The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change - A Schoolhouse Crew Review

We first watched movies by Marshall Publishing when my son was very young. At that time he could not get enough of movies like Lots and Lots of Trains (when we could find it at our local library). Later we had the opportunity to review Lots and Lots of Firetrucks, but by that time he was older and didn't enjoy the movie, which seemed suited for kids younger than he was. But Marshall puts out an amazing variety of media. They have animal DVDs, comedy and game show DVDs, educational historical documentary-type DVDs, as well as their "Lots and Lots of" series that I mentioned before of Trains, Firetrucks, Monster Trucks, Jets and Planes, Motor Sports and RC Crafts, Rockets and Space, and Penguins.  Marshall Publishing has the goal of creating lots and lots of fun, amusing, amazing, entertaining, educating forms of media to the public, and they do a great job.

In our homeschool this year we will be wrapping up the 1800's, and studying the 1900's to present. I was very pleased, therefore, when I was given the opportunity to review a DVD by Marshall Publishing and Promotions, Inc. called The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change.  

I was waiting with anticipation, when the DVD arrived, and watched and waited for an opportunity to sit down and view it. Our week days were full, but Saturday afternoon rolled around, and there was time. I popped it in and sat down to watch.  

My son, who disdains anything that smells at all educational, promptly quipped, "Do we have to watch this?"  I told him he didn't have to watch it, but I was watching it.  My sister, my adult daughter (college grad, major of History), and my husband all sat watching it, enjoying the way it was put together. My son, insisting he wasn't watching or paying attention, still managed to pay attention and make comments about parts of it. At certain points during the viewing, he would surreptitiously appear from around the corner (where he was on the kitchen computer) and watch sections of the documentary.  

The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change is 60 minutes long. The DVD is broken into "Chapters" (not quite as easy as a book to switch between chapters, but helpful when targeting a specific section of the DVD).  This DVD targets 4th Grade through adult. Some younger might be interested, and some right in the target range (like my son) might not.

The website for The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change has, below the product information, a Study Guide to help in using the movie. Since my son really didn't enjoy this movie to sit down and watch it through, I will break it up next time and we will just view each  topic at the time we are studying it.  

Here are sections within the movie that we will use to just watch that section when we cover the material in our current studies of the 1800's:

• This week we will watch a small section that talks about the 1800's being the height of the Victorian Era. We read, on Friday, about Queen Victoria's being crowned at a young age, and her reign being called the Victorian Era, so this section will be an excellent supplement to add to our studies tomorrow. This section also covers the fashion of this decade.
• There is a section that talks about the great cattle drives of the 1880's, and how the once massive herds of buffalo were in danger of being wiped out. This will dove-tail well with the book we are reading, Little Britches: Father and I were Ranchers, and I will have him watch this when we get to the next book, Man of the Family, where Ralph starts herding cattle. (Even though it is a different time period, it will be a good fit.)
• Immigration, and unions forming to fight low wages. I'm not sure when we will be covering this, but when we do I will pull this section of the DVD out for us to view.
• Statistics and Information: I think we will view this section when we are leaving the 1880's and entering the 1890's in our studies.
• The time line will also be helpful. It mentions that in 1880 the Salvation Army was formed and Garfield became President. This helped me to realize that this is the year I want us to read the biography about the Booths, who founded the Salvation Army. Also, when we are covering Garfield we need to be quick, because he had a very short Presidency. (I don't remember right this second, but I think he was assassinated.)

I could continue, but you can see from the above how the Study Guide on the website is helping me plan out my use of this DVD.  I also own the Marshall Publishing DVD of George Washington Carver, which I will pull out for us to use soon when we read our biography of George Washington Carver.

The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change sells normally for $24.95, but is currently on sale for $19.95. In addition, there is currently a coupon code for free shipping!  TOS27

Most of my family really enjoyed this DVD. My son, the reluctant student, fights me at almost every turn, says he hated it. (I guess he would rather read some dry, dusty book. HA! -- No, he would rather be off at the creek trying to catch turtles or snakes.)   

The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change is a documentary. Documentaries have their place, and some hold my son's attention better than others. (He can watch animal documentaries better than he can watch historical documentaries.) The rest of my family (all adults) really enjoyed The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change (as we also enjoy most documentaries, historical or otherwise.)

 

DISCLAIMER:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received the DVD The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change in exchange for my honest, uninfluenced review. The opinions expressed herein are my own. I was not told what to say.

 This has been a Schoolhouse Crew Review. 

 

To see more Schoolhouse Crew Reviews of The History of the 1880s – a Decade of Change and other DVDs by Marshall Publishing,  go to the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog page for this product.

Math911: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

I consider myself an accomplished Math person. I "get" Math. I like Math. I don't mind teaching Math. I'm not afraid of Math.

But we can all use a little help sometimes.  When my oldest arrived at Algebra I age, I found myself unable to teach her Algebra I. There was a combination of things going on to shipwreck my efforts. It wasn't enough that I had a two year old boy, at the time, who seemed bent upon preventing my efforts to homeschool. There was also this issue that my daughter was trying to understand what I was trying to teach her. I mean, what's up with that?

Lest you think I jest, let me explain a little further. To me, Math is like a challenge, a puzzle. You figure out how to do it. memorize what method or formula to use in various equation problems, and then you just do it. You don't ask questions; you just look for the next challenge. When multiplying sides of an equation with fractions, it's enough for me to know that you multiply both sides of the equation by the reciprocal if you need to move the fraction from one side of the equation to the other to isolate the variable. That wasn't enough for my daughter. She wanted to know why you multiply by the reciprocal. Two hours later, I had adequately explained why, but I knew I could never walk her through Algebra I on my own. We hired outside help.

That said, when daughter #2 hit Algebra age, she had a Learning Disability that was especially apparent in the area of Mathematics. I wasn't equipped to deal with it, and once again we got help from outside sources.

That "2-year-old boy" is now fast approaching Algebra I age, and this time I am actually going to teach it on my own. There are no preschoolers to distract us; he doesn't have a Learning Disability. As a matter of fact, he seems to be a bit of a Math whiz. So I'm starting to work on getting my ducks in a row so that I will be ready to instruct him in higher Mathematics.

This summer, the Schoolhouse Review Crew was offered the opportunity to review a Math program called Math911. I jumped at the opportunity, because it looked like a really good program.

Math911 was created by Professor Weissman of Staten Island, New York. 

I was selected to review Math911, and I was very pleased. I was given Math911 as a download. There is a version available for sale on the website in the form of a Flash Drive with 2 mg of storage, enough to store all the student's additional school work! The Flash Drive normally sells for $49.95 but is currently available at the amazing price of $9.95!

I downloaded the program in mid-summer.  I received an error message upon downloading, which seemed strange, so I wrote the message down and called the phone number given for Technical help.  Professor Weissman quickly called me back, walked me through the set-up, and made sure I had the program up and running on my computer before he hung up. Points for fast and effective customer service.

Initially I started doing the Math911 program that is available to YOU for FREE. It is so good I didn't even realize there was more for me to download. It took me three weeks or more before I realized it and downloaded the rest of the program. I started the program on my own so that I could be familiar with it before I introduced it to my son.  After working it awhile I realized that the program starts at Algebra level, not pre-Algebra, so my son really isn't ready for it yet. So I would work on it on my own.

As I opened up the program, it didn't seem to have any instructions. A problem was presented, and I answered it. "Correct!!!" flashed on the screen. Now what do I do? I sat looking at the screen, trying to figure it out. There is a series of buttons down the right side of the Math work space. One button said, "New Problem". Well that looked promising. I pressed it and along we went, it asking questions, me answering, it saying "Correct!!!", me pressing "New Problem". There don't seem to be step-by-step instructions, but it is pretty easy to figure out how to use the program.
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As I worked my way through the problems presented to me, I was surprised when  I got some answers wrong. What's up with that? (Okay, I finished Algebra in 1973... How could I forget absolute variables?)

