Freebie Friday

It's Like Having a Money Tree in Your Backyard!

Freebie Friday will be taking a break until the New Year.

I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Lauren

Freebie Friday

IT'S LIKE HAVING A MONEY TREE IN YOUR BACK YARD!




This week I have several websites that have great freebies to enhance your homeschooling. The first site is a great resource during these hectic December days. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.








Kabongo, an online learning environment for kids normally lets children play in the first world for no cost. Right now, they are offering a sweet deal – all of their environments are completely free! That’s a $14.95 value!!!! Fun, educational children’s games will build confidence and stay challenged with auto-leveling games that advance at your child’s pace. Discover three different games in each habitat, each with six levels.
http://www.kabongo.com/







This next site is perfect for those hand made gifts for the holidays.. Download this free Christmas Craft Projects eBook today for 25 Christmas Craft Projects – everything from ornaments to gift giving ideas.

http://pinkcouponcafe.com/2010/12/25-christmas-craft-projects-free-download/


This last website is a repeat, but worth mentioning again. Sign up today and still enjoy 10 christmas freebies!






One of my favorite sites for interactive science lessons is hosting " The 12 days of Freebies," starting December 1st. Simply sign up for their newsletters and be blessed by 12 free interactive unit studies. Click the link below and sign up today!

http://www.thesimplehomeschool.com/register/newsletter-sign-up

Have a blessed week.

Lauren

The Master Angle

The Master Angle
Master Innovations, Inc
Donna Monck
http://www.themasterruler.com/
908-859-1788



I was thrilled when Master Innovations, Inc. sent me a copy of their Master Angle and the Mastering the World of Angles workbook. As a member of the TOS Crew, I was given their program to use with my children in exchange for my honest review of the Master Angle. My first impression was, "Wow! A geometry curriculum made for students in grades 1-4. " The full-circle protractor looked very different from the typical half circle protractor that most high school student use. I decided to use the Master Angle with my 9 year old daughter, Karina.






The 76 page consumable workbook is printed in black and white with an easy to read font. The graphics are clear and the text was easy for my daughter to understand. I was impressed with the content of the program. It was not watered down and the master angle was very easy for my daughter to use. She was not only able to measure angles accurately, but she also understood the concepts that were introduced.The course begins with a basic introduction to lines, rays and angles. These concepts are then reinforced with hands on activities. Karina was quickly able to distinguish between acute, obtuse and right angles. She also learned how to construct angles using the Master Angle. Next, reflex and straight angles were presented, followed by learning about complementary , supplementary, adjacent and vertical angles. These are concepts that many students do not master until high school. Many of the definitions were learned through discover, rather then memorization. Now that is how I want my children to learn.





Overall, I loved this program! Karina enjoyed using the protractor and gained a great foundation for her future math studies. I wish I used this with my older children , prior to their upper level math studies. My only complaint is that the company doesn't make a workbook for upper level students. Although, I'm sure it could be modified easily to use with older students.


The Master Angle can be purchased at http://www.themasterruler.com/ for $5.95 and the workbook is available for $15.95.


Click the banner below to see what others had to say about the Master Angle and the other products available at Master Innovations, Inc.

Christian Kids Explore Biology

Christian Kids Explore Biology
By Stephanie L. Redmond
Bright Ideas Press
http://www.brightideaspress.com/
877.492.8081



Stephanie Redmond has created the perfect science program that meets the needs of the Christian homeschool family. Christian Kids Explore Biology was developed by a fellow homeschooling mom, who found it difficult to find a science program from a creationist perspective that met the needs of her elementary aged children. The result is a thirty-five lesson biology curriculum that is geared for children in third thru sixth grade. The program takes a hands-on approach of exploring science, which is wonderful for the targeted population.

As a member of the TOS Crew, I received a free copy of Christian Kids Explore Biology to use in my homeschool in exchange for an honest review of the curriculum. Over the past six weeks I have used this program with my nine year old daughter, Karina. Overall, I found the lessons easy to follow and they took only sixty to ninety minutes twice a week to complete. The program is divided into eight units:
Unit One: Biology Basics- 5 lessons
Unit Two: Plants in God’s World- 5 lessons
Unit Three: Birds of the Earth- 3 lessons
Unit Four: Mammals in the Wild- 5 lessons
Unit Five: The Human Factor- 4 lessons
Unit Six: Reptiles All Around- 4 lessons
Unit Seven: Insects High and Low- 3 lessons
Unit Eight: Water Creatures- 6 lessons

Each unit begins with a list of vocabulary words and materials needed to complete the unit. The author suggest beginning each lesson with "Teaching Time". This includes reading the text aloud or by allowing older students to read the text to themselves. Beautifully detailed coloring sheets are included for children to color as they listen to the lesson. We chose to make our vocabulary flashcards as we read the text. After the text is read, a few minutes are spent reviewing the flashcards from previous lessons. Next, the students should spend a few minutes updating their notebooks by summarizing the reading.Finally, the student will spend time doing outside reading and/or research on the topic being studied.Christian Kids Explore Biology is a perfect fit for those using the classical approach. There is a complete list of living books to use for supplemental reading. The student should then complete a Daily Reading Sheet to document any outside reading. This sheet becomes part of their science notebook.Karina and I found the lessons to be interesting and we were pleased with the inclusion of scriptures in each lesson.

