Art of Argument~TOS Review

I have to say I never thought I would be teaching Logic to my high schooler when we began thinking about homeschooling. Lately, however, my wise husband and I have been discussing our children’s need to be able to clearly and effectively get their point across. Things like Speech, Debate, and Logic have been tossed around. When I got the opportunity to review a Logic course from Classical Academic Press I was grateful.

Art of Argument, An Introduction to the Informal Fallacies is an introductory course to informal logic. It takes the student through each of the 28 fallacies by using dialogue, false advertising, real world applications, worksheets, tests, and skits. Include the 5 DVD set to see student discussions for each fallacy.

Our Thoughts:

The first thing we noticed is before you even begin the 1st chapter there is work to complete in the form of definitions and essays. This gives your student a starting point, really lets them see where their experiences with logic have brought them. After doing this self evaluation the student begins unit 1 with Fallacies of Relevance and the definition for each. In chapter 1 the first sub group of fallacies are addressed and examined using advertising and an imaginary conversation with Socrates.

I feel we could easily do this in one semester as intended but a suggestion of a year long course might appeal to those with younger students. My only suggestion is that you may want to take some times to plan out your units/daily work since there is no suggested schedule.

Geared for students in grades 7-9, Art of Argument provides a very complete intro to logic. A student with no previous coursework in Logic could use this throughout high school. If your student is interested in debate this would be an excellent course to begin with. My children will be using this course and then following up with Classical Academic Press’s The Argument Builder as a required course which I will count as 1 credit for high school (1/2 credit for each semester course).

To read reviews on both products please click the banner at the top of this post.

 

COST:

The Art of Argument, An Introduction to the Informal Fallacies

Art of Argument TG-$24.95
Student WB-$21.95
DVD Set-$54.95

Art of Argument Basic Bundle – $88.95
Includes: Student workbook, Teacher guide, DVD set

 

Mandy

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of the above product in exchange for my honest opinion. My review is based on our family’s experience and may or may not reflect your own. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review ~ Creek Edge Press Earth & Space Science Task Cards

Do you ever have those moments where the day is just what you imagined homeschooling was going to be like. You know way back before reality set in. I have to admit I do, but it is not the norm around our chaotic, happy, loud, messy house. Often we are struggling to get everything finished on time and trying to maintain sanity amid multiple meltdowns over various things from any one (or more of the children). I have recently experienced many more of these perfect homeschool days, however. You wouldn’t think that, considering I just had a baby 2 weeks ago and my dear husband is training with the military in another state, but Creek Edge Press has made it possible. I am so grateful for this resource since it has most likely saved my family from extinction.

I have always been inspired to make our homeschool experiences Classical, and the methods of Miss Charlotte Mason and Miss Maria Montessori incorporate wonderfully with my goals and our desires for our children to be life longer learners. To that end we have used narrating and living books extensively in our schooling adventures. Creek Edge Press Task Cards are the perfect complement to our studies. A wonderful way for my children to be self directed and independent within the chosen study.

What are Task Cards?
”Each Task Card Set includes a set of Task Cards and a Course Introduction. The cards are designed to engage the student in investigative, discovery based learning. Each card within a set is intended to be used at a pace of about one per week. The tasks direct students to research and explore concepts and vocabulary surrounding a particular topic which is stated on the card. Further key concepts and vocabulary are encountered within the subsequent tasks. The student engages in completing these tasks within a learning environment prepared by the teacher. The work is done during a work period set aside for Task Card use.”

After reading through the course introduction for Earth and Space Science I decided to just dive in and have both my 4th and 9th grader work on these. I went through the Book List and Supporting Links and gathered together what books and things we needed to complete the first card. I instructed the boys on how to use the cards and pretty much left them alone. I hoped they would be able to just pick up the card and work through each task independently. I was pleased to find that not only were they empowered to be independent and do the work, but their work was deeper than that which they have done recently. My boys were doing independent research, diligently working to complete each task, and showing pride in accomplishing those tasks.

