LearningPalette.com by Learning Wrap ups : A TOS Crew Review

LearningPalette.com by Learning Wrap ups Full Online Family Subscription for all levels of Reading/Math Palettes instruction, up to 5 users for a full year.  These are ideal for grades K-5th.

Cost:  $59.99 for up to 5 users.  (Get a  20% discount when using the coupon code of  HOMESCHOOL)

The Bentz Test Laboratory loves games!  Online games (educational only - of course...) are some of my favorite learning incentives to add a little fun learning into our summer.  LearningPalette.com by Learning Wrap ups is an online version of the popular Learning Palette center.  

A Learning Palette is a clock shaped, self-correcting learning tool.  Colored disks are placed as answers to learning questions.  Cards come in both math and reading, as well as many different skills and levels.  When the cards are turned over, the colors of the answers on the card match the disk (or not) giving immediate reinforcement.

In LearningPalette.com - the online version, your child gets the same content, but access to all the available learning cards!  Your student can choose from either Math or Reading.  The math palettes are available for 6 levels or grades and offer 35 math titles.  The reading has 4 levels of play and offers 20 reading titles.  Together they provide close to 8,000 different questions for kids grades K-5.  Plenty of choices to pick from.  Concepts like: coins, numbers to 100, phonics, nouns, adjectives, early reading… these are just a few of the things offered in the early levels that the Bentz Testers enjoyed.
Check out this demo: 



This program will allow up to 5 users. Multiple users can be at different levels for math and/or reading.  It's completely customizable to your child's level.   It's extremely easy to use, and very basic.  The Palette and colored disks are shown on screen (no pieces to loose!). My testers simply had to match the color of the disk to the question answer, drag and drop.  Both my testers - ages 5 & 6 were very comfortable using the mouse,  if your child isn't familiar with this yet - it may be good hand/eye coordination practice as well.
Once they finished a card of questions, they could simply advance to the next card by clicking on "next".  The online version will allow a parent to monitor which cards have been completed.  I let them pick and choose, and used this as "fun", instead of "school".  Wait - I mean school is fun, right?! 

As I mentioned - this program features simple graphics, no sounds (yipee for mom!).  It's designed to be for practice and review/drill - not to teach concepts.  If you want to see how to correlate this to what they are learning, be sure to check out the core curriculum correlations sheet on their website.  
Both my testers enjoyed getting time to play with the Learning Palette, and both tired of it rather quickly. Physical Learning Palettes are also available, however - for this mom, the online version is a nice way to keep from loosing any of the colored disks or learning cards.  
This is a great tool to add to your learning toolbox this summer, you can even take it on the go with your mobile devices! 

Find the LearningPalette.com on Facebook & Twitter
See what other members of the Crew thought here

Tales of Peter Rabbit by Kinder Cottage Publishing: A TOS Crew Review

Kinder Cottage Publishing
Peter Rabbit at the Farm and How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea

These 5x7 full color, hardback books ideal for children ages 3-9.  At just $4 each, you can collect the whole set!  Written by Duff Graham for the Henry Altemus Company in the early 1900s, these delightful children's tales all feature the ever mischievous, but so lovable Peter Rabbit.

The Bentz Test Laboratory were all introduced to Peter and his siblings - Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail at very early ages.  A long time family favorite!  

Kinder Cottage Publishing prints and sells 10 of these delightful storybooks.  We were blessed to get a chance to preview Peter Rabbit at the Farm and How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea.  

In Peter Rabbit at the Farm, Peter meets many new friends on the farm like: Polly Possom, with her polite manners, Little Goosie Poosie, who needs Peter's help and repays the favor when Peter finds himself in need of help, and Silvertail, who surprises Peter.  Of course, Peter runs into Mr. McGregor and finds himself in a predicament!  Once safely home, Peter shares his adventures with his family and sweetly falls asleep while Old Mother Rabbit is tucking him in.

