How to Plan Field Trips for your Homeschool groups

We have the wonderful privilege of writing a guest post on the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.  Hop over on the link below and see all the blog has to offer.

How to Play a Field Trip for your Homeschool Group

Progeny Press Christian Study E-Guides Review

Some times we all need a little help.  Especially when we are multi-grade teaching and trying to just keep up with life.  We all know that homeschoolers are not truly busy...lol.  We recently had the opportunity to try out study guides from Progeny Press.  
We had the opportunity to try:

Grades 8 - 12 ($21.99)

And

For Early Elementary ( $11.99)

Progeny Press provides study guides for literature books.  They are from a Christian perspective, so scripture memory and questions are included with each book.  I really like the mission statement for Progeny Press.
"To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it!"
It's very easy to get away from remembering to rely on the Bible in the stresses of life.  As adults, we forget.  So then our children see us not doing it and our children learn from our example.  These study guides were great.  While we were working on not only our reading and reading comprehension, but there were scriptural reminders about our behaviors to discuss.

Joey really wanted to read The Hunger Games, so I thought this was a great opportunity to try and see if he could handle it.  The Hunger Games study guide ($21.99) is made for Grades 8 - 12.  

The study guide is broken down into manageable sections.  So Chapters 1 - 4 is a group and so forth.  Joey actually read the chapters and looked at the questions to see if he could answer questions.  He did this 4 days a week.  I really encouraged him to read the questions before he started his reading.  The questions were well written and thought provoking.  Some were asking for some basic details though.

I have to say, he is doing better at comprehension, but these questions are definitely high school level.  This study guide is written to really prep students for their upcoming college years.  They required thought and self-reflection that he is still working his way up too.  

Included also are a ton of ideas to help your child to really get into reading the Hunger Games.  The pre-reading activities encourage physical activity as well as extra study ideas to turn the Hunger Games into a history unit as well.  We did watch a few videos to help him look at how the Hunger Games is connected with Greek Mythology.

Extra writing assignments, that encourage essay skills and extensive vocabulary assignments are also included.  The Hunger Games Study Guide by Progeny Press definitely does really well at the high school levels to prep students for college level writing.

Joey did struggle with this study guide.  So I adjusted what questions I used with him.  It was very easy to adjust it to his level and skill ability.  And then as he gains the higher skills, we can revisit those questions again.

The scripture references were very appropriate, and no they do not try and tie the book into the Bible.  The scripture references make you think about the activities of the characters and how to apply this information in your own life.

Lydia and I had the opportunity to try Frog and Toad Together ($11.99 e book, Lower Elementary level).

This was the first time she had read any Frog and Toad books, and I was hoping she would like them.  I remember reading them when I was little.  She did like it.  

The pre-reading activities for each chapter of the book included some thinking questions about our character.  They also included scriptural references to help us really look at ourselves and the way we are acting.

With this level, each chapter of the book was a chapter in the study guide.  The comprehension questions were easy for her age level, but yet not so easy that they didn't require some thought.

We enjoyed working on the activity suggestions.  They ranged from art:

To cooking projects:

Will we continue using Progeny Press study guides?  Although I do find them a little pricey for the budget, they provided me with flexibility.  The study guides are very easily adjustable to my kids various levels, which is very important to me.  I was easily able to mark out questions that Joey was unable to answer and work with him on questions that would improve his writing and reading skills.  You can also choose to leave out the scriptural material if you would like.

Depending on your child's abilities, I know that Joey will not be going through study guides quickly, so the price is cost effective for his level of study guides.  Lydia will go through the study guides a bit quicker, so the younger levels, even though very nice, we might not purchase as many of them.  But I do know that I will be purchasing some of them because they have eliminated a lot of extra work for myself.  I can very easily use these study guides to create a unit study for the kids.  That is why I am leaning toward these E-guides being cost effective for our family.

Many members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew were given the opportunity to try out various titles of the E-Guides from Progeny Press.  Take some time to see how they used them in their homes and how the  E-Guides worked for them.

At Home in Dogwood Mudhole Book Review

I don't get a chance to read many books that do not contain pictures.  Most of my time is spent reading with the girls, so I am usually falling asleep when I a chance to pick up a book for myself.   I really do miss reading my own books.  Even though we have had the opportunity to review many great products for the kids this year, I was very excited to find out that I was getting a book that I would enjoy reading.
We received a copy of At Home in Dogwood Mudhole Book 1 Nothing That Eats written by Franklin Sanders.  Franklin Sanders has been publishing a monthly newsletter called The Money Changer for many years.  Each month he writes a letter to his readers in their newsletter.  The series At Home in Dogwood Mudhole is a result of bringing many years of letters together in one place.

We have been learning more and more about how important it is that we start becoming more self sufficient.  I wish that we lived in a spot that we could have some food producing animals such as chickens, ducks, goats, etc.  But since we cannot, we are making a plan to take our own family back to some basics.

At Home in Dogwood Mudhole Book 1 Nothing That Eats is the story of a family that comes together in Middle Tennessee.  Susan does not want anything that eats on the farm, and soon they are collecting dogs, cats, horses, chickens, pigs, ducks and sheep.  Each chapter tells vividly of this families daily jobs or hurdles.  Some made me laugh and others made me a little sad.  This is really "prime" reality reading her.  But it is also a "PG" reality show.  So you can read this with your children.

Each chapter is a short story.  So I was able to read many small sections.  Even if I was tired, I was able to read little bits at a time.  I liked that, since I never get a chance to read uninterrupted...even during reading time.  You can view a sample chapter and see what I mean, Pig Persuader. 

Franklin Sanders really writes from daily life and shows how you shouldn't be afraid to live a little.  I felt a connection because he was honest about life experiences.  Oh and I loved reading about his family vacation, because many were places I would love to visit (he appears to be a history fan) or have seen ourselves.

Ok, I know I live in Ohio, but my favorite state is Tennessee.  We would be living there if we could, so I really loved reading this families adventures.  Its ups and downs.  It was nice to read the story of a more "typical" family and their triumphs and struggles.

You can purchase At Home in Dogwood Mudhole Book 1 Nothing That Eats for $22.95 for print edition, and $16.95 for the epub/Kindle/PDF version.  And the second installment is also available, Volume 2:  Best Thing We Did.

Several members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew were given the opportunity to read At Home in Dogwood Mudhole Book 1 Nothing That Eats.  Take some time to visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog and see how they may have enjoyed reading this series by Franklin Sanders.

French Essentials Online Review

Lydia loves a certain fancy little girl that loves to use French words...because she's fancy.  So Lydia has asked a few times to try and learn French.  I have been a little wary of this task, simply because....I don't know French.  So French Essentials was a welcome challenge to our homeschool schedule.

French Essentials is a full French Curriculum that you can download and still have features online.  It was created by French teachers for use of people at home.  Each step-by-step lesson is easy to follow along with and no previous experience is required for the student (or the parent).  As long as you can use your computer, you can use French Essentials.

Like I mentioned earlier, French Essentials is a combination of both online and downloadable lessons.  The online area of French Essentials is very user friendly.  As you can see below.

Culture is even included along with the lessons.  So you are not just learning a few words to get you through a trip to France, you are learning about the French culture and way of life.

Each easy to use lesson focus on pronunciation with follow-up workbook exercises to really help the student to grasp the material.  

Lydia thought it was very neat that her "workbook" even had a link that helped to pronounce and teach her the French alphabet. All sections are broken down into modules.  Each module then is broken further down into shorter lessons.  

Parents are able to tract this with a checklist, so they can assign students their work.   French Essentials has a goal of helping your students to be successful at learning a new language.  They have a special approach to that allows for a multi-sensory approach to learning French.  The use both audio and video.  They believe that seeing someone actually using the words the students are trying to learn is one of the main keys to success.  And I have to agree with them, when I see and can watch someone doing whatever I am attempting to learn, I learn so much more. So how are we doing with French Essentials?  

Well, as excited as Lydia was to try and learn French....she is struggling.  She does have some speech issues that cause for mispronouncing of sounds.  So when she is constantly trying to force herself to think one way about how a letter will sound, it gets very frustrating to be attempting sounds that are similar but not the same.  She understands how the French alphabet has many similar letter sounds.   Her frustration though is where the short videos and online ability to see how she should be saying words is actually extremely beneficial.  She could read me words all afternoon, but I will not be able to help her understand or even understand myself what she is trying to say in French. 

I do like that she can watch someone's face as they say the words.  This really makes French Essentials a wonderful resource for all different types of learners. Again, we are working our way slowly through French Essentials.  I love how easy it is to use.  I do have a little bit of planning.  I read through each lesson and watch what needs to be watched ahead of Lydia, just so that I can be prepared to show her what to do.  She is unable to work independently with this program yet, but there are not many programs that she can work completely by herself.   Lessons are simple and do not require a lot of time.  

Lydia spends maybe 30 minutes a week on foreign language studies.  I know this doesn't seem like a lot of time, but for Lydia that is a lot.  French Essentials though allows for self-paced learning. If you are trying to decide whether or not French Essentials will work for your family, they have samples of the various Module levels available online.  Take some time to browse through and even take their online assessment test to see what section your child should start with. French Essentials was created for kids in Grades 3 - 8, but completing the modules through 10 will be like completing 2 years of high school French.  A subscription to French Essentials allows all the kids in your household to use the program, so you do not need to worry about individual subscriptions.  That is a big plus for us.  

