Review: NOVICA and NOVICA Live!

With the holidays approaching, it is time to start making a list and checking it twice.  I know where I plan to do some of my shopping:



The Andes*




Bali and Java*



Brazil*




Central America*




India*



Mexico*



Thailand*



and
West Africa!*

No, I am not going to trek the globe.  Instead, I can purchase quality, hand-crafted jewelry and accessories, apparel, cufflinks,  men's accessories, ceramics, paintings and SO MUCH MORE from the world's best artisans via NOVICA!

Recently, NOVICA gave me $100 to spend at their site in exchange for this review.  I was impressed from the get-go.  Actually, when I arrived at their website, I was like a kid in a candy store.  I thought I would never decide how to spend my money because everything is so unique and beautiful.  And the $100 afforded me many choices because the prices are so reasonable.

Finally, the work of Nestor Yana, an artisan of the Andes, caught my eye, and I bought one of his alpaca wool ponchos.  Here is the description, from the NOVICA website, of his "Warm Earth" poncho:

A vision of elegance and cozy warmth, this cloak is imbued with Peruvian chic. Nestor Yana designs this piece based upon the traditional cloak of the Andean highlands. The cloak features a delicate floral border crocheted by hand. A matching scarf is sewn to the cloak, which fastens with four ornate buttons.

I love the feminine details.

It is so soft, warm...

...and comfortable.

Not only do I LOVE my poncho, but my overall experience with NOVICA rated high as well.  Shopping at their site was a breeze.  Shipping charges were reasonable, and I received my poncho quickly.  It even came gift-wrapped, for no extra charge, in packaging that made me feel as if I had received a gift from my best Peruvian friend.

Shopping with NOVICA is more than a pleasure...
it's a cultural experience!**

Would you like to shop the world, too?  Click on over to NOVICA where the world's finest artisans await!

Or better yet...

...bring the artisans' work to your community by hosting a home party through NOVICA Live!

Hosting a NOVICA Live party is fun, fast and easy. Get FREE NOVICA gift certificates, jewelry and half priced gifts as you indulge your friends with fun, guilt-free shopping. Here are some other great hosting benefits:

• It's easy - send invites, provide refreshments, and your NOVICA Live Home Party Consultant does the rest!
• Give guests an armchair travel experience with our regional explorer DVD.
• Get handcrafted treasures shipped direct from global artisans to your door.
• Benefit artisans through each party with a microcredit loan to the artisan of your choice. ***

Interested?  Click here for more details or to book your party!  Remember, not only do you earn reduced-priced or free items for hosting, but your party may benefit at least one artisan, possibly two!  It's ALL GOOD!

If you decide to host a NOVICA Live! party, pretty please, invite me!!

Happy Shopping!
Dawn

Disclosure:  I was given a $100 NOVICA gift certificate in exchange for this review.  I have not been otherwise compensated.  All opinions are my own.

*Thank you to NOVICA for providing photos from http://www.novica.com/.

**Photos of the Warm Earth poncho and gift wrapping are the property of Olive Plants (http:homeschooldawn.blogspot.com).  I would like to send a very special thank you to my sweet and lovely (inside and out) friend, Chloe P., for modeling! 

*** from http://www.novicalive.com/host.cfm

Archiving School Plans

Hi all,

I am getting ready to post the plans for next school year on Our Academy page and wanted to archive last year's plans.  So this post is a cut and paste of that page for my personal records.  If you are new to Olive Plants, feel free to scan this post at your leisure.  I wrote a mini-review of each program we used at the conclusion of the year because I like to know the thoughts of other mom's concerning a curriculum before I buy.  I hope you find it helpful.

If you're an Olive Plants regular, thanks for sticking around!  This post is old news for you, so please, feel free to skip it.  But, please do return soon because I can't wait to tell you about our plans for next year!  It's my favorite time of the year!!

Blessings,
Dawn

Oh yeah, here are the completed plans and reviews. 

*smacking forehead*

My comments and reviews are typed in red.

Bible

We plan to follow the New Testament portion of the Bible in one year plan. Our History curriculum and Orville's Omnibus studies include large portions of the Old Testament which we will read as well.

The boys will also continue to memorize the Westminster Shorter Catechism for training in doctrine.

This plan worked really well. It took some tweaking, particularly because Orville's Bible reading schedule in Omnibus was tough. He and I completed each of the following books of the Bible this year: Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Minor Prophets, all four Gospels, Acts, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, James and the Revelation.


Wilbur read all four Gospels, Acts, Galatians, James, and the Revelation.


We plan to read Romans over summer break and memorization of the Shorter Catechism is on-going.


History

Diana Waring's revised curriculum, History Revealed: Ancient Civilizations and the Bible.

I think this is a GREAT history program! We had to tweak it to fit our needs (isn't that what we homeschoolers are all about?!). Each boy only read a few of the supplemental recommendations because their regular reading list was weighty this year, particularly Orville who was also completing Omnibus I.

The boys really enjoyed Mrs. Waring's CD's and listened to them many nights while in bed before falling asleep. Overall, I think the worldview and Biblical content on them is great. However, I did disagree with some of the content (doctrinal issues). The differences were slight, and I was able to use those sections as teachable moments by presenting what we believe and by "showing proper respect to everyone and loving the brotherhood of believers." (1Pet 2:17). We disagree with Mrs. Waring on some points, but we do not discredit her Christian testimony or all of her teaching.

I did add in Story of the World Book 1 because History Revealed focuses so heavily on worldview that it does not present as much historical content as I would like.

Language Arts


I am teaching both boys from the Institute for Excellence in Writing's Student Writing Intensive course.



 

 

 

 

 

To better understand the methods of IEW, I am also watching their Teaching Writing Structure and Style.

All I can say is "Best Decision I EVER Made!" You can read more about our experience here if you would like.













Both boys will complete Daily Grammar Practice. Wilbur will complete the 4th grade book, and Orville will complete the 2nd 1/2 of the 6th grade book and the 1st 1/2 of the 7th grade book.

We have used this curriculum for several years now and love it. Orville completed the 6th grade book and has completed about half of the 7th grade book. Wilbur finished the 4th grade book and has begun work on the 5th grade! It took plugging away at it for a couple years, but it finally "clicked" this year for him!

Wilbur will complete All About Spelling, Level 3.


He finished level 3 and is almost half-way through level 4! We are going to keep working on it over the summer! Second Best Decision I Ever Made!

Orville will complete Omnibus I from Veritas Press.


Wowzers! What a program!! Okay, I'm not going to gloss anything over here. This is one tough study, and Orville hated it at times and loved it at others. He completed all the primary reading selections and thought it was great for the first two studies: Genesis and Exodus. We have studied these two books of the Bible so frequently in the past that he basically has them memorized, so they were easy to read and it was easy to transition into the higher-order writing and discussion activities.



Then he had to read an edited version of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Not a fun week at our house! Michael and I had to do that thing that parents do and nudge him along by encouraging and rebuking, and he survived.

After jumping that hurdle, he went on to enjoy the subsequent studies (excluding Last Days of Socrates). His legal mind sprang into action as he analyzed the Code of Hammurabi and his knowledge of history from having read works like The Last Days of Rome, The Twelve Caesars, and Herodotus leaves me dumbfounded (and feeling a bit ignorant).


The results? We have seen huge growth in his thinking and reasoning and his ability to write a thorough response. This was something we had to work on CONSTANTLY throughout the year. He wanted to give simple answers (ones that could be written quickly), but we required him to do rewrites, and he is maturing as a scholar.

We decided, however, that reading the secondaries was requiring too much of him. He did complete Chosen by God and the Holiness of God (both by Sproul), but at a very slow pace. We did not require him to complete the questions in the Omnibus text for these works. Instead, I also read each book and took notes. We discussed these works chapter-by-chapter and compared our notes.


We dropped all other secondaries except for...

We will read each of the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series and use the Narnia Comprehension Guide from Veritas Press as a discussion guide. This will be a time that the boys and I switch turns reading aloud.

LOVED IT! It took a concerted effort on our part to make time for reading as a family; however, we all think it was time well-spent and are so glad we did. The Narnia Series was a perfect read, and the Comprehension Guide gave us a good resource for quickly and easily checking their understanding. We also used the book Roar! as a companion to The Silver Chair and Last Battle and wished we had had it from the start. Doug Wilson's What I Learned in Narnia is on their summer reading list.


By March, we had finished Narnia and moved on to Shakespeare. We read Julius Caesar, also an Omnibus I secondary reading assignment. It was a tough read, but can you guess who understood the plot better than any of us??? Wilbur, the youngest of us!!! We were really proud of him and had a lot of fun assigning roles and having our own little reader's theater!

Wilbur will complete Rod and Staff's Pathway reader for 4th grade with accompanying workbook for his independent reading work.

Readers and workbooks do not fit my homeschool philosophy, AT ALL! However, going into this school year, we had some concerns about Wilbur's progress in Language Arts and decided to take a more traditional route. We hoped it would give us more insight into which skills were causing him trouble.


It did not take him long to complete each daily assignment and it gave him something to complete independently when I could not work directly with him. It also eased many of my fears as he completed the skills-based activities with ease. It did allow us to isolate a few trouble spots and work on them. He finished the 4th grade set and has moved on to the 5th. We are going to keep this study going over the summer.


Math

Orville will complete Singapore Math, Levels 6 A and 6 B.














He is almost done! This is the only curriculum that we have used from the 1st to the last level. It makes me feel simultaneously proud of him and sad. Where did that little boy go who was learning to count and add? Emotional mommy issues aside, this has been a great elementary math curriculum.


Wilbur will complete Singapore Math, Levels 4B and 5A.



He is almost finished, too, and about to start level 5! My BABY!!!




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Science

Orville will complete Apologia's General Science course.

If there is one area where I get a big ol' fat F for the year, it is science. (Although I think coordinating a science fair should give me enough extra credit just to pass!) Orville finished five modules before Christmas break, and I decided for the sake of my sanity to drop the study altogether after the break.


I know this is a highly revered curriculum within the greater homeschool community; however, I found the format frustrating. No supplemental work is included. The hands-on activities are excellent, but I never felt like setting them up because I was too exhausted from finding ways to help him retain the content. I felt like the module review basically gave the test answers to him, so then I felt uncertain about how much he was really learning as opposed to just parroting back to me. I don't like being the one Apologia naysayer, but it just did NOT work for us.


Wilbur will study Zoology III through Apologia's Young Explorer Series.

Wilbur loves these books and has almost completed this study. Nonetheless, I have decided to take a new approach to science for next year. What is it? Well, you'll just have to wait and see! :)










Foreign Language

Both boys will complete Lively Latin's Big Book I (the second 1/2).

We're done with Latin!!! We're done with Latin!!! I really do like Lively Latin, but we have new plans for foreign language/word study next year. Again, you'll just have to wait and see! :)

Orville will continue to study Japanese with Rosetta Stone. He is taking a leisurely pace with this study as it is a delight-directed study for him.

Orville did not complete much of his Japanese study this year.  We were just too busy with other things and we bought this for him three years ago to complete as there is time.  He will keep working on it as he wants.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fine Arts


Both boys will complete Harmony Fine Arts for 5th grade and The Violin Book, Books 1 and 2 by Eden Vaning-Rosen.

I really like HFA! The boys do, too!! This study was particularly good for my VSL. The author, Barb (Harmony Art Mom), really understands right-brained children. From this curriculum, Wilbur gained an appreciation for history (through art history) which increased his interest in our regular history studies. He also decided he might want to be an architect when he grows up! In a nutshell, HFA opened his eyes to a world of possibilities.


The Violin Book, however, did not work so great. I do not think the fault lies with the program. Rather, I bought very cheap, very poor quality violins. I spent more time tuning the things than they did practicing. I even lost a toenail because of them. Well, that was the straw, folks. After my injury, I couldn't look at those violins without shuddering and because they would not stay in tune for more than 3.8 seconds, we dropped violin.

Moral of this story?


Don't be cheap like me. Buy a good violin!


Orville has become very serious about his piano studies and really does not want to study violin anyway, and Wilbur wants to focus on art and architecture. So I guess we learned this year that we are not violinists.

Wilbur will complete Artistic Pursuits 1st book for grades 4-6.


He has almost completed it and really enjoys the assignments. He has grown as an artist this year!





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
P.E.


Both boys will take tennis lessons and go swimming twice per week. They go for a morning run with Michael twice per week, too.

After the toe injury, swimming was out. I had to keep my foot bandaged and dry for almost two months. They took tennis lessons every week until Christmas break during which time Orville broke his arm. They rejoined the class just last week. (Orville's arm has completely mended, like new!)


Extra-curricular Activities

Both boys participate in our local Mathletes team. The group competes in the National Math Olympiads.

Orville was the second-highest scorer on the team! He earned a patch this year and missed earning a silver pin for the top 10% by one question! Wilbur's total score improved from last year and he missed the patch by 1 question! Both are great accomplishments...good job, guys!

We are active members of our local homeschool association. Our group holds an annual International Festival, Spotlight Night, and Field Day. We also take 4-6 field trips per year. The boys' favorite event of the year is the annual skating party!

Ay, ay, ay...it's like a blur! I know they had fun, and all the activities added so much to their educational and social experience this year. I am thankful for SDHSA and all it affords our family!

All plans listed on this blog assume "Lord willing".

Some of our plans for the year panned out. Some things did not work out as we hoped while other happenings completely took us by surprise. Through it all God has been teaching us how to live abound by praising Him and receiving His blessings with appreciation and to live abased by being content whatever the circumstances and resting in and trusting His Providence. We can do all things through Christ Jesus who is our strength. (Phil 4:12-13)

Our plans for 2011-2012 are in place, and I will share them here soon. Thank you for reading and may God bless you as you homeschool your children!

Product Review: Artistic Pursuits

Let me begin this review by saying that we plan to include Artistic Pursuits curriculum in Wilbur's school program for the remainder of his home education. I am not sure I can give this product any higher praise than that.


I was given the opportunity to select any one of Artistic Pursuits books and chose the first of the 4th-6th grade books which introduces the elements of art and composition. What initially caught my attention was the layout of the book. It is very user-friendly, designed for the student to read and learn from independently. As much as I wanted to get involved in this study because I love to draw as much as Wilbur does, I remained hands-off to see if he could complete the assignments without assistance. He was.

After he completed a few lessons, I read through the book myself and was impressed with the approach to instruction. Specific skills are taught incrementally and are explained very thoroughly. There are a number of visual aids to reference which show how to use the art tools (pencil, eraser, etc.) and how to examine the subject matter. Artistic Pursuits has its students finding subject matter from existing works, the world around them, and their imaginations. And while students are prompted to put specific skills into practice, they are given the freedom to exercise choice and draw what they want.

Wilbur has thoroughly enjoyed his Artistic Pursuits studies. In just a few lessons, I have seen improvement in his abilities. We have used a different art curriculum with him for a few years. He has also taken private art lessons. Truthfully, I have been most satisfied with Artistic Pursuits. With the other curriculum, I have had to be very involved and demonstrate how to do what the curriculum required. With private art lessons, the teacher did the same. She drew on the board what she wanted him to produce and then he had to replicate it.

With Artistic Pursuits, Wilbur has been able to stretch his abilities and apply the lessons in a way that is meaningful to him. His drawings have been truly his own. I feel like he is making the transition from master replicator to a true artist.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with Artistic Pursuits and highly recommend their curricula for your homeschool.  The book we received is priced at $ 42.95 and is worth every penny, in my opinion.

You can visit their website for more information on all the great K-12 products and prices.

I received the product mentioned in this review for free in order to offer my unbiased opinion. I have received no other compensation.

For more reviews on this product, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Critical Thinking Co.

Balance Benders, from Critical Thinking Co., was one of my favorite products that I received as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

This book of reproducible worksheets provides hours of logic and algebraic reasoning fun! Each worksheet pictures one or two balance scale(s). On the scale(s) are a variety of shapes. Some shapes are equal to others while some are greater/less than other specified shapes.

Beneath the scales are expressions like 2 circles are equal to 1 square. Using the scale(s) as a reference, students must decide which of 6 expressions are true.

We love, love, loved these activities! They were fun and challenging. However, the book begins with simpler exercises to give students a chance to succeed. Each page is a little more difficult than the previous so students build their skills and stretch their thinking as they complete the book.

The best part was each page only took a few minutes to complete. These serve as great activators for a math lesson. They could also be used for an easy center or workbox activity. Balance Benders is a simple and fun way to provide a little higher-order thinking in your school day.

I must say that I drooled over their catalog, too. Balance Benders ($9.99 per book) is available in more advanced levels for older students as well. I am also interested in some of their other books and software and intend to include a few of their products in our school day next year.

I give them two thumbs up and encourage you to check out their website!

I received the product mentioned in this review for free in order to provide my honest evaluation. I have received no other compensation and have offered my unbiased opinion.

For more reviews of this product, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Graphics Toolbox

This is a difficult review to write solely because I was unable to give this product the attention it deserves.


Graphics Toolbox seems to be absolutely fabulous… a dream come true for a blogger and project-driven homeschooler like me. It provides its user with a number of design possibilities with its ability to zoom in and crop pixel by pixel. The color palette offers just about any hue imaginable. And with only a few clicks of the mouse, colors can be changed and coordinated as desired.

The applications are as numerous as the product features: school projects, posters, greeting cards, photo editing, blog headers and buttons…. The final results look professional as well.

The product support the Crew received from Great Software Tools was first-rate. I attended one training session and was impressed with the instruction and support provided as well as what could be accomplished using Graphics Toolbox. My experience with this company has been very good.

However, after I installed the software, my computer began to "act up". I learned from other Crew members that this product was not initially designed for Windows Vista and does not perform optimally on a Vista computer… then again, what does? I resigned from the Crew the week I began to have problems and did not have time to verify that this was the cause or to seek help from Great Software Tools.

Because my health issues did not afford me the time to properly complete the number of reviews I was being assigned by TOS, I could not invest the time needed to resolve these issues and thoroughly learn and use Graphics Toolbox. I am certain that had I not resigned from the Crew and had I sought help from Great Software Tools, the issues would have been resolved quickly and I would have LOVED this product. Instead, I decided to uninstall the software.

I do recommend you look into Graphics Toolbox. I have not seen another program with similar capabilities, especially for the price, $149. You can watch tutorials here and see just a sampling of the many things you can accomplish with GT. You can also try this product for free for 30 days.  Please read my crewmates' reviews as well.

I received the product mentioned in this review for free and have received no other compensation. I have offered my unbiased opinion.

Product Review: Pandia Press

I received History Odyssey: Early Modern from Pandia Press to review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

This curriculum roughly covers the time period of colonization in the New World and the revolutions. The overall curriculum seems to be chronological with Early Modern History serving as one of 4 units for level one. There are three levels available. This particular unit does not introduce topics sequentially, but instead teaches the events geographically. The study begins with a look at England and ends with Japan.

History Odyssey uses a few additional resources (i.e. Story of the World and History Pockets). These resources must be purchased separately.

For each week of the 36-week study there is a check list of reading assignments, which come from the required additional resources, activities, and map work. Reproducible worksheets are included for the mapping assignments. There is also a weekly book list included. These books are not required but listed for those who want to investigate the topic further.

Instructions are provided to build a history notebook. Each week a new prompt is given as to what the child needs to write in his notebook. It is very similar to journaling (Charlotte Mason). Other activities are included as well as recipes and games.

Overall, I like History Odyssey. It is not written from a Christian perspective, and that would keep us from using it as our core history curriculum. However, I did not find anything overtly anti-Christian. I would also call it "history-light" because it is not as rigorous as I would like. I think it would make for a very nice study for a student who does not have a natural interest in history. Many of the activities are fun and interest building and could serve to motivate a reluctant learner. But it does not provide enough material for a history connoisseur. It would perhaps make a good spine for this type student if you are willing to allow for extra research or add in other activities.

You can learn more about History Odyssey at the Pandia Press website. You can purchase each unit in downloadable e-book format for $28.99- $33.99 per book. Print copies are available from other sellers.

I received the product(s) mentioned in this review for free in order to provide my honest opinion about it/them. I have received no other compensation and have provided an unbiased review.

For more reviews on this product, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Family Mint

Family Mint is a free website where you can create an individual "bank account" for each of your children.

Set up is incredibly easy. It's a matter of filling in some basic information and clicking a few tabs. We set our boys account up to automatically pay an allowance, set aside amounts toward savings goals, and pay interest.

Family Mint is private and safe. You are password protected. It also does not deal in real money. It is simply a place for you to keep track of your child's money. It is up to the parent to exchange the amounts saved in Family Mint for real currency.

Family Mint has its merits. It has a nice visual appeal and was user-friendly. It was nice to have certain payments, like allowances, deposited automatically and not have to keep cash on hand to pay our children each week. I also liked that it calculated interest. That is not something we have done with our boys before, and it was a good learning experience.

Overall, my boys were not as interested in it as they are their piggy bank. They like handling real money. Electronic banking is just not their cup of tea right now. We also could not find a way to automatically set up a tithe or investment deduction. We created savings goals for those item, and it worked. It just would have been nice to set up an automatic 10% deduction.

Overall, I give Family Mint two thumbs up and invite you to visit their site.

I have received no compensation for writing this review and have offered my unbiased opinion.


Please visit the TOS Crew blog for more reviews of this site.

Product Review: Beehive Reader

Recently my dh and I stumbled upon video we recorded of our sons reading their first decodable books. We laughed until our sides split! They were such cuties working through the words one sound at a time until at last they read every word and exclaimed "I did it! I can read!"


It was so much fun to watch the recordings of days gone by, but as I watched, I recalled the agony I felt at the time. It took them so long to decode all the words on the page. The passages were too long in my opinion. And the stories… oh! There is just so much that can be said about Pat and his cat, rat, and hat.

Soon after watching that video, I received Beehive Reader 1 from All About Spelling. Oh how I would have loved to have had this book when teaching my boys to read. It correlates 100% with All About Spelling level 1 by following the same instructional sequence and incorporating the same words.

The Beehive Reader has many great qualities, all designed with the young reader in mind.

The book is hardcover and sturdy. Not only does the quality binding have a nice feel to it, but it looks like a chapter book or something one of your older children would read. I remember our paperback readers did not hold up well, either. This book seems durable enough to be the first reader for all your children.

The paper is non-glare and easy on the eyes. The font is customized and is clear. Care was taken to distinguish between b's, p's, d's, and q's to help young readers and students with dyslexia.

Have you noticed the subtle underlining? This is faint enough to go unnoticed but serves to help children with tracking problems.

The illustrations are beautifully done and add to the reading experience. However, they have been done in a way to prevent students from using them as clues for predicting words in lieu of actual reading.

Most important to me is that the stories are story-like. They are not just a stream of words that include the same rhyming sounds, like Pat is a cat with a hat. The stories incorporate the words introduced in AAS level 1, using natural language in real story lines. This is much better for the young reader who needs exposure to good literature and for mom who must listen to her dear child's accomplishment 50 times over.

Well, I cannot go back in time to use this wonderful reader with my sons but I will tuck in safely away for the day I can sit with my grandbabies and listen to them read about The Pet Duck and The Bat and King Sam. I can also encourage you to check out this great book for your immerging reader by giving it two thumbs up!

Beehive Reader 1 is available from All About Spelling for $19.95.

Please Note: I am an AAS affiliate and will receive a commission on any purchases made from AAS using the links I provided in this review or elsewhere on my blog. I also received one copy of Beehive Reader 1 for free in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest evaluation of this book and AAS.

For more reviews, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Math Mammoth

I received Math Mammoth Gold Version for 3rd grade. This is a supplemental series, filled with pages of extra practice in addition, subtraction, and multiplication.


For each skill, there are visual representations of the math. Almost every page includes pictures, number lines, or other visual aides. This program shows students the concepts behind math, and does not just have them drill numbers.

Math Mammoth Gold has a nice blend of skill practice and application work. There was just enough drill work for my taste and there are a number of word problems. Some of the more basic math is done in a way to exercise mental math and higher order thinking, too.


What We Thought

The problem I have with most math curriculum is that they either stress memory work and skill and drill and rarely touch on problem solving and application or they stress problem solving and application at the expense of memorization.

I think Math Mammoth offers a middle ground. There was plenty of practice work and a number of strategies to aide with memorization. However, there were also many word problems and higher order activities.

I am very interested in their full curriculum, and if I did not love our current math curriculum, would consider switching to Math Mammoth next year.

I give Math Mammoth two thumbs up and recommend you give the Gold Version a try. It did serve as an excellent supplement to my existing math curriculum, allowing me to get a feel for the program without having to fully commit to it, which I also love.

You can purchase Math Mammoth from their website.  The Gold series, available by grade level, costs $65 as a download or $70 on cd.

For more reviews of this product, please visit the TOS Crew blog.

I received the products mentioned in this review for free in order to use them and offer my honest opinion. I have received no other compensation.

Product Review: Sue Gregg Cookbooks

I received Sue Gregg's Introducing Whole Foods Cooking for this review.


This is a very thorough book for newcomers to whole foods cooking. It contains useful information from getting started and organizing your kitchen to nutritional information and sample menus. And of course, it contains recipes.

Of the 26 recipes included, we tried 17. I asked every one in the family to rate each item on a scale of 1 to 10 immediately after eating it. All of the recipes averaged an 8 from our family. With the picky bunch that lives at my house, that is a really high score.

I also give the recipes an average of 8 out of 10 for ease of preparation. I only had difficulty finding one ingredient. The rest I either had on hand or was able to find at my local supermarket for a reasonable price. My grocery budget did not suffer as a result of cooking from this book.

Although I am not completely sold on whole foods, some of the recipes from this book have become family favorites. My boys ask for Taco Chips Ole on a weekly basis. My husband loves Tuna Bunsteads, and I am a fan of Fruit Cole Slaw, Orange Tossed Salad, and Sweet Lite Dressing. The dressing is fabulous and only has 22 calories per Tbsp. Seeing how it only takes about 1 minute to whip up a batch of it, I have not bought pre-made salad dressing since receiving this book.

If you are an experienced whole foods cook, this is not the book for you. The majority of it focuses on the how's and why's behind whole food. If you are a whole foods newbie, you will find everything you need to make a whole foods transition in this great book.

Sue Gregg offers a number of other cookbooks, including Breakfasts, Lunches and Snacks, and Meals in Minutes. All of her cookbooks are reasonably priced, and except for the introductory book I received, offer a good number of recipes. Introducing Whole Foods is available at the Sue Gregg Cookbooks site for $17.  You can find more information on whole food cooking and Sue Gregg Cookbooks by clicking here.

I received the product mentioned in this review for free in order to provide an honest review. I have received no other compensation.

A Fond Farewell

In times of difficult circumstances, choices have to be made that are not always easy. I had to make one of those decisions this week and step down from the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Our homeschool has faced many disruptions in the past few weeks. There have been multiple doctor's appointments. I have had to adjust to a slower pace and allow myself time to take meds and rest. It has been a season of learning to let go and to do according to my ability and not according to my hopes, dreams, and good intentions.

With that said, I have had to face the fact that the Crew assignments have become too taxing. I have been assigned five to seven vendors per month, with some vendors sending me multiple products. That averages out to more than one review assignment per week, a pace that my aching body will not allow me to keep any longer.

For you, my readers, this will mean fewer product reviews to read, perhaps even none. I have seven reviews in process that I will complete, but after that I am doubtful that I will accept any offers to do product reviews until this season of pain passes. I am saddened that I can no longer serve the homeschool community in this capacity. I know from your comments how many of you read and appreciate my reviews. I have appreciated all of your good feedback, too.

I hope you will also enjoy a review-free Olive Plants and will continue to visit me. This change should free me up to write more about our lives as homeschoolers, my original intent for this blog.

Let me end by providing a list of my 10 favorite items received while on the TOS Homeschool Crew, a rite of passage for retiring Crew members.

• Nature Friend Magazine
• Quarter Mile Math
• GrapeVine Studies
• Bright Ideas Press
• Zeezok Publishing
• Math Score
• A Journey Through Learning
• Educaching
• Artistic Pursuits (in process, but loving it)
• All About Spelling and the Beehive Reader (in process)
  
  

Thank you to the TOS Homeschool Crew for allowing me to be a part of this year's voyage. I have enjoyed the journey. I am sorry to have to row back to shore prematurely and appreciate everyone's understanding.

Blessings,
Dawn

Product Review: Homeschool Library Builder

Interested in saving as much as 35% on your school books?

Look for special offers from HSLB in yellow.

Homeschool Library Builder offers a large selection of great books, many of which are on the reading lists of widely-used, literature-based curricula like Tapestry of Grace and Sonlight.

HSLB sells both new and gently used books and offers a number of additional services like a book search for out-of-stock titles and product marketing. This service, called the HSLB Marketplace, offers free advertising for its members' small businesses.

Members may also reap the rewards of a frequent buyers program in which points accumulated from purchases can be exchanged for discounts on future purchases. Members may also accumulate points through referrals and by linking HSLB to their own websites.

I searched HSLB for books on TOG's Y4 and Y1 lists and found a good number. I was able to search by title, subject, keyword and curriculum. I thought the prices were reasonable and will probably purchase some of our books for next year from them.

Now is a good time to start ordering for next year because HSLB is offering 20% off all purchases made during February.

Additionally, when you make a donation to Heartline Ministries for a Helping Hand to Haiti, you will receive a coupon code good for an additional 15% off any HSLB purchase made on Super Bowl Sunday (2-7-10).

Membership to HSLB is free.

I was not compensated for this review and have provided my unbiased opinion.

For more reviews of HSLB, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Facts First

Facts First is a paid membership site that offers fun math drill practice. It comes to us from one of the most trusted names in homeschool math, Saxon.

Students begin by creating a personal avatar.

Then they select which set of facts to practice, addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. The facts are taught in small segments. For instance, when learning addition, the first lessons will focus on 1 + 1 and 1 + 2 only. After a few rounds of drilling, the program quizzes the student and integrates previously mastered facts for upkeep.

Students see their progress on the chart below. It gives them almost immediate feedback on their speed and accuracy and serves as a motivator to work on both.

Each time they complete a round of practice, they are rewarded five minutes in the arcade which has the feel of a game room. However, the games are not just for fun. They are designed to continue the upkeep of mastered skills. You can read more about how Facts First works here.

What We Thought
Wilbur was the Facts First user in our house. He loved having an avatar. At first, I was not so happy about the avatar. He wanted to spend his entire first session getting just the right look, changing hair color, eye color, clothes, etc. After that, it became a non-issue though because he was not required to return to the avatar page.

He was highly motivated by the arcade. He wanted to master the lesson so he could have the "play" time, but he was not allowed to linger too long once there since he was required to leave the arcade page after five minutes. Once he had to leave, he could not wait to return and worked so hard to get the next arcade break.

The math practice was perfect for him. His computation speed and accuracy increased over a few weeks of practice. He enjoyed the drill work, too.

I give Facts First two thumbs up and recommend it. You can purchase a Facts First family membership for $49.99. This provides access for four users for one year.

I received a free membership to Facts First in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest opinion.

To read what my crewmates have to say, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew page.

Product Review: Eclectic Education Series

The Eclectic Education Series from Dollar Homeschool has made the curricular resources of the 19th Century American classroom available to the 21st Century home educator.

Gathered together on five CDs, the EES "is a set of textbooks which from roughly 1865 to 1915 WAS education in the United States." * This collection provides a comprehensive K-12 curriculum which covers English grammar, history, science, math, and reading. The lessons are written to promote patriotism, traditional values, and the Bible… much of which have been lost in modern education.

The Eclectic Education Series includes the following:

• Ray's Arithmetic
• Thalheimer's Histories
• Cromwell
• Progressive Course in Reading
• Cyclopedia
• Andrews Constitution
• American Poems
• Rhetorical Reading
• Good Morals and Gentle Manners
• Norton's Elements of Chemistry, Physics, and Natural Philosophy
• Ray's Elements of Astronomy
• McGuffey Readers
• Pinneo's Grammar
• Harvey's Grammar
• And MORE (click here to see a complete list)
  
  

What We Thought
In a nutshell, the EES is just not for us.

There are certain books or reading selections that I am thankful to have and will add into the boys' studies in high school, but as an overall curriculum, it does not fit our style. We prefer living books to text books, learning by doing over rote memory, and authentic work over worksheets. The EES is a compilation of textbooks and relies heavily on isolated skill and drill exercises.

Also, it is not very "user-friendly". If you are looking for a curriculum that spells out what to teach, when to teach it, and how to teach it, the EES is probably not for you. I had to spend a lot of time looking through all of those documents deciding which materials to use.

However, the content and skills covered are excellent and thorough in their scope, particularly for the price. The EES lives up to its promise of promoting a Biblical worldview and patriotism as well as godly conduct. I cannot sing its praises highly enough in this regard. It is not what is taught that does not work for us. It is a matter of how it is taught.

For that reason, I will not assign this product any thumbs up or down. The Olive Plant family will not be switching to this curriculum; however, I believe homeschooling parents can provide their children a well-rounded, Christian education with the Eclectic Education Series.

The entire Eclectic Education Series is available on CD for $159, a tremendous value when you consider the amount of materials included, from Dollar Homeschool.

I was given the Eclectic Education Series for free in order to complete this review. I have not receive additional compensation and have provided my honest opinion.

Please visit the TOS Homeschool Blog for links to my crewmates' reviews of this product.

Product Review: The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling

The title says it all.

This amazing book from Apologia Press is The ULTIMATE Guide to Homeschooling.

The author, Debra Bell, covers a wide range of homeschool-related topics and answers just about any question a potential or current homeschooler could have.

Here is what you will find inside:

• Homeschooling: Is it for you?
• Choosing a Curriculum
• Organization and Planning
• Preventing Burnout
• What to Teach- When and How
• Homeschooling Teens
• Computers in the Homeschool
• Creative Solutions
• Measuring Your Success
• Resource Guide
  
  

What I Thought
This is an all-inclusive book that I could ramble on about all day. So… to keep you from having to read a War-and-Peace-sized review, I chose the chapters that cover what I consider to be my strength as a homeschool teacher (Organization and Planning) and the section that covers what I consider my greatest weakness (Preventing Burnout).

The chapters on Organization and Planning contains step-by-step instructions on setting goals and writing objectives. It was like Ms. Bell took everything I learned in 3 years of teachers' college and condensed it into thirty fluff-free pages. This section is chocked full of valuable advice to help you set a good course for your school year. She also includes a number of additional resources to help you find the materials you need and a section on homeschool philosophies to help you find a way of "doing" school that works for your family.

For the section on burnout, let me just say Hello, my name is Dawn, and I'm an overachieving perfectionist. Ms. Bell offers valuable insight for homeschooling moms like me. She offers suggestions from her experience and seems to know us type A's pretty well. She writes about raising independent, responsible learners, field trips, sharing the load (something I don't do well), and getting plugged into a support group. I have made a few changes in my approach per her advice and will let you know how things go in later posts.

I also intend to delve into the section on Teens soon. I am not there yet, but the time is quickly approaching and am pleased to have such an invaluable resource to guide me. Michael and I are particularly interested in the section on college from home.

I give The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling two thumbs up and highly recommend it. You can purchase a copy of The Ultimate Guide from Apologia for $20.

I received one copy of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling for free in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest opinion.

For more reviews of this book, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Zeezok Publishing

Zeezok Publishing sent me such a nice package of goodies to review.

I received the Chopin set which includes two soft-cover books (one on Chopin's early years and one on his later years), an enhanced CD, and a study guide.

The books chronicle Chopin's life from birth to death and tell the stories behind his compositions. Sheet music is included within the body of the story, allowing readers to see his work immediately after reading about it. There are a number of illustrations, all simplistic sketches that give the books a nice, old-fashioned tone.

The study guide includes comprehension questions and extra tidbits of information on the composer. It is neatly arranged, making it easy to line up the questions and extras with the reading.

The enhanced CD provides mp3 sound recordings of all the compositions mentioned in the books. It also contains printable sheet music of Chopin's works and coloring pages for each chapter.

What We Thought
This is one of the best products I have received as a member of the Crew. Zeezok will most likely make my top ten list at the end of the year.

We have enjoyed reading both books. The boys snuggled next to me and listened intently. We like the writing style and the illustrations. I think starting with Chopin's childhood helped to capture my boys' interest. In fact, Orville, who is learning to play piano, was most interested in the chapters that detailed Chopin's course of study and dedication to music as a child. He was inspired by these books.

I liked having the music right at my fingertips, too. After we read a chapter, I simply popped the enhanced CD into my computer and played the recording while I printed the coloring sheet. The boys colored while listening to the music of Chopin. These sheets are also perfect for coloring while the teacher reads aloud, if you like to keep little hands busy while listening.

I give Zeezok Publishing two big thumbs up and encourage you to visit their site. The set I received retails for $30.90. The individual pieces are sold separately as well.

I received the products mentioned in this review for free. I have received no other compensation and have offered my honest opinion.

To read more reviews on this and other books from Zeezok Publishing, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Math Tutor DVD

I received two DVDs from Math Tutor, Young Minds: Numbers and Counting and The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor. Let me tell you a little about each.

The Young Minds video is a montage of beautiful scenes set to classical music. It teaches counting by using pictures that represent each number, 1-10. There are bonus features that include puzzles and games.

What We Thought
Because the intended audience is preschoolers, this DVD was not age-appropriate for any member of our household. However, I thought it was beautifully done and enjoyed watching it. This is a DVD that I would have watched over and over again with my boys when they were little, particularly during those times that we needed a quiet, sit-down moment. I give Young Minds two thumbs up.

The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor is approximately 8 hours in length and covers 15 different "types" of word problems- addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, for example. Each session teaches students how to dissect the word problem. They are instructed to consider the question being asked and key words contained within. They are also given strategies for solving each type of problem.

What We Thought
Okay, you need to know that the Olive Plants family loves math. Solving word problems is something we would do for fun. So… unfortunately I cannot say that this DVD "worked for us". There were no a-ha moments.

However, the methods the tutor uses are excellent. He breaks everything down into manageable chunks and gives his students an effective way to approach each problem. If you and yours are not math geeks like us, this DVD could be very helpful. I give it two perpendicular bisectors and a piece of pi!

The Young Minds DVD sells for $24.99, and The Basic Math Word Problems Tutor sells for $26.99. You can purchase them here.

I received both DVDs mentioned in this review for free. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest opinion.

You can read more MathTutor reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: KinderBach

KinderBach is a paid membership site with a full, interactive music curriculum for preschool and early-elementary aged students. It is filled with videos and activities that engage the learner and make learning a treat!

Here is just a sampling of what KinderBach offers.

Additionally, Kinderbach offers an assortment of activity books and printables for children to complete while not online.

What We Thought about KinderBach

As a mom and teacher, I LOVE this site! The lessons are easy for children to follow and require no input from or planning on the part of the teacher. My son was able to work at his pace whenever we had time for a lesson. I have studied music since I was a Kindergartner myself and thought what was being taught was exactly what young musicians need to know and that the pace and progression were perfect. In fact, it is child paced with no need to rush or stress out young learners.

I also liked that my son was able to set his piano keyboard up next to our computer with Internet and receive lessons from a highly-qualified instructor. No rushing to get to lessons on time! The price is amazing, too, a huge savings over private lessons.

Orville completed the lessons for this review, and he enjoyed them. He recognized that it was geared for a younger audience, but because he is new to playing piano, he still learned from Kinderbach. In particular, the lessons helped him learn to keep a steady beat and not rush through his pieces.

If you would like to know more about KinderBach, I recommend this introductory video.

I give Kinderbach two enthusiastic thumbs up and invite you to give it a try. You can start your free session here. After that membership is as low as $7.99 per month.

I received a free membership to KinderBach in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have offered my honest opinion.

For more great reviews, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Product Review: Math Score

Created by MIT graduates for students in first grade through Algebra I, Math Score is a paid membership site that offers ample math practice on a large variety of topics. It can be used as a complete math curriculum or as a supplemental program. We opted to use it as a supplement.

From a teacher's perspective, the site is excellent. Students log into their personal accounts and compete problems on a specific topic within a specific grade level. Students attempt to complete the assigned work within a set time limit. If they make errors, they are shown their mistakes and then allowed to complete another set of problems on the same level of difficulty. They progress to the next level as they demonstrate mastery.

What I appreciated most was the balance between computation skills and critical thinking. So many math programs emphasize one at the expense of the other. Math Score recognizes that successful mathematicians need both. Likewise, math is the star of Math Score, not gaming or extrinsic motivators. It is not a bells and whistles program (more about that in a minute) which, in my opinion, is less distracting and keeps students focused on what is important. For more on how Math Score works, watch this short introductory video.

Orville completed the Math Score work for this review and LOVES the site. He says the math work is challenging, compared to other math practice software/websites we have used. He also says that trying to beat the timer is VERY challenging and has kept him highly motivated. However, teachers can adjust the timer if needed. Orville wanted to return to the site as often as possible to try to meet the challenge the Math Score creators set before him.

As I said earlier, Math Score is not a bells and whistles program. It has a worksheet-like format and does not have the typical kid-friendly look you may have come to expect from math practice programs. Points are awarded and students progress through a series of rankings. Fireworks go off when a score of 100 is reached, but there are not bright colors, sound effects, avatars, or a game-like format. If you are looking for a program that includes tons of extrinsic motivators to get your kids excited about math, Math Score is probably not it. If you are looking for something to increase your child's computation time and hone his mental math abilities, Math Score is sure to please.

Overall, I give Math Score two thumbs up and recommend it. You can find more information about the site here. Membership costs $9.95 per month for the first student, $5.00 for the second student, and $3.95 for each additional student. You can start your free half-month trial here.

I was given a free subscription to Math Score in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest opinion.

Please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read my crewmates' reviews.

Product Review: Christian Keyboarding

Christian Keyboarding was born from a desire to provide touch-typing method curricula that incorporate Christian texts. I was sent their Keyboarding for the Christian School, designed for 6 graders and older, and the Elementary Version for younger children. Both curricula are no frills programs that thoroughly cover the basic skills and provide the necessary drills needed to reach proficiency.

Keyboarding for the Christian School took me back to my middle school years when I took a similar touch-typing course. I can type faster than I can talk and accredit my skills to three years of the systematic instruction I received in school. Keyboarding for the Christian School embraces the same effective techniques I learned from but has made the study even more profitable by having students type Bible passages or excerpts from Christian texts when applicable. I appreciate how the program offers students another time in their school day to meditate on God's Word.

The curriculum offers more than the traditional touch-typing course, however. It is up-to-date and encompasses more than just "typing" to meet the needs of the 21st Century college-bound student. It covers the 10 key pad, setting margins, using APA and MLA, writing footnotes and a bibliography, and formatting a business letter.

The Elementary Version is similar in style. There are no bells and whistles, but the methodology has been effective in my experience. My boys like being on the computer for any and all reasons, bells and whistles or not, so they enjoyed it. If you think your child would enjoy something that feels less like school work, this might not be the program for you.

Overall, I think Keyboarding for the Christian School and the Elementary Version are very good and give them two thumbs up. They are reasonably priced at $15.95 and $12.95 respectively and can be purchased here.

Please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog for links to my crewmates' reviews.

I received both products mentioned in this review for free. I have received no other compensation and have offered my honest opinion.