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Studying vocabulary can be quite a daunting task not only for the child learning the words, but for the teacher or parent working with them to learn the words.  What do you study?  How do you learn them?  I admit to having tried several different programs or books that claim to be the best way to learn them in preparation for things like the SAT test.  My goals for learning new vocabulary for my child is that they truly know the word even after they take the tests.  I mean they can recognize it, know how to spell it and know the meaning of the roots and prefix/suffix of the word itself, understand its meaning and can use it in a sentence.  Very few programs seem to have those goals in mind.  Most of those programs are merely sophisticated flashcards.   I don’t know about you but for me I would rather make my own flashcards than pay for someone else’s flashcards.  This is where the College Prep Genius  VocabCafe Series comes into play.  I received the four VocabCafe Series books in order to check them out and provide a review for you.

Each of the books in the VocabCafe series contain about 300  SAT-level vocabulary  words used within the story itself so that your child not only gets exposed to each word but sees it used within an actual story.    In addition each word is bolded so that it stands out and then there is a footnote on the page with its dictionary entry so that your child does not have to stop what they are reading to look it up.  I really liked this because it has always been difficult to convince my daughter to look up words she doesn’t know when reading and for her she can easily learn the word without being distracted and needing to get back into what she was reading again.  I believe this more readily reinforces the word’s usage in this manner.  At the end of each chapter there is a review section which further reinforces the words that your child is learning throughout the story.  Another bonus is that each book is a story that does not contain foul language or sexual themes.   Of course you should still review the books prior to giving them to your child but unlike a lot of the books in the library’s teen section, they are more age appropriate than what is being put out there for them nowadays.  The College Prep Genius website cites “These modern novellas contain no foul language, no illicit sexual themes, and no sorcery!”.    One of the stories, IM for Murder, does contain some graphic material that may be upsetting to some so it is always advised to preview materials if things like that are an issue for you or your teen.  I know for many homeschoolers like myself this is definitely a positive thing to come across in reading material.

IM for Murder
Operation High school
Planet Exile
Summer of St Nick

My daughter has been reading Operation High School and has said that she is enjoying the story and really likes how the words are shown in context of the story as well as having the definitions and pronunciation easily accessible for her.  To reinforce what she is learning I also have her keep a notebook of the words as she completes each chapter and reviews the words in the book.  I am truly amazed how these words are being used in a story.  I always found it difficult enough to just come up with a sentence to use them in but the author has managed to not only do that but put it also within a story too.  Of course some of the word usage in the stories are a little rough but still I give them an A for effort in utilizing them in this way.  I have been definitely pleased with the VocabCafe series, though a few of the books may wait to be read til my daughter is a little older.    These books are geared more toward mature teens as they do contain some themes that are more appropriate for a true high school age group.  For example, IM For Murder deals with a serial killer so you can understand why I say you as a parent need to preview the books to see if it is appropriate for your child to read.  There were some noticeable typos within the story my daughter was reading, though I have noticed this with other works of fiction I have read. I am hoping they will correct this in future editions since it is being used for educational purposes.  The age appropriateness of the stories and some minor typos are really the only potential negatives I might have for VocabCafe series.

Currently all four of the paperback  books in the VocabCafe series can be purchased at the special price of all 4 books for the price of 3 at $38.85.   Check it out HERE on the College Prep Genius website.  Individually, the books can be bought for $12.95 each.

There are many other products available on their website and some of my fellow Crew members have recently reviewed the SAT Prep Course. You can check out all the reviews the crew has done for College prep Genius HERE on our Crew blog.

Note: I received this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.

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I never learned how to type properly when I was younger so I figured that would be something good for my kids to learn while they were young.  I recently was given the chance to have my youngest daughter use the Keyboard Town PALS typing web-based typing program.