Frustrated, I sat staring at the screen trying to figure out what to do next, not to mention why was my answer wrong.  Looking again at the buttons down the right side, there is a green button there that says, "See All Steps". Well, that looks promising! I clicked on it, and my error was explained. Voila! I had forgotten how to do absolute values.
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Working longer I again started getting answers wrong. I stared and stared. I clicked on the button that would explain, and I still didn't get it.
l-4l
answer
-4

Well, l-4l is supposed  to mean what is the absolute value of -4, which is 4. When I clicked the button asking for steps to show the answer, it showed this:
- l-4l = -4

But my starting screen was missing that first negative sign. Frustrated, I emailed Professor Weissman, who patiently directed my eyes to a line below the problem, which made the problem as a whole say:

l-4l

What is the opposite of this number?

That certainly explained why I was getting it wrong... 
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Math911 is ingenious! Deep, yet simple, it lures the student through learning painlessly, while easing new concepts into the brain almost unnoticed.  I will be continuing to work my way through this program to sharpen my math skills and prepare myself for teaching Algebra and additional higher math subjects to my son. When he is old enough, I will introduce this program to him as well.

The Math 911 Website includes, on its sidebar, free lesson downloads for educational packets of instruction on "Introduction to Whole Numbers", "Addition and Subtraction", "Multiplication Factors," "Division of Wholes," "Intro to the Integers", "Combine Integers", "Multiply/Divide Integers", and "Combine Like Terms". There is also a link to "Laugh With Math", which takes you to a web page where you can order a funny book of Math humor. If you click on the links, you can actually read your way through the book! Or if you prefer, you can click on the link to learn how to order a paper copy of the book. Looks pretty funny to me!
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So, to concisely sum up some features of this program, Professor Weissman offers:

• FREE:  The math911 Standard  Version, which contains a complete Introductory Algebra Course (Algebra 1) and can be downloaded from Math911.com. No credit card or rebate required.

• The Premier / Premier Password/ Network Password version, which comes as a bundle for $49.95 for all three (not $49.95 each), which also includes free upgrades and technical support, which you also get when you download the Introductory Algebra course:
  
• Intermediate Algebra Course (Algebra 2)
• PreCalculus topics
• Trigonometry topics
• Introductory Statistics Course

• Math911 has amazing customer service, even for the free program. Professor Weissman seems sincerely to be a genius of a man whose desire is to make himself available to do whatever he can to create future generations who succeed at higher-level mathematics.

Additional information from Professor Weissman:

• RE: Activation Codes for Premier, Premier Password, Network Password
  Upon purchase ($49.95) you should
  1. Click on Register button and email us the Registration Codes
  2. Identify yourself as a home schooler.
  3. You will receive a reply email with ALL Activation Codes for all versions
       listed below:
       a) Premier Version (one user no password)
       b) Premier Password (Multiusers with Passwords)
       c) Network Version (Multiusers with passwords)
  4.  Users can switch between versions by clicking the REGISTER button and
       entering the codes for the desired version.
  4. Passwords are generated by the software.
• If you sign up now for a low cost annual site license, I'll include free use with summer homework programs, free use with after school programs, free student home privileges, free keying to your textbook, and free bonus modules for Pre-calculus and Statistics. Call me now and enjoy the savings later. Professor Martin Weissman 1-347-528-7837 

New! Unique! “Algebra In A Flash” flash drive version; works great on school laptops and allows students to continue at home. Great for 1:1 classrooms.

