Creative Learners

I LOVE IT!!!!  I can’t contain it until the middle of the post! I had to tell you right off the bat, The Reading Game is awesome!!

The game is designed for children ages 4 and older. I did not intend on using this game with a small child, but I intended to use this game for a few of my special needs students who are just really struggling!

I am so very pleased with the results. The Reading Game consists of 6 levels of playing cards and 6 reading books, as well, as the instruction book, that you will need in order to play the game.

So how does this game work? Within each level of cards ( Red or Skunk or Book 1) , there are 6 levels of cards. You and your student play one level at a time, which consist of 10 cards. You lay them down in ‘Match Game’ fashion.  You and your student take turns flipping cards. When you match the cards you say the word out line a couple of times, clearly. You play level one and level two. Playing each level until your student has mastered those words. When you feel they have mastered those words you have them read the ‘test sentence’ that is in the instruction booklet. You continue in this fashion until all six levels of cards in that level (Red or Skunk or Book 1), you then you have the child read Book 1.

You can see here a bit about how to play the game.

Here is what I found. When my student used to work on reading, they would read in a sing song fashion, almost whining. No matter what we did. However, this time around, they read pronouncing the words clearly and with confidence. This is a HUGE improvement. When we completed one level, they eagerly asked to play the next one! This is BIG!

Whether you are working with a brand new reader, or a reader with special needs, The Reading Game can help.  Each of the six stories introduce the student to 30 new words.  The creators of the Reading Game believe that ANYONE CAN LEARN TO READ. Some may take longer than others, but through this method, that will hard wire these words into their brain, they will indeed learn to read.

The Reading Game is available for $24.95 and would be a wonderful addition to any homeschool or family that has a student who is learning to read!

Take some time to check out the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about The Reading Game!

***Note: I received a free copy of The Reading Game in exchange for my honest opinions of the product. No other form of compensation was offered or received. These opinions do not constitute a guarantee or promise of service.

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I have really been enjoying the fact that NBC, Walmart and Proctor and Gamble have taken a step in the right direction and have offered these awesome Family Movie Nights on primetime TV!  What a departure from what is normally available. This is the 3rd time that I have been able to review one of their movies, and I have to tell you that I have loved every one of their movies. You can read my first reviews here and here.

Game of Your Life, is indeed another wonderful movie. The main character “Zach Taylor wants to become a successful video designer, but he has to pass the infamous freshman project which eliminates more than half of the class within the first three months.  Zach must make a decision that not only  affects his future, but the lives and livelihoods of the people around him as well. It’s a revealing story that recognizes the magnitude behind the choices we make and the importance loyalty plays in making good decisions.”

As a mom raising teenage children, ready to be launched out into the world, I really enjoyed watching how Zach learned to navigate life. The life he left behind, and the life he wants to lead. The choices set before Zach would be difficult for a well experienced adult to navigate. No matter the choice he made, his choice would impact those around him.

You can watch Game of Your Life Friday, Dec 2nd, on NBC at 8pm. You can learn more about Family Movie Night by visiting their website. Next Friday, gather your children and enjoy a wonderful movie that the entire family will enjoy!!!

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Have you noticed that this year on the crew, we are reviewing some fun items, that are not simply curriculum. But, items that will help to enhance our homeschools!  Recently, we were able to review the 3 inch Time Timer, a nifty timer that not only counts away the minutes, it also helps children get a grasp of how long the time really is.  When I first read about this timer I was excited to  perhaps get the chance to use it in my home.

I have a child that has some issues with time. When I say issues with time, I am not talking about simply telling time, I am talking about ‘feeling time’. Does that make sense to you? If you have a special needs kid, this probably make s a lot of sense.

My son, simply cannot wrap his head around segments of time. By using the Time Timer, he is able to see the time count away!  When you set your timer.. you see it here set for 30 minutes, the face is covered in red with the designated time. As the time ‘ticks’ away, you will see the red get smaller and smaller. And when time is up.. the red disappears. This helps any child see the length of time they are measuring.

Here you can see some of the many ways you can use the Time Timer!

Piano Lessons

Computer Time

Reading Time

Video Games

TV Time

Assignment Timer

Speech Therapy Timer

Chore Timer

Overall, I really did enjoy the Time Timer. There were however 3 little things that I had issue with. First, the battery is very tricky to get in. We were able to get it in, however, at one point we needed to replace the battery ( we put in a used battery in the beginning) so we needed to struggle with it again.  The second small thing was the fact that when the timer ‘beeps’ you hear simply 2 little beeps.  I actually missed the beeps a few times. If you are across the room, you will not hear it.  Now both of those things are relatively small items. If you are sitting at a desk or piano, etc…  you can be near the timer in order to hear it when it beeps.

However, if you are teaching a special needs child, the last thing that I need to note is that the timer is ‘backwards’ when thinking about a clock face.  When looking at a regular clock face, minutes 1- 30 are on the right side of the face. However, on the Time Timer, minutes 1 – 30 are on the left hand side.  For some special needs students, who will be using this tool independently, this could cause confusion. However, for students, without special needs, this would not be an issue. So, you will need to decide if this would be an issue for your family.

All in all, I like the Time Timer… hop on over to the crew blog to see what my crew mates are saying about the Time Timer.

And don’t forget to visit the Time Timer Website to see the other Time Timer options available! Including Time timers for your computer, iPhones and iPods!  You can purchase your own 3 inch Time Timer for $30.00.

**Note, I was given a free Time Time for purpose of review. No other compensation was offered or received. Statements made in this post do not constitute promise or guarantee of service.

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As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have had to opportunity to review for Math Mammoth in the past.  You can read that review here. This year when speaking with Maria Miller, the creator of Math Mammoth, she shared that she was carrying a product line this year called Make It Real Learning  by Frank C Wilson.  So this year, my review is covering 4 products in this program.

Fractions, Percents, and Decimals II – for grades 6-11. $4.99

Sets, Probability, and Statistics I – for grades 6-10. $4.99

Linear Functions I – for algebra 1 and algebra 2. $4.99

Linear Functions II – for algebra 1 and algebra 2. $4.99

What is the one thing that most students ask when it comes to math class? When am I ever going to use this? Make it Real Learning makes the purpose of math very clear, by giving them real life situations and showing them how to put the math they are using in the classroom into action.

This is such  a wonderful skill to show your children. I know that my children do not LOVE math, so showing them the purpose of math is key to their success. And Make it Real Learning makes that happen.

In Fractions, Percents and Decimals II, which is geared for grades 6 – 11 your children are going to put those skills to use in figuring; temperature conversions, figuring housing costs, real estate investing, sales tax changes and much more!

Sets, Probability and Statistics 1, geared for 6- 10th grade, your student will look at snack foods, fast food restaurant items, license plates and phone numbers, to name a few, to learn how Sets, Probability and Statistics applies to everyday life!

In Linear Functions I and II, which is designed for students taking Algebra 1 & 2, your student  will put to use these skills while figuring the best cell phone plan, figuring income increase rates, in order to still qualify for government nutrition programs, calculating carbohydrates for diabetics and much more.

As you can see, by using these workbooks, your students will get hands on experience with math in real life! Each of these E-books  are 46 pages and would be considered supplemental, rather than a full curriculum.  However, for my children they did help to cement the skills they were covering in their main curriculum.

To check out the full line of Make it Real Learning and Math Mammoth products visit their website.  As usual, don’t forget to hop on over to the crew blog to see what my crew mates have to say about Math Mammoth!

**Note, I was provided free copies of the items describe in the review, for the purpose of sharing my honest opinion. No other compensation was offered or received.  Opinions stated here, do not constitute a guarantee of service or outcome.**

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(Contest is now closed)

Thanksgiving is now just around the corner….. can you feel it in the air? It is the feeling of the Holiday Seasons!  Thanksgiving and Christmas bring families together in a way that no other time of year seems to! 

This year, there is a sweet DVD available that you and your entire family can sit down and enjoy together!!! It is The Christmas Lodge, presented by Thomas Kinkade.

Here is a bit about the movie from the producers:

Thomas Kinkade presents Christmas Lodge: a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now- dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

So what is the Creative Learners take on The Christmas Lodge? We loved it! We give it 2 thumbs up! When we sat down to watch it, it was a chilly afternoon/evening, perfect for snuggling together to watch a movie!  The Christmas Lodge is sweet, family friendly, funny, interesting and above all, it brings the message of hope, family and love to life!  We enjoyed watching as the story, rather, the history of The Christmas Lodge unfolded. It was awesome to see  this family join together and work as a team! We loved the relationship between the main character, Mary,  and her grandfather!  So often, in movies today, the older generation is cast to the side, and often made fun of and put down. In the wonderful story, Mary and her family, honor her grandfather, and their families vibrant history! This is something that our families need desperately today. The Christmas Lodge modeled that beautifully!

The Christmas Lodge would make an excellent Christmas gift for someone in your life! You can purchase The Christmas Lodge and several retailers, including Christian Book, Amazon and Walmart!

To learn more about the movie, visit the Christmas Lodge Website!

I am thrilled to let you know that I have one copy of The Christmas Lodge DVD to giveaway!  It is simple to enter this contest…. simply leave one comment per day to be entered. If you would like, let me know why you would like to win… perhaps who you would give it to.. Limit is 1 entry per 24 hour period per email address. And winners will be announced and contacted via email on Wednesday November 23rd! Just in time for you to cross someone off your Christmas Shopping List!

And the winner is Kristi! Thank you everyone for participating! And congratulations to Kristi!

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services
mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I
only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:

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