Our Homeschool Year In Review

Laura Lee of http://wastedtextbooks.blogspot.com/ asked me to update my plans for this school year, especially in light of our time on the TOS Homeschool Crew.  Did we achieve all our goals while testing other curricula?  No, we didn't ... but we're close.  We're still on track with the main subjects.

I had planned to take a slower trek through Tapestry of Grace Year 3, so we didn't start into Tapestry of Grace Year 4 until the new school year.  (We initially started TOG in the Spring, so we're always starting a new year plan toward the end of a school year.)  We stopped our TOG for awhile to review other curricula, and then we actually started it again as part of our Crew reviews.  But in order to finish Year 3 in this school year, we've made the decision to move quickly through these last two units ... "double-time" in military lingo.  We're covering two weeks at once, but not as in-depth.

8 yo J and 9 yo C each tried out Math Mammoth for awhile this school year, but they also finished their Horizons Math workbooks.  C started Saxon 54 over a month ago and J is currently finishing the Mathematical Reasoning book we reviewed from The Critical Thinking Company.  We really like this, and it's got him at grade level, whereas he was using a lower level of Horizons Math.

13 yo A tested Aleks online math for a few months this year, but she did finish her Saxon 76 and started Saxon Algebra 1/2 this past month.  12 yo R is the only one who didn't test an alternate math program.  She completed her Saxon 65 and started Saxon 76 this month, as well.

I had hoped to use Ray's Arithmetic once a week for a new challenge with the children.  I didn't crack them open once.  I've owned them for 2-3 years now, and haven't used them.  I think I'm going to sell the set.

13 yo A had to set aside her Apologia's General Science text to review Friendly Chemistry for awhile.  So she's now continuing with General Science.  I have a plan for her high school science all figured out, but that will need to be another post. 

9 yo C and 12 yo R are both reading It Couldn't Just Happen at the moment.  I think C is young for it, but she finished her Christian Liberty Nature Readers and needed something else for science.  I'm pondering whether to have her continue with ICJH or not. 

I still need to use my Handbook of Nature Study with the children more, as we observe the nature around us on our property.  Although I always set a goal of working on our nature journals regularly, it always seems to be set aside.

9 yo C and 8 yo J continue with their Italic handwriting, after taking time to test Peterson's Directed Handwriting.  After finishing testing Peterson's, 13 yo A asked for a traditional cursive workbook (but not Peterson's).  Although she had not been doing daily handwriting for several years,  we bought her A Reason For Writing, and she's working on developing her cursive more.  She didn't care for italic cursive in the end.

13 yo A finished her Easy Grammar workbook and will start Simply Grammar for a change of pace for now.   We're still trying to decide what grammar to use through high school with her.  12 yo R is still working on her Easy Grammar workbook.

I did not manage to add Emma Serl's  Primary Language Lessons and  Intermediate Language Lessons into our curriculum, but I still hope to. 

Spelling Power has been neglected this year, for everyone.  We'll pick it up again for these final weeks of school, and continue with it in the Fall.  I'm still pondering All About Spelling that we reviewed, and whether to use it with J and future young students.  My mind is telling me it's the right way to teach spelling and phonics to young students, but my flesh is whining about the extra lesson.  Wimpy me!

The oldest two girls are finishing their logic workbooks.  R will finish hers this week, but A is further behind.  I still need to decide whether to pursue this subject in the fall, and with what curriculum.

8 yo J has spent the year working on his reading ability, and building confidence.  He's made quite a bit of progress, especially in the last month.  This will open up many more subjects to him next school year. 

While we didn't get as far in some subjects as I would have hoped, and I still didn't add in some of the supplemental stuff I wanted to, we did learn things I hadn't planned this school year.  Thanks to the Crew, we studied Latin, Spanish, French, piano, art, chemistry, web-page design, homophones, creative writing, The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia), and A Cricket In Times Square.  And my younger ones tested a science textbook, hands-on spelling, and a formal writing curriculum, which we don't usually use at those ages.  We also were able to try two different products for phonics and reading that were new to us and did help J with his reading.  I think those things balance out the goals we didn't meet for the school year.

In addition, we dealt with many life issues this year.  We welcomed a new baby into our family and learned to unselfishly care for him and his needs.  We further developed our ability to work together as a family.  We learned about grief as we said goodbye to my husband's Dad, the children's first grandparent to die.  We hosted extended family here several times, which added in extra life skills of housekeeping and hospitality.  The girls are also learning to sew and J is learning woodworking for 4H.  We've had kittens born, and watched some die, and we're raising Ameraucana chicks in our basement at the moment.  And of course, they're still learning how to care for our dog and the Persian cats.

We have also practiced public speaking in homeschool group and 4H.    They prepared a project and presentation on Germany for the homeschool group, memorized and told stories for the homeschool group's story-telling class, prepared their first science fair projects and presented them, introduced games and music for their 4H group meetings, and will be doing their 4H project talks this weekend. 

So many things they've learned outside of "textbooks" that make this school year a success, in my opinion.  They're even learning to make new friends in church, 4H, and homeschool group.  They're learning about their new community, their new church, and figuring out the social skills to adapt to a new group and forge friendships in a new community.  They've made so much progress in this area since the Fall!  They're also learning how to build their own relationships with each other, and how to enjoy the family God has given them, living out in the country without next-door neighbors.

We'll be finishing our school year in early July ... again.  Last school year the move made us go later, and this year a new baby set us behind schedule.  Hopefully next school year we can follow a more traditional schedule.  I really prefer to finish in late May or early June.  We'll probably start in mid-late August again, so if all goes well, we should be able to finish in May or June next year.

Next fall, we will have 9th grade A (14 yo), 7th grade R (12.5 yo), 5th grade C (10 yo), 3rd grade J (8.5 yo), Kindergarten M (5.5 yo), preschool L (3.5 yo), and toddler G (1 yo).   I'm still finalizing my thoughts and plans for next year, but we have most of what we need already.  I'll post more about our plans for next year sometime this summer.  I'll also share my plans for A's high school years soon.

Trusting in Him,
April

My journey with the TOS Crew

When I applied to be part of the TOS Crew, I had no idea what I was stepping into.  I just thought I'd be getting free stuff and getting to write about it.  Cool!

What I didn't realize was all the other ways the Crew would affect me, my family, and our homeschool.

I didn't expect:

• to become friends with the other Crew members, looking forward to daily interaction with them


• to learn about all the curriculum I haven't used or even heard of before ... even beyond the items we reviewed


• to be tempted to change our own curriculum 


• that I would need to redefine my own homeschool vision and goals


• to be confronted with some of the weaknesses of our curriculum choices and have to make decisions regarding them


• to begin to feel inadequate when I compared myself with other homeschoolers' styles and methods


• to feel a push to focus on more academics and structure than we usually do


• to face the weaknesses of our relaxed structure and style


• to be tempted to spend too much time promoting my blog and my writing


• to struggle to implement new curriculum so often


• to need to set aside our own curriculum plans for the year


• to have 14 reviews due in December


• to find my children as eagerly involved in the review process


• to grieve when my time on the Crew was ending


• to find myself addicted to reviewing books and products


• to be blessed by the people, the products, and the experience

In the end, though:

• I was reaffirmed in most of the curriculum decisions we've made


• I explored other curriculum options and returned to Tapestry Of Grace


• I was inspired to use more unit studies with the younger children again


• I was confronted with some areas of laziness in our homeschool that we need to improve


• My children learned to be flexible and to work together as a family


• My children missed our curriculum and were also reaffirmed in their enjoyment of our homeschool style


• My children were exposed to new subjects and languages, and were able to explore art and music


• I will be keeping in touch with many of the other Crew members, so we'll still remain friends


• I am determined to keep the balance between my family, homeschooling them, blogging and writing


• I have found other opportunities to continue to write reviews


• I am so thankful for my time on the Crew, with all its ups and downs
  

I did struggle with feelings of inadequacy on this Crew.  I felt like a new homeschooler at times, adrift and uncertain which direction to head.  Thankfully, my husband wasn't facing similar feelings so he could act as a rudder to bring me back around as needed.  I was unprepared for this the most ... more than the deadlines and the hectic juggling of new curriculum. 

Thankfully, the experience helped reaffirm our choices in the end.  There are areas in our homeschool I still feel challenged to change and improve, but mostly I feel as if I went through a time of searching ... only to find that what we were already using really was the best for us.

Likewise, I found myself wandering away from my focus as a homeschool Mom and Christian wife for awhile ... seeking after more opportunities to write, to promote my blog, and to be noticed.  While I'm still thankful I learned so many things about how to promote my blog, and increase readership, I also am thankful I saw what I was doing and refocused.

Trusting in Him,
April

Memoria Press: Classical Christian Education

               

Click on the images to go directly to product descriptions.

When Memoria Press told us we could select items to review, my children all came rushing to the computer to help me choose.  I knew we wanted to review the Famous Men Of Modern Times set since it fits right into our current history studies, but they had so many other great products to choose from I couldn't make up my mind.  My oldest girls were excited about First Start French: Book One, so we chose it, as well.  Then we anxiously waited for our package to ship, and arrive.

When the package arrived, everyone gathered around to see the books.  My oldest two ran off with the First Start French and I had to make them bring it back to me after awhile.  I sat down with Famous Men Of Modern Times and was immediately impressed with the full-color artwork included with each biography.  I don't mean recent artists' renderings, but famous classical paintings.

Famous Men of Modern Times

Famous Men of Modern Times is a reprint of a classic book, first published in 1909.   It covers 33 famous men who were prominent in history between the years of 1449 and 1898.  Memoria Press has added beautiful artwork to the book, and the book itself is a large paperback that is a comfortable size to hold and read. 

Memoria Press has created excellent study guides to go along with the book.  The student guide is designed for the junior high student (6th - 8th grade).  It includes important facts to know about key people, quotes, vocabulary, comprehension questions, activities, and some map work.  The student guide also includes review lessons, a "who said that" worksheet, and a timeline.  The student guide can be used as a consumable workbook, or the answers could be written on separate paper, but it is not reproducible.

The teacher's guide isn't just a list of answers without the context of what was asked.  Instead, it is a copy of the student guide with the answers included.  The teacher's guide also includes copywork passages, writing prompts, tests, test answer keys, and a final exam of 100 drill questions.

Memoria Press'  Famous Men Of Modern Times set is a comprehensive study of modern history centered around the interesting stories of real people.   With 33 weeks' worth of work, it is a full-year's history curriculum for junior high.  It is a complete history curriculum that doesn't require any other resources or materials.  The Famous Men of Modern Times text could also be used as a supplement to another history curriculum. 

We enjoyed the Famous Men Of Modern Times set.  The text is beautiful, with its artwork, and the biographies it includes are interesting.  All of my children listened as I read the biographies from Famous Men Of Modern Times aloud.  When we discussed the comprehension questions, I was surprised at the facts that even the younger children retained.  The student and teacher's guides are very comprehensive and include more than enough activities to help your student learn and remember the people and events in history.  Since the text is written in the form of biographies, it enables our students to have a memory peg to organize the historical events around.  Famous Men Of Modern Times is not a traditional textbook -- it's much better!

First Start French, Book One

First Start French, Book One is a French curriculum written for the 3rd - 8th grade student.  It provides an introduction to the French language.  The set includes the student text, teacher's guide, and a CD that enables the teacher and student to hear the proper pronunciation of words.  The student text and the teacher's guide are both quality full-size paperback books. 

The textbook is broken down into 36 weekly lessons, and the teacher's guide begins with suggestions for breaking each lesson down into 4 sessions per week.  Six of the lessons are review lessons, and the other 30 lessons introduce the student to French vocabulary, grammar, songs, and conversation. 

The teacher's guide is non-consumable and reusable.  The student guide can be used as a consumable workbook, or the answers could be recorded in a notebook to make the student guide re-usable.  Neither book is reproducible, however. You can view samples at the Memoria Press website.

I love the straight-forward approach of First Start French.  It is easy to use, for the teacher and the student.  The accompanying CD is recorded by a native French-speaker.  The accent is wonderful to hear, however we found it very quiet and had to turn our volume up very loud to hear it well.

My girls have enjoyed adding French phrases to their conversation and can be heard singing "Bon Matin" throughout the day.  It worked well to have both my older girls working on First Start French at the same time, for encouragement and carmaraderie. 

The ElCloud Point Of View

Although we have thoroughly enjoyed Famous Men Of Modern Times we will not be using it as written.  Since we already use another history-centered curriculum, we will use Famous Men of Modern Times as a supplement, but not as our main history curriculum. 

First Start French: Book One states that it is designed for 3rd - 8th graders, but it can also be used in high school.  Together,  First Start French: Book One and First Start French: Book Two equal one high school credit of French.  We enjoyed using First Start French and will be saving it for high school use in our home.

Final Details

The Famous Men Of Modern Times set is sold for $39.95 on the Memoria Press website.  You can also buy the text individually for $16.95, and the teacher's guide or additional student guides for $17.95 each.  

First Start French: Book One is also sold as a set for $39.95 at Memoria Press.  The teacher's guide can be bought separately for $17.50, as can the student guide book.  The Pronunciation CD is $4.95. 

I really feel that is a great price for both of these curriculums, and I'm glad we were introduced to Memoria Press and all their great products! 

Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April

April's Homeschool Crew Top 20

We were blessed to receive so many curricula and educational items to review this year as part of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  We truly enjoyed trying out so many new things, and are thankful to all the vendors who sent items for our family to review. 

But when all is said and done, we do have our absolute favorites, the ones that we just know are right for our family.  The children and I compiled this list together, although we couldn't narrow it down to just ten items.

#1 Favorite Curriculum Of All

Five In A Row -- this is still the curriculum I recommend most often because it is so gentle, enjoyable, user-friendly, and inexpensive.  I love the books that it uses to teach, and I love the gentle conversational style of education.  I have to admit that I really do compare every other curriculum that I use to Five In A Row.

#2 Favorite Curriculum Of All

Tapestry of Grace -- I love that it simplifies the process of teaching multiple levels of children and uses living books.  I love the unity of the whole family studying together with history as the foundation of our studies.  I love that I can adapt it easily from week to week.   I rated it #2 because I know it isn't as user-friendly and it's more expensive.

Best New Discoveries For Me

All About Spelling and All About Homophones (both by Marie Rippel) were the best new discoveries I made this year.  I love them both and they were totally new to me.

Must Have For Every New Homeschooling Mom

Homeschooling ABC's e-course -- I still wish I'd had this ten or eleven years ago.

Top Ten Curricula (in alphabetical order because I can't decide which ones I like best)

1. Apologia Science



2. ARTistic Pursuits



3. Auralog Tell Me More Spanish Homeschool Edition



4. Friendly Chemistry



5. Generations of Virtue Beautifully Made Series



6. Memoria Press First Start French  and Famous Men of Modern Times Set
   



7. Salem Ridge Press



8. Spears Art



9. The Little Man In The Map



10.  Write Shop Story Builders
    

Honorable Mention Items (also in alphabetical order)

1. Core-Learning Crayola Art Studio


2. Heads Up Readers



3. Media Angels Truth Seeker Mystery series



4. One2Believe Tales Of Glory Play Sets (1st review and 2nd review)



5. Schleich Action Figures

We didn't receive every item that the TOS Homeschool Crew reviewed this year, and our top choices differ from other families' choices.  You can see what other Crew members rated on their Top Ten Lists HERE (although not every family created a Top Ten List) .

You can read ALL of my Homeschool Crew Reviews HERE.

Trusting in Him,
April

Friendly Chemistry! Yes, Really!

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, we were able to use and review a copy of Friendly Chemistry, by Joey and Lisa Hajda.   Joey and Lisa Hajda have excellent qualifications for writing a chemistry curriculum, as homeschool parents of ten, with graduate-level degrees in chemistry and education.

Chemistry was my hardest subject in high school, and I avoided it completely in college.  So, I was thrilled to see the word "friendly" in the title of this curriculum.  I figured if it was friendly for the student, it would also be friendly for the teacher.  The teacher's manual walks you through each lesson, providing helpful analogies like using an apple to explain the principal quantum number.  In addition to the  teacher's manual, the authors are available to help by email.

The Friendly Chemistry textbook is written directly to the student, in simple language.  It uses unique analogies, hands-on activities, and games to help students understand complicated chemistry concepts.  This multi-sensory approach also helps the students remember what they have learned.  The Friendly Chemistry course is flexible:  a high school student can use it in a self-directed way, it can be used in group settings, or the junior or senior high student can work with their parent one-on-one.   Some of the games and activities included are:  Doo Wop Mania, Ion Bingo, Compound Restaurant Game, and "Turmoil in the Chemistry Kingdom" dramatization.

Its friendly approach doesn't detract from the academic level; it is definitely adequate coursework to receive high school credit.  There are 32 lessons, which should be covered at an average pace of one week per lesson.  At this pace, the course would be completed in one school year.  Although, for students not desiring to pursue a science-related career, and only needing two science credits for high school, it would be possible to take this course at a slower pace.

If the thought of mixing chemicals in your home for science experiments scares you, then Friendly Chemistry can set your mind at ease.  All the experiments in Friendly Chemistry use common substances that will not blow up your kitchen!   There's no need to increase your homeowner's insurance before beginning this course.  That should also set your husband's mind at ease, or your land lord's mind if you rent.  You can see the supply list at their website.

The Friendly Chemistry set arrives with a Student's Textbook, a Teacher's Manual, and a manipulative set.   The student's textbook and teacher's manuals are both bound in 3-ring binders, as many self-published curriculum are.  There are 330 pages of text in the student's textbook and 300 pages in the teacher's manual.  The student textbook includes worksheets, and the teacher's manual includes tests and answer keys.  You can see a sample (text only) of  lesson 1 HERE.  First, the text from the teacher's manual is listed, and then the student manual. 

The manipulative set (which comes with the student textbook) includes the Doo Wop mania game, flash cards, and pieces for the Compound Intensity game.  Get out your scissors, because the manipulative set does not come pre-cut. 

My 13 year old daughter understood the chemistry concepts in Friendly Chemistry, and enjoyed reading the student's textbook.  While she did understand the concepts taught in Friendly Chemistry, we feel she will benefit from more algebra studies before proceeding further with Friendly Chemistry.   We didn't progress through the textbook as fast as I had hoped.  This was partly due to my 13 year old being unaccustomed to a textbook approach to science.  We only began using a science textbook with her a year ago, but she was taking it at her own pace, as she felt comfortable.  So, she struggled to keep up with the 1 chapter per week schedule we attempted with Friendly Chemistry.  She wanted more time to process the information, study it, and prepare for her tests.  This is an area we need to work on with her, as well as testing anxiety, before we begin Friendly Chemistry again. 

From my own perspective, I did not find this to be a "pick up and go" curriculum.  It required advance preparation from me: to become familiar with the lesson, highlight anything I needed to say, divide it into daily sections, and gather all the chemistry lab supplies.  Some parents may not find this necessary, but I did.  It is also helpful to read the student's textbook before teaching the lessons, especially if you struggled with chemistry in high school as I did. 

We've decided to set aside Friendly Chemistry until our daughter has grown accustomed to using a science textbook, and following a schedule that will move her through it at an adequate pace.  We also feel she would benefit from studying more science and algebra first.  Basic algebra is a recommended pre-requisite for the course.  We may choose to work through it with both our oldest daughters at the same time, either as 9th and 11th graders, or as 10th and 12th graders.  This would maximize my teaching time, and allow them to do some of the group activities.  Since this will probably not be a self-directed study in our home, pairing up our children to take the course two at a time will be the best solution for us.

Friendly Chemistry can be ordered HERE at their website.  The Student Textbook with manipulative set costs $75.00, and the Teacher's Manual costs an additional $60.00.  Shipping is FREE within the United States. The price of Friendly Chemistry seemed high at first to me ... but it's less expensive than hiring someone else to teach chemistry to your student.

Friendly Chemistry has a goal of making the process of learning chemistry painless.  Their curriculum, while not as polished as some other curricula, definitely succeeds in making chemistry friendly for the student, and the teacher.   If you or your student are afraid of the word "chemistry", then Friendly Chemistry is for you!

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April

Tapestry of Grace, Redesigned Digital Edition

Our family has been using Tapestry of Grace for 3 years already.  We have been using the classic version, because we have always been just a step ahead of the redesign project (until our baby break and TOS Crew curriculum review break this year).

I was excited to get a chance to use the redesigned digital edition for the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We chose the same unit we had been studying in the classic plan (Year 3, Unit 2) so we could just continue our studies.  We also received the Year 3 Map Aids to complement our history studies.

Tapestry of Grace is a huge curriculum, and the new digital edition adds an additional element to this review.  I've divided my review into subsections to help you find the information you're seeking.

What is Tapestry of Grace?

Tapestry of Grace was created by Marcia Somerville when she was on the verge of giving up homeschooling.  She was struggling to teach multiple ages of children with many levels of curriculum.  Since her husband was a lawyer for HSLDA, quitting wasn't a possibility.  So, she set out to design a method that would make teaching her children more manageable, and would unify their studies.

Tapestry of Grace is a multi-subject curriculum designed for all ages to use at once.  Kindergartners - 12th graders (K-Mom, actually) study the same period of history, using age appropriate books and lessons.  There is only one year plan required for all those ages.  It is a literature-based study, using history as its foundation.  Though some of the books used in Tapestry of Grace are secular, the teacher's manual and discussion questions are written to promote a Biblical worldview.

Tapestry of Grace is divided into four different year plans, each covering a different period of history.  The lesson plans cover the following subjects:  history, church history, geography, literature, fine arts, government, philosophy,  and writing.   (Tapestry of Grace doesn't include phonics, science, math, grammar, spelling, or foreign languages.)  There are four units in each year plan, and they can be bought by unit, or the entire year plan.

The year plan includes notes for the teacher to summarize what the children will be learning through their reading that week, book suggestions for all ages, discussion questions, writing assignments, ideas for hands-on activities, and worksheets that are designed to work with the recommended books.  There are more books and activities in Tapestry than a family can truly cover; every week you select what books and activities you want to cover from the "buffet of suggestions".  Tapestry does not include the books themselves, which will need to be found at the library, used stores, or ordered new online.

The Tapestry of Grace website is also a treasure trove of helpful information, with links and resources, the Loom, and helpful discussion forums for Tapestry users.   Lampstand Press (Tapestry of Grace publishers) recently created this wonderful Map of the Humanities which shows how Tapestry of Grace weaves the time periods and subjects together.  It's a roadmap for your family's education.

So tell me about the Redesign!

The redesign not only reorganized the layout of the teacher's manual, but also reorganized the order that some of the subjects are studied, so we didn't have an exact transition from classic to redesign.  Some of the subjects were ones we had already covered in classic, but we tried to use different books to review them.  The redesign also updated the books to replace out of print books that were used with the classic version.

I like the new layout of the Redesign, although it seems to have doubled the number of pages in each week's lesson plan.  There are more worksheets with the Redesign, and the teacher's notes include answers to those worksheets (which were not included in the classic plan).

