Scruble Cube

Have you heard about Scruble Cube? It's like a cross between Scrabble and Rubik's Cube.

This a word game in a cube, with parts that move on six planes, making in necessary to focus on many levels to create words.

The creators of Scruble Cube, RSV Productions, cooperating with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, sent select reviewers the Scruble Cube to use, play with, enjoy (or hate), and review. I was happy to be selected because I was intrigued by this device. (I received a free Scruble Cube to review; I did not receive any other form of compensation for my review. I try to make all my reviews balanced, reporting the good, as well as the bad impressions I have with any product.)

Since Scruble Cube is similar to Rubik's Cube, I need to tell you right now I was never very good at the latter. The said cube, by the way, had only 9 faces on each plane of the cube. Scruble has 16 squares per plain.

The Scruble Cube comes protected in a sizeable package -- one meant more for display than for storage.

I imagine eventually I will find some sort of box that is something like 6"x6"x4" to store this in. The Scruble Cube comes with a sand "egg timer", a pad for keeping score, and hidden in the box is a set of directions (that I was wondering about for ages, and finally found). The directions are very helpful! :)

Now here's something to make you think... The cube comes with a timer. That means at times you will be racing the timer, trying to figure out your word before the sand runs out. The bottom of the package comes with a warning: "NOTICE: The 4x4x4 SCRUBLE Cube has many moving parts and is not intended for high speed manipulation. Please align all rows before moving them and NEVER force pieces into place while twisting and turning. RSV Productions, Inc. cannot be responsible for damage caused by improper use." If the user needs to be careful not to manipulate rapidly, then I suggest they do not package it with a timer!... I know part of the idea is to limit the time when people are taking turns, but I still think it should go...

So there are many ways to play this cube. There are ways to play with up to four people. It is also easy enough to play alone! For this reason, in my opinion this cube makes an excellent gift to... for instance... a public school teacher. A teacher can find hours of mind-challenging fun just playing it her(him)self, but it can also be pulled out to engage the students at times. I think, though, that it takes a certain age of student, or at the very least a certain type of student, to enjoy the cube.

For example, I am a word-game-player, descended from a long line of word-game-players, originating from the long cold snow-covered winters of a family wheat farm out in the middle of no where, in the northern plains of North Dakota. This is an area where, similar to The Long Winter, snows fall to depths of over 6'. All that to say that I play and am good at these traditional word games, and it has conditioned my family to avoid word games since they seldom beat my scores. So, no matter how I have prodded, I have been unable to interest anyone in my home in playing this game.

So, since I was interested in seeing how others would react to it, I took the cube with me when I went to a meeting. I figured that since we usually sat around for a few minutes before they began, I would pull it out and see if I could interest anyone in trying it out. So, I pulled the cube out and offered it to another meeting attendee. He looked at the cube, looked at me, one eyebrow lifted, and he said, "I'm not very good at puzzles." That was it. He wouldn't touch it. ::sigh::

Anyway...
In addition to many ways that Scruble Cube can be played, there are many ways that it can be used as a supplement to your Language Arts program. It can be beneficial to your child's spelling. It can contribute to their critical thinking skills.

RSV Productions has provided all sorts of supplemental links that can be beneficial and helpful for you and your homeschool. Here are some educational ideas:
Math and Language activities, creating words using a dictionary and adding score (3rd-6th grade);
this one looks real fun, like a scavenger hunt - Scrabble Worksheet (3rd-6th);
Scruble make a sentence (3rd-5th);
Scruble Vowel Math (3rd-5th);
Scruble Word Logic (3rd-8th); and
Scruble Periodic Table fun (5th-10th).

Scruble Cube is available from RSV Productions, Inc. for $24.95. RSV Productions also makes another intriguing game called Jishaku, which I'd also like to check out some time!

You can read more reviews of the Scruble Cube on the TOS Crew Blog.

October - What the Curriculum Choices look like now....