By far, Karina's favorite part of the program was the second part of each lesson.On day two, the studenta have "Hands-On Time", where the students have the opportunity to complete a project that will reinforce the concepts taught during "Teaching Time". Some of the activities include making a papier-mache earth, a 3D cell, building a terrarium and dissecting an owl pellet.

After completing each unit, there is a "Show What You Know" review that can be used as a unit test or just as a review of the unit.The book also has an extensive appendix, including:
*Reproducible Forms and Maps
*Memorization or Reference List
*Scriptures-easily reproduced on card stock
*Introductions and Art For ABC Book -for younger students
* Additional Coloring Pages
*Recipes and Supplemental Activities
* Answer Key
*Suggested Further Reading

Overall, I think this science curriculum is perfect for a family with several elementary age children. The program can also be easily adjusted for students younger than third graders. However, it does not provide enough material to use with students beyond sixth grade. I found that it required little preparation time and the required materials were mostly household items. Many of the recommended books were available at our local library. This 291 page paperback book is sold by Bright Ideas Press for $34.95 and the optional student activity e-book is sold for $12.95. This e-book includes all the reproducible pages found in the teachers book and is sold as a single family license. A co-op licenses is also for sale on their website. http://www.brightideaspress.com/ In addition to the Biology program, they also sell Christian Kids Explore Physics, Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space, and Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.


Click the banner below to see what others had to say about Christian Kids Explore Biology

Freebie Friday

IT'S LIKE HAVING A MONEY TREE IN YOUR BACK YARD!


This week's freebies are from a great free resource "The Home
Educators Association of Virginia"( HEAV). I hope these are a blessing to you and your family. You can find HEAV at http://www.heav.org/


The first website offers a Free Thanksgiving Unit

This free, 56-page file has basic Thanksgiving history, notebooking pages for all ages, lapbooking pages, word searches, and Thanksgiving vocabulary (with vocabulary cards), and comes ready for you to download. Go to the first link to preview the unit and the second link to download it. Materials suit many age levels.

http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-denver/free-thanksgiving-unit-for-notebooking-lapbooking-and-more


The next website offers a Free E-book: Getting Kids to Cooperate and Become Team Players

Getting Kids to Cooperate and Become Team Players: 10 Essential Strategies and Solutions is a free e-book available from the Confident Mom website. The author says, “Take it from a mom who has three kids, I know getting your children to start cooperating won’t happen on its own!” She offers strategies to help develop family teamwork. Send in your name and e-mail address for her newsletter and she will send you your free copy.

www.theconfidentmom.com/sign-up-for-my-e-book

The third website offers Free Foreign Service Institute Language Courses

These language courses, developed by the Foreign Service Institute and the United States government, are in the public domain and therefore free of charge. This independent, non-profit website, which is not affiliated with any government entity, makes them available in electronic form for anyone interested!

http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php


Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break! There will be no Freebie Friday next week,
see you in December.
Lauren

Time4Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning is an online educational program that can be used in many ways including as a homeschooling curriculum or afterschool tutorial. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.
http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum.htm

Freebie Friday

IT'S LIKE HAVING A MONEY TREE IN YOUR BACKYARD!

If you have been in any stores this past week, I am sure you would agree that it "beginning to feel a lot like Christmas
So this week I will be sharing more holiday freebies.


The first link is for a free e-book which is filled with ideas to help make your holiday special.

Illuminate your Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays with the help of a special present from a trusted homeschooling friend . . .Enjoy a fabulous free gift from The Old Schoolhouse®! Wrap your family in a ribbon of thankfulness and joy and season your holiday with laughter, love, and togetherness. FREE!http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=145&products_id=18235


The next website is http://www.currclick.com/ . On Cyber Monday, November 29th they will give you 20 completely free, new homeschool resources. Don't forget to log on and click away!


Totally unrelated to the two previous freebie, is a wonderful website that offers a French tutorial program.
http://www.frenchtutorial.com/standard/



Remember, if you know of a free resource online, please let me know so I can share it in an up coming Freebie Friday.
Have a fabulous week!
Lauren

The Write Foundation

Sentence to Paragraph Writing Instructions
The Write Foundation
By Rebecca Celsor
http://www.thewritefoundation.org/



Teaching my children to write well has always been a challenge. Over the years, I have tried numerous writing curriculum and have never found one that both my children and I love. Well, that was until The Write Foundation sent me a copy of their Level One: Sentence to Paragraph Writing Instructions to review. As a member of the TOS Review Crew, I received a free copy of this writing program to use with my children in exchange for my honest opinion.

The program includes three components; Spiral Instruction Manuals, Student Worksheets and The Sentence to Paragraph Additional Resources CD. Materials not included are the optional Mind Bender Books A1, A2, A3, and A4. which are available at http://www.criticalthinking.com/ and a three ring binder with 8 dividers.


The Level One program is geared to students ages 11-14 or students who exhibit any of the following issues: If your student has any run-ons or incomplete sentences when he writes on his own; If your student hates writing; or If your student primarily writes simple sentences. Based on my son's age and his dislike for writing, I chose to use The Write Foundation Level One Program.


