Tag: review

Palace of Darkness: A Book Look Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I love history, but one of my least studied eras was ancient and biblical history. I’m finding a very fun way to explore the past through historical novels. Since my daughter is studying this era of history more extensively this year I have been drawn to these novels lately. 

The re-release of Tracy Higley’s novels has been exciting for me as she was previously unknown to me. This follow-up to City on Fire: A Novel of Pompeii is an excellent way to delve into the early church and understand how difficult it was to be a Christian at the beginning of the church age. We take this for granted and I often don’t think about. 
While the historical elements were fascinating and have inspired me to learn more about this ancient city, My favorite part about this novel was Cassia’s journey to salvation. I love novels where the main characters are changed by the end in one way or another. I love how the presentation of the gospel to her was laid out by the believers simply by living their lives with her. There is much to be said for living our lives in this way, the way Christ did. 
I also like that although there is romance involved in this story, it is not the central motivating factor for the character’s actions. I enjoy romance, but when the motivations of the main characters are always based on their emotions toward their love interest, I quickly lose interest. Higley’s novels are never like this. The romance is secondary and the plot is primary. Too bad more author’s don’t think this way!
Even if you haven’t ever tried a historical novel or one in the biblical genre, I encourage you to pick up this one. It’s a great one to delve into and includes suspense and unexpected twists and turns along the way!

Handwriting Resources from Pacon: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
When I was doing my student teaching in college I became familiar with many of the companies teachers relied on for materials in their classroom. When I started homeschooling my first priority was curriculum. Now that we’ve been at this for a while we’ve been able to slowly add some wonderful resources we frequently use during our day. Pacon is one of those companies typically associated with the traditional classroom, but many of their resources are incredibly useful for homeschoolers. Pacon has given me the opportunity to review their Mini Pocket Chart, Super Bright Sentence Strips, and their Multi-Sensory Raised Ruled Tablet. 
All three of these products are just delightful and have been a wonderful addition to the resources I already have. When I rearranged our schoolroom I took a long time to try and find a spot for my new pocket chart. I hung it with clips on our easel for a while, but it felt rather awkward. Then one day I was staring the room down for a new spot and it hit me…the window! We have to leave the blinds shut anyway because of how hot the sun gets in this room. It has become the perfect spot! The girls can all see it from around the room and it isn’t taking up any extra room. The rest of the pictures are from when we had it on the easel. 
Grace is at the point where she knows how to write most of her letters correctly, but needs work with neatness. She loves to write, but get frustrated at times with how her letters look. These tools have been a great asset to our handwriting lessons. I really like being able to put what I want her to copy onto the sentence strips and then into the pocket chart. It is good for her have larger letters to see at this point. The strips are much brighter than they appear in the picture online. I like using a black permanent marker to write on them so they show up well. 
The pocket chart itself is very durable and of high quality. I’ve used some cheaper, smaller versions of the pocket chart and there is an incredible difference between those and this one. The plastic pockets are tight enough to hold the strips in place so they don’t flop forward, but short enough it isn’t difficult to slid the strips in. Pocket charts are a great way for young learners to play matching games as well. This one is perfect for this and could easily hold thicker cards for word games. 
I love the handwriting paper. With my older girls getting them to stop at the bottom red line when they were first starting out was always a challenge. It had been a challenge for Grace as well until this new paper! 
You can see that almost all of Grace’s letters start right at the top and stop right at the bottom. The reason is because these two lines are raised just slightly. She can actually feel a little ridge at the top and bottom to help her start and stop. This is seriously the most brilliant idea or handwriting I’ve ever seen! She was already forming her letters fairly well before we started, but she pretty much refused to try and stay in the correct form on writing paper. She said she really liked this paper because it felt bumpy and that made it fun! 
Grace is four, so to see her writing this neatly is very exciting for me. You can buy various amounts of this paper and if your student is just starting out with handwriting or you have a child struggling to stay within the lines given, this tactile tool will be incredibly helpful.

