Schoolhouse Review Crew - Top 10 Favorite TOS Crew Reviews For 2014

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

As you know for the last three years I have been part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. The Schoolhouse Review Crew has been such a huge blessing for our family! It enabled me to be part of a team and help out my fellow homeschooolers by providing feedback on valuable homeschool curriculum and resources. Sadly I will not be continuing with the crew next year. Since we are full blown unschoolers now, we are hardly ever home and don't really utilize curriculum anymore. If you have never checked out the Schoolhouse Review Crew reviews you really must. It is the first place you need to visit when you are looking into making a curriculum purchase. With that being said you may still find curriculum reviews on my blog  next year they will just not be posted as frequently.  

Every year the Schoolhouse Review Crew selects their favorite products for the blue ribbon awards. This year a total of 27 Blue Ribbons were handed out to 23 companies!

Many of the companies I voted for received a ribbon, but there were a few that didn't. I did a total of 21 reviews for the Schoolhouse Review Crew this year and it is very hard to choose favorites because we loved just about every single one of them! But there were several that my children really benefited from, that we continued utilizing throughout the year and that I would personally spend money on to continue using!

So here are our top 10 absolute favorite reviews for 2014, as well as links to the reviews!

1) Clue in Kids - What child doesn't love treasure hunts? These treasure hunts are fun and educational.

2) Out of the Box Games - Snake Oil Party Potion - A fun and educational game guaranteed to entertain for hours.

3) Standard Deviants Accelerate - This online learning program is tons of fun and interactive. They offer a wide variety of courses for all ages. 

4) Under Drakes Flag - Bring history to life with this beautifully done audio drama.
5) Moving Beyond The Page - This has got to be one of my new favorite unit study curriculum's. I love that it is literature based and that they have many different price options available!
6) Hewitt Homeschooling - Take the pain out of writing with these fabulous hands on literature unit studies.
7) Learning Wrap-Ups - These hands on learning tools are great for tactile children. They keep children engaged and make learning fun.
8) Logic Of English - Reading, writing and spelling oh my. Logic of English is a great curriculum for all learning styles and it keeps kids engaged with hands on fun lessons!
9) Golden Prairie Press - A flexible history curriculum that brings history to life through the use of living books and hands on projects.
10) ARTistic Pursuits - This art curriculum is easy to use and incorporates all elements of art.

Be sure to check out the winners and other crew favorites (click badge at bottom of the post to view other crew member favorites).

Out of the Box Games - Snake Oil Party Potion Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Out of the Box Games is an American game publisher that has been dedicated to providing fun, innovative party, card and board games since 1998. All of their games are easy to learn, colorfully illustrated, fun, educational and easily played in less than an hour. And they have won numerous awards.

A moms review: 
We love games...like a lot. We love them so much that we have an entire chest and bookshelf full of them. And I am always on the search for games that are not only fun, but also educational. Well the game we received from Out of the Box Games totally fits the bill!

We received a copy of Snake Oil – Party Potion which is recommended for children ages 8 years and older...however younger children that are able to read will be able to play as well. Snake Oil is super easy to learn and lots of fun to play. We couldn't wait to play Party Potion, so the day it arrived we grabbed the quilt, headed out to the front lawn and played several rounds. Both my 8 and 7 year old loved the game and had no trouble playing it.  They especially liked that there were no lengthy instructions. It was the perfect way sneak in reading for the day. Since then we have played the game several times and each time the game is tons of fun and different than time before.

Before I get into the game playing specifics I want to tell you the educational values of this game. It just so happened that we were learning about the Wild West when the game arrived and it went along wonderfully with what we were learning about. Have you ever heard of Snake Oil? Well the term Snake Oil is from the Wild West days and was used to describe fake health products. In the ol' days, salesmen would try to convince customers to buy oil or liquors in medicine bottles. Yup those magic bottles would cure all yer' aches and pains. People spent their life savings only to realize a few days later that they had been swindled and that the Snake Oil salesman was long gone and probably already in the next town.  Some of the other educational concepts this game promotes are oral presentation skills, creativity and innovation, risk taking, communication skills, vocabulary building, empathetic persuasion strategies and more.

How To Play The Game:
The game is designed to be played by 3-6 players, takes just 5 minutes to learn and 20-30 minutes to play....but your children will have so much fun they will want to play for hours.

To play Snake Oil Party Potion you first decide who will be the customer. The customer then chooses a customer card (blue on one side and green on the other). The customer cards provide a role such as Mad Scientist, Princess, Snowman, The President, etc.

