Apologia has gained a significant reputation in the homeschool community for their top-notch science books and resources.

However, Apologia offers more than just science for the homeschooler. They also offer great books and general homeschool helps as well as online classes each school year.

Newer homeschoolers as well as those looking for a boost of encouragement and vision can benefit from hearing from those that have gone before them on the homeschool journey and have now taken the time to record their experiences, both their mistakes and their successes.

Product: Apologia’s The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling (newly revised and updated) by Debra Bell
Details: A comprehensive guide for homeschoolers with over 500 pages of information, advice, resources, and tips from a seasoned veteran in the homeschool community.
Price: $20.00

What we loved . . .

• Definitely “ultimate” — This book covers just about everything:

1. Is homeschooling for you
2. Choosing curriculum
3. Organization
4. Preventing Burnout
5. What to teach (when and how)
6. Homeschooling teens
7. Computers in the homeschool
8. Creative solution
9. Measuring success
10. An encouraging pep talk
11. A 60 page collection of resources

• Experience – This book has already shown its usefulness as its popularity has brought it up for revision and a renewed application for another round of homeschoolers.
• Personal – Full of personal experiences to give you real life illustrations about how to face challenges and capitalize on strengths. You will hear about what has worked in real life, not just hypothetical situations.
  
• Variety — Author Debra Bell has a lot to share about homeschooling her four children, but she also shares information that she gleaned through research (and where she did her research) because she recognizes that no two families are identical, and many kids will not respond in the same way her children did.
• Encouraging – While I could easily skip over some sections, having homeschooled for a few years already, I found great encouragement in her ideas and personal insight.
  
• Resource rich — Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the lists she includes of favorite books, websites, curriculums, ideas, etc. My reading list has grown significantly after reading this book. She summarizes some of what she has learned and points you to where you can dig into more if a certain topic grabs you.
• An easy read — Although long, the book is easy to read and navigate if you choose to skip around. I would recommend reading it through for the most part to begin with. Then, this is a book you will want to keep on hand to refer to in the years ahead.
  

Some considerations . . .

• Long – A comprehensive guide is going to be big, and this is no exception.Information packed, but not something you can read through in one sitting.
• One perspective — Homeschooling is a very individualized journey and as much as this book tries to share different perspectives and approaches it is still written largely from one person’s perspective. Your experience will vary, but likely you will still benefit greatly from all that Debra Bell has to share.

Kind of like a homeschool convention on paper. This book can bring encouragement, knowledge, information, and help for those considering homeschooling as well as those heading into the high school years. You can definitely find answers to your most pressing homeschool questions in the pages of this fantastic book.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me free of charge from Apologia as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Math cannot progress well if we do not have a hold of the basic math functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, the drill or repetition required to master these is rarely exciting. Until now.

Facts First offers an affordable, entertaining way for your kids to learn, master, improve, and excel at their basic facts. They want your child to have fun developing an instant recall of these facts, and based on our experience with this program over the last month, they definitely succeed at this goal.

Product: Facts First
Details: A web based math program that was created by Skills Tutor, a sister company to Saxon, and is being distributed by Saxon Homeschool.
Price: $49.95 per year, this includes a one year household license for up to four users.

What we loved . . .

• Fun, fun, fun– Although entertainment is obviously not my chief goal during math lessons, my kids definitely ALL enjoyed this program. And, since it focuses on building their mastery and speed in basic facts, I don’t mind a little fun in the process. Or, even a lot of fun.
• Limited game time – While it does reward the hardworking child with games, it limits these to 5 minutes at a time, and even the games often help reinforce their math facts.
  