At first, I found the directions in the instruction manual a little confusing. However, once I read through the manual a second time and actually began to use the program, I found the format to be very appealing. Although the objectives of the curriculum are the same as most writing programs, the method used to obtain the goal is quite different. Here the emphasis is on writing detailed sentences with the use of descriptive verbs, adjectives and adverbs. The students also write a variety of poems to reinforce the use of descriptive vocabulary. The student is gently led through the writing process, slowly building up from simple to more interesting sentences and then writing paragraphs. In conjunction with the items included, they suggest the use of Mind Benders as an important part of the program. We have enjoyed using the Mind Benders and I can see how these exercises help with developing organizational skills.


I have been very pleased with the progress my son has made using The Write Foundation Level One program. He is using more descriptive language and he is not complaining as much about having to write.
The one aspect of the program that I am still struggling with is the notebook that is required as part of the first lesson. They ask that you set up a binder with 8 dividers, however, I haven't figured out their organization system yet. Otherwise, I would highly recommend this writing program. I plan to complete all of the 30 lessons in Level One. Next year we will continue with Level Two: Paragraph Writing and then Level Three: Essay Writing the following year.


Sentence to Paragraph Writing Curriculum is available in 3 different packages:

Curriculum Package 1: Sentence to Paragraph Complete Lessons 1-30 which cost $100
Curriculum Package 2: Sentence to Paragraph Lessons 1-15 is $65
Curriculum Package 3: Sentence to Paragraph Lessons 16-30 is also $65
The Sentence to Paragraph instruction manuals are also available separately for $75 for Lessons 1-30 or $40 each for Lessons 1-15 or 16-30



Click the banner below to see what others had to say about The Write Foundation.

Freebie Friday

It's Like Having a Money Tree in Your Backyard!











Wow! We are already two months into the school year and the holiday season is approaching rapidly. This weeks freebies will help you add a little holiday cheer to your homeschool.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday for family, friends and teaching lessons on gratitude! The link below will take you to a site full of ideas for Thanksgiving studies.
http://www.teacherhelp.org/thanks.htm

This next freebie is a short Bible study lesson on The Attitude of Gratitude.This is a 2-part study, so be sure to click both links.

http://homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/printables/GratitudePt1.pdf


http://homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/printables/GratitudePt2.pdf

Scholastic has a great site on the First Thanksgiving
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/?eml=OT/e/20101104////Thanksgiving////Wampanoag/L1///






One of my favorite sites for interactive science lessons is hosting " The 12 days of Freebies," starting December 1st. Simply sign up for their newsletters and be blessed by 12 free interactive unit studies. Click the link below and sign up today!

http://www.thesimplehomeschool.com/register/newsletter-sign-up

Have a blessed week.

Lauren

The High School Schoolhouse Planner

The High School Schoolhouse Planner
Project Manager: Heidi Strawser
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
http://www.theoldschoolhousemagazine.com/
1-888-718 HOME




Boy, was I thrilled when I heard that The Old Schoolhouse had made planners for homeschooled students. As a mom of a high school age student, one of my goals is to teach her how to organize her day. The schoolhouse planner is unique in that a student can pick and chose from the 293 pages included in the e-book. I especially liked that the pages can be photocopied, hole punched and be placed in the students binder along with their school work. No more misplaced planners!

I received a copy of the High School Schoolhouse Planner in exchange for an honest review from the eyes of a tenth grade homeschooler. The planner was delivered in an e-book formation. The e-book opened easily and its graphic design was appealing. As my daughter, Kaela and I, browsed through the almost 300 pages of the planner, we were both pleased with the content and the layout. Kaela decided to compile a list of the elements of the planner she liked most and those she disliked. Below is a list of Kaela's top picks.

1. Sign Language Sheet


2. State Requirements


3. Conversions (math)


4. Timeline of Inventions


5. Countries and Capitals


6. Famous Composers


7. Goals (Weekly, Monthly and yearly)


8. Transcripts


9. High School Plan


10. Books Read This Year


11. Community Service Record


12. Vocabulary Study Sheet


13. Interest and Career Ideas


14. All Purpose Wish List


15. Schedules


16. Music Practice Sheets


17. Prayer Journal


18. Chronological Bible Reading Schedule


19. Bible Reading Highlights


20. Dates to Remember


21. Phone Numbers

In addition, there are also several different calendars to choose, including daily, weekly and yearly calendars. Kaela also found that the ablility to type directly onto the forms was extremely helpful. The end result, a totally unique planner that was, not only fun to put together, but very useful. The one downside to this planner is the additional cost of copying the pages. However, we chose to take it to our local office supply store. This not only saved us money, but they were able to print the planner on a colorful assortment of paper.

