Science :: Knee Deep in Grace

Archive for Science

May

Go Science

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

Can one ever have too much science or too many experiments? My children certainly don’t think it’s possible, and I constantly feel like I have a wide gap in our science curriculum. I’m always eager to fill that nagging space with solid material.

Go Science is a Creation based Science DVD Series, authored by Mr. Ben Roy, and created to supplement elementary and middle school science courses.

Mr. Roy has taught elementary and middle school, also serving as principal. He has been awarded Teacher of the Year, and maintains teacher certifications in two states. He is a past director of a TV newschannel Science Theater, and continues to travel extensively with his live science shows.

Presently, there are 6 DVD’s in the Go Science Series. Running time per DVD varies from 29 minutes to 59 minutes. Each DVD is divided into several segments, around 3-6 minutes each. Each segment spotlights a specific experiment. Ben Roy “captivates, motivates, and inspires students to be excited about science, while providing effective instruction based on science phenomena. Each spectacular demonstration of physical or chemical science has a spiritual application and points to our Creator!” ~ quoted from the web page. With purposeful intent, he teaches students to acknowledge that, “Every time we learn something about SCIENCE, we learn something about our CREATOR GOD!”

Regularly listed for $14.95 each – or $79.95 for the set of 6 – Library & Educational Services makes the Go Science DVDs available for just $8.97 each, or $47.95 for the entire set. LES is a wholesale company, serving “resellers, educators, librarians, home educators, as well as church leaders such as pastors or directors of children’s ministries.” They supply wholesome, educational books, DVDs, CDs, games, and more, at 30% – 70% off retail prices!

Motion: Discovering the Laws of Gravity and Motion - includes a Gyroscope and Newtonian Cradle

Simple Machines, Sound and Weather – includes an Incline Plane, Trebuchet, and Making a Cloud

Magnetism, Engineering, Electricity, and Design – includes Making a Compass, Light Bulb, Solar Energy, and a Heat Engine

Chemistry, States of Matter, and Life Science – including Chemical Luminescence and Optical Illusion

Air and Flight – including the Bernoulli Effect, Drum Crush, and Balloon Balance

Water, Space, and the Solar System – includes how to Boil Water in a Paper Cup, and how to Make a Rocket

The Go Science Series is recommended for ages 6-14. My 7 year old was the only one that honestly appreciated it. There is just enough “action” to keep her attention long enough to gain a nugget of scientific information. Everyone else thought they were far too juvenile to be engaging. Although, Mr. Roy is quite knowledgeable and passionate about teaching science, his program seems dated, and lacks some of the depth, the how‘s and why‘s of the experiments, that is needed to hold the attention of an older student. My personal recommendation is early elementary, possibly 5-10 years old.

If you have questions or comments for him, you can contact him via email - benroy@gosciencezone.com, write - Mr. Roy, 27 Winter Lane, Ringgold, GA 30736, or call – 423.596.7469.

Please, follow the links I’ve posted here, for more details, and as always, you can click the graphic below and read the opinions shared by my Crew mates.

Blessings,

Disclaimer* A downloadable copy of this product was given to me, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation for my reviews on this blog. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you for your comments.

Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : homeschool, Science, TOS

Comments (1)

Feb

The Heavens Declare!

Posted by: PK | Comments (0)

Covering Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and Earth Science, has left little time to really get into Astronomy – the scientific study of the individual celestial bodies and of the universe as a whole. I know there’s a Biblical purpose for which the Sun, Moon and Stars were created, “…to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” Genesis 1:14

In Junior High School I did an illustrated report on constellations. I took over the huge bulletin board in the back of the classroom, used thumb tacks and white string, on a black background, and mapped the stars in our night sky. My report briefly touched on names, history and origin. I’ve enjoyed the Moon and Stars countless times since then, but I have not counted their worth.

Psalm 19:1-2 says, “The Heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays His handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals His greatness.” Based on this verse alone, there is so much more than warmth from the Sun, and pretty lights in the sky at night. I want my children to be able to recognize God’s handiwork, and intelligently acknowledge His greatness. We need to learn how to observe the sky.

“It is said that every home in early America owned a (Holy) Bible, a copy of [John Bunyan's] Pilgrim’s Progress, and the current annual astronomical almanack,” writes Jay Ryan, author of The Classical Astronomy.

