our naples week {florida homeschool field trip}

we had so much fun spending a week in naples, bonita springs, and ft. myers. we took a field trip (missed the second one due to a sick big brother), visited a cool park, hung with grandparents, friends, and cousins during the day, and did a series of portrait sessions in the evenings. a couple snaps from our edison field trip (which we especially enjoyed in the midst of our botany study):(thanks, nana, for manning the camera!! we had so much fun with you...)

TruthQuest History - TOS Product Review

Whew... it's coming to the end of the traditional school year, and for many people that means a big breath for the last stretch, or a sigh of relief... me, I just want a NAP!!

I'm excited to be able to review for you a really neat History curriculum that makes me feel rested just looking at it. TruthQuest History is , in their own words,

"...a deep and rich literature-based history study…but with a difference.
You will not learn the story of mankind; you will learn the lovestory of mankind.
You will not focus on the rise and fall of human civilizations;
you will focus on the arrow-straight line of God's unchanging existence,
power, love, truth, and plan for civilization. You will not simply 'meet the culture'
or 'get the facts;' you will probe the truths of history so deeply
that your students will be equipped to change their world."


TruthQuest history is a spiral-bound guide (and I'm an old-fashioned girl... I love paper...) that includes brief introductions to segments in time, with a distinctly God-centered view, along with book suggestions for both reading and activities. It's written with a lighthearted attitude that's an easy read, and would be not the least overwhelming for any student reading, in my estimation, chapter books.

It is simple, so if you're the kind of person who needs pages and pages of explanation, exams, maps, diagrams, and such, this isn't going to be enough for you. But if you'd like a copyrighted list of excellent books in each time period (and even suggestions and warnings for different ages and sensibilities), and you're comfortable getting creative with a basic outline, this would be an excellent consideration.

There are also some writing/critical thinking exercises at the end of the book, as well as a suggested film list.

We reviewed the Renaissance, Reformation, and Exploration edition by Michelle Miller (buy it here), and we're working through the Famous Men of Rome study, as well. I can say that I don't intend to put these away after our review. This is a book/study that may well begin a collection.

field trip Friday - dairy farm and vineyard

thanks, girls, for organizing a super fun trip!
i joked with a homeschool mom friend that we don't think we're antisocial, but sometimes it seems that way. sometimes we dig into what we're doing and with five students and a business we're building, we have to sort of bury our heads and skip some of the awesome opportunities out there for homeschoolers in our area. not so this friday... we piled in the truck and headed out to the dairy farm... watched mass milking and saw a calf come into the world. the fellowship with other mommas in our stage of life is sweet, and watching our kids cavort through the haystacks made even the most "citified" of us long for the simpler life. on the way home we had sweet dreamy talks of buying land with other believing families and joining forces to care for our food and critters. my friend faith quite rightly reminded me that Papa has always held landowning in high esteem, and it really had me meditating again about the direction our world is going... and desiring to "hunker down" and make our own way. anyway, we're where we are, and it's no surprise to my Jesus... while we're here we'll enjoy every little taste of simplicity we can!


yup, it's a pig race, y'all.

the curious little brothers.
beautiful tay.mommas and babies in slings make me sigh with happiness.
sweet cow eyes - i've always thought they're the most beaufiful - maybe second only to giraffe eyes.
the boys feed a greedy (and rather impolite) young bull.
got milk?


on the way home, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit a quaint little vineyard called rosa fiorelli family vineyard. the owner, a precious italian man running the business with his wife, turned around on the way out to the post office when he saw us coming, so he could offer us a tour.
the kids (and their mommas) enjoyed his loving explanation of the way the grapes are grown and grafted to create new varieties. we learned that while the wine is being aged, you must allow the natural gases to escape or the wine vats become like a bomb (that's just like a BOY!)... but the winemaker must use a system like a water valve to prevent air from tainting the wine. it's an art form and it was really cool to study it, especially as we're in a botany unit right now. we also learned that the winemakers are just now seeing the depth of the damage from the hurricane season several years ago, and it is amazing the effect on small business even in the more central parts of the state. it is such a neat opportunity to meet "salt of the earth" landowners who pour all they have and all they are into producing something of which they can be proud.



little boy blue didn't seem to care if the grapes were ripe or not. after he called out "pea, pea, pea!!!" we finally figured out he thought they were his beloved sugar snap peas. we got the camera ready for his shocked expression, but he just chomped away. eek!
the corker. at this winery, each bottle is filled, corked, and sealed by hand.


it was an awesome day, and we're spoiled rotten to be able to learn in truly hands-on situations.

Apologia - TOS Crew - Product Review

Some curriculum just fits the user - and this is the case with our family and Apologia Science. We were blessed to receive Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, a book we've studied (and were able to share!) and Exploring Creation With General Science, which we were planning to purchase for oldest for next year (which he started a bit early for our review purposes!).