One month in, and my choices have been shifting. I started the school year thinking I was finally transitioning back to Tapestry of Grace. (I used TOG for 8 years with my older students. I loved it, own it, always thought I'd go back to it...) But after embracing Charlotte Mason principles for 5-6 years, I find that thoughts of educating my son using TOG now appear to me... let's see... The analogy that keeps coming to my mind is something like... He's not really thirsty, but I'm insisting he drink, so he grudgingly sits with his mouth open waiting for the drink, and I open up a fire hydrant and deluge him with so much that he cannot take in any of it...

::sigh:: Don't get me wrong-- I still know it is a good curriculum, but I guess I have come to believe it is no longer for me, and it is not for every student, and it is not for my son.

So, anyway, here's what our curriculum choices are looking like right now.

Bible: Awanas and daily Bible reading

Math: Horizon's Math 6

Science: current (week 3 of 8) co-op of Chemistry; will be followed by Apologia Flying Creatures of the 5th Day (with lap-book) (I'm going to get it done this time, dog-gone-it!) Supplemented by Ambleside Online science reading assignments (Madam How and Lady Why and Fabre's Storybook of Science) as well as weekly nature study, using Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study .

Language Arts:
Spelling: All About Spelling
Handwriting: Horizon's Penmanship 3 (all right, he's in 6th, but we never finished this so why buy a 6th grade one -- this one is doing the job) which will be supplemented/substituted at times by copywork related to other assignments
Grammar: I have Easy Grammar 6 and Daily Grams 6, but I am not certain I will actually use them, because I find we are adequately covering Grammar in our Latin studies.
Latin: Starting year with Visual Latin Lessons 1-10 (because I'm reviewing it), then transitioning to First Form Latin (which I am also reviewing), which definitely states you learn the Latin by learning the Grammar first.

History/Geography (Social Studies): Ambleside Online, Year 4 (2 terms) to Year 5 (1 term)

Art: Ambleside Online Artist Study, (but not following their schedule, rather studying artists I choose)

Music: Ambleside Online Composer Study (but not following their schedule, rather studying composers my co-op partner and I choose)

PE: During Spring and Fall co-op, participating in Physical Education activities offered there; other times during the year regularly particupating in physical activities and documenting it.

Health: I hate that my state requires that we actually intentionally (separately) provide instruction in this course and document it, as if it isn't already a part of our lifestyle... That said, I think I have the 6th Grade A Beka Health sitting ready to work through sometime this year.

What I use will continue to be tweaked as TOS Crew gives me different things to use. I am especially hoping to receive the Artistic Pursuits book for my son's grade level!

Organization Apps

One of my favorite organizational gurus, Carmen Coker, sent out a great email today, with permission to republish, so I'm going to include it here. Hope you are helped by it.

Time to iOrganize My Life

I have to confess, I have a new favorite spot to go shopping. It’s open 24-7, everyone is always friendly and the prices are rock-bottom. Sometimes I even get some pretty great stuff for free! Yes, I’m a big fan of shopping at the app store. This store is an amazingly useful place for those who are looking to make the most of their time. Of the hundreds of thousands of apps (short for software applications that run on mobile devices) available for all every type of smart phone, I have found that there are a select few that make the grade for being truly useful helping users stay focused and organized – although I must warn you that none of these include tossing angry birds at rogue hogs (a little shout-out to those who are addicted to the wildly popular “Angry Birds” app.)

If you use a smart phone, but haven’t yet ventured into the world of apps, you’re not alone. Time spent – or wasted – on smart phones has become a serious problem. And that’s where I am stepping in to help you out! I’ve listed here 5 apps I’d like to share with you that have the potential to help you get your life on track by harnessing the power of technology.

Cozi
Consistently voted best organizing app for families by national parenting groups and publications, Cozi is a free app that helps busy families manage schedules, track shopping and to- do lists, organize household chores, and stay in communication—all in one place. All family members can access Cozi from any computer or mobile device. Cozi helps families to be more productive, so they have more time for the things they really want to do.
Available for iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry; free

iStudiez
An education app great for student, teacher and parent is iStudiez. Available in a free “lite” version as well as a pro version, the award-winning iStudiez app tracks course schedules, lectures and labs, tracks tasks and deadlines, plans and reminds of homework, arranges assignments and provides resources to support both student and teacher.
Currently available for iPhone or iPad; free and pro $2.99 versions

Idea Sketch
For creative types with fertile minds that are always spinning out new ideas, Idea Sketch lets you easily draw a diagram - mind map, concept map or flow chart - and convert it to a text outline, or vice versa. You can use Idea Sketch for brainstorming new ideas, illustrating concepts, making lists and outlines, planning presentations, creating organizational charts and more. With this app, you get the best of both worlds – combining fun and productivity.
Available for iPhone, iPad; free and pro versions

Gtasks
Task-masters, rejoice. Google offers the Gtasks app that simply and efficiently syncs with your Gmail task list – and lets you keep a mobile-only list as well. You also have ability to share your lists or task items easily via Gmail, texting and other options.
Available for iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry; free

Seasons
Foodies around the world are always looking for the next big app. Here is one that has a lot of potential. Seasons keeps you organized and up-to-date as you hit the produce markets for what is fresh and in season in your area, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Western and Central Europe. This app allows you to organize your shopping list, while also living greener and eating healthier by knowing what is fresh and in season. It includes photos and descriptions of produce and helps you find nearby farmers’ markets as well.
Available for iPhone and iPad; $1.99

As you can see, there are a wide variety of apps with great potential for streamlining the many different facets of life from home to work to out-on-the-town. These 5 are the most recent ones that stand out during my time spent shopping – I meant “researching studiously” – in the apps store. And be sure to let me know when you discover something amazing in the apps world yourself.

© 2011 Clutterbugs, LLC

Carmen Coker is a professional organizer who helps individuals find the motivation and know-how to get organized and stay organized. To learn how to save money, create more space, and manage your time through organization, claim your "FREE Tip Kit: 10+ Pages of Tips and Tools to Help You Get Organized — Finally!" at www.OrganizeClutterbugs.com

Big changes coming to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is already the homeschool magazine of choice in my home! You may have known that The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is available in a digital format... You'll never believe what's coming in January! Watch and find out:



Can't wait!

Eco-Friendly Portable Tri-Cross, by Games for Competitors

There is a new game on the market that is a cross between Checkers, Chess, and Stratego.

I started my adventure with the Tri-Cross Eco-Friendly board game when our family was away in the mountains for a church retreat. It was the first time I had even looked at the directions, and my noble college-aged daughter agreed to try to play it with me.

We opened it up, set it up, and tried to figure out what we were supposed to do from the printed instructions.

We failed. We put it away to try again later.

I was remembering, in the back of my brain, that I had received a CD/DVD in the package with the game. I decided I needed to find that, when I got home, and see what new insight I could glean from it.

It was a DVD, and it was very helpful. [Turns out, the same videos are also available on the Games for Competitors website. After watching it, I still had some questions in my head, but I understood the game a bit more and wanted to try it with someone.

Basically there are three different ways you can play the game:
- Start with all the pieces face-up, showing each piece's value and strength. (See picture above.)
- start with all the pieces face-down, and remember where you put your pieces, but your opponent doesn't know which piece is which until two opponents' pieces get positioned where they must each be revealed, and the stronger piece then jumps. (To play this way you draw a color out of the bag to determine who goes first, then you take turns placing your six pieces on any available space in any starting zone.)
- start the game where the opponent puts your pieces on the board face down and you put your opponent's pieces on the board face down, and again pieces have to be revealed when they are positioned a certain way. (To play this way, after you determine who goes first, each person takes turns placing the other player's pieces face-down on available spaces in any of the four start-zones.)

So, I sought out my son to play the first version (above) of game with me (also known as the easy, face-up version). This time we played the boxed version.

He won the first game, and when we were setting up for the next game he already had the required positions for set-up memorized. (Amazing, these young minds. I still don't have the set-up positions memorized.)

Second game, I won. And by the third game, my son was saying he doesn't like the game. Frankly I don't think he has given the game an adequate chance, and I hope I can get him interested in it again sometime in the future.

My daughter was too busy with her new college semester to play again, so I was looking for another opportunity. Then my really smart brother came over to dinner. I knew this could be good! So I told him about the game, and he was willing to give it a try.

My brother has an amazing brain! It's one of those steel trap minds. He read through the instructions, and we began playing using the face-up method. I won a few, he won a few, and then he was willing to try the face-down version.

At this point I was at a total disadvantage. You need to understand my mind to get this completely: for me, once my pieces were upside-down, almost immediately their face-value would disappear from my brain. At best, I could remember that, like "one of these two is the six, and of these is the tri-cross", but I couldn't remember which was which, so I lost games to him because of this. He'd challenge what I thought was my six with his six, but it would actually be my tri-cross, and I'd lose it because a six jumps a tri-cross.

Anyway, this game has a lot of depth to it, and I think it is an excellent addition to any home's selection of strategy games. Tri-cross is different from checkers because: 1) when you "can" jump, you "must" jump; 2) jumps are horizontal or vertical, not diagonal; and, 3) when you jump it does not count as your turn. Because of that second rule, my brother and I were hard pressed in our efforts to remember whose turn it was. I'd move a piece, and then he would have to jump me, and then I'd have to jump him, and then he'd have to jump me, and then it was his "turn" to move a piece. It would get very confusing, but that's mostly because it's so different than chess and checkers.

Tri-Cross is not like chess because all pieces move in the same way: horizontally or vertically, one space at a time, and again, jumping does not count as a move.

Tri-Cross is won in one of two ways: either you jump all of your opponent's pieces and remove them from the board, or you occupy the Tri-Cross square in the center of the board for four consecutive turns.

Tri-Cross can be played by 2-4 players, and can be enjoyed by players aged 8 through adult. I have only played with two players so far. The eco-friendly version comes in a little canvas bag, and has a heavy-duty canvas board that folds up to fit in the bag.

Tri-cross received the Mom's Choice Award in 2010

as well as the Dr. Toy Best Green Product award for 2010.

Tri-cross is a game that was originally invented in the 1980's by a dad, Glenn Burns, who wanted to invent a game to challenge and engage his three sons. This would be a game that would force them to make connections in deep parts of their brains, create strategies, look ahead and see in their minds what outcomes would result from different moves. The game was a success with the Burns' boys, so Dad made 100 more copies of the game and made an effort to develop market interest in the game; but he was not successful, so he let it drop. The game then sat collecting dust for decades. The sons went on to college, grew into adults. And one day they were reminiscing about the game and got the idea to work together with dad to make another effort to market the game. And they have done a great job of creating a very professional-looking game that stands to be a big hit. I wish them all the best with the fabulous product.

The name of the company that makes Tri-Cross is Games for Competitors (GFP). The Standard version of the game (cardboard board and in a box) sells for $24.95. The Eco-Friendly Portable Tri-Cross sells for $19.95. They also sell a Tri-Cross Wood Edition for $34.95. In addition, they sell Tri-Cross T-Shirts for kids and adults for $12. To purchase, go to their website and click on "Buy Now" (to purchase over the internet), or go to Games for Competitors and click on "Store Locations" to find a location in your state.

To contact GFP, write to GFC Georgia LLC (Games For Competitors)

3069 McCall Drive, Suite 1
Atlanta, GA 30340

or reach them by telephone:
Phone: 770-452-7987
Fax: 770-452-8138


or reach them by email: info@gamesforcompetitors.com

I received a free set of the Tri-Cross Eco-Friendly Portable game, as well as a standard version boxed set of Tri-Cross, in exchange for my review of the product. I think this is a great game for developing logical thinking in kids, and it is so versatile that it would be a hit with home school families, co-ops, school classrooms, youth groups, ...you name it. The biggest obstacle is that it takes a bit to learn the game (it's not as easy to learn as Checkers), but the website tutorial really does a great job to help people learn the game. I did find that I tired of the game after a bit, but that may have been because I was at such a disadvantage playing against my brother. I felt like he fried my brain. He played several games, trying to figure out my strategy before he realized I didn't have a strategy.... :P I had much more fun today when, in order to take photographs, I played against myself! :D

I think I like this game, but I think I want to pick my opponents carefully, because playing against my brother made me feel stupid... ;-)

Any questions? You can ask me, but you might understand the game better by watching the tutorials on the company website!

