DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Whenever I go out to eat, my favorite thing to have is a bite of everyone else’s! Homeschooling and just education in general can look a lot of different ways, but my favorite will always be a hybrid of some of my favorite things.. We do not homeschool solely in the classical education tradition, but we have often incorporated materials from Memoria Press, a family-run publishing company that produces classical Christian education materials. We have used Spelling, Latin, and Literature study guides in the past and now we’re talking about a study of classical history through Famous Men of Rome from Memoria Press.

What We Received:

We received 3 books, Famous Men of Rome text, Famous Men of Rome Student Guide and Famous Men of Rome Teacher Guide, and one set of Famous Men of Rome flashcards. All books have glossy paperback covers. The Teacher’s Guide and Student Guide consist of high quality paper, but the Men of Rome text includes color images on almost glossy paper that is beautiful!

How It Works:

The design of this set is to build a foundation of characters and their stories that will then feed students understanding of history for years to come. Memoria Press suggests this to be used by grade levels 4 and 5, but like all homeschool curriculum, that is open to the student and family’s circumstances. The text provides 3-5 short sections on each character that tell key stories from their life and at least one color illustration and 2-3 black and white illustrations. This is intended to be read to or by students, depending on the age and abilities. The Student Guide then follows the reading with Facts to Know, famous quotes, Vocabulary, Comprehension Questions, extra Activities. In addition to this, there are several pages of maps, quotes, review questions, and even a pronunciation guide.. The Teacher’s Guide provides answers to all of the blanks, tests and corresponding answer keys. The flashcards include people, quotes, dates, geography, and facts that can be used in a variety of ways to learn, study, and memorize the information. Since they design their materials to function in a classroom or homeschool setting, the order of all activities can be adjusted based on teacher/student needs.

What We Thought:

The story approach to anything is always desired in our household. The way we usually approach history involves reading together as a group and then supplement activities based on age. With a 5, 8 and 11 year old, this program hits well on the grade level range and all of the activities can be approached orally if something hits out of skill level. Within the classical approach, content is often heavy on teacher/parent involvement, but a disciplined or self-motivated student could manage just fine. One of my favorite details of this set is the beautiful illustrations and the paper of the textbook. It just makes the stories feel a little extra special. As usual, Memoria Press has produced another quality curriculum that supports a thorough and well-rounded education!

Follow Memoria Press on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memoriapress/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/memoriapress
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memoriapress/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memoriapress/memoria-press/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/memoriapress

The Review Crew reviewed several products from Memoria Press. If you’re interested in different levels of Latin. more history sets or just another perspective on Famous Men of Rome, check out all of the other reviews through the link below.

I knew I wasn’t done. At least I didn’t want to be done. I had two beautiful children, but the physical and emotional stress of pregnancy, breastfeeding, a growing toddler, and teaching piano lessons part-time, all while Mr. Butler was going through graduate school had been more than my body could take. Weaning my daughter was a necessity, not a choice, because the side effects of all that strain and stress were crippling. Anxiety, depression, adrenal exhaustion, and just overall physical and mental breakdown was taking over my world in the fall of 2014. I had no choice but to attempt to heal myself. That meant weaning my daughter before we were ready. I was stressed. She was stressed, which of course stressed me further. And none of it was the beautiful journey I had planned for. Things with my oldest weren’t perfect of course, but they weren’t interrupted. This felt hijacked and a weird kind of betrayal. Like my body betrayed me. I had just been doing what I thought I was supposed to for everyone. Looking back now 7 years later, I see the compromises I didn’t HAVE to make, but thought I did. Miss Z was still waking up at night to eat and I never had the heart to tell her no. She was efficient and fast so what harm did it do? The extended amount of time I went without a full night’s sleep actually did me a lot of harm. Like it or not, my adrenals - well my whole body - is super sensitive and just can’t muscle through the way I thought most people do.

Photos are so deceiving. I am drowning in stress and toxicity here, feeling incredibly unable to manage my world.

On a blessing of a trip to Ft. Walton Beach, FL, getting to see a lighthouse in person, all the while praying that I don’t have another panic attack or get overwhelmed by anxiety.

They are just precious, but I’m crumbling under the weight of motherhood, not sure how we’re going to make it through.

