DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of the many gifts homeschooling has given my family is the love of reading so any new book is exciting in our house. The joy of discovering a new book that you turn out to love is only surpassed by also learning that it belongs to a series with at least 6 other books! As a chapter is closing in the Homeschool Review Crew and this being my final review for them, it is appropriate that it is a book review. My children have grown up with exciting adventures waiting for them in the mail every so often for reviews and Quest for the King's Crown from Focus on the Family closes out our time in the same fashion.

What We Received:

We received Quest for the King’s Crown, Book #7 in the Last Chance Detectives Book Series in a paperback form and a pdf file emailed to us. The book is 25 chapters long and 144 pages.

What It’s About:

The Last Chance Detectives series chronicles 4 kids, Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence and their adventures. In Quest for the King’s Crown they race to find an artifact that claims to be Jesus’ crown of thorns. Through some plot twists and people turning out to not be who they claim to be, the kids make their way through clues and signs of what is really going on. In past books, one of the kids had discovered the plane his father was known to have died flying and the end of this book proves to be an exciting cliff-hanger.

What We Thought:

My 9 year old daughter read this book and loved it! She loves adventures and mysteries, which Quest for the Crown is both. When I asked her all about it, she was especially excited to tell me how the thief, who you don’t know is the thief at first, disguised himself with prosthetic limbs making him appear much larger than he actually was. She thought that was hilarious! :) I asked her to compare it to other books she had read, it was clear that it definitely comes from a Biblical worldview and supports the Christian lifestyle in mentioning Bible studies, faith and of course historical events around Jesus. She immediately asked to have the other books in the series put on her Christmas wish list, so definitely daughter approved! After a recent visit this summer to Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado and discovering several books they have available, I’ve grown very fond of so much of what they do and stand for. They have a large number of books and series that my kids are thriving on and I am so grateful for that. Praying they continue to be successful!

Follow Tyndale on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyndaleHouse
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyndalehouse/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TyndaleHP

Wondering what other families thought about this book? Check out the other reviews through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

My oldest child turned 12 this week and my youngest is 5. We have officially moved out of the baby years in our household. There are many blessings to that, but I do miss those toddler voices. We are incredibly blessed to be living in a time where audio and video recording even exist. What I wouldn’t give to have recordings of my grandparents and the stories they would have told. The product I’m reviewing today, The Voice Library - Audio Book Creator from The Voice Library, is something every family could find beautiful uses in preserving those little voices or epic memories for posterity.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription to The Voice Library.

How It Works:

The Voice Library is known as a digital storytelling platform that allows the user to record audio up to 15 minutes per file. Those files are then available to download and/or stored for listeners to hear at any time. You can make recordings through their website or mobile apps available for android and apple products. In the program you can download a file, as well as upload one. If you have audio editing software, you could download a file, edit it, and then upload the edited file onto the Voice Library database. Through the subscription, there is the option for a recorder login or a listener login. As the recorder and owner of the account, I can share listener access information with whoever I want. If I wanted to allow others to record on my same account, I could give them my recorder access information as well. For example, if I was working on a family history project it might be convenient to have others make recordings of family members who are a long distance away. Another way allowing for multiple recorders would be a birthday or anniversary gift that includes messages from love ones all over. The company is a big proponent for encouraging storytelling and increased relationship connection as well as increasing our attention spans. The projects and uses for this product are truly endless.

What We Thought:

There are several ways to access the program and it was my experience that not every one of my devices worked the same. On apple devices, I could upload photos to attach to each audio file, but not on the website. My android phone would record, but you had to be careful with how close the person speaking was to it or it would just sound like static. There are also phone numbers you can call to make recordings that way, but I didn’t try those. Once I tried everything out, I found what worked best for me and it was easy after that.