In his Celestial Almanack, February, 2012, Vol. 1, Number 2 you’ll find:

an Astronomical Calendar

Signs of the Seasons

* The Sun’s Declination

Seasonal Skies – Evening

*The Great Constellation Orion

*The N, E, and W Horizons

Dance of the Planets

*Jupiter and Venus Approach

*The Motion of Jupiter and Venus

*Superior Planets – Mars, Saturn

We love Jay’s style of teaching!

Blessings,

Penny

This product was given to me, free of charge, in exchange, for my honest review, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation for my reviews on this blog. The opinions expressed are my own.

Categories : Bible, History, homeschool, reviews, Science, TOS

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Dec

Hands-On

Posted by: PK | Comments (0)

I love hands-on learning! Building. Creating. Going. Doing. Definitely more of an action-verb sort of teacher, rather than a state-of-being type. I’m not fond of seat work, although it has it’s place and I use it.

I love Pitsco Education! They are the epitome of relevant, hands-on learning activities and they are dedicated to student success.

Pitsco has been a leader in education for 40 years. They “offer a robust array of STEM-oriented [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] classroom solutions.” Their classroom kits would work well for co-op groups, but they also have full line of individual, homeschool kits, available. They care about their students, their teachers AND their reputation. Therefore, they are constantly seeking to improve and expand their product line, “providing students with the most positive and meaningful experiences possible,” while maintaining an exceptional system of customer support.

Our most recent experience with Pitsco Education involved learning about and building a catapult and a trebuchet, using their Medieval Machine Pack. It retails for $21.95, includes a Trebuchet Kit, Catapult Kit, Mass Plates, and the Seige Machines Book.

From the website: “Teach basic math, science, and problem-solving skills. With this pack, your child learns about catapults and trebuchets through hands-on activities that cover three areas:

Science: Tension versus torsion, elasticity, gravity and levers, and force and motion
Math: Metric conversion, calculating averages, and prediction
Experiments: Mass versus distance, testing rubber bands, targeting, and more.”

This pack is designed for use by Intermediate – Middle School age students, but all of us in my house, elementary through high school and adult, gained knowledge with this hands-on activity. The kit activities did require some additional items such as measurement and hand tools, all of which we already had in the house.

Here’s a look at our catapult assembling journey ~

Contact:

Mail -

Pitsco Education

P.O. Box 1708

Pittsburg, KS 66762

Call –

800.828.5787

800.835.0686

For more detailed information about Pitsco, please, follow the many links I’ve included throughout this post. You can also read other reviews, by my TOS crew mates, when you click the graphic banner below.

Take a few minutes and explore Pitsco Education. It could have a positive impact on your curriculum at best and a definite influence on your Christmas list, in the least.

Blessings,

Thank you for your comments. I’d love to hear about YOUR favorite Pitsco Education product.

*Contents of this blog and photographs are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : homeschool, math, reviews, Science, technology, TOS

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Nov

Clever Dragons Discount!

Posted by: PK | Comments (0)

Clever Dragons launches it’s smart fun for boy’s only, today! My son has been waiting weeks for this, as I wrote in my review of a scoop of laughter, a scoop of learning, Always Icecream, for girl’s only!

I’ll be posting a review of this site, soon, but couldn’t wait to tell you that Clever Dragons is online and they are offering a discounted membership rate for a limited time only.

* Now through November 27th *

Launch Special Price

$39.99 for Lifetime Membership

No promo code needed.

Find Clever Dragons on facebook for the latest updates.

Blessings,

Clever Dragons, nor anyone affiliated with them, asked me to write this post. I received no compensation and any expressed opinions are my own.

Thanks for your comments. PK

Categories : Art, Bible, Games, History, homeschool, Language Arts, math, Reading, Social Studies, Spelling

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Oct

For Girls Only!

Posted by: PK | Comments (3)

Finding one’s place in a big family can sometimes be difficult. Having something that belongs just to you or that didn’t belong to a sibling before you doesn’t happen often, but sometimes it’s nice. It’s a little affirmation that you are one-of-a-kind and not just part of the group. I look for ways to let my children know that I see them as individuals.

