TOS Review: Visual Latin

We are what I like to call an "eclectic classical"  homeschool so of course Latin is a language that we all want to learn.  Our goal is to read the Vulgate!  We have tried a few different Latin curriculum and this time had the opportunity to review Visual Latin.


I loved it, my kids loved it and the teachings really stick with you.  Our first lesson was on the Latin verbs est and sunt which in English translate to is and are.  The lessons are so short and simple yet I have learned more from this Latin curriculum than any other so far!


Here are my children watching the video lesson and then reading the translation on the worksheet.

The lessons are broken down into three parts.

• Part A - Grammar - Here is where you are taught the new grammar for the lesson by fun and quirky Latin teacher Dwane Thomas.  After this lesson, the child completes a worksheet to reinforce the lesson.

• Part B - Sentences - Here, Dwane gives sentences using the grammar that you learned in part A.  Again, a short worksheet is completed after the visual lesson.  

• Part C - Reading - Dwane actually reads passages from the abridged Latin Vulgate!!  Remember, our goal?  Well, with the first lesson complete we are already reading the Latin Vulgate by repeating after Dwane as he reads it!  Then once again, there is a worksheet where the child translates the passage just gone over in the video by themselves.  

It seems such a simple process but it really works. Do you have Latin flashcards and Latin charts lying around everywhere?  We do - and it has been so liberating not to touch them since we began Visual Latin.  Instead of memorizing stacks of Latin words, they have you using Latin right away by jumping right in.  I must also give you a warning:  you and your kids may actually laugh while doing Latin!  


Here is a quick explanation video of Visual Latin.

Visual Latin is available in DVD or download.  It is like having your very own Latin tutor follow you around where ever you go!

You can try introductory lessons for free! You can purchase a DVD of all Latin 1 which includes 30 complete lessons for a sale price of $80 (regular price is $90).  You can also purchase a DVD of the lessons broken up into 10 lessons each for the cost of $30 each.


The product we reviewed was the download product which includes lessons 1-10 and costs only $25.  Lessons 11-20 and 21-30 can also be purchased individually for $25 each.


Would our family purchase this Latin curriculum?  Absolutely!!  This is a wonderful way to learn Latin.  I love the unique concept and how easy and simple it is to learn!

Don't forget to check out what my fellow crewmates thought of Visual Latin.

**Disclaimer: I received a free download of Lessons 1-10 in exchange for my review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation!

Journal Fridays

It is such a simple concept.  I really wish I had thought about it much earlier.  What is it?  Journal Fridays.  It is no more than a letter from my children written directly to me.  It can be about whatever they want.  If something is happening in their lives and they are timid about sharing face to face, then they can share it in their journal.  If they just want to say, "I love you, mom".  It makes no difference.  There are no spelling checks or grammar critiques allowed in Journal Fridays.  It is a safe writing haven - for myself and my children.  


My favorite part - sharing those sweet intimate, one on one moments that all to often are pushed aside because math or science or life needs be finished.  If there is a character trait I see needs some improvement, I gently remind them of the Spirit that resides in them and gives them strength.  Their favorite part - reading mom's words. I can hardly finish writing what I want to say before they are asking me if I'm done.


So, as a part of our homeschool curriculum we will now incorporate Journal Fridays!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - weeks 4-6

In my life this week…

Wow, so much going on!! First up, we took a few days off from school while I had the opportunity to attend our local Women of Faith conference.  This was my 3rd year going and the best yet!!  My sister, who was just recently baptized, attended with me and we laughed and laughed and laughed.  We also cried and cried as story after story touched our hearts and triggered many memories of our own.  If you have the chance to go in your area - don't miss it!!  And Natalie Grant - oh wow, that lady can S-I-N-G!!

In our homeschool this week...

Challenge A - let me just say that missing a week is hard but I am finally coming around to the fact that I am the teacher.  We need to work this around our schedule or it will never work for us.



Bible
MFW Bible readings from the book of Matthew.  We have now memorized Matthew 4:4, 4:19, and 4:23 so far.  We are really enjoying MFW!!  This week's country focus was on Mexico.  We, of course, celebrated with Mexican food but that we do that every week, lol.

Math 
Everyone is doing well with their Math lessons.  Stephen and Sarah are using Saxon and Jonathan is using Teaching Textbooks.

Geography
Learning the states and capitals, the equator, continents and oceans and drawing them all.

Grammar
Sarah - So far we have studied nouns, verbs, adjectives, and this week we added in adverbs and diagramming.


Stephen - pronouns - definition, case, person, number, gender


Classical Conversations
Week 4

History
American History - we are using The First Americans by Joy Hakim and really enjoying it!



Science
Skeletal System - oh yeah :)


Here is what our mummified apple results were from the previous lesson....

The apple on the right was places in the mummifying mixture.  The left apple was the control apple.

Also this week - I relaxed!!!  I have been pushing our schooling since I knew we were going on vacation in October.  No one was enjoying that at all.  So, slowly I am learning!!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Next week the kids will be performing at Carowinds and are so excited!!  So that mean LOTS of practices for this week!

My favorite thing this week was…

Letting go!!!!!!!

Questions/thoughts I have…

We're reading…

Me

• Instructing A Child's Heart
• Read Alouds:  The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Pedro's Journal (slow going but we love them both)
• Educating the Whole Hearted Child
• Beth Moore's Daniel Study

Jonathan
Carry on Mr. Bowditch

Stephen
Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia

Sarah
The Matchlock Gun

Links to share..... 

Lots of reviews going on this week too including some of our favorites so far!

Tri-Cross

Guidecraft Hideaway Kitchen

Aletheia Writing Magazine

WonderMaps

Wonder Maps Review

My 8th grade son is learning to draw the continents and label the countries, states, and provinces.  He is also learning some of the features such as mountains and rivers.  Sometimes finding an accurate map with all that information takes many hours of internet research. Many hours that I do not have.


The opportunity came up for me to review WonderMaps by Bright Ideas Press courtesy of the fine folks at Timberdoodle.  Oh, oh, oh, seriously this program fell into my lap at just the right time.

WonderMaps includes:

• 60+ maps of the world
• 60+ maps of the USA
• 125 historical maps, including 25 biblical maps
• The complete map sets from The Mystery of History vols. I–III and All American History vols. I & II

That is over 350 maps!  The best part of all is that you can customize the maps to include whatever you want!  If you want towns and cities included - they can be with one click or if you choose not to include them - again you can with one click.  If you just want to print blackline maps - yep, one click!  Other features include rivers, borders, terrain, and graticules.


Here is a tutorial on how WonderMaps works.

Wondermaps can be purchased for $44.95 and earning you 45 Doodle Dollar Points! For more information on Doodle Dollar points click here.  You can find many other geography helps including puzzles, games, and curriculum here.

As I said previously, this product to our family is priceless.  I love, love, love it!! It is now a permanent part of our homeschool curriculum. I am learning so much about Geography as well!  

Here is Jonathan (8th grade) practicing tracing and drawing South America.

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of WonderMaps in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

TOS Review: Aletheia Writing Magazine

Aletheia Writing Magazine is published quarterly and focuses on the literary and artistic talents of Christian teens, ages 13-19.  Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth" or "unveiling".


My son, Jonathan, who is 13 was the main person to review this product.  I feel I must tell you that my son does not like to write, draw, or read for that matter.  So, I knew this would be hard for him to review but I thought - who knows - it may just give him a love for one of those things at least!


His first time through, he opened the pages and thumbed through looking at the pictures.  On the inside cover he found this picture of a studio featuring Captain America.  I think that's all it took for him!

Inside the magazine is filled with stories and illustrations written by Christian teens.  I found it so pleasurable to see such talent coming from the Christian teens of today's world.  When the world has such negative things to say about teens, this magazine gives them the opportunity to shine.  What both my son and I loved most was the fact that the pages are not cluttered with ads.


The annual subscription for this magazine is $26 and includes shipping and handling. You will receive 4 quarterly magazines in full color with your subscription.  You can see the spring magazine here to get a feel for the articles and decide if this is right for your family.  Some of the features include book reviews, poems, a writer's challenge, and a featured contributor.


Would our family purchase this normally?  No, this is just not a product that fits our family.  I think it is a great magazine but the cost is more than we could justify paying.

Don't forget to check out what my fellow crewmates thought of Aletheia Writing Magazine.

**Disclaimer: I received a free product in exchange for my review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation!

