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Standard Deviants Accelerate {Crew Review}

October 22, 2014 by Dana

Standard Deviants Accelerate is a wonderful online program designed to be a supplement to learning. This program covers several subjects in interesting ways. It’s a wonderful addition to any educational program.

For this review, we were given access to the Standard Deviants Accelerate Homeschool Courses. These courses were created to be used in the homeschool environment in order to supplement regular homeschooling lessons at home. The course features many subjects to choose from such as Earth Science, Nutrition, Biology, AP English, AP Chemistry and so much more.

Standard Deviant Accelerate gives the user access to online video lessons that are unique and creative to intrigue students and encourage learning of the lessons being taught. This completely online curriculum also gives you access to review activities, quizzes, writing assignments and so much more. All of these things come together to create a complex and thorough lesson for students to learn important information through the course they are taking via Standard Deviants Accelerate.

As I mentioned above, there are lots of subjects to choose from in the Standard Deviants Accelerate Homeschool Course program. Each offers something completely different. I took a look at several of these classes for our review period but the one we used the most was Nutrition.

I was extremely interested in the Nutrition course because I know that this is something we can use for our family. It never hurts to learn to eat better or learn how important nutrition is for us. I’ve tried to teach my children from early on the importance of their eating habits but that hasn’t always been successful. We have some pretty bad habits when it comes to nutrition. We forget to take vitamins, we choose sodas over juice and cake over fruits. We are the typical American family and it shows.

My Emma in particular struggles with her weight because of our eating habits so it was my hope that through us using this course together, she would learn a lot about her health and nutrition that would stick with her for life. So far so good. The program begins with an introduction to Nutrition which covers an explanation on what nutrition is along with introductions to fats, carbohydrates and more. This is the first step to learning healthy choices in eating.

The course was easy enough to follow through and learn from. The videos kept the lessons interesting and we were able to work together to learn through this course. There were 8 chapters within the course, each containing 4-5 sections to explain the chapter. At the end, there is also a review to check what has been learned through the course.

Standard Deviants Accelerate Homeschool Course is available online for $99 a year or $24.95 per month for one student. AP courses are available for $14.95 per month for one student as well. These courses are well worth the cost.

These courses are designed for students ages 8- Adult.

You can find Standard Deviants Accelerate online in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDAccelerate

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SDAccelerate

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SDAccelerate/

Google+: google.com/+Sdaccelerate

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French Essentials {Crew Review}

November 13, 2013 by Dana

Looking for a quality French program to use at home? Need something simple but thorough to teach French to your children? Planning a trip to France and need to learn the language? Look no further than French Essentials.

French Essentials was created to be an adaptable French language program. Designed to be used with children in grades 2 and up, this program is perfect for everyone! French Essentials is a complete French program that is easy to use.

The website states that if a student completes one module per year beginning in Grade 3, they will complete the course during their senior year. So as you can tell, this program is extremely adaptable and lessons can be completed as needed by you and your child. Lessons for younger students will, of course, take more time than those for older students and younger students will require more parental assistance than the older students will need.

French Essentials is designed to be used both on and off line with students. Modules are expected to be downloaded to print off the worksheets necessary for the lessons. There are currently 5 modules. Module 1 contains 20 lessons, the student workbook, keys and a module checklist. Module 2 contains 25 lessons, workbook, keys and checklist as well. Module 3 contains 15 lessons along with the workbook, keys and checklist. Module 3 also includes a Pronunciation Workout as well. Module 4 contains 16 lessons, the student workbook, keys, checklist, Pronunciation Workout and also includes Video Scripts to use. Module 5 contains 15 lessons. The first 5 lessons contain the lesson workbook and key to use while learning.

The lessons begin with the pronunciation of the French Alphabet and moves forward from there. Lessons are thorough but not too intense, packing just the right amount of learning within them. Each lesson contains several exercises to complete and can be done in a day or more as needed. They are completely adjustable to your personal schedule.

Each module includes links to everything that is needed within the lesson. So sounds play right as you need them within the program simply by clicking on the microphones to activate them. The sound bites are created by French speakers so the correct pronunciation is best learned. Online exercises can also be reached by logging into your account online to connect to the necessary module per lesson.

There are also links to learn about the French culture included with the lesson plan. These are available by clicking on “culture” in the Student Area. These extra little tidbits bring to life the lessons you are learning as your work through the program. They are a fun bonus to help your child better connect with the French culture.

We were able to fit this program in as needed during our days. When we found an extra moment, we worked on a module. Since the modules were printable, I simply printed out what I needed to and use the kids computers to complete the sounds and videos that went along with the lessons. All three children worked together on these lessons with ease. This was a refresher course for me as I took two years of French Foreign Language as a course in High School but I desperately needed the brush up!

French Essentials can be purchased in individual modules or as a full set, your choice. Each individual module costs $69.95 and each purchase is available for 90 days. The French Essentials full package for the year can be purchased for $149.95. This includes the lesson downloads, sound bites and videos used during the lessons.

To read more reviews of French Essentials, please click on the banner below!

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IXL {Crew Review}

November 8, 2013 by Dana

IXL is a well-known name in Homeschooling and education. What began as a Comprehensive Math program has expanded to include Language Arts as well. This amazing program can be used to supplement any math or language program available.

IXL provides thorough instruction and practice of important skills in both Math and Language Arts. The program is designed to be set up to meet State Standards but can also be used to simply supplement extra practice in subjects or units as needed. Covering grades K-12 in Math instruction and grades 2-4 in Language Arts, with future plans to expand, this program provides just the right amount of supplementation at home.

The formatting of the program is set to basically allow children to read through the problem then choose an answer through A, B or C options. This allows a child to process and answer quickly when using the program. Children can work on, above or below grade level as needed and parent/teacher options allow this to be set per child as needed.

There is audio available for math skills in the younger grades, which is helpful for students who may struggle with reading skills. An iPad app is available as well for extra math practice. Students can work either by grade level or by topic as needed. Working by topic allows the student to work strictly on Addition or Estimation or Algebra as needed, wherever the student needs the extra help.

Language Arts is set up similarly to Math, allowing the student to work on grade level or by topic. So if your student needs extra practice with Sentences or Nouns and Pronouns, you can simply choose that topic to start them on.

In parent mode, you can set up each child’s account through the Profiles and Settings options. I was able to set up a parent account and one account for each of my older children. I input their names and chose a picture to fit them so they can tell who is who. These are fun little images to help them distinguish their personal accounts. I can also opt to set a secret word for each of them to log in with or to leave the account without a word in this section.

Through my parent account, I can check the progress of each student. I can print reports of their progress, as well. I am able to view awards for each student’s progress to see how well they are doing in their work. I can also view my state standards to see how well my children match up to their grade levels and their educational knowledge through the program.

We’ve used IXL for several years off and on now. It’s a program that I have personally enjoyed though it’s not always been appealing to my children. However, it’s a wonderful program to have them use as a go to just to cover review lessons quickly and gauge their personal progress.

The style and set up of the program lessons remind me of the Standardized Testing that I used to take yearly in public school. It’s pretty much presented as a problem with fill in the blank answers, or online choices in the place of fill in the blank. This isn’t necessarily a problem but it doesn’t completely mesh with our homeschooling style. My children are extremely hands-on and prefer to watch a video on a math lesson or to actually work out a lesson using blocks or some kind of manipulative over choosing the correct answer from a group of answers.

This program would be amazing for students who are preparing for testing in their state. In our state, testing is not mandatory, so it definitely doesn’t benefit us there. It would also be a great program for a family who wishes to meet their state’s standards or to stay aligned with the public school’s standards for education.

My children enjoy being able to see their accomplishments through the Awards in the program. They also enjoy seeing the information they’ve covered in lessons, and I enjoy that as well. It’s also nice to be able to print off the areas they have covered and passed thoroughly so I can see what we need to work on next. This allows me to bypass parts of lessons that my children aren’t struggling with and concentrate on those areas they are struggling with.

IXL is available by subscription for $9.95 for Math only, $9.95 for Language Arts only, or $15.95 monthly for both. A years subscription of $79 is available for either Math or Language Arts or $129.00 for both subjects for the year. Additional subscriptions for each child are $2 a month per child, or $20 per year per child.

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Reading Kingdom {Crew Review}

August 16, 2013 by Dana

Reading Kingdom is an amazing online reading program designed to help children that are ages 4-10 learn to read and build reading skills they may struggle with. This program is designed to be easy to use for both Parent and child. It can also be used in a classroom setting for schools.

Reading Kingdom is designed to work with the child’s skill level. Any young child can use this program at any skill level. How quickly your child completes this program will depend upon your child’s skill level. The complete Reading Kingdom program takes around 12-15 months to work through. Children with advanced reading skills can complete the program within 3-6 months.

Reading Kingdom is designed to be used at least 4 times a week with your child. Children should be at least 4 years old and able to sit quietly, paying attention for at least 15 minutes at a time. Children should know basic computer skills like using a mouse.

Reading Kingdom uses a balanced approach of reading skills to teach children to read. The program uses the 6 important skills of sequencing, sounds, motor, meaning, Grammar and comprehension combined together to master both reading and writing. This allows a child to fully comprehend reading and these skills last a lifetime.

The greatest thing about Reading Kingdom though is that it customizes to your child. Every child’s experience with this program will be completely different. When your child begins this program, they will complete a reading skills survey that allows the program to adapt to your child. Based on the results of this survey, the program designs itself to fit your child’s learning needs. It also adapts as your child progresses through the program, developing your child skills as they learn.

We have used this program with my struggling reader and he really loves it. Since it goes at his pace and adapts to his skills, he is able to really enjoy himself while using it. Winston is a whole word learner and struggles with phonics type programs. Reading Kingdom’s combined approach has allowed him to grasp concepts of reading that he usually struggles with when learning single reading programs like phonics or whole words.

Winston uses the program a few times a week and works as long as he wishes on his reading. There is no rush for him or pressure in learning. It’s complete fun and games in reading and this has helped him relax tremendously. We will be adding his little sister to the program in the future.

Reading Kingdom has a free trial available to view this curriculum before taking the jump into joining with a membership. Memberships are $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year for the first child. Additional children added into the program are $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. There are also additional materials available for purchase to use with the program as well. Free online resources are also available for use.

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Dig-It Games: Mayan Mysteries {Crew Review}

July 15, 2013 by Dana

Dig-It Games brings to life the world of the Maya through it’s interactive game, Mayan Mysteries.

Mayan Mysteries allows children to become archaeologists in this fun game. Children learn about history through play.

Dig-It Games was founded by Suzi Wilczynski, professional archaeologist and former school teacher. She created Mayan Mysteries and Roman Town to bring to users a fun, interactive way to teach ancient civilizations with archaeology. Through 10 years of experience with digs in Greece and Israel, Ms. Wilczynski created a way to bring her experiences to students everywhere.

In Mayan Mysteries, players learn about the history of the Maya civilization and culture. Created for children in grades 5th through 9th, ages 11 and up, this game walks students through a world that would otherwise be forgotten if not for historical digs and documents. Throughout the game, users discover artifacts, decode ancient glyphs, explore the Maya calendar, visit ancient cities and much much more.

The game itself works as a puzzle with pieces leading to fit into each other in order to open up each level of play. Included activities test reading comprehension, geographical skills, spatial reasoning, math, science and history skills. Scientific and analytical thinking skills are practiced throughout gameplay too.

Users begin playing Mayan Mysteries by joining up with Team Q to find the mysterious thief, Landrone. This leads the user on a chase that spans over the great ancient Maya cities through over 300 expansive challenges and 12 hours of gameplay. On the journey, the user learns key facts, geographical data, finds countless artifacts, solves glyphs and more.

Users gain achievements for every quest completed, such as the Golden Trowel for collecting 8 artifacts or the Genius Decoder for solving all spirit companion Glyph riddles without using hints. These achievements are rewards for completion of the mysteries and lessons throughout the game.

There are tons of artifacts for the player to find throughout the game too. Through gameplay and digs, the player will find things like a ball player figurine, a ceramic flute, a flint knife, obsidian arrowheads, stingray spines and many more. The player will learn about each of these items through play as well, leading to an unforgettable online history lesson.

Landrone clues are also provided throughout the expedition to find Landrone. These clues are kept in Charlie’s journal and can be accessed at any time during gameplay.

Team Q is who you are helping to find Landrone and solve the Mayan Mysteries. Team Q consists of Dr. Alex Quinn, the extraordinary archaeologist, and leader of the expeditions. The twins, Fiona Quinn, future archaeologist extraordinaire and Charlie Quinn, future detective are also a viable part of Team Q. Along with your help they are sure to solve the mystery and find Landrone.

This fun, fun archaeology game is sure to bring hours of interactive lessons to life for users. I know we have enjoyed playing and learning more about each artifact and place visited via the game. My children, ages 10 and 12 have worked together to play through this game and enjoyed learning more.

You can purchase Mayan Mysteries from Dig-It games online for $21.99 for a one year single-user license. This gives you access to the full game for a year to play. Mayan Mysteries is also available as an App in the Apple Store or iTunes for $9.99.

A+ Tutorsoft, Inc {Crew Review}

February 27, 2013 by Dana

A+ TutorSoft, Inc. is a fully interactive, multi-sensory Mathematics program. This curriculum was created for use with children in grades 1-6. The goal of the program is to provide engaging, expert instruction in order to help the student reach their top educational potential per grade level. The program is available for homeschoolers, as well as public and private school use.

For purpose of this review, I was given access to A+ TutorSoft 2nd Grade Online Homeschool Edition. This edition gave me access to A+ TutorSoft’s full online program for the 2nd grade level. This includes worksheets, interactive online lessons, graded exams, progress reports, access to placement tests, 24/7 online access, answer keys and much, much more.

The lessons in the online program are animated and to-the-point. Interactive FlashCards are included for additional instruction. Parent’s have access to online grading and tools to help identify weaknesses and strengths in a child’s progress.

I tried this program out with both of my older children as I wanted a feel of the program for each of my very different learners. I found that one enjoyed the animated, interactive lessons online while the other enjoyed the lessons along with the extra worksheets to do off the computer. I liked the fact that I was able to make the program work for both of my children and was easily able to adapt the lessons to fit both of their needs. We often use the same program as they are both basically on the same grade level in many areas. A+ TutorSoft provided a great basis for math to use for them both.

The program allowed me to immediately create a copy of the lessons available and the basic skills taught through the 2nd year portion of this program. I was then able to take that sheet and break it into smaller lessons that worked for us. My next step was to view some of the lessons myself in order to prepare to teach them off the computer. I was also able to print worksheets to use along with these lessons with ease to give on the necessary days for offline learning. These lessons were easily adapted. I was able to prolong sections as needed and didn’t feel behind if we weren’t able to work on the lesson for that day. The kids were able to pick back up with no problems as we worked on the program too. This fit in very well with our laid back style and also with our busy days since we’ve been having several of those lately.

We did not use the exam portions of this program for this review as I do not do testing in our homeschool lessons.

A+ Tutorsoft, Inc is available online through their website. Both the CD program and the online program are available. The cost for their 2nd Grade Online Homeschool Edition is available for $19.95 a month, $49.99 quarterly, or $124.99 per year. Each subscription covers one parent and one child.

For more reviews of A+ TutorSoft, Inc., please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog!

*Disclaimer – This product was provided free in exchange of my honest opinion shared in a review post on my blog by A+ TutorSoft and TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew. All opinions are my own and no money has been exchange in the process of this review. I am including this disclaimer in accordance with FTC guidelines.