• Tracking progress — You can easily log on and see how each child is doing. These easy to read charts show which facts they have mastered, and gives you an idea of how close they are to mastering other facts they have been working on.
• Adjustable expectations — I clearly expect my seventh grade to know his facts more quickly than my kindergartner, and Facts First allows for that. You can go into the controls and change the standard for mastery. This alters how fast the program expects an answer, any where from 1/4 of a second to 60 seconds, or even untimed if that works best to motivate your child.
• Audio! — Even my kindergartner can use this program fairly independently. A voice reads everything that she needs to know in order to continue to improve in her basic math facts
• Instruction and drill — The program doesn’t just drill the facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), but it also introduces a new fact before drilling it and then adding it to the list of facts they might see in their quizzes.
• Great graphics — Just take a glance around their site, and you can’t help but enjoying what you see. Colorful, eye-catching, this site is fun to use and fun to explore.

Some considerations . . .

• Limited in scope. This program is just about basic math facts. These are extremely important to master, but don’t expect something else from this program. It drills and redrills, and encourages kids to improve in their basic math facts.
• One license for the house. My daughters didn’t like that my son could also look at their accounts and see their mastery grids. Simple solution, I just made other people’s information off limits, but as far as I am aware, there is no setting to prevent this.
• Still may have too much game time. While I generally felt this offered a good balance of games and instruction, 5 minutes of play for a few minutes of work is still quite a bit. Of course, the games do include further reinforcement.

Facts First has a limited scope, but one critical to your child’s success in math in the years ahead. Especially for multiple children, the cost is reasonable, and since the program is fun and able to be used independently, this is a great way for kids to work on their own and see their mastery grow without groans.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This web based membership was provided to me free of charge from Facts First as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Math is one of those core subjects that all students need to study. It is also one of those subjects that often elicits groans from its prisoners, I mean students.

Fortunately, there are many great resources for helping your child through math while reducing their discomfort and maximizing their benefit in the process.

MathScore provides students a place to learn their math, enhance their skills, attack their weak points, and build their mastery of basic math, computation, and applications of these skills.

Product: MathScore.com
Details: A web based program that allows students to work on math skills online. The program awards them with points for building their math skills in both speed and mastery.
Price: $9.95 per month for first child (introductory rate, after two months this goes to $14.95), $5 for second, $3.95 for third. There are other discounts for ordering for multiple months.

What we loved . . .

• Flexibility – You can choose and switch levels as you desire. You can decide which topics to work on. The kids don’t have to be stuck on something frustrating, or stay on a topic that bores them. They can do a little and return later. Or, if they like to do one topic and complete it, that is possible as well.
• Tracking – I would receive a daily email automatically that would summarize the student’s work. This would let me know the topics they worked on, the level of mastery achieved, and how much time the worked (as well as how much time they spent idle in the program). I really like that I knew not just how much time they spent on it, but also how much time they spent engaged with the worksheets.
• They encourage rewards — They don’t have any built in rewards (games, characters, etc.), but they do encourage you to recognize your child’s achievement. When they reach that 100 level saying they have mastered a topic, don’t let their hard work go unnoticed. They do earn “trophies” that are displayed on a page that shows their progress.
• Variety of approaches — Your child can choose to either simply begin the “worksheet,” follow a mini-lesson, or try some sample problems depending on their level of comfort in a given topic.
• Free resources as well — Their website has free math worksheet generators and lessons available to everyone.
• Timed lessons — Some kids might not do well with these, although they start pretty generous, but for my daughter they really helped her stay on track and not let herself get distracted. If she ran out of time, she had to work on that level again.

Some considerations . . .

• Might be difficult to use as a complete math program. They do present that as an option, but I prefer to use it as a supplementary program or as a break from the regular math book.
• The scoring confused me a bit. To master a topic they must reach “100.” There were too many classifications of accomplishment for me to really grasp — rating, points, percents, etc. I wasn’t quite sure why they had so many different ways of presenting the same information. It was like reading a standardized test result.
• If you have a particular goal for your child in math, you might need to spend more time with them. Since they do have a fair amount of free reign once logged in (they could choose grade 1 material if they feel like it), you will need to guide them and make your expectations clear if you want to make the most of their time on the computer.
• No frills. This program does not come with a lot of extras. It gets the job done efficiently, but when my daughter first tried it out she said it was “boring.” Now, when I let her try it for a couple days in place of her regular math text it became “fun.” So, I guess it depends what you compare it to.

