Pop Central Popcorn

 

Our family recently went on a field trip with our homeschool group to Pop Central Popcorn and we discovered the best tasting popcorn ever! During the field trip, the students learned the history of popcorn through a couple videos. Then they were able to go back to the kitchen and see how they make regular popcorn. It tasted really good! We were not able to see or learn how they make their flavored popcorn, it is their secret, but we were able to taste a variety of flavors, and each person went home with a mini bag of their chosen flavor. Our family even bought a few more bags to bring home - apple crumb, candy corn, cheddar cheese, white cheddar - to enjoy throughout the week.

So if you are ever in Southeast Texas, call 409-347-7139 to schedule a field to Pop Central Popcorn located at 2612 Dowlen Road in Beaumont, Texas 77706.

Math Sprint - Crew Review

 

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game from Byron’s Games reinforces addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. The game comes with printed instructions, one running track board, 258 cards, 10 dry erase cards, 1 marker, and 8 runner playing pieces. Of the 258 cards, there are 92 addition/subtraction cards, 106 multiplication/division cards, 30 wild cards, and 30 challenge cards. The object of the game is to get your runner to the finish line by answering mental math questions.

Before play, you will need to determine which cards you want to include in your draw pile and shuffle those cards well. I love this option. To reinforce multiplication/division skills, we played with these cards on several occasions. To begin play, each player selects a runner piece and places it in one of the lanes, numbered 1-8. Then you will need to determine whether you want to race the 100m Dash, 200m Dash, or the 400m Dash. The 100m Dash is a beginner level for elementary school players or for the first time playing. The 200m Dash is an intermediate level when you have more time to play. The 400m Dash is an advanced level for middle school players or older students who need to work on their math skills. This is really a fun game for the whole family to play. If playing with varying levels, younger children can run the shorter distance, while more advanced players run the longer distance. Each time a player answers a question correctly, they move their runner piece forward two spaces. If a player does not answer the question correctly, then players do not move. This would be a great time to show the player how to work out the math problem and use the game as a learning tool.

Math Sprint is a fun educational game to sharpen your math skills, as you race to the finish line and answer a variety of mental math questions. Every game played boosts your mental math abilities; but also provides precious time for you and your family to grow together. Visit the Crew Blog to read more reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew.

Using Literature to Teach Ancient History in High School

 

Many of us use a curriculum to teach history; but using literature to teach history can be a great teaching tool. I am continuing this history literature series with some of the best books to teach ancient history. Students in ancient times, sitting by candlelight, actually read history through literature. There simply was no other way of studying history and the subject has effectively been taught this way ever since. Using literature to teach history illuminates the time period, helps integrate your history curriculum, and enriches social studies. With my love for literature and history, it only makes sense to combine the two, so I have gathered some of my favorite books that teach ancient history in high school.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a compelling story of adventure, romance, and intrigue, set in ancient Egypt. Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl who yearns for freedom. In order to gain it, she finds herself playing the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies – each of whom supports a contender for the throne of Egypt. Against her will, Mara finds herself falling in love with one of her masters, the noble Sheftu, and starts to believe in his plans of restoring Thutmose III to the throne. But just when Mara is ready to offer Sheftu her help and her heart, her duplicity is discovered, and a battle ensues in which both Mara’s life and the fate of Egypt are at stake.

The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty is a historical novel about a young prince, Amuba, who becomes a slave when the Egyptians conquer his people, along with his faithful charioteer, Jethro. The lads become involved in a mystery as they begin to uncover evidence of a murderous conspiracy within the ranks of the priesthood. However, before they are able to prevent it, they are forced to flee for their lives when they accidentally cause the death of the successor to the Cat of Bugastes, one of the most sacred animals in Egypt. With Jethro as their guide and protector, the boys make plans to escape from Egyptian territory and return to Amuba’s homeland.

Caesar’s Gallic War by Olivia Coolidge is a companion book to Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War. This book gives all the information that Caesar left out – the background, the character, the description, the action of war – in a way that makes sense today. Using a fiction narrator named Octavius, and drawing on archaeology and classic research, Coolidge has brought much-needed drama to this history and fleshed out the warrior chieftains, common soldiers, politicians, and of course the supreme commander who made it.

Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz is a historical novel set at a turning point in history, as Christianity replaces the era of corruption and immorality in ancient Rome. This book abounds will compelling characters, including: Vinicius, the proud Roman centurion who has fallen in love with a mysterious young woman who disappears the night they meet; Ligia, the beautiful Christian woman; Petronius, Vinicius’s uncle who scoffs at love and religion but finds his nephew’s passion charming; and Nero himself, enemy of all Christians, a despotic emperor who plunges Rome deeper and deeper into depravity. The decadence of his banquets is staggering; and even worse, his mad laughter is heard echoing in the amphitheater as gladiators duel to death. As Nero’s appalling plans for Christians becomes ever clear, time appears to be running out for the young lovers. Vinicius must come to understand the true meaning of Ligia’s religion before it is too late.

D’ Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar D’ Aulaire tells of the gods, goddesses, and legendary figures of ancient Greece – mighty Zeus, with his fistful of thunderbolts; gray-eyed Athena, goddess of wisdom; Helios, the sun; and greedy King Midas. In a relaxes and humorous tone, this book brings to life the myths that have inspired great European literature and art throughout the ages.

These are only a few of my favorite books that teach ancient history, there are so many more out there! Feel free to share in the comments what you consider the best books to teach ancient history.

Bringing in the Sheaves

 

“Bringing in the Sheaves” is a popular gospel song. The lyrics were written in 1874 by Knowles Shaw, who was inspired by Psalm 126:6, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Many Christian just sing away with no understanding to the meaning of this hymn; but it’s actually a great hymn once you understand what it is all about – the gospel! Shaw was known as the singing evangelist. As a preacher, he used the Scriptures to compose and write music. The hymn is an anthem for evangelism. We should go out and compel the lost to come to Christ.