Our youngest daughter is the youngest of 11. She loves her position, but we’ve made it a point to let her know that she wasn’t an afterthought. She was/is wanted and she is an important part of our family. It would be easy for everything she owns – clothes, toys, books & games – to be a hand-me-down, much is, but not all. Truly, she probably wouldn’t even mind, but I would; so, when I recently had the opportunity to review an ad-free learning website, for girls only, I was just a wee-bit excited about the possibilities! I wasn’t disappointed.

Always Icecream is geared for girls, ages 7-12, and it looks like it was created just for them. It’s pink and fun, and frufru and fun, and cute & sweet and fun! Much to my youngest son’s dismay, the website for boys only hasn’t been completed, yet, but I hear it is in the works. If I’d allow it, he’d learn & play right alongside his sister, but since I haven’t, he can not wait for his site! Why have a site, for girls only? My guys and girls get along very well together. My guys are a little more sensitive, considerate and compassionate and my girls are comfortable catching bugs and fishing, because of their interaction with each other, but it’s not that way in every home or classroom.

“Online games for girls are games that have been specifically designed to meet the interests and curiosity of girls. This gender-focus makes it possible that “girls can be girls” without the fear of being bothered by boys who tend to make fun of everything that girls consider “cute.”
“Within the target age group of 7-12 years, children’s preferences and ways in which they can be motivated tend to be influenced by gender. Collaborative play (girls) versus competitive play (boys) and girls tend to be attracted by virtual goods that are “decorative”, such as clothes, versus “useful”, such as machines or armor.”

“Notwithstanding the differences in brain development and socialization, Always Icecream is adamantly opposed to stereotypes such as “girls are not interested in science or math.” The site challenges its young members to engage in learning activities across a broad spectrum of subjects:

Language Arts

Math (basic and advanced)

Science

Computer Skills

Geography

History

Foreign Languages

Music & Arts

and Religious Education

I asked my daughter for her opinion of Always Icecream. She said, and I quote:

“I love it! You get to make your own house and you get your own pet. It’s fun! The learning is still fun, too. I am learning, you know. There are so many activities, I can’t even tell you! I’m practicing typing and I’m learning my states. Want me to show you? I’m getting higher and higher in my math and I got all of the Bible questions right, last time, because we had just learned about two of them in Children’s Church! The pet world thingy-place is my favorite! The pets can play games and do stuff. You can buy them accessories, (yes, that’s her word. We are big Fancy Nancy fans, but I’ll save that for another time) like a necklace or a bow. You use your $coops to buy stuff. ($coops is the earned currency in the Always Icecream world.) You buy them food and feed them, like carrots for the rabbit, not bacon or dog bones, of course. You give them cuddles and love and their hearts go up! I already said it, I just love it!“

School time. Learning time.

Play time. Reward time.

Parental participation, behind the scenes, is encouraged. Parents sign-up to receive a progress report, once a week, and may choose a number of $coops to be rewarded for special in-real-life projects, chores or accomplishments. My kids are on a rotation to clean the cat’s litter box. Our youngest was rewarded $coops for doing it without having to be reminded. Granted, she would like to go to Dairy Queen in the future for real-world ice cream in exchange for a real-world chore, but since she usually only gets a “thank you” she thought getting $coops was actually “pretty cool.”

The girls earn $coops currency for completing their learning tasks, challenges, games & videos. They create a mini-me avatar and can switch her clothes, buy rooms for the house and purchase furniture, pets and more. My girl loved this!

There is also a social feature available, set up by the parent, that enables or not, the girls to “make friends” and communicate with one another safely through Always Icecream. Although we didn’t choose to activate this feature, I do appreciate the excellent safety measures that are in place for the girls. Click the graphic below for more information.

* $4.99 per month * $29.99 per year * $99.99 for a lifetime membership *Take a quick tour of the site and try out FREE GAMES before you buy. “Satisfaction guaranteed: Your daughter will have fun and learn relevant skills – or you get your money back!”

You’ll want to read more reviews by my crew mates and their girls. Click the TOS banner below to get the full $coop!

