Wordless Wednesday

Spring was here last week.....

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TOS Review~ Time Tales from The Trigger Memory Co.

I am so excited (very eager in fact) to share with you all about Times Tales from The Trigger Memory Co.  For the past few weeks, Therese has been working with this fun, creative program. Like many children, Therese has struggled learning her times tables. She just couldn't seem to get them mastered.  Well, that has been solved with Times Tales! I have seen Times Tales before and had thought about trying it with Therese but for some reason or another I just never got around to ordering. I'll be honest.....I had my doubts it would work. I should have given Times Tales from The Trigger Memory Co. a try a long time ago.  For this review, we received the digital download of the Times Tales DVD. This download includes two video files Part 1 and Part 2 (which you watch on your computer) and  three printable PDF files that include crossword puzzles, flashcards, tests, and game cubes for some fun game playing. So how does Times Tales Work?
Well, Time Tales is a fun, creative mnemonic based program.The program uses cute but simple stories to teach the students the multiplication facts. The multiplication facts are easily memorized because the program uses characters to help the student memorize the facts without realizing that they are learning the times tables. All they are asked to memorize at first are stories about certain characters. By having students use this "memory peg" to learn the times table, Times Tales makes multiplication easy to learn but more importantly fun to learn. No stressing about numbers. It really is a simple, yet effective method!  The Times Tales program covers the following multiplication problems.

How Did We Use the Program?

Once we received the digital download we sat down together and watched Part 1 of the program. After reviewing the video, we worked on the crossword puzzle. Throughout the week, we watched the video again and used the flashcards to help with the memorization of the multiplication facts. 

We played the with the game cubes and Therese just had fun learning the multiplication facts.

At the end of week two, I had Therese take the test. She passed with flying colors!

We then moved onto Part 2 of the program. We worked through it just like Part 1. 

It's super easy to do. Therese was able to sit and watch the video by herself. She passed the video when she needed and answered the questions and even did the quiz that is included in the video section. The video was short not too long. She didn't lose interest and was able to complete the program with little to no help from me. This is a plus when you have an older child who likes to work independently. 

What Did We Think of Times Tales?
After a few weeks of watching the videos and using the printable resources,  THERESE KNOWS HER TIMES TABLES!!!! This is big news in our house. For her it seemed like a miracle. Therese was shocked at first. After watching the video on the first day she was amazed.  Her exact words were,  "This is creepy! How is this possible!"   I have to admit I was very skeptical at first, but after 2 days with the program I was a believer. I am amazed at how well this program works. It's so easy to use. Kids enjoy using it and are eager to sit down and get started. An added bonus of this program is the videos introduce division to the students without them even knowing it. We enjoyed the older style animation. I was worried that Therese would think the program was geared for younger kids but she didn't say a word. Michael even watched the videos with us. He didn't mind the videos either. No complaints here. The video graphics reminded me of older cartoons. The voices were clear and crisp. I would recommend this program to every parent. If you are getting ready to learn multiplication or have a struggling learner, this is the program for you. The only complaint I have is the program took awhile to download. I had to head to the library to download this program. Even at the local library, the program took over 30 minutes to download. A few of the ladies mentioned an issue with printing out the PDF files, but I had no issue at all. Want to learn more about Times Tales from The Trigger Memory Co.? Times Tales Website Times Tales Facebook Page See what the other members of the Review Crew had to sat about Times Tales. I'm sure they loved it as much as us.

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. 

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5 Days of Tips for Homeschooling Parents~ A Little Late

Hey everybody! Sorry I have no advice today.  Actually I'm a little late posting the last of the 5 Days of Tips.  Life happens. 
So stop by as see what they other ladies have shared......

Jenifer @ Thou Shall Not Whine  Jennifer @ A Peace of Mind  Jennifer @ Faithful Homestead  Joelle @ homeschooling for His Glory  Joesette @ Learning Curve  Kari @ Random Acts of Boyhood  Katie @ Katie's Daily Life  Kemi @ Homemaking Organized  Kim @ Homestead Acres  Kylie @ Our Worldwide Classroom 
Hope you had a great weekend!

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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5 Days of Tips for Homeschooling Parents~ Take One Day at a Time

This probably seems like pointless advice but it really is important. We spend hours, days, and months planning our homeschooling and dread getting off track. No mater how much we plan and have things set, something always seems to come up and derail us.  Unexpected field trips, doctor's appointments, sick kids, trips to the library, errands, dad's taking off work, snow days, and of course we can't forget the first nice day of weather after a long, cold winter. There are weeks I sit and wonder how we will get any schoolwork done.  I know it's hard to let go. I still freak out when we get behind. One or two days isn't that big of a deal to me anymore but when we fall a few weeks behind the panic sets in and I can get a little crazy. My kids will tell you I panic and become a crazy woman. Thankfully after a few days of panicking and staring at the schedule wondering how we will ever get it all done. Reality sets in and a calming peace fills me.  As homeschoolers, there is no set end date to our schooling.Life is one big lesson. Learning never stops. We can take as long as we want and not have to worry. School doesn't end for us. I love that we can go as fast as we want or as slow as we want. Field trips and days hanging outside are all learning days. Life is filed with variety of lessons that do not involve using text book.
So if you're new and start to panic....STOP!  It really is O.K.  You can take all the time you need.
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered." ~G.K. Chesterton

Be sure to stop by ans see more advice from the ladies of the Review Crew.

Dawn @ Double O Farms

Dawn @ Guiding Light Homeschool

Debbie @ Debbie's Homeschool Corner

Desiree @ Our Homeschool Notebook

Diana @ Busy Homeschool Days

Diana @ Homeschool Review

Elyse @ Oiralinde: Eternal Song

Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness

Erin @ For Him and My Family

Jen @ Chestnut Grove Academy

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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TOS Review~ Fifth Grade Literature Set from Memoria Press

Studying great literature is an important part of any Classical homeschooling education. We have been enjoying the Fifth Grade Literature Guide Set from Memoria Press. With the Fifth Grade Literature Guide Set,we have been able to explore great books like Lassie Come-Home, Heidi, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Memoria Press offers a wonderful literature based curriculum.

The Literature Guides from Memoria Press are a wonderful way to encourage students to read great classics. Reading great classics are important to families following a classical education approach.The literature guides help the students to focus on what they are reading and become an active reader. The guides focus on vocabulary, spelling, reading comprehension, and composition skills. Each lesson in the study guides will help students build a strong vocabulary base. Students will learn proper spelling while learning new challenging words. They may even be exposed to words that they might now here in every day life today. The reading comprehension questions will challenge the student to dig deeper into what they are reading. They will be asked to identify and understand important concepts and events that take place in the story. The questions provided in the study guide will encourage students to think and write.  The questions will help students learn to read with a purpose. They will help students learn how to see what the author was trying to get across to the reader. The study guide questions will help students learn how to write concise to the point answers. This will help them to answer questions with a main point and not ramble on and on. The questions will lead the students to focus on the main concepts presented in the book by the author.  Great literature provides students with a fantastic base for writing.  Great literature is important for strong writing skills and thinking skills. A well read student will accomplish so much.  Memoria Press' study guides help students learn how to focus on their thinking and writing skills. It's an important task that isn't always easy to accomplish.  What parent doesn't want a strong reader who loves to read and write!



For this review, we received the Fifth Grade Literature Guide Set.  The set included.... Lassie Come Home Teacher Guide Lassie Come Home Student Study Guide Heidi Teacher Guide Heidi Student Study Guide The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Teacher Guide The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Student Study Guide We had all the books on our shelves at home, so we didn't need to purchase any of them. I have tried to build our bookshelves around great books. Michael read Huck Finn for the first time at 6! If you don't have the books, I'm sure most libraries would have them. It is recommended to use the Puffin Classics Edition of Heidi or an edition translated by Eileen Hall.

Over the past few weeks, the kids and I have been reading Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight. We have been reading the book together as a read aloud. Since the literature guide we received was geared for 5th grade, I've had Therese working through the guide. Each week, we have been reading through a chapter. Lassie Come Home has 22 chapters. After reading the chapter, we discuss the chapter together. I focus more on Therese since she's in fifth grade.

Therese has been working through the different sections of the study guide.

Each study guide is broken up into section.

Reading Notes

Vocabulary

Comprehension Questions

Quotations

Discussion Questions

Enrichment

 I did have both kids create a vocabulary notebook for Lassie Come Home. They would add the new words from the reading notes and vocabulary section of the guide to their notebook each week. I added the words to their spelling lists. In their notebook, Therese and Michael would copy the word and the definition. I then encouraged them to write a sentence using the new words.

I loved how the Lassie Come Home guide has gotten Therese to write complete sentences for her answers. I have enjoy how the study guide questions have gotten the kids involved in the story and has gotten their brains thinking. I see the gears turning and twisting while they try to a figure out the answer. The guides also have fun enrichment activities that we can do together....like bake bread, map skills, ideas on how to study history and events from that time period. 

We haven't been able to get to Heidi or The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe yet, but we are looking forward to study them too. These study guides seem just as thorough as Lassie Come Home. The Heidi study guide brings in the study of poetry. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe brings in drawing and Greek myths. 

All the study guides have quizzes and tests in them. They even have a final test for when you are done with the book.

All the study guides seem to work together to present a solid curriculum for the student. I love how the study guides present writing topics like setting and plot, allegories, perception, history, etc. By using the entire set throughout the year, students will receive a wonderful balanced approach to history. 

What did we think?

I liked the Fifth Grade Literature Study Guide Set from Memoria Press. At first I would say Therese disliked all the writing (which really isn't that much). As we progressed through the guide and we got into a routine, it became easier and not as tedious for her. 

She is looking forward to reading Heidi next!

I love how the study guides added extras like poetry, copywork, map work, drawing, and fun activities like baking to bring the books to life.

I will be looking into more literature guides for us to do together next year. My plan is to pick at least 2 books (maybe 3) to read and work through. I may even allow the kids to pick their own book! Michael and Therese can each pick one, while I pick the 3rd option. That way everyone will be happy.

Be sure to stop by and see what other grade level literature sets the Review Crew members reviewed. Memoria Press has so many wonderful boos to chose from. I know you're kids will definitely find a favorite.They may even beg you to do school!

 Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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5 Days of Tips for Homeschooling Parents~ How to Teaching Multiple Ages

For us, homeschooling has always been a joint effort with my kids. I was blessed with two wonderful gifts from God who happen to be a 16 months apart in age. The closeness in age has made homeschooling fairly simple. It has allowed us to school some subjects together. Obviously, some subjects we've had to do separately just because of age and learning abilities. Since, we lean toward a Charlotte Mason style of learning combining classes has been quite simple.

Art and music are probably the easiest to combine. Art is a way for children to express themselves. There is no right or wrong answers! Music for us was listening to great composers while working on our art projects or traveling in the car! Even as babies, I played classical music in the house. My kids can listen to many pieces and name it. Each one has found their favorite composer to listen too.

History can be easy to adapt for all ages. For example, while studying the Medieval time period, we would read books aloud together. Michael would also read books to himself, while I would read some to Therese. Michael even would read to Therese. This is a great way for siblings to come together. Michael learned to read early on and is still a strong reader. Therese on the other hand struggles with reading. Even to this day, Michael will help her if she needs help pronouncing a word. They have formed a closeness that might not have happened if we schooled separately. Projects we would work on were very hands on. Making a sword, creating a knight with a toilet paper roll, and a catapult with popsicle sticks and a spoon. One week during our Medieval study, it snowed and we lost power for the week. We pretended we were in the middle ages with no electricity. We played games, read, and cooked on the wood stove. They still talk about how we lived like people during the Medieval time period.
Science can be adapted for all ages too. Again choosing a variety of books on a particular subject allowed both Therese and Michael to learn at their own levels. We did experiments to bring in the hands on learning. I always allowed both children to participate in the experiment. A younger child can do most things with the assistance of an adult.