What we love about the Elementary series ($35 a book) is that the children are able to completely immerse themselves in a subject for a period of time, instead of just "touching on it" in a cyclical fashion. Our children love the books, and read them aloud to each other during afternoon (or morning, depending on baby's schedule) couch snuggle sessions. They are deeply informative on their given topics (we've also done the Botany, Astronomy, and Marine Animals books), and they include notebooking assignments as well as hands-on activities to enhance and expand learning.

(One personal note: I highly recommend doing a web search for the companies that produce a kit containing most items for any of these given books - it really helped our family be sure not to neglect the hands-on aspect, and enriched our time so much!)

I am equally excited about the General Science curriculum, beginning middle school. It looks to be extremely challenging (needed at this age!)and extremely thorough, incorporating the subject matter into the scientific method, and not abandoning the hands-on approach. What I love about Apologia, though, is that it never abandons content at the expense of "fun," and it never neglects the "fun" in pursuit of content!

strawberry fields...

mmmm... wandering the strawberry fields today, and then visiting a super-cool park we'd never been to before... meeting up with Nana and some friends, both old and new. spring has officially come to Florida - and it's strawberry season. mmmmm...

The Sentence Game - homeschool product review

MORE FUN THAN GRAMMAR LESSONS! If you're looking for a fun way to improve writing and grammar skills, this game is for you! For 2 to 6 players, grades 1st and up. Rules are easily mastered. The Sentence Zone can be played at six levels - from Level 1 in which the player builds a subject and verb sentence, to Level 6 in which the player builds complex sentences with independent and dependent clauses. With over 500 color coded cards, students are sure to be unique and entertaining every time. A great reinforcing individual activity where a player keeps track of his score from day to day, trying to top his previous score, or a great group activity where competition drives creativity and learning. An instructive and enjoyable way to shatter the tedium of English grammar lessons!
This is a quote from the website regarding The Sentence Game, a product we received for review.
We did enjoy playing this game. Any time we can break out of our regular routine and add variety to our studies, and especially when we can incorporate all of our ages, it is a hit. The game came with an instructional video to help us get started. The idea of the "game" is to use the words provided on the brightly color-coded cards (so coded to distinguish the parts of speech) to create sentences, building your grammar and storytelling skills in the process.
Liked: This is already put together. It has lots and lots of words for building. It is easily adaptable for my beginning reader and my older kids.
Hhmmm: Some of the word choices seem a bit odd - the way the game is broken down is a bit hard to follow, the video dated, and the "point" of the game somewhat unclear, at least to me.
Buuut: For those who are deep into grammar, or writing studies, this might be of great interest! For those who are more advanced than me, this might make perfect sense as a game!

I do have to mention, because I think it is significant, that this game costs $67 on the website. For us, this would be a significant part of our school budget for something we'd consider an "extra."
If you are interested in this and other Bonnie Terry products, you can find them here.

nature study.

week 3? i think. i've gotta dig up the link for you for the challenge we're doing - getting out and studying Papa's big world. anyway, we love breathing deeply and soaking it all in - especially when the weather's as God-beautiful as it has been.

...and another math book makes him happy.

E. loves his math. Reading is okay, if his siblings are doing it with him, or if he's reading "just for fun." But math, that will be a willing assignment on any given day, especially with this new book - it's bright and shiny and filled with a ton of new "projects!"
This book comes for our review from Critical Thinking Press. Here is a quote from their website:

We design critical thinking into reading, writing, math, science and history lessons so students carefully analyze what they are learning. Deeper analysis produces deeper understanding, which results in better grades and higher test scores. Over time, students who practice critical thinking learn to apply it throughout their education and life.

We do not teach through drill and memorization or teach to the tests—we empower the mind! Our goals are higher grades, top test scores, and problem solving skills to meet all of life’s challenges. The Critical Thinking Company is recommended by Mensa, Learning Magazine, The Well Trained Mind, Dr. Toy, Creative Child Magazine, and used by Sylvan Learning Centers, Club Z In-Home Tutoring, leading U.S. public schools, and gifted & talented programs in 57 countries throughout the world. We guarantee better grades and higher test scores—or your money back. Lofty goals and high praise!

For my non-homeschooling friends, this site is rich with resources for all learners, as well as traditional school teachers and parents.

I found this book to be a visual delight. I would not use it as a primary math curriculum, as it does not seem to be laid out in this way, but it is a neat supplemental material, and easy to grab one topic to work on.

My only criticism: (and some would consider this a "plus") the pages are not removable. I would like to pick-and-choose pages for E. to work on and save the rest for Littlest, but instead, we'll have to just save the whole book. This will bug my slightly-obsessive-in-small-areas self!

update: An email from a friend: Two words: EXACTO KNIFE!! When E is done with the math book, use an exacto knife to easily cut out the pages from the spine that he doesn’t use to save them for Isaac. Wow, what a great idea! I am TOTALLY doing this!

Rocket Phonics -TOS Homeschool Product Reciew

Rocket Phonics is a program designed to teach - well - phonics - to your student! We have been using this with our E., who's six. The kit came with a set of review cards for sounds to learn ("Play and Read Cards,"}, along with ideas to use the cards not just for review, but for games. There are also a "treasure hunt," and bonus activities and supplements emailed with receipt of the kit. It also includes the two volumes of books to work through for reading success.

Rocket Phonics is designed by a medical doctor and former English teacher husband-wife team, who are homeschooling parents of a grown daugther, and they created the program "to eliminate confusion in learning to read." The guidebooks contain a step-by-step guide to learning to read, complete with color coded word and sound cues, and full-color pictures on each page. According to their website, Rocket Phonics, in an independent study, outperformed other phonics programs 4-to-1. They also feature an endorsement from John Taylor Gatto.

I think especially for a first-time teaching parent, this program could be a hit. Not having taught reading outside the homeschool-specific programs I have used, there were a couple of word cues I found confusing; I'm not sure if they were different only to what I have used, but may be common in other programs. (For example, the sound card for long-vowel-a pictures an ape and says "ay (ape)" with a picture of an ape, and s-sound as in treasure has a card with "zh (treasure)" with a picture of a chest. To me this is confusing as it creates an alternate spelling the child will now have to process in addition to the real spelling.)

I do appreciate the bright colors, and the books are well made with a spiral binding, and if I were beginning again with my first, this is a program I would research further. Cost would be a factor for us; with substantially valued bonus items, the program is around $160.

One2Believe Noah's Ark

Having five kids, you can well imagine that I've had a houseful of toys over the years. I've gotten pretty fiery about which toys I'll keep and which ones move on to the homes of lesser fortunate kids. I like things that are simple, without lots of bells and whistles (except a few choice electronic learning games; I have favorites if you ask!). We don't buy toys that are just advertisements for various movies and "brands." We keep the ones that require effort and/or leave room for growing imaginations to flourish. Think building blocks, wooden trains, and such.

One type of toy I've found "lasts" in our home is the sturdy plastic animal figures. Especially starting at baby's age (16 months), they seem to encourage imaginative play. They also seem fairly ageless - even 12 year old will plop on the floor and play with the animals with littlest.

We were really excited, then, to receive our new Noah's Ark Play Set in the mail to try out for One 2 Believe. I've got to be honest, I'm obsessed with Little People, and I was nervous as to how this new crew would get along with the characters in the Noah's ark we bought Blue for Christmas.




I needn't have worried. This sweet toy is full of sturdy plastic characters that have comical features. They're a big hit around here - I keep having to corral them back to the living room toy basket, as littlest likes to tote them around while he makes their animal sounds. My ONLY criticism is that the ark itself is difficult to take apart... but to be honest, littlest is happy to shove the critters into the little opening on top and then work to get them out.

If you're looking for sweet and simple toys that allow room for imagination, ones that are sturdy without unneccessary "extras," this is a toy worth having. Check out the site for One 2 Believe (I've mentioned them to you before!) and see the other goodies available!

Five In a Row - TOS Crew Product Review

I love Five In a Row. I remember sitting at my very first homeschool convention in Orlando listening to Steve Lambert speak, and being encouraged in my beginning journey. I was inspired and brought to tears in laughter as he shared stories of his family's experience in homeschooling, and I promptly bought the first book.

As the years passed, we moved to other curriculae, and our old favorites were shared with friends and family. I was immediately "warm and fuzzy," then, when we received Beyond Five In a Row, Volume 2, written by Becky Jane Lambert, to review!

From their website: "Five in a Row was created by Jane Claire Lambert, a successful home-school teacher with more than 17 years experience. Five in a Row provides students with a unit-study approach to early education based on outstanding children's literature. Together, the three volumes of Five in a Row provide 55 lesson plans covering Social Studies, Language, Art, Applied Math, and Science in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning. ...Beyond Five In A Row and the optional Christian Character Bible Study Supplement (one volume correlating with the three Beyond volumes) is aimed at ages 8-12. There are three Beyond volumes and each volume will take one semester to complete. It is similar to Five in a Row, only Beyond uses "chapter books" rather than "picture books."

Because the "bigs" were dug in deep in another study, we put Anna onto FIAR in the Skylark study. To begin with, as any good literature-based unit study must be built upon a great book, this was evidenced in Anna's love for this sweet, old-fashioned selection by Patricia MacLachlan. I love that each section begins with a parent summary, along with an overview of the unit. Anna enjoyed the "family portrait" assignment, as she's been learning photography with momma. She also really dove into the writing assignments, and the character lesson along with the art and science sections were very interesting. An aspect I don't remember from our first Five In a Row book is the "Internet Connections" included in each section for further research. This unit also included vocabulary, history, and geography assignments, all of which are varied and interesting.

My only reservation on this series (and this comes from one who has taken the dive into classical methodology to some extent), is that the variety of subjects within a given time frame may not allow for in-depth immersion, and therefore complete understanding, of a subject.

As my friend Tami would say, though, Five In a Row hearkens back to the sweet innocence, the simplicity of why so many of us began homeschooling in the first place.