Contact:

website

email – feedback@always-icecream.com

or visit

facebook

Blessings to you and your girls,

*Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : computer software, Computers, Games, Geography, Health, History, homeschool, Language Arts, math, Music, Reading, reviews, Science, Social Studies, TOS

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Sep

My Latest Discovery

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

In some circles, I might be known as a curriculum junkie. Did you know, they actually make t-shirts for us? I’ve often joked that I could not have been a public school teacher because I would have spent my meager income on supplies, tools and visual aids for my students and classroom. Can one ever have enough of these? Keeping my class limited to my own children has kept it manageable, most of the time. My heart races a bit at the beginning of the school year, when create-a-classroom and outfit-a-student items go on sale! It delights me when I discover a new curriculum. You might think that as long as I have been homeschooling there wouldn’t be much new to me, but you would be wrong. Sometimes, I think I’ve lived in a cave! There are new products being developed every day, and there are many that have been around for years that I didn’t know existed. Students learn in different ways and what may work for one might as well be written in a foreign language for all the help it is to another; so, I’m always looking for the best fit for my crew.

My latest discovery is AIMS Education Foundation, with the emphasis on my, because they were established in 1981, giving them more than 25 years experience in education. They are “dedicated to producing math and science materials that will engage students and build conceptual understanding.”

Thanks to The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew, I recently had the opportunity to use and review Area Formulas for Parallelograms, Triangles & Trapezoids, for grades 6-8. An 80 page teacher’s book with CD Rom access to printable pdf. pages.

This single book is a great supplement to our math curriculum and it retails for only $9.95. (Even better is the Essential Math: Measuring Dimensions, set of 7 books, that saves you 15% by purchasing them all at the same time. It’s $59.20.) There are 15 days of lessons, comprised of 5 components:

Investigations * Hands-on activities. Cutting-up parallelograms, triangles and trapezoids; forming, combining and manipulating to reinforce formulas and see their interrelatedness.
Comics * Used as instruction and review of the investigations. We expected “funny,” and were initially disappointed that these are not humorous in any way. They are drawings, with text bubbles, depicting interaction between student and teacher. Academic instruction using common speech.
Animation * A visual summary of the important formulas and techniques.
Problem Solving * Activities that help students apply and retain concepts.
Assessment * An opportunity to test the level of understanding gained.

Visit their website at www.aimsedu.org and read how AIMS got started. You’ll find their store there, too! It’s one of my new favorite places, with their Small Group – Homeschool Lab kit, that I found under Labs, Kits & Components, for $122.95.

You will also want to browse through -

Contact:

AIMS Education Foundation

P.O. box 8120

Fresno, CA 93747

Call – 1.888.733.2467

For classroom, homeschool, summer bridge, intervention or after school, explore the benefits of

AIMS Education Foundation for your family. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Blessings,

*Contents and photographs of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : computer software, math, Science, TOS

Comments (1)

Sep

Time for Learning!

Posted by: PK | Comments (10)

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3

Time to wake up!

image credit – Alice Lucchin

Time to sleep!

image credit – ToniVC

Time to prepare a meal and time to eat. Time for Bible Study and a bubble bath. Time for a picnic. Time to visit the library. Time for date night, family game night, movie & popcorn. Time to do the dishes, mop the floor and walk the dog. Time to sort, wash, dry, fold and put away mountains of laundry! Time to multi-task and make the most of every moment. Time to be all I can be!

image credit – fdecomite

Time for teaching and Time for Learning.

Time4Learning is an online learning program. It’s web-based, which means there is no software to download, no CD’s to buy, and access is always available (from any PC with an internet connection.) Therefore, it is most convenient. Designed for grades Pre-K through 8th, as a complete curriculum or supplemental. Using animation, interactive activities and printable worksheets, Time4Learning builds a foundation in language arts, math, science (1st – 6th grade) and history (2nd – 7th grade.)

This is a comprehensive curriculum. Additional features include:

1,000+ multimedia lessons
State standards-based
Independent grade level settings for each subject
Access to the grade above and below
Time-stamping feature on lessons (for attendance)
Online playground which rewards and motivates
Automated grading and reporting for portfolio use
…and much more!

Lessons are individually paced with the student’s ability, whether gifted, special needs, homeschool, test prep, summer bridge or remedial. Three grade levels, for each subject, are available at once, enabling the parent to customize the program according to the child’s needs. Unit assessments/progress reports are sent to a parent account and parents can personally change a child’s grade level, as they see fit.

