Halloween Pumpkin Book Reports

HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN BOOK REPORTS

I teach Creative Writing II in my homeschool co-op.   I have a wonderful group of 6-8 year olds that I work with.   I asked each child to pick one person to write a biography on.   To make it super fun I gave them all a pumpkin to decorate.   This helped solidify who the main character was in their story.   The kids were super excited to do this project.  

Batman choose to write about George Washington.  He did a great job on this project.  As you can see, he really got into decorating his front cover of his blank writing book and pumpkin.  I just love George's hair.

We've been working a lot on having a clear setting, main character, problem or event, and conclusion in our stories.   Stay tuned for tomorrow when I show you our "commercials" that we did with cereal boxes.   

COLUMBUS AND THE GREAT DISCOVERY

REVIEW

LEARN OUR HISTORY

Last month I introduced you to the company  Learn Our History co-founded by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

     

Learn Our History is an animated dvd series that teaches all about history.   These are perfect for any age group.  My six year old is really enjoying them and so am I.  

 Learn Our History is about a group of time traveling kids called the "Time Travelers" who get to experience history in the making.   There are over 20 dvd dvd's in this program.  Each topic comes with  downloadable curriculum supplements for each topic including discussion questions, timelines, maps, games, and more!

This month we had the opportunity to watch "Columbus and the Great Discovery".  It's the perfect time to study since we celebrate Columbus Day on October 14, 2013.   Discover in the beginning the reasons why Columbus wanted to take on such a dangerous journey.   Did King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain initially give him supplies and ships for his journey?  Follow Columbus and the Time Travelers as they set sail with three ships from Spain into basically unchartered territory.  The voyage was long however Columbus and his crew finally landed on a beautiful tropical island that he claimed for Spain.   This is the beginning of new traditions, customs, religion, and cultures throughout the New World.

After watching "Columbus and the Great Discovery" I was able to download prepared lesson plans from the LOH website.  Included were great discussion questions, a timeline, and a fun game to play involving ships and islands.  I really appreciated this material and I liked listening to my son talk about what he learned in the dvd.  He loved the game!

"Batman" got really into the whole theme of Columbus and asked if we could make a replica of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.  I guess I will be headed out for supplies later on for this.  I love his enthusiasm though!

One of the things I like most about Learn Our History is the convenience!  Play the series on your computer, ipad, iphone, ipod, or any internet-connected device that's equipped with a web browser. 

Simply check out Learn Our History dvd collection online.  Click on a video for a FREE preview.   Learn Our History is offering a FREE dvd for you to try out at home.  All you have to do is pay shipping and handling.

If you like the program then you get each dvd, online streaming, and the lesson guide for just $11.95 plus shipping and handling.  Each month you will receive a different program and something new to learn about.  Check out Learn Our History today!

ENJOY!

Math Mammoth Review

 MATH MAMMOTH

A Homeschool Mosaics Review

I have to say that I never heard of Math Mammoth before I did a review on them.   After asking a bunch of homeschool friends about it, I found that I was in the minority.  

 Math Mammoth offers affordable, quality workbooks, and worktexts for grades 1-12.    There are several ways to buy the curriculum.  First, you can buy a specific grade level sequence which is part of the Light Blue series.   Second, you can buy it arranged by topic, the Blue series.   There is also a Golden series  and Green series that consist of extra practice worksheets.   Prices range from $2-$7 for single topic downloads to $37 for full curriculum for the year.    

Free Math Assessments! Try this first to get an idea on where your child needs help.

Since I already have my math program for the year I decided to review the Blue series to help fill in the gaps where I thought my son "Batman" needed a bit more practice. 

I decided that Batman needed to work extra on geometry, place values, money, and measurements.   I simply downloaded the files and put each subject matter in a folder.  Each day we worked through the different concepts. Everything was explained clearly and I soon began to see that Batman was learning these concepts quicker then ever.  

Batman LOVES workbook pages!  Everything is so nicely arranged and is easy to read.  Books are done in color too.

PROS
Affordable
Aligned to common core
Download instantly or purchase book to be mailed

CONS
Need some supplies but what program doesn't.  
Ex.  manipulatives


I was so impressed with Math Mammoth that I've decided to switch our math program to their full curriculum.

Mosaic Reviews