The other players use the word cards (2 sets included) to create a unique, outrageous product for the customer. Each player (aka Snake Oil salesman) will lay down two word cards to create a potion. Next they will pitch their product to the customer and convince them as to why they NEED the product. Boy does it get silly.

After the players have made their pitches, the customer awards the customer card to the player who had the best sales pitch. Then the player to the left of the customer becomes the next customer. The game continues in this fashion until everyone has been the customer at least once....or in our case until all the customer cards are finished. The winning player is the one with the most customer cards.

Doesn't that sound like tons of fun?

The game even grows with your children because you can combine the Snake Oil Party Potion cards with the original Snake Oil game (recommended for ages 10 and up) for even more game playing fun.

This game is lots fun and perfect for the entire family...even the anti game playing members. We had a blast playing and laughing together. And later the children had fun drawing pictures of the crazy products they concocted. Can you imagine what poison milk, magic pants or wish plunger would like like? We loved the fact that the game is easy to transport making it perfect for family camping trips, car rides or hotel stays. It has become a new family favorite and thankfully it is packaged in a small box so it had no problem finding a home on the game shelf.

Links to follow:

-Out of the Box Facebook
-Out of the Box Twitter
-Out of the Box YouTube

Where to buy:
Snake Oil Party Potion retails for $14.99 and can be found at local game stores and on Amazon.

Click here for more Out Of The Box Games reviews from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Clued In Kids Treasure Hunts Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Clued in Kids was launched in 2013 by a Helen Bertelli. Creating treasure hunts for a living was always a childhood dream of hers and making her dream come true was quite a journey. She started out creating treasure hunts for children in her neighborhood and when she had her own children she continued creating treasure hunts for them. It was then that she realized 3 things about treasure hunts: they were an incredible, memorable way to teach; they got children moving; and they remind us that life is a journey to a treasure and that if learning and laughter occur along the way, the destination doesn't really matter. Helen's story is quite an amazing one so make sure you visit the website to learn more. 

What child (or adult for that matter) doesn't love scavenger or treasure hunts? 

A moms review:
I absolutely love the Clued In Kids motto, “Treasure The Journey," because that is exactly what our family does on a daily basis. We treasure the fact that we are able to homeschool and go on adventures daily. And we treasure that we get to spend time learning and having fun together. Part of that learning fun for us is geocaching and scavenger hunts. Every week we go on an adventure, armed with our gps in search of a hidden treasure. And for the last year I have been creating my children scavenger hunts for our road trips and visits to various attractions and museums. So when I learned about Clued In Kids I totally jumped at the chance to review the treasure hunts. I know first hand how educational a scavenger hunt can be!

We received the Halloween Treasure Hunt and the Happy Tummy Treasure Hunt. But these are just 2 of the many options available. There are pdf versions as well as clue pads. The two we received were pdf versions. The nice thing about the printable version is that you can use them over and over again. So if you have a group of friends visiting for the day you can introduce them to learning with Clued In Kids too!

It takes just 8-10 minutes to print and set up the treasure hunt and children will have 20-30 minutes of learning fun. The Clued In Kids treasure hunts are suitable for children ages 4 and up. As for the final treasure it can be anything you wish. I stopped by Dollar Tree and picked up a few goodies like dress up clothes and magnetic doodle boards.

These treasure hunts were perfect for our unschooling style and are great for all learning types. They are also perfect for children with special needs and ADHD. My 7 and 8 year old had a blast and were able to complete the activities with very little assistance. They took turns finding the clues so it was a great lesson in teamwork too. Be sure to watch this video to see exactly how it works.

Below are additional details on the two treasure hunts we received:

Halloween Treasure Hunt

In these printable options, parents print out the series of five clues along with the place the next “answer” should be found. Each set requires only 8  minutes of set up time for about 20 minutes of fun and learning! - See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/clued-in-kids-review/#sthash.PkY4rJUv.dpuf

Trick or Treasure? The Halloween-themed treasure hunt is great for helping children burn off all that candy they have collected. There are a total of 12 clues to print and hide and each clue has the exact instructions on where to hide them printed at the bottom. Some of the clue hiding places include broom, form, cereal, bike, etc. We didn't have a pumpkin yet which was were the final clue needed to be hidden, so I improvised and hid the clue on our Fall door hanger which happens to have a pumpkin on it! There were also fun activities children had to complete to get a clue from the clue holder (aka mom) like howl or say boo! This treasure hunt is great for 1-10 children. Activities children need to solve include solving riddles, finding hidden pictures, decoding messages, solving math problems and more.

Happy Tummy Treasure Hunt
The Happy Tummy Treasure Hunt helps children learn about health and nutrition. There are 12 clues to print and hide and each clue has the exact instructions on where to hide them printed at the bottom. Some of the clue hiding places include: bed, coats, microwave, bath etc. And there were also some fun activities children had to complete to get a clue from the clue holder (aka mom) like eat a healthy snack (the children really enjoyed this one). This treasure hunt is great for a single child or a group. Activities children need to solve include decoding messages, learning what nutrients are, finding hidden objects, and more.

If you are looking for a way to boost your child's critical thinking skills and get them away from the screen for some good ole' fashioned learning and fun then definitely try Clued In Kids. Believe me when they find out there is treasure involved they will totally be on board!

Freebie:
Visit the Clued In Kids website and subscribe to their newsletter to receive a FREE Homework Reward Treasure Hunt.

Gwyn (8 yrs old) review:
I really liked the treasure hunts. They were lots of fun and we learned some neat things too. My brother and I took turns running around the house to find the clues and at the end we got special treasures. One time the treasure was even hidden in the refrigerator. Sometimes finding the clues were a little hard because we have multiple sock drawers and beds.

Links to follow:

-Clued In Kids Facebook
-Clued In Kids Twitter
-Clued In Kids Pinterest

Where to buy:
Printable treasure hunts are $5.99 and clue books are $8.99 both can be ordered from the Clued In Kids website.

Click here for more Clued In Kids reviews (many different products were reviewed) from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

New Liberty - Anthem For A Nation DVD Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

New Liberty Videos is a family-owned Christian company dedicated to producing quality family friendly, educational DVDs. The company was founded by Brian Barkley, a former Hollywood television editor who became a follower of Jesus in 1977 while producing the documentary "Set Free."

A moms review: 
We received a copy of Anthem for a Nation to review and have watched it a few times over the last several weeks. This American history documentary explores the qualities that make America great. The DVD is about 42 minutes long  and also includes 2 special features.

Anthem for a Nation is recommended for a general audience, however it is recommended that parents preview the video before showing it to their children as there may be subjects that you are not ready to discuss with younger children yet. I watched this DVD with my 8 and 7 year old and there was definitely at least one topic that I had to discuss with them further afterwards, and that was the topic of abortion.

The video offers a Christian worldview on the history of America. The message is very powerful and explains the question, "why has America prospered like no other nation in the history of the World?" It is a known fact that America was founded on Christian principles, but did you know that there is actually scripture carved into many of the historical monuments? Or that the several federal building and monuments in Washington, D.C form a perfect cross when viewed aerially? Or that the 10 Commandments hang above the Chief Justice in the United States Supreme Court? These were just some of the many interesting facts we learned from this DVD. 

Throughout the documentary there are beautiful patriotic music pieces and breathtaking scenes depicting American life, history and landscapes. In between the various montages the narrator tells viewers about the Christian background of our nation. He shares facts about the constitution, government buildings, and how God has been systematically removed from our nation's principles over the years. And he dives into how the Bible and prayer have been removed from public schools.

We enjoyed the film and my children found it very engaging. Though I didn't fully agree with every aspect of the film, I did enjoy all the fantastic facts about the history of our nation and do feel that it is important for my children to learn about the founding principles of our country and why we are able to enjoy so many of the freedoms we have today.

Our country is definitely in dire need of help for many reasons and this DVD encourages Christians to renew the qualities and freedom our country was founded on to preserve it for future generations.

The additional features were really amazing and a great bonus for us since we are currently learning about WWII. In the first special feature Maria Anne Hirschmann tells her amazing story of living in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia. In the second special feature Kitt Werthmann tells her story of growing up in Austria under Hitler's regime.

After watching the documentary we decided to do some further research. We hopped online and took a virtual fieldtrip to some of the monuments and  places that were shown in the film and learned more about each of them.

You can view a 15 minute preview here.

Where to buy:
New Liberty Videos can be purchased for just $14.95 each + FREE shipping. If you order multiple DVDs you can save money!

Click here for more New Liberty DVD reviews from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Standard Deviants Accelerate Online Learning Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Standard Deviants Accelerate was created by the brilliant minds at Cerebellum Corporation, an educational company that has been producing and distributing a plethora of educational resources since the days of VHS tapes (shh we still have a bunch of these archaic things). Over the years Standard Deviants has enhanced and modified their resources in order to keep up to date with the latest technological advances. Their latest advance is an online interactive educational website which offers a full years worth of curriculum supplement and test prep for 3rd through 12th grade (and even adults).