To read more reviews about the Eco-Friendly Version of Tri-Cross, go to the TOS Crew Blog.

TOS Magazine's 10th Anniversary FB Birthday Bash!

Have you figured out by now that I have a favorite homeschooling magazine?

Okay, I'll just "out with it"! I really like The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine began publishing just ten years ago. They publish a beautiful, sleek magazine for us homeschooling parents, which is also available in digital format. They also run a store for homeschool curricula and supplies, as well as making available virtual classes (even free ones).

Tonight, from 6:00-9:00 EST, there will be a TOS Facebook Birthday Bash.

I'm not eligible to win anything because I have... an "affiliation" with the magazine (as a product reviewer), but to eligible people they are giving away lots of freebies tonight! So get hubby to help with the kids, or sit them down to a nice old Disney flick like "Old Yeller" or something, and join the party at 6:00 Eastern Standard Time!

Big IQ Kids

Today I get to tell you about an online resource called Big IQ Kids.

First thing you'll want to know is that Big IQ Kids has a FREE spelling game that you can access that can really improve your kids' spelling! There are also a free programs for math, vocabulary, and state studies (United States Geography). There is even a free SAT Vocabulary Prep program! To access these, you must first create a free account with Big IQ Kids. Then each time you go to their website, you log in with the user name and password that you created, and then you can go to the pages. I would link them above, but then you wouldn't be able to go there without being logged in, so it doesn't make sense for me to link them.

The free spelling program can be used in one of two ways. First, you can create the word list for your student using the word list that you want to use, be it words your student frequently misspells, or words in a purchased curriculum for Spelling that you are using for the year.

The second way you can approach the spelling program is to ask Big IQ Kids to just use a grade-appropriate spelling list for your student.

Once the spelling list for the week is set up, each day have your student spend ten minutes on Big IQ Kids. By the end of the week your student will be ready for Friday's spelling test, and his/her scores will be improving over the scores that were recorded last year.

I spent hours working through this spelling list and found my own spelling accuracy increasing! In addition, the student earns coins (game credits) by doing these lessons. When the student is done with the lesson(s), he/she can go to the game area and play some amusing games. I was enjoying a game where a spider was trying to trap flies in his web. It was slightly mind-numbing, but nevertheless addicting, and when my coins were gone I found myself going back to do more lesson time to earn more coins!

BigIQKids Premium Spelling program is: $7.99/month; $39.99/year; or $99.99/year for an entire classroom. Oh, and as a homeschooling parent, you can also create a "classroom". The classroom feature is available for the premium program, but also for the free program!

The Math Program gives the student a variety of tasks in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. (I imagine this varies depending on what grade level you sign your child up as. My son is a 6th grader.) When you sign up for the Premium Math Program, the program keeps track of your child's progress, and sends you an email each time the student demonstrates a level of proficiency and is moved up to the next level. I really liked that aspect. It also means that your student is able to sign in each day, and the program knows where to start him (rather than starting him each day with super easy addition. The "Free" program does not track your child, so it starts at the same place each day.

The price for the Premium Math program is $9.99/mo. or $49.99/12 mo., or $149.99/year for a whole class.

The Geography ("States") section gives the student the opportunity to memorize where in the country each state is located. There is also a section to teach the student each state's capital, the spelling of each state, and the two-letter abbreviation for each state. There is also a section to teach the student more in depth information about each state.

In all areas, when the student has spent time on their lessons they earn coins to use in the "Games" area. In addition to a large variety of games in the Premium program (three packed pages compared to one scant page for the "Free" area), the earned coins can be used to change the student's "Big IQ Buddy". There are a variety of things offered to personalize the buddy: shirt, hat, pants, shoes... kind of like playing "Mr. Potato Head", in my opinion, but it can be fun.