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve; Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows, fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze; By and by the harvest and the labor ended, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master, tho’ the loss sustained our spirit often grieves; When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Chorus: Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves; Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves is the result of a life filled fully for the Lord. If we can appreciate what God’s Word says about the seed and reaping the harvest in Psalm 126, then we should be able to understand this hymn and the importance of bringing in the sheaves. May each of us sow the seed in all we do and say for the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few (Matthew 9:37).

Trust and Obey

 

Do you look to the future and feel overwhelmed at the thought of homeschooling for the rest of the year, for next year or for the next twelve years? Today, I want to encourage you to trust in the One who has called you to homeschooling. Remember the words of Solomon and “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).” Even when others question your teaching methods, your curriculum choices, or reason for homeschooling. Remember the words of Peter and the other apostles as they boldly proclaimed, “We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).”

The hymn “Trust and Obey” presents a balanced view of a believer’s trust in the Lord, and it speaks of the resulting desire to obey Him and do His will in our daily lives. Carry this melody with you knowing that –

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but His smile quickly drives it away; nor a doubt nor a fear, not a sigh nor a tear, can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil He doth richly repay; not a grief nor a loss, not a frown nor a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the alter we lay, for the favor He shows and the joy He bestows are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet, or we’ll walk by His side in the way; what He says we will do, where He sends we will go – Never fear, only trust and obey.

Chorus: Trust and obey – for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus – but to trust and obey.

Happy Homeschooling!

Structure and Style for Students Level C - Crew Review

 

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

If you have struggled to teach writing, I encourage you to check out Structure and Style for Students Year 1 Level C from Institute for Excellence in Writing, also known as IEW. For this review, I received the basic package. The basic writing package is designed for students writing at a ninth through twelfth grade level. The basic package includes the following:

·         Student Packet

·         Binder

·         Teacher’s Manual

·         24 Streaming Videos

The student packet goes into the binder to create a paper organization system that students use to manage their coursework throughout the writing process. Each week throughout the course, students are instructed to put away their papers in their binder. There are eight tabs for sources texts, outlines, work in process, finished compositions, stylistic techniques, banned words, usage, and documentation. Both, the student packet and teacher manual include the suggested daily breakdown for each week, as well as all the resources needed to work through the course.

In this course, Andrew Pudewa leads students through a 24-week writing journey using humorous, incremental, and effective writing lessons. In our homeschool setting, we watched the video and completed the homework assigned in the suggested daily breakdown section on each week’s overview page. Throughout the course, Andrew Pudewa teaches students about note taking, outlines, writing from notes, retelling narrative stories, summarizing a reference, writing from pictures, summarizing multiple references, inventive writing, formal essay writing, formal critique, and response to literature.

Andrew Pudewa brings a successful solution to your writing lessons through an easy to use curriculum, Structure and Style for Students Year 1 Level C. I was able to use this product with my daughter; but IEW also offer Level A for students reading at a third through fifth grade level and Level B for students reading at a sixth through eighth grade level. Visit the Crew Blog to read more reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew.

Homeschooling with a Toddler

 

Throughout the years, I have been asked on many occasions, “How do you homeschool with a toddler?” When my girls were toddlers, I created a busy box. My girls thought they had to “do school” when their sister was doing school, so I created a quiet, yet educational busy box filled with learning resources and activities that would keep her busy while we were doing school. This busy box also came in handy for our hospital stays. Now you’re probably asking, “What did you include in this busy box?” Well, I included the following items in our busy box:

·         A Write & Wipe dry erase workbook for her to trace her letters, numbers, and shapes.

·         A Color Wonder mess-free coloring book with markers.

·         A couple board books or picture books.

·         A couple magnetic playsets.

·         A couple foam craft kits that she could peel and stick to make gifts for family or nursing staff.

·         A couple puzzles.

·         A Memory matching game.

·         A few building blocks because this would keep her busy for longer periods of time as she made her own creations and played quietly by herself.

By having this busy box, my daughter felt included during our school time. In fact, she would ask to do school because she enjoyed these activities. If you are homeschooling with a toddler, I encourage you to create your own busy box and share in the comments what items help keep your little one busy while you do school.

Happy Homeschooling!

Simply Coding - Crew Review

 

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Simply Coding is a self-paced interactive online curriculum that teaches youth how to code their own websites through step-by-step written tutorials and video instructions. For this review, I was given access to the Coding for Kids Annual Membership. My daughter has no interest in coding, so I was asked to write an informational review of Simply Coding.

I received step-by-step instructions to create the parent account and student account through email and video. Once this was set up, I could click “My Courses” to begin the self-paced lessons. Each lesson is broken down into multiple slides. After working through these slides, students upload their reference and then take the lesson quiz.

Lessons 1-8 teach students how to create their very own website. Throughout these lessons, students learn about the following concepts –

·         HTML tags (header, footer, audio, video) and how to use them

·         CSS (inline, internal and external style sheets)

·         JavaScript (working with trivia questions)

Lessons 9-19 teach students how to create a mobile friendly website. Throughout these lessons, students learn about the following concepts –

·         Bootstrap framework

·         JavaScript (working with statements, loops, arrays, and objects)

·         Comment Form (creating the form for others to leave comments)

·         Controlling the Form (students make sure everything gets filled out correctly then post a comment)

Simply Coding is an interactive online curriculum for ages six and older. The course provides a cumulative learning experience with simplified instruction, and keeps students engaged in the learning process. If you have a student interested in coding, then Simply Coding is the program for you! Visit the Crew Blog to read more reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew.