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!

Follow BibleMemory.com on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BibleMemoryApps/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/biblememoryapps/

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!

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

Over the past couple of weeks we have done very little school in a real summer fashion. I’m reorganizing some things that require my full attention so the kids have been on their own a lot more. While being bored is absolutely healthy for them, you can tell they are craving routine and something to do with their minds besides reading. An easy task that doesn’t require much from me and a great math exercise for them has been our latest review, Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills from Math Essentials. At 3rd and 5th grade, my big kids can always benefit from math fact practice!

What We Received:

We received 3 physical books, Speed Wheel Drills for Multiplication, for Division and for Addition.

How It Works:

As pictured below, each wheel consists of a number in the center that the outside numbers use to add/multiply/divide by. Each appearance of numbers is shuffled in a different order so that very page is entirely different. Above each wheel is a space for how many are correct and how much time it took to complete it. The full intent is to time the student completing each wheel and comparing each days times. The pages are not perforated, but likely could be easily pulled out if necessary.

What We Thought:

We used these books with my 8 and 10 year old who are heading into 3rd and 5th grade. My daughter (8) primarily did the addition book, while my son (10 used the multiplication and division ones. Even though they hadn’t ever used a wheel setup for math facts, it was very easy to understand. They enjoyed racing the clock and each other, but due to a lack of an accessible stop watch, they often would just complete a page without timing it. The absence of the timing didn’t seem to affect their completion. From an educational standpoint, the grouping of the factors in a wheel format is an added visual benefit that can aid in memorization and recall. It felt like something I wished we could have started with when they were first learning math facts. There are several great resources in the back of each book that we didn’t use much of yet because we weren’t in the thick of school yet, but it’s great to have them on hand. As my son gets further into fractions and decimals, it could be helpful to have a visual chart to reinforce concepts. Since neither of the kids were significantly struggling in this area, I can’t speak for more sever situations. However, I suspect this could be a fun daily practice and evaluation for a struggler, even if only one wheel a day was completed.

The Speed Wheel Drills books from Math Essentials are perfect for a morning warm-up and a steady evaluation of students’ skills over the school year.

Looking for feedback from students at a different level? Check out the rest of the Crew’s reviews through the link below.

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

In case you haven’t noticed, striving for balance is really important to me. That is largely because as humans it is so easy to get drawn to extremes before we even realize what is happening. I think we have seen that plainly with our age of information. Screens, especially with kids, have become a hot button, controversial issue and a source of stress for parents. Our culture pushes us to always do, get and be more which so often leaves us conflicted about what’s best for everyone, especially the children. I’ve always sided with the idea that less screen time is better, but as our family continues to grow in homeschooling, not only are screens a part of our reality, but there are times when they solve problems! There are times when our laps and attentions are just not available and we need something that will enrich our children while keeping them occupied for a time. For today’s review, we are talking about One More Story - an online read aloud library of beautiful picture books that does just that!

What We Received:

We were given a one-year subscription to One More Story. This includes access to all books on the website.

How It Works:

One More Story consists of a single user library of picture books that are read aloud with background music and sound effects and highlighted words on the page as it is read through. Each story has a vocabulary button where students can learn what different words mean through a definition and then the context sentence of the book. Each book has an I Can Read button to turn off the sound and allow the student to turn pages at their own pace. Through the Parent’s Place Dashboard, parents can see what books the child has read and what new words they have been introduced to.. On the main page, there is a Book List option where you can sort the books available by the colored shelf, Accelerated Reader, Lexile, DRA, Fountas and Pinnell or you can filter them through a key word.

What We Thought:

Like I mentioned above, I try to recognize that too much screen time can be detrimental and set boundaries appropriately. It is our custom to put off screens of any form until the rest of (non-screen) school activities have been completed. That being said, aside from not being in my lap, One More Story provides everything else that is valuable about story time! The collection of books is fantastic! I've heard of a lot of them but not all. That alone makes it just like a library visit.

When you raise readers, you find that they will always love a good story. While One More Story is a beautiful blessing for preschool age children, my 7 and 10 year old are happy to sit down with or without their 4 year old brother to listen to One More Story. This is even useful when I’m needed to help the older kids with their school and the 4 year old needs distraction. From both an educational and parenting perspective, this website is a wonderful tool to have for those times when you need an extra set of hands!

Follow One More Story on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifelongReaders
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EarlyReader

Are you interested in how other families may have used One More Story? Check out the other members of the Crew and their reviews through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW. I ALSO RECEIVE COMMISSIONS FROM PURCHASES MADE THROUGH LINKS IN THIS POST.

For all my years in education, I’ve often felt a conflict when it came to the topic of memorization. On the one hand, I’ve always felt convicted that the heart of learning isn’t in memorizing facts. On the other hand, I have a lot of respect for the Classical Education approach that recognizes students’ great capacity to learn many things when they are young. So, I’ve always had the desire for my kids to learn as much as possible without it being an unending, tedious task. In today’s review we are talking about a tool designed to make learning effective and easier, Cross Seven Ventures - Homeschool Musical Memory Tool from Cross Seven.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription for our whole family to Cross Seven Ventures - Homeschool Musical Memory Tool. This program is designed for students K-6th grade, but this subscription allows for multiple profiles so even mom and dad can learn and test their skills along with the kids!

How It Works:

The Cross Seven memory tool is an online program consisting of videos where information is set to music and then a series of quizzes over that information. The quizzes use a variety of methods to test students like fill in the blank, ordering of information and word searches. The information is separated into 4 Cycles, each cycle containing 28 weeks focused on a different batch of information. Within each cycle the following topics are included:

• Scripture

• History

• Latin

• Grammar

• Science

• Math

• Geography

• Hymns

• Timeline

All cycles and weeks within cycles are accessible at any time which means you can utilize however much whenever you see fit. There is no requirement to begin with Cycle 1 or even week 1 at any time. It is ordered by cycle and weeks so that you can simply login and go through it all, but if I only wanted to focus on Latin or grammar for a time, that is available too.

The Parent Dashboard allows you to see each student’s quiz results. There is also a Fun Links button that gives you complimentary links and videos to more information on a particular week’s topics. In this section there is a corresponding reading list that is very extensive and a great way to create or broaden your own curriculum.

What We Thought:

My 10 and 7 year old both tried out this program and loved it! They enjoyed the videos and especially the challenge of trying to recall things for the quizzes. There were a few times when my 7 year old daughter got pretty frustrated because she kept getting things wrong. This was often the case with scriptures and the expectation of capitalization and exact punctuation. It frustrated her, but it also forced her to be precise in ways she normally brushes off whenever possible. So from a learning perspective, it was very fruitful! The fun links was a favorite too once they discovered it!

As a teacher and parent, I love this entire concept and program. It is so useful to reinforce concepts we are already learning, but completely fine to just let them go through it however also. It’s all value added to their education and skills. Whether you are pursuing a classical education or simply want to reinforce information in a fun way, Cross Seven is a fantastic educational tool.

Follow Cross Seven on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossSevenVentures
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cross7Memory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crosssevenventures/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CrossSevenVentures/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrossSeven

Every homeschool is different so check out what other families thought about this program through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Explore the Composers!

Now that we have been doing reviews for the Homeschool Review Crew for a few years, we are starting to really pick out favorites and repeat companies have a chance to truly win us over. Today we’re talking about a favorite company and their fantastic games. Maestro Mastery - Explore the Composers is the latest educational game from Byron's Games and we were very pleased to try it out!

What We Received:

Maestro Mastery includes a set of instructions, 104 cards featuring 52 composers, 1 music timeline card, and 1 fold-out poster. It is intended for ages 5 and up and requires at least 2 players. Game play is about 30 minutes.

How It Works:

Maestro Mastery is essentially a matching game for music composers, but loaded with learning opportunities. Each card includes the composers name, years living, historical period they are from (which is also color-coded) and a short description of what they are known for. Game play starts with all cards (you’re playing with) turned over face-side down. A player turns over two cards and announces both names. If no match is found, the next player continues in the same way. When a match is made, it is placed in front of the player, grouping them by era. There are two ways to win - most matches or most matches in a particular era. With 52 matches possible, you can always use fewer cards for fewer players or for a shorter play time. If played in this way, it is a basic matching game. However, there are a couple ways to play that increases learning and (in my opinion) fun!

To encourage a better understanding of music, composers, and time periods, there is a listening element that Byron’s Games provides. It is played the same except for whenever a match is made, you find that composer at http://www.Byronsgames.com/maestromastery and listen to a piece of their music. Depending on the composers and the length of the music provided, this could extend the playing time as well. For Vivaldi, the entire performance of The Four Seasons is provided, which is about 45 minutes long! Another way to play that increases the challenge, especially after students are more familiar with the music, is to play one of the excerpts and have students guess the composer. A slightly easier version is to lay out 3-5 cards, play an excerpt and have students guess the correct composer.

What We Thought:

My 10 and 7 year old children played this, while my 3 year old witnessed it until they wouldn’t let him touch anything anymore! As a game, they were able to play it by themselves with ease, once I explained it. We always played it with listening to the music along side it. If we hadn’t, I think they might have lost interest much easier. Having the music freely accessible on their website, right under each composers picture (that corresponds to their card) is a great idea and great resource for teaching music history. As matching games goes, it’s easy for any age to play, but the content opens up quite a bit of learning to be done. If your child isn’t reading yet, a parent or reading sibling is helpful because some of the pictures look pretty similar.

From a homeschooling perspective where we often include games as enhancements to what we’re already learning, this fits perfectly. It is the type of thing that we will play several times and receive a different education every time. Especially when a parent plays, there are many teachable moments about all aspects of music and history. The games Byron’s games produces are all great additions to homeschool curriculum.

Follow Byron’s Games on Social Media:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/byronsgames
Instagram: https://instagram.com/byronsgames
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/byronsgames
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqc5skcLby7XPMPubub8CRw

The Crew also reviewed The Family Journal from Byron’s Games. Check out other family’s reviews to find out what it’s all about!