MathScore meets a definite need in developing a child’s mastery in mathematics. It makes it easy for the parent to track progress, and provides tools for helping a child learn and excel at a variety of levels. I think it is reasonably priced, especially for families with multiple children. This might be a great tool if you are looking for something to supplement your current math curriculum or to help students retain knowledge during those longer breaks from school.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This web based program was provided to me free of charge from MathScore.com as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

I have long had this fascination with playing guitar. In fact, for the past number of years I have owned a guitar. You can often find it under my bed, in its dust covered case.

For some reason, that image of guitar accompanied songs around the campfire has not pressed me to learn it very well. I do pull it out and sing with my kids now and then, but I wouldn’t ask for much more of an audience than that.

Regardless of my poor guitar’s neglect, I did pull it out with some gusto as a package arrived that helped me do what I really longed to do with the guitar . . . Worship!

Product: Jean Welles Worship Guitar Vol. 1
Details: A DVD and lesson book for beginner or advanced beginners. Includes introduction, 7 lessons and practice sessions, and Spanish subtitles if desired.
Price: $29.95 for DVD and book set.

What we loved . . .

• Easy to pop in and use. You can come with no knowledge, or have been playing guitar for years, like myself (ahem). This DVD gives you a basic introduction to the instrument, tuning, and how to read chord charts and then jumps right into learning some well known praise choruses.
• Jean has a wonderful presence. Calm and professional, and with a constant reminder of our goal — to worship our Creator — Jean does a wonderful job leading these lessons and keeping you in a worshipful frame of mind.
• Worship focused. She is clearly not helping you learn guitar for pure entertainment or to advance your music knowledge. The purpose of these lessons is to worship God in your quiet times or in small groups. I never thought guitar lessons could be such a spiritual experience.
• Includes various strumming patterns. I love the sound of broken chords, but had never learned how to actually do it. I could kind of figure it out on my own, but Jean walks you through it step by step.
• Slow practice sessions. In addition to the lessons on the DVD you can also go through the practice sessions that have the same songs, but redone much more slowly which is helpful when you are learning and trying to switch fingers and learn strumming at the same time.
• Help in learning to hear and sing on pitch. She didn’t spend a lot of time on this as it was obviously not the purpose of the course, but she gave me some hope for some of my “tonally challenged” children.
• Free online sample. If you want to get an idea of what the course is like, feel free to jump on their website and see for yourself what Jean Welles has to offer.

Some considerations . . .

• This is not a music class. This course was designed to teach you to play worship songs, a few basic chords, and some fingerings. It doesn’t get into pitch, identifying keys, or other techniques that might come in regular guitar lessons, or music classes.
• You won’t learn a lot of different chords. After the first volume you will not be able to just pick up any book and accompany yourself or a group in singing. You might want to jump into Volume 2, or work on learning other chords, transitions and fingerings so your new knowledge is more applicable.
• This is not for young kids. My 12 year old was able to follow along fairly well, but if you are looking for a course for younger kids, you would want to check out their course for kids 6-9.

When you compare this cost to private guitar lessons, you are obviously getting a deal. It’s still not a teacher that can look at exactly what you are doing and address your individual needs, so that’s not quite a fair comparison. However, it is still a good course to get you started. If you have a guitar just gathering dust under your bed and you would like to put it to better use, you would likely enjoy this class.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This DVD and book set was provided to me free of charge from Jean Welles Worship Guitar as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Product: Mathletics
Details: An online subscription to a site featuring math competitions and teaching.
Price: Right now this is $59 per year per child. And, knowing the Human Calculator’s favorite number is 9 should get you an additional discount.

While I didn’t know that we really needed another math product floating around the house, I quickly learned that Mathletics was not just another math product.

This became a common site on our computer screens, as my kids raced against kids from around the world in real time. But, the real competition was against their previous scores. The rewards poured in as my kids’ math abilities continued to thrive in this lightly competitive and highly rewarding environment.

In addition to the speed drill type races against other kids they also boosted their math skills. Mathletics offers nine levels of math teaching and practice, from kindergarten through eighth grade. Students learn about various topics and again receive recognition for increasing their math knowledge.

I was surprised to see my kids highly motivated by the characters they chose and getting to “buy” new hairstyles, backgrounds, etc. as they completed more problems correctly.

What we loved . . .

• Friendly competition. While the drills take place against other students, you really compete against your own best times. You receive rewards as you improve your personal score.
• International involvement. My kids loved seeing what countries popped up in the races. New Zealand, UK, Canada, Australia, Puerto Rico, UAE, etc.
• Many levels of material. Topics cover mathematical concepts from kindergarten through eighth grade. It is not just speed drill material. A couple times now, in our “regular” math time, my daughter has said, “Oh yeah, I learned that already on the computer.” It is definitely more than just playing games, but the kids don’t need to know that.
• Lots of recognition of achievement. Students receive points for topics mastered and improved skills, and printable certificates are available as well.
• Easy to change levels. If you feel your child is struggling or having too easy of a time, you can easily change their level to one more appropriate

Things to consider . . .

• Not a complete curriculum. While Mathletics offers a great supplement to math and definitely presents the material in an interesting and engaging format, it does not offer a thorough math teaching for each level. They seem to present it as a curriculum, but I do not feel it is as thorough as most texts we have used.
• A little pricey if you have multiple children. While in general the price is reasonable, it adds up quickly with many school aged children.
• Parents should check in on their student now and then. You will want to take some time now and then to see what they have worked on, how much time they spend on various topics and activities and check up on them. While the student can easily work independently, you will want to stay involved to make sure they make the most of the time online.

Mathletics is another great math resource. It definitely kept my kids’ interest throughout the time that we had the subscription and they were sorry to see it end. It offers entertainment and motivation for a student to learn and practice their math skills even outside of the regular school day.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This web membership was provided to me free of charge from Mathletics as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Programming seems a difficult task for the untrained, and generally that holds true. However, Tektoma offers web based tutorials to help interested individuals get started in creating their very own computer games.

On the Tektoma website, the creators Tom Marx and Matilda O’Connor have built a place for budding video game designers. Using GameMaker software, a free download, they have put together a number of tutorials to help you understand this somewhat complex program.

GameMaker “allows you to make exciting computer games, without the need to write a single line of code. Using easy to learn drag-and-drop actions, you can create professional looking games within very little time.” They make it sound easy, but without the tutorials on Tektoma I could not begin to create a game on my own. I know nothing of rooms and sprites and sound effects. But, with Tektoma, you don’t need to know anything to get started.

Product: Tektoma Game Tutorials for Kids
Details: Web based tutorials geared for kids 7-17 (but fully appropriate for interested adults). Forums, FAQs, and technical help via email as needed
Price: Monthly membership is just $14.95 per month. Or, you can join for a whole year for $140. They have a free 14 day trial for a limited time that can help you see if Tektoma is really what you are looking for.

What we loved . . .

• Easy to follow. Although my 12 year old son jumped into this easily, I was a little more uncertain. But, after a little time watching the videos, I realized that even I could use this program and have fun doing so.
• Very well made. Clear visuals and sound. They really covered the bases. Step by step, everything you need to do shown clearly. They even have a video on how to use the videos. They do move a little fast at times, which is good when you kind of know what you are doing, and it is easy enough to pause or back up a bit if you missed something.
• Great introduction to programming even if you have no knowledge.
• The videos don’t just show you what to do, they explain what you are learning as well. With enough use and interest you could easily become independent of the tutorials, at least until you move on to the next type of game. They plan to continue to add to the website, so even if you made it through all of the tutorials that they have, you will likely find more on their site to continue to expand your knowledge and ability.
• You can share your games with others. Once you have created your own game, you can post it to their site for others to see.
• They help you create a variety of games. Racing games, memory games, and arcade games are geared specially toward beginners. Then you can move on to platform and fantasy or adventure games.