The more time I spent investigating Big IQ Kids, the more I found available for the student and the parent. I began to find more information available as I looked at the tabs across the top of the log-in page: "How to Use"; "Training Videos"; "Products"; "Teachers"; "Pricing"; "Free vs. Premium"; and frequently asked questions ("FAQs"). There's a "BigIQKids Blog" for parents.

Now we come to the part where you are asking me, "So, it sounds like you love it, right? Are there any negatives?"

I'm so glad you asked. Well, I don't know any other way of saying this: my son hates it. Why? Well, he cannot get past the computer-generated voices that the program uses. So, I guess this program will not be for everyone. I, personally, when I am using this program, put ear buds on so that I am the only one hearing it. When I use ear buds, the volume is just blasting, so I have to turn the volume control way down to preserve my hearing. I think that volume is probably a good volume when someone is trying to use the program just listening to the computer's built in speakers, but the parent should be aware and try to adjust the volume in advance before blasting the student's ears (like I have done my own ears several times).

Big IQ Kids is appropriate for all age/grade levels, and the spelling/vocabulary component goes all the way to the SAT Prep for college-bound students.

Big IQ Kids' free program has advertisements along the sides, but to the best that I can tell these are not affiliated with Big IQ Kids and Big IQ Kids does not appear to have any other products that they offer (it's all here, folks!).

To learn more about BigIQKids, you can read their FAQ Page, or you can email them at: kids learningadmin@BigIQkids.com. Their hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. EDT, or you can write to the at:
Synergy1 Group, Inc.
PO Box 192
Glenwood, MD 21738

I received three months of Big IQ Kids Premium Program for free in exchange for writing this review, and was not paid to endorse their product. You can read more TOS Crew reviews of this product by clicking HERE.

What more can I tell you? This has the free program that you can look at and try out to see if your student can benefit from it (and to see if your student can tolerate the computer-generated voices). If he/she/they can, then consider trying out one of the premium programs to see how quickly your student's math, spelling and geography scores improve. I was amazed that this Free Spelling program was free, because it looks terrific. I can understand, though, why you would want premium, because you can build your child's spelling lists, and the computer progresses your child through the lists and sends you progress reports. (I wonder if they would consider changing the voices...)

Take a look and let me know what you think. Big IQ Kids

Time4Learning

Today I get to tell you about an online resource called Time4Learning. I first learned about Time4Learning four years ago, when I was on the Maiden Voyage of TOS Crew.

I looked for my previous review, but I'm not able to find it. The synopsis is that in a very short period of time, I lost so many family members that it was unbelievable. And at a time when I was not functioning well, Time4Learning was a gift from God!



Time4Learning has a program for children from K through 8th grade. They have lesson plans for students in Language Arts (primarily Grammar), Spelling, Math (PreAlgebra & Algebra Online), Social Studies, Science, and Art (for an extra fee). And the parent has their own log in, so they can get reports and know what their students have completed and how well they are doing.

For the littlest ones,Time4Learning
starts out with an eye-catching phonics program:

This program walks them through, step by step, to early reading, and then strengthens their reading and gives them confidence. Each year their reading is
challenged and strengthened with presentation of words at gradually increasing levels of difficulty. As they are presented with reading tasks, if they need help they can click on an icon and the program will read the section for them. As they read with their eyes and hear with their ears, they learn words they were unable to figure out on their own.

Math is also presented each year according to age appropriateness. Kindergarten begins with number recognition and beginning addition. First grade presents addition and subtraction of single digit numbers, with beginning concepts of many facets of mathematics, including units of measure and telling time. Second grade incorporates yet more concepts, such as graphing, in addition to addition and subtraction of two and three digit numbers, information about fractions, reinforcement of telling time, etc.

Each year continues to build on the last, and units within each area offer the option of tests and quizzes. Parents can check not only the scores of tests and quizzes, but also can check to see level of mastery at each level that the student has completed.

The Language Arts sections of the program start by introducing the basics: parts of speech, capitalization, and punctuation. (There are eight parts of speech, which I probably can't remember off the top of my head, but they include nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, prepositions, articles, etc.) The learning doesn't stop there. I was delighted when I realized the program was filling in holes I had left in my son's education in additional areas: synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, etc.

We got into a lot of interesting conversations over pronunciation as a result of the sections on homonyms. "Our" and "hour" are, but they sound like "Ow-r", whereas "are" sounds like "ar". "Aunt" does not sound like "ant", and "where" does not sound like "wear" and "ware". So, those were fun conversations. (With my English father and grandparents, "aunt" sounds like "ah-nt", and with my phonogram awareness, "where" starts with an airy "wh" sound that a plain "w" does not make.)

The Language Arts section also includes Literature pieces. I really enjoyed overhearing as my son was listening to stories from American Tall Tales, such as stories about Pecos Bill.

We also have had fun with our son entering into our adult conversations with bits of information he had learned that I, his homeschooling mother, had not taught him. I can't remember the most recent example, but it seems like it was something about space that he had learned. I was caught off guard by what he said and asked him, "How did you know that?" He promptly replied, "I learned it on Time4Learning!"

The Time4Learning program also contains a Social Studies section, presented in a lively, captivating way. There is also a new section for Art and Art Appreciation, but this section costs an addition $10/year fee, and this was not included in what was made available for me to review. I will say, though, that we have used it before, and it is my son's favorite part of Time4Learning. I would catch his watching the same section from Art again and again -- it was not just the Art section he liked, but the content itself was so interesting that he would return to the same sections again and again.

********************************************
Most of my contacts with Time4Learning have been through their website. However, in the event that you wish to contact them directly they are available by "snail mail" (USPS) and by "Land line" (telephone):
Address : 6300 NE 1 Ave, Suite 203 Ft Lauderdale, FL 33334
Hours: Weekdays - 8:30am to 7:00pm (6pm on Fridays) EST
Phone: (954) 771-0914 Fax: (954) 827-7600
The company's site map contains a plethora of information. Not only does it contain links to help beginning homeschoolers, but I also saw that anyone, even YOU, my dear reader, can get a free month of Time4Learning in exchange for a review that you would give on your blog. Sweet!

Time4Learning has been an amazingly kind company, coming to my aid at a time when I was grieving, wanting one more month of their service but unable to pay for it. At that time they were so kind to me, giving me one extra month at no charge. I will always be thankful to them for that.

Time4Learning is available for one low price. From their website:

The primary curriculum consists of language arts and math.

The language arts curriculum is presented in a suggested sequence designed to create a strong literacy foundation. It includes phonics, grammar, reading comprehension, spelling, vocabulary, writing skills and more. The language arts curriculum correlates to state standards.
The math curriculum combines multimedia lessons, interactive activities and reinforcing worksheets to teach basic arithmetic, number sense & operations, measurement, geometry, pre-algebra and more. The math curriculum correlates to state standards.

Time4Learning also offers science and social studies as an added bonus. The science lessons are available from 1st through 6th grade, and the social studies lessons are available from 2nd - 7th grade levels. Because state by state standards differ, science and social studies may need to be supplemented to satisfy your local requirements.

Please note that it is possible to use Time4Learning for just one subject, however, pricing will not change.

That last section, that you can use for just one subject -- the way they have the membership set up, you the parent can decide, for instance, not to use the science because you do not wish to expose your child to an evolution point of view. I, for my part, chose to permit my son full access. I chose to stay close at hand, where I could overhear the content he covered, so we could later discuss anything I had heard that was different from what we believe. There was one example, for instance, where a literature example of hyperbole said something like that dinosaurs died out millions (maybe it said billions) of years before man was on earth. (I believe Genesis suggests that dinosaurs were created on the 6th day, as were man and woman.)