When I first received this product, I had several ideas on how I could use it. The first big one that came to mind was to record my mom and dad’s commentary on the various recipes they make regularly, since they both are very active cooks. I can’t tell you how many times they have commented how much they would like to ask my grandmothers questions about how they did things with various recipes, especially around the holidays. I thought how nice it would be - for me and my kids especially - to have their own advice documented. I still may attempt that as we are heading into holiday cooking, but I didn’t have the time to dig into that. Aside from general storytelling, my next idea that I actually acted on was just to get my kids voices and reactions saved and what better way than about our recent trip to Florida. It was like an audio scrapbook. I showed them pictures of a particular day or destination we stopped at and then recording what they thought about it. Some of it was very plain, but a lot of it just captures where they are in their life right now, which is moving so fast. Being able to save it and be reminded of those precious voices is such a gift.

Follow The Voice Library on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVoiceLibrary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voicelibrary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevoicelibrary/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thevoicelibrary/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ovVepv493OI
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/703528895

Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn about how other families used this product? Click on the link below to read their reviews.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

This week our co-op classes are starting up for the fall, soccer season has begun and our family is attempting to get back into the swing of things, but it can be hard. Being on the Homeschool Review Crew adds another layer of responsibilities and deadlines to the mix and it can make me weary. I’ve been asked before why I don’t just quit doing reviews since I’ve done it for several years now. Today’s review is a perfect example of why I still continue to do them. We live on one income and there isn’t a job I’ve found that will not take away from my family in a major way and while my husband provides for us very well, there’s no way we would can afford to just buy all the homeschool things on the regular just because they might be interesting. Jonathan Park is something I’ve seen advertised for probably a year or two, but have never investigated it. Today we’re reviewing The Adventure Begins, Series 1 from Jonathan Park and I’m happy to say it is a family favorite right now! I continue to participate in the Review Crew because I get a unique opportunity to explore resources - that often reinforce a Christian worldview - that I rarely would spend money on not knowing if it was worth it.

What We Received:

We received The Adventure Begins, Series 1 from Jonathan Park which included 4 audio CDs. Each CD contains over an hour’s worth of listening time.

How It Works:

This adventure series is intended to be listened to in order as it follows Jonathan and his father on adventures in a dinosaur graveyard. The conflict of a creation-based perspective and modern science’s big bang ideas is acknowledged in throughout the episodes as the characters work to preserve the archeological finds for a creation science museum. A Biblical worldview is well-represented while the characters also have to deal with realistic negative reactions from outside perspectives. It has all the markers of a great adventure with good guys and bad guys, Bible studies and dinosaur bones!

What We Thought:

For this review, my kids were 11, 9 and 5 years old. After listening to the first episode, they always asked to listen to the next one. That’s always a good sign! The characters provide a little something for everyone. My oldest (a boy) likes the Jonathan character, my daughter likes Jesse, and my 5 year old just likes the dog and finding all the bones! We aren’t finding dinosaur bones in our yard, but it is always nice to hear characters and stories my kids can relate to. Wrestling with circumstances where people don’t always see the world the same is our daily life in so many ways. I love that my kids can get a balanced understanding of that from places other than me. As a homeschool mom, there’s always more to do than time enough to do it in, but finding excellent resources for my family andt he future is worth a few extra deadlines!

Follow Jonathan Park on Social Media:

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

We are just one family and might not see everything the way you do. Check out the rest of the Crew’s reviews through the link below to see if they felt the same way about Jonathan Park

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

When money is tight, settling for a cheaper imitation is often the best we can do. When handling our children’s spiritual health and eternal future, we can’t afford to feed them watered down truths. There is a lot of spiritual parts floating around in our society, but it’s really hard to build the full picture from any of them. Learning to study the whole Bible and allowing scripture be the basis for all understanding takes work. As a homeschooling family, we are familiar with being the most important advocate in our children’s lives in so many areas, but their spiritual education is the biggest job there is. So it brings me extra joy to share with you a resource that brings students directly to scripture. For today’s review we are looking at 14:6 - The Way from Scripture Memory Fellowship, a scripture memory course on salvation.