Pacon has many other wonderful and useful resources available. I’ve also been using their GoWrite! Dry Erase Music Staff Roll with my piano students. Wow! That is a really cool product! Click here to see my review of this awesome music resource!

Disclosure:  I received these products from the Pacon in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

GoWrite! Dry Erase Music Staff Roll: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Pacon is an excellent company known for supplying schools with creative resources for both teachers and students. I’ve been more than pleased with the products I’ve used from this company and couldn’t want to try out their GoWrite! Dry Erase Music Staff Roll. This large music staff comes rolled up and adheres to smooth flat surfaces without leaving any residue when removed. It can also be moved to new locations without additional adhesive. The dry erase surface make this reusable tool a must-have for any music teacher. I had no idea what I was missing! 

I currently have 29 piano students I teach each week from my home. It is an incredible blessing, but because it is my home I do not have access to all the things a traditional classroom teacher might have, one being a large music staff. I remember my band teacher and elementary music teacher having a large chalk board and a chalk holder to create a music staff any time they needed one. Well, I certainly don’t have room for a chalk board. I do have some smaller dry erase staves, but this new resource is just what I had been missing in the space over my piano. 
Our dining room is now the music/school room and it functions well even though space is tight. This is a perfect size for the space we have and easily adhered to our walls. I used this throughout the summer and the humidity of the south encouraged the corners of this board to start to peel off the wall. I contacted the company who has excellent customer service. They informed me the adhesive works best on non-porous surfaces such as white boards. I determined to find a solution to my peeling corners since adding a non-porous surface wasn’t an option. I simply added poster double sided sticky poster hangers to each corner. This did nothing to damage the roll and has kept it in place nicely for several weeks now. 
I have found several uses for this teaching tool and have ideas for several more I haven’t implemented yet. I keep the standard musical mnemonic devices I do this because I think it is beneficial to memorize these and the more a student sees it, the more likely they are to remember it. I also have taught some basic music notations and how to draw them.

This my sweet Beth practicing!
This was the first things my students noticed when they started back with fall lessons this year and they all told me how cool it was! I reference it for music note names all the time. While I’m never going to have the resources large studios and music schools have my students are now able to have one more tool to help them in their work. I highly recommend this to any music teacher. 

Disclosure:  I received this product from the Pacon in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own

Homeschool Helper Review and Giveaway!

Grace-Filled Writer

I’m so excited to hold a giveaway for one of my favorite homeschooling tools, the Homeschool Helper App! This app does everything I need it to and more! I used it last year, but this year feel more prepared to utilize all aspects I need to fit my needs. (You can read my original review here)

There are just sooooo many features in this app, many options that I think it will work for absolutely every family now matter how you homeschool or what curriculum you use. I’m going to highlight some of my favorites…

I absolutely love the attendance feature. Our state has minimal requirements, but one of those requirements is attendance. I have a form I am required to fill out, but it is a pain to take it out every day. I already keep my iPad handy, so I take attendance here and then update my required form every few months. You have the options for a full-day, a half-day, and absent.

I love how I dictate what courses we are studying and how grades are calculated. I can give percentage amounts and change how the letter grades are separated numerically. I prefer a 10 point grading system and only grade for classwork and tests for the few subjects I give. On the summary page for each student you can see not only their overall average at a glance, but also attendance records (just in case I forget to click that button one day!), upcoming field trips, and upcoming tasks. I don’t utilize the task function yet, but I like the idea of having it available. 

Grading is probably my least favorite part of homeschool. It is funny how I used to pretend school as a kid and I thought this was the most fun! Now it is just a tedious necessity. Homeschool Helper has taken out much of the hassle. I already mentioned the ability to calculate grades as you want, but the actual inputting of grades is so easy. There is a little calculator to the side where you can input the number correct, the number possible, and it will calculate a percentage grade for you! I have been doing a much better job of keeping grades this year because of this app. I do take the time to input the lesson because if one of my girls struggles in an area I need to know what it was. This also lets me see how they are doing overall quickly at a glance. My total grading time if I do it all together in the afternoons is right around 15-20 minutes. I grade grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and math in the traditional way and the other subjects as a participation type grade.