My children are excited about using this program! The graphics are engaging and the content, while uncompromisingly educational, is entertaining! We do monitor the time spent on the playground games, and we have skipped over lesson content that we have found counter to our home teaching: lessons and activities that speak of gods, goddesses, idols, Halloween, mythical beings and aliens, wizards and witches, and more, according to the relevance to the lesson. “To each his own,” but if one has an awareness of what is being presented, one can make informed personal choices.

I found this simple to set up and I’ve appreciated the extras available to parents/teachers on the Time4Learning website:

Parent’s Forum – support and discussion
Lesson Plan’s – for download & print
Hints & Help – to make the most of the program
FAQ’s – questions and answers

A month of access to this program will cost you $19.95 for the first child you enroll and $14.95 for each additional child. *So much less expensive than paying for tutoring, but presently too expensive for our budget. I hope to see multiple-children-family-pricing in the future, to make this excellent program affordable to more homeschooling families.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Still not sure if this is right for your family? Try a FREE, interactive lesson demo. Want 30 days FREE? Apply to review the Time 4 Learning program.

Questions or Comments:

Call – 954-771-0914

Email – support@Time4Learning.com

Time4Learning.com, facebook page

Blessings,

Click graphic to find more Homeschool Crew Reviews.

*Contents and photographs of this blog are copyrighted; unless otherwise indicated, they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Thank you for your comments! I appreciate each one of them. PK

Categories : History, homeschool, Language Arts, math, reviews, Science, Social Studies, TOS

Comments (10)

Sep

Let the Games Begin!

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

According to their website, Griddly Games is committed to “bringing innovative and engaging games to people ‘across the grid.” They’ve consistently gained recognition for their ingenuity and creativity in designing games that are fun and educational. Many of their games have won the Teacher’s Choice Award for the Classroom and the Dr. Toy Winner award, among others.

We like board games at our house. I buy them new and second-hand. Some have been given to us as gifts and some as hand-me-downs from children or families that out grew them. We’ve even been known to create a few of our own over the years. I have boxes with the games intact and then I have boxes or bags of pieces, to replace pieces that inevitably get lost. The family that plays together gets to know one another better! Chess, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Sorry, games of memory and concentration, Wits & Wagers, card games like War, Go! Fish and Golf, Yahtzee!, Boggle, Chutes and Ladders and Pictionary come to mind with ease. Several have been played by all eleven of our children, at one time or another, while others are special editions or upgrades. Griddly Games are new to our house, but Wise Alec has become a fast favorite.

Wise Alec is an educational trivia game “covering topics in History, Science and Spelling.” Nature Nuts is a stand alone, nature trivia, travel game, and a Wise Alec expansion set.

The box has a magnetic lip on the lid that is excellent! This is a no game board = play anywhere kind of game. Slips into the beach bag. Travels well to doctor’s and dentist’s offices. Rides well on long car trips and suffers no ill effects when played sitting Indian-style on the bed.

Designed for 2 – 6 players, ages 8 and up. In my opinion, it easily accommodates more players because in it’s simplest game the die is rolled, questions are asked & answered and points are tallied. Plenty of questions for everyone! Each card, Animal, Plant, and Earth has two levels of questions, novice and expert. (The cards are a little thin and gloss-coated on the graphic side only; so, not quite as durable as I like.) The Wise Alec cards pose challenges that may cost the player points or add bonus points.

Brain Teaser ~ Name 3 mammals + 3 points
Action! ~ Make your best fish face + 3 points
Yoga Time! ~ Do the tree pose. Hold your arms above your head with palms pressed together. Lift one leg off the ground so that your foot rests by your other knee. Hold for 30 seconds. + 7 points
Tongue Twister ~ Real rock wall. Repeat 5 times. + 5 points
Yes! ~ You do your 3 r’s: you recycle, reuse and reduce! + 2 points
Study Break! ~ Hop from side to side 15 times. +3 points
Oops! ~ You put old cheese into the composting bin! - 2 points (We threw out one Oops! card ~ Your horse passed gas! – 2 points - It seemed like unnecessary coarse jesting and we didn’t want to encourage it.)
plus, Double Chance!, Roll Again!, and Still My Turn! cards.

