Yesterday's Classics - TOS Product Review

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be—
I had a mother who read to me.
Strickland Gillilan

Reading to my children has been one of the greatest joys in my life. To watch their faces as they listen intently, to hear the words, "just one more chapter!", to sharing tears of happiness and even sometimes tears of sadness, to know life lessons have been learned and remembered, these are just some of the wonders of reading books together.

From Yesterday's Classics website:

Yesterday's Classics republishes classic books for children in high-quality paperback editions. These books, first published in the golden age of children's literature from 1880 and 1920 and long out of print, are reprinted in modern easy-to-read type for today's readers. The illustrations from the original volumes have been included except in those few cases where the quality of the original images was too low to make their reproduction feasible. Color illustrations in the original volumes are rendered in black and white in these editions.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a book fanatic. Walk in our front door and you will immediately see our huge library span the width of two rooms. There's just something about having a good book nearby. With the exception of curriculum for math and science, every book I have bought for our homeschool over the past ten years can be found in our library. Yes, yes, I know.

Our paper books are handled with great care. You don't write in them (I know, Andrew Pudewa is yelling, "Don't listen to her!"), you don't write on them, you don't crack the spine, and you never ever bend a page as a bookmark. Never. I have kept all of these beautiful books because I just don't know if they will still be available for my children should they decide to homeschool their children some day in the future. When it comes to classic literature, well, I'm hooked.

So imagine me having the opportunity to review 225 books in a Kindle format. Wow! is right! Honestly, I wasn't sure how I would feel about reading a book without holding it in my hands, without turning a paper page, or without being able to feel the weight of a massive classic. Well, I got over any hesitations on my part in about three seconds flat! We love reading books on our Kindles (yes, we have two now). Having 225 Yesterday's Classics titles available at our fingertips anytime...anywhere is amazing. I took every single book with me when we were traveling last month. And the weight of lugging all those books around? 10 ounces.

After receiving an e-mail with a link to the download, I was able to download a number of ZIP files in a matter of minutes. We have a very high-speed Internet connection and so I experienced no delays or difficulties in this process. If you have a slower speed service, you might want to get it started and then find something else to do for a little while. After the ZIP files were downloaded, I was able to unZIP each one in seconds and then moved them onto my Kindle. And just like that, I had 225 classic books available to browse and read through. While I didn't read all 225 books, it was easy for me to see how broad was the selection and how great it would be to incorporate many of them into our homeschool.

Here's a little peek at a few titles that really grabbed my attention:

American History Stories, Volumes I, II, III and IV by Mara L. Pratt

Alexander the Great by Jacob Abbott

The Early Church, from Ignatius to Augustine by George Hodges

English Literature for Boys and Girls by H. E. Marshall

Four Great Americans by James Baldwin

Grammar-Land by M. L. Nesbitt

The Growth of the British Empire by M. B. Synge

Hannibal by Jacob Abbott

...I could keep going, but you'd be better off looking through the list of titles along with a photo of the book cover, a detailed description of each book, and the recommended age of the reader. Please, take a few minutes and look at this incredible list.

Now it just so happens my students were writing a report on Charlemagne shortly after receiving all 225 Yesterday's Classics titles. Out of curiosity I opened up my Kindle and searched all of my books for the word "Charlemagne." Within a couple of seconds, I had a list of 27 books pop-up, sorted by the most hits to the least. The first book, The Story of Roland, contains the word Charlemagne 348 times. The second book, Stories of Roland Told to the Children, contains the word Charlemagne 124 times. I was able to point my students to these two classic works for additional information on their subject matter. Without an intimate knowledge of every book in my paper book library, this task could never be accomplished. On the other hand, I learned that Charlemagne appears twice in Moby Dick, but this was not the Charlemagne we were looking for! We performed this same exercise to find books about the Civil War.

Another great feature of having Kindle-based books from Yesterday's Classics is the ability to read multiple books at the same time and having bookmarks automatically created for you. Books can be sorted by title, author, and collections. It even keeps the most recently read book at the top.

Check this out...

Take advantage of this special offer being made by Yesterday's Classics to receive 225 classic titles in Kindle or EPub format for less than $100. That's about forty-four cents a book! If you were to buy each of these printed books individually, the cost would be almost $2500.

Yesterday's Classics book titles cover collections which include World History, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Middle Ages, American History, Early Civilizations, Nature, Fables, Fairy Tales, Biographies, Poetry and many others.

In case you missed it earlier, to see this vast collection of classic titles and detailed descriptions, click here. Please know that this special offer ends on May 31st. After this date, this collection will cost $149.95.

While Kindle has a separate format, the EPub format can be used on a Nook, a Kobo, a Sony Reader, an iPad, an iPhone, or any other type of smart phone. If you're not sure which one you might need, Yesterday's Classics has great customer support. I found the question I had was answered quickly and very much to my satisfaction. Should you decide to add a new format later (you have a Kindle, but end up purchasing an iPad), Yesterday's Classics will provide a link which allows a second format to be received free of charge. Honestly, how can you go wrong with that? Well, just to make sure, they offer a 100% Risk Free Guarantee. If you're not satisfied, they will refund the purchase price.

If that's not enough, without Digital Rights Management (DRM) and other restrictions, you can put these 225 titles on as many devices as you own. In addition, each of the 225 titles has the ability to be printed whenever you choose.

Yesterday's Classics titles include illustrations (in color where they were originally in color, and in black and white where they were originally in black and white), correct page formatting and a table of contents which is very much needed for easy navigation between chapters. While some of these titles can be found for free on-line, these important features are not usually included. I tried one of these non-formatted versions and, let's just say, it makes reading frustrating and much less enjoyable.