So throughout the entire healing process after that, I knew I wanted another baby. I had always imagined having 3 or 4 and I just wanted to make up for all the trauma I had created. But I was also afraid that my poor health and even mental struggles would have a negative effect on the next child. I wanted to try, but I also didn’t want to regret making a selfish, yet foolish decision. For months, I worked on diet changes, supplement support, essential oil therapy, everything I could think of to heal myself and get in a better physical state to support another pregnancy. Every time I tried to imagine our life just the 4 of us, my heart rejected it entirely. My heart wasn’t done, but still I was afraid. My sweet daughter could be fierce and fiery and I hadn’t learned the art of truly being the parent and remembering she was the child. ADHD wasn’t even a thought in my mind, her emotions pushed my emotions around, which were already weak from all the turmoil we had been through, and of all things to get stuck on, she resisted sleep. The one thing I needed to exist was the thing she pushed back on.

In December 2015, we bought and moved into a new house. This was, in many ways, a big wish we had been working towards for a long time. Out of the city, close to church, and more space all the way around. It was exciting and positive. It helped solidify my healing that was still ongoing to visually have a new space to look at. In January 2016, I turned 36 and was dreadfully aware of my age and how it could effect another pregnancy. I was stuck between needing to wait for my body to heal and needing to hurry up because every month I was getting older. That conflict caused so much stress in me. After we moved in to the new house, Mr. Butler spent the next couple of months getting our old house ready to sell, while I held down the fort most of the time, with all of these feelings swirling around most of the time. I prayed and wrestled for 6 months. I begged God to prevent me from getting pregnant if anything about my current state would cause problems for this new child. I also begged God to allow a healthy pregnancy of a child so good natured and strong. My heart was so convicted, but my body had betrayed me before. For 6 months we tried, but no success, which wasn’t normal for me. After another month of no success, I told Mr. Butler that perhaps this was the answer and I needed to just accept it as a gift. He was more than fine with that idea and started making plans for this family of 4 we were determined to embrace.

Of course, the moment you start to find peace with what seems inevitable, the inevitable ceases to exist. A short time later, I found out I was pregnant…

The next chapter of this journey can be found here: Part 2

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DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

At one point I was a performance major in college and that required a second language course. I had already Spanish as my first so naturally French was my second choice. I had never taken French, but I thought it was pretty close to Spanish and thus not too hard. Well, it was way harder thank I expected and not really at all like Spanish. I quickly withdrew from that class and never looked back! Until now! A few years ago we reviewed a Spanish Language Program from Whistlefritz and I had never taught my kids anything related to the French language, so when this review opportunity came upI decided to review the Educator's French Collection this time around.

What We Received:

We received one book of 40 French Lesson Plans for Kids, 4 DVDs, 3 CDs, and a box of French Matching Cards from Whistlefritz.

How It Works:

This program is geared towards Pre-K/Early Elementary children ages 1-7. The different resources in this program can be used independent of one another or independent of a set lesson plan. No matter your French language education level, these elements can support a greater familiarity with the language. For example a matching game is always relevant and adjustable depending on what words have been taught. The Lesson Plan book provides 40 lesson plans that include the DVDs and CDs, lessons that are activity-based, content based and cross-curricular too. Each lesson has a clear goal and objective stated, along with different types of activities suggested.. The videos and songs provided on the DVD and CDs are critical to the program at the very least for pronunciation purposes, but also vocabulary and context for many of the lessons. Fritzi, a mouse, is the main character in the videos and songs that often ties in the lessons and activities. The Matching Cards are a hands-on tool to help students begin to remember words. The entire program can be very flexible to students’ needs, but it also has a clear progression that can serve well too.

What We Thought:

My difficulty with French hasn’t improved over time, but at least this time I didn’t have quite the same kind of stress. I currently have an 11, 8 and 5 year old all of which have had zero exposure to French. They have had some Spanish and a good amount of Sign Language so learning a new language itself is familiar to them. Still, French is a different ballgame which made this program more challenging just by nature. Still, when all the components were used together, we started to get the hang of things. My 11 year old son and 8 year old daughter are outside of the target age for this program, but considering the challenge they were content to go along for the ride. My 5 year old followed suit, but did complain about the length of the videos at first. I think this largely had to do with his complete unfamiliarity with the language and the immersion approach the videos take. When we could be clear about it being a school thing and perhaps give them a task of finding a particular word in a song, things got easier. Despite my unqualified state in regards to French, this program did not require me to know anything prior in order to teach it. Overall, this is a fun and effective way to learn a new language!

