Home Grown Hearts Academy Homeschool Blog: July 2015

Friday, July 31, 2015

Funtastic Unit Studies - Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers - Review

My daughters have always enjoyed hands-on science projects and science unit studies. So we were pretty excited when we found out that we were chosen to review Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers from Funtastic Unit Studies.

What is Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers?

Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers is a hands-on approach to science that was designed by Susan Kilbride to capture students’ interest and promote a love of science and learning. It contains 20 chapters. The first ten chapters are for younger children ages 4-7, and the second ten chapters are for children ages 8-13. Each chapter is filled with fun science activities that teach a particular science concept. Each chapter contains a material list that is required for each unit. Most of the materials needed are common household items.

The 20 Chapters are:

Our Senses
The Human Body
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life
Animals
Insects and Their Kin
Fun with Magnets
Stars and Planets
Health
Beginning Plants
Animal Ecology
Insects
Microscopes and Invisible Creatures
Atoms and Molecules
Matter
Chemistry Fun
Weather
Force and Motion
Simple Machines
Light and Color
Plants II

How we used Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers

For the purpose of this review we chose to do Chapter 19: Light and Color. We had never really touched on that subject before and I thought that this review would be the perfect time to start. One of the first things that I really appreciated was the material list. I was able to scan through it and make sure that I didn't need to purchase anything. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we did in fact have all the supplies already in our home.

Chapter 19: Light and Color was broken down into 7 parts:

Part 1: Direction that Light Travels

In this part my daughters were able to learn that light travels in a straight line by completing a pretty fun activity. They were instructed to set the activity up and follow the directions to see the path that light would indeed travel and how it also couldn't move sideways. Overall, I think it's safe to say that they really enjoyed the activity.

Part: 2 What Can Light Travel Through?

In this part my daughters were able to learn about how some objects are either transparent, translucent, or opaque. They were able to pick objects, give a prediction, and then test each object to find the result.

Part 3: Bouncing Light

In this section my daughters learned about reflected light and luminous light. There were three activities in this part. The first activity instructed my daughters to fill two glasses with water and put food coloring in one. They then were instructed to place both glasses outside and then take the temperature of each one after an hour. It was fun for them to see how the darker water absorbed some of the light and turned into heat.

The next activity in this part was also pretty fun. It taught my daughters about the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection by using mirrors to bounce light.

The last activity allowed my daughters to build and use their very own periscope. They enjoyed it.

Part 4: The Speed of Light and Refraction

In this part my daughters learned about counting the seconds between lighting and thunder and also were able to take part in an activity that showed them about bending of light, refraction.

Part 5: Splitting Light

In this part my daughters learned about slitting light into various colors. They were even able to take part in a few activities that allowed them to do it as well. They were surprised to learn that white light is actually beams of different colors mixed together.

Part 6: How We See Color

In part 6 my daughters learned how some light is absorbed by an object, and some of the light is reflected off the object. The light we see is actually the light that is reflected off of an object.

Test for Light and Color

The last part is a final test of the unit. There were ten questions that had multiple choice answers.

I really enjoyed how all of the activities were very easy to understand. Including these activities actually made my daughters enjoy what they were learning about. I also like that the back of the book included an answer sheet for the tests. Some units have worksheets and these answers were also included in the back.

Final Thought

We thoroughly enjoyed our unit on Light and Color. We are also pretty excited to try out some more fun units soon. If you are looking for hands-on science you won't be disappointed with Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers.

Want to give Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers a try?

Right now you can receive two free PDF units from the book:

http://funtasticunitstudies.com/science-unit-studies-book/

Want more freebies? Check out Sue’s Free Lessons and Activities:

http://funtasticunitstudies.com/lessons-and-activities/

How Much Does Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers Cost?

Right now you can currently purchase

Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers for only $16.95

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Not everyone on the crew reviewed the same unit.

Click Below to Read More Reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Thursday, July 30, 2015

5 Rainy Day Activities with Free Printables

Ever once in awhile rainy days will come and I will hear the famous words, "I'm bored". Well friends I have came up with 5 family activities to make those rainy days fun. As a matter of fact these 5 activities will make any day fun.

Family Movie Night

What's better than cuddling up with your kids, a blanket, and a bowl of popcorn for a family movie night? On the next rainy day or evening, turn the family room into your own personal theater. Find a movie the whole family will enjoy, settle in, and enjoy the show!

Hand out fun Movie Tickets to your children to prepare them for the night. I'm sure they will be surprised and excited for the night.

Click Here to Print our FREE Family Movie Night Tickets

Family Game Night

Spend some quality family time together with a classic board game. Whether you are buying up real estate in Monopoly or avoiding the slides in Chutes and Ladders, playing board games is a great way to spend a rainy day at home.

Just like the fun Movie Tickets, hand out Family Game Night Tickets to your children. Once again, I bet they will enjoy them.

Click Here to Print our FREE Family Game Night Tickets

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are fun! They’re easy to create and can be tailored to any theme, any age, any place. Scavenger hunts are great for indoor rainy days.

I have created a printable Scavenger Hunt Checklist that you can use or you can make your own.

Click Here to Download Our Free Scavenger Hunt Checklist

Read a Book

This is one indoor activity that is educational and fun! Reading with your child will improve their reading skills and build their enthusiasm for books. Cuddle up in a blanket with a favorite or a new book and read together. Take turns reading, or have them read to you to keep them focused and interested. Older children can also enjoy reading independently and hopefully learn to find comfort and joy in cuddling up with a good book. Another fun activity would be creating a peaceful and inviting reading space or even creating your own book.

Click Here to Download and Print

the FREE PRINTABLES

Bake up some Yummy Goodies

Rainy days are perfect for getting into the kitchen with the kiddos and trying out some old or new recipes. Including them makes them feel important and helpful. Another fun activity could be creating a family recipe book. I created one with my daughters years ago and we still cherish and use it to this day.

I have created a FREE Family Recipe Book Binder Cover that you can print and use to get started.

Click Here to Download and Print our

FREE Family Recipe Book Binder Cover

Thank you for visiting us today. We would love to hear what you think. Please leave us a comment or two below.

Do you like our FREE Printables? Click Here to view more

*This post contains amazon affiliate links

Heirloom Audio Productions - With Lee in Virginia - Review

Recently my family and I were chosen to review With Lee in Virginia from Heirloom Audio Productions. I had no idea going into this review how much it would bring history to life and actually bless us.

What is With Lee in Virginia?

With Lee in Virginia is a Civil War story of courage, honor, and duty. It's recommended for ages 6 - Adult. This dramatized version of G.A. Henty's book by the same title was a hit with my three daughters. We were blessed to receive the 2 1/2 hour audio theater on two CDs. We also received access to wonderful special bonuses online.

The special bonuses include:

PDF Study Guide and Discussion Starter
MP3 download of the story
eBook of the original G.A. Henty Story
Official Soundtrack
Printable Promotion Poster
Printable of a saying from Robert E. Lee,
Unlimited access to the Live The Adventure Letter E-Newsletter

The story follows a young gentleman by the name of Vincent Wingfield as joins the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia. He finds himself fighting alongside famous Confederate generals such as Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. He is ultimately inspired by the duty and devotion to God that Robert E. Lee shows and Vincent is determined to take a stand for his country.

How we used With Lee in Virginia

One of the first things I did was access the PDF Study Guide and Discussion Starters and print them. I was so thankful that this awesome guide was included. The Study Guide is 48 pages and it really helps parents engage children with the story. A fantastic plus in the fact that the study guide doesn't have to be printed out and can be viewed on any device. The study guide is bright and vibrant but as you can tell by my pictures I was running a little low on the color ink.

We choose to listen to With Lee in Virginia during our car rides. We live in an area that requires quite the drive just to be able to visit the dentist or even shop at a major retailer. Anyhow, during one of our trips to the dentist I popped in the first CD and away we drove. Seriously friends my children were so quiet. They were immediately drawn into the story even expressing dislike for the fact that we had to stop it at certain times. After returning home the first day we turned our attention to the study guide. We spent the next week listening and then studying. We all loved the way the study guide is set up. Each disc and track has a corresponding page that includes a listening well, thinking further, and defining words section. Some pages even include fun facts and a recipe. We chose to use a notebook specifically for the defining words section. It was fun for my daughters to look up each word and write their definitions. It helped their vocabulary tremendously. I was pretty surprised at how much information my daughters retained during the course of listening and reviewing by using the study guide. I'm positive that the study guide was very beneficial in that regard.

What we loved the most about With Lee in Virginia

Without a doubt, the story was ultimately the best part of this review. From the very beginning to the end, the audio drama is exciting and has a way of making you want to continue listening. It's filled with adventure and also includes funny and some pretty sad parts as well. The cast does an amazing job. Speaking of the cast! The cast lineup is so wonderful! It was so fun to listen to the characters and find out who was behind the voice and find out that I actually have grown up watching and/or listening to them many times.

Final Thought

We highly, highly recommend With Lee in Virginia! It was truly a blessing for my family and I believe it should be listened to by everyone. I'm positive that this is a story that will bless people and make them feel like their purchase was worth it. I've known people to spend money on a product and then later regret it. I'm sure this isn't one of those products. It's a story that can be listened to many times over and still be appreciated. I'm planning a Civil War study in the future and I will definitely be using this again as part of the study.

Want to Connect with Heirloom Audio Productions?

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WithLeeInVirginia

https://www.facebook.com/heirloomaudio

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories

Google+:

https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647/posts

Click Below to Read More Reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Monday, July 27, 2015

UnLock Math - UnLock Pre-Algebra - Review

Hello Friends, My oldest daughter recently had the opportunity to review UnLock Pre-Algebra from the wonderful company, UnLock Math. Much to my surprise, my daughter has always enjoyed math. As she gets older though, I'm finding it harder and harder to find math products that keep her interest. That's why I'm very thankful to have been chosen to review UnLock Pre-Algebra with her.

What is UnLock Pre-Algebra?

UnLock Pre-Algebra is a 24/7 access online pre-algebra program that you can use at home or on the go. It includes:

Engaging Teaching Videos
Interactive & Adaptive Testing
Unlimited Practice & Review
Complete Solutions
Immediate Feedback
Complete Grading
Extensive Reporting
Quizzes
Reference Notes
Pacing Guide

Each child has their own personalized dashboard to login into. In the dashboard they can see their progress at a glance, choose their next lessons, view and print their progress report which is always updated in real time, access their grade book that contains in-depth details of each completed assignment, and download a pacing guide. The pacing guide is just that, a guide that shows the student how long each lesson should take to complete. It was helpful as it allows students to pace the course.

What we loved about UnLock Pre-Algebra

I loved that UnLock Pre-Algebra is divided into sixteen units. We received a full year access and are really hoping to have all the units completed by the end of our year.

Each lesson in the units are broken up into six parts:

Warm Up
Lesson Video: In this section the instructor, Alesia, gives a small lesson on a math concept that your child is going to be working on.
Practice Problems
Stay Sharp
Challenge Yourself
Reference notes: A PDF of all the concepts that Alesia explored in the lesson video.

One of the things that my daughter expressed that she really liked was the lesson videos. My daughter has had trouble in the past with the lessons that do not have videos included. Including the videos has really helped my daughter understand the new concepts she was learning. Another thing she said she liked seeing was the window that popped up after she completed a lesson that said lesson complete.

She also expressed how easy it was to use the program, which I can appreciate. I know how hard it is to enjoy a program when it is a hard to navigate and use. Thankfully this is not the case, as UnLock Pre-Algebra is very easy to navigate.

One thing I really enjoyed as a parent was the progress reports. Being able to see where my daughter excels and where she may need extra help at has truly been helpful and I'm very thankful these reports are included.

