Harold and The Purple Crayon - FIAR Co-op

To begin our month, we "rowed" Crockett Johnson's book, Harold and the Purple Crayon.  This is such a cute story, and all my kiddos love it.  We've read it before and read a couple other books featuring Harold, but they most definitely enjoyed some re-reads of this classic.

We were able to get together with our book buddies and friends during co-op.  Ms. Alice led the kiddos in some great activitied including:  drawing with purple crayons/markers, a color matching game, and a fraction lesson.  Although, I do believe the highlight of the morning was snack time.  Since Harold had a picnic with 9 different types of pie, the kiddos got to create their own mini-pies.  With 9 available toppings, they came up with some interesting concoctions.  All extremely tasty in their books!

March Snow???

I lamented the passing of February simply because we had yet to have a substantial snow.  It seemed that the winter of 2012 was going to slip past us without even one opportunity to play in the snow.  January and February may have failed us, but finally, March 5th, we received a sizable dump.  Oh yeah... 5 inches of snow, so Momma isn't without snow play pics :-)  There were snow angels to be made, snowballs to be thrown, sliding in the snow, snow wrestling, headfirst dives, and of course, snow to be eaten.  Enjoy all this cuteness playing in the fluffy white!

Appreciation Noted

My quest to note One Thousand Gifts (and beyond) continues.  Gratitude and appreciation continually increase.  This is so much more than a to-do task or mission completed.  It is a lifestyle - one I long to live and pass on to my children.  Thanksgiving for God's great gifts!  I am so very blessed!

167.  a family hike
168.  a small hand holding mine
169.  Salato Wildlife Education Center
170.  windshield wipers
171.  Mary (better known as Grandma) always willing to keep the kids
172.  LifeWay Bookstore
173.  three happy kids at McDonald's playland
174.  my kids excited waves to & from Ms. Dotty driving by
175.  table talk with the ladies at Bible Study
176.  an answered prayer for a friend
177.  my hubby's hard work, good attitude, and skill recognized by his supervisors
178.  an enjoyable art class for the kiddos
179.  a surprise
180.  possibilities
181.  homemade pretzels (at Gretchen's home, of course!)
182.  having a basement
183.  Lex18 Weather Team storm coverage
184.  God's protection through the storms
185.  my Dad's birthday celebration
186.  hugs from my MaMa Spaulding
187.  Caleb's excitement from a lost tooth
188.  an impressive, play-worthy snow after we thought this winter would have none
189.  my sweet angels making snow angels
190.  beautiful, snow-covered trees glistening in the sun
 

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - Crazy Weather

In my life this week…

• The weather has been CRAZY!  Upper 60's and Low 70's - Sunny & Gorgeous, then rain, sunny again, followed by tornado warnings and golf ball sized hail, freezing temps, and now a blanket of white with snow still falling.  We have truly run the gamut this week when it comes to weather. 
• I found myself surprised.  Some things that were not even remotely on my radar popped up.  Love when I can connect the dots and see God's handiwork in it all...  praying for the future!
• Wednesday, I was able to do some planning with the Light Will Rise team in the morning while the kiddos played at Grandma's.  Then, I enjoyed Bible Study and table talk that evening.
• Saturday, we celebrated Dad's birthday.  It was great to have my family all together.

In our homeschool this week…

• We were able to enjoy some absolutely gorgeous weather in the great outdoors. My kiddos can't get enough of "real" science - animals and nature study.  Monday, we hit the zoo with our friends. Tuesday, when Jon got off work, we went to the game farm and hiked one of the trails.
• We continued Galloping the Globe with friends.  Germany was our focus.  The kids made pretzels, played a game, went over geography facts, listened to Beethoven, and shockingly ate brats and sour kraut. 

I am inspired by…

• First responders - Firefighters, Police Officers, EMT's.  When tragedy strikes, these people are first on the scene.  Even when taking in haunting images, they are focused on aiding those in need.  I'm thankful for their skills, presence of mind, sacrifice, and willingness to serve... often knowingly putting themselves in harms way in order to help others.  God bless and protect them!

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

• This week will include:  Life Group, Speech, FIAR co-op, Bible Study, and DRASTIC co-op.

Things I’m working on…

• planning a trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

I’m reading…

• Longing by Karen Kingsbury
• Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

I’m grateful for…

• God's protection during the storms.

I’m praying for…

• The families who lost loved ones, those who were injured, and those who lost their homes and businesses in the tornadoes that ransacked KY and neighboring states on Friday.  May we all remember that God is not a God of chaos but of order, yet it is only HE who can truly bring peace and comfort amid chaos and confusion. 

A photo/quote to share…

Parable SLO http://ow.ly/i/tXQr

K5 - TOS Review

K5 Learning is a personalized online learning program.  It includes 4 reading and math programs.  K5 Reading focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary and reading comprehension.  K5 Spelling features adaptive instruction, automatic word generation, an optimized visual interface, and a 150,000+ word database.  K5 Math covers numbers and operations, geometry, measurement (including time and money), algebraic thinking, and data analysis.  Lastly, K5 Facts develops instant recall of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. 

 

To begin K5 Learning, I first had the kiddos complete the online math and reading assessments.  Skill areas being measured include:  phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary, reading comprehension, numbers and operations, measurement concepts, and geometry.  Following their assessments, I had immediate assessments for each of them showing their strengths, weaknesses, and overall placement.  Using the assessment data, K5 Learning tailored and individualized instruction for my children by placing them at the appropriate levels within each of the sub-skill tested. 

As far as my family's satisfaction with the program, only one of my 3 kiddos really enjoyed and seemed to benefit from this online program.  Rachel still isn't an overly confident or proficient computer user, so this style of learning is just not her favorite.  Then, Caleb really had very little interest.  I believe, this was just a personal preference.  He absolutely LOVES and is incredibly successful with another online program we're using, and this one just didn't seem to resonate or click with him. 

Therefore, Jeremiah seemed to be the beneficiary of what K5 Learning has to offer.  Mathematically, he finds some concepts challenging, so I had him concentrate his efforts in the online math lessons.  He seems to thrive with computer-based learning.  As evidenced by Jeremiah's increased confidence and level of ease, this program helps kids learn math facts online.  I like that it eliminates the need for lots of drill and practice worksheets.

View sample lessons for each subject in each grade level. Also, be sure to note the 14 day free trial available. Free reading and math assessments are included as well as access to all lessons. There are no obligations nor credit card information required. I always encourage readers to sample lessons and take advantage of free trials prior to purchase. This allows you to ensure that the program is beneficial and will meet the needs of your children. 

Subscription Pricing:
First Child: $25 / month or $199 / year.
Additional students: $15 / month or $129 / year

More Info: 
Website:  http://www.k5learning.com
Blog:  http://www.k5learning.com/blog
Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/k5learning
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/k5learning

While this program wasn't a perfect fit for all my children, I do recognize its value as a supplemental program to whatever curriculum you are already using.  The TOS Crew Blog is a great place to visit.  There you can read what my fellow Crew Mates are saying about K5 Learning.  They always provide a wealth of information and honest feedback on the products reviewed. 

Disclosure:  My family received a complimentary limited subscription to K5 Learning in exchange for my honest opinion and review. 

58 (or 11) sure is GREAT!

Happy Birthday Padre!!!

The whole fam invaded my parents home to celebrate Dad's 58th birthday.  We shared stories, pictures, laughs, food, and a wonderful time together.  Party decorations, cheese sticks, hard-boiled eggs for Jeremiah (ick!), pizza, cake, and ice cream made the afternoon complete. 

My kiddos and their sweet cousin, Malachi, all adore Papaw.  I mean who wouldn't when he comes up with such great games?  I do believe the ride on Auntie Val's old Kindergarten mat might even rival Dad's infamous "Trot Little Horsey." 

Now, we have heard reports and have even seen a confirmed picture of Dad's dancing in Guatemala, but he failed to "bust-a-move" "cut-a-rug" or shimmy even a smidgen at his own festivities.  Oh well... guess what happens in Guatemala stays in Guatemala?!  Well, there was that one time he danced with a broom...  remember that siblings?

When asked how old Dad was, Jeremiah guessed 11.  We decided to go with that, so there were 11 candles on the cake.  He huffed and he puffed and blew the collective flame out. 

By the way - total shout out for my Dad!  I'm very proud of him, his involvement and heart for missions, his willingness to serve God at home and abroad, and his example to others!  God has blessed me with a great Dad...  yeah, my Dad is way cooler than your Dad :0)  Happy Birthday Padre - I love you!

Reading Eggs (TOS Review)

Do you have tech savvy kids?  I know my three are completely enamored with anything electronic.  Buttons to push, a mouse to maneuver, and they are hooked!  Of course, as a Mom, I'm both protective and selective when it comes to computer-based programs.  After using Reading Eggs with my kiddos, I can loudly sing its praises!  It is educational and safe - there are not advertisements or pop-ups!

The TOS Homeschool Crew was given a 3 month free trial to Reading Eggs.  I was so impressed with what I saw while Caleb was using the program that I have since created accounts for Jeremiah and Rachel.  They are each utilizing the program at a different level, improving their phonics and reading skills, and loving every minute!  I appreciate that this program supports each of my children through one-on-one lessons that meet their current needs.  They aren't rushed along through activities but can repeat any needed and complete lessons in their own time.  

Reading Eggs is an online program full of vibrant, engaging graphics and activities that are both fun and age-appropriate.  This program allows children to interact with endearing characters through puzzles, games, stories, and songs.  In doing so, students gain invaluable knowledge ranging from letter recognition, basic phonics, chunks, blends, prefixes, suffixes, to early reading and spelling.  This program is designed for students ages 3-7.  For older students ages 7-13, Reading Eggspress is available.  It promotes reading fluency and comprehension. 

I appreciate that this program can be tailored to my children's current skill level.  It was not necessary for my boys to start at the very beginning.  Instead, they took a placement test. A sample question is shown below.  Caleb was able to start on Map 8 and Jeremiah Map 3.  Knowing Rachel's abilities, I chose to start her at the very beginning. 

As a parent, I also want to be able to track my children's progress.  Reading Eggs communicates with me via email.  When one of my children comes to the end of a map, they take a quiz.  Then, I receive a personalized email describing the skills and concepts my child has acquired. 

Increasing the fun-factor for kiddos, completion of Reading Eggs lessons results in earning eggs that can be used to play games.  These games serve as a motivational tool and a reward for hard work.  Honestly, my kids found the lessons to be "fun," but the games were definitely an extra bonus.

Why don't you try a free lesson?  Then, sign your child up for a 14-day FREE TRIAL!  It's also important to note that if you purchase a subscription following your free trial, your child’s progress will be retained.  They will be happy not to have to start over!  Subscriptions can be purchased a month at a time, for 6 months, and for a whole year.  A 50% discount is offered when registering a sibling. 

12 months for $75

6 months for $49.95

Monthly for $9.95

In addition, book packs, activity books, and flashcards are also available for purchase. 

You can contact the friendly customer service staff at 1 877-661-4898 or email at support@readingeggs.com with any questions. 


Read what other TOS Crew Members are saying about Reading Eggs HERE!

Disclosure:  I was provided a 3 month online subscription for one child in exchange for my honest opinion and review.