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By Shawna, on May 21st, 2013 
We love one-minute mystery books around here, so when we got the chance to read the latest book in a new-to-us series from Science Naturally, of course we were excited! (And promptly requested the first two books from the library, but more on them in a moment…)
Written by father-daughter team Eric and Natalie Yoder, One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Their one-minute mystery science and math books are recommended by the National Science Teachers Association, and have won . . . → Read More: Review: Science Naturally
By Shawna, on May 12th, 2013 
It’s not often that someone who is given a second chance in life truly understands how fortunate they are and ensures they take advantage of that opportunity. Author Dianne Flynn Keith was blessed with one of these lucky few in her life, and in Papa’s Pearls, she shares the hard-won wisdom that her father passed on to her.
Carol Joseph Flynn, her Papa, came of age during the Great Depression. It was a time of little hope and much desperation; the honest suffered, and many otherwise good men made difficult choices . . . → Read More: Review: Papa’s Pearls
By Shawna, on April 4th, 2013 
Lapbooks, says A Journey Through Learning, are “scrapbooks with an educational twist.” I’ve used lapbooks on and off for years with my younger two, Chris and Chey, and the hands-on, crafty nature of lapbooks make them a favorite learning tool with my kids. The best part? A lapbook enhances the appeal of almost any subject – but when the topic is something cool, like Knights & Castles, or Astronomy & Space, it makes the parent’s job even easier. It takes no effort whatsoever to get my children to work on lapbooks.
Knights . . . → Read More: Review: A Journey Through Learning
By Shawna, on March 31st, 2013 
What did we review?
Michael and I have been trying out Algebra 2 from Math-U-See. This mastery-based curriculum includes 31 lessons, and is designed as a year-long curriculum, though it’s flexible based on your student’s needs.
What’s included with Algebra 2?
Instruction Pack
DVD lessons – Instructor Steve Demme teaches each of the lessons on the DVD, explaining many of the textbooks examples. Unlike some curricula, the video is not merely reading of the material in the textbook – differences between the two give additional insight to the topic. Instruction Manual – A hardbound book, this . . . → Read More: Review: Math U See Algebra 2
By Shawna, on March 26th, 2013 
Think there’s no way you can afford piano lessons for the kids? Think again! MusIQ Homeschool from Adventus is piano lesson software that your students can use in the comfort of your home, on your schedule, at a price far lower than the cost of traditional instruction. (Compared to $15+ per lesson for an instructor, plus transportation and time… that adds up fast.)
There are two broad levels to MusIQ Homeschool:
The Early Curriculum, comprised of Children’s Musical Journey Software, levels 1-3, and the corresponding lesson plans, created for ages 4-10, and The Multi-Level Curriculum software . . . → Read More: Review: Adventus MusIQ Homeschool Piano Lessons
By Shawna, on March 13th, 2013 
Art can be a difficult thing for homeschool parents, if, like me, they feel like they have no artistic talents whatsoever. I doodle. That’s it. Teach drawing? I wouldn’t know where to start, other than supply paper, pencils, and a plethora of “how-to-draw” books – which, for years, has been our approach to art. Supply materials and let them create at will.
For the most part, that’s an approach that everyone is content with – except that I know that there is the potential for so much more. One of the easiest ways to add more structured learning . . . → Read More: Art Lessons The Easy Way
By Shawna, on March 5th, 2013 
When teaching American history to students today, it’s easy for us to forget that so many of the stories, even legends, of days gone by were told with the specific intent of building character, encouraging hard work, and through these things, Inspiring the American Dream. Kathleen and Robert Basmadjian have claimed that goal for themselves; seeking to share a dedication to hard work, creative endeavor, and tenacity, they penned the book Abraham’s Journey, in an effort to revitalize the values at the center of the American mindset.
A full-color, 18-page paperback, Abraham’s Journey: A . . . → Read More: Inspiring the American Dream
By Shawna, on November 6th, 2012 
Apologia publishes a wide variety of books and curricula for homeschool families, ranging from the well-known Exploring Creation science to the more recent What We Believe worldview series.
One of the newest releases from Apologia Press is Journeys of Faithfulness, a combination Bible Study & Devotional created by Sarah Clarkson. Written for ages twelve and up, crafted especially for mothers and daughters, Journeys of Faithfulness presents the stories of biblical women, presented in a way that is both historically accurate, yet embellished with small touches . . . → Read More: Apologia Journeys of Faithfulness Sarah Clarkson
By Shawna, on October 25th, 2012 
We recently received a set of ten colored Reading Rulers from Crossbow Education to try out. Designed to reduce eye strain and increase clarity for those with visual stress and dyslexia, the Duo Window Reading Rulers reduce glare, improve focus, assist in tracking the words along the page, and will work on either a gloss or matte surface. The Duo Window Rulers have two windows – one narrow, best for isolating a single line of text, and one wider, for reading entire paragraphs at a time.
In the . . . → Read More: Crossbow Education
By Shawna, on October 23rd, 2012 
In the front of the bible…
The Deep Blue Kids Bible begins with an introduction to the “kid characters” that will guide your child through their new bible. Named Asia, Edgar, and Kat, these three are designed to make the bible seem friendly and approachable and alive, like another friend that they know in person, and it’s a success.
It’s followed by a description of the creators of the bible, and then the features, which I’ll describe. Also included is a reference section that lists the books of the Old . . . → Read More: Deep Blue Kids Bible
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