arcade style game with the Legend of Zelda character Link.  My brother is creating a Mario-like platform game.  The tutorials last between a little over an hour to a little over two hours. 
 


Price~ $14.95 month or $140 per year.   There is also a free 14 day trial.

All About Spelling

Are you tired of looking for a good spelling program?  Do you wants something easy but effective? Then look no farther then

All About Spelling!

I have tried other spelling programs, but either they were not very effective, or way too complicated for me to teach (I do have other subjects to teach besides spelling).  Last year my friend, Janet, got to review this program for TOS.  I looked through it and red her review.  I wanted to buy it but then found out I got on the TOS crew.  I hoped I would be chosen to review it and I was!!

I am using level one at the moment for my nine year old, Ben.  Although Ben does okay in spelling he does make some common mistakes.  I have been looking for a good spelling program that will teach spelling in a way that Ben will remember. 

 

All About Spelling works because:

*It is Multisensory~Children are physically involved in each lesson with sight, sound, and touch.

*It is Logical~Each lessons builds upon the previous lesson.  Each lesson is presented in an orderly manner.

*There are No Gaps~You child will not be left without gaps or holes in their spelling education.  Everything included.

*It is Mastery Based~This program is not based on grade level a child moves on when they have mastered the current concept.

*Has Continual Review~when children are taught a new concept they also review material that they have already learned.

*The progam is Clear~Lessons are taught it a forthcoming manner, no need for children to guess.

*Best of all~ it has Scripted Lesson Plans (this is what makes it easy for parents).



Price:


Starter Kit (Letter tiles, magnets, Phonogram CD-ROM)
Necessary for teaching Levels 1 to 6   $26.95

Level 1 Teacher's manual and one student material packet $29.95

Levels 2-5 are $39.95

Level 6 coming soon!

Christmas Dog

by Melody Carlson

This was such a fun story to read.  I sas not too sure about it at first.  I was afraid it might be kind of corny, but I really enjoyed it.

Christmas Dog is about a lonely woman, Betty.  She has no one to spend the holidays with.  She detests her neighbor who insists on tearing apart his house and leaving it on his lawn~making an eyesore of the place.

Out of the blue a mangy dog appears and Betty learns what Christmas is all about.

This book is about forgiveness, learning to not judge others, and love.  Betty finds all of these things and more.

To read an excerpt from the book please click here.

*I was sent a free copy of the book from Revell to read and review.  I am not compensated and am not required to write a positive review.

The Unfinished Gift

by Dan Walsh

If you only read one Christmas book this year you have to read this one!  Dan Walsh will make you cry, laugh, and get that Christmas spirit lit up inside of you.  The unfinished Gift is about a grieving little boy and a grandfather who takes him in. 

The grandfather, Ian, has a lot of anger in him.  The boy's father is his son.  They have not spoken in many years.  When Ian yells at his grandson, Patrick, the boy wants to run away~ so he does.

Will Ian find his grandson in time?  Will Ian and Patrick find love with each other?  Cans a box of letters and an old wooden soldier help Ian to forgive?  This was a great book to read to help me realize the true meaning of the season.

If you would like to read an excerpt from this book please click here.

*I was given a free copy of the book from Revell to read and review.  I am in no way compensated and am not required to leave a positive review.

An excerpt from Finding Christmas

by James Calvin Schaap
 

"Stories of Startling Joy and Perfect Peace"

  To read an excerpt from the book please click here.

 

  *I was not given a copy to read and review,  I am only offering you to read the excerpt.

AVKO membership

AVKO Membership

AVKO is a non profit organization that helps teachers and parents in teaching children with dyslexia how to read, write, and type. Their approach specializes in multisensory learning.  No matter if your child has dyslexia or not, this website membership can be beneficial to you as a parent.

None of my children show sighns of dyslexia, so I am writing my review according to that.  If your child does, you will probably glean much more from their website then I was able to.

Also, if you use Sequential Spelling this is the website for you, there are a lot of resources for this program with a membership.

What does a BASIC membership to AVKO include?

Benefits of AVKO Basic Membership~

*Discounts on AVKO printed materials


*Hundreds of dollars worth of FREE e-books (PDF)


*The Patterns of English Spelling (All 10 Volumes) with Word Families in Sentence Context


*To Teach a Dyslexic


*Starting at Square One


*The Teaching of Reading & Spelling: a Continuum from Kindergarten through College.


*The Reading Teacher's List of Over 5,500 Basic Spelling Words


*Access to the Member Only section


*AVKO Newsletter with freebies, discounts, resources, and promotions


*Access to Don McCabe's most popular workshop recordings in MP3 format.


*Supplemental Curriculum Materials including word games, worksheets, activities, and more!


*Access to Pretests and Placement Tests


*Access to the Answer Keys for the Unscramblers and Family Reunion exercises of the Engaging Language Kits


**Price is $25.00 a year for the basic membership.






There is also a DELUXE membership as well~


Benefits of AVKO Deluxe Membership:




(Institutional Membership is open to individuals as well as tutoring centers, schools, learning centers, homeschool resource centers, etc.)


*Access to all of the benefits of AVKO's Basic Membership


*25% discount off all materials ordered


*Read-only access to ALL AVKO curriculum materials (except for Sequential Spelling and Engaging Language Kits)


*Access to AVKO's newest e-books:


*Word Family Supplements 1-7 for Sequential Spelling


*Spelling Remediation Test Kit


**Price for Deluxe membership is $100 per year.

I did not find very much on the website that we would use in our homeschool.  We were given a one year basic membership in order to review.  I found a few of the things on there unnecessary and a few rather inappropriate.  But as you work your way through the humor section etc... you as a parent can weed out th few things you may not deem appropriate for your family.

There were a few things like the puzzles and quizzes we thought were fun.  If you use Sequential Spelling then this would be the perfect website for you.  There are lots of extras for this program.

There is also a freebie section that you can take advantage of even without the membership.  There are many ebooks, forms, and help available for your child.

Other TOS crew members post their reviews here.

Exploramania

GyMathtics DVD



Exploramania is a cmpany comitted to teach children to become fit and healthy.  The GyMathtics DVD is one of their Exploracise products.

GyMathtics is a DVD fitness program which also reinforces math concepts.  It uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning to teach children fitness and math.

I used this DVD with my 9 year old, 4 year old and with my day care kids 4,4, and 1.  The little kids enjoyed it eventhough they did not understand the math concepts.  My 9 year old son thought it was fun the first and second time, but soon lost interest.  Occasionally he will want to do it.

I am really not impressed with this.  I felt it was kind of cheesy.  The math concepts were geared for older kids but my son did not really get much out of it.  My preschoolers liked it better.

If your child is a kinesthetic learner I think it would be beneficial to them.  My child is not, so it did not mean the same to me as it would if my son was.

Price~ $24.95

Other TOS crewmembers' reviews are here.

*I was sent a free DVD to review.  I do not receive compensation for my reviews and am not required to write a positive review.

FREE Holiday book from TOS!!

Click on above picture to get your own FREE copy!!

Fall Fiction Blog Tour

Leaving Carolina

by Tamara Leigh

Multnomah Publishing

Piper Wick left Pickwick, North Carolina over a decade ago.  She now lives in CA as a public relations consultant for the Big Whigs.  Her boyfriend is running for office and Piper does not want anything to happen to dampen his chances.   Unfortunately her family from Pickwick is in need for her services. 

Piper's uncle is about to let the cat out of te bag about all of the black sheep of the family~ which is nearly everyone.  Piper can not let her family ruin her name or her boyfriend's career.

This was a cute book.   I enjoyed it as a fun read.  I did not really find much in common with this book, so it was more of a fun read for me.  

  Does Piper learn to find peace with her "crazy" family and find true love?  Purchase your book for these answers here. 

*I was sent a free copy of this book to read and review.  I am not compensated in any way and am not required to write a positive review.

What Matters Most Diary of a Teenage Girl

by Melody Carlson

Multnomah Publishing

"Sixteen-year-old Maya Stark has a lot to sort through. She could graduate from high school early if she wants to. She’s considering it, especially when popular cheerleader Vanessa Hartman decides to make her life miserable–and Maya’s ex-boyfriend Dominic gets the wrong idea about everything."

"To complicate matters even more, Maya’s mother will be released from prison soon, and she’ll want Maya to live with her again. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. And when Maya plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar in front of an audience, she discovers talents and opportunities she never expected. Faced with new options, Maya must choose between a “normal” life and a glamorous one. Ultimately, she has to figure out what matters most."

What an intense book.  I personally do not have  a teen girl, but I hope my daughter's life will never be this complicated.

To purchase this book click here.

*I was sent a free copy of this book from the publisher to read and review.  I am not compensated and I am not required to write a positive review.

Limelight
by Melody Carlson

"Claudette Fioré used to turn heads and break hearts. She relished the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle because she had what it takes: money, youth, fame, and above all, beauty. But age has withered that beauty, and a crooked accountant has taken her wealth, leaving the proud widow penniless and alone."

"Armed with stubbornness and sarcasm, Claudette returns to her shabby little hometown and her estranged sister. Slowly, she makes friends. She begins to see her old life in a new light. For the first time, Claudette Fioré questions her own values and finds herself wondering if it’s too late to change."

Everyone must re-evaluate their life, especially when things do not turn out the way we would want.

To purchase this book click here.

*I was sent a free copy of this book to review.  I am not compensated and I am not required to write a positive review.

Swiss Courier

by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey
Revell Publishing

I LOVED this book.  I hope that the authors make more books from WWII.  There was not a bunch of romance, refreshing to say the least.  Intrigue and spies, I am not sure I ever would have ever picked out this book for myself but it was so good. 

 I just finished it last night.  I can not keep thinking about it.  SO GOOD!!

Taking place in Switzerland 1944, during WWII, Gabi, who is half Swiss and half American, works for the OSS doing translations.  She also has a rare talent~she is a safe cracker.  Gabi is asked to do crack a safe to retrieve some very important documents.  From there she becomes involved in a bigger more important job.

Joseph Engel works at the University.  He is working on a top secret German war weapon (the atom bomb).  Gestapo agents uncover that he is a Jew.  The race is on to see who will get to him first the Americans or the Gestapo.

I implore you to read this book.  You will NOT be disappointed.

*I recieved a free copy from the publisher to read and write my review.  I am not compensated in any other way and am not required to write a positive review.

“Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Things Worth Remembering

by Jackina Stark
Bethany House Publishing



Kendy and her daughter, Maisey, used to do everything together a mother and dughter could do.  Now, they barely even talk.  This weekend Maisey is getting married.  Kendy wishes things were different.  She would love to be involved in the wedding preparations.  Maisey has not shared anything with her mother about the wedding.

What happened between mother and daughter?  What went wrong? Things Worth Remembering is about the week leading up to the wedding.  Daily Kendy worries about the stressful situation she is in.  When Maisey reveals the secret that she has kept for so long and is what is keeping the distance between her mother and herself, will all be well?  Or will it be worse?

Reading this book, I pondered the relationship I have with my mom.  She and I are very close.  I am happy to say that our relationship was good as I was growing up as well. 

I was saddened by the big "secret" that kept Maisey from continuing a relationship with her mom.  I  hope those that read this book, will realize that the mistakes we make can effect our children in ways that we may never realize.

American Heritage

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 helps 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.

A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers

A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers
by Bright Ideas


A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers is a year long curriculum study of various composers through out time.
This one year program does not cover all of the composers, but gives a great variety of especially the main ones. This study includes classical composers as well as modern ones.


There are activities to go along with each composer as well as cards to print out to learn more. The only thing not included in this program is the music itself. This is a drawback for me, as I had to find the various selections myself. Luckily we have a huge selection of classical music and I was able to find several. Obviously we have not finished this program because we have only been using it for a little over a month. we look forward to the rest of the program. I appreciated the way it was very thorough and had some interesting activities.


We really enjoy this and look forward to trying some of the other books in the young Scholar series.


A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers is geared for children in grades 4-8. I did use this for Ben too and he is in 3rd grade.


The CD Rom is priced at $29.95
The Paper book is priced at $34.95


*I was sent a download of this program for free. I am not compensated in anyway and am not required to give a positive review.

ACT Advantage DISCOVER

Career Planning Program





DISCOVER is a career planning program designed for career counselors, but used by students. Students are able to assess their interests, values, and abilities.

With DISCOVER students are able to explore various career paths. Students are able to uncover what they migh want to be "when they grow up." It is not a guessing game, DISCOVER is a well researched program to help high school students along their career paths.

DISCOVER has not only an up to date data base filled with occupations, (including military), colleges, and majors but also financial aid options as well.

Sonny is the eighth grade. In my opinion this program is geared toward high schoolers as opposed to middle schoolers. Sonny was not really interested in doing this program, I think because he is not thinking about his future yet. We did not finish the entire program because we have had a lot of intrenet issues with our current provider.


Price: $19.95 for a three-month license, $24.95 for a six-month license.



*I was given a free download from ACT in order to write a review. I was not paid for my review and am not required to write a positive review.