Keyboard Town PALS is a type to learn program geared toward kids ages 6-12 and those with learning differences in order to teach them how to type in just one hour.  The program uses puppets and character associations in order to teach the positions of the various keys on the keyboard.  The program uses the concepts and tools  of associative learning, mnemonics, mental imagery,  and gesturing as part of the program.  What does this mean to you?  Basically the web-based program of Keyboard Town PALS has 8 short videos that your child watches and at the appropriate moments types what they are told to in order to learn not only where the individual keys are on the keyboard but which fingers to use when typing them.  Each key is identified by  a  character, such as Amy who lives at the house  associated with the letter a key.  Each row also has a street name such as the home street where your fingers start when typing properly.  The puppets and associated images help your child associate the various keys with where they are located so that at the end of an hour  your child should be able to learn to type. The character,  Sunny,  leads you through each of the lessons introducing you to new characters.

For example, the first lesson video introduces your child to Amy (letter a) who lives on home street.  She tells you she likes to visit the zebras at the zoo on downtown street and go uptown to visit Qwert who likes to ask a  lot of questions.  Each short video proceeds in this manner so that your child meets new characters that are associated with new keys that are typed using a certain finger so that they can also type those keys as the characters tell them.  They suggest having your child complete the program in 2 sessions of a half an hour each.  You are also suppose to have access to pages that you can print off for additional typing lessons but they appeared to not be working at the time I  used this program and there are several pages within the Keyboard Town PALS website that are still under construction and hopefully should be available soon for you to check out for yourself.

The program itself is a cute way to introduce the letters and positions of fingers on the keyboard.  I like that it takes away from the pressure of learning typing because this program does not have timed tests and  does not keep track of mistakes.  Of course the downside was that there was no accountability for whether or not your child is actually doing it correctly unless you sit there with them.   It also disables the delete and backspace keys so that your child is not tempted to correct themselves and can focus on moving forward and working at trying to improve and can see the area they need to improve as well.  It is suppose to be geared toward 6-12  year olds though I believe it is more appropriate for the younger ages within this range as well as for kids younger than 7 if they know their letters well enough and have the coordination needed to use a keyboard.  My 8 year old thought the program was more suited for a much younger age than herself and did think it was a little too ‘kiddish” and boring  for her.  She said she kind of learned her keys through the program but it was not something she would have chosen to use if she would have been asked.

You can check  out the Keyboard Town PALS website to learn more about this program.  The How it Works web page HERE gives you information on how and why it works.

You can view a sample video HERE at the Kids Corner area of the Keyboard Town PALS website.

The web-based program can be purchased currently on sale  for $30 and can be purchased HERE along with other products from Keyboard Town PALS website.  The program is also available in Spanish and French.

You can read what other TOS Crew members had to say about Keyboard Town PALS program HERE on our Crew blog.

Note: I received a 6 week trial of this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.

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The Person I Marry, written by Gary Bower and beautifully illustrated by Jan Bower, is one of the books in Bower Books‘ Bright Future Series. It is a 32 page hardcover book which is ideal for both children and adults. This book teaches the reader the positive qualities and traits to look for in a future spouse through the use of its poetry and wonderful illustrations. A quote from the Bower Books website tells us that The Person I Marry mentions qualities like “Respect, kindness, honesty, faithfulness, thoughtfulness, patience.”

I received this book in e-book format so I can only imagine how beautiful this book is in person. I believe it would make a wonderful gift for any child whose parents desire him or her to grow up expecting their future mate to be the person God intends them to be in their marriage. For any parents that pray for their child’s future, this is an ideal book to remind them what traits God wants them to pray about for the spouse of their child.

My children and I read this book together and it led to a discussion about who not only they should look for in a future spouse, but also in other relationships as well. I also had both my children create a poster to hang in their rooms so they could have a daily reminder of what we learned about in this book.

Not only was I pleased with the book, The Person I Marry, but it also earned the 2010 Book of the Year from the Christian Small Publisher Association.

To get an even better idea about the book, The Person I Marry, you can view the following video which not only gives you a peek inside the book but an insight into how it came about from the Bowers themselves.

The Person I Marry can be purchased for $11.99 from the Bower Books website at http://bowerbooks.com/brightfuturebooks/thepersonimarry.html.

You can also check out their website for other books in the Bright Future Series such as What Do Heroes Wear?, In Heaven!, and The Jingle in My Pocket.