TOS Review: Guidecraft - Hideaway Country Kitchen

Today's review product is a Hideaway Country Kitchen by Guidecraft.  My daughter was over the moon when I told her I was accepted for this review.  She just turned eight and loves to play mama!  Guidecraft began in 1964 in a small wood shop with just 10 items under their belt.  Today, 46 years later, Guidecraft offers over 850 educational toys and furnishings.  One of those items is the Hideaway Country Kitchen.


For days on end, my daughter waited patiently for that big box to arrive.  Everyday she would ask to check the mail so she could see if a package had been left by the garage door.  Finally, the day came and her kitchen arrived!  To top it all off, her daddy came home early and began the assembly.

It wasn't long before several family members became involved in the process.

Putting the kitchen together was almost as much fun as the finished product!  Special father/daughter bonding time.

My husband, who use to be in the building profession, had nothing but good things to say about the quality of the kitchen as he put it together.  

It included many features such as a realistic clock with movable hands.

It also included knobs that made clicking noises and beautiful sink.

Ta da!  Sarah has not left the side of this kitchen since it came!  Okay, that is an exaggeration but she really loves it.  I put it in the kitchen so every time that I'm cooking she can be there cooking too.

What makes this kitchen unique is it's ability to fold to a depth of only 6".  That makes the kitchen very easy to store.  I must add that this is a feature that we will probably not put in to use.  Sarah would more than likely cry if I packed her kitchen away.  Although, during the holiday time, I can see where it would come in handy to have this feature.

This kitchen can be purchased online at Guidecraft for $200.  There are also many other educational toys and furnishings available at the website.

Would our family purchase this?  The craftsmanship and quality are very good.  Everything is made to look realistic but the price is way above what we would pay.  Then again, the smile on my baby's face each day is priceless. This would be a kitchen that would last.

Don't forget to check out what my fellow crewmates thought of Guidecraft's Hideaway Kitchen.

**Disclaimer: I received a free product in exchange for my review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation!

TOS Review: Tri-Cross Games

Ever heard of Tri-Cross  - yeah me neither.  Again, I was allowed the wonderful opportunity to review a totally new product to our homeschool.  Who knew there were so many products out there for homeschoolers!?  Actually Tri-Cross is not only for homeschoolers but kids of all ages and of all schools!  

Tri-Cross by Games for Competitors is becoming known as "the new chess".  It is such a simple game and can be played so quickly that it has instantly become a family favorite.  When I say simple, I don't mean in terms of strategy.  Tri-Cross really keeps you on your toes as you anticipate what move your opponent will make next.  Stephen, the strategist of the family, who is in 5th grade and 10 years old, especially enjoyed this one.  There are many different ways to play the game but we started with the basic one.  The object of the game is to get one of your pieces in the center of the board for 4 turns.  Generally, you can jump pieces according to value.  For instance the 6 can jump the 5, 4, 3, 2, and Tri-Cross.  The Tri-Cross, however, can jump the 6 only.  All other pieces fall into normal number place value.   We all played the game and Sarah who just turned 8 had the most difficult time with it.  With help though, she gradually became better and better.  She also uses the instructions that came with the game right by her side to aid her memory in what can jump what.  The game also came with a travel size version.  We haven't really put that in to action but I can certainly see where it could come in handy!  I plan to pack it next month on the our plane trip to Arizona!

Here is a short video describing the play instructions of Tri-Cross.

Helps develop skills in the following areas:

Logical Thinking
Cause and Effect
Predicting
Interpreting Outcomes
Abstract Thinking
Memory (In Variations of Play)
Visualization

Here are a couple of my favorite gamers giving it a try.  See those serious thinking faces :)

Tri-cross is available at the Games for Competitors website and can also be found in stores in about 25 different states.  The game is available in 3 different editions with 3 different prices.

Standard Edition - $24.95

Wood Edition - $35.95

Eco-Edition - $19.95

Would our family purchase this?  Absolutely!  We love games and ones that add in a little math and strategy while still remaining fun are mom's favorite choice!  You can also enter to win a Tri-Cross game here!  Games for Competitors offers many more games to choose from as well.

Don't forget to check out what my fellow crewmates thought of Tri-Cross.

**Disclaimer: I received a free product in exchange for my review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation!