Learning Things

Bob Jones Spanish 1 Course Review

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Bob Jones University Press is one of the oldest Christian school and homeschool publishers out there. They have been producing quality products for decades, and over the last decade they have customized their curriculum to meet the needs of homeschooling students. This means that most of their curriculum will fit nicely with a homeschool setup. I also appreciate the fact that most of BJU Press books are hardback. This makes the investment in books and curriculum more long term.

STRENGTHS:
I particularly liked this Spanish series because it had a lot of resources that went along with it. There was the teacher book and manual, the student books, activity manual, and even premade tests. There are also accompanying CDs that … Read the rest of this post...

Saxon Math Homeschool Curriculum Taught Me How to Love My Enemy

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:26:40 +0000

During the 1990s, reform math programs like ‘Everyday Mathematics’ were widely embraced as the new wave by President Clinton’s Department of Education. As a result, school district after school district across the country adopted this new approach. But despite the adoration of the “experts”, the end result was dismal test scores.

For example, California schools embraced reform math programs in the early 1990′s. By 1996, California test scores plummeted to one of the lowest in the nation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Finally in 1997, the California State Board of Education recognized reform math was a mistake and revised state standards to return to traditional math curriculum.

The problem with these reform math programs is that they approach … Read the rest of this post...

Wordly Wise 3000 8th Grade Vocabulary Review

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:36:16 +0000

STRENGTHS
The Wordly Wise 3000 curriculum expands upon the original Wordly Wise curriculum to now include a section of practice for reading comprehension giving exposure to the vocabulary words in context. A new word list now covers words taken directly from grade level books and standardized tests such as the SAT. A grand total of 3000 words are taught across K-12th grades.

It’s an important strength that in the 8th grade vocabulary curriculum not only are students taught valuable new words and practice using them; they also gain skills that will help them to expand their vocabulary even farther. Dictionary skills, the study of Greek and Latin roots, word parts, and more all contribute to the skill set students need … Read the rest of this post...

Six Easy Science Projects for Elementary Teachers

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:45:01 +0000

1) Crystal “gardens” make easy science projects that are very cool to watch. Use ammonia, bluing, and a charcoal briquette. Make a salt solution using as much salt as water will hold along with a tablespoon or two each of ammonia and bluing. (Perhaps try slightly different proportions on different briquettes, to compare what solution yields the best growth.) Dunk a charcoal briquette in the solution for a minute to soak (hold it under the surface). Then place into a ceramic bowl with half an inch or so of solution. Top off the solution in the bowl as the briquette soaks it up. For interesting colors, drip different colors of food coloring onto the top of the briquette.

Set bowls … Read the rest of this post...

Wisconsin Homeschooling Laws and Requirements

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:53:20 +0000

In America’s dairy land, public education ranks in the top 25% of the nation. Wisconsin homeschooling laws also get A, and important court decisions were made in this state, recognizing the right of parents to homeschool their children.

Public school students in Wisconsin in fourth and eighth grade math and science scored a good four points ahead of the national average. On the ACT, Wisconsin scores again are significantly above the national average. More impressively, along with the academic rigor, Wisconsin has a high school graduation rate of 81.3%, an incredible eleven percentage points above the national average. Based on these and other factors, Wisconsin was ranked 13 in the nation, according to Alec.org.

Under Wisconsin homeschooling laws, parents may … Read the rest of this post...

Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Customer Testimonials

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:38:28 +0000

The following provides customer testimonials from people who have used the Alpha Omega Horizons curriculum for either math, phonics or spelling.

“Horizons is the only homeschool curriculum that I don’t feel I need to question each year. I started using something else for my son in kindergarten and then switched to Horizons in 1st grade. Since then, I have used it consistently and know it is thorough. It’s simple for me to teach, and I have been very happy with it. I started my 5-year-old daughter on it this year, and she loves it!”

-Joy J., SC

“We switched to Horizons for a more structured phonics base, and my daughter’s reading skills have improved substantially. I just wish we had … Read the rest of this post...