Yesterday's Classics titles have been adopted by top curriculum developers such as Ambleside Online, Heart of Dakota, Living Books Curriculum and Tapestry of Grace.

If you love to incorporate classic literature into your homeschool or just want to have quality reading materials for your family, I highly HIGHLY recommend Yesterday's Classics. It was my privilege to review this incredible product.

Thank you, Yesterday's Classics!

Here's some additional company information you might find helpful:

Recommended for ages 4 through 18 although these book titles are appropriate for anyone who loves to read.

Lisa M. Ripperton
Yesterday's Classics
PO Box 3418
Chapel Hill, NC 27515

919-357-8824
9 AM to 5 PM EST Monday through Friday

Lisa@MainLesson.com

Happy reading my friends!


I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Latin Alive! TOS Product Review

Classical Academic Press
Latin Alive! Book 1

Written by Karen Moore and Gaylan Dubose

Karen Moore – Karen is the head of the Latin department at Grace Academy in Georgetown, TX. She began her Latin studies in seventh grade and went on to receive a B. A. in classics from the University of Texas. She is the author of the Libellus de Historia series, also published by Classical Academic Press.

Gaylan DuBose – Gaylan has been teaching Latin in the classroom for over forty years. He holds a Master’s degree in classics and was the Academic Contest Chair of the National Junior Classical League from 1996 to 2005. He is the author of Farrago Latina: A Teacher Resource Book, and co-author of the well regarded Excelability in Advanced Latin. He currently loves teaching Latin to fifth and sixth graders at St. Andrews Episcopal School in Austin, TX.

Latin Alive! 1 Bundle Cost: $139.95

Latin Alive! Book One ($24.95)
Latin Alive! Book One: Teacher’s Edition ($29.95)
Latin Alive! 1 DVD and CD Set ($114.95)

Latin study recommended for students in junior high or high school

As stated by Classical Academic Press… Latin is an elegant and ancient language that has been studied for many generations. It is also quite alive in our culture, and in the languages we speak today. Latin Alive! is a series of Latin texts for junior high or high school Latin study. Written by experienced and enthusiastic Latin teachers, Latin Alive! is an excellent introduction to the classical language. With an emphasis on grammar and solid understanding of the language, it goes on to frame the study of Latin in Roman culture and mythology, and also to remind us of the many ways Latin is present in our culture today.

Let me start this product review by telling a story.

Two years ago we began our first year of a classical Christian education curriculum that encompasses history, theology, and literature. I am not embarrassed to admit that some of the books we studied that first year were books I had never heard of, let alone read. I’m not embarrassed because, quite frankly, most I knew had never read them either. These were books of antiquity. But I quickly realized I had a little problem. I didn’t know how to pronounce the names. I figured I would solve my problem by contacting the publisher and asking for some help. I mean, couldn’t someone please tell me how to say Herodotus? Or how about Eusebius, or Aeschylus or Oresteia? What about Aeneid or Hammurabi? At the time, the answer I received satisfied me. “No one knows for sure. These are languages no one has ever heard spoken.” Oh. OK. And off I went saying Herodotus as Hair-ro-dote-us. I’ll spare you from the massacre that occurred with all the other names.

Then one day Latin Alive! arrived in our home. I’m sure the color ran out of my face when I realized the answer I was given, “No one knows for sure” was really to keep me from embarrassment or, perhaps from feeling, um, stupid. You see, had I known anything at all about Latin, I would have realized that, while these are languages no one has ever heard spoken, there is a way to know. So, the complete answer should have been, “Learn to speak Latin.”

Amazingly, the very first lesson in Latin Alive! revealed to us how to say each of these names. Were these names in the first lesson? No. But the introduction to the Latin alphabet, the pronunciation of each letter (c is always hard as in cat, never soft as in cent), the consonant blends (ch is pronounced individually like chorus, not like bachelor), and that Latin vowels are either long or short and have only two sounds helped us immensely. There are only six diphthongs in Latin. So, when we see the diphthong ae we know it sounds like the ai in aisle. We now know how to say Aeschylus.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to attempt to teach a Latin course here on my blog! But I thought it important to say that in one lesson in Latin Alive!, taken slowly over a few days, our eyes and hearts were opened to a whole new world.

So, why Latin? Read Karen Moore’s detailed answer here. Let me also quote Amy Barr, a homeschool mom with a M.A. in Latin, from a recent article that appeared in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

“Mastery of a Classical language promotes excellent English grammar, vocabulary, and analytical skills, Classics students tend to be self-directed learners who shine at anything requiring language, logic, or analysis. Advanced students go on to read texts foundational to Western religion, philosophy, and society becomes the next generation of well-rounded scholars in law, history, medicine, science, and literature.”

From the Classical Academic Press website…

Students will be delighted by what they learn in each new chapter of Latin Alive!, Book One, and they will learn to see that Latin is everywhere around them. As the first text in a three-year series, it is a rigorous and thorough introduction to this great language, and is designed to engage the upper school (middle and high school) student. Brimming with relevant facts and stories this text offers something for everyone.

• Thirty six weekly chapters including twenty nine new content chapters and seven review, “reading” chapters.