Always a downside . . .

• You can easily get hooked and not realize that you have just spent two hours in front of the computer. (ahem . . . not me of course, but my son)
• Make sure you check out the system requirements (Currently, the tutorials are for computers running Windows XP or Vista only. Macintosh versions coming in the future. Broadband internet connection also required).
• I found the GameMaker software complicated, but that’s why they made the website. In one of the tutorials they say something to the effect of, “Even if this does not make sense to you now, just keep following along and doing exactly what I do and you will begin to understand.” VERY true. I had no idea what all the numbers and labels and tabs meant, but after mimicking his actions in the video, I began to understand what I was doing.

Although this says it is geared toward kids between seven and seventeen, adults would definitely enjoy this product as well if they have any desire to begin learning how to create computer games. I also think the prime audience would be 10-14 year olds who would be old enough to do it independently, but not ready to conquer real programming. My 12 year old son really enjoyed using this and created quite a few different types of games with it, with no help from me (not that I could have been any help at that point).

Of course, right now they have that 14 day free trial so you can give it a test drive and see what you think. This might make a great Christmas gift for a computer inclined pre-teen or teenager (or adult . . .) If you would like to find out more about subscribing to Tektoma you can follow this link.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This web membership was provided to me free of charge from Tektoma as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

“Yeah, spelling!”

Not words you hear too often. Not words I recall hearing in our house until we started using All About Spelling after receiving it through the TOS Crew to review.

The perfect spelling curriculum for a variety of learning styles, from the beginner through middle school, students needing remedial spelling help (or phonics review — this was great for my third grade daughter), or parents seeking a solid curriculum geared specifically toward the homeschool environment.

Product: All About Spelling
Details: A multi-sensory, logical, gap-free, mastery based, review-filled, and easy to use spelling curriculum for preschool through middle school.
Price: $26.95 for the starter kit (used throughout all levels); $29.95 for Level 1; $39.95 for each level 2-5 (level 6 coming in the near future)

What we loved . . .

• This curriculum is clearly designed with the homeschooler in mind. Not some rewrite of a classroom program. Scripted lessons geared toward a one-on-one interaction with your child.
• Very hands on. Lots to look at and touch to keep the learning interesting and keep the student engaged.
• It works! My third grader has had a few glitches in her reading. We’d resolved most of the issues, but I hadn’t been able to nail down one or two last areas that she was missing because she has a tendency to read whole words (despite her phonics upbringing) This program has helped her slow down and helped us both identify and solve these remaining problem areas, already making a huge difference. I know it’s not plugged as a reading program, but it ended up working that way for us.
• Based on ability not grade level. We know that kids don’t often fit the mold they “should.” All About Spelling presents spelling in a progressive format, but not restricting it to grade level classification. While Level 1 had lots of easy material for my third grader, it ended up being a great place to start her off to make sure that we didn’t miss anything.
• Easy to use. A quick glance through the lesson and all the materials on hand and we can quickly jump right into the lesson.
• Comes with just about everything that you need. With the starter pack and Level 1 (and we also received Level 2 which we have just begun to work with) you have everything you need. Letter tiles, magnets, CD, Phonogram cards, sound cards, key cards (with rules to learn along the way), and the spelling word cards. You do also need a magnet board, a file box for the cards, and possibly a dry erase board or chalkboard for spelling practice.

But, the downside . . .

• Yes, this is a little expensive for “just” a spelling curriculum. However, most of the material can easily be used for later children with little or no additional purchase depending on your methods and preferences. And, I really felt like it reached into far more than just spelling. If I did not know how much we would love this product the price would turn me off, but in my opinion, it is definitely worth it.
• It does take a little time to set up at first. Cards need to be torn along perforated lines (LOTS of cards), letter tiles need to be cut apart, and magnets affixed to the backs of them. With some extra hands this isn’t a huge project, but it does take some prep before the first lesson.
• Others have done it, but I had a hard time working through two students in the same level at the same time. Trying to keep their cards straight did not work well for me. I kept forgetting and putting them back in the wrong divider, or reviewing the wrong set with each child. So, since my younger daughter is just in kindergarten, and my third grader is moving pretty quickly, I am just waiting until she is done with level one at least to begin my younger daughter.

We really love All About Spelling. I am pleased with the quality of the product, the ease of use, and the excellent academic standard. If you think it might be for you, I would encourage you to visit their website. They have a free download with 20 spelling tips that everyone can take advantage of on their home page. You can also view their FAQ page and their advice on what level to order for your child(ren).

I definitely highly recommend this product.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This spelling curriculum was provided to me free of charge from All About Spelling as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

A couple years ago I heard about a history text that caught my attention. It focused on not just the important events and people of history, but God’s working through it all, and from a biblical perspective. I kept an eye out for it at used book sales (my main avenue for accumulating new curriculum), but it never reared its cover.

No wonder. I have no desire to let go of this book either, and will move Volumes I and II closer to the top of my “Buy for homeschool” list.

It brings us all together to study one history, from the kindergartener to the middle schooler. I love things we do all together, and the kids learn even more from each other, even their younger siblings.

Product: Mystery of History Vol. 3 student reader and companion guide
Details: This full color history text offers 84 lessons beginning in the Renaissance and ending in early American history.
Price: $59.95 for the text and $29.95 for the CD of the companion guide (various packages available on their site as well)

What we loved . . .

• Scriptural basis. The book clearly looks at history and historical figures from a Christian viewpoint. The title tells it all, history is His story.
• Adaptable for a variety of ages. Although a bit above me four year old, my five year old will listen along and grasp the basics of what we have read and discussed. Activities are varied for the different ages as well.
• Related activity ideas. Some projects get a little involved, but lots of creativity and greater in depth study comes out of these extra tasks.
• The book is very high quality. Beautiful pictures, sturdy cover and pages, well written, interesting to read, and just overall impressive just to look at.
• Pretest quizzes to see what we already know (which was generally nothing . . . ) While these asked questions that were a bit specific (e.g. True/False: Columbus returned to the New World with 17 ships on his second voyage), it showed us how much we had to learn, and got us excited about the chapter ahead.

Challenges we faced . . .

• Some of the daily readings ran a little long. I probably could have split them up into a couple days, but they are well written and engaging, so it was hard to just stop in the middle and pick up another time.
• As great as the book is with its wonderful pictures, there were times they talked about a person or place and I thought, “Where’s the picture?” Thanks to the internet, we could of course find our own, but I did feel there were some gaps in that regard in the printed material.

I have no hesitation in recommending this product to anyone looking for a Christian based history curriculum that can work for a variety of ages. I definitely plan on purchasing more Mystery of History books after our experience with this one. Whether used exclusively or to supplement other secular sources, this book deserves a place on your home book shelf.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This curriculum was provided to me free of charge from Bright Ideas Press as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Last year we took a family trip to Washington DC and I found myself once again stunned at the richness of the heritage of our nation. The intentional faith of our founding fathers, the careful crafting of a new nation, the vision of hope and freedom.

American Heritage Education Foundation (AHEF) seeks to capture, build on, and pass along these virtues. AHEF is a “non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation dedicated to the understanding and teaching of America’s factual and philosophical heritage to promote constructive citizenship and Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility among our students and citizens.” They accomplish this through, “writing, producing, and distributing FREE K-12 lesson plans to teachers, students, and families in all 50 states and through additional initiatives, programs, and partnerships.”

Product: American Heritage Education Foundation’s lesson plan CD (national edition)
Details: This CD offers lesson plans for Kindergarten through high school. The lesson plans come complete with background information, goals, activities, estimated time, and other helpful resources.
Price: FREE! (You can order the complementing binder and materials for $19.50 per level)

What we loved . . .

• The richness of our history undiminished.
• Taking a vast topic and boiling it down to memorable themes — freedom, unity, responsibility, and progress.
• Builds national pride. I feel this is important. Not that I am proud of where America is today, but recognizing what we could be, and what we have lost, renews my hope and my desire to pray for our nation as a whole, the individuals that compose it, and its leaders.
• Focus on original documents.
• Largely self contained. Lots of information and direction is contained right in the CD itself.
• Not too time consuming, so that can fit in with whatever else you might already be doing. About an hour every other week will carry you from September to May.

Challenges we faced . . .

• It is easy to get overwhelmed at first with the amount of information contained in the CD.
• Working with wide range of ages is sometimes difficult, and we faced that a bit as well here. The younger kids may not have grasped as much, and the oldest one may have been a bit under challenged, but I think the principles taught were still beneficial to all.

Of course, there is no better price than free, and this CD has something for just about everyone. I would encourage you to take a look at the AHEF website, order yourself one of these free CDs (or download the material straight from their website if you prefer) and take some time to go through the material with your kids. They have some great quotes, inspirational writings, needed reminders and teaching tools, and lessons that will build character and patriotism.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This CD was provided to me free of charge from The American Heritage Education Foundation as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

Sometimes a child needs a little extra help in an area. Or, sometimes you need a fun activity to keep a few kids engaged while you work with an individual child. Or, maybe you just want something fresh that you haven’t already been through a few times.

abcteach can help with any one of those needs. You can choose from their ginormous file base, or you can make something that is uniquely you with their worksheet generator.

Aside from ordinary worksheets they also have file folder type games, reading comprehension exercises, craft projects, simple lesson plans and ideas, flash cards, units, and seasonal activities.

Product: abc teach membership (You can see their description of the benefits of membership including a video on the abcteach site)
Details:This website offers 5,000 printables free even to non-members, but another 30,000 sheets that are available only to members.
Price: $40/year or $70 for two years. Group pricing available also.

What we loved . . .

• Lots of choices. Every subject, topic, writing style, etc. seems represented. And, they encourage you to let them know if you could use something they don’t already offer.
• Always something new. This is not a “been there, done that” site. Every week you can find new material, and with the thousands they have available, it would take you quite a bit of time to work through it all.
• A diversity of ages covered. We found something for everyone on this site. While those with preschool and early primary would probably find the most use for it, they have lots available for upper elementary and middle school as well.
• Great search tool. If you can’t easily find what you are looking for in the myriad categories available, you can search and come up with lots of hits most of the time.
• Making my own handwriting sheets. We use Handwriting Without Tears in the early years, and I LOVE the member’s only feature that enables you to print your own worksheets with whatever you want your child to practice, in the very format that they are learning in.

Challenges faced . . .

• Finding uses for the site. We aren’t a big worksheet family, preferring lots of oral and group work, so I did not find an overwhelming amount of materials that grabbed my attention.
• Some of the graphics are not the highest quality (after all, they are worksheets). Part of the reason I prefer real books is because I prefer real pictures. Just a little idiosyncrasy of mine, I suppose. Drawn graphics just kind of turn me off to a product. They were good, just not real.

Despite the many things we loved and the very few challenges we encountered, this is not something I would continue to subscribe to because it doesn’t fit easily within our homeschool.

However, if you constantly find yourself searching for extra activities or worksheets to teach or reteach a topic, abcteach probably has exactly what you are looking for. They have an excellent, easy to navigate site with unbelievable amounts of worksheets and activities.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This website membership was provided to me free of charge from abcteach as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.