Also, from there website:

Time4Learning includes the following:

Online curriculum for grades Pre-K through 8th
More than 1,000 interactive animated lessons
Self paced lessons that kids will enjoy working on
Math & algebra tutorials & printable worksheets
Language arts, phonics & grammar lessons
Interactive, project-based reading activities
Science (grades 1st - 6th) & social studies (grades 2nd - 7th)
Detailed reporting for easy record keeping
Extensive lesson plans & teaching tools for parents
and much more...

Time4Learning is web based, so there is no software to download, no CDs and nothing additional to purchase. Members can access the program 24/7 from anywhere with a computer and an internet connection.

So, I hope you have gotten the impression that I like this program. How can you not like a program where your child who hates school wakes up asking, "Can I just do Time4Learning today?"

That being said, there were some areas that I considered weaknesses or areas that I didn't like:
--As I mentioned above, the program has a decidedly evolutionist slant, which shows in some of their science, and which also occasionally slips into other subject areas.
--There is an "Assignment" area where teachers can set up student assignments, so the student knows what the teacher wants done when they fire up the program, but this section is available for "school" teachers, and has not been made available for homeschool teachers.
--When child is in "Playground" area, the links made available seem to actually go off of the "Time4Learning" pages and go to other websites. (I found myself on PBSKids.org when I clicked on several links from the "Playground".)

So that's the good and the bad of it. While my son learned a lot using Time4Learning, I was not good at planning, nor at implementing a plan, so my son used the program as a fun supplement to what we were already doing. With careful planning and implementation it can, possibly, be used as a full curriculum for Language Arts and Math, and maybe even other subjects depending on the laws in your specific state. It is also useful for students in conventional schools as an after school program.

I received one month of access to Time4Learning in exchange for this review. I was not paid for my review in any other way than the free use of the program. I hope you enjoyed my review. You can read this and other TOS Crew Reviews of this product at the TOS Crew Reviews Page.
Please leave me a comment -- I like comments!

Monday Menu Plan

I've been chatting with some of my TOS sisters about weight loss. I am on a weight loss journey, but a slow one. In the past year I have lost ten pounds. The way I see it, that is ten pounds I want permanently gone, and I am able to believe that will be permanent because I have made lifestyle changes, so that even when I haven't been keeping track of what I eat, I have not gained that ten pounds back. (There was another five pounds lost and regained, so I know I need to get back to work.)

In my life, part of successful weight loss is planning, so I am going to here post my eating plan for this week. I am following Weight Watchers, and I am measuring my foods, but I am not including those measurements here, nor the food point values. I am just eating healthy quantities.

Here's the plan:

Sunday (yesterday):

Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. turkey, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

Dinner:
hamburger patty (lean) on a sandwich flat
fresh veggies

snack (weekly icecream Sunday):
1/2 pint Ben & Jerry's vanilla heath bar ice cream.

*********************************************************
Monday:

Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. ham, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

Dinner:
unknown (at a church function where they are serving dinner)

snack:
frozen red grapes

**************************************************

Tuesday:
Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. ham, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free no sugar added hot chocolate

dinner:
meatloaf, not sure what else (at a function where our church provides a meal at a local ...I think it would be called a half-way house, where people get integrated back into society...)

snack:
grapes

Exercise: lawn mowing 1.25 hours
***********************************************************
Thursday:
Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. ham, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

Dinner: Crustless quiche Lorraine, spinach salad

********************************************************

Thursday:
Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. turkey, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

Dinner: Raspberry turkey salad, whole grain loaf, fresh cucumbers

snack: banana
********************************************
Friday:
Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. turkey, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

dinner:
chicken stir fry on cabbage; brown rice

snack: grapes

********************************************
Saturday:
Breakfast:
Instant (plain) oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries;
coffee w/fat free half & half

Lunch:
sandwich of 2 slices wheat bread, 2 oz. turkey, lettuce, tomato
baby carrots
peach

snack:
fat free venti mocha from Starbuck's

Dinner:
Salmon, noodles, Brussel sprouts

Remembering 9/11/2001: The Little Chapel That Stood

This book is now available being read by the author on Youtube.com:

The Little Chapel that Stood:



Watch the video. It is very moving.