• Pronunciation Guides

• Weekly introduction of vocabulary

• Thorough grammar explanations including all five noun declensions and cases, all verb conjugations, irregular verbs, various pronouns, adjectives and adverbs

• United States state seals and their Latin mottos

• Extensive study of the Latin derivatives of English words

• Substantial Latin readings and translation exercises

• Lessons and stories of Roman culture, myths and history

• Exercises and questions to prepare students for the National Latin Exam and the Advanced Placement Exam

• Includes historical contributions from Christopher Schlect, historian and Academic Dean at New Saint Andrews College, Moscow, ID

• Teacher’s Materials including answer keys, teacher’s helps and additional activities available separately

As we watched Latin Alive! lessons on DVD each day, we found Karen Moore to be engaging and easy to listen to. We love her southern y’alls and her rolling r’s! Lessons are broken down into sections and exercises making it easy to stop and practice what you’ve learned. The student textbook is non-consumable (exercises are completed on separate sheets of paper). We enjoyed listening to the audio CD of the Unit Review Latin Readings provided to help students practice proper pronunciation and accent.

To see pages of the student textbook, click here. To see pages of the teacher’s edition, click here. To find out what Karen Moore is up to, check out her Latin Alive! blog here. Why there's even a Yahoo! Group for Latin Alive!

If there was one thing I could add to Latin Alive! it would be a speaking Latin dictionary at the website. This is a tool I would pay to use. For those Latin words we are struggling to memorize and that need more practice, it would be an invaluable tool.

Make no bones about it--learning Latin is rigorous and takes practice, practice, practice. Latin Alive! is designed to serve students new to Latin, while a the same time providing further insight and challenges for “veterans” of any grammar school series.

Let me just say, Ama-mus Latin!

If you use Latin Alive! Ama-bi-tis Latin too!

I highly recommend Latin Alive! and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to review and use this product.

I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Apologia--Who Is God? TOS Product Review

"If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think - our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We're often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance."

George Barna describing the outcome of a national survey of 2033 adults that showed only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making.




The word Apologia appears eight times in the New Testament, in the context of people defending their faith or actions by reason and logic.

"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15

Apologia Press

Who Is GOD? And Can I really Know Him?

Biblical Worldview of God and Truth

Volume 1 in the What We Believe Series

Written by John Hay and David Webb

Cost: $39.00 (252 pages hardbound book)

Recommended for children ages 6 to 14

When Who Is GOD? arrived, I was immediately struck by the quality and beauty of the actual book. We have used textbooks published by Apologia for years and this book falls right in line with the high-quality products for which they are known.

Let me just start by saying that by God's grace we have been raising our children under the influence of a biblical worldview since they were old enough to understand language. We have always tried to filter what we read, what we see, what we hear, and what we do through God's Word, the Bible. I can remember when my children were very young (even as teenagers today) and asking difficult questions. I have great comfort in saying the words, "Well, God says..." or "Well, when God created..." The biblical lens through which we look at the world allows us to see with eyes focused on the Creator God. Otherwise, chaos oftentimes rules our lives.

And so Who is God and Can I Really Know Him?, introduces the concept of worldview while laying the foundational truths upon which the evangelical Christian worldview is built: God is truth and He reveals His truth to people; He is the one true and almighty God; He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; He created everything; we are God’s children and are made to love and to praise Him; God meets all our needs; sin keeps us from God; and Jesus is the only way to God.

View a sample lesson here. See the Table of Contents here.

We have been using this curriculum for the past six weeks and have found it to be very well presented, easy to read, and easy to use each day. Like every Apologia book we have read in the past, this text reads like a story, is engaging and thought provoking. With the purchase of the book, a link and password are provided to allow users extensive resources. These resources include optional teacher helps, student notebooking pages, and House of Truth inserts, along with links to on-line Bibles, Bible study tools, Christian Apologetics, Movie, TV and Video Game Reviews, and book reviews. Apologia thought of everything you might need or want to have access to while using this book!

The introduction includes a lesson plan, designed to be flexible and adaptable to each family's needs. While their schedule recommends one lesson every two weeks, three days per week, we adjusted our schedule slightly so we could use the curriculum five days a week. Each lesson is divided into a very specific and consistent structure:

The Big Idea: Main topic of the lesson and a brief overview of what has been learned up to this point.

What You Will Do: Lesson objectives.

Short Story: A story featuring characters with different worldviews. The characters work thorough their differences by seeking council through the bible and their parents.

Think About It: Thought-provoking questions to check for understanding and comprehension.

What You Need To Know: Important vocabulary words and definitions that students can write in their notebooks.

Hide It In Your Heart: Two specific Bible verses to be written in the student notebook for memorization. The first verse has to do with the main theme of the lesson while the second verse pertains to a character trait.

Integrated Learning: Articles related to the main text across the fields of art, math, science, history and more.

What Should I do?: Highlights a specific character trait that should be demonstrated bu the student in response to what he or she has just learned about God.

Prayer: Each lesson concludes with a prayer.

Worldview Study: Introduces the student to the concept of worldview.

House of Truth: Intended to be a hands-on memory aid, the House of Truth is a visual model constructed one step at a time. In this book, the student will complete the foundation and the first wall of the house. A new wall will be added in the second, third, and fourth volumes of the series.

Scripture is used and referenced throughout each lesson. If there is one thing I would change, it would be the use of different versions of the Bible. I wish scripture references were consistently NIV or ESV. Although I understand the desire to want to please its variety of readers, I found verses on the same page citing NIV and NLT a little bothersome. But you can't please everyone!

While the short stories helped develop the main theme of the lesson, we found them to be more in line for younger-aged students. My teenagers were a little, um, tortured by the simplicity of the stories. On the other hand, I can see how they would appeal to younger readers.

We enjoy the notebooking aspect of the curriculum since we use notebooking in other areas of our school day. Not only does notebooking reinforce each lesson, it provides a great vehicle for future portfolio reviews, if needed.

Overall, I think Who is GOD? is a great way to introduce a biblical worldview to parents and students desiring to know more about God and His truths and highly recommend Apologia's What We Believe series of books.

Additional products in this series What We Believe include Who Am I?, Who Is My Brother?, and What on Earth Can I Do?

Truth is eternal, knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them.
Madeleine L'Engle

1918-2007

I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Positive Action for Christ TOS Product Review

Online: www.positiveaction.org
Positive Action For Christ
P.O. Box 700
Whitakers, NC 27891
(800) 688-3008

Positive Action for Christ seeks to supply Bible study materials that teach the heart as well as the head. Because knowledge alone cannot change a child, we strive to equip teachers to magnify the majesty of God before their students.

Bible study curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Life of Christ
From the Gospel of John

Student Manual: $17.95
Teacher's Manual: $41.95
Teacher's Manual on DVD: $29.95



As stated by Positive Action for Christ...

To many people Christ is merely a historical fact, rather than a living, personal reality. We know that Christ lived, and we know much about what He did; however, even we as Christians seldom experience His presence as we should.

The purpose of The Life of Christ from the Gospel of John is to make Jesus Christ real to your students. Our hope as you journey through this material is that your students will not only know Jesus more, but also love Him more.

If one can judge a product by the way it's packaged, both the outside packaging and the inside packaging, then we knew we had something special the moment it arrived. Positive Action for Christ made an impact on me just by the way they represent themselves and the One to whom all of their materials are meant to glorify. Beautiful. God-Honoring. High-Quality. Professional.

I will start by saying that I have taught Sunday school for many, many years. I have taught my own children since they were very young, even as they memorized entire Psalms, Proverbs, and selections of scripture as gifts to their father for Christmas and Easter. I remember during our first several years of home-schooling, I used a character-building curriculum that based each character trait on a memorized Bible verse. I can remember looking at some of the passages I was to read to them and I would tell the Lord, "This is your Word. You said it and I believe it, but you are going to have to do the work to help my children understand." Some of it was heavy stuff! But you know, I always found God to be faithful.

This Bible study on The Life of Christ is not fluff. Actually, the Scope and Sequence is vast. But, once again, I am finding the Lord to be faithful as we sit together each morning and study The Life of Christ. Do we actually think for one moment that the Lord will not answer our prayers when we ask for our hearts and minds to better understand and live out His Word in our lives each day? Of course not!

Here's a little snapshot from the scope and sequence...

In Lesson 1 we are introduced to John. The aim of the lesson is to reveal the unique characteristics of the Gospel and to compare John with other Gospels. The Life Application is seeing Christ as more than a man and to learn how to see themes in Scripture.

In Lesson 14 (John 5:17-47) we prove Christ's deity. The aim of the lesson is to explain the witnesses to and proofs of Christ's deity and to show that faith saves, not knowledge. The Life Application is knowing the Christ of the Bible, not just the facts of the Bible and recognizing that our obedience (or lack of it) demonstrates who we are.

In Lesson 29 (John 14:1-31) we learn Christ's last words and promises. The aim of the lesson is to show what great things God can accomplish through us, to explain the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and to contrast the world's peace with that which Christ offers. The Life Application is living in confidence in light of the reality of Christ's promises, praying faithfully, and expecting to see God's power.

The student's manual includes:

•Content age-appropriate for middle school or high school
•Illustrations and notes from the teacher's lesson
•An introductory section with reading and homework to be completed in advance
•Additional student research for each lesson
•A Digging Deeper section with further ideas for expanding each lesson
•A recommended reading list
•Original artwork to introduce each lesson
•Full-color pages with charts, maps, and photos
•8 x 10 inch size
•277 pages

The teacher's manual includes:

•35 lessons (one lesson per week)
•Plans for 3, 4, or 5-day a week Bible classes
•Full copy of student's manual with answers
•Reproducible quizzes and unit tests that use a variety of testing techniques
•Overhead transparency masters
•342 pages

In Lesson 3 we learned about the geographical and political situation at the time of Christ's ministry. You have probably read these verses many times before:

John 4:54-5:1
This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee. Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.

Well, when we studied the terrain and geography where Jesus walked from Judea to Galilee and then went up to Jerusalem, it made quite an impact to learn that Jesus walked about 90 miles over coastal plains and hills to get to his destinations. That's about how far we drive to church and back! The climate varies so much that when snow is falling in Jerusalem, only ten miles away tourists might be baking under the sun in 90-degree temperatures at the Dead Sea!

These are the kinds of things that help bring the Bible to life. Pictures have been painted in our mind's eye that will long stay with us.

In addition, each lesson has a corresponding quiz as well as unit tests. I wondered how well my students would remember everything they learned in such a short amount of time, including the Bible verses they memorized with each lesson. Teaching the Bible Descriptively, Dramatically, and Devotionally really helps God's truth become real. I have been amazed at what we have learned and remembered!

As you can tell, I'm pretty excited about Positive Action for Christ's bible study on The Life of Christ. We are learning so much and plan on continuing our lessons long after this review has been posted. Needless to say, I highly recommend this Bible study. If you find the cost of the Teacher's Manual a bit pricey ($41.95), the Teacher's Manual on DVD for $29.95 would work quite well and might even be easier to use than the 3-ring binder.

Positive Action for Christ exists to equip Bible teachers to magnify the majesty of God by publishing God-focused Bible curricula and resources that will dazzle the next generation with His glory and grace.

To learn more about Positive Action Bible Curriculum, click here and here.



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Virtual Nerd TOS Product Review

vir·tu·al
Computer Science Created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or computer network

nerd
A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept


Well, let's just forget the "socially inept" part of this definition since it certainly doesn't apply in this case!

If you have a child that is struggling with algebra lessons, physics problems and other math and science subjects, Virtual Nerd provides hundreds of interactive, video-based tutorials that offer a friendly, interactive and accessible way for students to learn.

If you want to get a better understanding in a short minute, click here and then click on the "view our intro video." Sorry, I can't imbed the video here in this blog, but it's only two tiny clicks away and well worth your time if you really want to see what it's all about.

I have used YouTube a few times to try and find more detailed explanations for our homeschool math curriculum. I have found YouTube to be very helpful as long as the explanation was clear and precise. If it wasn't, well, I kept looking around until I found something I thought might be helpful. Often times, after viewing a minute or two of the video, I realized it wasn't what I was looking for after all.

So, let me make this clear...while Virtual Nerd uses video tutorials, it is nothing like watching a video on YouTube which merely allows you to pause the video, skip around and repeat segments. There is no way to immediately and directly drill down to a related video for more detail about a particular step. This is what really sets Virtual Nerd apart from the competition.

Virtual Nerd's individualized learning platform combines step-by-step video tutorials with supplemental explanatory text and graphics. The text and graphics are synchronized with the video, and they provide an additional level of detail around each step in the tutorial, which students can access anytime they want. Links in the form of frequently asked questions are also available for students to click on. Clicking these links calls up new tutorials which help with the specific part of the tutorial they are confused about. This is what allows different students to get different levels of help with different concepts and drill down for even more help in areas where they have a specific need.

Here is a screen shot (click on each photo to see the entire image) from "What is the distributive property?" so you can see what happens while watching an interactive video...



and another showing additional video tutorials available on the subject...



Here's an excerpt quoted in part from an interview in edtech digest of Joshua Salcman and Leo Shmuylovich, the creative geniuses behind Virtual Nerd...

A student can simply click for more detail during a step that confuses them, and the e-learning platform will pause the main tutorial and superimpose a more detailed and focused tutorial that fills in whatever conceptual gap the student may have.

This unique feature allows students to customize the level of depth and detail they see. Different students may start at the same point and each take a completely different path. One student may get everything she needs from a single 3- to 7-minute tutorial. Another student may drill down to review two or three tutorials covering supporting concepts. Students can branch out, drill down, dig deeper, and find their own way through the material in the order that makes sense to them.

Another thing that’s unique to Virtual Nerd is that their system makes possible a bi-directional connection between instruction and assessment. What this means is that, (1) while reviewing a tutorial, a student can request a practice problem to test their comprehension of the concepts covered in that tutorial; and (2) if a student gets a problem wrong while taking a practice quiz, they can click a link to review a tutorial that explains the process for solving that exact type of question.

Virtual Nerd is completely free for teachers. Unfortunately, this does not include homeschool teachers at this time.

Virtual Nerd offers the following options:

1 Day Plan: $5 one-time fee

1 Week Plan: $19 one-time fee

Monthly: $49 recurring

3 Months: $129 one-time fee

Basic Plan: The Basic Plan is free and provides access to a sampling of about 20 percent of the tutorials in Virtual Nerd's library, mostly focused on basic concepts.

Premium Plan: The Premium Plan has a monthly subscription rate of $49 per month. In many places, that is equivalent to a single hour (or less) working with a private tutor. All Premium subscribers have unlimited access to the entire library of tutorials in all the subjects offered, as well as practice problems and other new features as they are released.

Virtual Nerd accepts Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, and PayPal, and their 3- 6- and 12-month packages provide substantial discounts of up to 32 percent.

For additional information and to find answers to commonly asked questions, click here.

I will end by saying that Virtual Nerd is way cool. Although the monthly premium membership is too pricey for our homeschool budget right now, I really like the fact that we have the option to pay for a day or a week of instruction should we find ourselves needing a tutor.

If you're stumped by concepts in Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 1 and Physics, Virtual Nerd is just a click away!



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

ALEKS TOS Product Review

You know, I was thinking I could make this the shortest review ever by quoting my daughter, Rachel. The first time she used ALEKS, this is what she said...

"Awesome!"

The second time she used ALEKS, she said this...

"I love this!"

I could tell you what she said every single time she used ALEKS, but it would just be more of the same. She loves ALEKS!

Actually, after she had been using it for a few weeks, I asked her if there was something she didn't like about ALEKS. She said, "You know, I don't think there's a thing I don't like about it!"

And this comment comes from a girl that makes a To Do list each morning, checks off everything that she has completed and, like her mother, writes in those things she has completed that weren't even on the list, and then checks them off. I know. I know. Needless to say, she is a very detail-oriented young lady. If she had a problem with ALEKS, she would have found it and said so.

But alas, I can't just make this the shortest product review ever because it deserves much more attention than a few sound bites.

So, let me tell you about ALEKS (in their own words)...

What is ALEKS?

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS offers truly individualized instruction that meets the student at her learning level and instructs her on the exact topics that she is most ready to learn. As a result, no two students will experience the same learning path while working in ALEKS. Learn more by watching a quick 2-minute video.

ALEKS can provide you with the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. With a comprehensive course library ranging from elementary school math to complex subjects such as PreCalculus, ALEKS acts much like a human tutor to help take the stress off of homeschooling parents.

ALEKS offers highly-targeted, individualized instruction from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a comprehensive and mobile education solution for your children. A subscription to ALEKS offers access to all courses and your child may take as many courses as needed during their subscription period.

ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Program:

• Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library
• No Textbook Required
• Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
• Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
• Master Account Includes Quizzing and Automated Reports to Monitor Learning Progress
• Unlimited Online Access - PC and Mac Compatible
• QuickTables - Complimentary Math Fact Mastery Program for Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction

Learn More

ALEKS has been used successfully by homeschoolers, as well as by millions of students at schools and educational institutions throughout the world. Additionally, some ALEKS course products are American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended, meaning that your student may be eligible for college credit at participating colleges.

MyPie: The ALEKS Pie summarizes a student's current knowledge and offers topics that the student is ready to learn next. The darkened portion of each pie slice represents the topics that the student has mastered and the lighter portion represents what the student has yet to learn.




Explanations: When a student is working on a particular problem, she can access an explanation of that problem by clicking on the "Explain" button. The explanation typically provides a step-by-step solution, with commentary. In some cases, an alternative or more detailed explanation is also available.

Feedback: Students receive immediate feedback and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.





Learning Mode: The Learning Mode provides students with practice problems, and offers explanations of topics and procedures as needed. Once a student has demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the topic is added to the ALEKS Pie, and new material that the student is now ready to learn becomes available.




Input Tools: ALEKS provides a free response environment and sophisticated input tools that avoid multiple-choice and require students to demonstrate content mastery.

Master Account Homepage: Easily manage all student accounts, monitor student progress, view customized resources, and more.

Quiz Results: Quizzes are automatically graded and the results are available to both the parent and student immediately.

Student Progress Report: Track student progress made throughout the course. The blue bar represents the percent of course material that the student has mastered during an ALEKS assessment; the green bar represents the percent of new topics the student has mastered in Learning Mode since the last assessment; and the yellow bar represents the percent of topics the student has yet to learn in order to complete the course.

There are many other features including a Student Attendance Report which tracks student time spent in ALEKS per day, the topics attempted, and the topics mastered and added to the ALEKS Pie.

Here's a little side note, if you're interested...

Mr. Wonderful is a math major. He was very curious and wanted to spend some time on ALEKS just to see what all the hype was about. Let me just say that he got a little bit addicted to solving math problems while on ALEKS! He couldn't help himself. Like starting a puzzle, he just couldn't quit until he had completed his PIE! Even Mr. Wonderful thought ALEKS was a great teaching tool.

Here's the scoop on ALEKS:

A subscription to ALEKS is

$19.95 per student, per month, or

$99.95 every six months, or

$179.95 every twelve months.

You can also learn about their Family Discount Program.

PLEASE, BLOG READERS, DON'T MISS THIS!

I have been asked to pass along this message from ALEKS...

We invite to share the ALEKS free 1-month trial ($19.95 value) with your blog readers who are homeschoolers. We only offer a 48-hour trial directly from our website, so this is a special offer only for homeschoolers who are new users to ALEKS. Click on the blue box below in order to take advantage of this very special offer!

Let me end this product review by quoting Rachel one more time...

"I just love, love, love ALEKS!"



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers TOS Product Review

About six weeks ago, we received in the mail A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers from Bright Ideas Press. This oversize 298-page book is beautifully presented, professionally published, and covers a full year's curriculum in 32 weekly lessons. The Introduction includes a letter to teachers as well as to students which I found to be very helpful and informative.

A number of years ago, we studied the history of classical music. We loved it back then, but I wasn't sure if it would be met with great enthusiasm again. I asked my daughter, Rachel, who is 12, to go through the book with me. It became clear very quickly that this was a curriculum to get excited about. After all, Rachel loves music and plays classical pieces on the piano daily!

Here's an excerpt from the Bright Ideas Press website which best describes this book:




A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers

A User-Friendly, One-Year Curriculum for Grades 4-8

Christian, Creative, Chronological

Why take the time to “Crack the Code” of Classical Music?

• Music is from the Lord. He created it, and He created us with the ability to both make and appreciate music.
• Classical music is uniquely part of our Western civilization.
• Research suggests that both listening to and playing classical music aids brain development.
• Even rudimentary exposure increases one’s level of enjoyment and understanding.

This course provides a close-up look at famous composers, their music, and their times, with special attention to character traits and Christian testimony (or lack thereof). Even the musically challenged will enjoy this course! It’s perfect for grades 4-8 but is easily adaptable for younger and older students. Minimal teacher prep will return maximum enjoyment!

• 32 Weekly Lessons
• 26 Bios of Famous Composers
• 6 Eras of Music Explained
• Easy-to-Use Comparative Timeline
• Easy-to-Use Maps
• Composer Info-Cards & Game Directions
• Note-taking Pages
• Quizzes
• Answer Keys
• Listening Suggestions
• Intricate Coloring Pages
• Resource Books

Let me see if I can unpack some of these wonderful things just a little bit.

First of all, I quickly realized that having the paperback book presented a slight challenge. While I love having the physical book in my hand, I think I might have preferred the CD-ROM book instead. Of course, the CD-ROM book has its own set of challenges (i.e., you either have to read the lessons from a computer screen or you need to print everything out). Anyway, because a number of the pages need to be used by the student (note-taking pages, quizzes, coloring pages, time-lines and composer cards), there's just no way around it...you either need to photocopy pages out of the book or print pages from the CD-ROM.

If you'd like to see a few sample pages of this book, click here.

Here's my little suggestion to the publisher: Making PDF files of the consumable pages available at your website (either for a nominal fee or via a password which is given with the physical book), would be a huge help.

Anyway, I did the unthinkable in order to overcome my little consumable pages challenge. I used a ban saw to cut the binding off the book. Yes, it's absolutely true! Then we three-hole punched the entire book and placed it in a sturdy binder. All of the consumable pages are now loose and easy to photocopy. How's that for ingenuity?!

Rachel loves doing everything suggested in the curriculum... everything! Each lesson is laid out over a three-days a week schedule. We read the lesson aloud together (this takes us about 10 to 15 minutes) and then Rachel fills-in the note-taking pages (or the student review questions). We listen to the suggested music selections (links are provided in the book so a student can listen to the music via YouTube if needed). We happen to have a huge library of classical music on our iPod and so had most of the selections available without having to use the computer. Regardless, it's great listening to a piece of music after reading about its composer.

Composer cards are created (using an index card and a couple of the consumable pages I mentioned above) by coloring the composer's portrait, matching the composer with his country of birth (a little mapping exercise is always a great thing), and providing important information about the composer (when he lived, where he was born, 3 facts about him, two of his compositions, and whether or not there was evidence the composer was a Christian).

In addition, a detailed timeline is filled-in and colored as recommended by the curriculum. All of these items are then placed in a notebook for easy access and reference (there are instructions on how to create a notebook, but some pictures would be helpful). In addition, a great assortment of coloring pages are also available. These pages are fun to color while listening to the selected piece of music or while listening to the lesson while it's being read.

Another thing I really appreciated about this book is that the faith of each composer (if evidence supports it) is often included by using direct quotes. Introducing the composer's faith to the reader is not forced. Here's an example:

...when Handel was writing the "Hallelujah Chorus," his servant brought him food, as he usually did, and found Handel with tears in his eyes. Handel said, "I did think I did see all of heaven before me and the great God Himself!"

"...I should be sorry if I only entertained them; I wished to make them better."

What more can I say? Well, we love the idea of studying composers and found A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers a great way and a fun way to learn.

If your family hasn't yet studied the classics, I highly recommend this book!

Here's the scoop:

Recommended for grades 4-8
$29.95 CD-ROM book
$34.95 paperback book (298 pages)

Most products are intended and licensed for single-family use only. For co-op pricing, click here.

For more information, go to Bright Ideas Press.



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

KBTeachers TOS Product Review

When we started homeschooling ten years ago, we began our journey by learning a  letter and a number each week. I have fond memories of the kids creating Alligator Al, a green salt dough alligator that would represent the letter and phonetic sounds of Aa. Yes, Alligator Al is safely tucked away, along with all of his other letter of the week pals, in a storage container in our basement. I never had the heart to throw them away. Memories!

Oh, if I would have known about the wonderful resources  at KBTeachers! As I browsed their many pages of fun printable worksheets, I kept envisioning how we could have incorporated some of them into our school week. Check out this link to the alphabet worksheet pages. And to think, with the help of KBTeachers, I could have easily incorporated sign language into each week's lesson. If you're just getting started as a homeschooler (or if you're in the middle of your homeschooling journey), this family friendly resource is a must.

A few years later, I have fond memories of unrolling butcher paper on our kitchen island and creating full body outlines for each of the kids which we hung on the walls of our school room. Each week we would learn about a new bone in the body and then later, important organs, their uses and where they were located within the human body. The kids loved creating their bodies one piece at a time. Again, how fun it would have been to add to our weekly studies, the great resources available at KBTeachers. I think they have thought of just about everything. Here's a link to their human anatomy section which not only has a number of worksheets and activities available, but includes direct links to recommended study websites. It's a great time saver having so many resources available in one place!

Fast forward to just a couple of years ago when we spent a year going through a very extensive study on world geography. I cannot even tell you how much time I spent searching for maps that would allow the kids to practice and study what they were learning. Again, KBTeachers has so much to offer. Check out their social studies worksheets and activities here.

There are so many benefits to becoming a Premium Member of KBTeachers. Here's what they have to say on their website...

For Parents, Teachers and Educators
* One click worksheet generators and alphabet factory
* Create an unlimited number of engaging printable activities - For all ages and grade levels
* No watermarks and unlimited access
* Exclusive graphics and clipart - Decorate your websites, Blogs, activity sheets etc...
* Diverse educational resources - From simple ABC worksheets, to 20 pages exams
* Intuitive activities online or off - At home, at school or in study hall
* Free 24/7 Support - If we don't have it, we'll create it - or help you find it
* Answer Keys - Proofed and checked quality materials you can trust
* Updated regularly - New features and member created content added every week
* Nothing to download, instant access - From any internet connection

Access content based on standards set by the following organizations
* NCTE National Council of Teachers of English
* NCSS National Council for the Social Studies
* NSTA National Science Teachers' Association
* NCTM National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
* ISTE International Society for Technology in Education

As a KBTeacher you will
* Join an online community that shares knowledge and makes learning fun
* Increase technology awareness
* Encourage collaboration
* Engage students in learning
* Diversify educational materials
* Structure activities online or off
* Combine traditional and progressive teaching techniques
 
You'll also find seasonal and holiday activities along with monthly webquests. Did you know that November 26th is Charles Schultz birthday? Meet him through the Schultz Museum and learn about his life and philosophy. How fun is that?

A premium membership at KBTeachers is only $29 for 12 months or $49 for two years. An extensive library of printable worksheets (without watermarks), activities, and valuable resources for you and your students (Kindergarten through 10th grade) are just a click away!



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

The Write Foundation TOS Product Review

I received the following writing curriculum, for purposes of review, from The Write Foundation:

Level 2: Paragraph Writing  /  Suggested Ages: 12-15

- Lesson plans formatted in an easy-to-follow system

- Begins with steps to writing the basic paragraph
- Improves sentence structure with basic grammar and figures of speech
- Teaches different styles and techniques each week
- Teaches the organizational process of  brainstorming, outlining, rough draft and editing
- Progresses to writing two-, three-, and four-paragraph paper
- Introduces the five-paragraph formal essay
- Creative poetry writing
- Guidelines, checklists and correct structure
- 15 lessons with lesson plans

As stated by the author, this level is designed for the student who can write a single paragraph, can follow directions and is beginning to work independently. It teaches how to move from simple paragraph composition to quality multiple paragraph writing.   More structure and mechanical requirements are introduced and encouraged, to develop more complex paragraphs, using the writing process.