We’ve learned something new every time we’ve played this game! You’ll find the Wise Alec Family Trivia Game, Wise Alec: Nature Nuts, retailing for $14.99, Wise Alec: Civilize This and Wise Alec: Sports Buffs, along with other Griddly Games, at your local toy/game stores and at various online retailers. Discover the fun at Amazon.com!

This graphic is from Kidz Zone. A place for kids to play interactive online games and print coloring sheets! A Griddly FREEBIE!

Contact:

Griddly Games, Inc.

633 – 5960 No. 6 Road

Richmond, BC V6V 1Z1

604.249.5020

and

This little cutie is the profile pic for Griddly Games facebook page.

Stop by and tell them Knee Deep In Grace sent you!

The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew, my mates, have points of view to share with you.

Check ‘em out and let the games begin!

Blessings,

*Contents and photographs of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Thank you for your time and your comments. I appreciate you! PK

Categories : Award, Family, Games, History, homeschool, Nature, Reading, reviews, Science, Spelling, TOS

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Apr

10 Strawberries!

Posted by: PK | Comments (2)

I was born in the city, but while I was still in elementary school, just the thought of me in the local middle school had my mother moving our family to the country. My birth certificate may say city, but my heart is pure country.

We got most of our vegetables from our own garden and often raised our own beef. I know for a fact that we were poor, but I didn’t know it then. I don’t ever remember being hungry. We were well fed and well loved.

I should clarify though, that my mother’s version of well fed and mine are… different.

For instance, Ma didn’t like broccoli; so, we didn’t grow it and we didn’t eat it. I seem to recall that we tried brussel sprouts one year – one time and not again. Did you know, that based on research, if a food is served/eaten 10 times in a row – not just once – a child is more likely to develop a taste for it? For dinner we ate a lot of home canned green beans, potatoes, tomatoes and corn, single or combo, beside a meat entree, with bread & butter as a filler. Ma was a good cook. The general thought was to make sure we had a decent start to our day, for school, and that we did not go to bed hungry. I honestly don’t think she gave much consideration to balance, variety, color or even what our bodies might actually need to grow.

I, on the other hand, really like broccoli, and so do most of my children. I remember reading a book by Raymond and Dorothy Moore, more than 15 years ago, that taught me, and therefore my family, that the largest meal of the day should be breakfast, followed by a medium lunch and a light dinner, giving everything plenty of time to digest over night. My older children still remember getting up r.e.a.l.l.y. early, every day, to eat a humongous breakfast, that took me hours to prepare. Since we didn’t maintain it all of these years, my younger children have only heard stories, and occasionally seen hints of what I actually think is the best way to eat. Over the years, I have researched and read many books looking for the best for my family. Especially since my mother died nearly eight years ago from colon cancer. I’ve learned much, consistently implemented some and passed on everything I could to my children, hoping they’ll do even better for theirs. Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I have not found anything like Growing Healthy Homes – Nutrition 101: Choose Life!

448 pages, 6 units of study divided into 4 chapters each and thoroughly covering anatomy & physiology, nutritional health and home economics.

The Brain and Nervous System
Digestion and Elimination
Respiration and Olfactory
Muscular and Skeletal Systems
Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
Endocrine System and Emotions

This is a Biblically based curriculum that explains the systems of our God-created bodies and the foods that are needed to assist them in their jobs. The fact is: our body is affected by what we eat. The authors remind us of a verse from III John, chapter 2, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” It is their desire “to honor God by creating and distributing products that educate and empower His children to establish healthy, Christ-centered homes.” Apart from creating and distributing products, their mission clearly mirrors mine for my family.

The amount of information that has been compiled in this book is unbelievable! It can easily be used for the entire family, youngest child to adult; including high school credit. There are activities, science projects, art projects, vocabulary, fun facts and at least 75 recipes. Additional book suggestions, resources and discussion questions are listed at the end of each chapter and you’ll find 100 pages of charts, checklists and more. The authors, homeschool mother Debra Raybern, N.D., M.H., C.N.C., I.C.A.; homeschool mother and researcher Sera Johnson, B.MU; mother and writer/editor Laura Hopkins, B.S.; and mother, grandmother and former Home Economics teacher Karen Hopkins, B.S., are gracious, wise and encouraging.