How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea - Peter is sent on an errand, but quickly forgets about his mother's instructions (anyone...anyone?).  My testers enjoyed seeing Peter get a spanking for his disobedience, another subtle lesson being taught. But, apparently Peter did not learn his lesson the first time, and runs off to another adventure.  This adventure introduces him to more characters like Old Granddaddy Whale, Old Man Shark, and Johnny Crab. Rescued by Sammie Seagull, Peter is returned to his family.  Peter can't wait to be put to bed, safe and sound by his mother.

My testers loved both of these books and are eager to hear more of Peter's adventures.  These sturdy, hard cover books are sure to become a family treasure. 

I love how these wholesome stories can teach an important lesson, without preaching it!  The classic illustrations are vintage, colorful and inviting.  There's just something timeless in these books and stories that you will want to share with your children.

You will want to have the entire collection!

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter Rabbit at the Farm, Peter Rabbit's Christmas, How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea, Peter Rabbit Goes A-Visiting, Peter Rabbit's Easter, Peter Rabbit's Birthday, When Peter Rabbit Went to School, Peter Rabbit and the Little Boy & Peter Rabbit and Jack the Jumper See what other members of the TOS Crew thought here

Progeny Press: A TOS Crew Review

Progeny Press  
The Last of the Mohicans (Recommended for Grades 8-12) - $21.99 for E-Guide version  (Click here for a sample section of the guide)  &  Anne of Green Gables (Recommended for Grades 5-8) - $18.99 for E- Guide version  (Click here for a sample section of the guide)

Literature is a wonderful teaching tool.  But how do you even begin to navigate the hundreds of books, methods and guides to find one that's right for you?  I'm a big fan of Progeny Press, with over 100 titles that cover PreK through High School - you can find a great starting point for your family.
Their guides are available in several different formats: downloadable, CD-rom, and interactive versions that allow your child to type their answers.   Check out this short video about Progeny Press to learn more about their mission "To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it!"


The Bentz Test Laboratory choose The Last of the Mohicans (Recommended for Grades 8-12) and  Anne of Green Gables (Recommended for Grades 5-8) for this review.  
I love the flexibility these guides give me to customize our literature choices for my students interests and abilities. With so many titles - both classic and popular literature titles to choose from, you get to design a completely customized program for your family without breaking the bank! 
My testers for The Last of the Mohicans are both high schoolers (yikes...I have TWO of those now!) The guide is designed to take 8 to 10 weeks to complete.  Your high schoolers can earn a full credit by completing 4 guides during the year.  
Each guide begins with an Overview of the book. A brief synopsis,  information about the Author, background information, and Prereading Activities.  Progeny Press recommends that your student read the entire book before beginning the guide.  I'm not sure I completely agree with this approach, so we read the chapters before completing the section covering them.  Each section covers 2-3 chapters of the book.  I like them to be analyzing and digesting the book, along with the guide as they read it.  Plus, it's hard to get a teenage boy to read the book twice in a row... mine are chomping at the bit to get to the next book!

The sections cover:

•  vocabulary 
• comprehension questions
• discussion and critical thinking questions
• literary terms & analysis
• digging deeper - Biblical and worldview questions 

My testers throughly enjoyed this American classic by James Fenimore Cooper.  The E-Guide is easy to use (the answer key comes with it, so it's easy for mom too - even if she hasn't read the book...yet!)  I like everything printed. So I had the 66 page guide printed out and spiral bound.  This is a very nice feature for multiple children!

 
My testers love the variety included in these guides.  For example, vocabulary exercises vary from matching exercises, writing the definition along with a sentence, fill in the blank, synonyms, antonyms .  It keeps them from getting bored with the same type of exercises.
The literary techniques and terms are very well done.  Anthropomorphism, verbal irony, soliloquy and many more are what you will find throughout this well thought out guide.  
Our favorite part of these guides are the Biblical focus.  Each section will make your child "dig deeper" into their reading to see how it aligns with the Bible.  Did the characters act in accordance to God's will, or not? Finally, bringing them to draw conclusions and applications that they can use in real life.
My tester for Anne of Green Gables was so excited to get to begin reading this book!  We are both huge fans already.  Once again, I printed the 61 page guide and had it spiral bound for easy of use.  
Progeny Press guides are very easy to use, everything you need (just add the book) is laid out for you. The Answer Keys are included as well.    
My tester enjoyed the Optional Activities included throughout this guide.  These hands-on activities take the learning off the page and allow your child to express their creativity.
In all guides you will find a Supplemental Resources section in the back if you want to coordinate more learning activities with your literature study.
I am wholly impressed with the quality of these guides.  We have used many of them, and find the same high standard apply from study to study.  

Find Progeny Press  on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube

See what other members of the Crew thought here

Pause... and Reset

Pause... and Reset - two words that keep coming to mind during our moving transition.

Pause.  Stop, cease, be still.  Take a breath.  Look up.  Selah.

I even have a daughter named after this important process.  How is it that I so frequently refuse to participate in a pause?

Our calendar in AR was completely booked solid.  Ballet, piano, speech therapy, violin, soccer, Life Group, Real Life, homeschool Co-op, Perspective class, reviews, church, doctor appointments.  run. Run. RUN.  Every minute of every day. No time to pause, no time to cease, no time to be still or breathe.

Here's our calendar before our move (it's from Home Educating Family)

Here's our calendar after we moved - can you spot when the moved happened?

Pause.  Thank you God!


Reset.  Change. Reboot. Rework.  Renew.

A move is a reset button.  Time to reset your belongings, your priorities, your commitments.   Even as I unpack, I keep resetting.

 Do I really need/want this? Who really needs 3 set of measuring spoons, or outdated spices, or old magazines?

 Do I even like it?   I've never, ever liked some of the stuff we have.  Why do I keep it?

What fits comfortably in our new life and space, what was something we did out of pattern or habit?  Some of our activities in Arkansas became a rut we were in.  We continued to plow through the schedule, stuck in the pattern of doing some activities because that was "what we always do", or even doing them to meet the expectations of others.  I think God "reset" our schedule so that we could consider carefully and intentionally what needed to stay and what needed to go.

I'm loving more unhurried time on the beautiful mission field that God planted in my very own home.  Time to connect with my children's hearts again.  Time to remember how much I love and admire the man I married. Time to renew my interest in hobbies long buried in the demands of the schedule.

God's resetting my focus on educating my own precious children.  With no Co-op (that I dearly loved) comes no default school plan for us - we have to pray, listen and act on what God is speaking to us for our next steps.  I'm ever grateful for my season with our Co-op, but excited to see what God has in store for us this coming year.

I love that God designed a pause and reset for us.  All you have to do is move! :-)  Just kidding... I think you can do this right where you are.  I'm just difficult to reach, so God has to move me!

What on Earth Can I Do? from Apologia Educational Ministries : A TOS Crew Review

  What on Earth Can I Do? by Apologia Educational Ministries

What on Earth Can I Do? (hardback book) - $39
What On Earth Can I Do Notebooking Journal - $24
What on Earth Can I Do? Junior Notebooking Journal - $24
What on Earth Can I Do? Coloring Book - $8

What's your worldview? How you see the world, and what you believe determines the way you act. I believe the single most important "subject" to teach in our homes is this - a Christian Worldview. You cannot miss teaching this, everything else falls into line when you put developing your children's Christian worldview first. If we fail to do this, the world will eagerly fill in the blanks for them, you do not want to miss this opportunity to shape the next generation!

What on Earth Can I Do? by Apologia Educational Ministries is the perfect partner to help you with this journey.  This fourth book in a Christian Worldview Curriculum called the What We Believe Series helps children understand what it means to be a “good and faithful servant” of God (Matthew 25:23).

Book 1 ~ Who Is God? And Can I Really Know Him?
Book 2 ~ Who Am I? And What Am I Doing Here?
Book 3 ~ Who Is My Neighbor? And Why Does He Need Me?

The text is designed for the elementary student ages 6-14,  ideal for grades 1-6.  

At the Bentz Test Laboratory, we do this all together, with mom reading and numerous pauses for discussion (this will definitely spark discussion!)  Younger students will need help reading it alone, however,  older students could easily pick this up and work through it independently.