For ordering and pricing information, click here. Please understand that only one student may use the consumable worksheet pages. Pages cannot be copied even within the same family. Additional sets of worksheet pages may be purchased for an additional $25 plus tax and shipping.

When I received the Paragraph Writing Instructions and Paragraph Writing Worksheets (covering lessons 1 through 15), I sat down and spent quite a bit of time going over the Step by Step Lesson Plans. Since I didn't seem to be "getting it" I decided to walk away and try again a couple of days later. This time as I went through the information, I took notes. As I look back upon them even now, "1 1/2 hours per day" is double underlined. Another thing I took note of was a Reading List which explained that students need to read several books per semester from the book list. They must select a book they have not read on their own previously. The curriculum also suggests using Mind Benders which are to help develop the student's organizational processing.

Honestly, I'm not really sure I understand why a writing curriculum includes a reading list (or Mind Benders for that matter), but since my 12 year old daughter just finished reading Pride and Prejudice (a book she was reading just for pleasure), I guess it's worth 20 points toward a 48 point goal for the semester.

I spent hours going over the teaching materials which, for me, invalidates Lesson plans formatted in an easy-to-follow system. I didn't find anything easy about it. I was very confused and actually, it made me feel just a little bit crazy at times. The flow of the teaching materials did not go along with the order of the daily schedule and worksheets.

I read instructions on assembling an 8-tab notebook and buying an assortment of highlighters (which reminded me of an Inductive Bible Study). Between acronyms with which I am unfamiliar to the grammatical errors and typos, I kept running into difficulties. Right out of the gate, Lesson 1 says to highlight in the sample paragraph four supporting sentences with four different colors (next four sentences). There are six sentences. I don't know what we're supposed to do with the other two sentences. Do we delete them? Do we rewrite them? Do we need two more highlighters?

Honestly, I just don't have the time nor the patience to try and read in between the lines. It's supposed to be very straight forward and simple to understand. Actually, it's touted as a grab-it-and and go writing curriculum. It wasn't for me.

The curriculum appears to be written for a co-op setting although it is supposed to transition well for individual homeschoolers. As I read through many of the website testimonials, most, if not all of them, were from students who attended the author's (Rebecca Celsor) class. I don't recall reading one testimonial from an individual homeschooler who used the curriculum.

I have no doubt that a huge amount of time and effort was put into creating this writing curriculum. I am sure that if Rebecca is teaching the class, it is a fantastic curriculum that gives great results. However, from an end-user point of view, there are many things which need corrected and/or revised in order to make it user-friendly. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend this curriculum in its current printed form.

I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Soli Deo Gloria Resources TOS Product Review

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

As stated right from their website, Soli Deo Gloria is Latin for "To God Alone the Glory." It is one of the benchmarks of the reformation and necessary for the reformation of our thoughts regarding the education of our children.

We have had the privilege of incorporating into our mornings before school begins, a pre-inductive study of the Psalms by Soli Deo Gloria Resources. Young Hearts Longing for God is a Bible study intended for children in grades 4 through 8, but can also be used by older students alone, or by younger students with the help of a parent.

If we step back for a moment, the fundamental principle of inductive Bible study is to study the text of Scripture. Young Hearts Longing for God is a pre-inductive study which slowly and gently leads children, or perhaps those unfamiliar with the Bible, to look deeper into the text of scripture.

Young Hearts Longing for God contains 30 Psalms to study. Each Psalm is intended to be studied for one week, allowing this study to be completed in one school year. Students read through the Psalm each day, five days in a row. In addition, questions and activities are completed through the week, ending with a written entry in a personal journal. To see a sample study lesson of Psalm 8, click here.

We incorporated this study into our regular morning's Bible reading and prayer time and found it to be a great addition to our time together. Completing the day's reading and question or activity only takes a few minutes. The time spent is time well spent. Fridays are the days we designated to complete the study and enter our personal thoughts into our private journals.

Even though the purpose of our receiving this study was to try it out and give our personal thoughts and review, we have unanimously decided to continue on for the remainder of our school year. We love it!

Kim Kargbo (you might want to read about Kim and her family here) believes that we, as parents, should be educating our children for God’s glory alone. This in turn helps to equip them to go out into the world and use their God-given gifts for the good of others.

As so beautifully written by Kim, "Our unit studies and other curriculum are designed to cause learners to be captivated by God's "bigger picture." All of life, including math, science, history and language arts, is part of God's HUGE redemptive plan. Seeing God's hand at work in all of life, and seeing each piece as part of a larger picture is one of the main goals of education. Glorifying Him through all that we do, all that we learn, and all that we are is ultimately what we are called to do as His children."

I would encourage my readers to stop by Soli Deo Gloria Resources' website and not only browse through the many unit studies offered, but also take a few minutes to check out a number of wonderful resources they provide for free.

Young Hearts Longing for God is available as a workbook for $16 and as an E-book for $14.50.

I highly recommend Soli Deo Gloria Resources. Both Kim and her husband, Tim, were raised on the Mission field in Africa. Kim's parents were Bible translators and performed literacy work. It seems only fitting that Kim would take many of the lessons she learned as a child growing-up in a small village in Africa, and create a company and products that convey those same truths.



I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.