Kaela's list of pages she disliked was short in comparison to the top picks list. They include the following forms:

1. Elements- prefers to see them arranged on a periodic table


2. Attendance Chart- not necessary since she works until her curriculum is complete


3. Journal-too personal to keep in planner


4. Lab Sheet - she uses sheets provided in her science program


5. Family Rules-She knows them by heart:)

Overall, the $29.00 price is a small price to pay for leading your high school student towards a more organized lifestyle. Also included with the price of the planner is a 14 page Parent's Pack, which includes four articles relevant to homeschooling a high school age child. The articles include: "High School: Time 2 Prepare", How to Create a High School Transcript", "The 411 on School Dual Enrollment", and "You Are the Best High School Guidance Counselor" The Parent's Pack also contains several links to helpful websites.

Although this planner is geared towards students in 9-12 grades, I think it will really be helpful for parents of High Schoolers as well.

Here is a direct link for the High School Planner

http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=191_193

Freebie Friday

It's like having a money tree in your back yard!





November is just around the corner, so this week's freebies are all designed to help you add a little spice to your November curriculum. The first website is a great place to explore all the special days in the month of November.
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/blnovdayslong.htm
For example, did you know that November is Aviation Month? This site also has project ideas to help you celebrate all month long!


November's most noted holiday is Thanksgiving Day. The next site has free notebook pages with a Thanksgiving Day theme. http://notebookingpages.com/wp-content/uploads/free-content/holidays/npc_thanksgiving-notebooking-pages.pdf (This file may take a while to download)

Last, but not least, click here to get a free e-book: TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING
Stress Free Plans and Easy Recipes for Busy Moms
http://www.urbanhomemaker.com/productcart/pc/viewContent.asp?idpage=7

Enjoy these last few days in October!
Lauren

Freebie Friday

It's like having a money tree in your backyard!


Wow! We are already three weeks into October. As the weather turns chilly and the days grow short, I find I have a little more time to read my e-mail and catch up just a little before the Christmas rush.

This week's freebies are all e- newsletter that are free to join and they give out freebies regularly.

The first newsletter is called, "Homeschool Free Stuff". In this weekly publication you will find:
Free Homeschool Curriculum
Free Homeschool Lesson Plans
Free Homeschool Resources
Free Interactive Online Studies
Free Worksheets
Free Links to Online Websites, Activities, and More!
http://www.homeschoolfreestuff.com/index.asp

The next newsletter is " Homeschool Freebie of The Day". Just subscribe to their “Homeschool Freebies Alert” mailing list and they will send you an email about the upcoming week’s freebies each and every MONDAY morning, so you can make sure you get the ones you want! Simply… click on the link below.
http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/join-list/


The third link is from "The Old Schoolhouse Magazine" and it includes four possible e-newsletters. You can chose from:
(1) "The Special Offer" newsletter, where the monthly BONUS every month is 2 free weE-books!

(2) THE HOMESCHOOL MINUTET is a free weekly e-Newsletter for anyone homeschooling or considering it. It's brief, yet packed with a powerful dose of encouragement to keep you going strong in your commitment to your family and to the Lord. You'll enjoy favorite authors such as Todd Wilson, Ruth Beechick, Deborah Wuehler, and Nancy Carter, along with curriculum suggestions and help finding some of the best homeschool freebies on the web.

(3) Wondering what other homeschool moms would do in a situation. The Minute to Minute weekly newsletter, which comes out each Saturday, is our way of putting you all in touch with other homeschool moms. It truly is readers helping readers.
If you have questions that you'd like to share or if you would like to share some words of encouragement or practical tips with other homeschoolers, this is the newsletter for you!

(4) The Teacher's Toolbox is a great way to inject something extra into your teaching plans or homeschool on a shoestring. Each issue features hands-on teaching tips, links to free resources online, and a FREE E-Book. It's like a unit study of the month club. Stretch your budget and maximize the fun in your homeschool. Subscribe to any or all of these e-newsletters by clicking the link below.http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Join_Our_Newsletter_Lists.php

Happy reading! If you have been blessed by Freebie Friday, please share it with a friend.
Thanks and have a great week.
Lauren

Freebie Friday

This week we celebrated Columbus Day and studied about his voyage to the New World. So it had me thinking about geography. The three site below will add a fun and an interactive element to your geography curriculum.
This first website is a great place to quiz your students on the countries in Europe http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/Europenew.html

How about playing a game to reinforce the terms longitude and latitude :
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-games/latitude-longitude-map-game.php or try the main website for all kinds of tools to enhance your geography curriculum-
http://www.kidsgeo.com/

Do you want to reinforce the location of the continents and have a ton of fun at the same time? Try Copy Cat http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/geographygames/copycat/

Copy Cat is just one of the games on the National Geographic web site
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/geographygames

Happy traveling, see you next week!

God's Smuggler

William Tyndale: God's Smuggler
By Kim Kargbo
Soli Deo Gloria Resources
(901) 218-5243
http://www.solideogloriaresources.com/


Take a moment to thank William Tyndale, as you sit down and read your Bible today. William Tyndale is best known for his English translation of the New Testament. Kim Kargbo has written a unit study that is geared towards students grades K-12. This 21 page study is designed to take five days to complete and includes, history, science, language arts, bible, copy work, art and geography. I received a copy of the William Tyndale: God's Smuggler E-book to use with my family in exchange for my honest review.