Follow Whistlefritz on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whistlefritz/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Whistlefritz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whistlefritz_spanish_french/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/whistlefritz

The Crew reviewed both French and Spanish versions of this program. Check out other families’ experiences with Whistlefritz through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

There are a lot of reasons to homeschool right now, but the most steadfast (and logical) reason to is curriculum choice. If a book or method doesn’t work for your child or family, you don’t have to keep using it! Slow down, speed up, take breaks - you get to decide what is important! Grammar is one of those subjects that you need a method that works for you to really get a full understanding. For today’s review, I’m happy to introduce you to Fix It! Grammar from Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW), a unique approach to learning the rules and guidelines of English grammar.

What We Received:

We received a Student Book and Teacher’s Manual, Level 2 of Fix It! Grammar, Town Mouse and Country Mouse and a box of Fix It! Grammar Cards. Coincidentally, we already had Student Book, Level 1, The Nose Tree, but it was a 3rd edition and the Level 2 was the new 4th edition. This way we get to talk about some of the differences in the editions.

How It Works:

Fix It! Grammar teaches punctuation, vocabulary, language arts’ concepts and many grammar rules through a real-life story. Each week consists of a Learn It!, Read It!, Mark It!, Fix It!, and ReWrite It! task that instructs on and reinforces grammatical concepts. There are four sentences (from the story Town Mouse and Country Mouse) that are filled with mistakes of some kind. Students are to correct one sentence per day and rewrite it correctly. Once completed students can compare their work with the teacher’s manual version to see if they missed anything. Included in the back of the student book are two Appendixes, Complete Story (the complete story of Town Mouse and Country Mouse) and Collection Pages (Adverb, Strong Verb, and Quality Adjectives can be collected to support good writing). The teacher manual contains those too, but also a Grammar Glossary perfect for brushing up on any concept. In addition to satisfying a language arts component and teaching grammar in different way, this program also works hand in hand with writing curriculum.

Grammar rules by nature aren’t always fun, but the Fix It! Grammar Cards and the suggested games on IEW’s website provide some fun opportunities to get that knowledge in there without too much discomfort.

Differences Between 3rd and 4th Editions:

While I cannot compare the exact same books, Level 1 and Level 2 follow in a similar framework. A major change - one that I like - is that the Fourth Edition provides lines for sentence rewrites while the Third Edition requires you to use your own paper. In the Third Edition, flash cards are included in the back to cut out, but the Fourth Edition doesn’t include them. They are replaced with a much nicer version in a separate box. If I had both editions of a Level 2 book, I might be able to point out other changes, but these are the only apparent ones.

What We Thought:

During this review period my 5th grade son used Level 2 and my 3rd grade daughter used Level 1. For both of them, they had to learn the appropriate symbols to mark each sentence, but each week’s introduction makes new marks very clear. The simplicity of each days work is a big hit with our family. With ADHD elements running through their genes, short lessons are always preferred. Since they build on previous lessons, students are given plenty of opportunities to practice what they have learned. It’s a largely independent program, which I appreciate more and more the older my kids get. We have been using IEW’s Structure and Style over the past year and really enjoying it too. IEW has a great commitment to excellence while engaging the students throughout. I love that!

Follow IEW on Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excellenceinwriting
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iew
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iew/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/iew/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/iewtv

The Homeschool Review Crew reviewed several levels of Fix It! Grammar. Click on the image below to see what other families had to says.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

As a parent I want my kids to be successful. I want them to have a good work ethic and to live a life of kindness. Their father and I pray they will find loving spouses and use their unique gifts to glorify God. We want them to live lives pleasing to God. What is the most important habit they can start now that can facilitate all those things we hope for them? A knowledge and understanding of the Bible. And since that is one of the most important things they can gain, it is pretty important to make sure they have a Bible that is accurate and understandable for their age. For this review, we get to talk about one of the most popular Bibles I have seen for kids, the NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers from Zondervan.