I'm sure many people are wondering how you can combine writing and grammar to children at different levels. I promise is can be done. Early on, I had a notebook for both kids. At the top of the page, I put a topic. For Michael, I had topics like snakes, bears, bugs, camping, flying a plane, etc. Anything that might be of interest to him was chosen as a topic. For Therese, I put more girly topics like kittens, puppies, flowers, butterflies, dolls, etc. Again I picked topics she would want to write about. For Michael, I had him write more than Therese since he was older and a stronger reader. So for example, he would have to write 5-7 sentences, while Therese would be required to write 4-5. This is were a little bit of competition is good. Therese took that as a challenge and started writing more because she wanted to be like Michael. She didn't want t be left behind. Grammar repeats every year so we just started with books at Michael's grade level. Therese is just ahead a little. If I see she is struggling, I slow down and explain it more for her. So far it's worked. There are even times now that she remembers more information than Michael when it come to writing and grammar. 
Religion is easy. We live our a faith daily. We all pray together and we focus on the Catechism. We read the Bible together. Now that they are older, we read the Bible daily. Michael and Therese now take turns reading the Bible chapter we are covering for that day. Crafts and art projects to go along with our religion lessons are a fun hands on way to learn and allows different ages to work together.
Most subjects can be combined. Math and Spelling are the two that have never been combine in our house. I don't want a child to be held back or another child pushed ahead only to struggle.  The subjects we do combine allows the kids to work together and encourage one another. 
The biggest thing I would stress when combing subjects is offer various options while studying together. Allow differences in writing styles and what you require the child to do. Give them different levels of reading materials. You never want to hold a child back or have a child struggling to keep up. Children learn at their own pace. Be ready to make changes and things will go fine.

Don't forget to stop by and visit the other members of the Review Crew! They are sharing a ton of great homeschooling tips for parents. 

Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

Latonya @ Joy in the Ordinary

Laura @ Day by Day in Our World

Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road

Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures

Lori @ At Home: where life happens

Meg @ Adventures with Jude

Megan @ My Full Heart

Melanie (Wren) @ finchnwren

Melissa @ Mom's Plans

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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5 Days of Tips for Homeschooling Parents~ How to teach Kindergarten for FREE (or almost free)!

When we first started homeschooling. I had no idea where to begin. I looked at different programs but felt that they were too expensive or too much work for a little one. I didn't want my five year old son sitting down and filling in workbooks all day long. So I searched for other ways for us to learn! Many I found were free or relatively cheap. I loved using stuff we already had in the house. Online I found a variety of free worksheets available. I printed out coloring pages, wiring pages and fun games for him to complete. Here were a few of our favorite sites.
First School Worksheets  Kid Zone  DLTK
One fun thing I did was make a wall of his work. As we worked through the alphabet, we'd add the coloring page and writing page to our wall. The nice thing about "creating" my own lessons is I could easily find coloring pages and activities of something he loved to go along with our letter of the week. So for example, for the letter Dd we colored a page of a dinosaur. We read books all about dinosaurs that we checked out from the library. For fun, we'd draw pictures of dinosaurs, create a dinosaur out of playdoh, and play with his toy dinosaurs. 
Unit Studies are a great way to bring in all the subjects into learning. Homeschoolshare.com has a wonderful of unit studies geared for all ages! One unit study we did was for the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I created a giant coconut tree on the inside or our front door. I cut out all the letters and we placed them on the tree. Both kids loved having the tree in the house. We tried various types of fruit with this unit study. Michael loved star fruit and kiwi, but learned he didn't really care for papaya. 
Arts and crafts are a great way to learn. I saved everything. Plastic bottles and tubs, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, wrapping paper rolls, small and large boxes, newspapers, magazines, egg cartons, old socks, etc. We used all these things to create wild beasts, puppets, animals, robots, knights, swords. One time while learning about bats, we made bats out of black socks and hung them on a stick (which we found in the yard) from our dining room window. Michael loved it. We had four black bats hanging in our dinning room for months!
All my lesson were fairly simple and almost free. The only thing I really spent money on was the ink for the printer. We even had colored copy paper donated to us from grandparents. It was simple, fun, but definitely educational!
Stop by and see what other great tips and advice the other members of the Review Crew have to offer!

Melissa @ Grace Christian School

Michele @ Family, Faith and Fridays

Missica @ Through the Open Window

Rebekah @ There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining

Renita @ Krazy Kuehner Days

Sarah @ Renaissance Mama

Sasha @ Such a Time as This

Tawnee @ Adventures in Homeschooling

Tiffany @ The Crafty Home

Tina @ Desperate Homeschoolers

 Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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