Science!

    I know that I have said this before, but I LOVED SCIENCE!  When I was in school science and math were my favorite subjects.  I remember my high school and college classes the most probably for the obvious reason that they are closer in my memory.  Anyhow, when we were talking biology and cells our teacher had a slide show she projected on the ceiling of our classroom to the tune of dancing on the ceiling!  Then we had chemistry, where I loved our chemistry teacher!  I have always been intrigued by the body and how it works, so anatomy was one of my top classes in college, as far as my feelings on classes.  I wasn’t a great student in the fact that I had a comprehension problem (now I would say ADD!).  I would work for several hours each night for each lesson for each subject.

    I didn’t want that for any of my kids and one of the neat things with homeschooling is that you can really cater you education to fit each child.  At times this could get pricey, though.  We have found a science curriculum that we love.  It has various topics and levels so it is written for elementary thru high

school.  What is it?  It is Apologia.  I have posted about our Anatomy class in the past with one of the exercises we did.  4 years from the time we started we are still going strong with it!  My oldest said that he loved his physical science when he hit junior high and Physical Science because the books are written as if the author is having a conversation with you.  He said that it is a easy read.  Just a bonus for us!



     This year we are doing Chemistry, Physical Science and Astronomy Jr for the klan here.   The younger two do the same lesson together right now.  Each lesson is broken down into the lesson part and an experiment/activity part.  The younger levels have lap books that you can do if you would like, they are an extra charge and optional/supplemental.  We use them!  For the older levels there is a study guide/review and then tests at the end of each level.  By using the study guides, lapbooks and experiments you can cater the lessons for each child adapting each lesson or book to fit your child’s learning style!  Most of the experiments in the younger and jr hi levels use items that you already have in your home with is another bonus.  I purchased a lab kit for the older levels just to make it easier on me.

    What is a lapbook you are asking?  As you can see from the picture on the right, they are colorful books filled with a lot of information.  As we work thru the Elementary level science books we use the lap book information to make a colorful study guide.  They make great keepsakes for when the kids want to look back on the school days as well!   How do you do them?  Once you purchase them you literally print out what you need for that lesson and it tells you where to put it in the book and what it should have inside of the little mini book!   Lap books can be purchased from many websites and even at times in hard copy form at the homeschool convention.  Two of my favorite sites are Currclick (www.currclick.com)  and Knowledge Box Central (www.knowlegeboxcentral.com).  I have purchased these lap books from them.  Guess what?  If you don’t feel like all the cutting a pasting of the pages you can purchased them already put together!  



If you wan to check out a science curriculum or need to for one reason or another check out Apologia (www.apologia.com)  This program has been very helpful in fulfilling our science needs!

You Have A Brain~A Teen’s Guide to Think Big~Ben Carson M D

     I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my honest opinion.

      
              T  H   I  N K        B   I   G !
  This is the message that Ben Carson is revealing in his “teen guide “book. What is he talking about with this acronym? He uses it to stand for:  Talents, honesty, insight, nice, knowledge, books, in-depth learning and God.  Personally, I think it is a great message for anyone!
     Ben and his brother were raised by his mom.  No one could have known that his father would leave them when Ben was young.  His mother worked 2 jobs and even moved to try do what was best for her boys.  By the time Ben was in 5th grade he faced academic deficiencies.  Ben’s mom leaned on the Lord and prayed hard for guidance.  The Lord provided her with the wisdom to set the boys on a path to a lifetime of learning.   She instilled in them faith and drive.  She instilled in them to use their God given brains.  Sounds silly, doesn’t it?  Being the mom to 4 little blessings, I have to say I have actually had to remind my kiddos to use theirs from time to time.  I am sure that you have too.
     This book is written so that it is an easy read mostly focusing on Ben’s life.  Using examples of his life and how even though he faced hardships in his life, they didn’t define him.  He became the neurosurgeon that God had planned for him.  His faith guided him on his path to success despite the obstacles he faced. What a great inspirational, directional book for really anyone.  I love the title as well as the book and would recommend it for anyone looking for inspiration or direction!

Thank you to Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of the above mentioned product in exchange for a frank and honest review.  A positive review is not guaranteed.  All opinion are my own.  Your opinion and results may vary.

Princess Faith Sticker and Activity Book

  I received a copy of this book from Zondervan, in exchange for my honest opinion.