Click on the veggie picture to view a pdf Sample of Nutrition 101

The over-size, hard-bound, vibrantly colored book is beautiful! (Yes, I love books, but, seriously, this one makes me feel rich just holding it in my hands. And it takes both hands to hold it because it is big!) It is $99.95. There is a CD-Rom available for $79.95, but my favorite option is also the best value, the combo of both for $129.95. I like having the book in my hands, and the flexibility to print the recipes and activities, with ease, from the download. And… I get to offer you, my reader, a 15 % discount when you use coupon code TOScrew11 at checkout.

Growing Healthy Homes has other products you may be interested in:

Gentle Babies: Essential Oils and Natural Remedies

Is There a Dr. Mom in Your House

The Raw Food Feast: 7 Days Through the Rainbow

Click Growing Healthy Homes logo, below, to follow their facebook page

Contact:

Address -

P.O. Box 3154

Bartlesville, OK 74006

Telephone -

918.841.2934

903.466.1564 (E. Texas)

832.298.1242 (S. Texas)

Growing Healthy Homes – Nutrition 101: Choosing Life! earns a 10 out of 10 Strawberries from our family. We received the download and we have not completed it, yet. Instead of printing and putting it into a large, cumbersome notebook, I am printing one unit at a time and putting each in a small, titled notebook. I like it! and I have no doubt we will use it for years.

As always, you can find additional reviews, by my crew members, when you click on the TOS banner below.

Blessings,

Categories : Books, Family, Health, homeschool, reviews, Science, TOS

Comments (2)

Apr

A Little Help from My Friends

Posted by: PK | Comments (3)

Okay, I’ll admit it – homeschooling my children can be absolutely exhausting. There can be so much prep work: per grade level, per subject, per student, besides teaching, grading and testing. Don’t get me wrong – I love schooling my children at home, I’m just acknowledging the consumption of time and energy it often devours. Which is why I have an appreciation for products and publications that help me cut a few corners and save a bunch of time. Time that I much rather use on field trips and picnics, beach volleyball (P.E.) and the zoo.

Science Weekly is one such publication. Published 15 times per year, twice per month (following an average school year) - September, October, November, January, February, March and April, and once in December. Science Weekly is an Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, or Technology supplement to your science curriculum. It encompasses and enhances your child’s skills in science, math, reading and writing.

The publication we received for review is 17″ X 11″, printed on both sides, in an easy to read font with full color graphics. It is folded in half; thereby making a four page 8 1/2″ X 11″ magazine, that can be hole-punched and placed in a notebook. Each issue/topic is written to 6 different levels:

Pre A – Kindergarten

A – 1st grade

B – 2nd grade

C – 3rd grade

D – 4th grade

E – 5th/6th grade

Each of my children enjoyed having their own publication, tailored to their level. There is more text, more in-depth activities and labs, etc. as each level increases in difficulty. The subject we received was The Flu. I gave the Teaching Notes (TN), which cover every level, to one of my high-schoolers. She was able to read the notes, gather common, household supplies for the lab sections, hand-out the individual magazines and proceed to teach this science lesson to 5 students. She was able to easily do this because the information was already researched, correlated, and plainly written out in the Teaching Notes. You could initially know nothing about a given topic and thoroughly teach it.

This graphic is the cover of the Science Weekly publication, Coral Reefs. If you click on it, there is a FREE download of a sample issue of every level of Coral Reefs. Check it out for yourself.

15 Topics available for 2010-2011, $19.95 per child, per year -

Pulleys
Cats
The Flu
Glass
Fractions
Composting
The Science of Money
The Science of Movies
Scuba Diving
Poisonous Animals
Caves
Teeth
Deserts
Green Buildings
The Moon

You do the math… I think it’s a good value and we’re already looking forward to studying the other subjects.

Science Weekly continues to develop their instructional tools. They have a new interactive program with five topics available for 1st – 4th grade:

Pyramids
Living in Space
Kites
Hurricanes
Dams

and printable coloring books. The interactive program is a great resource. The layout is very similar to the printed publications, without the pencil and paperwork.

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