Please read what other TOS Homeschool Crew members had to say about the book, The Person I Marry, here on our crew blog.

Note: I received this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.

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About the Author:
Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight. She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.

You can view the book trailer and learn more about The Promise of Deer Run at the following website: http://promiseofdeerrun.com/

Now for my readers,  one of you have the chance to be selected to be entered into the grand prize drawing for the following prizes:

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains:

• Basket
• $25 Starbucks gift card  
• Spode Christmas teapot  
• Spode Christmas mugs   
• Yankee candle
• Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run
• Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run 
• Bath and Body Paris Amour scent 
  

One lucky person who leaves a comment about what they learned about either the book or the author will be entered in a drawing in order to have the chance to win the grand prize. You until have November 18, 2011 to post your comment. The following day the winner’s name will be provided to the Kathy Carlton Willis Communications who will select the grand prize winner from the finalists sent in to them. Odds of winning the grand prize are dependent upon how many finalists are sent in by the various blog tour participants of which I am one.

Good luck to everyone!

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Time for another letter, this time  “G”!

There were many great “G” letter things we experienced on our Disney Trip!.

We hung out in the graveyard outside the Haunted Mansion

Throughout our Disney vacation we saw various animals such as giraffes and gorillas,

At Epcot, Germany was the place to be!

We made special t-shirts and put glow-in-the-dark paint on them to make hidden Mickeys that could only be seen when we were in the dark.

Goofy and Gumballs!

My youngest called the Spaceship Earth the Big Golf ball.

I give you a night picture of the Big Golf ball!

 Eating Gelato at WDW!  MMMmmm…

Lastly but most importantly, as we looked into the sky at WDW, we saw a reminder of who makes all things possible!

God written in the sky!

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Revolution Worship LIVE (released 10/18) contains both high energy Christian praise as well as softer worship music.  Listening to this CD I really felt that I was joining in on a live worship service.   The CD both inspires as well as lifts up God in worship.  It also contains a track which invites the listener to have a personal relationship with God.  The CD would make a wonderful gift as well as a CD for you music collection.   I listened it in order bring my focus on God for the day and while winding down at night.  It contains something for everyone and for every mood and moment.    Whether you are in the mood for something upbeat and uplifting or something soft and worshipful,  this CD has a song for you.

One quote about Revolution Worship LIVE:

“Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International”, is a tremendous Praise & Worship album with a powerfully inspiring collection of songs that is unparalleled to any other Praise & Worship series in it’s category. Filled with meaningful lyrics and sincere, personal worship, “Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International” masterfully demonstrates authenticity at it’s best. From fiery, electrifying tracks with edgy, rock-driven guitar to peaceful, intimate tracks, this album focuses on pointing attention to God.
And because it’s recorded live, you get to experience the congregational feel of being in a vibrant church service.
Infusing musical quality with a spiritual impact that raises the bar on what to expect in new Praise & Worship music, “Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International” brings you a brand new worship experience.
From start to finish, this release is about the act of ministering uncompromisingly God-centered music through pure, heart-felt praise!”

You can find about more about Revolution Live by visiting the following links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MyWorldRevolution
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MWRevolution
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/revolution-worship-live/id467741849
Video: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2371896618238

I really enjoyed songs like Praise Your Name and We Lift You Up and think that you will like Revolution Worship Live too.   If you would like a chance to win a  CD for yourself,  all you have to do is choose one or more options for entering my contest and a winner will be chosen from all the entries.  Last day to enter is 11/18/11.

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With Christmas fast approaching, what better way to get into the holiday spirit than to watch a Christmas movie? I was, needless to say, very excited to find out I was receiving a copy of the Christmas Lodge in order to enjoy and review for my blog readers.

One lucky reader will get to own their very own copy. Read on to learn how you get a chance to be that person.

Have you heard of this movie yet? Well for those who have not, I have included the summary that I received so that you can get a brief idea about what the movie is all about.

Synopsis: 

Thomas Kinkade presents Christmas Lodge: a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now- dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

I watched this movie with my two daughters. It is another movie that I would recommend for family viewing which is very important to me. Even with movies that we are told are appropriate for all ages, there is always something thrown in that I deem as being not appropriate viewing for my family for some reason or another. Christmas Lodge, I am happy to say, is truly appropriate for all ages and definitely a good choice for a Christian audience as well. This movie will inspire and make you think about your own values and priorities. Its message is one that makes for a wonderful addition to your family’s Christmas viewing selections. I know our family has a set of movies that we watch every Christmas time and Christmas Lodge has just been added to that list.

You can view the trailer of Christmas Lodge for yourself at : http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1554553881/

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Everyday Education offers all kinds of  homeschool resources for homeschooling through High School.  Our family received the first part of the Excellence in Literature curriculum to use in order to provide you with a review from a homeschooler’s perspective.    We are just beginning our journey into the teen years of homeschooling and have been looking for a quality literature and composition course so we were very happy to start working with this curriculum.

The full Excellence in Literature curriculum has five different levels which cover grades 8 through 12.  You can view information about each of the levels 1- 5 by clicking on the specific links below.

Introduction to Literature – Literature & Composition

American Literature – British Literature – World Literature

Excellence in Literature is a college preparatory course in both literature and composition which is reusable.  Each level is set up to be self-directed and broken down into weekly lessons  for easy use.  The literature required for this course are either included as links within the material itself or can be either  purchased or borrowed from a library.  You can view a pdf file of the required reading from the Everyday Education website HERE.

My review is written based on the first level of the Excellence in Literature curriculum.

The objectives of Introduction to Literature, English Level 1, are the following, taken from the Everyday Education website:

• Understand the process of writing, including the use of tools such as a writer’s handbook, dictionary, and thesaurus.
• Have specific understanding of selected representative texts by major authors of the periods studied.
• Have a general understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of the works.
• Be able to analyze literary texts and present thoughtfully developed ideas in writing.
• Demonstrate competence in essay organization, style, and mechanics.

The Introduction to Literature, English Level 1 e-book we received is set up as 9 units with each taking 4 weeks to complete.  The readings for the course are divided into focus readings of short stories, novels, poetry, and drama as well as context reading material that provide background on the author, historical period, and the literary and artistic content of the focus reading material.  The first level is geared toward 8th grade as an introductory literature course that can be used as a college-prep coursework.  It also includes work for honors level.

Most kids are exposed to reading literature at a basic comprehension level but Excellence in Literature goes beyond that and helps to aid your child to learn literature and think critically about what they read.

Within the curriculum, there are links to the material your student needs to read along with the directions for each assignment.    I really liked that there was both focus literature as well as context reading so that you as a parent/teacher do not have to provide background information for the literature that is being read.  It also establishes good reading habits that can be useful for your child when they study literature at a college level.     As an English minor myself, I see the value in the Excellence in Literature course as a good preparation for college coursework.

I loved that the lessons were clearly written so that my daughter could easily work through the course on her own with some guidance.  Unit one started out with short stories and the written forms that are part of the lesson assignments have both an explanation of how to write the assignment as well as samples to follow.  The first assignment was to read the short story White Heron and then to write an approach paper.  My daughter needed some help with the writing portion of the lessons she has completed to this point and we have not completely followed the suggestions for the recommended time for each unit but we are seeing the benefits of the Excellence in Literature curriculum.

The Excellence in Literature curriculum can be purchased as individual levels or as a complete set.  You can purchase the individual e-book for $27 or you can buy it in a print version for $29 plus shipping HERE.  The entire curriculum of all 5 levels can also be purchased in e-book format for $135 or as printed material at $139 plus shipping cost as seen on their website.

You can view a sample unit of the Excellence in Literature lessons by going HERE to get an idea of the general structure of the lessons within the curriculum.

Please read what other TOS Homeschool Crew members had to say about Excellence in Literature  here on our crew blog. 

Note: I received this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.

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I know that on my product reviews that most of the photos do not show up.  The photobucket account we all share as reviewers needed to  be renewed and it is currently being work on.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  Hopefully it will be normal again soon.

Thanks!

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