I used the William Tyndale: God's Smuggler Unit Study, with my seventh and fifth graders. We put aside our usual school work and journeyed back to the sixteenth century. The unit study begins with a resource list of videos, websites, and books that are recommended as an integral part of the study. I was able to find the books at my local library and I was able to find two of the videos on Netflix.



We began our study with one of the recommended videos. This was a great way to introduce Tyndale and his work and set the foundation for the study. During the first day, we created a notebook cover, did vocabulary work and began our timeline. I liked that the historical people and dates were provided for the timeline. Completing the timeline helped to set the stage for the significance of William Tyndale's work. The video that we chose had a free study guide on line which gave us an assortment of worksheets to reinforce the facts from the film. There were also some fun, interactive sites that we enjoyed.

In the days that followed, we studied the plague, Leonardo da Vinci, modern translators, the invention of the printing press and more. My children enjoyed our break from the routine, and learned lots about the history surrounding William Tyndale's life and his important work. I would recommend this study for families with older elementary and middle school age children. My only complaint is that some of the links embedded in the study were not functioning. This E-book is only $8.00 and can be purchased at : http://www.solideogloriaresources.com/

Click the banner below to see what others had to say about this unit study.

Freebie Friday

The rain has finally stopped and the sun is out. So this weeks sites will be fun sites to visit now and bookmark for a rainy day.
http://www.purposegames.com/ is a free site with fun quizzes.

http://quizlet.com/ is a fun website with all kinds of flash cards for studying. You can use their large collection of flash cards or make your own

http://www.ezschool.com/ is a wonderful FREE site that offers worksheets, games, tutorials, study tools and more. Be sure to try their SAT question of the day!

http://www.softschool.com/ is another great site for free worksheets and games. Register for their free newsletter and find out what new games and worksheets have been added.

If this site has blessed you, please share it with a friend. Have a wonderful week!

Lanschool Home Management Software

Lanschool Home Management Software
Landschool Technologies, LLC
http://lanschool.com/
877-370-5546



In today's world of computer technology children are presented with numerous distractions while doing their school work on the computer. Students can be distracted by Facebook, instant messages, emails, games or any of the many sites on the Internet. Lanschool Technologies' Home Management Software is one solution to this ever growing problem. Their software allows the teacher to monitor each students computer screen and redirect them if necessary from a remote computer.

Imagine your student is on the computer doing researching for a paper and a friend sends them an email. You can instantly see the email alert as it appears on their screen and quickly darken their screen. Your student is now aware that they have lost focus and can be redirect to their research. This is just one of the many scenarios that can be seen using this revolutionary software. The key features of Lanschool Home Management Software are as follows:

● Runs on Macs and Windows
● View 3 thumbnails of computers at a time
Web Limiting
● Limit websites across all Windows browsers
● Allow or block specified websites
● Display allowed or blocked websites to family members
● Restrict private browsing in Internet Explorer

Application Limiting
● Allow or block specified applications
Application and Keystroke Monitoring
● Monitor applications and keystrokes on family computers

Blank Screens
● Stop computer access by blanking their screens, showing
a custom message and locking out their keyboards and mice

Remote Control
● Help a family member by taking control of their computer‘s
monitor, keyboard and mouse
● Remote control multiple computers at the same time
Send a Message
● Send a text message to all or selected computers
Question/Chat
● Family members can click on the LanSchool icon and type in a
question for the parent
● To respond, parents can initiate a text-based chat session with
the family member

Muting
● Turn speakers on or off from the parent’s console
Print Limiting
● Allow or block printing for all or selected computers

Drive Limiting
● Allow or block USB/CD/DVD drives for all or selected computers
Send and Collect Files
● Send and collect files to and from family computers

Power features
● Shutdown, logoff or restart family computers
● Power on computers remotely using Wake-on-LAN

Running Applications
● View all running applications on family computers and add
those applications to the allowed or blocked lists

Internet History
● View all Internet Explorer browsing history
● Family members cannot delete browsing history

Screen Snapshot
● Take a snapshot of the family member’s current computer screen
Anti-tampering controls
● LanSchool prevents family members from unloading or disrupting the
software

Show Screen
● Show the parent’s screen on the family members monitors
● Co-browse the Internet, family browsers follow the parent
Show Family Member to the rest of the Family
● Allow a family member to take control and demonstrate their screen to
the other members of the family

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
LanSchool Home v7.5 supports any combination of computers running Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP-32, Windows Vista-32/64, Windows 7-32/64, Mac OS 10.4 and higher.
The only exception is the LanSchool parent console for the Mac, which will only run on Intel-based
Mac hardware running OS 10.5 and higher.
Listed below are the minimum requirements necessary to run LanSchool v7.5 on both the parent
and family computers:
PROCESSOR
166 MHz Intel® Pentium® processor
or faster
RAM
● 48 MB for Windows 98
● 96 MB for Windows 2000
● 128 MB for Windows XP
● 256 MB for Windows Vista
● 512 MB for Mac OS X

PROTOCOL STACK
● All computers must be configured with TCP/IP
● 802.11 wireless is supported

Lanschool Home is available as an online download for $99, this price includes three year usage on up to three computers and technical support. The tech support team at Lanschool Technology is extremely helpful, and if they are unable to resolve a problem over the phone, they will come to your home to resolve the issue. The tech support is free of charge! Now there's a company that stands behind their product.


