Time 4 Learning {Review}

For the last month we have had the pleasure of experiencing Time4Learning. Before I give my review on this program let me tell you a little about them.

What is Time4Learning?

Time4Learning is a student-paced online educational tool covering preschool through high school. Time4Learning.com combines 1500+ multimedia lessons, printable worksheets and graded activities in a student-paced environment that brings concepts to life. Math and language arts lessons are correlated to state standards. Science, social studies and art are also provided as a bonus to most grades.

This page of theirs with their lesson plans and sequence was one of my favorites I read when I was first looking at Time4Learning. I also HIGHLY recommend that you check out this great feature they offer to help you see more of what the Time4Learning experience would look like for you through their Curriculum Demos.

Still want to see more? They offer a 60 second tour video  for you to watch as well! They seriously do a terrific job at giving you an "inside know" of what you'll experience before you take the plunge. However, should you take the plunge and find out it may not be for you they do offer a 14 day money back guarantee.

When you think about the cost of most of the curriculum's out there that are online options I love Time4Learning's price tag as well as the fact that I can stop or pause my subscription with them at anytime!

We have just completed our 9th year of homeschooling and I have heard about Time4Learning all over the blogosphere and social media for years. We have talked about trying them but hadn't taken the jump. When I had to opportunity to try it for 30 days in exchange for a review after our school year it was the perfect time to try!

We tried our upcoming grades... 3rd, 5th, and 9th. We have always pieced together bits and pieces of our curriculum throughout the year and coming off a struggling school year, for many reasons, I really wanted to love this. The boys (3rd grade and 5th grade) enjoyed the video parts of their lessons more than my daughter (9th grader). I was hoping it would be deep enough that I could use it as a core, but sadly for us, the more the kids went on with the lessons it appeared to me that we would use it more as a supplemental curriculum.

Now, don't get me wrong... the kids did learn and grow while working through these lessons. The video parts were the favorite. My 3rd & 5th graders were wishing that the history and science lessons were more video vs reading through the slides. They loved the math and language videos though.

We've done Roman Numerals for a couple years now with my 5th grader (and just introduced them this year to my soon to be 3rd grader) and after watching the video lesson on them in Time4Learning he had a total lightbulb moment.

I love seeing those moments happen! He didn't just drop it after it happened either. No, even my 3rd grader asked to replay it and they started talking about it and referring back to it. It was great!

My 9th grader enjoyed the video teachers at the 9th grade level. There were multiple times she could be heard giggling from her room, or saying "hey mom, listen to this!" They were engaging and packed full of good information.

I really love it for a reinforcement/study/practice standpoint.

My daughter is so used to the rigors of Apologia Science and workbook style math that this part was a stretch for her to wrap her brain around with just watching a video, but she thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. She is a read-write learner so video was great to reinforce information but writing out math problems really solidifies math concepts for her.

I love the part that you can skip around in the topics of the lessons, which is what makes it a great option for us as a supplement. I can easily see us studying with our base curriculum and then me sending the kids to spend some time studying/practicing the concepts we've discussed by being on Time4Learning. The kids are sad that our trial period is up but are looking forward to when we can turn it back on and continue seeing the rest of the lessons and all it has to offer.

It was great that each of my kiddos had their own log in and customized dashboard. From the parent section I could set how much time should be spent on each subject. We did notice that if you go over that time there was no timer or alert that it was time to "move on." Maybe I missed seeing that part but that would've been a nice feature to alert the child when it is time to move to the next subject.

I wish I would've captured pictures while they worked with Time4Learning but with starting to work part time and enjoying listening to them work through the lessons it's one thing I didn't capture. I'm sorry.

From the parent side of view I did love my parent dashboard. From there I could see the grades captured with each quiz as well as I could print out their progress reports and they went along. It was very user friendly and easy to navigate.

Would I buy Time4Learning next year? 