This volume discusses questions like:

• Your Story of God's Story?
• Who Put You in Charge?
• Will you Be Found Faithful?
• Where is Your Treasure?
• Where Does Your Time Go?
• Whose Life is it Anyway?
• Why Isn't Easy Being Green?
• What Will Happen When the Master Returns?

Each of the 8 lessons, designed to be covered over 2-3 weeks, begin with The Big Idea and What Will You Do introductory sections.   Historical Figures, Inventions, Music, and other interdisciplinary topics related to the main idea are included throughout. This volume focuses on approx. the WWII era, and has many great history connections.  I love the integrated learning approach they use!  (want to see a sample for yourself?)

The Think About It questions, Words You Need to Know vocabulary,  Hide it in Your Heart Scripture verses to copy and memorize, What Should I Do? character traits, and Parables of Jesus take the topic and create a fully integrated presentation. A Prayer section concludes each lesson, and makes a great family devotional tool.   Throughout this book you continue to build the House of Truth - a visual model of a Christian Worldview.

My favorite part of this course are the What On Earth Can I Do Notebooking Journal - for grades 3-6, (or those writing independently) & What on Earth Can I Do? Junior Notebooking Journal for younger grades, with lots of coloring pages and less writing. 

These are full-color, spiral bound journals for our students to create their very own personal learning journey with. They get the chance to be the author, editor and illustrator of their own book. You can choose the level your child is most comfortable with. Filled with note taking pages, vocabulary words, scripture memory, word puzzles, and places to record what they have seen God doing, and what they are doing too! Do You Remember sections offer a review of the lesson for them to record. Full color mini books are included, as well as their very own "About the Author" section for them to complete. Their completed journals have become treasures of all they have been learning about God.

The beginning of the Journals offer suggestions for scheduling the 48 lessons, coordinating the text and notebook work.  However, this curriculum is completely customizable to your family.You will want to start at the beginning, the lessons do build on each other.  One thing I really appreciate is how Apologia makes this easy to open and jump right in.

 For the younger children - What on Earth Can I Do? Coloring Book  was a big hit for my "littles".   It's a 64 page, high-quality coloring book that helps them to stay engaged (and their hands busy!), while learning alongside the older children.

When we finish this volume, we will have taken the journey through all four volumes of the What We Believe series.  I feel like this is truly a one-of-a-kind, not to be missed worldview curriculum!  

Find Apologia on Facebook,  Twitter,  Google+, &   Pinterest   See what the other members of the Crew thought here

The Best Surprise Ever!

What a wonderful way to wakeup!  Kris and Kelsey drove 10 + hours (with horrific traffic)  to surprise the kiddos for a weekend!

  I "knew" about the surprise about a week before, and could barely contain it... okay, I did "mention" it to my 2 oldest... but, I was able to keep it under wraps from the others (not bad, I do have lots of others!)

I love that after the happy smiles, the first thing everyone wanted was to crawl into their laps and read books together.  (sorry for the "just woke up" pictures... we get up mighty early around here)


We had the best.weekend.ever.  I love that we explored some family "firsts" - and the WHOLE family was here...

The Alamo 

My sweet 'lil - "TexES!"   The Alamo was inspiring, crowded and will need another visit to really appreciate it, I sense some homeschool field trips coming soon.

The Riverwalk

We took the boat tour.  I think the Riverwalk is one of my favorite places ever!  It is a place you have to experience to truly appreciate.  After the boat, it was off to lunch, right on the Riverwalk (don't let the hostess tell you they don't have an outside table)  Marachi band music and all!

My beautiful girls - Kris & Kelsey

Tejas Rodeo

 Dancing and bull riding,  doesn't get much better!

My favorite picture...

What a bunch of good looking "cowboys!"

Chasing the calves to try to get the ribbon from their tail.  So fun to watch my city kiddos get out there in the dirt. Josh's strategy - "I try to stay away from all the cows..."  I'm not sure he quite got the point!

Even torrential, Texas rain couldn't dampen our fun.

The next day we had plenty of hammock time, board games, grilling and plain old hanging out time together.  Having my "girls" here made San Antonio feel just like home.  

Saying goodbye again (even for just a short time) nearly broke my heart into pieces...

Hurry back!!