$40 off student special. Regular $49.95 now only $9.95. Click on this link: www.AlgebraInAFlash.com

At Google checkout use promotion code:homeschool
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Special Back To School Free Offer. No Rebate Necessary. No Credit Card:

Complete Introductory Algebra Course. Click Here. Download, Install, Run. Free Tech Support: 347-528-7837 (Select SAVE then RUN)

After install look for the Math911 desktop icon.
Version 12.8.27
August 27, 2012 (XP, Vista, Windows 7 Compatible)

You may need to right click and 'Run As Administrator' if you have Vista or Windows 7.

My personal experiences:

• Fabulous math program. Sadly, it proved my Mathematics skills sadly inadequate, much to my chagrin. I had thought I was pretty good.
• Sometimes my answers would be marked "Wrong" if I spaced the answer differently than the program wanted. As an adult I could look at the explanation and understand, "Oh, my answer was right, I just put a space here", but a child might not see that and might get frustrated at times.
• This program does not have any bells and whistles. It is a basic program, no games. It will teach, but it might not easily hold the attention of a child with ADHD. 
• The Algebra I program is FREE! How can you lose? Download it and try it out. If it works for you, plan to invest in the rest of the levels, and you will be all set to home school your higher level math courses and get your students prepared for college mathematics. To me this seems like a no-brainer! Go to the site. Download the free program. Try it out.
  

DISCLAIMER:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a complete download of Math911,  Premier course, in exchange for my honest, uninfluenced review. The opinions expressed herein are my own. I was not told what to say.

 This has been a Schoolhouse Crew Review. 

 

To see more Schoolhouse Crew Reviews of Math911, go to the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog page for this product.

School Planning

Since I haven't been posting often, I thought I'd explain why. I have been trying to get my Daily Lesson Planner ready for JD's 7th Grade year.

I home school using Charlotte Mason and Ambleside Online. With part of my brain I totally agree with CM philosophies, but I've never been able to fully implement her methodology. When Charlotte was alive, children did not have television, computer, Legos, movies, etc. My ...principal (of our homeschool)... has never chosen to eliminate television from our lives. As a matter of fact, our life was upgrade from antenna to satelite this week (for the first time in my son's life he has more than five channels). So more than ever there is, in his brain, this desire to work as little as possible to just finish in the hopes of getting to his electronic toys. And I admit that over the summer he has had more electronics than we intend to permit him to have during the "normal" upcoming days. ("Normal" as differentiated from unusual days, such as my upcoming medical procedure day...)

So I fully anticipate quite a culture shock as we start school next week. JD is 12, and I have already begun to hear comments from him that are fairly typical of a child who has been allowed to be too autonomous, and who sees the upcoming day when his freedoms will again be taken away. (Example: "Fine! Schedule [...me to do that activity]... You already run any minute of my life anyway! I don't get to decide anything I do!" Which is so completely untrue right now, but will be much more true as the school year starts.) 

My son would not be best served, in my opinion, by an unschooling philosophy. His choices would not be self-challenging to cause him to learn and grow. He prefers to make lazy choices. And I don't have adequate support in this family to make Charlotte Mason changes, such as eliminating twaddle, so when he "reads" on his own time he does not choose Swallows and Amazons or Tom Sawyer, he chooses Garfield.

My state requires regular diligent instruction in eight subject areas: Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Health. My umbrella requires I document our instruction in Bible. Charlotte Mason suggests studies include Latin and one additional foreign language (she suggests French, but we're going with Spanish), as well as nature study (science), artist study (art), composer study (music), hymn study (music), folk music studies (music), narrations (writing), geography, time lines, and lots of outdoor time. My brain wants to do The Art of Argument.  I'm beginning to believe I cannot possibly do it all. But I am planning to give it a try.

My hopes for this upcoming year (7th Grade) include:

• ·         Bible – Apologia: Who is My Neighbor;

• Apologia General Science (daily);
• Nature Study: Homeschool Legacy: Birds of a Feather (four weeks);
• Unit Study: Box of Ideas: SALT
• Fun supplemental activities on ZooWhiz;
• Ambleside Online Science (not sure if we'll do these in addition to Apologia...)

