Homeschool Group

Today marks the first day of our homeschool groups year.  It looks to be another full but great year with our group.  There are around 60 some kids in the group from 18 families.  We meet on Monday mornings for just over three hours and offer classes in core subjects as well as some fun electives for the kids.  Beings that it's a co-op, the moms volunteer to teach classes.  :)  This semester I am teaching two! 

I get to teach two classes to 4th graders.  My first class is on the Solar System and we are going to build a model during the semester.  I can't wait to see the finished product.  The second class is a fun with foreign cultures class.  We are learning about Australia.  But, we are also praying for the country and the people as we learn about them to broaden our horizon and grow a heart for unsaved people.

The older kids have a current affairs class, P.E., and a personal finance class.  The younger set has a character counts class and a few fun ones.  They are all great classes and the kids loved the entire morning.  Bug especially.  She was able to be in the nursery with other kids her age as well as some older kids and they played, read stories, and ate snacks!  By the time we were done for the day, she was falling asleep in her seat.  lol  She was so tired from playing that we could hardly get her to wake up and eat lunch.  :-)

I am sure that it is going to be a great year. 

On top of that we are going to be putting on a full length play this year!  Yours truly is directing it.  But there will be more on that later.  ;-)

For now, we are going to settle into the new routine for the year and try to remember to do everything that needs doing!

TOS Review TIme 4 Learning

Computers are here to stay whether we fight them tooth and nail or embrace them.  As homeschoolers we have an amazing opportunity in the technology area because it is opening up new venues to help us on our journeys.  One such website is Time 4 Learning.



Time4Learning is a new approach that takes advantage of today's technology. It's a convenient, online home education program that combines learning with fun educational teaching games.

The Time4Learning program has been refined through years of feedback from educators, parents, and students. Animated lessons are followed by interactive activities, printable worksheets, and assessments to assure a student's mastery of skills. The lessons teach the concepts that build a solid foundation and the exercises refine the skills and habits that provide ongoing success.

The Time4Learning educational software partner is CompassLearning®, which provides a standards-based online education curriculum for millions of students in school districts across the U.S.

Okay, but what is it?  Time 4 Learning is a website that has an online membership that then allows you to access their lesson plans that your children can use as their core curriculum or a supplement.  There are fun stories, pictures, questions and answers, and games to help the student learn the material.

When your child signs in they can choose which area they want to start in and that takes them to another screen filled with buttons.  They start on the left side and click a button which takes them to another screen to do the same thing.  Then the lesson begins.  Depending on their age/grade level the information is presented to them and a quiz is taken on the material.  Some levels and subjects have several "worksheets" to complete before a quiz is taken.  Once all the stars/buttons are complete in a given area they can choose another area and move through it in the same way.

Time 4 Learning covers Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Reading.  Each area is covered at the grade the student is at but they also have access to three levels just in case the run into struggles or want to move ahead.



The monthly membership is $19.95 for the first child and $14.95 for each additional child.  That membership includes:

• Online curriculum for grades Pre-K through 8th
• More than 1,000 interactive animated lessons
• Self paced lessons that kids will enjoy working on
• Math & algebra tutorials & printable worksheets
• Language arts, phonics & grammar lessons
• Interactive, project-based reading activities
• Science (grades 1st - 6th) & social studies (grades 2nd - 7th)
• Detailed reporting for easy record keeping
• Extensive lesson plans & teaching tools for parents
• and much more... 

Now, what did we think about it?  My 1st and 4th graders loved it!  They thought the lessons were just the right length and gave them the information in a way they understood it.  They also loved playing on the playground! lol  My 7th and 8th graders thought it was fine.  It wasn't that they didn't like it but they are more of a hold the book and turn the page type of kids for History and Language Arts.  So I don't think it was anything against the website just a personal preference for them.



I liked the Lesson Plan pages, being able to check on their progress, seeing what they are learning, and having them take control of their subjects.  I think it is a great option for some families but not one we would probably be able to afford with four kids for long.  It might be a good option to use as a way to supplement certain topics or subjects, though.  I can definitely see using this with just one child.  I would suggest making sure you know what they are learning as this is a secular curriculum and is taught from that mindset.


Time 4 Learning is a great tool for homeschool families.  It covers grades PK-8th grade.  If you want to find out more head on over to their website and check out the Demo Lessons and all the other great information they have available on their FAQ page.  Don't forget to check out this page to get an overview of what subjects are taught for each grade level. 

You can also check out what other Crew members had to say about their experiences by heading over to the Crew Blog and reading all about it!





**I received a free month subscription to Time 4 Learning for my children through The TOS Crew in exchange for my honest review.

A.W.O.L

Were you wondering why I haven't posted all week.  Well, let me tell you...we have had the stomach flu.  ALL of us.  I am not even kidding.  It was downright ugly.  We are finally getting back to normal so the posts should pick up.  I gotta go finish spraying Lysol on everything!

Bloom! Magazine

Are you worried about kids these days?  Does what you see worry you for the generation coming up?  I would have to answer yes to both of those questions quite often I'm afraid. 

But...

There is a group of young women that are amazing and doing something to change things.  A sweet friend of my oldest daughter started an online magazine for young girls. It's called Bloom!. There are staff writers, photographers, guest writers, you name it.  It is a wonderful magazine that will inspire your daughters and show them that even though they are young, they can do something big for God.

You really need to check it out and sign your daughters up for their very own copies of the magazine. 

Here is their flyer:

Their button is in my sidebar, visit their site and look at the magazine.  I know you won't be disappointed. 

Game Time: Tackling the Past Review

Sports/activities are pretty important in our family.  In years past we have had four kids playing soccer at any given moment.  We love the thrill of playing and being together.  We, well most of us, aren't super competitive and just want to play to have fun. 

I really only have two requirements for our kids when they play a sport or do any activity really.  1. Have fun and 2. Always do your best.  That's it.  If they win or lose, I don't care as long as they had fun and did their best.  Their attitude is more important than whether they won the game or the part in the play.  Don't get me wrong, winning is fun.  But if they do it at the expense of their character, then I would rather they not participate at all.

That's why I loved this newest installment of Family Movie Night.  Game Time: Tackling the Past is about just that kind of thing.  Here is a synopsis of the movie:

 

Pro football star Jake Walker is living the dream… or so he thinks. The veteran tight end is a fan favorite and on pace to set the all-time receiving yards record that will guarantee him a spot in the Hall of Fame. While working out at training camp, Jake receives an unexpected call from his brother Dean – their father Frank has suffered a major heart attack. Jake immediately leaves practice and returns to Riverton, North Carolina, the small hometown he’s avoided for nearly 15 years. Memories of glory and regret flood his mind as he returns to the family and friends he abandoned in pursuit of his career. Jake dutifully visits with Frank and Dean, but hurt and misunderstanding from the past begins to resurface, leaving him counting the days until he can return to his team.

A second unexpected call, this time from his agent, delivers Jake another crushing blow. His contract is not being renewed amid concerns about his surgically repaired knee. Suddenly, the life Jake knows is over. To avoid the media circus around this news, Jake reluctantly decides to extend his stay in Riverton. Attempting to make the best of the situation, he begins reconnecting with the community that once revered him.    Jake is reintroduced to Sarah, his high school sweetheart, and helps Dean take over their father’s high school coaching job.
Surprisingly impacted by the people around him, the real Jake begins to emerge from behind his armor to see that life is much more than the accumulation of personal stats. But when Jake’s offered a lucrative new contract to play for another team, he is forced to decide whether to go back to the career he thought he loved, or stay in Riverton and embrace the people who always believed in him.

This is another great movie from Family Movie Night.  I am so happy to see the return of family friendly movies.  I'm even happier that they are good stories that are well acted! lol  This movie is airing Saturday, September 3rd and 8/7c on NBC.  Don't miss it!

Here are some websites to check out to get more information about the movie or Family Movie Night:

        Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/familymovienight

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fmnib

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/fmnib

        Movie Trailer:  http://www.familymovienight.com/game-time-tackling-the-past/

Please check out and support Family Movie Night so we can continue to have quality family friendly movies.

** I was able to review this movie in exchange for my honest review.

TOS Review Flea Circus

When you have kids that range from 13 down to 1 there usually aren't many games the entire family can play.  Well, okay probably none.  BUT, we did find a game that all but the 1yo could play together.  The 1yo enjoyed watching and laughing with us.

Flea Circus is the name of the game and let me just tell you-it is a blast!  It's a fairly simple game but oh so silly.  I was a little worried when I heard we were getting Flea Circus because we have actually had fleas-well the dog did-and it was no fun.  There was no laughter or high-fiving with those kinds of fleas.



With Flea Circus the game, however, there is plenty of laughter and a little bit of devilry too!  This game from R & R Games is cleverly designed to engage everyone quickly and keep the fun rolling. 

Here is a bit from the website about the game:

STEP RIGHT UP! Calling all Cats and Dogs! The Flea Circus is about to begin!

It's a wild time under the Big Top as dogs and cats race from one show to the next. Players use their best Flea Circus acts to attract the most cats and dogs. Play your cards right and you can steal the audience away from your neighbor! But watch out for the Animal Catcher... He'll snatch your cats and dogs away!

With all this excitement, how's a Flea Ring Circus supposed to keep up? When all the cats and dogs are gone, whoever ends up with the most animals at their show wins the game!

And really, it's just that simple.  The cards are dealt, the little dogs and cats are placed in the middle with the extra cards and the fun begins.  Each card has a picture on it that tells you what the value is and what action needs taken.  It took us a few turns to memorize them but that didn't slow us down!  We just kept the instructions handy and played on.  

I must say that the dogs were the preferred item at our table.  Whenever the girls would get more cats than dogs, they would trade out for more dogs. lol  When it came down to the last dog, there was some strategizing going on to figure out how to get more dogs!  The kids were so consumed with the dogs and cats that they didn't realize when I won.  :-)


If you are looking for a fun an easy game to play with a wide variety of ages, I highly recommend Flea Circus.  It is recommended for ages 6 & up for 2 to 6 players.  I would not recommend more than 6 players because the amount of cards gets spread too thin.  If you needed to play with more than six you could just buy two games and combine them.  Which is what we might have to do in a few years to accommodate the seven of us!


Flea Circus is sold on the R & R Games website for $15.95.  There are small pieces so keep an eye on the little ones around this game. As a bonus R & R Games is offering our readers 20% off of Flea Circus or Pig Pile, the other game The Crew reviewed.  Just enter the coupon code, CREW20, to receive the discount now through December 31.


While you are over at the R & R Games website check out the other cool games they have.  I am positive you can find several that your family would love!




To see what other Crew Members thought of Flea Circus or to check out what other game they reviewed, head over to the Crew Blog.

**I was given a Flea Circus game through The TOS Crew in exchange for my honest review.