Click the banner below to see what others had to say about this software.

Homeschooling High School

Below find a list of websites that will help you during your high school years of homeschooling


http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html CLEP Test

http://www.kaptest.com/College/Learn-and-Discuss/index.html Free practice test from Kaplan-under free events top left hand corner

http://www.hshub.org/High_School_Transcripts.html Sample Transcripts

http://donnayoung.org/forms/planners/hs-transcript.htm Forms for transcripts and record keeping

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/graduation/standard.shtml Virginia High School Requirements

http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/trans1.html#transcripts Sample transcripts

http://www.thehomescholar.com/ A wealth of information. Free webinars and newsletters

http://www.christendom.edu/images/pdfs/homeschool%20transcript.pdf Free transcript templates

http://www.homeschool-curriculum-savings.com/homeschool-transcript-template.html Transcript templates

http://www.boxfreeconcepts.com/edserv/index.html Diploma templates

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/home-school-high-school-transcript-TC030005663.aspx Transcript templates

http://www.ehow.com/how_4914484_prepare-homeschool-high-school-transcripts.html Great how to site

http://www.pahomeschool.com/transcript.html GPA Calculator on bottom of this page

http://teascript.com/ online transcripts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lcrvgbXis8 you tube video

http://www.hslda.org/highschool/ Lots of great information


http://www.fastweb.com/ Scholarships

http://www.scholarships.com/ Scholarships

The Chronicles of Peleg: Book One: Foundlings

By Matthew Christian Harding
Zoe and Sozo Publishing
http://www.matthewchristianharding.com/
(804) 695-9937



If you are like most homeschoolers, finding good books for your children to read is not always an easy task. Many of the newer fictions written for young people are filled with witches, warlocks and other ungodly creations. Thankfully, Matthew Christian Harding, was inspired to write good Christian books for young people. The Foundlings, is full of adventure and interesting characters and provides a biblical accurate setting. The book is geared for anyone ages ten to adults, but can be read aloud to younger children. The author states that "he wanted to write books of fiction for our youth and adults that would strengthen their beliefs, and give another platform from which to excite and exhort our children to believe the Bible literally" I believe that Mr. Harding was successful in creating a story that will not only draw the reader in to the adventure, but also reinforces Godly character.

Summary
Foundlings, book one of the Peleg Chronicles is a historical fiction that takes place in the time period of Peleg, soon after the Tower of Babel dispersion. During the story, we meet dragons, giants, false priests, the death hunt, an under-city of the Dwarven Brotherhood (note: dwarfs are depicted as human beings, who just happen to be short, and who were driven into slavery), and many other memorable characters.

The story begins with Lord McDougal and his faithful shield-bearer, Fergus Leatherhead, departing their lands with giants at their backs, while before then, lie wait for the citizens of the bog-land and forest.

Every ready to protect and serve others, they gather in tow an assortment of displace adventurers and find themselves embroiled in a mysterious search for the Foundlings: Orphaned Thiery with his companion Horatio the white wolf, and Suzie who has been deceitfully retained by thieves Elvodug and Flemup.

Others also seek the Foundlings, and their purposes are most sinister- Dragon Priests who practice cozen sacrifices, and their leader Count Rosencross who is torn by his God given conscience and his pursuit of personal glory.

Onward toward the city of Hradcanny they travel, meeting with treachery, beast attacks, camaraderie and psalms of praise with an eye toward the gospel. Through their battles are at times fierce and the outcomes uncertain, the author maintains the integrity of these noble characters, who through weakness are made strong by Him in whom they trust.

Foundlings weaves together the Biblical principles of chivalry, truth, courage, duty, faith and love within the framework of Genesis, and a bold adherence to its historicity. It's an exciting page turner that leaves you wanting more, but more importantly it leaves the reader with Godly heroes to think on and emulate, and a young earth creationist view of history that conforms to the Word of God.

The Foundlings, is available at the authors website, http://www.matthewchristianharding.com/
and in many bookstores for $11.95. The second book in the trilogy, Paladins, has also been released for sale.I believe this series is the answer to many parents prayers.I read this book and also passed it along to one of my son's friend. Sean, a thirteen year old boy, enjoyed the book and felt that it was much more exciting then other Christian books he had read in the past. He felt that the way the author integrated the Bible into the story was more natural, and made it fun to read. If you are looking for a good book for your family, I recommend Foundling. There is no magic, no evolution and no humanism. Just a good read with a strong Biblical foundation.


I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review of the Foundling. (The summary was provided by the author.)

Click the banner below to see what others had to say about this book.

Freebie Friday

Wow! I can not beleive it is October already. October is PSAT month, so this week, the free websites will all relate to PSAT and SAT prep. The first site is a wonderful site with interactive games for the whole family. They have two activities that will help build a college level vocabulary. Be sure to check out other games on this site. There is alot to choose from. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/dynamic_multiple_choiceB2.html

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_vocab_sat.htm


Try this site to do online practice test and receive instant feedback!

http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=6

Finally, why not have your student take an actual SAT test, in real test conditions for FREE!
Kaplan offers PSAT and SAT test at their testing centers for free. Detailed results are emailed to you within a few days. Use this website to find out where and when a test is offered and register on line. http://www.kaptest.com/College/Learn-and-Discuss/index.html Look in the upper left hand corner under "Find a Free Event".

Build a Strong Homeschool Foundation with Organization

Students Planners Are Now Available!!

The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner

No other planner has as many building blocks!




Over 600 pages including:
Daily and weekly schedule forms
Monthly calendar pages
Attendance chart
Bible memorization record
Book report forms
Library book list
Journal pages with space for drawings
Assignment sheet with due dates
Audio/video log
Chore chart
Print alphabet writing charts
U.S. Presidents
United States and capitals
Countries and capitals
Timeline of inventions
Scientists & their discoveries
Preschool activity pages
Nature journal pages





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The Schoolhouse Planner:

Don’t Homeschool Without it!
click image below for more information


I created this advertisement for a contest for the TOS Schoolhouse Planner

Freebie Friday

I can hardly believe that September is almost over! I trust that everyone is settling into their school routine and that you are enjoying these cooler fall days.

This week, I would like to share three websites that were recently brought to my attention.

The first site is http://www.khanacademy.org/

Mr. Khan has developed a website that provides classes in Math, Science, History, Finance and Test Prep for free!!!!! All classes are student paced and free!!!! Did I mention that you can study a whole year of Pre-Algebra , Algebra I& II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and so much more for FREE! Please share this resource with your friends.

The second site: http://www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.com/ offers live classes in many areas of study, including Apologia Science classes. The Virtual Homeschool Group has become very popular, so all live and asynchronous classes are currently at maximum capacity. There are no classes currently enrolling more students.However, if you sign up for their free newsletter you will be notified of up coming classes.

This weeks third FREEBIE is a Webinar at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/webinar/

Top 12 Homeschooling Mistakes... and How to Avoid Them
Sep. 28, 9 PM EDT / 8 PM CDT / 7 PM MDT / 6 PM PDT

This webinar will cover:

- The two big testing mistakes (that could have
far-reaching effects)
- The critical college preparation mistake that 80% of
homeschoolers make
- God's place in science
- The mistake made in teaching science to young
students
- The way college professors view homeschoolers
- The "8th grade mistake"
- The real truth about scholarships
- The dirty little secret
- The big high school science mistake

Presenter: Greg Landry, Homeschool Science Academy

As always, have a blessed week and enjoy the changes that the new season brings.

Lauren

Freebie Friday

I pray that everyone is having a wonderful week. This week I would like to share three of my favorite sites for freebies and just some neat homeschooling resources.






The first website is www.currclick.com/. On this site, hundreds of vendors have e-books for sale, but they also have a huge collection of freebies. Sign up for their weekly newsletter and receive a freebie every Monday or just go to their website and browse through the freebies!


Next, is an incredible website that all homeschool families should checkout. It's the homeschool buyers co-op. This site has great deals on curriculum and lots of free stuff! Take some time to really check out this website and join the co-op, it's free!! Their website is: http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/


The last website for this week is http://www.homescholar.com/. This site has a wealth of information for homeschooling high school age students. Sign up for the newsletter to stay informed or just check out the freebies on the web page. This site is hosting a FREE webinar on Tuesday, September 21, with Jay Wiles as the guest speaker. Register for the webinar at this site:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/905692649

As always, if this blog is a blessing to you, share it with a friend.


Have a blessed week!
Lauren

SAT WORD POWER

Vocabulary Cartoons-SAT Word Power
New Monic Book Inc
http://www.vocabularycartoons.com/
941-575-6669





Vocabulary Cartoons-SAT Word Power makes studying for the SAT fun! I received a copy of this paperback book to review for the TOS Crew. The book cover is colorful and inviting,not like many SAT practice books, which are big and intimidating. The books contains approximately 290 vocabulary cartoons. Each cartoon is a mnemonic device that is meant to aid in the memory of vocabulary words. The book is designed for anyone who is interested in improving their vocabulary, but it is particularly beneficial for preparing for test like the SAT or GRE exam. Vocabulary Cartoons-SAT Word Power is priced at $12.99.


This 347 page book, has a very eye pleasing lay-out. Each page is devoted to one vocabulary word. At the top of each page, the vocabulary word is printed in bold print in a text box with it's phonetic pronunciation and part of speech. Next, there is a clear definition of the word followed by a link word. The link word is a simple word or phrase that rhymes or sounds like the vocabulary word. For example, the word affidavit would appear as:

AFFIDAVIT
(af uh DAY vit) n.
a sworn written statement
Link: AFTER DAVID

Below this text box is a black and white cartoon of David slaying Goliath and a caption that states: "AFTER DAVID slew Goliath, he made out an AFFIDAVIT not to further hurt any big guys."

The cartoon and caption are followed by a few sample sentences. The book is divided into twenty nine units, with each unit containing ten vocabulary words. Upon completion of a unit, there are review questions and an answer key in the back of the book. The review questions include matching and fill in the blank type questions.

My daughter, Kaela used Vocabulary Cartoons, as part of her PSAT preparations. She enjoyed using the book and thought that most of the cartoons were funny. Kaela felt that learning vocabulary with mnemonics worked well for her,however not everyone is wired to learn using this method. She found that the number of words per unit was manageable and the review section was helpful. The one downside was the level of the vocabulary words. Both Kaela and I did not feel the words were challenging enough. Hopeful Vocabulary Cartoons II is more challenging than book I. We would recommend using this book as part of a SAT preparation course. Why not have a little fun while studying???

The New Monic Inc, publishing company has several books geared towards vocabulary development, including books for elementary level students. New Monic Inc, also sells blackline masters, overhead projector transparencies and a PDF formatted disks for classroom use.

I received Vocabulary Cartoons-SAT Power in exchange for my honest review of the product.
Read what my other Crew Members have to say about Vocabulary Cartoons by clicking on the banner below.

Freebie Friday

I pray that everyone had a great week. This week was the first day of our homeschool co-op, where I teach math. So I thought the freebies will all focus around math.



One of our favorite tools to learn the multiplication table is Time Attack.The base edition of Time Attack is absolute free and will help your video game lover master their multiplication table fast!
http://www.bigbrainz.com/






Another great math site is http://www.coolmath.com/ This site host all different types of math games for kids ages 13-100.

For the 3-12 year olds, there's http://www.coolmath4kids.com/

Finally, here's a great site where students can work on word problems in a fun environment.There is even a section on SAT math!!!
http://www.mathplayground.com/wordproblems.html

I hope these sites bring a little fun to your school day! Have a blessed week.
Lauren

Math Tutor

The Pre-Algebra Tutor and
The Texas Instruments
TI-83 and TI-84 Calculator Tutor

MathTutorDVD.Com
http://www.mathtutordvd.com/
1-877 Math-DVD

Caution!! Using Math Tutor DVDs may cause your student to excel in math!! As part of the TOS Review crew, I received both the Pre-Algebra and the Texas Instruments TI-83/TI-84 Calculator Tutor DVDs to use with my children. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical of the claim made on the front cover of the DVD case. It states "The use of this DVD will cause increased understanding of Pre-Algebra and will lead to higher grades". Well, I viewed the Pre-Algebra program, along with my son Kwan and found the DVD to be very well done. Jason, the math tutor, presents the lesson in a very clear and concise manner. He introduces concepts and then works several examples to illustrate the concept. It was useful to pause the DVD and work the examples to add a little more of an interactive element to the program. I felt that the video quality was fair, however, the audio quality was very good. My son, Kwan, found the lessons a little too long for one seating, so we broke each lesson up into two parts and this seems to have worked well.

We reviewed Volume 1 of the Pre-Algebra Tutor. It contains two DVDs with five hours of lessons.Disc 1 includes lessons on Real Numbers, The Number Line, Absolute Value, and Adding and Subtracting Integers. Disc 2 includes Multiplying and Dividing Integers, Powers and Exponents, and Order of Operation.After completing all of the lessons, I did see an improvement in my son's math skills. The classes on Negative Integers and Order of Operations were especially beneficial. The 2 DVD set sells for $26.99 and can be used in conjunction with any Pre-Algebra curriculum.

click the link below to see a sample video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PZ0L5zfQJw&feature=player_embedded





We also reviewed the Texas Instruments Calculator Tutor DVD. My daughter, Kaela, initially felt that she knew how to use all the features on her TI-83 Graphing Calculator. However, after watching Jason explain how to use the functions, I heard many comments such as "Oh! I didn't realize that ..."; or "This makes more sense now." This 3 DVD set has 8 hours of lessons and covers a wide range of topics. He starts off with an overview of the calculator and then goes over all of the functions as they apply to Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and Trigonometry. This course is a must for High School level math students who want to get the most out of their graphing calculators. It has enriched our Algebra II course and will be quite helpful during our SAT review. This 3 disc set sells for $26.99 and like all of the DVDs offered by the company, comes with a money back guarantee. The Math Tutor inventory of DVDs includes Basic Math thru Calculus and Physics too! Although these DVDs do not replace a full math curriculum, they provide a great supplement for a struggling math student or parent.

I received both of the above mentioned DVDs in exchange for my honest review of the product.
Read what my other Crew Members have to say about Math Tutor DVD, by clicking on the banner below.

Freebie Friday

Well, with this being back to school time, I felt that I would share websites that provide FREE academic programs to enhance your homeschooling experience. I only ask that you share these links with other parents!

The first website is for Spelling City. They offer a free online spelling program. Lots of fun and games for the kids and a huge help to mom. You can read my review of Spelling City on this blog.

http://www.spellingcity.com/

Next, we have a totally free vocabulary program that is sponsored by Wordly Wise. You may use this program with or without the Wordly Wise books. I really like the games on this site for reinforcing vocabulary. Also, it's great for SAT prep! http://www.wordlywise.com/

Finally, a great website to reward reading and to check reading comprehension skills is http://www.bookadventure.com/. This site offers quizzes for thousands of books and rewards prizes for points earned.

If you know of any free websites or free school related materials that you would like to share please e-mail me at ALKKBELL@verizon.net.

I pray that this blog may be a blessing to you. Have a wonderful school year and check back next week for more Freebie Friday!