 

 

 

 

I did not add anything extra for my older son but we feel that his tasks could be altered easily enough to reflect appropriate grade level work. To see what topics are covered in the set we used take a look at the Earth and Space Scope & Sequence. I really enjoyed this way of teaching and letting my children learn through this method. It reminds me of the easy laid back days when we first began home schooling but without all the hours of planning from ME! I have longed to get back to this way of doing school for awhile now and I am so thankful I have been introduced to Creek Edge Press.

The Task Card Approach consists of several sets across all subject areas including:

• Science (K-8th) $18/set
• History (K-8th), Geography and Culture (K-6th) $20/set
• Art (K-12) $32/sets I, II, III
• Music (K-12) $32/sets I, II, III
• Grammar Reinforcement (2nd-6th)$18/sets I, II

Replacement cards are available for $.50 a card.

I received Earth and Space Science for this review, for thoughts from other TOS Crew members on additional sets please click the banner at the top of this post.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received the above product free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given to me.

Science for the not so scientific

Cruise post goes live every Tuesday

I thought since my blogging has been a bit review oriented lately, what with being pregnant and exhausted and all, I would join the TOS Blog Cruise and talk about what our favorite Science resource is this year. I am by no means a science person, I much more prefer History, Art, and Language Arts. Yes I do know that makes me strange. I understand the need for my children to be taught Science and taught well.

We began our homeschool journey about 3 1/2 years ago and at that time I was also pregnant and we were using Ambleside Online as our curriculum. They include science as living books which I love but I also wanted a solid science curriculum that covered more than nature studies and scientist biographies. I stumbled onto a program called Math/Science Nucleus, a free k-12 online math and science complete curriculum. I used the k-12 Science curriculum to fill the need I had. I really liked it. It had a very simple, straight forward approach, was interactive and hands on with experiments my children could easily do at home.

Last year we used Apologia Physical Science and Flying Creatures along with My Father’s World ECC and I loved using those, God honoring, insightful, fun and also hands on. This year we used Apologia Biology and Heart of Dakota’s Bigger Hearts for His Glory which uses a living books approach with experiments tied in. I find Apologia Biology much more difficult to do this year since the experiments need a microscope (not all do just where we are in it so far) and Bigger while fun is not quite what I want in a science program for my younger son.

So after 3 years of using these three very different approaches to science I have to say My Favorite is:

None!

Now you are thinking “what is she going on about then?”

Actually I will tell you. I do not have a favorite because with each year comes a different need for my children. For example, my younger son used Flying Creatures last year and we struggled with it. It was too much for him to write even when we took it slowly. This year with HOD’s Bigger he is writing/notebooking experiments (lab sheets) and while it is not any less writing there is no big huge book staring him in the face, only a single sheet of paper that is put into a big blank book.

So for me my favorite science resource is the one that helps my children excel and conquer those mountains that before seemed impossible to climb. Here is to using what works for you, I’d love to hear about it.

Stop by the Cruise by clicking the button at the top of this post to see what other Crew members said about their favorite science resources.

Mandy

K5 Learning ~ TOS Review

I am always looking for a way to allow my kids to have fun while learning. They are huge into video games and so online learning websites really appeal to us. We had a chance to review K5Learning, an online math and reading enrichment program for k-5th grade.

There are 4 components to the program:

1. K5 Reading helps kids become strong readers and develop a love of reading. This award-winning program covers phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
2. K5 Spelling is an advanced vocabulary program which improves language skills one word at a time. We feature adaptive instruction, automatic word generation, an optimized visual interface, and a 150,000+ word database.
3. K5 Math is an award-winning program which builds self confidence and a deep understanding of math concepts. K5 Math covers numbers and operations, geometry, measurement (including time and money), algebraic thinking and data analysis
4. K5 Math Facts uses adaptive technology to help kids develop instant recall of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Progress on each and every math fact is monitored until mastery is obtained.

Be sure and click the button for a free 14 day trial.

Each lesson is based on assessment not age or grade level. You are emailed progress reports as your child works independently. The lessons are interactive, full instruction for new concepts, and customizable to child’s skill level.