What We Received:

We received one paper back NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers from Zondervan that has a glossy cover and contains full color pages. Each book has an introduction page that includes information like who, what, when, where, and why, as well as some of the major stories of the book. Additionally, there is an index, subject index, dictionary, chart pages, map pages, and several history and fact images scattered throughout the book.

How It Works:

The NIrV Adventure Bible is a complete text of the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) of the Bible that is intended to be easy to read at a third-grade reading level. It is advertised as a text intended for children ages 6-10, especially those new to reading the Bible on their own. The NIrV is based on the New International Version (NIV), but simplified even further so that young readers could understand what they read as much as possible. With the added resources (maps, dictionary, etc.), this Bible provides the complete package most adults go for when purchasing their own, but for kids.

What We Thought:
My 8 year old daughter and my 11 year old son have both spent some time with the Adventure Bible and enjoyed it. Reading from it is both easy to do and interesting because of the added sections and pages that aren’t in the ‘normal’ Bibles. In our history and Bible studies this year, we have been reading through major sections of the Old Testament. Since receiving the Adventure Bible, we’ve read primarily from it and it has certainly made everything very clear. Bible translations are definitely something to be educated on as a Bible student and this one is no different. Like the NIV, the NIrV is very readable, but that might not make it the most technically accurate in some cases.. In our Bible study as adults we regularly consult other translations or even do word studies to ensure accurate understanding. That habit and approach is something that I feel is important to incorporate into their practice, especially as they grow stronger in their independent reading. As a gift for a newly reading Bible student, this is a great option!

Follow the Adventure Bible on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NIVBible
https://www.facebook.com/AdventureBible
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NIVBible
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenivbible/
https://www.instagram.com/adventurebible/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/NIVBible

Wondering what other families thought about this Bible? Check out other families’ reviews through the link below.

My skincare routine!

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

As overwhelming as determining a child’s educational content can be, getting to incorporate truly meaningful texts into my child’s curriculum is such a blessing! The Christian Heroes Then and Now series are popular books we have encountered in several homeschooling circles as supplemental materials or the focus of a unit study. Names like Corrie ten Boom, Elisabeth Elliot, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are some of the books in this series. For today’s review, we are looking at C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller from YWAM Publishing. As a family we have read The Chronicles of Narnia and watched the available movies, so convincing my 11 year old son to read a book about the author wasn’t hard at all. Who wouldn’t be curious about the man who created the world of Narnia and all its interesting characters?

What We Received:

We received a paperback book with a glossy cover, C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller by Janet & Geoff, a digital copy of the C.S. Lewis Unit Study Curriculum Guide, and digitals copes of two slightly different Overview Guides.

How It Works:

The book C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller is a biography from YWAM (Youth With a Mission) Publishing that is intended for readers approximately aged 10-15, whether individually or in small group/classroom settings. These chapter books fit easily into a family read aloud time as well, but depending on the book, there can be some themes (war, sickness, death, etc.) that parents might want to be prepared for. Overall, though, these biographies can stimulate great discussions about faith, geography, and lessons from history. The Unit Study Curriculum Guide is an optional supplement, but packs so many layers of educational content. The Guide lines out a variety of ways to learn with the chosen book at the center of it all including Key Bible Verses, a Display Corner, Chapter Questions, Social Studies, Student Exploration, Related Themes, etc. With C.S. Lewis being from Ireland and Britain, geography studies can focus on those areas, for example. Whether through the library or online searches, research about WWII, Cambridge, and even other authors like Tolkien can enhance students learning. Essay questions, hands-on projects, audio/video projects, a survey of all the books written by Lewis and so much more are at the students’ fingertips.

What We Thought:

I gave my 11 year old son the option of reading it on his own or reading it together as a family and he chose to read it on his own. After he finished it (because he couldn’t wait for me to go chapter by chapter) we sat down and discussed several questions from the study guide. Every time we sat down to discuss the book, I went away encouraged because of all the thoughts coming out of my son’s head. He had a ton of empathy for C.S. Lewis’s rough life and was fascinated that he was friends with Tolkien! We discussed God’s will in our lives specifically when He says no to our prayers, as was the case with Lewis’ mother.. We have read some of the other books from the Christian Heroes series as a part of our larger curriculum. When asked how this one compared to them, he felt this one was really interesting, where others had been a little less so. We determined that it was because he had a previous context for C.S. Lewis. He knew who he was BEFORE picking up the book. Whereas, the other biographies we read were about people he had never encountered before. From a parent/educator perspective, the books do not in any way require previous knowledge of the subject, but to captivate my 11 year old’s enthusiastic attention, previous knowledge certainly helped..

This book, as the rest of the series does as well, provides a strong jumping off point for so many educational discussions and projects. Regardless of your needs and circumstances, this book and complimentary resources are certainly something any family could utilize and benefit from.

Follow YWAM Publishing Online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YWAM-Publishing-482973445102/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ywampublishing/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing

The YWAM Publishing Blog: www.ywampublishingblog.com

The Crew reviewed several books in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series. If you would like to hear more about some of them, check out all the other reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

For the past 6 years, I have been reviewing all kinds of educational materials thanks to the Homeschool Review Crew. One of the many perks as a reviewer is my relationship with their parent company, The Old Schoolhouse® (aff link) and our sister division, SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link). Through these organizations, I receive all kinds of encouragement through The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and countless homeschooling resources and curriculum from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Today, I get to talk about the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a division of The Old Schoolhouse® and all the different ways it can serve a homeschooling family.

What We Received:

We received the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a division of The Old Schoolhouse®. This is the most comprehensive membership they offer which covers all available classes Pre-K - 12th for the entire family, lesson plans, planners, parent courses, online electives, homeschool parent support, access to Rightnow Media, World Book and Applecore Silver Plan.

How It Works:

A membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com gives you access to digital content. How you utilize and organize that content is entirely up to you. You can search their courses by grade or subject or simply browse. One of their latest offerings is grade level boxes. While not a physical box, it is selected courses and lesson plans for a particular grade. They have recently added the 9th-12th boxes, completing their K-12th commitment. Soon, they will be adding Pre-K and a Parent box as well! Whether you have one child or a household full of kids, you can provide them all with a unique, self-paced education for one price. Once a member you can access all courses, all the time. Since launching in 2012 with only 11 courses, SchoolhouseTeachers.com now provides full curriculum options for all, and has now grown into a community. There regular Zoom chats, online Members Lounge, and now online events like the Virtual Science Fair (coming March 25th), Art & Photography Fair, Story Time, Virtual Talent Show (Coming May 20th) and other seasonal events.

Who Should Use This Program?

Large families with a limited budget could benefit most from a membership like this. With over 400 courses, you really have a lot of options and opportunity to customize. One price for everyone makes a lot doable on little. A family in a remote location or a community that has limited extra-curriculars could really benefit from the online activities - for students and parents. We live in a thriving homeschool community, but that just isn’t possible for everyone. This community that SchoolhouseTeachers is building can fill in the gaps for isolated families. It also can be a great jack of all trades curriculum too. With different students who have different needs, many parents find themselves building a school year from scratch and then scratching the school year! When you need a supplement (or 5), this is a great resource to have all the time. Whenever something doesn’t work out, you can always find something else to try in its place from SchoolhouseTeachers.com.

Follow SchoolhouseTeachers.com on Social Media:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolhouseTeachers/
Facebook Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SchoolhouseTeachers/

The Old Schoolhouse®: https://www.theoldschoolhouse.com/
Homeschooling with Heart Blog: https://www.theoldschoolhouse.com/blog/
Magazine Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/theoldschoolhouse/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOSMag/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tosmag/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOldSchoolhouseMagazine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tosmagazine/

There are so many different resources available from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Check out other reviews to learn even more about the Ultimate Membership and its fit for your family through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of my favorite things about the life we get to lead as homeschoolers is the constant overlap of information and learning. In one morning we can learn about who Shaq is, Joshua and the battle of Jericho, what a harlot is, does an octopus have a skeleton and then all the ‘usual’ stuff too. The world isn’t a perfect pantry where everything is sorted, labeled and never touches its neighbor. God’s big world is intricate, complicated and certainly overlapping. Today’s review is a beautiful marriage of spiritual devotions for your children with God-honoring science concepts and facts. We’re talking about The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio from the Indescribable Kids series and Tommy Nelson Books.

What We Received:

We received one hardbacked book, The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio with Tama Fortner, Illustrated by Nicola Anderson. The book contains over 200 pages, an attached ribbon for bookmarking, illustrations on almost every page, contents, index and an introduction that lists devotion pages by category - Space, Earth, Animals, and People.

How It Works:

In this devotional book, each devotion is numbered and 2 pages long. Each one can stand alone and there is no real need to go in order besides convenience. Each devotion uses at least one verse as a theme or context, though many times there are one or two other scripture references throughout the content. Throughout the text that scripture and a scientific concept or fact are joined in a discussion about life and God’s creation. At the end of the text there is a suggested prayer in the spirit of the devotion. On the second/final page of each devotion there is an “Explore the Wonder” section that highlights an interesting fact or aspect of the science topic brought up in the devotion, complete with a picture and extra graphics. The index makes this book a great complimentary resource for homeschoolers. Whatever you are studying that week, simply consult the index or category list in the introduction to line up something appropriate for the lesson!

What We Thought:

While science in general has always been a weak spot in my education, my children eat it up! The joining of science and God’s scriptural design has been a big hit with my kids, 4, 8 and 11 at minimum because it is interesting. Even if the topic (science or scripture) is familiar to them, there is usually some aspect that is new to them, which has led to some really great conversations in our family. I’m pretty sure all of them will forever remember that our small intestines are about 22 feet long! In devotion 2, A Plan and A Purpose, the author discusses how our organs work together toward the goal of digestion and then compares God’s detailed forethought in our gut to our purpose in the world. It’s a pretty great thought.

In a period of history where the truth is incredibly hard to find unless you are diligently looking for it, our families need books and curriculum like this that simply point us back to God. The infinite stars or the tiny bacteria in our gut, we need the wonder of creation at the forefront of our children’s minds to feed their spirits as we head into the fray of the future.

Follow Indescribable Kids, Tommy Nelson Book, and Louie Giglio on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommynelsonbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommynelsonbooks/ https://www.instagram.com/indescribablekids https://www.instagram.com/louiegiglio

Wondering if other families had the same response as ours? Check out their reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Here’s a riddle for you! How can you tell you have ADHD and have the genes of your father, an exceedingly logical engineer? You tend to do math in order to calm down your overstimulated brain! True story, on days my daughter isn’t coping well and overreacts to life, we’ve learned the most calming exercise for her is to do math. I blame her father! :) As much as we hear kids complain about math, when it is taught in a way that they understand, math is a source of many great things. The trick is finding the right program and curriculum for your family’s needs. That’s why reviews like this are here. I might not continue to use this product after I write the review (though many times I do), but I get to explore different approaches and companies so that homeschool families can know their options. So today we’re diving into homeschool math curriculum and talking about two products from Math Mammoth, Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3 and Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5.

What We Received:

We received 2 digital files, Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3 and Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5. The Skills Review Workbook file consisted of a 96 page Worksheet document with 90 Review sections, an Answer Key document, and a Spiraling Guide. The Light Blue Series file contained a full year’s curriculum including Student Worktexts, Tests, Answer Keys, Reviews, and Cutouts for both 5A (1st semester) and 5B (2nd semester).

How It Works:

The Skills Review Workbooks are designed to complement the full curriculum and function as a review of already learned skills. The worksheets are one page in length, intended to not be too tedious and incorporates interesting problems and graphics that require the student to reinforce skills from the main curriculum.

The Math Mammoth Light Blue Series is a complete math curriculum. At the beginning of the worktext is a Mental Math section that consists of several pages of web links to games and activities that reinforce math skills. In addition to the worktexts Math Mammoth provides teaching videos that correspond with particular lessons. Between videos, worktexts, reviews, tests and mental math activities, students are given all manner of opportunities to learn and reinforce learning throughout the year. All topics are clearly labelled and the index is thorough which could allow you to zero in on a particular skill out of sequence if needed.

What We Thought:

My 8 year old daughter used the Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3. We normally use another popular math curriculum so she had a few questions at first, but it was just her getting the feel for a different program. After the initial questions, this math loving girl did just fine.