Another thing that I have enjoyed is the course gradebook. I can't say it enough, I really love programs that include grading. It takes a lot of pressure off of the parent when they don't have to worry about going back over and grading each lesson. Having the gradebook has made using the program more enjoyable for not only my daughter but for me as well.

Final Thought

My daughter still has a ton of lessons and units to complete but I foresee us continuing on through the program and hopefully finishing it by the end of our year. I'm very thankfully that UnLock Math has put so much work into making this a program that will benefit many families. We highly recommend it.

Do they have any demo lessons?

Absolutely! A Demo Lesson can be found at the link below:

http://www.unlockmath.com/demo-lesson.php

What does UnLock Pre-Algebra Cost?

You can currently purchase UnLock Pre-Algebra for:

Annual $299.00 USD

Monthly $49.00 USD

Would you like $100 off on an annual purchase?

Sounds great doesn't it? Well you can by clicking the link below.

http://unlockmath.refr.cc/XTS5S9T

Want to connect with UnLock Math?

http://facebook.com/UnLockMath

http://twitter.com/UnLockMath

http://pinterest.com/unlockmath/

http://plus.google.com/+Unlockmath

http://instagram.com/unlockmath/

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Click Below to Read More Reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Sunday, July 19, 2015

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Saturday, July 18, 2015

Home School in the Woods ~ Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt ~ Review

These past few weeks have been filled with wonderful hands-on lessons and projects thanks to our opportunity to review Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt from Home School in the Woods. My daughters have always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt, so this study was a huge win for our homeschool.

What is Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt?

Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt is a hands-on study that spans around 8-12 weeks. During the course your children will witness exciting events and meet interesting people of Ancient Egypt. Topics include:

Everyday Life
Agriculture
Trade
Education
Writing
The Sciences
The Arts
Great Builders and their Architecture
Religion
Medicine
Government
The Dynasties
Kingdoms
Famous Pharaohs
Fitting Egypt into the Bible
Archaeology

The suggested grades for this study are 3-8. For the purpose of this review, we were provided with the digital download version of the study. However, it is also available as a physical CD. Included in the study are 25 "Stops". Every stop has Guide Book Text to read on a topic, and a Travel Itinerary for project choices and directions. Masters for all the printables are also included. I do recommend having plenty of computer ink for printing.

How did we use Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt?

My daughters were very eager to begin. As soon as I downloaded the file, we launched the program to check it out. I was pretty blown away at the amount of wonderful content. The first thing I did was read the introduction. After reading the introduction, we made our way to Stop #1 where we were advised to create a passport and a luggage folder. We also created a guide book, "Scrapbook of Sights" book, and "Snapshot Moments in History" Timeline.

As we made our way through the "Stops" we were able to take part in many hands-on learning adventures such as mapping Upper & Lower Egypt, creating "Wish You Were Here" postcard greetings, writing our own newspaper, making a dining out guide, learning about what the Egyptians wore, and many other very fun projects, There are also 8 audio tour included in the study as well. My daughters loved the audio tours. We listened to them as we worked on projects.

I loved how the study was laid out in "Stops". 25 Stops in all. Each stop worked into the previous stop wonderfully. Allowing my children to understand each piece of information better. I also loved how we could view sample pictures of completed projects by clicking on an orange photo button on the right side. This helped us tremendously. A photo example is included below.

My daughters favorite project from the study so far as been making their own bricks. They thought this project was very cool. I thought it was a little messy, but I'm just thankful that my daughters were so excited about it.

Final Thought

We haven't finished all the stops on this wonderful journey yet and we plan on continuing through them. So far this study has been more than I could have imagined. We actually studied Ancient Egypt last year, but in no way did it come close to this study. I couldn't have put a study this good together. I'm very thankfully we had the opportunity to review Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about Ancient Egypt. I always feel like my daughters learn better with hands-on projects and that is just what this study has provided us with.

How Much does Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt cost?

Download Version - $33.95

CD Version - $34.95

(Mac & PC Compatible)

Want to Connect with Home School in the Woods?