A Monthly subscription is $25 for the 1st child and just $15 for additional children. An annual subscription is also available for $199/1st child and $129/additional child.

Our Thoughts:

I had good feelings about this program and from what I have seen I really like all it has to offer. My 9 y/o son however flat out refused to do it after he saw his math report as being a 2nd grade level. He loves math and is quite good at it so maybe he did not do the assessment correctly. I think if he had the time to give it another chance he would really like it.

Watch this video to get a good idea of how K5 works.

 

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received a free 6 week trial in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not otherwise compensated.

Reading Eggs ~ TOS Review

I recently began trying to teach my 3 y/o daughter her alphabet and it really has been hit or miss. She never wants to stick with one letter long and tends to not want to work on the activities I set out. So far it is all play and we are ok with that but I want to begin a more structured lesson with her. It has been a struggle with her resistant and me frustrated. Lucky for me I was given the chance to check out Reading Eggs.

Reading Eggs is an online program that teaches your children how to read. Beginning at age 3 with letter sounds and continuing up through age 13 developing stronger reading skills and fluency Reading Eggs is complete reading curriculum. Interactive games and activities motivate children to keep exploring and learning, click for a FREE TRIAL.

 

 

 

I had my daughter start at the beginning since she hasn’t learned any of this yet, but there is an assessment my 9 y/o son took which placed him with a reading age of 5.75. This is my only problem with the program, it seems to not be very accurate with the assessments. He got every question correct yet the program started him in level 8 out of 12. His actual reading level is that of a 13 year old so this was a bit puzzling to me. I do understand it is based on the work completed so far but I believe that it should be more accurate especially for older children who might lose motivation because of a low perceived reading ability.

There is a second portion to the site called Reading Express that addresses the reading needs of the older student. With a library full of a variety of leveled e-books, 200 comprehension lessons, and a great selection of games and activities in the virtual world.

We really enjoyed Reading Eggs and Reading Express and plan on using it for some time. I really saw my daughter get excited about her letters and she seems to have grasped in a few weeks what before took me months to get her to do. I loved that they had free printable worksheets for each lesson and that they were very simple, perfect for the shorter attention spans of a preschooler.

Optional book packs are also available for purchase for Level 1 or 2 that are $65.00 and include 40 reading books + 200 stickers, 4 mini posters, 4 Activity books and a pack of durable Flashcards with games keyed to each levels lessons. For $110.00 You can purchase both packs.

Reading Eggs is membership based and has 3 subscription options.

• Monthly – $9.95
  Full access to Reading Eggs
  Full access to Reading Eggspress
  Will be renewed automatically 5 days, before renewal date, cancellation notice required
• 6 Months – $49.95
  Full access to Reading Eggs
  Full access to Reading Eggspress
  Only $8.33 a month
• 12 Months – $75.00
  Full access to Reading Eggs
  Full access to Reading Eggspress
  Only $6.25 a month – Best Value!

* Your second child receives a 50% discount when purchasing the same subscription in the same transaction.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received a free trial for the above product in exchange for my honest opinion. I have not been compensated in any other way.

All About Reading Level 1~TOS Review

The one thing I always worry about with each of my children and being a homeschool mom is whether or not I will do an adequate job teaching them to read, and read well. I tend to be a perfectionist and scripted lessons are ideal so I can adjust what I need to, yet still feel I have a solid grasp on what I am teaching since I have no teaching experience other than what I learned in college ages ago. All About Reading Level 1 fits this so well for me.

My children thrive on short lessons so we use many of Charlotte Mason’s methods and while not strictly CM the lessons are short. Using this with my daughter has been a joy.  I know I am covering the next thing she needs and I know she is enjoying it!

From the site:
”Here's Why All About Reading Works

Your child will be actively involved in the learning process. This is a true multisensory program: your child will learn through sight, sound, and touch. Everything is taught in context, and your child applies new learning right away. Your child will be engaged in thinking, processing, comparing, and learning.

Students who use the All About Reading method tend to feel a sense of excitement in learning. And they should! They are learning how to think, explore, and grow in their abilities. They feel successful as they see continual progress.

There are no gaps in this program. Your child will be taught everything he or she needs to know about reading, so no guessing is required. Each new concept builds upon the previous one, and no steps are skipped.

There are five key components of reading—and our program teaches all of them thoroughly. Those components are:

• Phonological Awareness
• Phonics and Decoding
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension ”

When you order the Level 1 Kit, you'll receive five items:

1. Teacher's Manual  (sample)
2. Student Packet (includes Activity Book)  (sample)
3. Run, Bug, Run! reader  (sample)
4. The Runt Pig reader  (sample)
5. Cobweb the Cat reader  (sample)

Cost:

$99.95

You will also need to choose either the Basic or Deluxe Reading Interactive Kit. The Interactive Kit contains non-consumable items that are used throughout the entire All About Reading program. I also recommend a magnetic white board to use your letter tiles on.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the above curriculum in exchange for my honest opinion. I have not received any other compensation.

TOS Review ~ Beeyoutiful Skin Care

 

I have to tell you about something that has been a true life saver for me. You see I just gave birth to my fourth child and have some pretty sore back muscles. I received a product from Beeyoutiful health and skin care called Ow!-Ease which is meant to relieve the pain of bruising, strains and similar ailments.

I originally began using it on my 9 y/o son because he had a nasty bruise from his younger sister (she was a biter for a bit). It really helped with the soreness and it seemed to speed healing. After that I thought I would try it on my back pain I usually applied Icy Hot to. I was a bit skeptical but the next morning my back felt better. I was convinced that this Arnica based ointment was my new favorite pain relief product for the entire family. Plus, it smells really nice!

Ingredients include beeswax, olive oil, coconut oil, organic chamomile, wildcrafted calendula, organic St. John’s wort and is NOT for internal use (orally or broken skin)

Here is a little about how it works:
”Using a proprietary blend of herbs, Ow!-Ease relieves pain associated with sprains, strains and pulled ligaments and muscles, bruises, and contusions. It works quickly and effectively to help reduce swelling and muscle pain, and is excellent as a rub for body builders, construction workers, and gardeners alike. The amazing qualities of these herbs work synergistically to soothe, restore, and actually speed tissue healing.”

Ow!-Ease comes in a 1 oz tube and is $15.00 but you receive a discount when you purchase multiple quantities.

• Buy 3 for $13.50 each and save 10%
• Buy 6 for $12.75 each and save 15%
• Buy 12 for $12.00 each and save 20%

Be sure to check out the videos for other products at Beeyoutiful Living’s youtubechannel.

I also tried the B.A.L.M. Lip Moisturizer, with orange oil, yummy! My boys and hubby loved this one. It was very smooth and natural feeling they said. I like a glossier feel to my lip products so this wasn’t a favorite but I did really like the scent and that had me using it most days. It sells for $3.00 and comes in peppermint oil too.

Overall I really like the line of products available from this company and look forward to getting to know more about them. Please click the banner at the top of this post to read other reviews on multiple products from Beeyoutiful at TOS Crew Blog.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received for free a selection of products from the above named company in exchange for providing a honest review. I have not received any other compensation.

Apologia Who Am I~TOS Review

Last year I was blessed to be able to review the first volume of Apologia Press’s new line of worldview curriculum, What We Believe series . You may read that review by clicking here Who Is God. This year when I had the chance to review the second volume I was thrilled to say the least. Who Am I is everything I expected and more. This time I received not only the textbook but also the MP3 audio CD, coloring book, and journal. I am blown away by the company’s generosity.

From the website:
”The second book in the What We Believe series, Who Am I? (And What Am I Doing Here?) helps children understand what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of the Most High God. This study will enable students to develop a healthy self-image based on these biblical truths: God made me in His image and crowned me with glory; He has given me special gifts and a unique purpose in life; I can creatively express God's love; I am meant to think about beautiful and praiseworthy things, especially God and His Word; I must make decisions based on God's truth; I can always know the wise thing to do; I must cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in my life; I am a beloved child of God whose true identity is found in Christ.”

What we liked:

• Teacher Helps available online as usual.
• I really loved the Notebooking Journal and the suggested lesson plans in both it and the text.
• The audio MP3 was wonderful since it meant Mom was not the teacher. Our discussions were much more fluid and thoughtful.
• My younger son really enjoyed the coloring book and thought it was cool how he could tell which picture went with which part of the audio. This meant he was paying attention!!! Huge for us because normally when I read he is not.

What we disliked:

• My only complaint was that the audio was not playable in a cd player. We tend to try to stay off the computer during school so having it able to play in a regular CD player would have been perfect. I did however figure out my DVD player has MP3 capabilities so I just used it that way. Just meant we had to do school in another room which was fine for us.

COST:
Textbook – $39
Journal – $24
Audio MP3 – $19
Coloring book – $8

Age range ------> 6-14

Be sure and take a look at a Sample Lesson and TOC so you get an idea of how this book is laid out and what is covered.

To see other reviews on this product click the TOS Crew banner at the top of this post.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the above items at no charge in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given to me.

A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks ~ Early Learning Review

Recently my daughter has been asking to do school which has me thrilled beyond belief. My problem is that she is not yet 3 and I firmly believe structured school time for her is better late than early. I am familiar with lapbooks and having done a few with my boys decided to pull their old ones out for her to look at. She was hooked and began asking for her own books.

I found some free ones online and while they were ok I really wanted one that could become her Pre-K book. I looked for something that had colors, numbers, letters, shapes, basically one we could do a bit at a time and it would last us a long time. I was having trouble so I asked my trusty fellow homeschool moms and was directed to a new-to-me-resource, A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks.

This company has a goldmine of wonderful lapbooks for all subjects, including some to go along with very well known publishers, but I was especially thrilled to find an entire section of early learning ones. Their website also has some great resources, including freebies, not just lapbooks but unit studies, copywork, notebooking pages, and products to make lapbooking/notebooking a breeze. They have a Digital lapbook product called DigiFolios which looks very exciting as a new way to do lapbooking on the computer, kind of like digital scrapbooking.

 Letters, Numbers, and Shapes was exactly what I had been looking for. A 3 folder lapbook, this is a super full lapbook. It is a 51 page PDF file and I just could not believe how beautiful and full it was when I received it. It also is available on CD, Printed, and preassembled.

Sample Pages VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

My daughter was so excited to do her schoolwork! I had precut everything for our first folder and then we got to work. The directions were very easy to follow and with the accompanying placement guide pictures my daughter could put it together almost on her own. The 3 folder lapbooks are meant for a month long study but we will be taking our time with this one and stretching it out over 3-4 months.

I am so glad to have found a product that my daughter is excited to use and really holds her interest for more than a few seconds at a time. She is very strong willed and when she decides to do a project it isn’t always the one I am wanting to work on. A Journey Through Learning has solved that problem because there is so much in this lapbook that she has plenty to pick from.

 

 

 

 

Contact:
A Journey Through Learning
420 Braemar Rd.
Shreveport, LA 71106

www.ajourneythroughlearning.com
lapbooks@ajourneythroughlearning.net

Make sure you follow them on Google +, Facebook, and Twitter.

So just who are the creators of these awesome tools?

About Nancy
Founder and co-owner of A Journey Through Learning.
I am married to a wonderful Christian man named Rusty who is a Cardiologist. We have 4 children-Lindsey, Lauren, Candace and Cameron, a Cavalier King Charles named Charlie, and a turtle.
Our children have always been homeschooled. Our oldest daughter, Lindsey, is currently a pre-med student. Lauren is in the 9th grade. Our only boy, Cameron(age 10), was adopted from Guatemala. He is the cutie pictured on our home page. Our daughter, Candace,was adopted from China. Unbeknownst to us at the time of her adoption, Candace had Batten Disease. On July 18, 2009, only six years after her adoption, we lost our sweet angel to this terrible illness. She was only 13 years old. We miss her so much.

About Paula
Founder and co-owner of A Journey Through Learning
Twenty-five years ago, I married to my high school sweetheart, Greg, whom I met when we had a class together in 11th grade. Greg is a supervisor over the Sex Offenders Department for the Sheriff's Office. We have 2 children, Alex and Audra, and an Australian Shepherd named Jedda.
Our family has been homeschooling since our children have been born. I taught public school for 4 years back in the late 80's and early 90's. When I had my first child, I knew that "at home" with my son was where I always wanted to be! While my son was still a baby, Greg and I decided that we would homeschool our son and any other children born to us in the future. That was 19 years ago! Our son graduated in 2010, having never set foot in a government school. He is currently in college, majoring in Computer Networking. Audra is in 9th grade.
It is our hope and prayer that our curriculum will be a blessing to your family and that it provides your children with many hours of smiles, laughter, fun..... and knowledge.

We are growing! Our newest team members are:

Betty Eisenhour- Technical Advisor & Promotions Director ~ Visit Betty's award-winning blog at http://peacecreekontheprairie.com/

Sheila Corbin-Lapbook Assembly

Natalia Bendele-Writer

Lauri Harrison-Writer

Cost:
Varies depending on the product, check website for details.

Be sure to visit their website and signup for the newsletter and get a FREE "Overview of the 17th Century" lapbook!

Mandy

Disclaimer: I was provided a free PDF copy of the above product in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.

We Choose Virtues~TOS Review

One of the important reasons we decided to homeschool was to combat all the bad attitudes/behavior our children were bringing home from traditional school. I began realizing even my youngest at the time in kindergarten was coming home with nastiness in his heart. It only took a short while for us to implement a study on Christian virtues.

While this is something I have always planned myself I often wondered if there was a really good curriculum out there that would be already planned out for me. It turns out there is some wonderful plans out, one of which I recently had the pleasure of checking out myself.

We Choose Virtues provides Character Education Curriculum for “Simply Inspiring Character That Lasts”! Heather McMillan created We Choose Virtues in response to the lack of self control, honesty, and perseverance she saw in the children she came in contact with as a preschool teacher and children’s pastor.

I received the Virtue Clues Cards, The Teacher’s Handbook, Kids of Virtue Ville Coloring Book, as well as free downloads from their website: Family Character Assessment, and Kids Memory Verses, Bible Heroes & Truths. There are 12 virtues addressed in the clue cards:

Attentiveness

Contentedness

Diligence

Forgiveness

Gentleness

Helpfulness

Honesty

Kindness

Obedience

Patience

Perseverance

Self-Control

Designed for use with children in early childhood through elementary age, We Choose Virtues also has products for youth up to age 18. Products are available individually or in kits for home, homeschool, children’s church/youth group, or the classroom.

Cost:
Virtue Clues Cards - $7.95 each (on sale right now),
Kids of Virtue Ville Coloring Book - $3.00 (pdf download)
Homeschool Kit -   $99.99 (includes flash cards, Kids Virtue poster, three mini-posters, parenting cards, 25 sheet pad of Virtue User Review, 16 sheet pad of Personal Virtue Charts, The Three Rules poster, and Handbook and Coloring Book downloads)

I found my children to be a bit too old for the set we had gotten but I think they would do well with the older youth set. My 9 y/o son did not like the Virtue Ville Kids and my 16 y/o son pretty much liked the idea but not the cartoon like characters. Now if they were done anime style my boys would have loved them. They did work well even with my boys complaints. When I pulled out a virtue card the boys tried to be aware and correct their behavior. It will be perfect for my youngest who is 2 and beginning to need positive reminders! I would love to get the entire homeschool set since I have another child on the way and we would use it for a good while, the cost is justifiable for us.

Be sure to check out the banner at the top of this post to read other Crew reviews on this product.

Mandy

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of the above product in exchange for my honest opinion. My review is based on our family’s experience and may or may not reflect your own. No other compensation was received.