You can purchase individual modules of French Essentials for $69.95 per module.  This gives you 90 day access to download workbooks and access to online materials.  You can purchase all the modules and have access for a full year, giving you plenty of time for download and work, for only $149.95...which is almost a 50% savings. Take some time to read through the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog and see how the members of the TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew have been able to French Essentials with their families.

Apologia Educational Ministries - Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Review

Science is a favorite subject for Lydia and Joey enjoys it a lot too.  They love doing experiments, they are very hands-on for Science.  We have used other Apologia Science books, so I was very excited to get the opportunity from Apologia Educational Ministries to try out Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics by Jeannie Fulbright.

This Homeschool Science Curriculum was created for ages K through sixth grade, Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics is a Christian based elementary level program.  Topics that are introduced to students include atoms, molecules, states of matter, periodic table of elements, kinds of energy, mechanics in motion, crystallization, thermal energy, magnetism and much more.  All topics are approached with a creation based side, showing them that God made everything in the Universe.  

We received a hardcover copy of Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics ($39.00)

and copies of the Junior Notebooking Journal ($24.00) for Joey and Lydia.

Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics was developed to help introduce students to the building blocks of science.  It really does show them the building blocks, literally.  I think one of the kids favorite chapters so far was reading how atoms are like LEGOs and build the matter that is all around us.  Joey's eyes about popped out of his head when he turned the page and saw the pictures of LEGOs in his textbook.

We usually do science three times per week.  With our kids short attention spans, I work to keep them on task for many different time periods.  Apologia made this so much easier for me with plenty of science experiments to help them with hands-on learning.

Lessons could last anywhere from 20 minutes to up to an hour depending on the amount of experiments and activities that we would complete for science class.  If you like to have your lesson plan laid out for you, the Junior Notebooking Journal for Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics had everything laid out for us.

The amount of "recommended" information covered in each day was a bit daunting for the kids.  After the first attempt at trying to pack all that information in during our science lesson, I gave up.  I knew that if I forced that much into each lesson, I would have kids that would be revolting and hating this material.  So we did not complete the "recommended" material in the same time frame.  I went through and "created" a lesson out of the material.  Which basically means because our kids are not heavy readers, I need to go through and actually pre-read the lesson and give it to them lecture style and do the experiments during our "lecture" time.

Because I do need to pre-read the material and present it "lecture" style, I am very grateful for the amount of information that Jeannie Fulbright packs into each lesson.  I don't have to worry about looking up information to include or wonder if I am covering all the bases.   I only have to worry about how to approach it with the kids, because she has provided an excess of wonderful knowledge for all of us.

This leads me to the second thing I really LOVE about using Apologia products.  You can adjust them to your child's needs.  We need to cover less material in a class than some other kids might cover, and I was able to do that with Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics.  I used the material provided and adjusted it to each of our kids needs.  Joey doesn't enjoy coloring, but Lydia does.  So while presenting our Science Lecture, Joey can fill in the vocabulary terms in his journal with pictures and Lydia who enjoys coloring can work on the coloring pages provided.

The third thing that I truly love about using Apologia homeschool science products, the cost.  Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics is only $39.00 for a hardcover textbook.  One book will work for a family to share.  I do not need to pay that per child.  I really do like that I can save some money and yet still get a homeschool science curriculum that exceeds anything I ever got while attending public school.  The Junior Notebooking Journal is also reasonably priced at $24.00.  That is per student, but it includes lapbook pieces, copywork, coloring pages, and many other worksheet activities.  If I was to figure the cost of paper and ink to create my own lapbook pages, copywork, etc, I am sure I spend more than $24.00 per student on science printouts in our home.  So to have all that work done for me is wonderful!

Another thing that I love and so did the kids were the experiments that we have done so far.  One of their favorites was the lava lamps.

These simple ingredients created many hours of fun.

There is an experiment for almost every concept throughout the book.

So we have been kept busy each week with hands-on activities.  This even drew Brayden in to want to do science with us, instead of on his own.

I know there are many homeschool science curriculums out there to chose from.  But I have to say that Apologia Educational Ministries has topped my list yet again.  Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics has been very easy to use and the amount of information that is provided makes my life as the lesson planner a lot easier.  I am able to use one curriculum for multi-level teaching, which also cuts down on the amount of work I have when teaching so many age groups.  Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Junior Notebooking Journal  also saves me time and money.  The "worksheets" and lapbook pages are already created and ready to go.  I just need to determine what time during the week we are using that lesson they will use their notebooking journals.

I do admit that because of our kid's unique needs, we do not use every page in the Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Junior Notebooking Journal for every lesson.  Some days I write their answers for them in their journals, and they attempt the copywork pages.  The Notebooking Journal is not required to use Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics, but it definitely does have an added benefit with all pages ready for the kids.

If you are not sure, please take some time to visit the Apologia site and go through the sample chapters and materials so that you can check and see if Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics will be a fit for your family.

Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics
Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Junior Notebooking Journal (younger students)
Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Notebooking Journal (older students)

We will continue to use Apologia Educational Ministry Science products.  I can't wait to start science again this week and keep chugging along through Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics !!!

Several members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew were given the opportunity to try Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics  with both the Junior Notebooking Journal and Notebooking Journal (for older students).  Check out how they used it with their families and what worked and may not have worked for them.

IXL Learning Review

IXL is an online math and language arts program that makes practicing assignments more fun.  Created for Preschool through 12th grade, IXL provides over 2,500 activities that allows kids to practice and master essential education skills.  

We were given the opportunity to try IXL Learning in our homeschool.  This is a program that I have been contemplating, but not sure how the kids would like it.  For the most part, the kids DO NOT like "practicing" skills.  Flashcards....yeah they are not fans.  Another worksheet.....yeah, they hate worksheets too.  So I have been trying to figure out how to get them to "master" skills they have been learning.

IXL Learning has been a great help in this area.  The kids are able to practice both Math and Language Arts skills.  And not just at whatever grade level someone else thinks they should be at.  Joey still struggles with basic math skills.  With the help of IXL Learning I have been able to go back to the "basics" with him.  He has been practicing online, and not feeling like he is using "flashcards".  He feels really great when he earns extra rewards for his efforts.  

Actually all the kids get really excited when they finish a lesson and they see they have earned a reward.  I honestly have not had them react to "virtual" rewards like this.  Normally the kids require some sort of a tangible item as a reward, a fun size candy bar or a sticker for example.  This was Joey's board from a couple weeks ago.  They have to check before they start practicing and then after also.  

Usually most practice sessions are really time-wise, what you put into them.  So if I want the kids to only practice one area, then they will practice that one area.  Timing so far on most elementary level skill practice area has been about 5 minutes to a maximum of 10 minutes.

Lydia sometimes takes a bit longer on the language arts areas since she is really learning these areas and reading is sometimes a slow point for her.  In the lower grade areas though, Language Arts and Math questions for several areas provided a button for the student to allow the questions to be read to them.

Typically for Joey and Lydia I used IXL Learning as a practice program for them.  This is exactly what IXL was created to do for students, allow them to master very important skills in Math and Language Arts.  So IXL was added to their normal schedules.  I would assign daily or every other day assignments in IXL for them to complete.

For Caty, I decided to use it as a base of what she should be learning in Math.  We went through several of the Preschool areas to see if she had those skills mastered.  And I am using the Kindergarten Skills List to help plan out her Math lessons.  We work on an area together and then we use IXL Learning as a practice area.

Each grade level offers a large amount of skills that students can practice with.

Math covers grade levels Preschool through 12th grade.

Language Arts covers Grades 2- 4.  This has been a great review area for the boys.

I really liked that if the kids earned a mastery in a skill or earned a reward, I received an email.  If they kids were having a frustrating day and needed some extra encouragement, I would print the certificates that IXL Learning sent to my email so the kids could hang them up on their wall.  Something so small has been a great encouragement to keep working hard.  

I also received a weekly report in my email from IXL letting me know what areas the kids worked in and whether they need more practice or they have mastered an area.

I was able to print these reports and include them in the kids assessment notebooks for when we meet with the assessors at the end of our school year.

We are really enjoying using IXL Learning in our homeschool.  There is no extra work for me to use this product.  Each week when I write up lesson plans, I simply select what lessons the kids should practice.  I make sure to have the kids practice their "skills" that correspond with their regular work.  The less extra work for me, the better.  I really like that the practice sessions are not full of cartoons and cartoon games.  I really hate when the kids get lost in a game and not really doing the work assigned.  

You can subscribe to IXL Learning for $9.99 per month or $79.00 per year.  That is for a family membership.  So IXL Learning is actually reasonably priced, considering many programs out there limit the amount of students or require a monthly subscription for each student in your family.  I know with 4 kids that can get awful expensive.  

Now that I have officially tried IXL Learning, I can see us continue using it in our Homeschool schedule.  It is easy to use, and a great confidence builder for our kids.  The kids enjoy earning their virtual awards.  We are going to keep using IXL Learning in our family.

Be sure to continue reading other Reviews of IXL Learning, many of the Schoolhouse Review Crew had the privilege of reviewing IXL Learning in their homes.  See how this program worked for them.