Sweet little Grace is still officially in preschool, so I am not required to do any of this for her, but you had better not tell her this! She wants her report card just as much as her sisters and she isn’t shy about telling me this. For her I use an effort based grading system which is an option I love. She’s doing great so all of those E‘s mean excellent. I also love how I can add as many subjects for each student as I need. The most you can include is 14, but I seriously can’t imagine needing all 14 ever.

The last really neat feature is the field trip planner. I have several field trips in mind, and I am currently using this list for my own use. However, once we take a trip, it will pop up on their summary and report cards, which is really cool. I do give my girls report cards because as much as I know grades are not everything, it is a good teaching tool. They can see where they are growing and learning and I think they deserve a chance to feel good about their hard work. It is also fun for them to show this to their grandparents which they heartily do!

 I think this is one of the best valued apps for the price I’ve ever come across. The current cost in the app stores is $4.99. It is well worth the price and it is available for Android users, iPad, Kindle Fire, and Nook color!

And now what you have been waiting for!!!! Your very own chance to win this app! I wish everyone could win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Studies in World History: A Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

One of the great blessings I receive from homeschooling my sweet girls is the opportunity to study history through a biblical worldview. Although I was incredibly blessed to have many vocal Christian teachers throughout my public school education, the text books we used were definitely not in support of Christianity. My father passed along his love of history to me and I’m thoroughly enjoying learning alongside my children.

I was really excited to have a chance to review Studies in World History Volume 1 from Master Books (an imprint of New Leaf Publishing) with the Moms of Masterbooks. While my girls are not yet in the target age (Junior High) this is a great resource personally for me as my girls are studying early exploration and ancient civilizations during the first part of the year. I also have plans to use this alongside Heart of Dakota’s Creation to Christ with my oldest when we get there later next year.

This volume focuses on Creation through the Age of Discovery. It does have a young-earth perspective which aligns with our family’s view about Scripture. I know we are in the minority and counter-culture, but we choose to believe the Bible is literal and historical, looking at all other information through this lens.

I really liked how the book is laid out and that the daily lessons are concise. The first page of each chapter gives and overview and learning objectives which I find helpful when teaching. I like knowing what purpose my kids should have in studying so I can make sure they actually meet those goals. The discussion questions and activities are very age-appropriate for middle school. Some of the activities include discussion questions, writing prompts, map activities, and more.

Dr. James Stobaugh writes in a fluid manner which will keep your students reading. As I mentioned before the lessons are short, no 4-5 page readings as with other history books I’ve seen! I appreciate that the author recognizes the need to keep daily readings manageable so as not to turn students off before they begin. This is something my girls always want to know, no matter the subject…”How many pages is it?”

Also available with this text book is a teacher’s guide filled with more activities, a schedule for the year, and weekly exams. Each exam offers a fill-in-the-blank test and/or an essay prompt. There is also an excellent answer key provided for the discussion questions as well as the test. While I do study with my girls I am so grateful for answer keys. Grading three different grade-levels can be rather time consuming when I have to figure out the answers myself.

 

The best news is…there are two more volumes in this excellent series! Volume 2 studies the New World to the Modern Age and Volume 3 focuses on the New Word to the Present. These are suggested to be used for 7th-9th grades, but I think they could easily be adapted for a younger student as well as older. I also see it as a great general resource to have in your library for research or further study on topics which interested your student.

You can see more about it in the video below!

Disclaimer: I received Studies in World History Volume 1 and the Teacher’s Guide  as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

It’s Not Greek to Me!: Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I have been so excited about reviewing this new DVD from Master Books! It’s Not Greek to Me by Todd Friel came in the mail when my girls were right in the middle of a horrible summer fever, so we didn’t get to start it right away, but even in her feverish state Rose perked up when she saw it. 

