Professor In A Box Financial Accounting Course for High School

It seems like students often ask, "How am I going to use this math in the real world?"  In other words, "Why do I have to learn this stuff I don't think I'm ever going to use?"  For the reluctant math student, it can help to take math courses from the abstract to the more practical courses like personal finance, or business accounting.  

Michael P. Licata, Ph.D. is a college professor who has designed an accounting course for homeschool high school students:  Professor In A Box's Financial Accounting.  Although the material  is college-level, it is designed to serve as a math elective for high school students.  Once the course is completed, a student could choose to take the Financial Accounting CLEP test to receive college credit for the course, as well.  Any student planning to pursue a business degree, or hoping to own their own business, would benefit from the Financial Accounting course.

The Professor In A Box Financial Accounting course comes with an instructor disc, three student lesson discs, a syllabus/objectives pamphlet, a pencil, and a calculator.  Tests and answer keys are included on the computer discs.  All you'll need is a computer -- with Microsoft Excel or the free Open Office software installed on it. 

The course is divided into 12 chapters with 28 lessons.  This course can be taken as a semester course, or extended for a full year, taking it at a slower pace.  First the student views the slide-show lecture, then they complete the assigned problems, check the answers, and take the test.  This course can be accomplished by high school students who have already covered basic algebra.  You can view the course syllabus HERE  or download a sample chapter HERE.

The current special price  for this Financial Accounting course is $134.99 (instead of $144.99) with free shipping.   Professor In A Box offers a 30 day money back guarantee, if you aren't completely satisfied.

What did our family think? 
My 14 year old is a bit young for this course, but we gave it a try.  She found the lectures to be rather dry and uninspiring, but she's not fond of math ... period.  It would take a lot of theatrics to make math exciting for her, I'm afraid. 

The only other issue we had with this program are the problems inherent with computer-based curriculum:  taking turns on the computer, and staying focused on the curriculum rather than other things on the computer.  But, those relate more to our family dynamics and student personalities than the curriculum itself.   When a curriculum is computer based it is somewhat less portable than a textbook would be, and you can't do your math during a power outage ... but it does eliminate the heavy textbooks and long chapters to read.

This curriculum is re-usable and non-consumable ... which is ALWAYS a big plus in my book.  $140 seems high for a one-year high school math course, until I remember it can be used for future students as well.  Unlike computer download courses, there does not seem to be any prohibition against selling the course when you're done with it, either.

Professor Licata does a good job of explaining the accounting concepts, and this is an excellent option for homeschool families looking for either a more practical math course, or a college-level course.

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion.  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

Not Me Monday

1.  I did NOT store my Christmas ornaments and nativities in a paper bag in the corner of my living room all year long.  I would NOT have continually put off the process of packing them all up into their individual boxes in the totes that were waiting for them in the basement.

2.  Decorating for Christmas did NOT mean telling the kids to untangle the bag full of ornaments and hang them on the pre-lit Christmas tree.  No, it couldn't, because everyone knows that Mom has to unpack the ornaments and hand them to the kids one by one.

3.  We did NOT find several broken ornaments in the process of untangling them from their rumpled paper bag.

4.  I did NOT think to myself that this was the easiest tree decorating ever and I did NOT wonder why we complicate it with the tote full of boxes in the basement.

5.  My 8 year old son did NOT just change the words of We Three Kings to be all about passing gas.

6.  Last night on our first evening of Advent devotions, one of my children did NOT sit with their hands on their ears through the whole thing.  And one of my other children did NOT act as if they were asleep through the whole thing.

7.  This weekend, my son did NOT sleep walk into the bathroom, throw up all over the floor, then go back to bed and not remember a thing.  And my sister's dog and my dog did NOT go in and lick most of it up before my 14 year old did NOT get up and discover the semi-mess.  It did NOT take her and me several minutes to figure out what did NOT happen.  We did NOT try to wake up the boys to figure out who did it, and we did NOT sniff them to determine which one smelled like vomit.  We did NOT have to clean the sink, the floor, the trash can, the step stool, and gather up the floor mats at midnight.  My 14 year old was NOT awake still at midnight, reading, when she should have been asleep ... like I had NOT been.  Nope, not here.

8.  My husband did NOT crack his head on the metal stanchions in the barn when gathering eggs yesterday afternoon.  He did NOT come back and sit with ice on his head for half an hour before he could resume his plan of riding bikes with the kids.

9.  I did NOT host a late Thanksgiving here for my sister with baskets of unfolded clothes all over the living room.

10.  I did NOT buy a coat for one of my children on Black Friday, only to have them tell me they would NOT wear that coat.  I did NOT tell them "tough cookies."

11.  I am NOT writing this when I should be writing a review that is due today.

12.  And finally, I did NOT just have a computer glitch that posted this as an empty post for several minutes before I came back to finish this post.

Nope ... none of that happened here.  To read more Not Me Monday entries from other moms who did NOT do anything like I did NOT do ... visit MckMama at My Charming Kids.

Trusting In Him,
April

We R Fun: Life On The Farm Board Game

My kids love board games!  They especially love board games involving money, although they have been known to start making up their own rules after awhile, and playing the game ElCloud style.   I enjoy board games, because I know they are engaging my children's minds and teaching them things like strategy and math.

We were very happy to have a chance to review the Life On The Farm board game by We R Fun, Inc.  It had been on our children's wish list for several months.  This is a high-quality, well-designed board game with a colorful playing board.  We received the original version, for players age 8 and up, but there is also a preschool version available which doesn't require any reading.  

Life On The Farm was  designed by Keith Gohl and his sister Ev Johnson, to help others understand what life on a farm is really like ... from a family business perspective.  Each player rolls a dice, moves forward that number of spaces, and then follows the directions on the board.  Players draw income cards and expense cards which require them to pay vet bills, taxes, or collect sale income.  It's a game of chance, as my 12 year old daughter discovered last night.  She was poised to win, until she had to pay taxes four times, when no one else paid taxes at all that game.

The goal of the game is to be the first to retire with 60 cows and the money you began farming with.  As We R Fun states on their how to play page:  "Life on the Farm is not about running other players out of business - it’s about managing money and making the most out of what happens to you - what life is really about on a family farm! It is a classic board game, fast-moving, easy to understand and fun to play, and it truly appeals to all ages."

While I agree that this game appeals to all ages, and the family can enjoy playing it together ... we didn't find it very fast-moving.  Well, I suppose the plays happen quickly, but the process of playing the game itself can be long.  The instructions do include a shorter version, and that is the only way we have played it so far.  It's just the nature of this type of board game to take awhile. 

My kids have enjoyed playing the game twice since we received it.  They wanted to play it many more times, but we didn't always have enough time to fit a game in.  In our opinion, Life On The Farm is a great board game, with educational entertainment value for the entire family.  It's an excellent way to spend quality family time on a winter evening.

The original version of Life On The Farm (ages 8 - 108) retails for $25.00, and the preschool version retails for $20.00.  The game can be bought from We R Fun, Inc,  The Old Schoolhouse Store,  Amazon.com, and also on Kmart.com.

This would make an excellent educational  (and FUN!)  Christmas gift for any children age 7 and up, or a family gift for those you love! 

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion.  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 E.

Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad

On Saturday we attended a potluck dinner for our 4-H Achievement Banquet .  Unfortunately, I was lacking inspiration on what to prepare.  Just after lunch, I finally started flipping through cookbooks looking for ideas. 

I settled on a cheesy scalloped potato recipe, but had to take shortcuts by microwaving the potatoes for awhile before putting them into the crockpot.  (If you're curious it was Potluck Potatoes from the Fix-It And Forget-It Cookbook.) 

But, I still needed a second dish.  I started flipping through the desserts and salads in the cookbook my church put together.  I found a Cranberry Jello salad that sounded good, but I didn't have fresh cranberries to boil into syrup, and didn't have time to mess with letting a jello set-up.  BUT I decided to take some of the ingredients and improvise my own fruit salad.  It was easy and delicious!  (If you like the tartness of cranberries, that is.)

ElCloud's Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
2 (16 oz.) cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce
3-4 apples, cored and diced
1 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions:
1.  Open both cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce and pour into a 2 qt. bowl
2.  Use a spoon to break up the cranberry sauce.
3.  Cut apples into wedges, removing the core.  Skin can be left on, or peeled off. 
4.  Cut apple wedges into small pie shaped slivers.
5.  Stir apples and mini-marshmallows into the cranberry sauce.
6.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

That's it!   It looks beautiful, and it's delicious!!

Enjoy!!

Trusting In Him,
April

Exploramania's Gymathtics DVD

The first thing my children did when the Exploracise Gymathtics DVD arrived in the mail, was to put it in the DVD player.  They love exercise videos and were eager to test a new one.  After their first test run, they were all worn-out.  Only the 3 year old and 8 year old actually finished the 30 minute workout -- the 5 and 10 year olds both quit.  My 8 year old son was intent on keeping up with the children on the DVD, and my 3 year old came to tell me how tired she was at the end.  "And my head is weally tweating," she said.  (sweating)

The Gymathtics DVD by Exploramania is more than just an exercise video.  It also includes math concepts for 2nd - 5th grade students:  basic geometry, counting, skip counting, and number patterns.  As the children exercise, they learn about parallel lines, horizontal lines, vertical lines, diagonal lines, polygons, skip counting, and patterns. You can see a more detailed list of the topics covered on the DVD HERE. 

Combining math concepts with full-body movement provides a multi-sensory approach to learning that can be very helpful for the kinesthetic learner.  The visual learners will also benefit from watching the DVD, and the auditory learner will benefit (to a lesser degree) from hearing and seeing the explanation.  Exploramania has based their Exploracise program on scientific research.

I consider this to be more of an exercise video than a math lesson.  The math is just a fun reinforcement of concepts already taught in your curriculum for most children.  But for the kinesthetic learner, it can be very helpful understanding the concepts covered.  The DVD  appeals to younger children than 2nd grade, so it also serves as an introduction to concepts that will be taught later.  Four of my kids (ages 3 - 10) enjoyed the DVD, although the 10 year old is already bordering on considering it silly.  The four children who have used this DVD enjoy using it occasionally, but it isn't their favorite exercise DVD.

I was surprised by the voice-over of wellness thoughts in the stretching wind-down at the end of the DVD.  It just reminded me of a New Age, pop psychology, positive thinking, meditation and relaxation recording.

• "Relax your body and open your mind to think about good health and well-being."


• "Be nice.  Ride the "nice wave". "


• "Eat healthy super foods with lots of vitamins and minerals."


• "Be a dream stretch star.  Stretch your dreams and reach for the stars.  Stretch your mind to reach for your dreams with hard work and determination."

In the future, I think we'll be turning the volume down for the wind-down segment.  There isn't anything overtly inappropriate in there, it just annoys us all.  As Christians, we do prefer to place our trust in God and follow His direction rather than believing in the supposed power of positive thinking.

The Gymathtics DVD is available for $24.99, and they are currently offering free shipping.  There is also a Gymathtics 2.0 DVD for 4th - 7th grade students.   Exploramania has Exploracise Mats (educational yoga/exercise mats) and Exploracise Thumballs available to combine math with exercise. 

Gymathtics DVD is a great way for young children to get the wiggles out and burn some energy on a rainy day ... and reinforce some math concepts at the same time.

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion.  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

TOS Homeschool Crew Review: AVKO Membership

AVKO Educational Research Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to helping teachers, parents, and researchers as they teach reading, spelling, and keyboarding to students with mild learning disabilities and dyslexia.  Don McCabe began AVKO in 1974, and is the creator of the popular Sequential Spelling curriculum.

AVKO's website offers many free resources on their FREEBIES page (The Complete I Before E Rule, Latin and Greek Roots), but they also have an affordable membership option which provides access to many more materials.  The membership options allows you to download many of Don McCabe's e-books for only a $25 annual membership.  The following information on membership benefits was taken directly from their website.

Benefits of AVKO Basic Membership ($25 per year):

• 25% discounts on AVKO printed materials


• Hundreds of dollars worth of FREE e-books (PDF)
  
  
  
  • The Patterns of English Spelling (All 10 Volumes) with Word Families in Sentence Context
  
  
  • To Teach a Dyslexic
  
  
  • Starting at Square One
  
  
  • The Teaching of Reading & Spelling: a Continuum from Kindergarten through College.
  
  
  • The Reading Teacher's List of Over 5,500 Basic Spelling Words
  
  
  
  


• Access to the Member Only section


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


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


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


• Access to Pretests and Placement Tests


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

Benefits of AVKO Deluxe Membership ($100 per year):

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


• 25% discount off ALL materials ordered


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


• Access to AVKO's newest e-books:
  
  
  
  • Word Family Supplements 1-7 for Sequential Spelling
  
  
  • Spelling Remediation Test Kit
  
  
  
  

What do I think?
I've not used Sequential Spelling, nor do I have a dyslexic student, so I hadn't really looked at AVKO or its e-books before.  But if I had a child struggling to learn to read or spell, then buying at least ONE basic membership subscription would be beneficial.  To Teach A Dyslexic is sold for $14.95, but for only ten dollars more ($25.00) a member receives that e-book as well as many other helpful resources.  The Patterns of English Spelling e-books are sold for $39.95, but members receive all ten e-books free.

If your child struggles with spelling or reading, or you are tutoring children with disabilities or dyslexia, then the AVKO membership is an affordable and helpful resource.  Even if you only join once, in order to download and save the e-books, it can be beneficial if your child has a need.  The website has a plethora of information, although it isn't always easy to locate.

In our home, this isn't something we need at this time.  BUT if I suspected dyslexia in one of my children, I would definitely turn to AVKO for help.

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion.  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

I should probably clarify ...

In light of some of my comments on yesterday's "Banned From Walmart" post, I thought I should give my kids some credit.  They are not horrible!  We often get compliments on their behavior; even at times when they were still not as well-behaved as I'd hoped.  There was a time-frame when we'd given up on taking them into restaurants, but now we can do that again ... most of the time.  There are some days when we know their coping skills are not strong enough for that, and we wisely choose to eat at home, or carry-out.

My oldest four rarely wander off in Wal-mart anymore, and the youngest 3 haven't yet done so.  Actually, now my 14 year old does that frequently, but she usually asks if she can first.  It's been ages since my 8 year old son just decided to go to the toy section alone, or hid under clothing racks.   And although my 10 year old continues to be oblivious to those around her and does still walk in front of people's carts, she's rarely spinning pirouettes in the aisles anymore.  Some of them still like to walk on the black tiles, but they try to be more aware of those around us and they stop if I ask them to.

Our current problems lie with the 3 year old and the 5 year old.  We're working on training them ... thus the current grounding from Wal-Mart for my 5 year old.  He has to learn that it isn't acceptable to act wildly, and that if he will not behave in the store, he will not enter the store.

I could make excuses about my two hyper-active kids, or the ones who are really distractible dreamers, or their impulsive natures, or the two emotional ones that are prone to melt-downs, but I won't.   They aren't perfect, and neither am I.  This particular season is another rough one with behavior, but we will come through it, and they will improve.   That is one thing I've learned over the past 14 years of parenting.

Although we don't maintain a single file line, or keep hands on the carts, we can move together through the store in a semi-orderly and moderately quiet fashion.  It is possible, and it does happen.  I just haven't felt that I should totally squelch who God made my kids to be ... instead we try to train them to moderate their natural inclinations.  Yes you can wiggle and move and talk ... but just keep it within these boundaries that don't cause problems for other shoppers. 

I'm not saying those who are more orderly have squelched their kids, but for me to achieve that with mine would take some harsh measures and it would be squelching them.  I decided a long time ago that I was causing more harm than I was making progress, so I followed my husband's lead and backed off from trying to achieve the goal of quiet children following me in a line at the store.  Especially since my main reason for doing so was so that I could look like a good mom.

For the sake of a funny post, and in expression of my frustration earlier this week on a noticeably BAD experience with my 5 year old, I focused on the negatives.  BUT it's not always like that.  In fact, on Wednesday night, we ate in a restaurant as a family.  No one got up and ran around, and we received more smiles than glares.     The discussion over who got to eat mashed potatoes and who got macaroni stayed calm and fairly quiet.  Rest assured, they do receive compliments on their behavior fairly often, and they can behave themselves.

I'm sorry if my post hurts the image of large families, or contributes to the belief that they're wild and the new Cheaper By The Dozen movie is reality for all large families.  BUT ... I also know that there are other mothers of large families who are trying to raise up their children in a godly fashion.  And they feel they can never measure up to the expectations that are placed upon them.  Just like some of us suffer under the burden of the Perfect Polly Homemaker image, or the Super Susie Homeschooler image ... some of us are burdened by the guilt that our large family isn't perfect enough.  Mega Mom Mary's kids are much better behaved than ours and she looks at us as if we've failed to discipline our children and are sending them straight to Hell in a handbasket.

I don't think that is what my commenters were thinking yesterday.  (If you were, don' t tell me.)  But I realized after reading their comments that I needed to post a disclaimer.  Not only for my own image, but also for the reputation of my kids. 

I wrote my post because I know there are other Moms out there who just need to know that they aren't alone.  That other Christian families have rough days at Wal-mart, too.  And the more kids you have, the more likely you are to have more rough days. 

My kids are gifts, and one day God is going to take all that energy and passion and use it for His glory ... if I can get my kids safely through childhood with a measure of self-control.  LOL!!  In the meantime, raising them can be tiring -- and when we have bad days, it's better to laugh about them than to feel like a failure as a Mom.  I know, because I've tried it both ways.

In this journey with you,
April

Banned From Wal-Mart

I don't know what it takes to be officially banned from shopping at Wal-Mart.  I imagine it must be something pretty bad, but I haven't really researched it.  I don't intend to get banned, and I just do my best to stay faaaarrrr away from any type of behavior that might get me banned. 

BUT  I know what it takes to get an ElCloud kid banned from Wal-Mart by his or her parents.  We've become experts on that subject.   In an attempt to keep US from being banned from shopping at Wal-Mart, we occasionally have to ground certain kids from returning to Wal-Mart until THEIR behavior improves.

Now, none of my kids are like ducklings at Wal-Mart.  We don't have a single column line of quiet children following us through the store.  We can't even seem to manage to get everyone under a certain age to keep their hands on the cart.  We tried to achieve both those goals, as they seemed to be the recommended method for large homeschooling families ... but we failed.  Our kids like to dance through Wal-Mart, slalom as they step on ONLY the black tiles, point out things we obviously MUST HAVE before we leave, etc.  We've grown used to this and just try to shush them and pull them in closer when it becomes apparent that they are bothering others, or getting in everyone's way.

But then there are those days ... when things go just a little bit haywire and cross over THE LINE.  In order to prevent us from going crazy, we just have to ban them from returning to Wal-Mart for awhile.  For some of my kids, that is probably the worst punishment ever ... to miss out on forays into Wal-Mart.  Even worse if you are forced to sit in the car with Mom while Dad takes the rest of the children into the store ... for 2 weeks.

Here's the list of what NOT to do if you don't want to get banned:

1. If you suddenly decide you want to look at a toy, and you are under age 10, and you leave without saying a word to anyone ... not returning until the entire family is in "Search and Rescue Mode" ... you're gonna get banned.


2. If you get mad that Mom said you can't go look at a toy, and you just leave to do it anyway, and Mom has to go hunt you down in the toy aisle ... you're gonna get banned.


3. If you decide to hide under every clothing rack we pass, giggling and refusing to come out while you play spy ... you're gonna get banned.


4. If you decide to throw a temper tantrum, whine, or in any way make a scene ... you're gonna get banned.


5. If you pester your siblings and fight with them so that your Mom is gritting her teeth and whispering threats to you with steam coming out of her ears and a blush of embarrassment all over her face ... you're gonna get banned.


6. If you are so lost in a dream world that you walk in front of every other cart in the store, or knock down a display, or bump into elderly ladies, and have to be repeatedly reminded to watch where you're going ... you're probably gonna get banned.


7. If you decide to race ahead of your parents, or race with your siblings, thereby endangering yourself and others, and you don't cease and desist with a warning ... you're gonna get banned.


8. If you get on Mom or Dad's last nerve, and they have said your name more than they managed to say the word "buy" ... you're gonna get banned.


9. If you can't keep your hands off all that STUFF that Wal-Mart places around the checkout counters and whine and complain and beg to buy the cheap junk ... or the candy ... you are probably gonna get banned.


10. If you decide to run laps around the freezer department, weaving in and out amongst the shopping carts like a NASCAR driver  ... you are GONNA GET BANNED!!

I can't remember all of the instances that have caused us to ground a child from shopping Wal-Mart over the years.  But I do know it wasn't ever one of my oldest two who were banned.  It's those middle ones.  For the first time ever this week, I grounded my five year old from entering Wal-Mart for awhile.  I guess it's his turn.  It was a mix of #7 and #10 that did him in, though.

Yep ... we don't take the worst kids in the world with us to Wal-Mart.  I've seen worse, from parents and kids.  But, we definitely have our own struggles there.  Wal-Mart (and other shopping experiences) has probably given us more of our gray hairs than any other part of parenting.  Okay ... maybe not.  But it's definitely adding some sparkle to my silver crown.
Trusting In Him,
April

Fleeting moments of grandeur

Sometimes I feel as if I'm on top of the world, excelling as a wife and mother, ordering my home and tasks with ease, accomplishing more than I imagine possible.   I am confident and energetic.  I feel like an achiever and a conqueror.

Those moments of grandeur are fleeting.  All too often they are followed by mediocrity -- days of chaos and struggling to keep all the plates spinning without dropping anything.  Weeks when I am rushing from one task to another -- or simply wandering around somewhat aimlessly, overwhelmed by all that I SHOULD be doing.  In these moments, I am merely persevering.

In the moments of grandeur, those near-perfect days when I am feeling that maybe, I might be, almost, just a little bit of a Super Mom --  I think I am doing it all.  I am the great one.  I have my act together.

But when the chaos returns, and I'm trying to figure out what I've done wrong -- I have to admit that I am not SuperMom.  I can't maintain the grandiose days forever.  I am merely an imperfect human relying on God's grace.

Everyone has revolving (and evolving)  moments of grandeur and mediocrity.  It is just life.  And life is much less about me than I often believe.  It isn't really about what I'm doing RIGHT or what I'm doing WRONG.  It's not all about my success and failure.

So in these days of mediocrity, disorder, distraction, and even laziness -- I am once again humbled, but also hopeful that the more organized and productive days will return.  I like those moments of grandeur more than the days of just trudging along.

But I persevere, each and every day -- even when I'm not in my most glorious state.  Even when I'm merely mediocre.

Galations 6:9  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Hebrews 12:1, 2  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, ane let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith ... "

1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12  "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that our daily life may win the respect of outsiders ... "


Trusting In Him,
April

American Heritage Foundation -- free American history curriculum

Click  banner  to  visit  AHEF  website.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,
in a state of civilization,
it expects what never was and never will be." 
~~ Thomas Jefferson

The American Heritage Education Foundation  is a non-profit organization created to help educate our children in the history of our nation and the philosophies upon which it was established.  They believe that the focus on diversity in our schools is tearing the country apart and threatening its survival, and that it needs to be balanced with a study of our country's history.  They focus on four themes in US history:  Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility.

In order to promote these four themes, the American Heritage Foundation created an American history/citizenship curriculum for K-12.  They provide this $150 value curriculum free of charge as a free PDF download, as PDF documents on a free CD-ROM, or for $19.50 in a printed notebook format.

The curriculum is provided in 3 levels: elementary, middle school, and high school.  They also provide a Spanish language variation in the elementary level.  Each level of curriculum is over 180 pages long, with information for the teacher, lesson plans, group activities and individual activities.

These materials are designed for public school use, and some of the activities are obviously created with a larger group in mind than a typical homeschool family (like the Colonial America Simulation Game).  These could be adapted with some effort, or they could be used in a homeschool group or co-op setting.  Now, I will admit that adapting materials intended for a public school classroom to the family homeschool isn't always easy, but sometimes it can be worth it.

Although the American Heritage Foundation is a secular organization, the curriculum refers to the founding father's belief in God and the Bible with factual respect.  The Christian beliefs of the Colonial settlers and founding fathers is not ignored, but it is still a secular curriculum.  This makes it suitable for classroom use, or use in a homeschool group with members of varying beliefs.

Some of the citizenship topics covered include:

• The American Revolution


• George Washington


• U.S. Presidents


• The Declaration of Independence


• The US Constitution


• The Great Seal


• Thanksgiving


• The Bill of Rights


• Our National Documents


• Entrepeneurs in American History


• The United States of America's Flag


• The Star-Spangled Banner


• The Gettysburg Address


• The National Motto


• The Statue of Liberty


• The Pledge of Allegiance


• America the Beautiful


• What is An American?

The three levels include much of the same materials for the teacher, with age-appropriate differences in activities and discussion questions.  This means they can be used together in a homeschool or co-op setting to teach the same material to all the students.  This is NOT a complete American history curriculum, but can be used to supplement your American history or US government studies.

For myself, I have to admit that I will not use all these lessons and activities, but I will use some of them.  Most of our citizenship lessons are oral discussions.   We aren't likely to use most of the worksheets, but we are more likely to use the activity ideas.  I think this curriculum lends itself to a homeschool group or co-op more easily than to an individual family situation.

BUT, it's a FREE curriculum!!  Request your own copy and check it out for yourself. Even if it's not something you'll use regularly, there may be some helpful information or even one activity that makes it worthwhile.  Get it for your homeschool group ... or you might fall in love with it, and take the time to make it work for your family.  You have nothing to lose!

If you'd like to help promote the American Heritage Foundation, you can donate to their non-profit organization.  These donations will help them continue to share their curriculum free of charge to public schools, private schools, and home schools.

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion.  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

Bright Ideas Press: Mystery of History & All American History

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, our family was chosen to review curriculum published by Bright Ideas Press.  I was thrilled, because I'd been longing to try their history products.  Our family was allowed to review two items:

• The Mystery of History, volume 3
  


• All American History, volume 2

These are both in-depth history curriculums, and this is a LONG review.  If you are primarily interested in All American History, scroll down to the photo of the textbook cover.  I'll begin with The Mystery of History.

Click image to view curriculum.

I have heard so much about The Mystery of History by Linda Lacour Hobar, and was eager to have a chance to try it.  I received The Mystery of History hardcover student reader for volume 3, as well as the CD-ROM version of the Companion Guide: Curriculum and Student Activities.  The student reader is a gorgeous, high-quality textbook with color illustrations.  Volume 3 of The Mystery of History covers the Renaissance, Reformation, and the discovery of the new world (1455 - 1707).

PROS:

• Speaks directly to the student in a natural voice


• Focuses on God's plan in history


• Companion Guide includes suggestions for additional reading material


• Kids loved the student reader and the hands-on activities


• Elementary - High School students = whole family learning together


• Focuses on history largely  through the lens of biographies


• Brings history to life


• Weekly pre-tests, activities, maps, and review tests included in companion guide


• Re-usable and non-consumable
  


• Self-contained, no other materials necessary


• Quality, colorful student reader


• Can print/photocopy as many worksheets from the companion guide as your family needs


• Students cycle through history in 4 years (or longer if you slow it down), but when they return to this time period, the activities and supplemental reading are at a higher level.


• Helpful Yahoo Group email list of other families using the curriculum

CONS: 

• My younger students glaze over after awhile with the reading, so needed to slow down
  


• Need to follow suggestions in Companion Guide to make it high-school level
  


• Need to print activities, maps, and pre-tests each week


• Companion Guide CD-Rom was slow and clumsy to locate items at times

The hardcover student reader is 441 pages long, and retails for $59.95.  The family license version of the CD-Rom Companion Guide retails for $29.95.  The black and white printed version of the Companion Guide is available for $39.95, and it contains over 600 pages you can photocopy for your family's use.  You can view a sample of Mystery of History, volume 3 HERE, and two samples from the Companion Guide, week 1 and week 2. 

We really liked The Mystery of History, volume 3.  We liked the simplicity of its use, and that it includes everything you'd need.  Additional books are supplemental and not necessary, unlike our current history curriculum.  We would consider switching to The Mystery of History, but we're ahead of the author in history right now.  She is still writing the last book, and my children do not want to go backwards.  They want to complete the 20th and 21st centuries rather than return to the 18th century.  However, when we are ready to return to ancient times in a year, we will definitely be using The Mystery of History volume 1 -- at least as a history spine, if not our sole curriculum.

The other issue that we'll have to consider before switching completely  is that our current curriculum includes literature, and The Mystery of History does not.  Bright Ideas Press is currently designing Illuminations which does tie The Mystery of History in with other subjects, creating a guide for a complete course of study for all ages of students.  Some of the TOS Homeschool Crew did receive Illuminations to review, but those reviews will be coming a bit later.

We definitely recommend The Mystery of History, and give it 5 -- one from my 3rd grader, 5th grader, 7th grader, 9th grader, and myself!

Click image to view curriculum

I had not heard of All American History, by Celeste W. Rakes, until we began this review.  But I love history, and really wanted to see volume 2, which covers the Civil War through the 21st century.  Since our history studies are currently in the 20th century, I knew this would be a helpful resource that would allow my 9th grader to test the curriculum without changing time periods.

All American History is written for 6th - 12th grade students, but it can be adapted for younger students. (Vol. 1 is written for 5th - 8th grades, but can be adapted for younger and older students.)  I really like how each of the 32 weekly lessons contains three sections:  the atmosphere surrounding the event, the event itself, and the impact of that event on America's future.  The author included the social and cultural history of each time period, so students could have a fuller understanding of American history.

In addition to the weekly chapter in the student reader, there are also maps, forms, review questions and questions for further study in the Student Activity book.   The Teacher's Guide includes project and activity ideas, book lists for additional reading, and the answer keys to the Student Activity book.   You can view samples of the Student Reader, the Student Activity Book, and the Teacher's Guide at the Bright Ideas Press website. 

PROS:

• Speaks directly to the student in a natural voice


• Focuses on the background of each event and its impact
  


• Teacher's Guide includes suggestions for additional reading material


• Teacher's Guide includes information on activities and projects


• Teacher's Guide includes ideas to adapt for younger students


• 9th grade daughter enjoyed the reader


• Builds an understanding of history, not just the facts


• Self-contained, no other materials necessary


• Hardcover Student Reader is well-made


• Student Activity Book includes maps, worksheets, review questions
  


• Re-usable, non-consumable reader and teacher's guide


• Nothing to photocopy or print, since Student Activity Book contains it all


• Self-taught for older students


• Helpful Yahoo Group email list of other families using the curriculum
  

CONS: 

• Not as easily adapted for all ages as Mystery of History
  


• Student Reader is long and dry for elementary age students


• Student Reader contains black and white photos only


• Student Activity Guide is consumable, not reusable


• Need a Student Activity Guide for each student

The hardcover Student Reader (557 pgs), the softcover Teacher's Guide/Answer Key (336 pgs), and the  softcover Student Activity Book (306 pgs) are  sold as a set for $68.00.   Additional student activity books cost $16.95.

I would not try to use All American History for the whole family, but it does make an excellent American history course for older students.  If I were to try to use it with my elementary age students, I wouldn't read the textbook to them, but I would use the suggested reading materials in the Teacher's Guide instead. 

All American History gives a very thorough understanding of events in American history!   This is an excellent history text for the older student.  My 9th grade daughter and I each give it a !

These items were provided to me free, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  They were provided as review materials, and no other compensation was given.  This review states our opinion only. 

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

ACT Inc. Discover -- Online Career Planning

Do you remember the High School Guidance Counselor and all the tests you had to take to help you decide where your skills and interests were?  I loved those tests!  Well, ACT Advantage has an online career planning software called Discover. 

As their website states, the Discover software helps students:

• Assess interests, abilities and job values.


• Explore occupations, majors and schools.


• Build an education plan that relates to career plans.


• Improve job-seeking skills and develop a resume.

My 14 year old daughter loves personality tests and exploring her interests, so she enjoyed her time on the Discover website.  She loved digging through the many career options it presented to her, and looking at the education requirements for each career.  It helped her to see what careers were available to pursue, and what would be required for each career.  At one point, I teased her that this was really the "stay in school, get a degree" propaganda machine since it lays out what your projected future income would be with each level of education you complete:  GED, high school diploma, 2 year degree, 4 year degree, graduate degree.  It also included information on scholarships and financial aid, to help plan how to pay for college.

After seeing all the options the Discover assessment provided her, my daughter then started removing fields of study and career paths from her portfolio.  Since she doesn't really want to go on to a master's degree, she removed jobs that REQUIRED a graduate degree, for instance.  This narrowed her career planning portfolio down to a more realistic and manageable list of careers that interest her most.  When she was done with her portfolio, we were able to print it so she could keep this idea list as she continues through high school.  We discussed that the high school courses she chooses can be important, as well.  If she wants to pursue a science career, she'd need to focus more on math and science in high school than if she wanted to pursue a career in art.

There were some weird things that came up.  She isn't really interested in math, yet many science careers that lean heavily on math did appear on her final assessment.  I'm sure they were triggered by other interests or values of hers.  But it was still good for her to look at those options and consider them. 

One of the benefits I see is that homeschool parents don't always know all the career options out there in a specific field, or what educational requirements that career path would have.  14 yo A was looking at careers I hadn't heard of, and wouldn't have been able to advise her on educational requirements at all. 

Unfortunately, this is a secular software provided by a secular company.  There were very few faith-based ministry  careers listed and many Christian colleges were not included in the college database.  I also had to remind my daughter that God already has a plan for her life, and that if she is following Him ... He'll guide and direct her into a career.  For the Christian student, the Discover assessment can be helpful, but thankfully it is not all we rely on.

The Discover assessment is available with a 3 month license for $19.95, or a 6 month license for $24.95.  This can be helpful both for freshman looking at what courses to study in their high school years, as well as for seniors preparing to apply for colleges and scholarships, and choosing their major course of study.

Working through the Discover assessment was a helpful process for my daughter.  It helped her see what her options were, and also helped to take some of the fear and worry out of the future.  It was a fun way for her to explore her future plans and goals.

This item was provided free for review purposes, as members of the TOS Homeschool Crew.  There was no other compensation, and this is our honest review. 

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

Homeschool Crew Review: ABC Teach

Perhaps you've spent time searching the internet for a free worksheet on bird anatomy to print before, and you've found one of the  5000+ free worksheets available at ABC Teach's website.  I have.  But I hadn't ever really looked at what was available with membership in ABC Teach until we were given a chance to review it for the TOS Homeschool Crew.

ABC Teach has over 35,000 worksheets that members can access, as well as worksheet generators for crossword puzzles, word searches, and handwriting worksheets.  When we were reviewing the Sue Patrick Workbox System, I found myself searching ABC Teach's subscription database for logic puzzles, sudoku puzzles, grammar worksheets, and sentence-structure worksheets to place in their workboxes.  I printed out worksheets that went along with our history studies, as well.  When I wanted to give my daughters some math practice from a different perspective, I printed worksheets on fractions, multiplication, and algebra.  They do have worksheets on just about everything, for pre-K through 8th grade!

The worksheets I printed from ABC Teach looked great.  They printed clearly and had cute graphics.  Their search engine worked well, and found all the Autumn worksheets for me when I was looking for another workbox activity.  I printed Autumn acrostic worksheets for my children, to get them thinking and writing creatively.

Although we had a good experience with our ABC Teach review membership, it's not something I'm likely to purchase.  To be honest, in our homeschool, I just don't look for worksheets to print often enough to justify the expense.  We use curricula that includes its own worksheets, and we do lots of things via discussion instead of worksheets.   I prefer having my children actively involved in something, or reading, and it isn't often that I need a worksheet to help them understand a concept.  To make use of an ABC Teach membership in my home, I'd be assigning worksheets as busy work, and that isn't a direction I want to go.  I'd rather spend the $40 on buying more curriculum or supplemental curriculum for my kids.

However, for those who are designing their own curriculum, filling workboxes, leading co-ops, teaching classes, or needing to complete portfolios of their children's work to show to school boards or skeptical family members, a membership in ABC Teach would save them a lot of time.  They wouldn't have to search the internet for just the right free worksheet, and they wouldn't have to try to create their own worksheets each week. 

ABC Teach's membership costs $40.00 per year, or $70.00 for a 2 year subscription.   But you can purchase it for 50% off through Homeschool Buyer's Co-op, now through November 30, 2009.  If you're intrigued by what ABC Teach has to offer, you can see a video tour, and a list of their worksheet categories HERE.  

We received a free one-month trial membership in ABC Teach in order to write this review.  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