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Classical Christian Education

Memoria Press: Traditional Spelling I {Crew Review}

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Many years ago, when I began with the Homeschool Review Crew, I was introduced to Memoria Press.  I remember receiving that package and being a little intimidated and overwhelmed by the product we received as that first time user of this curriculum.  I didn’t know what to expect or what I was even doing.  But the setup of Memoria Press made educating with their materials super easy. 
When this review came up, we were given several things to choose from so that choice is always tough.  This time, I decided to go with something specifically for Laycie.  I chose Traditional Spelling I.  This is a phonetic approach to learning to spell.  It is intended for Grades 1-2 and those learning to spell.  There is also a Traditional Spelling II for students in grades 2-3 as they finish this course.
Laycie is a very hands-on, auditory learner.  Things that rhyme or are musical just make more sense to her.  Seeing it on paper bores her out of her mind.  She thrives on fun and excitement.  Even though, Traditional Spelling I is a little more formal that we usually use, it’s been a great introduction to formal education for her, yet still fun enough to keep her wanting to continue learning with it.

What We Received:

Each of these work together to create a full spelling curriculum for your child.

Classical Phonics: A Child’s Guide to Word Mastery by Cheryl Lowe

This little book is a wonder of itself.  We have used it for years now as an introduction to phonics so I was happy to see it included for this program.  It’s a great way to get your child started with learning the ABC’s and then spelling.  It relates words to things your child can understand.  It’s simple in format so that it engages your child but doesn’t overwhelm them. 
This book is broken into four parts and eight total units, with an appendix at the end.  Part one covers short-vowel words.  Part two covers  long-vowel words.  Part 3 covers 10 More Vowel Sounds.  Part 4 is about Advanced Phonics.  The appendix covers phonics rules and spelling, common words and offers suggestions for teachers.  It’s a complex book that covers so much within the pages.

Traditional Spelling I Student Book

This is the student workbook.  It comes with spiral binding so it can lay flat as you use it.  It is 146 pages with 34 lessons included, as well as a dictionary in the back.  Throughout you fill find Phonic Focus tips.  There are spelling lists that build as you go through the lessons.  Each lesson contains 10 words.
Each lesson is formatted so the student is writing the words and learning to define the differences in the words.  Lessons are around 4 pages long.  They also encourage reading and sentence development through the use of the program.  Dictation is another included element for each lesson. 
The dictionary in the back of the book is easy to read and follow.  It contains the words that are taught throughout the lessons in the book.  The words are broken down by letter.  They do not include breaking down the words for speech or their parts of speech, only the word itself with the definition.
The format is the same throughout the book for each lesson.  It is very easy for your student and you to follow and each page flows into the other.  You could set this up as one page a day for your student or have your student work through two pages on one day and two on another.  The book is designed for one student to use. 

Traditional Spelling I Teacher Manual

This is the Teacher’s Guide Manual for the program.  It includes 34 lessons, a dictionary and appendix for the teacher.  It is 179 pages in length and comes with a spiral binding that lays flat. 
After the Table of Contents, there is a general overview of the lessons.  This section explains how to prepare for the lessons.  How to set up your lessons through the week.  It suggests a 5 day plan with definitions and word study on day one.  Phonics Flashcards and worksheet suggestions for Day 2 and 3.  Dictation on day 4.  And a final test on day 5.  This is followed by a sample lesson plan to give you an idea of how to utilize this curriculum and make it work best.
Lesson 1 begins as an actual lesson plan, providing an introduction for you to use with your students if you choose, then jumping right into the lesson itself.  There are fun suggestions throughout that also help you to further develop this curriculum for your student.  Things like writing words on strips for sentences or writing the words with letters missing to find the missing sounds in the words.  There are many, many ideas provided throughout the book for that.
The dictionary in the back is set up just like the on in the student guide.  It’s divided by letter.  There’s no breakdown of the word or suggestion of part of speech.  It simply gives the word and the definition used by the lesson itself. 
The teacher’s guide does include an Appendix in the back that contains a spelling test form, spelling review games, spelling rules reference sheets, common English contractions, phonics overview, and a colorful letters key.  This is designed to help you to build better spelling skills for your student in the simplest way possible.  It is very easy to use.
The spelling test is simple.  It allows space for name and date.  This is followed by space for the 10 words from each lesson.  And a space at the bottom for sentence dictation and copywork. 
The Spelling Review Games contains an area for individual games and group games.  Things like ABC order, sentence writing, tracing, using scrabble for spelling, playing concentration with words, connect the dots and so much more are provided.  Such fun ways to learn to spell.
The spelling rules sheets are designed in larger font so that you can use it in a classroom setting with your student.  Rules like 1-1-1 and the drop rule are covered here.  Many others as well.
The phonics overview is a review provided for the teacher themselves.  It helps you recall what the sounds are, how to say them correctly, and what are vowels and consonants.  Phonograms and more are included in this section of the appendix.  It’s just a great gathering of a multitude of things related to spelling and reading as well.
There is a short guide to the Phonics Rules and Spelling Rules as well that is located in the Appendix.  These are followed by the Colorful Letters Key which lists all the words for each lesson and breaks them down phonetically for you.  This key shows short and long vowels with color, silent letters and helps with speech.

Spelling Practice Sheets for use with Traditional Spelling I 

This is a 37 page practice work book that includes a practice sheet for each lesson in the program.  It is thin like a coloring book and designed in black and white which is easy to see and follow.  Each page has a lesson header, features the adorable Owl used throughout the program, and has a place for the students name.  This is followed by the list of words for the student to practice writing.  This is a wonderful addition for the program.

Phonics Flashcards

This is a HUGE stack of flashcards just for phonics.  They are well designed and sturdy.  They are each in black and white which makes them less distracting and easy to learn with.  Clear with a large font for lessons.

How We Used It

Of course, we were not able to complete this program during the review period but we were able to get a great feel for it.  You can tweak the program to fit you and your student but it’s really designed to be followed as is and it’s really easy to do that.  We began the program with a review of the phonics book provided which took about a week for us since we’ve used the book previously.
I simply followed along the program as it directed with Laycie.  We played games to learn.  We did the simple and easy worksheets.  This was really easy for her.  We created songs with the words that she sings daily now.  The flashcards were fun for her too.  She likes using those with her baby brother as well.
We did not do everything suggested in the book but we did work through most of the suggestions.  Some days she was just too distracted to follow what we were doing.  Other days, she was focused and able to stay the course.  This is a challenge in her learning but this course actually helped because it wasn’t too intensive for us to follow or pick back up as we went along.

Where You Can Find Traditional Spelling I from Memoria Press:




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Read More Reviews:

Spelling, Music Appreciation & Latin {Memoria Press Reviews}

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Phonics Museum {Crew Review}

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Veritas Press is another amazing curriculum company that we have greatly enjoyed using in our homeschool over the years.  They offer so many amazing resources for all ages and are totally a favorite of ours!  We were truly excited when we were offered the Phonics Museum App to review.
Phonics Museum is an App available in the App store for the iPad.  It’s an adorably educational app for children to help them learn to read.  It’s multi-sensory with engaging themes that children enjoy.  There are games, songs, books, writing activities and more available through this app.  
This app is designed for young children to build skills in learning to read.  It’s super easy for them to use and builds upon the skills it covers as they work through the lessons on the app.  But it’s not setup as lessons, it’s just a fun “game” for kids where they learn.
First you create your name and character as well as a password to log in.  Remember your password or you will have challenges logging on to the app.  This is a lesson we learned quickly.
As with all Veritas Press curriculum, Phonics Museum is Classical Education material.  It’s a full curriculum app for your little ones and could be used for reading and language development or it can just be used as a curriculum supplement for your little one.
The Phonics Museum app is filled with adventurous and fun characters like William and Wendy who accompany and lead your child on their Phonics Museum adventure.  William and Wendy then introduce your child to Percival the knight, who they meet in a museum exhibit.  Miss Biddle is the Museum curator and is in charge of it all.  She’s the quirky “teacher” in the app.  
This app is jam-packed with information your little one needs to learn in order to read.  It gives your child a solid educational base for learning the alphabet, phonics, comprehension and so much more.  Honestly, I was skeptical at first but after seeing my kids use the app to learn I can say I’m completely thrilled with their progress and learning.
How We Used It:
This one I let Jack and Laycie use.  They love iPad time so I knew this app would be really fun for them to work on during their digital “play” time.  It quickly became a favorite that they argued over so we had to set up a basic schedule of when they could play to share it.  It was easily done.
They really learned so much.  Laycie knows a lot already but it was great review for her.  It was an introductory lesson on reading and phonics for Jackson and he truly enjoyed learning with the app.  
Where You Can Buy:

Phonics Museum App was created by Veritas Press and is available in the App Store.  It is a free app download and requires iOS 9.1 or later to use.  It’s made for ages 5 and under but it was a great review for my 9 year old as well.  It can be used with iPad or iPhone.


Social Media for Veritas Press:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/veritaspress  @VeritasPress




Phonics Museum App {Veritas Press Reviews}

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Memoria Press: First Form Latin {Crew Review}

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homeschooling, classical christian education, classical christian curriculum, classical, christian homeschool curriculum, memoria press
Back in April we completed a review for Memoria Press for their wonderful First Form Greek Complete Set curriculum. (Read our review here!)  We found this to be an amazing curriculum to use for Greek as a foreign language but my daughter was lacking the prerequisite of Latin in order to best understand what she was learning through the program.  Thankfully, not long after, Memoria Press came up on the vendor list for the Homeschool Review Crew again.  This time we were offered Memoria Press’ First Form Latin Complete Set, just what Emmalee needed to be able to complete her lessons with Memoria Press’ First Form Greek.

homeschooling, classical christian education, classical christian curriculum, classical, christian homeschool curriculum, memoria press

What Is First Form Latin:

First Form Latin is a complete Latin program for learning Latin.  This program includes everything needed to learn Latin as a foreign language.  First Form uses a Grammar first approach to learning which focuses on teaching Grammar and Vocabulary to young students so they learn the basics as they build through the lessons.  First Form Latin and all of the First Form courses are great for students in grades 4-9.

homeschooling, classical christian education, classical christian curriculum, classical, christian homeschool curriculum, memoria press

What We Received:

Our First Form Latin Complete Set included the following in our package:
First Form Latin Student Text
First Form Latin Student Workbook
First Form Latin Pronunciation CD
First Form Latin Instructional DVD 3 Disc Set
First Form Latin Teacher Manual
First Form Latin Teacher Key (Workbook, Quizzes, Tests)
First Form Latin Quizzes and Tests

First Form Latin Flashcards for Vocabulary, Latin sayings and Grammar Form

Who and How We Used It:

Since this program was for Emmalee as a prerequisite to her previous lessons from Memoria Press First Form Greek, I handed the box straight to her.  Em is a very independent learner and doesn’t like to have her hand held when learning.  She always comes to me with questions or any help she needs but generally she’s a figure-it-out-herself kinda girl.

Memoria Press is laid out so well that it’s always extremely easy to follow.  Emma had no problems setting her pace with the program, following along with the plans and scheduling already provided by Memoria Press.  I was able to help her set up a pace that worked for her (a few lessons at a time, taking as much time as she needed.)  She was able to take her time working through her lessons, watching the instructional videos for each lesson through the provided DVD’s.  Her favorites are always the pronunciation CD’s which she listens to over and over until she gets the sounds trained in her mind and also the flashcards which she uses along with the Pronunciation CD to better learn what she is reading and listening to.

She completed her worksheets as she went along through the lessons with very little problems.  Emma loves a good workbook and Memoria Press materials are always well-laid out and easily followed along.  Emma did use some of the quizzes and tests on her own but I never require them as my concentration is never to test her skills but to ensure she’s learning and enjoying the lessons as she goes, which she always does.

Memoria Press First Form Latin was a great fit for Emmalee and she’s very excited this curriculum will count towards her High School Foreign Language requirements.  She’s also taught the little ones a few words in both Latin and Greek that she’s learned through both of these curriculum.  She looks forward using the other Memoria Press Latin programs in the future as well.

Where You Can Buy First Form Latin:

Memoria Press’ First Form Latin is available for $125 through the Memoria Press website online.  It is for grades 4-9.  You can also take a look at all the other great Memoria Press Latin Complete Sets by clicking here!  Additional program supplements are also available.

Memoria Press Social Media Links:

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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memoriapress/            Tag:  @memoriapress   
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/memoriapress/          Tag:  @memoriapress   





Read More Reviews of Memoria Press: 

Latin, Nature and Trees {Memoria Press Reviews}
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Memoria Press: First Form Greek {Crew Review}

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What We Reviewed:


For this review, we were sent First Form Greek Complete Set from Memoria Press.  This set came at the perfect time.  A few weeks before this vendor came up, Emmalee and I were discussing what she’d like to learn about next.  She paused to think for a few minutes and then stated, “Greek.  I want to learn Ancient Greek though, not any new stuff.”  Then a few weeks later this popped up in the Vendor list and I knew it was just what she wished for!  Better yet, it was set to ship out on her birthday!  No doubt that this was meant for her.



What We Received:


We have reviewed other Memoria Press curriculum in the past and it always arrives in it’s own cardboard box with the company name on printed on the outside.  I keep it in that box until we complete our reviews because the box is often filled to the brim with curriculum goodies for us.  This box was no exception.


This box contained the following:


First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Instructional DVDs by Elizabeth Pierce

First Form Greek Teacher Key (Workbook, Quizzes, & Tests) by Cheryl Lowe and Michael Simpson

First Form Greek Quizzes & Tests Workbook by Cheryl Lowe and Michael Simpson

First Form Greek Teacher Manual by Cheryl Lowe and Michael Simpson
First Form Greek Student Text by Cheryl Lowe and Michael Simpson
First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Workbook by Cheryl Lowe and Michael Simpson
First Form Greek Pronunciation CD
First Form Greek Flashcards
Access to online videos to use with the curriculum.

This set works together to create a complete Ancient Greek curriculum for teaching your student Greek thoroughly.  


I will explain some of the key pieces of curriculum in this set.

First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Instructional DVDs by Elizabeth Pierce

There are 5 DVDs in this set. Each covers 4-5 lessons from the curriculum and are labeled in order.  They are approximately 10-20 minutes of instruction per lesson equaling around 8 hours of instructional videos.  The videos include lesson lectures, oral drill as well as examples and charts to instruct your student.


First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Teacher Manual

This is a typical teacher’s guide designed to help you achieve your best through using the curriculum.  It begins with an introduction on how to use the curriculum and instruct your student in the lessons to learn Ancient Greek.  


Next it gives a lesson overview of what to expect in each lesson and how it flows.  This is followed with Games and Review Activities and how to use those to best teach and learn Ancient Greek.  This section is followed with a Syllabus and Preparation that shares how to create a syllabus for your homeschool and this curriculum and also how to prepare your classes and use this curriculum.  

The next section is the Recitation list followed by the Student text and lesson plans.  At the end of the guide are Appendices sharing Greek Sayings and Vocabulary from Greek to English and English to Greek.

The lessons plans are easy to follow with check off boxes for each part as you complete the lesson.  The lessons become a little more intensive as the curriculum goes along and you build a better understanding of Ancient Greek.  

First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Student Text

This is a rather small and easy to use text book for your student.  It’s 116 pages in length and covers all the lessons your student will be learning in the curriculum.  There is a brief introduction then it immediately moves into the lessons.  There are 24 lessons.  At the back of the book are several appendices, oral drill and a vocabulary section. 


First Form Greek: Introduction to Ancient Greek Workbook

Now this thing is huge!  280 pages of worksheets that help you learn Ancient Greek.  There’s a statement to the student and a translation checklist, then you jump right in to the good stuff.  Worksheet after worksheet of learning, complete with drill forms in the back.  



How We Used It:


I handed this straight over to Emma who dove straight in.  At first, she chose to simply listen to the Pronunciation CD to get a head start on speaking the language and then she looked up the videos and began to watch those to learn more about the curriculum before she began lessons.  Emma is unique and  has her own style of working on things. 

The curriculum was not hard for her to use though.  Normally, we do not use such structured lesson materials but she was easily able to adapt and work through several of the lessons.  I chose to let her set the pace, as she’s naturally an independent learner.  She chose to pick them up nightly, reading her lessons when no one was up to bother her and completing the necessary work that went along with it as she did so.  

She was easily able to follow through the curriculum without a whole lot of guidance from me but she stopped to ask questions when necessary.  As I stated though, Emmalee is extremely independent with lessons and prefers to figure it out herself, which she was easily able to do.

Where You Can Buy First Form Greek:


First Form Greek Complete Set is for students in 7th – 12th grade.  It could be considered an Elective Course or a Course for Foreign Language for your High School student.  It is available through Memoria Press for $125.00 for the entire set.  It does recommend a prerequisite of two years of Latin Grammar, which Memoria Press also offers as available courses, and the Greek Alphabet Book.



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Read More Reviews For This Vendor:

First Form Greek, Iliad/Odyssey and American History {Memoria Press Reviews}

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Roman Roads Media: Dave Raymond’s American History Part 1 {Crew Review}

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For this review we used Dave Raymond’s American History 1 DVD set which are lessons for home.  This program is for grades 6 and up.  This curriculum sells for $75 through Roman Roads Media.
Until this review, I had never heard of Roman Roads Media or Dave Raymond.  Both the company and Mr. Raymond were completely new to me so I didn’t really know what to expect.  I have been pleasantly surprised by Dave Raymond’s American History 1.
Dave Raymond’s American History 1 is an 8 DVD disc set containing 26 lessons with 4 projects to be completed while using this program.  Also included in this multimedia disc are Teacher’s Guides and Student Readers which help to complete the program’s lessons.  These are found in files stored on Discs 1 and 5 and are accessible by computer.
I chose to review this DVD using the computer.  I found that it was a little tricky to get the program to work at first.  I had trouble accessing the menu through the DVD player I was using.  Once I figured that out, we were good to go.
The program begins with an Orientation in which Dave Raymond tells viewers what is expected by using the curriculum, how to take notes, and other specifics to using this program.  I must admit, though this part was extremely important, it was also extremely boring to view.  I was happy just to get through it.
Lesson 2 jumps right into to the beginnings of History.  The program is Biblical based and does discuss parts of the Bible throughout.  I found this nice since I am always looking to relate the Bible into our daily curriculum.
Dave Raymond teaches every lesson on these DVD’s.  Viewing them reminded me of sitting in my US History class in High School.  He was quite animated and thorough in the information provided per lesson being taught.  He never strays from the subject and uses speech to help create visuals for students using the program.
Each video also shows photos related to the era of time being covered and the topic being discussed throughout the video.  This was a so-so aspect to me as I like videos that really bring places to life for my children.  It wasn’t quite what I was expecting but it worked well for the program.
Overall, this program is like an online course with an instructor talking you through the lessons.  You check in for each lesson and complete the tasks he directs you through.  You are expected to take notes and also keep a portfolio as you work through the program.
Dave Raymond’s American History 1 would be amazing for students who like that classroom feel.  It’s also great for students learning to note-take in lessons and complete school lessons in preparation for a college classroom.  I can see structured students in grades 6 and up using this.  I found it challenging and fun to use, a definite review and reminder of American History for me.
My children were honestly bored with this program but I think in time it will be a great asset for our family to use.  I like they get to see a structured lesson that allows note-taking as this is not at all what we do normally in our homeschooling classroom.  The videos are packed with wonderful information about American History though and this was extremely beneficial to our learning at home.  Also, important words and phrases are written directly onto the video section where they are being discussed and I loved that because it allowed the kids to really see those words, helping to promote reading and recognition of these important words and phrases from History.  Really great stuff in my opinion.

I will be continuing to use this program for myself at this time.  I really enjoyed the videos and lessons personally though my children aren’t quite ready for this program.  I can see us definitely using it in the future for schoolwork.  I personally found the review of American History refreshing and it has helped me remember important details to cover with my children as I teach them American History in the future.

This curriculum retails for $75 for the full set of Dave Raymond’s American History 1 DVD program.  It can be purchased through Roman Roads Media and would be a great addition to any homeschool wanting to learn more about American History and looking for a more structured curriculum to use.  It is all on DVD but a Teacher’s Guide and Student Reader are included and can be accessed from the disc through the computer.
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