A moms review:

For the purpose of this review we received a 1 year subscription to all of the Standard Deviants Accelerate Homeschool Courses. Both of my children ages 7 and 8 have been utilizing several of the courses, even the ones meant for older grade levels, over the last several weeks. Since we unschool I feel very strongly about letting the children make their own choices on what they wish to learn about, regardless of age and grade level recommendations. I was a little apprehensive about them doing the higher grade level courses in Standard Deviants, but to my surprise they did extremely well and easily comprehended the information being taught. And most importantly they loved doing the online courses. Since the children were interested in DNA, the human body, weather and slavery we decided to utilize the US History, Biology, Earth Science and Nutrition courses.  I also had the children try the Arithmetic course. 

Program overview:

Standard Deviants is unlike any other online educational teaching tool we have utilized before. The program includes RTI Alerts, Differentiated Instruction, automatic grading, streaming videos, a variety of activities and more. With Standard Deviants children ages 8-adult can learn a variety of subjects through online video and written transcripts which teach in a way that is fun and interesting. 

Course Options:

• Arithmetic - Grades 3+
• Fundamental Math - Grades 4+
• Earth Science - Grades 6+
• Nutrition - Grades 6+
• Algebra - Grades 7+
• Biology - Grades 7+
• Chemistry - Grades 9+
• English Comp. - Grades 9+
• U.S. History - Grades 9+
• AP Biolody - Grades 11+
• AP Chemistry - Grades 11+
• AP U.S. Government & Politics - Grades 11+
• AP U.S. History - Grades 11+
• AP Eng. Composition - Grades 11+

The information in each of the course chapters is given in bite sized pieces and a mini module takes on average around 15-30 minutes. Children are able to read a transcript of the lesson or watch and listen to it being taught by a variety of very humorous instructors (who are young adults) through a fun, engaging video. After children complete the course lesson they are then tested to make sure they retained the information. There are drag and drop diagrams, assessment tests and written answer questions to enhance critical thinking skills. There is also a vocabulary review which can be read or listened to.

The Standard Deviant courses can be utilized on any device that has internet access so that means it will work on a tablet, computer or other mobile device. 

Student portal:

The student portal is easy to navigate and my children could easy find their courses, topics, videos and quizzes on their own after being shown just once. The only thing the children need some assistance on was reading the quiz questions and answers to them. The great thing about the courses is that they are self paced and you can jump around the chapters as you wish. 

Each course subject is broken down the same and includes several chapter modules, and a subject review. Within each chapter module there is an intro, several mini modules and a chapter review. The mini modules are really easy to navigate and contain 5 tabs at the top for accessing the video/transcript, vocab, diagram, quiz and written answer. Under each video is a box where children can take notes as they listen and then save them to their "locker" or print them.

If a child is working more independently and has a question about something in the course content they can click a button on the right side of the screen that says "SOS." A little window will pop out where children can type a quick note to their parent/teacher.

The only minor issue we encountered with the student portal was that it doesn't keep track of what modules and mini modules you have completed on the main menu, which would be helpful. You are able to see that you have completed a mini module once you click on it and view the diagram or quiz tabs which will show your previous attempts. And of course you can go into reports as well. To help us with this minor issue I simply printed the course module list and we would cross off the modules that the children completed to help us keep track.

Parent portal:

The parent portal is also very easy to use and allows parents/teachers to read reports, view progress and more. Though most of the grading is done automatically, parents/teachers can provide inupt as needed by customizing the one-click rubrics.  Setting up my children's courses was really easy, though it was a little time consuming because I had to set up each course individually. 

Seeing is believing:

Additional details on courses:
Since my children did utilize so many courses I am not going to talk about each one, but I did want to highlights a couple of them.

Biology:
Gwyn has really been into DNA lately so we focused on the DNA and genetic sections of the biology course. This course was fabulous and even I picked up some things I didn't know. The course covers everything from the cell to the ecosystem. SDA Biology teaches students the stuff that life is made of and shows them how it all interconnects. Topics include heredity, DNA technology, human physiology, and more. We are still working through some of the modules in this course but did complete the Molecules and Cells, Heredity & Inheritance and Molecular Genetics modules. The course has been a great supplement to our DNA strand kit and library books on DNA.            

Earth Science:
Space and weather are always popular topics in our home so the children wanted to give the modules on these topics a try. The weather module was a huge hit. In this course children learn all about the drama that Earth has got going on from the solar system to earthquakes. The course was a great way kick off the Fall season. 

FREE stuff:

Standard Deviants Accelerate offers a FREE 6 month trial subscription.

Wrap up:

Standard Deviants is a fabulous online teaching resource that can be utilized in a classroom setting, media lab, public library or homeschool environment. All course material is secular and non-religious. It works well with any homeschool style and it makes a great supplemental or even full curriculum. Standard Deviants offers affordability, flexibility and most importantly fun learning. The Standard Deviants accelerated learning program is interactive and multi-sensory so it's great for all learning styles (auditory, visual and kinesthetic). I highly recommend Standard Deviants. 

Gwyns review (8 yrs old):
I really like the courses and learned a lot for the videos. I even did really well on many of the exams. I think the videos are funny and I like the cartoon graphics. I do the courses a few times a week.

Links to follow:

-Standard Deviants Facebook
-Standard Deviants Twitter
-Standard Deviants Pinterest
-Standard Deviants Google +

Where to buy:
Standard Deviants Accelerate is $99 per subject for a one year subscription (1 student, 1 teacher), or $24.95 per month. AP Courses are also available for $14.95 per month (1 student, 1 teacher, 1 subject).

Click here for more Standard Deviants Accelerates reviews from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Under Drakes Flag Review - Bring History To Life

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Under Drake's Flag is an amazing audio drama from Heirloom Audio Productions. Under Drake's Flag is based on the novel by G.A Henty. 

A moms review:

We roadschool more than we homeschool so I am always on the search for educational music and audio stories for my children. The entire family enjoyed going on an adventure with Under Drake's Flag on our most recent trip to Myrtle Beach. What better way to start off a beach vacation than with a story about the sea!

The set we received included 2 CDs, a study guide booklet and a pdf study guide curriculum. If you listen to both CDs straight through (which is what we did) you will enjoy 2 hours of exciting, engaging entertainment. Under Drake's Flag is great for entire family and is recommended for children ages 6 years old and up, though I could see slightly younger children enjoying it too.

Under Drake's Flag is not an audio story, or an audio drama it is an active listening audio adventure! Audio theatre is a little different because it is, "fun, entertaining and engaging and allows children to tap into, exercise and build their imagination by letting them create their own self-generated visual images and mental movies."

You will be on the edge of your seat as you set out on an adventure aboard The Golden Hinde with Ned Hawkshaw, Gerald and Sir Francis Drake, one of the most celebrated heroes in history. There are shark attacks, shipwrecks, fierce land and sea battles and more. My favorite thing about the Under Drake's Flag besides the fact that it based on true events is that it teaches children many important lessons, values and morals. Children will learn about history, bravery, selflessness, courage, valor and more. The shark attack was the children's favorite part. My favorite part was escape from the Spanish Inquisition.

Are you ready for an adventure on the high seas with one of the earliest pirates?

Henty's stories do have a Christian focus, but even secular families will enjoy listening to Under Drake's Flag and will be able to take away lots of great historical information and important morals.

The production quality is magnificent. The fast-paced dramatization was recorded in London and features fantastic actors, including Brian Bless an acclaimed British actor. The musical score was written by Emmy-award winning composer John Campbell (Lamplighter Theatre®, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre®, Adventures in Odyssey®) .  The face-paced script is very engaging and both of my children (ages 8 and 7) were completely captivated by the story. The sound effects and music really enhanced the story and made it feel as though we were watching a movie. 

Trailer:

Study Guides:
To further enhance the audio theater production each CD set comes with an abridged study guide booklet. In the booklet is a link to the complete study guide curriculum which includes even more information for helping your children understand the storyline and principles it teaches.

This booklet and study guide curriculum contain questions for discussion, vocabulary and a Bible study linked to the story. Under each chapter there are three sections, "Listening Well", "Thinking Further", and "Defining Words". Since each chapter in the story is numbered on the CD it is very easy to stop at your convenience to utilize the study guide.

Example of study guide curriculum.

"Listening Well" contains questions to make sure children are listening to the story. They will be asked questions to see what they have heard or what they remember. "Thinking Further" questions help your child utilize their critical thinking skills. Children will be asked to look up something they heard in the story, draw conclusions from characters' actions, or to speculate about intentions, mindset and character. "Defining Words" provides a list of vocabulary words that children may not be familiar with. At the very end of the study guide are 3 brief Bible studies to help your children understand godly character traits.