What We Received:

We received 14:6 - The Way, a scripture memory course on salvation. It is a spiral-bound note pad with sturdy cardstock pages. The text recommends downloading an app, VerseLocker, to help with memorizing, which we did for free.

How It Works:

This scripture memory course is made up of 7 units of four lessons highlighting concepts of salvation. In each lesson there are 3 verses to memorize that address the study on salvation. Each lesson has a particular icon that can help you remember the subject of the verse. On the backside of the verse page, there is a Consider the Meaning page where the verse is dissected a bit more with context and comprehension questions. All is taken directly from scripture, not loosely based on it. There are different paces (Green, Orange or Brown) and levels (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) that you can expect out of yourself or students. Depending on your time and ability, these are the recommended pace options:

1 verse weekly = Green
2 verses weekly = Green + Orange
3 verses weekly = Green + Orange + Brown

To determine your level of success in reciting your verses, Scripture Memory Fellowship recommends:

Bronze - two helps

Silver - one help

Gold - zero helps

The ultimate goal that is included in each lesson is encouragement to share what you are learning with others. One of the other things it recommends is the free app VerseLocker. This app allows you several ways to work on verse memorization including picking the next word out of a list, remembering with only initials of the words or just typing it out on your own with the app correcting you. The app itself offers ways to connect with others if multiple friends are using the app too.

What We Thought:

The notebook itself is quite sturdy and promises to last beyond a first use. With one book and a whole family (most of which do not have their own devices), we used this program audibly a lot. It was easy to assign a verse to be written out and then discuss the meaning questions together as a group. With the grouping of verses in a topical format not only does this program support memorization, but it sets you up for Bible study alone or in a group. With the app added to the mix, there are so many resources to support learning and memorization. The final question is how can you use them best for your needs! There’s not wrong way besides just not using them and not growing in scripture.

Follow Scripture Memory Fellowship on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScriptureMemoryFellowship/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYz3gXtiXvHbGAKZ4A13kuQ

We used the English Standard Version of this program, but did you know that Scripture Memory Fellowship offer other versions? Check out the other reviews to see what else is available.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Among the many lessons we have learned over the past two years, the importance of healthy habits is certainly one of the more important ones. The choices we make on a daily basis create or destroy health and teaching our children this fact is an important part of our jobs as parents. The messages they receive from society are mixed at best and almost always biased. How to care for their bodies and health has to start at home. American Coaching Academy works to equip educators, coaches and parents with some versatile tools to make daily choices become habits and those habits fun to keep track of. My review today is of Healthy Habit Trackers from American Coaching Academy.

What We Received:

We received Healthy Habit Trackers, a digital file of 12 different 30 day healthy challenges and a file of empty habit trackers that allow you to enter in the tracked tasks.

How It Works:

When you purchase this product you receive two files, one has the tasks already set for you to keep track of and the other allows you to fill in tasks of your own choosing. The files are essentially the same except one is lacking all habit designations. The pre-made tasks consist of things like exercises, water drinking, fruit and vegetable consumption, good hygiene, sleep, and kindness. Many of them include movement and exercise in timed elements. For example, there might be a minute of running in place or jumping jacks. The trackers are not in any particular order so there is no plan or value to use them in a particular way. The pre-made trackers certainly give you good ideas if you aren’t sure where to starts. On each of them there is some way to colorfully or plainly keep track of habits. The different designs, especially once filled out, can be quite motivating all by themselves depending on the age of the students.. Using different colored markers or pens.

What We Thought:

Since there were 12 different pre-made options, it was a little overwhelming to decide which one to go with. I let my kids pick what they wanted at first, but they needed help narrowing their options down. Making your own in some ways seemed a little more desirable just because it can accommodate a number of habits into one sheet. The concept of coloring in boxes or shapes daily, especially with different colors is a lot of fun to my 8 (almost 9) year old daughter. My boys (5 and 11) went along just fine, but coloring didn’t seem nearly as motivating. There is no reason that an adult can’t use these, especially the blank ones and from an ADHD perspective, their novelty could be highly motivating for a while.

Making regular healthy choices is not an easy conviction to have or change to make. These fun habit trackers encourage personal responsibility and good level of independence that is always needing in growing families. And as a digital file, you can use them again and again! When you’re looking ahead towards the next school year, Healthy Habit Trackers are a great option for commitment and creative organization!

Find American Coaching Academy on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanCoachingAcademy/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/americancoachingacademy/_created/

How did this product work in other families? Check out the Crew’s reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

As overwhelming as determining a child’s educational content can be, getting to incorporate truly meaningful texts into my child’s curriculum is such a blessing! The Christian Heroes Then and Now series are popular books we have encountered in several homeschooling circles as supplemental materials or the focus of a unit study. Names like Corrie ten Boom, Elisabeth Elliot, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are some of the books in this series. For today’s review, we are looking at C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller from YWAM Publishing. As a family we have read The Chronicles of Narnia and watched the available movies, so convincing my 11 year old son to read a book about the author wasn’t hard at all. Who wouldn’t be curious about the man who created the world of Narnia and all its interesting characters?

What We Received:

We received a paperback book with a glossy cover, C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller by Janet & Geoff, a digital copy of the C.S. Lewis Unit Study Curriculum Guide, and digitals copes of two slightly different Overview Guides.

How It Works:

The book C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller is a biography from YWAM (Youth With a Mission) Publishing that is intended for readers approximately aged 10-15, whether individually or in small group/classroom settings. These chapter books fit easily into a family read aloud time as well, but depending on the book, there can be some themes (war, sickness, death, etc.) that parents might want to be prepared for. Overall, though, these biographies can stimulate great discussions about faith, geography, and lessons from history. The Unit Study Curriculum Guide is an optional supplement, but packs so many layers of educational content. The Guide lines out a variety of ways to learn with the chosen book at the center of it all including Key Bible Verses, a Display Corner, Chapter Questions, Social Studies, Student Exploration, Related Themes, etc. With C.S. Lewis being from Ireland and Britain, geography studies can focus on those areas, for example. Whether through the library or online searches, research about WWII, Cambridge, and even other authors like Tolkien can enhance students learning. Essay questions, hands-on projects, audio/video projects, a survey of all the books written by Lewis and so much more are at the students’ fingertips.

What We Thought:

I gave my 11 year old son the option of reading it on his own or reading it together as a family and he chose to read it on his own. After he finished it (because he couldn’t wait for me to go chapter by chapter) we sat down and discussed several questions from the study guide. Every time we sat down to discuss the book, I went away encouraged because of all the thoughts coming out of my son’s head. He had a ton of empathy for C.S. Lewis’s rough life and was fascinated that he was friends with Tolkien! We discussed God’s will in our lives specifically when He says no to our prayers, as was the case with Lewis’ mother.. We have read some of the other books from the Christian Heroes series as a part of our larger curriculum. When asked how this one compared to them, he felt this one was really interesting, where others had been a little less so. We determined that it was because he had a previous context for C.S. Lewis. He knew who he was BEFORE picking up the book. Whereas, the other biographies we read were about people he had never encountered before. From a parent/educator perspective, the books do not in any way require previous knowledge of the subject, but to captivate my 11 year old’s enthusiastic attention, previous knowledge certainly helped..

This book, as the rest of the series does as well, provides a strong jumping off point for so many educational discussions and projects. Regardless of your needs and circumstances, this book and complimentary resources are certainly something any family could utilize and benefit from.

Follow YWAM Publishing Online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YWAM-Publishing-482973445102/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ywampublishing/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing

The YWAM Publishing Blog: www.ywampublishingblog.com

The Crew reviewed several books in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series. If you would like to hear more about some of them, check out all the other reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

For the past 6 years, I have been reviewing all kinds of educational materials thanks to the Homeschool Review Crew. One of the many perks as a reviewer is my relationship with their parent company, The Old Schoolhouse® (aff link) and our sister division, SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link). Through these organizations, I receive all kinds of encouragement through The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and countless homeschooling resources and curriculum from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Today, I get to talk about the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a division of The Old Schoolhouse® and all the different ways it can serve a homeschooling family.

What We Received:

We received the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a division of The Old Schoolhouse®. This is the most comprehensive membership they offer which covers all available classes Pre-K - 12th for the entire family, lesson plans, planners, parent courses, online electives, homeschool parent support, access to Rightnow Media, World Book and Applecore Silver Plan.

How It Works:

A membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com gives you access to digital content. How you utilize and organize that content is entirely up to you. You can search their courses by grade or subject or simply browse. One of their latest offerings is grade level boxes. While not a physical box, it is selected courses and lesson plans for a particular grade. They have recently added the 9th-12th boxes, completing their K-12th commitment. Soon, they will be adding Pre-K and a Parent box as well! Whether you have one child or a household full of kids, you can provide them all with a unique, self-paced education for one price. Once a member you can access all courses, all the time. Since launching in 2012 with only 11 courses, SchoolhouseTeachers.com now provides full curriculum options for all, and has now grown into a community. There regular Zoom chats, online Members Lounge, and now online events like the Virtual Science Fair (coming March 25th), Art & Photography Fair, Story Time, Virtual Talent Show (Coming May 20th) and other seasonal events.

Who Should Use This Program?

Large families with a limited budget could benefit most from a membership like this. With over 400 courses, you really have a lot of options and opportunity to customize. One price for everyone makes a lot doable on little. A family in a remote location or a community that has limited extra-curriculars could really benefit from the online activities - for students and parents. We live in a thriving homeschool community, but that just isn’t possible for everyone. This community that SchoolhouseTeachers is building can fill in the gaps for isolated families. It also can be a great jack of all trades curriculum too. With different students who have different needs, many parents find themselves building a school year from scratch and then scratching the school year! When you need a supplement (or 5), this is a great resource to have all the time. Whenever something doesn’t work out, you can always find something else to try in its place from SchoolhouseTeachers.com.

Follow SchoolhouseTeachers.com on Social Media:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolhouseTeachers/
Facebook Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SchoolhouseTeachers/

The Old Schoolhouse®: https://www.theoldschoolhouse.com/
Homeschooling with Heart Blog: https://www.theoldschoolhouse.com/blog/
Magazine Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/theoldschoolhouse/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOSMag/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tosmag/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOldSchoolhouseMagazine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tosmagazine/

There are so many different resources available from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Check out other reviews to learn even more about the Ultimate Membership and its fit for your family through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of my favorite things about the life we get to lead as homeschoolers is the constant overlap of information and learning. In one morning we can learn about who Shaq is, Joshua and the battle of Jericho, what a harlot is, does an octopus have a skeleton and then all the ‘usual’ stuff too. The world isn’t a perfect pantry where everything is sorted, labeled and never touches its neighbor. God’s big world is intricate, complicated and certainly overlapping. Today’s review is a beautiful marriage of spiritual devotions for your children with God-honoring science concepts and facts. We’re talking about The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio from the Indescribable Kids series and Tommy Nelson Books.

What We Received:

We received one hardbacked book, The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio with Tama Fortner, Illustrated by Nicola Anderson. The book contains over 200 pages, an attached ribbon for bookmarking, illustrations on almost every page, contents, index and an introduction that lists devotion pages by category - Space, Earth, Animals, and People.

How It Works:

In this devotional book, each devotion is numbered and 2 pages long. Each one can stand alone and there is no real need to go in order besides convenience. Each devotion uses at least one verse as a theme or context, though many times there are one or two other scripture references throughout the content. Throughout the text that scripture and a scientific concept or fact are joined in a discussion about life and God’s creation. At the end of the text there is a suggested prayer in the spirit of the devotion. On the second/final page of each devotion there is an “Explore the Wonder” section that highlights an interesting fact or aspect of the science topic brought up in the devotion, complete with a picture and extra graphics. The index makes this book a great complimentary resource for homeschoolers. Whatever you are studying that week, simply consult the index or category list in the introduction to line up something appropriate for the lesson!

What We Thought:

While science in general has always been a weak spot in my education, my children eat it up! The joining of science and God’s scriptural design has been a big hit with my kids, 4, 8 and 11 at minimum because it is interesting. Even if the topic (science or scripture) is familiar to them, there is usually some aspect that is new to them, which has led to some really great conversations in our family. I’m pretty sure all of them will forever remember that our small intestines are about 22 feet long! In devotion 2, A Plan and A Purpose, the author discusses how our organs work together toward the goal of digestion and then compares God’s detailed forethought in our gut to our purpose in the world. It’s a pretty great thought.

In a period of history where the truth is incredibly hard to find unless you are diligently looking for it, our families need books and curriculum like this that simply point us back to God. The infinite stars or the tiny bacteria in our gut, we need the wonder of creation at the forefront of our children’s minds to feed their spirits as we head into the fray of the future.

Follow Indescribable Kids, Tommy Nelson Book, and Louie Giglio on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommynelsonbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommynelsonbooks/ https://www.instagram.com/indescribablekids https://www.instagram.com/louiegiglio

Wondering if other families had the same response as ours? Check out their reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Here’s a riddle for you! How can you tell you have ADHD and have the genes of your father, an exceedingly logical engineer? You tend to do math in order to calm down your overstimulated brain! True story, on days my daughter isn’t coping well and overreacts to life, we’ve learned the most calming exercise for her is to do math. I blame her father! :) As much as we hear kids complain about math, when it is taught in a way that they understand, math is a source of many great things. The trick is finding the right program and curriculum for your family’s needs. That’s why reviews like this are here. I might not continue to use this product after I write the review (though many times I do), but I get to explore different approaches and companies so that homeschool families can know their options. So today we’re diving into homeschool math curriculum and talking about two products from Math Mammoth, Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3 and Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5.

What We Received:

We received 2 digital files, Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3 and Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5. The Skills Review Workbook file consisted of a 96 page Worksheet document with 90 Review sections, an Answer Key document, and a Spiraling Guide. The Light Blue Series file contained a full year’s curriculum including Student Worktexts, Tests, Answer Keys, Reviews, and Cutouts for both 5A (1st semester) and 5B (2nd semester).

How It Works:

The Skills Review Workbooks are designed to complement the full curriculum and function as a review of already learned skills. The worksheets are one page in length, intended to not be too tedious and incorporates interesting problems and graphics that require the student to reinforce skills from the main curriculum.

The Math Mammoth Light Blue Series is a complete math curriculum. At the beginning of the worktext is a Mental Math section that consists of several pages of web links to games and activities that reinforce math skills. In addition to the worktexts Math Mammoth provides teaching videos that correspond with particular lessons. Between videos, worktexts, reviews, tests and mental math activities, students are given all manner of opportunities to learn and reinforce learning throughout the year. All topics are clearly labelled and the index is thorough which could allow you to zero in on a particular skill out of sequence if needed.

What We Thought:

My 8 year old daughter used the Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 3. We normally use another popular math curriculum so she had a few questions at first, but it was just her getting the feel for a different program. After the initial questions, this math loving girl did just fine.

My 11 year old son used Math Mammoth Light Blue Series Grade 5. Math is one of his more difficult subjects to sit down and do because he would rather be doing anything else. He’s proved he’s capable of it time and time again, he just doesn’t want to sit still that long. So, the novelty of a new program held his interest for a bit, but most days to him, math is math. The video element is a helpful tool both for understanding and engagement though.

I noticed that the number of interesting graphics went way down when you moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade. Of course, as the grade levels increase the need for cartoons, etc. goes down, but the decrease was a lot more drastic than we were used to. In many cases it may not matter. In our ADHD household, keeping things pretty and interesting is really helpful to sustain engagement.

Math Mammoth has proven to be thorough and complete for all manner of math education and it appears to be a relatively cheap option for most families. Based on our experience, I would feel confident that my kids could get a complete and effective math education from this program.

Follow Math Mammoth on Social Media:

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mathmammoth1

Are you curious about other grade levels? Check out all the other families’ experiences through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

The more I tumble through the world of ADHD, especially with my unique and complex children, the more I understand how important and under-utilized are kinesthetic tools in learning. As Christians, we hear a lot of admonition about memorizing scriptures, but much less about HOW to accomplish it. The majority of scripture that I have memorized are either from songs or verses I’ve heard a bazillion times from the pulpit. The best trick I have is to just repeat it over and over to myself, which isn’t fun or effective. Today we’re going to walk through a very hands on tool to help memorize Bible verses, The Bible Memory App - Bible Memory PRO from BibleMemory.com.

What We Received:

We received a Pro License - The Bible Memory App - Bible Memory PRO from BibleMemory.com - that will never expire. This license allows for multiple family members to create personal accounts as long as they each have a unique email address. The program is accessible on computers, iPads, and Google Play for Android devices, as well as phones.

How It Works:

In each account, you are able to choose a verse or passage to memorize. When selecting passages, you are given the option to break them into individual verses for memorization purposes. For each verse or passage, there are 3 steps to memorization. Step 1 is to familiarize you with the verse by asking you to type the first letter of each word of the verse presented on the screen. Each accurate letter highlights the full word. Step 2 is the same setup except every other word is left out. Step 3 is the same setup but with no help at all, just a blank screen that fills in as you type the first letter. In each step, incorrect typing will show up in red words and upon completion, the app gives you an accuracy percentage. If your accuracy isn’t high enough, the program will require you to try again before heading to Step 3. Once you have mastered a verse, the app will encourage you to review that verse periodically to reinforce memorization.

In addition to the basic memorization process, there are game-like elements such as badges for varying successes, groups to join/create and your progress tracked through points and ranking. Different Bible translations are available and great search options make finding new verses to memorize easy. You can even download the entire Bible and see what you’ve mastered so far and what is left!

What We Thought:

When I sat down to try it out, I was really surprised! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the method of only typing the first letter and the gradual progression of every other and then complete memorization is spot on from a learning perspective. The combination of physically typing, visually prompted and the verbal process the brain engages to not just remember the correct word but also not type the rest of the word is a wonderful concoction for memorization as well as retention.

After setting up my account, I set up 2 other ones for my son (11) and daughter (8). Anything to do with a phone or electronics is enticing to them from the start so it is never difficult to get them to try something out. This program was relatively easy for them to navigate. There was never any, “this is too hard” complaints. My daughter - who LOVES facts and figures and is really good at memorization anyway, has asked to use the program many times outside of assigned times. My son doesn’t mind it and will happily comply if asked, but hasn’t asked to do it on his own the way his sister does. Still, his personality would rather be outside moving or inside creating something new so t isn’t a surprise or a criticism of the program.

As an educational tool, it is PERFECT. In our regular Bible and History Curriculum, we are working through large parts of the old testament. Their handwriting is designed to support scripture memorization which is important and helpful but using this program ensures mastery when we utilize it! I would recommend this for any family, Bible study group or even a congregation to work on memorization together! It’s gradual so it isn’t terribly difficult for any aged reader and it is effective! At the end of the day, having scripture imprinted on your heart and running through your brain is the goal. This app is a great tool to get you there!

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If you’re interested in other families’ experiences, check out the other reviews through the link below.

We don’t miss a dose of Focus Attention, especially during school hours!