My eight-year-old Roe has been pestering me for a while to learn biblical Greek. I’m not at all opposed to this, but I didn’t want to get into a full curriculum at her age and really didn’t know where to begin. Her interest came when she realized this was one of the classes her grandfather teaches at seminary. In 2nd grade he taught her to write her name in Greek and she does this all the time! This is a great course for beginners. Todd Friel explains that this is perfect for the everyday layman in the church as well as those who will be going on to study biblical Greek in a scholastic setting. While this is geared towards a slightly older age bracket, my daughter has really enjoyed it so far. We’re just taking it slow and repeating lessons before moving on.

So here is Rose, completely natural, I promise! She is wholeheartedly focused and genuinely enjoys these lessons. Friel is quite humorous, but I wasn’t certain she would catch all he said. Her favorite line in the introductory lesson was when he was talking about the benefits of learning biblical Greek and stated, “You’ll learn English gooder!” She really got a kick out of that. You can see she is intent. She was so intent in fact she didn’t even realize I was taking pictures.

We had some other students join our class as well. The dollies were actually already seated here, but Rose asked if they could stay while she watched when she realize I was starting to pick them up. These sweet little girls were also very studious although they didn’t want to take any notes.

Rose uses the note pages from the separately available Intro to Biblical Greek Parent Lesson Planner. This is excellent and well worth the price. Included is not only plans for how often to work through the DVDs, but also note pages and practice sheets to ensure retention. I strongly recommend purchasing this guide along with the DVD in order to get the maximum usefulness and benefit.

I honestly wasn’t sure how well this would go over with Rose. She was so very excited to have the chance to learn Greek, but as I stated before, this is geared for students a little older. However, Friel’s manner is very engaging and he is as clear at teaching as he is entertaining. She begs me to do more lessons, but I’m trying not to go too quickly with her. I’m surprised just how much she is really enjoying this. I appreciate that Friel expresses this is a beginners course, something to precede full-on Greek training. I have no idea if she’ll want to go further with this language, but it is an excellent place to start and to see if it is something that interested your student.

I also think this is excellent for anyone who simply wants to know more about the Greek language for your own personal study. After seeing the first few lessons with Rose I’m planning on joining her in these lessons. I said before that my dad teaches Greek. I remember having the same desire to learn as Rose when I was younger, but just felt too overwhelmed with all. I believe we will both enjoy our toe-dip into this ancient biblical language.




Disclaimer: I received It’s Not Greek to Me as well as the Parent Lesson Planner as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Four Weddings & a Kiss: A Book Look Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

This was such a fun book to read! I usually don’t enjoy books very much with stories be four different authors, but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to review this one. What made this compilation of books unique from others I have read was the frame story surrounding it. I really liked that there was a back-story to the stories leaving me wanting to see how the back story ended up!

Each of the four stories was written by different authors, but the book did not have a disjointed feel at all. Each had unique characters who developed and grew from beginning to end. For me, that’s what makes a good book. I love reading a novel where the characters travel on an emotional or spiritual journey. Each story had unexpected moments which is something else I like. I love historical fiction and many times they can be quite predictable, so I like when I’m taken by surprise.

The story frame was what interested me the most. I loved how it opened with 5 traveling preachers finishing up evangelistic meetings. Four of the ministers are seasoned while the fifth is new to ministry and has preconceived notions about what his life and his wife should be like. It is clear he is distraught and after discovering the issue has to do with a young woman he has felt the need to distance himself from because he is a minister the other four proceed to share some stories with him. The stories are all about other couples who they have had the privilege to know and marry. I really loved that the frame story was revisited at the end and we were given a resolution to that as well.

I can’t pick a favorite of the four stories. Most of the authors were new to me, but Robin Lee Hatcher is an author I’m very familiar with and I was not a bit disappointed with this novel! Her characters as always were well developed and interesting. What pleased me most was that the other stories were equally well developed and captivating. I’m pleased to say I’ve found 3 new authors to follow!

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook.com® <http://BookLook.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Rocky Hill Fireman: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I was so excited for the opportunity to review the Rocky Hill: Fireman series. These delightfully written stories by James Burd Brewster are a great way to teach kids about fire safety and the life of a fireman. I love the beautiful illustrations and my girls have thoroughly enjoyed each book in this series. Rocky’s motto, “Glad to do it!” is a running theme throughout the series and portrays the heart behind those who do this dangerous job. 
The series follows Rocky Hill as he begins his career as a fireman. He is courageous and strong, but nervous as he starts out with his new life as a rescuer. I like how each book follows the same character. My girls love reading series and can’t wait to find out what will happen with characters next!
Rose asked if she could read aloud the stories to her sisters and I happily agreed.  They are written on about a 3rd grade level and the text is easy to follow. When Rose was younger she always said she wanted to either be a fire-girl or police-woman. She’s moved on to other career goals, but still loves learning about these jobs! 
Grace told me she really liked the pictures. She had lots of questions about what different things were called as they read. Beth loved the stories too and said she wished she could meet Rocky! 
Ever since we took our field trip to the fire station last year the girls have been very interested in the fire department. When we were reading these books they would stop and say, “Remember when Mr. Mark showed us this at his station?” It was fun to think back and for them to have another connection to this high profession. 
I appreciate the author humanizes his main character. It is easy to think those who do such great and important work to save people are larger than life. These books are a great opportunity to show children anyone can be used to do great things. We related Rocky to our real-life fireman friend Mark and talked about what it must be like for Mark as he works. 
A wonderful addition to these books are the online resources! You can download coloring pages and even join the Glad to do it Club! It is clear the author has a heart for teaching kids about fire safety and has done a great job through is books which I highly recommend. 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of each book in this series directly from the author for review. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Are You Ready? Game Show®: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
(Awesome coupon alert!!!!! Read through to the bottom to find it!)
I have really enjoyed the opportunity to review for Lakeshore Learning in the past and their most recent product I’ve reviewed does not disappoint! The girls get so excited when they see a Lakeshore Learning box on our front porch. They know it will be filled with fun as well as learning!
The Are You Ready? Game Show® series is a new way to assess grade level readiness without the traditional pencil-to paper bubble tests. What a great change of pace! One question I’m frequently asked by families who aren’t homeschooling is how I know if my children are ready for the next level. This is a new way to check their progress without it being so very boring. 
We reviewed the assessment for 1st graders called, Are You Ready for 2nd Grade? Game Show. At only $30 per level this is an excellent assessment tool for any family. The fun game format makes it much more exciting for the child. Included are 6 separate games to be played at different times. At the end of the last game the parents can input their child’s individual missed questions to gain access to printable activities to work on that specific skills. Other Lakeshore Learning products are also listed which can help with the specific skills. I really appreciate that the company offers free tools to help students achieve in the areas they are lacking. 
Beth has finished 1st grade (yay!!!!) and is busily working on work at the next level. My girls typically work a little ahead grade level so I’m not concerned about their academic progress. Even so it is nice to have assessment tools available for several reasons. It is important for them to know they are doing a great job. Accomplishment feels good and gentle assessments can help that along. It is also nice when I’m questioned about their abilities to be able to say they are at or above grade level and have something to back it up. I know I do not have to answer to anyone, but I don’t mind answering questions when asked respectfully. 
As I expected Beth very much enjoyed playing the games. She earned play money for each correct answer, but incorrect answers really weren’t  big deal. They just went into a side pile. She kept scratch paper handy for math problems although she didn’t need it. Her sisters played the game with her. Rose, the oldest, asked questions and put the cards in the correct or incorrect pile. Grace (the littlest) handed her the money. In reality all three of them enjoyed this and the other two asked if they were going to get a turn!
Everything you need is in the box including the game board, play money, game cards, and assessment paper for parents to record missed items. The only thing I would find more helpful is having a printable version of this record card available especially since I hope to use it again! 
This particular assessment lives up to it’s title of “game show.” What kid wouldn’t enjoy this over a standardized test? We do still of course complete a yearly standardized test as required by our state’s law, but this is a really fun alternative for review or for those who are not required by state law to use standardized testing.

You can check out more by watching the video below…

Now for the coupon code! Lakeshore Learning is offering my readers $10 any Are You Ready? Game Show®!!!!!!! Isn’t that great? 
To get $10 off any Are You Ready? Game Show®, entercode 9141 at checkout or click here for a store coupon!
Expires 7/31/14

Disclaimer: I received Are You Ready for 2nd Grade? Game Show® from Lakeshore Learning in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

The Universe: Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Another title for you from the Moms of Master Books! This month we’re reviewing the newest title in the series Investigate the Possibilities from Master Books (and imprint of New Leaf Publishing Group). This is a wonderful series. For all you PBS fans you’ll find this has the feeling of Sid the Science Kid. Lots of investigation and exploration for the child and opportunity to record their findings in their own journal. What I’ve seen of this series makes me want to see more!

My girls are infatuated with all things space-related, especially Rose. She has so many questions…How far away are the stars? Why can we only see the moon at night? Can we see the planets? This Universe: From Comets to Constellations will go a long way in answering her many, many inquiries! The 20 investigations cover all areas of the universe from a biblical perspective which merges observation science with the truth of Scripture. Just like every other title from Master Books I know I can trust both the scientific evidence and biblical perspective to point us to truth and understanding of the world around us.

It saddens me to hear to volatile hatred expressed towards anyone who believes in an inerrant Word of God. The anger and disdain shown towards anyone who dares to express the view that there is a divine Creator rather than random chance does not make sense to me. Why can there not be respectful disagreement and discussion in this area? It seems that the current tone of discussion will allow neither, yet I want my girls to be very aware of the views which oppose biblical creation. My reasoning is so they can not only choose for themselves what they will believe, but also be fully equipped with knowledge of why they can stand on the truth of the Word of God. This is just one more tool in my library of resources to not only answer their questions, but fuel their curiosities!

Okay, so enough about why I’m loving this book! Let me get down to the details. Each investigation has an introductory story followed by a simple experiment which uses around the house kinds of items to help better understand properties and concepts about astronomy. Following this is a deeper explanation of the history and observational science used to piece together our understanding of the universe. Included in this area are full explanations of opposing viewpoints on evolution and why they are believed by those who do not follow Scripture, but also why we can trust God’s Word as true. Finally is explanation of how the experiments and activities connect for a full appreciation of the ideas presented. The final portion gives both comprehension and discussion questions as well as opportunity to further explore more deeply into the subject.

The girls really liked looking at the beautiful color pictures in each investigation. I appreciated the inclusion of history as well as observation of science. Our cat was enjoying our time checking this new book out as well.  Zoe loves it any time we hang out on the floor and let her snuggle on our books. This book is going to be a lot of fun to explore this summer!

The investigation we looked at first was observing the movement of the universe in space. Since that isn’t something we can actually do in our homeschool, we did a smaller version of it using a balloon and a sharpie. Cool! We blew balloons up just a little and dotted them with a marker. Then we deflated them to see how closely the “stars” were to each other and blew it up again to watch it expand! I didn’t tell them what to expect, but did tell them what the dots represented. The amazed smiles on their faces as we watched the “stars” expand! It was a great way to visually show them this principle. 
Also included in this series are investigation journals and teacher’s guides for each book. These are really nice additions to the set. You can feel very confident in using this for your curriculum as there are more than enough resources to guide you through. 
Disclaimer: I received The Universe as well as the teacher’s guide and students journal as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way.