 

• Horizon's Pre-Algebra (daily);
• Supplementing with Math911
• Supplementing with Math Essentials Pre-Algebra

 

Foreign Languages:

• First Form Latin (daily);
• Spanish I (daily);

 

Language Arts:

• Vocabulary: Vocab Videos;
• Spelling: words from Vocab Videos
• Writing: Susan Wise Bauer's Writing With Skill when he doesn't have a writing assignment with Lightning Lit;
• Writing and Lit: Lightning Literature and Composition (almost daily);
• Literature: Ambleside Online Literature and "free reading" (daily or almost daily)
• Grammar from BJU 7th Grade English (almost daily) (skipping non-grammar assignments)
• The Art of Argument (almost daily);

Social Studies:

• Ambleside Online History readings (almost daily) with time lining;
• Ambleside Online Geography readings (weekly) with map work;

Music:

• Ambleside Online composers, including biographical work; notebooking; mapwork; listening to music;
• Ambleside Online hymn studies;
• Ambleside Online folk songs.

Art:

• Ambleside Online artist study, including biographical work; notebooking; mapwork; looking at artwork; learning similar art techniques, with assistance from Harmony Arts 7^th Grade Art curriculum using Artistic Pursuits Jr. High Book 1;

Physical Education

• Family Time Fitness

Health

• A Beka A Healthier You

Just for fun!

Just saw this one, thanks to Harmony Art Mom, and wanted to put it on my blog!

Vocabulary Spelling City: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

My son spells very well for his age.  Every year I have started out the year with a spelling program planned, only to barely use it. I would end up dictating the list to him, he would spell every word back to me perfectly, and I would mark the week's chapter done and move on.

There are, however, gaps and holes in his spelling ability, so I cannot entirely abandon the effort to cover this subject. I was hoping for a new, innovative way to cover spelling so that we could continue to pound away to fill in those gaps.

This summer the Schoolhouse Review Crew had the opportunity to try out  Vocabulary Spelling City. It looked like just what I'd been hoping for, so I jumped at the opportunity and asked to be picked to do the review.

Well, let me tell you from the start, I had know idea I was getting such a wonderful, comprehensive program!  This program not only hits on spelling and vocabulary, but also grammar and handwriting, with handwriting pages I can print out at the touch of a button! Plus the program allows me to enter the words I wish to use, or I can select from their massive topic list of vocabulary and spelling words. I will also be able to use SpellingCity this coming year to give my son much-needed work with alphabetizing, sentence writing and paragraph writing!

I have a great plan for how I will use SpellingCity this coming year, plugging our SAT Prep words into the word lists to correlate learning the definitions at the same time as the spelling. But for our initial trial in July and August, my son and I have been looking at words from the provided lists.

I found Spelling City so easy to use, thanks to the extensive video training page that they provide at their website. Using SpellingCity does, of course, require that you set aside a little time to familiarize yourself with what is available, and time to input your own words if you choose that option, as I plan to do.

What amazes me is what is available at this website if you get a free account! Your students can set up an account, you can set up a parent can input the lists, the program will teach the student, the student can play games, do word searches, crossword puzzles, and more. Of course, the Premium Account gives much more:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IeT8zrOn7bk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For my review I received a Family Premium Membership, access for 12 months for up to 5 students, valued at $29.99. Classroom teachers might prefer to select the Classroom Premium Membership, which costs $49.99 for one year's access. To see why you would want a Premium Account, look at the Premium Account Overview. 

There is so much depth to this program that my son and I have just barely begun to scratch the surface of it. I am so, so happy with SpellingCity, and when my subscription expires I may very well renew for another year, as I get my son ready for high school. There are so many words he still does not know how to spell, and I have been at a loss as to how to find which words they are and how to teach them. For me right now, SpellingCity is definitely the answer. What a great experience this has been! 

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y36HZ0flba8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

• This product is appropriate for all grade levels. I am not sure, personally, that I would have used it much for K, 1st or 2nd. I think it depends on the student and the situation.
• This program teaches in a way that will benefit both visual and auditory learners.
• This game has fun learning games to play that reinforce the learning goals.
• This program can be used with absolutely no preparation, or it can be used very helpfully with teacher input of words and assignments.
• I really, really like this program! JD doesn't like much of anything that he knows is school work.
• I would recommend this product to everyone without reservation.
• I have found nothing on this website that would be offensive to secular or religious educators.

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 DISCLAIMER:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a 12 month Premium Family Subscription to SpellingCity in exchange for my honest, uninfluenced review. The opinions expressed herein are my own. I was not told what to say.

 This has been a Schoolhouse Crew Review. 

 

To see more Schoolhouse Crew Reviews of  SpellingCity, go to the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog page for this product.

Legos

Oh, look what I have for you today!!!! My son is a Lego fanatic, and someone sent me a link to this fantastic video about the origin fo Lego! Grab your son/kids and watch!

Today's "Not" Daily Nugget

I just learned this morning, on a program I was looking at that I hope to review, that a baby horse is only called a "colt" if it is a male. If it is a female it is called a "filly".  I'm 53, and I never knew this. ::sigh:: How do I miss these things? I've been interested in horses all my life and I've never known this. 

So now you know too! :)

Vocab Videos: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

Today I will be telling you about an SAT Vocabulary Learning Program/Website called Vocab Videos.

From their website:

Vocab Videos was originally developed to teach SAT Vocabulary and tailored around learning key SAT Vocabulary words. Since that time, the system has proven an extremely effective vocabulary-learning tool for a variety of different tests beyond the SAT such as the ACT, ISEE, SSAT, and GRE tests. Vocab Videos is also an exemplary learning and teaching tool for any vocabulary learning program/class or individual vocabulary learning needs. Examples of uses outside of SAT and other test vocabulary are classroom vocabulary programs and ESL (English as a Second Language) vocabulary learning. For educators, we offer SAT/ACT professional development and materials licensing and have developed programs designed specifically for classroom vocabulary learning accompanied with several valuable educator vocabulary resources.

The Vocab Videos program is based on watching humorous, memorable videos to teach vocabulary in a contextual format. Using both auditory and visual cues, each video includes a real-world representation of the meaning of a word in a way that you can easily relate to and understand. In addition to the videos, the program includes quizzes, worksheets, a multimedia flashcard maker and many other tools. The vocabulary platform also includes a number of special educator features that allow teachers to monitor student usage and progress. Ready to get started? Take a look around the site and you will see a host of great vocabulary learning resources for the SAT including a free SAT word list and much more. Take advantage of our free trial to get started today!

This summer, my son had the opportunity to try out Vocab Videos to see what it is like.  This program is a hoot! And it really, really works!

Side Note:  This program could be offensive to conservative home schoolers.  I have not watched the entire program yet, but in the first set of twenty words there were several occasions of God’s name being used in vain (“Oh my God!”), and in later episodes I have encountered name-calling (“idiot”, “loser”), use of unpleasant vocabulary (“sucks”), negative sarcasm (in jest),  mild to not so mild swearing (“damn”).

Also, there is an adult office theme, and a theme of dating and girl-friend/boy-friend that some parents won’t want to introduce their kids to yet.

I have parented through the teens that way in the past, and we have adjusted our opinion about the wisdom of keeping our son in a supervisory “bubble” at this point. He knows what we believe, but he lives in this world. In this world there really IS a large contingent that swears, uses God’s name in vain, and uses this type of humor. Compared to cable, these videos are way mild.

I really like these videos as a tool and am definitely planning to use them all year long. I think they will have a huge positive impact on my son, not a negative one. I will always keep my son bathed in prayer, and will trust in God to protect my son as he gradually grows into an adult that must live in this secular world.