I would purchase this program next year, but not as a full on curriculum to complete our school year. I would purchase it as a supplemental standpoint. Extra reinforcement of the concepts we are covering through our various other curriculums. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to experience all Time4Learning offers and the my children were able to experience the different curriculum options out there. It was a great view into how they respond to online learning vs book learning.

I received a free a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I did not have to write a positive review, nor did I receive any compensation for my review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations. 

Compass Classroom American History {Review}

A while back I was contacted by Compass Classroom and asked to do a review for them. I was so excited because I love curriculum and I love giving my children a chance to experience the different materials that are out there. When they mentioned their American History curriculum I was elated to give it a try after reading in their description that it counts for on high school history credit!

Score!!

If you are anything like me you are scouring the web pages and picking every veteran's brain on what to use and count for high school credits. High school officially hits our house in the fall and I'm seriously in denial! However, finding this gem of a History course has taken one item off my plate! We couldn't be more excited about that!

Haven't heard of Compass Classroom or their American History course? No, problem. I'll fill it all in for you.

Compass Classroom has a great About Us page I recommend reading. What drew me in after reading about their "About Us" page was when they shared this gem...

Watching them homeschool made us realize a few things:

1. Moms need as much support as they can homeschooling. If one video course gives you a little more time to focus on other things, then that makes us happy.
2. Some subjects are generally more difficult to teach than others. We try to make video series that cover those gaps.
3. There are some great teachers out there who just do an incredible job explaining certain subjects. We look for them and get them on video.
4. Videos should be educational and entertaining.  A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
5. A lesson on video is not the same as a lecture.  We approach each new series with a blank page and try to match form and content in the most pedagogically-effective way.

I don't know about you but my heart sang... "Yes! All of that!!" I couldn't wait to check them out. We have looked at and have loved all of their Free Resources and have loooooooved their WordUp! course (I just reviewed it as well here).

Their American History course has not disappointed at all! You should definitely check out their promo video.



Compass Classroom's American History is taught by veteran History teacher Dave Raymond, and I've got to say we've loved him! He is engaging and the way he presents has made history stick for us! His passion comes through the screen and gets you as passionate as he is. History has always been a tough subject for us to get engaged with over the years. But Dave has brought it back to life for us.

From their website you can see exactly what you will be receiving with this course, and you can choose to use this course either through DVD's, downloading the course, or streaming. We have the streaming option and LOVE it!

Current cost of this course is $60! It's a total steal and beyond worth every penny!

American History is a one-year class that consists of:

• 26 lessons (5 videos per lesson, 10-15 minutes each)
• 4 projects
• Student Reader, 372p (PDF, EPUB, & MOBI)
• Teacher’s Guide with Scope & Sequence (PDF)
• Weekly Exams
• Year-long Portfolio. 

I can't wait to see all 4 of the projects completed! A Colonial Map Project, A Costumed Speech Project, A Thesis Paper, An Hour Project. From their descriptions they are going to be amazing and easy to grade with the rubric they lay out for you in your Teacher's Guide.

I love their Teacher Guide layout!

They give you everything you need to effectively grade and use their curriculum and the Student Guide is just as simple to follow. My daughter loved that in her student guide told her exactly what to read and what her assignment was. Great accountability for independent work! EVERYTHING you need is laid out for you! How great is that!? Reading, questions, exams, projects... you name it and they've made sure you understand or have it laid out for you. It's so refreshing!

Teacher Guide screen shots:

Student Guide... For a great hands on view of the student reader be sure to check the samples tab and you can click through 10 pages of it as well. I'm positive you will love it! 

This is definitely a high school course. The work is meaty and oh so good!! The video lessons are short but lay such great ground work for the reading and understanding of all of the information poured over. The reading assignments, in some spots, appear to be hearty and lengthy and some adaption may be required, but I thinking with coupled with the detailed writing required the balance is good. The exams will get them thinking too!

For example check out what Lesson one's exam requires...

Lesson 1
Lecture 1.4—Essay/Exam #1
Read the following quotes. Write an essay of 150-250 words explaining the value of history and/or the humanities by using the wisdom of one or more quotes. (Note: This essay is Exam #1.)
The student essays are based upon one or more quotations found in Lecture 1.4. All of these quotations pertain to history and/or the humanities.
The task students have to complete is a 150-250 word essay on the wisdom of their chosen quotation(s) in regard to the study of the humanities. This is meant to be general so a wide array of answers is acceptable. Look for whether or not a student wrestles with the ideas put forth by the author of their chosen quote(s).
The essay is worth 25 points. Quality of content should make up 15 points available and completion of proper length and basic form should make up the remaining 10 points available.

Yes, please! Thank you for a program to lay out exactly what you are looking for in reference to the question answered and how to grade it.

Still unsure how to calculate for high school credits with this course? Don't fret! They have done all the calculating for you under their FAQ page on American History's product page.

We love that this course is premised on a biblical Christian worldview. Dave uses great illustrations and maps as he speaks, and we love how he presented within context and not just isolating a single event. It really brought history full circle for us!

We have only just begun to scratch the surface of all this course has to offer us and we can not wait to soak up the rest of what Dave has to teach. We feel like we are diving into History in a way we never have before! The portfolio will be one I can see us going back and looking at long after she graduates!

I can not recommend checking out this course for your high schooler enough!!

I received a copy of this product in exchange for this review. The thoughts and opinions here are my own.

That word comes from WHERE!?

Vocabulary has been something our kiddos have loved for as long as I can remember.

A couple years ago when we first started attending our homeschool co-op my oldest took a greek and latin roots class and her love for words overflowed. She would pop off with the greek and latin origins left and right throughout our day. It has been a blast!

Now, having younger boys we've been trying to figure out how they could engage with their sister more on word origins since they aren't old enough to take the same class she has, and then we found
WordUp! The Vocal Show!!

Let me tell you what!!

If you are looking for a fun engaging way to get your child to have a love for greek and latin roots don't look anywhere else.

WordUp! the Vocab Show is the way to go!
It was created by Compass Classroom. They also have created Visual Latin.

This show has not only been perfect for my 7 yr old and 9 yr old (both boys) but for our entire family. We sit and watch the episodes over and over, and the funny antics that Dwane Thomas does while playing multiple correspondents for the show live on daily in our house. They think they are just playing around by re-enacting Dwane's skits but little do they realize they are memorizing and learning even more!!

My kids have memorized the roots along with corresponding 10 greek based and 10 latin based english words with no trouble and have had a blast doing so. To help with the memorization we have loved utilizing Compass Classroom's Quizlet set up for online flashcard practice, games, and quizzes.

What you get with WordUp! 

10 Video Lessons (12-15 min each)

20 Latin & Greek Roots

200+ English words

Links to Online Vocabulary Flashcards

If you are one that loves to try out a sample lesson and see their set up you're in luck! Compass Classroom offers a FREE lesson for you right HERE.

If you're like us and can't wait to see what Dwane has for the next lesson you can get the whole course for the very affordable cost of only $19! You seriously can't beat that!

This course is available in a Download, DVD, or Steaming format so the ease of viewing this course will fit into any lifestyle you have! We have the streaming format and it works great for us on days we are on the go.

If you are the type that loves to include worksheets for your kinetic learners Notebooking Pages are available through NotebookPages.com.

Whether you are looking to supplement your latin studies or looking for a stand alone option to teach latin to your child this engaging and zany way is beyond worth looking into! If your child is anything like mine they will be popping off these newly discovered words in their daily conversations in no time! Not only has this show helped with their verbal vocabulary but their written work has grown exponentially as well.

This course would be a great introduction for your child not only to "meet" Dwane Thomas and his teaching style, but a great set up to take Compass Classroom's Visual Latin course later on. (Which can be counted as 2 high school foreign language credits! What an engaging way to tackle high school credits!)

I can not recommend this course enough! It will be one that we continue to watch on repeat for years to come!

Check out there trailer below... I promise you'll instantly fall in love with it too!

 

Want to check out even more of what Compass Classroom offers make sure you check out their FREE RESOURCES section on their website as well! You won't be disappointed!!

I received a copy of this product in exchange for this review. The thoughts and opinions here are my own.

Download N Go Curriculum Review: Whale Tales & Davy Crocett

I was recently asked if I would like the pleasure of reviewing a couple of unit studies from Download N Go. Let me start out by telling you I think they are AMAZING!! I knew only a little about them when I was asked if I would like to review a couple unit studies. I was wonderfully surprised at all the information, colorful clipart, and activities for the students that were within these pages.

The study comes as a PDF file of about 89 pages or so. You can obviously choose whether you would like to print them all or only print the papers needed for your student to fill out for their lapbook. I decided to print them based simply on the fact I like tangible papers to read off of. For the future though I will definitely keep the reading parts on the computer and just print the student pages for the mere reason of paper and ink costs. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed all the videos Download N Go supplied with the materials.

They offer a full list of additional books that you may get to go along with the unit study you are doing. It was wonderful and I was very pleased to find that my local library had practically every single book on the list!! The layout of the lessons were wonderful as well. Easy to follow along with and fun to do as well. My daughter (a 1st grader) could read the directions or questions on each page with ease and loved all of the lapbook components. The whole study intently held her interest with ease.

Each unit study supplies you with key vocabulary words pertaining to that certain lesson. A great feature in my opinion since we taught using the dictionary this year. You also do not need to guess on what goes inside your lapbook because they tell you within each daily lesson what to put in there. Of course you may add whatever else you would like as well.  I think the layout they chose is a wonderful study tool for the student, as well as a keepsake for showing other family members all that they have learned in school that week. Each unit study is 5 days long and jammed packed with wonderful journeys, valuable information, and exciting activities that will keep you and your student (or family members) yearning for more and more on the topics you are discussing.

This was our first time ever doing a lapbook and we absolutely loved it, and if you saying "Well I have never done a lapbook. I am not sure how." No problem! They have wonderful simple instructions listed at the beginning of each study. Along with some helpful videos but honestly there is no wrong way to go about it. By the end of the first study my daughter was asking "Can we do another one please, please, please!?" It was awesome to see her joy and excitement as it came time to do them everyday. I highly recommend Download N Go for stand alone studies, supplemental studies, summer activities, or even just for fun! They are truly amazing and wonderfully priced!! $7.95 for an individual study!!

Here are some pictures of my daughter's Whale Tales Lapbook

During this Blog Tour of Download N Go is offering a coupon code available for 20% off multiple packs. Use the code DNG20PKS at checkout for that discount.So if have ever wanted to check them out for yourself or even just hearing about them for the first time head on over and get 20% off their multi-pack studies.  You will be so happy that you did!

Or

You can head on over and enter their giveaway for a chance to win... 

• The entire FALL curriculum lineup of Download N Go™ (Wow! That’s 19 studies!).
• A $25 gift certificate to Baskin-Robbins (yummy ice cream).
• A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com (for those back-to-school supplies).
• A $15 gift certificate to Starbucks Coffee (a special treat just for the teacher).
• A full year’s subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (encouragement and resources all year long).
• A “sweet” blue and brown Homeschooling With Heart tote bag (THE must-have accessory for FALL!).

Sweepstakes Starts

May 24, 2010 @ 01:00 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends

June 12, 2010 @ 11:59 pm (PDT)

So come click over HERE to be entered into this fantastic SWEET PRIZE PACKAGE!!

Disclosure: I received this free from Litfuse Publicity as part of their review bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own. The information provided about the author was also provided by Litfuse Publicity. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”