I'd heard that the Redesign was much easier to use and understand, and I can see now that it's true.  For instance, after using Tapestry of Grace for 2.5 years, I didn't even realize there were alternate reading selections in the Classic plan.  That's because 2 different pages separate them from the recommended reading selections in the Classic year plan.  However, in the redesigned year plan, the two lists are back-to-back.

How do you like the Digital Edition?

The Digital Edition (DE) was a necessary change for Tapestry of Grace, in order to remain a viable company.  I understand their reasons for making the switch, although I prefer print curricula over digital curricula.

I found the LockLizard software easy to download and use.  I did have problems with my multi-function printer, at first.  LockLizard doesn't like SOME multi-function printers.  I contacted customer service at Lampstand Press, however, and they told me what to do to fix the problem.  I received a quick reply from them, and the solution for my printer was a simple and quick fix.

I didn't have any problems using LockLizard and the Digital Edition, other than that it is harder to wade through 65 pages of a weekly lesson plan at the computer.  It makes flipping between pages more difficult.  With a book, I can put my fingers in different sections and easily flip back and forth.  My other complaint (which is true of any digital curriculum for me) is that because I don't have a laptop, I can't take the curriculum to my couch, with me to the library, or when I run errands.  I'm accustomed to taking my unit notebook with me to the library when I'm looking for our books.

Tapestry of Grace realizes that some people really prefer the printed year plans, so you can pay extra to have both the DE and a printed plan.  It is an additional expense, but I think it will help Tapestry newcomers to have a printed copy in hand.

Of course, with the digital edition, you have more room for the literature and history books since you won't have notebooks full of lesson plans taking up room on your shelf.  The digital edition also makes it easier to print student sheets for your children, and reduces the need for a separate lesson plan sheet.

I am disappointed that the switch to a digital format means the curriculum can NOT be resold.  It moved from being completely reusable and resalable to being a consumable product, for one family only.  We have often bought used curricula to save money, and have often sold curricula we were finished with.

What are the Map Aids  you received?

I have wanted to buy the Map Aids for the past several years.  I was thrilled to have a chance to review them.  In the past, I've scoured the internet trying to find blank line maps to use with our schooling.  While I could usually find some of a state, country, or continent ... I couldn't find them with historical data entered.  I couldn't find a blank line map to go along with wars, changing boundaries, migrations of people, etc.  This is where the Map Aids excel.  They provide those maps for your historical and geographical studies, all in one place.

So what does this all cost?

The digital edition redesigned year plans are available by year, or by unit.

• DE Unit, $45.00


• DE Full Year Plan, $170.00


• DE Full Year Plan with Printed Copy, $280.00


• Printed Year Plan (available in occasional group orders, but I don't know if this will continue) $225.00

There are also Bonus Bundles that include additional support products with the full year plan:

• DE Bonus Bundle, $250.00


• Bonus Bundle 2008, Print version -- there are some still available for Year 1 $295.00, and Year 2 preorder for $270.00.

The Map Aids CD's are available for $24.95.

Where can I find more information?
Start here to understand what Tapestry of Grace is and how it works.  You can even download two different 3 week samples here:

http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/explore/

If you have questions about the Digital Edition, TOG has put together this helpful page:

http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/de/#1

You can view Tapestry of Grace year plans, units, and supplemental teaching aids at Lampstand Press Bookshelf:

http://www.lampstandbookshelf.com/ZC/

You can view the literature and history book bundles at Bookshelf Central:

http://www.bookshelfcentral.com/

Now tell us what you really think, April!

I really love Tapestry of Grace, but I realize it is not for everyone.  It most greatly benefits those with multiple children in a wide age range.   I agree with Marcia Somerville's recommendation to switch to Tapestry Of Grace when your OLDEST child is entering 5th grade.  When asked, I do tell parents of young children that I feel they'd be better off waiting until their children are older before switching to Tapestry.  Its strength is in the upper levels and the fact that it unifies the family in its studies.

In our family we use it in a relaxed way, relying heavily on the library system, and substituting books when we can't find the recommended book.  Usually this works fairly well, but occasionally we can not find books for a certain subject or era at all.  For instance, there were no books for children on Queen Victoria or the Victorian era in our library.  If I work far enough in advance, I can often get books via Inter-Library Loan, but it requires more organization.  It is possible to use Tapestry of Grace without buying all the books, but definitely less convenient.

Next year, our oldest will be entering high school and the rhetoric level of Tapestry of Grace.  At that time, we will need to stick to the recommended books much more closely, so we can make full use of the discussion questions.

There are several benefits for me in using Tapestry of Grace:

• Family unity -- I love that all my children are studying the same thing


• Ease of planning -- No more juggling several different curriculum


• Literature based studies rather than textbooks


• Biblical worldview of history


• Older children work independently -- I was having a hard time leading 2 or 3 age-based unit studies


• I only have to buy 4 year plans -- after that I can spend my money on BOOKS!


• I can move a child up or down a level, as needed, without having to buy multiple levels of curriculum


• I can do the bare minimum of reading assignments with the children during busy and stressful times, and add in additional reading, the activities, and writing assignments when we are able to focus more ... and know that their education is moving along just fine

Tapestry of Grace works well for us!  We use it more relaxed than others do, and we adapt it to fit our needs.  At times I've felt that the reading assignments for the younger children in our Classic plan were dry, but the Redesign has sought to remedy that.

I definitely recommend Tapestry of Grace for larger families, families with varying ages of students, and those desiring a history-based literature study for the whole family!

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April

Regaining my focus, Reordering my priorities

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I made the choice to be a more active blogger.  I didn't want the blog to become only a series of reviews, so I purposed to write personal blog entries more often. 

As I began to become better acquainted with the other Crew members, we began to discuss our blogs and the art/science of drawing more readers to our blogs.  Everyone wants to have more readers, but I also felt it would be best for the Crew and the vendors we were reviewing, if  I had more blog traffic.  The more people who came to my blog, the more who would see my reviews and learn about the TOS Crew. 

So I set out to have more giveaways, participate in more carnivals, post more often, and participate in more memes.  I began to read more articles and blogs about increasing blog traffic.  New terms like "google page rank" became important to me.  (FYI, I didn't have a page rank at the time, but I'm now at 3/10.  For now ... it will probably fall again.)

As the Crew began to wind down, and our last items began to arrive, I didn't want the fun of reviews and visitors to my blog to end, so I eagerly signed up to review books with several publishers.  And then the books started rolling in, 5 at once, and the emails for more review opportunities kept coming in.

And my laundry piled up, the garden called me, the children whined at me, and I took a look at myself.  I realized I was so focused on me, my blog, and others ... that I was neglecting my calling to my family and my home. 

I am a stay at home mom.  I am a homeschooling mom.  I am a wife.  I am a homemaker.  Those are my first callings.  Those are what really matter to me.

I'll still be doing some reviews, although in the future I'll be careful not to overcommit.  I'll still have occasional giveaways.  I'll participate in some memes and carnivals (I'm looking forward to more regular additions to the Simple Woman's Daybook actually).  But I want my blog to be what it originally was:  a place to share with friends and family about our family, a place to encourage other homeschoolers, and a place to record my thoughts about motherhood and being a Christian. 

Even more importantly, I want my marriage, my children, my homeschool, and my home to reflect that they are my priority.  I have some work to do here, to restore order, peace, and beauty to our home and school.  I need to spend more time reading God's Word and listening to His Voice than I have been.

I hope that the changes I'm striving for will be evident in my blog, as well as our home.

Trusting in Him,
April

Write Shop Primary Book A: Early Elementary Incremental Writing Program

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we received Write Shop Primary, Book A to review.  It's designed for Kindergarten - 1st grade students ... or the reluctant 2nd grader.  Well, that would be my 2nd grade son ... reluctant.  I decided to work through this with him. 

Each of my children has been fearful of writing.  Some struggled to express the thoughts in their head in a way that satisfied them.  Others seemed afraid of making spelling or grammar mistakes.  I've tried to encourage them to just write, to just begin.  I don't want writing to be so daunting to them, and have attempted to just get them started writing before we addressed issues of spelling and grammar. 

At times I felt that perhaps I was helping them too much, giving them too many suggestions or prompts.  I have even felt guilty for allowing them to dictate to me instead of writing for themselves.  But one of the very first things we did with Write Shop Primary, Book A was a guided writing exercise.  Aha!  The same methods I had used to help my children think through their writing assigments was the very one used in the book.  I'll be honest and admit I found that reassuring.  I know Write Shop is a quality writing program that many homeschoolers use, and I was glad to see that it uses a method similar to what I have used.

I haven't made writing a focus of our early years of school.  Our focus has always been on reading at that point, but Write Shop Primary makes it easy to introduce writing to our students.  For me, the ease is in the fact that the lesson ideas are there for me already.  I don't have to think of an age appropriate writing assignment ... it's there.  The other benefit is that having a curriculum which makes it so easy can keep me from neglecting this subject.

I'm thankful that Write Shop Primary uses an interactive, parent-involved approach to writing.  I prefer using interactive methods of education with my young children, building up their independence as they reach upper elementary and junior high.

Not only does Write Shop Primary take an incremental approach to teaching writing for our students, it also breaks down the process of using Write Shop Primary for the parents.  The introductory section includes charts that suggest a schedule for teaching at different paces, and for teaching multiple levels of Write Shop Primary.  The instructions are very clear and understandable.

In addition, Write Shop Primary's Activity Set Worksheet Pack includes an evaluation sheet  to help the parent evaluate their child's writing and their progress.  Evaluation is likely the hardest part of teaching writing, for many homeschool parents.   It seems so subjective.  The evaluation sheet provides questions to help you with this process.

What does it cost?  Write Shop sells the Write Shop Primary Book A teacher's guide for $26.95.  The e-book version is available for $24.25.  The Activity Set Worksheet Pack is available in print for $4.95, and as an e-book for $4.50.

What is included in this curriculum?  The teacher's book is available in a spiral bound softcover version, or an e-book.   It includes 10 lessons, divided into 8 mini-lessons, and a 20 page introduction with instructions for the parents.  The appendix includes a master supply list and a list of picture books to use with the lessons.  (I love the books on this list!)  The worksheet packet is sold separately, in print or e-book format.  You can view a placement chart, lesson sample, and worksheet sample HERE.

How long to complete the curriculum?  If you follow the 3 week/lesson plan, it is a full year's curriculum.  If you follow the 2 week/lesson plan, then you will finish it and move onto level B before your year is over.  The 1 week/lesson plan will get you through the book in 10 weeks, and you can cover all 3 levels in one school year at that pace.  The introduction includes guidance on which plan to follow for your child's age and abilities.

Can you use it with multiple ages?  Well, it isn't designed to be used in that way, but you can.  If you have children close in age, you could use it with both, assigning the older student to do more independent work and write longer assignments.  It would take more tweaking for that, but that is how I used it when I was reviewing it.  I used it with my Kindergartner, and my 2nd grader.  I even drew the 4th grader in for some assignments, expanded to her level.

Is this curriculum a necessity?  No.  You could teach writing to your young elementary students without it.  Some unit studies and other curricula do include writing suggestions for your children, and you could use those to teach writing.  But Write Shop Primary breaks down the steps of the writing process in a very helpful way.  It teaches children HOW to put their thoughts on paper instead of just saying "Write about your dog."

Is it reusable?  Yes.  Write Shop Primary teacher's book is reusable and non-consumable.  The worksheet packet (sold separately) is reproducible for SINGLE family use only.  You can make as many copies as your family needs, to teach it to multiple children.  But, while you could sell your Write Shop Primary teacher's book, you can not sell your worksheet packet.  However, the worksheet packet is  inexpensive. 

Who would benefit most from Write Shop Primary?  Those required to cover certain subjects and report on them to an overseer.  Those who have a child that needs extra help learning to express their thoughts in writing.  Those who need help (either with the methods or the accountability) teaching writing to their children.  If you're using the Charlotte Mason methods of dictation, narration, and copywork, then this curriculum may not be necessary or helpful to you.

My final thoughts ... I can't see myself using this curriculum as intended.  I don't see me adding in weekly structured writing assignments for early elementary students.  I prefer to use Charlotte Mason methods of dictation, narration and copywork, as well as more natural writing opportunities.  We just do not use much curriculum at this age. 

However, it is a well-designed and helpful curriculum.  It is well-written and would provide an excellent introduction to writing for elementary students.  Although it isn't for our family, I would definitely recommend Write Shop Primary, Book A to others looking for a writing curriculum.  Having seen its quality and the incremental approach it uses, I am very interested in their upper level curriculum for our older students.

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April

Chivalry Isn't Dead: Easter Excitement In Our Family!

I had several different title ideas for this post ...

• Need more family time?


• Making Memories!


• How did you spend your Easter?


• How to get your kids to bed easily after all that Easter candy!


• Roadside Etiquette.


• How to See the country AND meet the people!

Any of those titles would have worked.  You see, last night I got to spend 3 hours alone in the dark with my children.  They got to see their Dad be a hero for us, and sacrifice his own comfort.  They also were able to see chivalry in action as other men also gave of their time and comfort to help us.

We went to an Easter cantata at another church last night.  We enjoyed it, despite the fact that I didn't initially want to go out on a rainy night to a strange church because I'm an introvert and my husband is not.   But on the way home we took a different route.  We decided to proceed on the road the church was on, rather than backtrack to the little highway.  What we didn't know was that the gravel was going to end in 2 miles, and the dirt road would be clay mud. 

We soon found out as the Suburban hit the mud and immediately began to slip and slide.  We finally slid to a stop sort of on the side of the road, and were totally stuck.  We couldn't add enough traction to move forward or back.  My shoe was sucked off by the mud and my white sock may never be the same again.  The floor board of the Suburban (along with the gas and brake pedals) still show the evidence of the thick mud that caked our shoes (and our pants, and Steve's jacket, and his tie.)

Steve walked back to a house, only to discover it was vacant.  He walked forward (in the cold rain) to see if there were houses ahead of us ... there weren't.  He finally walked and jogged back the two miles  to the church we had been visiting.  Thankfully there were still people there cleaning up from their refreshments.  They called a church member with a BIG OLD 4-wheel drive truck.  Well, the truck couldn't get us out because it was getting stuck itself.  So the two men (Greg and Darren) who'd come with the truck stood around outside in the rain with Steve while they waited for Greg's Dad to bring his tractor to tow us out.

The tractor was able to get us out and then we followed them back to the church, where we discovered Darren's wife and baby waiting in their car (for over an hour).  I felt even worse then, when I realized she too was sitting around in a car in the dark.  We were safely on our way home, then, with a few lessons learned.

1. Don't drive unknown gravel roads in the rain, especially after dark.


2. Children can sit  in a confined space in the dark for 3 hours if there's enough adrenalin to make it exciting.


3. Children can come up with some wild scenarios in that time-frame.


4. Children need lots of reassurance and encouragement to be patient.


5. Sometimes a refresher course on how to relieve oneself on the side of the road is a good thing.  While most of our children took to this refresher course easily, one was rather miserable while "holding out" for our rescue and sprinted to the bathroom when we reached the church again and found out it was unlocked.


6. Chivalry is not dead, and Steve isn't the only chivalrous man who still remains.


7. Kansas is full of "good Christian neighbors".


8. The family of God is the best network.


9. God takes care of His children.


10. My children are pretty much all afraid of the dark. 
    


11. John Deere tractors are cute after they rescue us; 13 yo A really wants one.  We'd better watch out that no young man ever has to rescue her, or he might be so cute she wants to bring him home, too.


12. Silliness helps relieve tension.


13. Baby G can honk the horn with his rear end if he's dancing on your lap in the driver's seat.


14. We know how to make memories, even if we don't intend to.


15. We really love each other.


16. Children fall asleep quickly when they get home after midnight, despite all the Easter candy sugar highs.

While I don't really recommend sitting on the side of the road, stuck in the mud, for 3 hours on Easter -- it really wasn't too bad.  Other than the continual discussion over whether or not a certain child could hold it any longer, it really was enjoyable spending the focused time together.  It would have been better if Steve were in the car with us, rather than shivering in the cold rain, but it was also good for the kids to see him be the hero.

On a different note: leave it to one of my kids to play with their gum on the way to visit a different church, and leave it to one of my kids to wrap his gum around his neck.  He still has gum remnants there this morning.  So in addition to cleaning muddy clothes and shoes, I get to figure out how to get the gum off my 5 year old's neck.

Trusting in Him,
April

Busy mouths ...

We've already established that my children have busy minds, busy hands, busy feet.  Well, I have to confess they also have busy mouths.  This is one area my parenting has been weak in.  My kids talk back at times (daily?), they say mean things to each other, and they are rarely quiet.

Lately, 3 yo L has joined in the mouth busy-ness.  She started off saying, "I don't like you!" to her siblings when she was angry.  That escalated into "I hate you!"  Then they morphed together into "I don't hate you!"  That apparently is even worse than hating someone ... little does she know that she's actually saying she loves them.  I'm trying to teach her to say "I'm mad at you" instead of .the unloving phrases.  But it's hard to correct her when she makes you laugh every time she says "I don't hate you!"

Well, she apparently caught on that we were laughing at that statement, and it wasn't having the impact she desired ... so the little sinner decided to add more oomph to her insults.  She pulled out the potty language.  "P**py head" being her favorite one.  Sigh.  My first child didn't use such words at the tender age of 3 ... but my sixth is a different story.