Vocab Videos offers a one-month free trial for educators.  A small subscription (up to 20 students) costs $74.99; a medium subscription; a large subscription (up to 100 students) costs $254.99 (larger subscriptions also available). A "subscription" gives 12 month access to the following for the educator:

• Teacher Dashboard to monitor student progress
• Individual student accounts
• Access to all videos and study materials
• Digital Quizzes, Multi-media Flashcard Maker, Digital Worksheets

An individual student can get a six month subscription for $24.99 or a one year subscription for $39.99, which includes:

• Access to the entire video library of 500 Vocab Videos
• Total access to an extensive suite of study resources and tools: digital quizzes, digital worksheets, multimedia flashcard maker, downloadable crossword puzzles

The teacher access provides so many wonderful things. If you choose a student subscription, you will probably also want to consider purchasing The Workbook which costs $11.99.

 
 With a Teacher Account you have "all power"! You can easily monitor and manage the student accounts that are signed up in your Teacher Account.

The way the program is laid out is that there are 25 different episodes available. Each episode covers 20 words, pronouncing each word, defining each word, demonstrating each word, and explaining how the word demonstrated the definition while simultaneously reminding the student of the definition in print. When you have worked through all 25 episodes you have covered 500 vocabulary words. Laying the program out one story-episode a week, I  am having my son do the following:

• Watch the episode through on Monday;
• use the flash cards to review the words daily;
• have son re-watch the video and do the worksheet on Wednesday;
• pop-quiz my son orally on the vocabulary list on Thursday; and
• giving my son the written quiz on Friday.

 Check it out below to see just what influence vocabulary instruction can have on students:

Read the Vocab Video Story, and click on the video there to learn more. Meet the cast. Read student success stories. Learn more about the videos, the learning tools, the Science of learning, but RUN don't WALK to learn more about this program. This is the best vocabulary method I've seen for my son, and I'm just delighted. Here's a look at an example of one of the flash cards:

A most gratifying mommy/teacher moment occurred after we had been using this for several weeks.  We were out in public, and he observed an interaction between two folks near us. He whispered to me, "That's an example of one of our vocabulary words!"  He was thinking of the word, "urbane" which means polite, suave, and cultivated in manner. JD couldn't remember the word right then, but he remembered the definition, which is part of the journey. On a multiple choice test he might have gotten it right. With more review and the tools in the program, I am confident he will be well prepared for the SAT in four years! 

•  My son thinks this program is, "All right." Coming from my son, that is high praise indeed!
• This program is engaging, amusing, and memorable. It is a very unique and valuable tool for SAT Vocabulary preparation.
• This program includes stimulation for the visual learner and the audio learner. Because of its format, I believe it would also succeed with hands-on learners as well.
• The program includes videos, printable resources, and resources you might wish to purchase in hard (paper spiral) format.
• This product is an SAT preparation product designed for grades 7 and up.
• Viewing the videos can be done independently by the student. Most parents will probably want to pre-watch the videos so they know what their student/child is covering (and being exposed to). The parent will want to plan a strategy to cover the program during one school year, including scheduling use of flash cards, quizzes, and use of worksheets, which will need to be printed out.
• Some students will benefit by watching the videos several times, which is fine.
• This program is secular.  

I have a very strong opinion about this product. I love it and look forward to continuing to use it throughout our upcoming school year.

DISCLAIMER:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a 12 month Teacher subscription to Vocab Videos in exchange for my honest, uninfluenced review. The opinions expressed herein are my own. I was not told what to say.

This has been a Schoolhouse Crew Review.

To see more Schoolhouse Crew Reviews, visit the blog page for this product. 

King Alfred's English: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

During the month of July, I was given the opportunity to ready a new book that rocked my socks! And today I get to tell you about it!

 King Alfred's English: A History of the Language We Speak, And Why We Should Be Glad We Do, by Laurie J. White - or King Alfred's English, for short.