Everyday Math Courses Provide Essential Skills

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:47:48 +0000

A math skill sometimes overlooked in student’s learning is so-called “consumer math” or “everyday math”. By the time a student reaches high school, he’s progressed from basic arithmetic to advanced algebra and from basic shape recognition to the intricacies of Euclidean and even non-Euclidean geometry, sometimes he’s even studied Calculus. But sometimes a recent high school graduate has no clue when it comes to personal finance of managing a household.

Whether he is semi-independent in college or fully independent living on his own with a full time job, the recent high school graduate is hit with a need for many basic skills that were formerly taken care of by mom and dad. Doing laundry, cooking and – you guessed it … Read the rest of this post...

Scott Foresman Math 3rd Grade

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:00:59 +0000

TITLE: Scott Foresman Math 3rd Grade
PUBLISHER: Pearson
GRADE LEVEL: 3rd Grade
PREREQUISITES: Second grade math
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Student book, Manipulatives, Teacher materials of choice

GENERAL APPROACH
The Scott Foresman approach to math is bright and colorful and includes many “connections” to other subjects, in what some term the new math approach. There are many frequent opportunities for quick assessment of student progress, like the “Instant Check System: Diagnosing Readiness” or the “Diagnostic Checkpoints.” Additional comprehensive review sections and test preparation pages help students retain concepts and do well on tests.

The “connections” to other subjects consist of things like frequent short stories or poems to read. There are pages that include historical or nature trivia and combined with a … Read the rest of this post...

Bob Jones Bible Truths Curriculum for First Grade

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:56:58 +0000

Bob Jones University Press has an extensive curriculum of high quality student and teacher books for school and homeschool use. I have enjoyed using the BJU Press books throughout the years. These books have always performed well and been a joy to use, and the first grade Bible curriculum does not disappoint.

Strengths:
I used this Bob Jones curriculum for 2 years. The first year I used it in a private school setting with a regular classroom of first graders, and the second year I used it in a homeschool setting. Both applications were benefited through the use of this Bible curriculum. In the school setting we had the entire teacher resource set which includes a beautiful set of flashcards … Read the rest of this post...

Alpha Omega Lifepac 10th Grade Geometry Review

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:12:45 +0000

Strengths:
The strengths of the Alpha Omega Lifepac program for the high school student are that it provides a program package that is very straightforward. There are just ten little workbooks to complete, and the teacher guide is one simple little book that contains notes as well as complete tests and answer keys.

With such simple, straightforward plans like “Complete one lesson per day and you will finish this workbook in three weeks,” the Alpha Omega Lifepac10th grade geometry program is like a breath of fresh air compared to some complicated high school curricula. It is a bit out of the ordinary to have high school students working from thin workbooks instead of one thick hardbound geometry text, but it … Read the rest of this post...

Is a 6th Grade Algebra Curriculum Pushing Too Hard?

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:36:21 +0000

The study of algebra is normally taken up in 8^th or 9^th grade, after a year of pre-algebra work. But some homeschoolers with eager young students are faced with the question, is 6^th grade algebra curriculum too early? Although this is a question that cannot be answered absolutely (every student being unique), a few considerations can be raised as to the pros and cons of studying algebra this early.

First, a bit of background. In the US, traditionally, yes, the math sequence in high school has been to study Algebra 1 in the freshman year, Geometry as a sophomore, and Algebra 2 as a junior, with a variety of options for the senior year, including no math … Read the rest of this post...

Alpha Omega Lifepac 9th Grade Physical Science Review

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:54:13 +0000

Strengths:
Alpha Omega Lifepac provides a great option for high school 9th grade physical science students. The unit workbook format and mastery learning are great strengths. It is also a Christian curriculum, which is very important for high school science, when students are developing their worldview and preparing for college.

The unit workbook format means that a 9th grade physical science student has achievable short term goals for his studies. Instead of all the material being bound together in one hardback textbook, each unit is in its own thin workbook. The workbook is designed to take three to four weeks to finish. There are daily lessons and periodic quizzes. With the year’s work broken down in this way, what might … Read the rest of this post...