We were sitting at the homeschool group's science fair this week when 5 yo M and 3 yo L had a disagreement.  L stood at the back of the church's sanctuary and loudly proclaimed, "I don't hate you!  You're being a P**p!" 

It echoed through the room.

I admit that first I snickered, and I wasn't the only one.  Then I let myself feel embarrassed.  Such a lovely young Princess she is, surrounded by 3 boys.  So sweet, so innocent ... not!  I'm trying to bring them up in the teaching of the Lord, honest!  We're still working on it.

Trusting in Him,
April

Apologia Educational Ministries: Quality Creation-based Science For Your Homeschool

Click the image to go directly to Apologia's website.

Apologia Educational Ministries isn't new to the homeschooling community.  If you've been homeschooling more than a year or two, I'm sure you've heard of their company and their products.  We have been using Apologia's Exploring Creation with General Science for 13 year old A's science for several months now, but we hadn't ever used any of their elementary products.  We were glad to receive Exploring Creation with Zoology 1:  Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day as well as an updated version of Exploring Creation with General Science to review. 

       

Click on the images to view the product descriptions.

Exploring Creation with Zoology 1:  Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day by Jeanne Fulbright (scroll down to read the General Science review)

We haven't used a textbook approach to science in elementary school, so using Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day was a new style of learning for my 8 year old and 9 year old.  To be honest, they weren't sure they liked having to listen to me read from a textbook, but they loved seeing "Try This!" on the page.  That meant they were going to get to try a hands-on experiment.  Our very first experiment related to lift and reduced air pressure over a bird's wing.  Only 8 year old J could make that one work.  I tried and C tried, but J was the successful one.  He was so proud to show that to Daddy when he came home.

Exploring Creation with Zoology 1:  Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day  is written directly to the students in a conversational style.  Most importantly, as the title indicates, it is written from a Christian worldview, proclaiming God as the Creator.  You will not find any evolution in Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, as you study birds, bats, and flying insects.  There are colorful pictures on every page and the chapters are clearly divided into shorter segments that make it easy to read in portions.  The introduction suggests two different approaches:

• read each lesson chapter in one week, do the notebooking and experiments the second week, finishing the text in 28 weeks. 


• read 5-6 pages of text each day, 2-3 days per week, and then perform the experiments after each lesson (chapter).  This approach would last 32 weeks.

Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day includes a wide variety of activities and experiments, using easily available supplies.  The supplies needed in each chapter are listed in the introduction.  The introduction of the book also lists the information on how to log into the Book Extras on the Apologia website.  The Book Extras include book corrections, helpful articles, frequently asked question database, and links to other helpful websites. 

Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day is available for $35.00 at the Apologia website.  You can also view a sample, the table of contents, and the course description in PDF format HERE.  Jeanne Fulbright also has a beautiful helpful website HERE which includes free notebooking pages. 

I definitely think this textbook is a good value for a family! It is a high-quality, totally reusable and non-consumable, Christian science curriculum.  Although they enjoyed looking at the beautiful illustrations, my 8 year old and 9 year old weren't excited about listening to me read aloud, especially in the first chapter which is more technical.  We tested out some later chapters to see if they would enjoy the chapters about the birds, bats, and flying insects more.  They did find those more interesting, however I think we will use this more as a reference book, or use it in upper elementary school.  It is written for children grades K-6, but I think it would work best for children in 3rd grade or above, unless they are more science-oriented.

Exploring Creation with General Science by Dr. Wile

We also received the 2nd edition of Exploring Creation with General Science.  My 13 year old daughter had been using a 1st edition copy of Dr. Wile's General Science, so we were already familiar with this textbook, although not in its newest form.  This was her introduction to using a textbook for science.  (Prior to that we use a living book and nature study approach to science.)  I was worried last year that she would dislike it, fight against using it, or find it overwhelming.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that she loved it!

Every day she had something new to tell me, something exciting she'd learned in her science textbook.  She was excited to learn about simple machines and the formula for figuring their mechanical advantage.  Since she hasn't always liked math, that was a joy for me to see.  Yesterday, she presented her very first science fair project on Simple Machines at our homeschool group ... inspired by her enjoyment of the Exploring Creation with General Science textbook.

Exploring Creation with General Science is a quality textbook designed for 7th or 8th graders.  It is well-organized and well-illustrated.  (My daughter was admiring the 2nd edition and commenting on the new illustrations that were not in the 1st edition.)  It is written to the student, and they can work through it independently.  The science experiments use common household objects and ingredients, and there is a complete list (by module) of the necessary supplies in the appendices of the text.

The textbook is comprised of 16 modules.  Each module should be covered in approximately two weeks, allowing some flex time for more difficult chapters.  That rate would allow your student to complete the textbook in one school year.  Some of the topics covered in the 16 modules are: the history of science, scientific analysis, simple machines, geology, cells, and the human body.

There are many learning aids available with Exploring Creation With General Science.  The text itself is available on CD-rom or in hardback book format for $65.00.  There is a solutions and test manual for $20.00, a multi-media companion CD-rom for $15.00, and an audio MP3 CD for $15.00.  These can all be viewed HERE.  You can also view a sample module, table of contents and the list of lab supplies at the website.  The introduction of the book includes the password to the Book Extras on the website, which provides a list of many helpful links for the modules, and a few articles by Dr. Wile.

Once again, this textbook is also completely reusable and non-consumable.  The Solutions and Test Manual includes the tests, which can be reused if a student records their answer on a separate sheet of paper.   The Solution and Test Manual also comes with a separate packet of tests which can be photocopied, or can be used as a consumable product.

Both textbooks are quality hardback books, with an easily navigated format, and excellent illustrations.  They are both written from a Creationist viewpoint and are an excellent foundation for your family's science studies.  Apologia Educational Ministries' goal is to help our children "Learn, Live, & Defend the Faith".  Their textbooks do that well, helping parents in their goal to "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord"  (Ephesians 6:4), rather than teaching them the godless teachings of evolution. 

We definitely recommend them!

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April