Let me start by giving you some of my personal background. First of all, ethnically, I am 1/2 English, 1/4 Finnish, and 1/4 Norwegian. So, I've always thought of myself as half British. Until recently...

I have been homeschooling 22 years. When my two oldest students were studying world history, the Middle Ages, and various aspects of the older civilizations, I read along with them and tried to understand what was going on, but I was lost. If I was lost, they probably were too. I couldn't keep up with the Angles and the Jutes, the Saxons and the Burserkers... They all just left a fuzzy, cloudy recollection in my head that they were part of European history, and that was it. And I had an understanding that at one point Rome extended to include England. I remembered that Gaul was what we now call France, and that Normandy is part of France too...

But after reading  King Alfred's English, I understand so much of this material so much better! And it is an easy, quick read, and I want to go back and re-read it and go through the study materials to really, really wrap my brain around the entire thing completely!

For one thing, as I inferred before, I now am no longer content to to refer to myself as merely 1/2 British, and now being 1/2 English means something entirely different to me than being 1/2 British. What my "real" heritage is depends upon where, on the island, my grandparents were from. If  they were from Cornwall, as I think they were, then I can still call myself 1/2 British in heritage. But if they were from a more central part, like London... That is where the Angles settled, and that becomes an entirely different heritage. But I won't tell you; you have to read it yourself.

I have also long been a logophile (if I am correct, this should mean a lover of words), or more correctly I have been one who studies word origins to help my students understand word definitions and spellings.  I also teach my children phonics. I have now learned why "wh" sounds like "hw" (but I'm not going to tell you; you have to read it yourself). I learned:

• that languages simplify over time; how, and why;
• the history of "ain't"; that it used to be an acceptable word;
• the origin of the terms "upper" and "lower" case for letters;
• the ongoing battle of Latin: what it's about and why it's important;
• this history of the toilet (ha! ha!);
• more about druids, 
• corrected my history understanding about Constantine;
•  learned the origin of the Christian XP symbol and the origin of the term "Xmas";
• where the name "jeep" came from... and so much more.

Reading this book was such a hoot! Every day I was sharing new tidbits with my family, "Did you know that..."  ...and since they weren't reading the book and didn't have the context, for the most part they didn't care! But a lot of the time they were interested and thought the information was very interesting. I can't wait to go back and read it again, this time studying the material more deeply using the Student Page as I read so that I can get even more out of it!

Laurie White has really hit the mark with this book! I look forward to sharing it with my son fully this coming school year. But I sense you may not be completely convinced. I have a suggestion. Read the first chapter and see with you think! You can also see more about the contents by taking a look at the Table of Contents.  If you decide to have your students cover the material in the book, you can also refer them to the Student Page, and you yourself have your own Teacher's Page to get worksheets and tests for your students, as well as their answers.

 King Alfred's English is available in Kindle through Amazon.com for $5.95, and is available in paperback format from Rainbow Resources for $14.95 (as I write this, but normally $16.95). There is also a group discount if you purchase EIGHT or more books. And you can also see a List of Resources that were used to create King Alfred's English.  If you are still not convinced, you need to read Reasons to Study King Alfred's English.

If you would like to buy a copy of  King Alfred's English, I have FIVE DISCOUNT CODES that I have permission to GIVE to FIVE of my readers! I will give these codes to the first five people who ask for them, so please reply below and ASK for a code if you want one! This code will give you a discount on the paperback to buy the softcover book at the wholesale price of 50% off, or $8.47. So leave your comments below!

King Alfred's English is brought to you by PNP and TheShorterWord.com (to understand that name, read the book!). This company also offers Baktar: A Tale from the Andes; Barn Roofs, Quail Coveys, and General Mischief;  and World History/Bible.

DISCLAIMER:
I received a free Kindle copy of King Alfred's English in exchange for my honest opinion. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not told what to say.

This has been a TOS Schoolhouse Crew Review.

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