     Princess Faith sticker and activity book was written by Jeanna Young and Jacqueline Johnson and illustrated by Omar Aranda.  Follow Princess Faith from Princess Parables in this adorable activity book.  It has a fun cover, as most princess books do !  On the inside 16 pages you will find coloring pages, word find activities, find the object and 50 reusable stickers and more!
       My daughter, who is 8, loved the book! It is suggest for ages 4-8.  I feel it would be best for a 3-5 year old, however that didn’t stop my daughter from grabbing the book!  She loves princesses and workbooks! 
      For only $3.99 a book you can catch Princess Faith on her adventure along with her sisters, Hope, Charity Grace and Joy in the the whole series here at Zondervan.
About the authors:
Jeanna Stolle Young is a Daughter of the King that lives in Southern California with her dashing husband, Bruce, her two sweet princesses, Danika and Emmalynn and two daring princes, Christian and Kenton.  God gave her the vision for this series that has caused her faith to grow through watching Him work.  These are her first published children’s books.
Jacqueline Johnson
Jacqueline Johnson was born into royal heritage and is a grandmother to three little princesses, Catherine, Alexandra Grace and Megan Joy and four princes, Zack, Maverick, Payton and Christopher. She delights in filling their hearts and imaginations with stories filled with Godly character and the concept of becoming a child of the King for eternity. Her devoted husband and castle are perched on a hill on the Pacific Coast in Southern California.
Omar Aranda
Omar Aranda studied Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was born. Many top publishers and companies worldwide have commissioned him for projects including story artwork, comics, and character design. He started his career as an artistic painter but now devotes all of his time to illustrations for children's products.
 
Thank you to Zondervan or the opportunity to review this book!

Disclaimer:  I was given a copy of the mentioned product in exchange for a frank and honest review.  A positive review is not guaranteed.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and opinions may be different. 

No More Bread? Say What?

     I have always looovveed pasta, big crusty breads, salads and the like.  If you would have told me that I had to give up my Alfredo,  I would have said there was no way!

     Then I turned about 30 something and things started to change.  I was having stomach problems.  I would be sick and bloated a lot.  My stomach would hurt and bloat and bloat and hurt.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and I thought that once that was “fixed” my stomach issues would go away.  Was I wrong!  After that ordeal was straightened out, I knew that my stomach issues had to be a non thyroid issue.

     So, I started to research my symptoms.  It seemed as if meat was the culprit, so I quit eating meat.  It wasn’t that big of a deal for me, because I wasn’t that crazy about it anyway.  I can probably say that I have never said “I could go for a big, juicy steak right now!”   Excluding meat seemed to make the issues a lot better, however, it didn’t totally alleviate the problem.  As I did more and more research Celiac disease came into the picture.  I wasn’t going to part with my fettuccini or crusty breads.  Then I kept getting sick.  The bloating and the pains kept coming back, and lasting for days.  I decided that I didn’t have anything to loose. 

     So, what is this Celiac disease?   From what I have gathered, it is basically an allergy or an intolerance to gluten.  What is gluten?  It is a protein composite found in wheat.  It is what gives your bread it’s elasticity and chewy texture.  Breads and pasta’s are part of one of the food groups so how can they be bad? Think of it as peanuts to a person with a peanut allergy.  Peanuts are not bad, they are delicious and packed with protein (and maybe a little too much fat).  However, when a peanut allergic person comes into contact with them it can get ugly and fast. 

     I look at Celiac the same way, however less sever as the anaphylactic reactions that are associated with nut allergies.  Once you realize you have a gluten issue, you can’t go back.  Medical diagnosis or not I know that I need to avoid all gluten as much as possible.   For the first few weeks after I discovered that gluten was the real culprit I focused on all the things that i loved that I couldn't eat as a result.  I love cookies, cakes, pretzels etc... etc... etc  you get the picture.

             I can't tell you how many people have said, I could never give up bread (pasta, cookies insert          any gluten laces food).  My response is once you have been sick from it and you feel better it              isn't hard to do at all!  What about that food group that most of the gluten food are in?   Don't              worry about it at all.  There are a lot of ways to get the necessary nutrients that your body needs

         with out eating breads and  meats.  I have come across some new foods that I can honestly say I

         don’t think I would have ever tried had it not been for this.  I will share some of the things that I          have found, and what has worked for me over the next few weeks.

  

****Disclaimer*****

    I am not a doctor or a medical professional in any way.  I am only sharing my journey to a healthier me with you.  This information is not intended in any form to be used in a medical diagnosis.  Please consult with your health care professional with any concerns.

Patriots Redcoats & Spies~Book Review

   I was given a copy of this book from Zondervan, in exchange for an honest review.

     I was so excited to see that this book was up for review.  We recently studied the American Revolution this school year!
     Patriots Redcoats & Spies was written by Robert J Skead and Robert A Skead a father/son team.  It is recommended for ages 8-12.    
     This book, Patriots Redcoats & Spies is a very intriguing book!  It is written about a set of twins whose father was injured, while on a mission.  These 14 year old twins are needed to carry out his mission for him, the deliver of a very important message to George Washington! This book highlights that journey.  It is a very detailed story that you can follow as if you were witnessing the story.  This story just draws you in as you follow along.  Do they make it in time to deliver the letter?  Does their father survive his injury?  Check out this book to find out!
This book is set to be released  on Feb 3rd, 2015.  You can check out this book and their other books at Zondervan .
     About the story tellers:   Robert Skead is the author of several popular books for children.  For Patriots Redcoats & Spies, Robert partnered with is father to develop the story.  The father son team belongs to the Sons of the American Revolution.  Their ancestor, Lamberton Clark, on of the main characters in the story, fought in the Revolutionary Was as a member of the Connecticut Militia and the Continental Army.  Patriots Redcoats & Spies includes many historical facts about the Revolutionary War and features events that took place in 1777 in Bergen County, New Jersey, where the Skeads live.
Thanks to Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book!
You can check out the Sons of the American Revolution group here.
             Disclaimer:  I was given a copy of the above mentioned product in exchange for a frank and honest review.  A positive review is not guaranteed.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and opinion may differ.

Our Math Curriculum!

Geometry Teachers book & Dvd

     Math has always been one subject that I liked.  I wasn’t necessarily good at it, I just liked it.  Math and Science were the subjects that I looked forward to in high school and college.  Math is all around and something that you will need your entire life whether you are an accountant, engineer, a store owner,  or trying to make or stick to a family budget.

     With homeschooling 4 kiddos what works for one child may  or may not work for the rest of the group.  We have been fortunate that we have been able to use the same curriculum for all 4 kiddos! It definitely makes it easier on the budget ! 

     What are we using?  Math U See!  I was totally intrigued by the name when I first heard it from my sister.  I checked out their website, and was sold on it!  I ordered my first sets of books, Alpha and Gamma, the levels that we needed to start that year.  It was an instant hit for our then 3rd grader!  He loved it and could do it  on his own! 

    Our then 1st grader wasn’t having as much luck with the program.  Math just wasn’t his thing.  After struggling with it for several weeks, both of us in tears at times, I called MUS.  After talking with the rep, we just took it a bit slower for the first couple of years.  Now you wouldn't know that he spent "extra time" on a book.  In the big picture does it matter when you learn to add or multiply? Absolutely not!  Now he loves math and it is the first thing he does in the morning! 

         Each Math U See set includes: an instructional dvd, teachers book, student book and a test book.     There  are also many manipulatives, like blocks or overlays, to help with your learning.

Page in Epsilon book

     Each instructional dvd contains a short video instruction from Steve Demme, the creator, explaining the lesson.  Once the children watch their dvd, the lessons have 6 pages in each book that go with the lessons in the lower level math.  Once you reach the upper levels there is an honors lesson page included as well.

I love that the program is based on mastery, and they have a lot of resources on their site to help you along your journey. 

I also have spoke with them to get assistance when we hit a rough patch with line graphing, and  I have met Steve at the Midwest Homeschool Convention.  He has been at every one for at least the last 3 years to personally interact with his “students and parents” .  He and the Math U See staff have been such a blessing to work with on our math journey! 

Bunny’s First Spring~Sally LLoyd-jones

  I received a copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.

     Bunny’s first spring was written by Sally LLoyd-Jones and illustrated by David McPhail.  In this book she uses a bunny who discovers life his first spring then experiences the seasons as time goes on.  You follow the  bunny on his journey of adventure and discovery as he interacts with nature for the summer and fall.  Then when the seasons change and winter sets in, little bunny doesn’t understand.  He finds comfort with his mom and dad.  Little bunny then sees God’s promise of new life that comes every spring.

     I love this book!  My 8 Year old daughter did too!  What a great springtime story to illustrate the seasons and God’s promise of Spring!

This book won’t be out until next month, however you can check it out and preorder it here from Zondervan.  Be sure to check out their other titles too!

About the author: Sally Lloyd-Jones is a leading writer of inspirational books for children. She is the author of three bestselling children’s Bibles, including the Gold Book Award-winning Baby’s First Bible and, most recently, the Moonbeam Award Winner and ALA notable, The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. She has written many picture books for children, including the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller How to Be a Baby: By Me, the Big Sister. Sally was born and raised in Africa, was schooled in England, and now lives in New York City. She can be found at www.sallylloyd-jones.com.

Disclaimer I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate a frank and honest review. A positive review is not guaranteed. All opinions are my own. Your results and opinions may vary