My 11 year old son used Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5. Math is one of his more difficult subjects to sit down and do because he would rather be doing anything else. He’s proved he’s capable of it time and time again, he just doesn’t want to sit still that long. So, the novelty of a new program held his interest for a bit, but most days to him, math is math. The video element is a helpful tool both for understanding and engagement though.

I noticed that the number of interesting graphics went way down when you moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade. Of course, as the grade levels increase the need for cartoons, etc. goes down, but the decrease was a lot more drastic than we were used to. In many cases it may not matter. In our ADHD household, keeping things pretty and interesting is really helpful to sustain engagement.

Math Mammoth has proven to be thorough and complete for all manner of math education and it appears to be a relatively cheap option for most families. Based on our experience, I would feel confident that my kids could get a complete and effective math education from this program.

Follow Math Mammoth on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MathMammoth/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mathmammoth1

Are you curious about other grade levels? Check out all the other families’ experiences through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

The more I tumble through the world of ADHD, especially with my unique and complex children, the more I understand how important and under-utilized are kinesthetic tools in learning. As Christians, we hear a lot of admonition about memorizing scriptures, but much less about HOW to accomplish it. The majority of scripture that I have memorized are either from songs or verses I’ve heard a bazillion times from the pulpit. The best trick I have is to just repeat it over and over to myself, which isn’t fun or effective. Today we’re going to walk through a very hands on tool to help memorize Bible verses, The Bible Memory App - Bible Memory PRO from BibleMemory.com.

What We Received:

We received a Pro License - The Bible Memory App - Bible Memory PRO from BibleMemory.com - that will never expire. This license allows for multiple family members to create personal accounts as long as they each have a unique email address. The program is accessible on computers, iPads, and Google Play for Android devices, as well as phones.

How It Works:

In each account, you are able to choose a verse or passage to memorize. When selecting passages, you are given the option to break them into individual verses for memorization purposes. For each verse or passage, there are 3 steps to memorization. Step 1 is to familiarize you with the verse by asking you to type the first letter of each word of the verse presented on the screen. Each accurate letter highlights the full word. Step 2 is the same setup except every other word is left out. Step 3 is the same setup but with no help at all, just a blank screen that fills in as you type the first letter. In each step, incorrect typing will show up in red words and upon completion, the app gives you an accuracy percentage. If your accuracy isn’t high enough, the program will require you to try again before heading to Step 3. Once you have mastered a verse, the app will encourage you to review that verse periodically to reinforce memorization.

In addition to the basic memorization process, there are game-like elements such as badges for varying successes, groups to join/create and your progress tracked through points and ranking. Different Bible translations are available and great search options make finding new verses to memorize easy. You can even download the entire Bible and see what you’ve mastered so far and what is left!

What We Thought:

When I sat down to try it out, I was really surprised! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the method of only typing the first letter and the gradual progression of every other and then complete memorization is spot on from a learning perspective. The combination of physically typing, visually prompted and the verbal process the brain engages to not just remember the correct word but also not type the rest of the word is a wonderful concoction for memorization as well as retention.

After setting up my account, I set up 2 other ones for my son (11) and daughter (8). Anything to do with a phone or electronics is enticing to them from the start so it is never difficult to get them to try something out. This program was relatively easy for them to navigate. There was never any, “this is too hard” complaints. My daughter - who LOVES facts and figures and is really good at memorization anyway, has asked to use the program many times outside of assigned times. My son doesn’t mind it and will happily comply if asked, but hasn’t asked to do it on his own the way his sister does. Still, his personality would rather be outside moving or inside creating something new so t isn’t a surprise or a criticism of the program.

As an educational tool, it is PERFECT. In our regular Bible and History Curriculum, we are working through large parts of the old testament. Their handwriting is designed to support scripture memorization which is important and helpful but using this program ensures mastery when we utilize it! I would recommend this for any family, Bible study group or even a congregation to work on memorization together! It’s gradual so it isn’t terribly difficult for any aged reader and it is effective! At the end of the day, having scripture imprinted on your heart and running through your brain is the goal. This app is a great tool to get you there!

Follow BibleMemory.com on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BibleMemoryApps/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/biblememoryapps/

If you’re interested in other families’ experiences, check out the other reviews through the link below.

We don’t miss a dose of Focus Attention, especially during school hours!