In the back of the pdf study guide curriculum there are also recommended resources for further exploring on Francis Drake.

Since we were traveling we listened to the entire story straight through and later when we arrived home discussed the questions and vocabulary. The children inevitably forgot parts of the story (or so they said) so we had to listen to it again at home on a rainy day. We snuggled up on the sofa and went through the story slowly pausing for the discussions. 

Wrap up:

This audio drama set is a great way to liven up history lessons and really bring them to life. Under Drake's Flag is one of the best audio dramas we have ever listened to. It is fun, engaging and great for the entire family. It is definitely one that we will listen to multiple times. The accompanying resources further extend the amazing audio story helping you create a fantastic mini history unit study on Sir Francis Drake (a 1500's explorer), the Spanish Inquisition and even slavery.

Links to follow:
-Under Drakes Flag Facebook.

Where to buy:
The Under Drake’s Flag, 2 CD set is $29.95 (physical CD set) there are other pricing options are available. 

Update:
In November Heirloom Audio Productions will be releasing a new audio theater production called In Freedom's Cause. This audio drama will cover the story behind the life and legacy of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Visit the In Freedom's Cause website or Facebook page for more information.

Click here for more Under Drakes Flag reviews (many different products were reviewed) from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Why The Arts Matter

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Photo taken at the Art Park on Pine in Albany, GA!

One of our reasons for choosing to homeschool was so that our children would be exposed to the arts on a daily basis. I know this sounds like a strange reason for wanting to homeschool and one that may not seem very important to many people, but for our family it is at the top of our list and essential for our children. Sadly due to "No Child Left Behind," budget cut backs and standardized testing pressures public schools no longer provide the arts education that is so desperately needed for a quality education.

But even in the homeschool world I see the arts struggling. There are very few homeschool curriculum's for the arts and the ones that are available are generally very expensive. Even the local classes are expensive. There have been many times over the years where I have seen and heard homeschool parents stressing over curriculum choices for the core subjects (language arts, science, math, history and geography), but I hardly ever hear them mention concerns about the arts. So today I want to encourage you to include more arts into your homeschool days.

ART is traced to Indo-European “root” at (to fit together); Latin ars means art, skill or craft.

Throughout history some of our greatest contributors (Ben Franklin, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci) to science, history, and math were masters of the arts. The arts solve problems! Without the creativity that the arts provides we don't have science and math advancements, great literature, etc. Art is about fitting things together: words, images, objects, processes, thoughts, historical periods. Art skills are life skills! And creativity drives learning!

Here are some things the arts can do for children:

-improve math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, problem solving and verbal skills
-improve motivation, concentration, confidence and teamwork skills
-connect them more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing
-help them close any gaps in a their education
-get them thinking outside the box
-improve test scores
-enjoy deep forms of beauty
-help with behavioral issues
-keep and convey our cultural heritage
-open us up to other societies and civilizations around the world
-relax them
-provide a healthy outlet for emotion
-make them happy
-improve communication skills
-provide a form of self expression
-helps children find themselves

Did you know that UC Berkley actually invests large portions of their budget into a program call ARC which is a think tank for artists? If art is not important why would one of the leading colleges be investing money into it? Well it's because the arts provide us ways to confront the untouchable, to contemplate the "why", to imagine, to create. All of these things are pivotal to our countries future.

Fitting the arts into your homeschool day doesn't need to be overly difficult and doesn't require a curriculum. Think in terms of project based learning. All core subjects correspond with the arts and are inseparable! The arts can easily be incorporated into every subject. For example you can use musical notes to teach fractions, put on a civil war reenactment, play classical music throughout the day, start a nature journal, learn the dances of different cultures around the world, make musical instruments, build a kite. The opportunities are endless!

Do you incorporate are into your homeschool days? In what ways do you incorporate art?

Don't forget to enter the MEGA homeschool curriculum and cash giveaway here.

Also be sure to head over to Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to see what my fellow crew members are blogging about this week for their 5 day blog hop!



Here are a few quick links to some of my bloggy friends:

Amy @ Counting Change... Again 
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny
Annette @ A Net in Time Homeschooling

Do Grade Levels Matter?

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you ask my children what grade they are in you will get a blank stare or a really bizarre response, because we don't emphasize grade levels in our home. Instead our children learn based on their abilities, not grade levels or what state standards dictate. Last year I told my daughter that she was in secondish grade. So that ended up being her reply when people asked her what grade she was in. And instead of her giving a blank stare we received one back.

By any standard, marker, or goal set and especially by today's sad requisites, grade levels are meaningless. Yet so much emphasis is still put on grade levels both in public/private schools and homeschools. But why?

Our current education system focuses on the "No Child Left Behind Act," standards-based education, and common core. Children are lumped together based on grade level, age and standardized measures and expected to all learn the same things at the same pace regardless of their ability. This means that the slowest or least intellectually developed child inhibits the growth of the most intellectually advance child and vise versa. Both suffer because of a broken education system. At one time a grade level defined a level of excellence, knowledge or expertise, but now it is just a meaningless number. I don't have the answers on how to fix our public school education system, but it does need to be fixed so that children can flourish, be empowered and have a drive to learn.

Prior to the government's control over education, grade levels were non existent. Children were in one room learning different material, each at their own pace. Children were challenged by those who excelled before them and encouraged to advance when they were ready, rather than being forced.

It is imperative that children receive individual educations and get what they need, when they need it and when they are ready for it. And this is yet another reason we chose to unschool. It is our desire that our children receive the individual educations they deserve. They can learn at their own pace in the way that best suites their learning style. We encourage their strengths and accomplishments and provide the support and encouragement when they need it. Children are unique so whey shouldn't their education be individualized?

Don't forget to enter the MEGA homeschool curriculum and cash giveaway here.

Also be sure to head over to Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to see what my fellow crew members are blogging about this week for their 5 day blog hop!



Here are a few quick links to some of my bloggy friends:

Amy @ Counting Change... Again 
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny
Annette @ A Net in Time Homeschooling

Let Your Children Express Themselves - Red Mohawks And All

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today I am sharing something I feel very passionate about and that is letting children express themselves. This post is dedicated to all those who question why we unschool and why my 7 year old son has a mohawk and pierced ears!

There are many forms of self-expression and self-expression is pivotal to a child's development. Yet many public institutions and parents do not allow children to express themselves freely. We all have a need to express our thoughts, feelings and ideas. One way I do that is through blogging. As adults we get angry when people try to force their ideals, beliefs and associations on us. However when it comes to children we find it necessary to interfere with their self-expression. We push children into the activities, hobbies, sports, etc that we think they will enjoy or that we want them to excel at. We assert our beliefs, thoughts, ideals and associations onto them and teach them that they need to conform to society. And we teach children that they should deny who and what they want to become because of what others may think.

By not letting a child express themselves freely we are denying them of important skills they need to become successful, free thinking adults. We are hindering their self-confidence, problem solving skills, work ethic, creativity and over all development.

And this is one of the many reasons we chose to unschool. Everyday we encourage our children to express who they are and encourage them to follow their dreams. Our children are confident (most of the time) and both have big dreams and goals in life. They explore their passions and interests and devote much of their time to learning about what they love. They have their own sense of style and are confident in who they are. They know their likes, dislikes and the activities that they excel at. They don't care what others think about them and they don't care about the differences they see in others. They are well-rounded individuals and we could not be more proud of them.

My story:
As a child I was allowed to express myself to a certain degree. My parents let me dress how I wanted which included tie skirts, afghan jackets and decorated blazers. I got picked on a lot in school but I never cared about what others thought because I was being myself and not conforming to the latest trend or style. I listened to music I liked, even though it was not popular. And I enjoyed expressing who I was through art, writing, and volunteering. But my parents didn't fully support my interests and would often compare me to my much older sister and push me into sports and activities they wanted me to excel at. And my personal passions and interests were not nurtured as much as they could have been. This lack of self-expression resulted in low self confidence which I still suffer from today. They were by no means bad parents they just didn't fully let me express who I was and what I wanted to become.

Fast forward: 
When I met my husband we both agreed that we would let our children express themselves and support them in their interests, passions and dreams. We knew we wanted to homeschool, but realized that there was a possibility we would need to send our children to public school. And if the latter would have been the case we still would have fought for our children's right to self-expression.

Gwyn:
My 8 year old daughter is a tom boy and proud of it. She likes her hair long and uncombed, likes wearing bold colors and doesn't care if her clothes are covered in dirt. She is compassionate, creative, adventurous and loves learning! Some of her favorite hobbies are art, hiking, reading, skateboarding and horseback riding. She wants to own a horse and animal rescue and create masterpieces of art. Her two favorite things to learn about are horses, art and Native Americans.

Check out Gwyn's blog - Adventures Of A Homeschool Cowgirl

Rowyn:
My 7 year old son is a very energetic, rough, tough boy. He definitely has no issue expressing who he is. He asked for his ears to be pierced when he was 3 and well the mohawk has always been his hairstyle of choice since he was a toddler. The colored mohawk is new for him. First it was blue, then red and he now wants to do it red, white and blue. He is also compassionate, creative and adventurous. Some of his favorite hobbies are hiking, getting messy, building with LEGO bricks, playing with his Star Wars toys, dressing up as a superhero or ninja and playing with his cars. He definitely tries my patience everyday, but he also makes me laugh everyday too. He spends the majority of his days building LEGO creations. He loves learning about how things work but he also really enjoys learning about the wars throughout history. His dream when he grows up is to work at a LEGO store or be a superhero!

Check out Rowyn's blog - Minifig Homeschool Adventures

The express yourself song by Charles Wrigth pretty much sums it up.



We all need and desire to express ourselves. How do you express yourself or how do you let your children express themselves?

Don't forget to enter the MEGA homeschool curriculum and cash giveaway here.

Also be sure to head over to Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to see what my fellow crew members are blogging about this week for their 5 day blog hop!



Here are a few quick links to some of my bloggy friends:

Amy @ Counting Change... Again 
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny
Annette @ A Net in Time Homeschooling

Back To Homeschool Giveaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I told you I had one more giveaway for you this week! I lied. I have TWO awesome giveaways just in time for back to school. Take care of those last minute curriculum needs in one fell swoop.

Several members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have joined forces during our August Back to Homeschool Blog Hop to bring you these incredible giveaways, totally more than $1300 in homeschool curriculum and Paypal cash!

Grand Prize Giveaway

In the Grand Prize  Giveaway, someone will win $765 in curriculum, plus $150 in Paypal cash to help you finish up your homeschool shopping! You could win all of the following. Please click on the prize links to learn more about each product.

From Home School Adventure Co. -- Philosophy Adventure--Pre-Socratics and Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal (digital editions)

From Diana Waring Presents -Experience History Through Music

From Writing with Sharon Watson - The Power in Your Hands: Writing NonFiction in High School and Writing Fiction [in High School]

From Homeschool Legacy -- Westward Ho I & Westward Ho II Once-a-Week Unit Studies

From The Old Schoolhouse Magazine -- One-Year Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com

From Shining Dawn Books -- Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Bundle (Charlotte Mason Homeschooling, Loving Living Math, Grammar Packets, and Creative Nature Walks)

From Memoria Press -- Latina Christiana I Set

From Excelerate Spanish -- Excelerate SPANISH DVD Lessons 1-6

From WriteShop -- Winner's Choice of WriteShop Primary Book A, B, or C (Teacher's Guide + Activity Pack)

From New Millennium Girl Books -- Isabel Writing Bundle

From Write Bonnie Rose -- Asia: It's People and History

From Home School in the Woods -- Project Passport: The Middle Ages

From NotebookingPages.com -- Lifetime Treasury Membership

From Victus Study Skills System -- Victus Study Skills Student Workbook & Teacher Edition Bundle

From the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers -- $150 Paypal Cash

2nd Prize Giveaway

In the 2nd Prize Giveaway, someone will win $325 in curriculum, plus $100 in Paypal cash to help you finish up your homeschool shopping! You could win all of the following. Please click on the prize links to learn more about each product.

From Home School Adventure Co. -- Philippians in 28 Weeks, The Wise Woman with Literary Analysis Question, and The Wise Woman Print Set (digital editions)

From Writing with Sharon Watson -- Jump In: a workbook for reluctant and eager writers

From Home School in the Woods -- K-2 Lap-Pak: Knights

From Write Bonnie Rose -- Printables Bundle (Writing Prompts About Space Bonus Pack; Revolutionary War Activities: Patriotic Copywork; Revolutionary War Activities for Kids: Puzzles, Games, and Quizzes; Praying Through the Produce Aisle; Summer Olympics and Paralympics Unit Study)

From Excelerate Spanish -- Excelerate SPANISH DVD Lessons 1-6

From Memoria Press -- Prima Latina Text Set

From New Millennium Girl Books -- Callie's Contest of Courage Mid grade novel and Callie's Contest of Courage Literature Guide

From The Old Schoolhouse Magazine -- One-Year Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com

From the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers -- $100 Paypal Cash

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below. Residents of the U.S., ago 18 and older only. See more Terms and Conditions in the Rafflecopter. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway