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

One of my very favorite verses of scripture is Psalm 127:1 which says, Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. It is always a wonderful reminder that in all that we do, we need to seek the Lord so that He is with us in every endeavor. For myself, this is the one thing I need for my children to know during our time together as home educators. Always looking for fun and interactive materials, especially for my younger ones, I was really excited to be blessed with the  4th Grade – Building Life Castles from Positive Action Bible Curriculum. We received both the Teacher Manual and Student Manual which includes 35 weeks worth of lessons, all centered around build a life that is built on Jesus Christ.

One of the things that has become so very apparent to me as we have been doing “church at home” during this period of mask mandates and quarantines is that, my children, while they know of much of the Word of God, knw very little of Jesus as the Word. The thing we do, they are flowing more out of duty than out of love. And so we need to spend some time building and developing relationships with the One who really matters so that all that we do is done in love because of the love we have for our great Creator God.

Within the pages of this Teacher Manual you will find all you need to know to get started; you will also see the earning and content objectives as well as vocabulary to focus in on; there are session note and character activities – even music curriculum to include. My girls love to sing and I am a big fan of those old hymns – So much we can learn and gain from them.

What we can learn from How Firm a Foundation!

This also includes quizzes and memory work. I admit, since we started our Bible Quiz material for this year shortly before we received this program, we didn’t do as much with the memory work portion, but I did have my daughter use the verses for practice as he is trying to learn hand lettering. Such a pretty way to learn the Word; I did notice that quite a few verse they had learned through the years and  it is always fun to hear my daughter announce that she “already knows this verse.”

Now I have to say, we tweaked the very first lesson a lot. As I have studied throughout the years, I prefer to focus on the Oneness of God rather than a trinitarian view. I also find that it is a lot easier for my children to understand when I explain to my children that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all one just wearing different hats (how their father is daddy, huband, engineer, etc). As they get older perhaps I will begin to enter into more of these sorts of things but for now they simply need to know that God manifests Himself in many different ways, God can do that, and that  it is all done for our good and our salvation as we learn and develop a deeper relationship with Him.

That said (please forgive me if I got a bit preachy there) these lesson are very well put together. As you begin each one, it is clear exactly what the focus is. More difficult, possibly even new, words are introduced and defined. There are explanations to help you through each lesson, as well as prompts and discussion starters. My girl can talk – she has so many thoughts – her little sister too – so we are rarely lacking in topic to discuss. In fact in the very first lesson, Who Is Jesus, my littlest one explained in great detail for being only five, exactly how she sees Jesus. I asked her to draw a picture for me.. She just was so very vivid in her description I was certain she really had seen Him for herself. If only I could find it to share it here …

My girls are somewhat familiar with Concordances; also with Hebrew and Greek word study materials because, I love this stuff. While I am far from a scholar, when I do have a little time I love to dig in and go deep. So it was fun and inspiring to hear them comment on certain thing as we went along.

One such comment was, as we were in the lesson on the Names of Jesus, Son of God – My daughter says, that means God in the Flesh. Now some of what we discussed wasn’t in these pages. Name like Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom… Jehovah Nissi – The Lamb of God.

Something really nice about these lessons; they are one page. Nice and simple; the pages aren’t busy with color and other stuff. Just what needs to be done each day. My daughter, she struggle to focus, so a clean page for her to work on is so very helpful to her!

As we build our lives on Christ, God will transform us into strong and beautiful monuments to His grace. ~Positive Action Bible Curriculum

I was so very surprised, and thrilled, to find activities that involved locating scripture and them matching the Word to the key message within. This is a great way for our children to read the Bible AND interpret it as it relates to not just then but also right now.

Building your Life Castle was another favorite activity. Consider what you would do in various situations. In one activity we list people and situations we can choose to learn from. I love how it is written, we choose to learn. In another, it was to be considered what authorities we have the hardest time obeying. Some tough stuff for our kids to ponder. And learn from. Great way to challenge them to rise up and determine to do those hard things while they are still young.

There was map work – how fun – my younger son loves maps. He works through his own Bible Study and takes great joy in finding and exploring different parts of the land written of in the Bible. His sister was rather excited to have the chance to do that very same thing in her own materials.

As we progressed through this program, we explored so many topics that are so very integral to our children’s walk of faith. For example, what is a disciple? Here we were able to learn the names and seek them out in the scriptures. We also explored their walk from the unity they had with one another to the persecution they faced.

What better way to have a visual lesson in faith than the planting of a seed? Perhaps this was my daughters favorite activity – she loves growing thing. Flower, tomatoes, pumpkins (not always successfully but still…) are all wonderful opportunities to talk about what makes those seeds grow and what cause us to grow.

“Wise believers will trust in God’s power, depending on Him, serving others and trusting in His promises. “

Further along we learn ad remember the power of the resurrection. It is so vital to our faith, every one of us , to see how this i the fulfillment of God’s promise and hope for our very own resurrection, to come. What would be true if Jesus had not risen? According to my daughter, “we would just be worshipping and praying to a dead guy. ” Jesus resurrection shows how without a doubt, He is the one true God, great and mighty to save!

What a wonderful addition to our daily time together this is! My daughter very much looks forward to seeing what she can learn and how she can share it. There is never a dull moment when we are using this to learn the Word of God as well as live the Word of God. As soe wiser man once said (was it C.S. Lewis perhaps?) “Your life may be the only Bible some folks ever read.” Let our children grow and be that example to a world that is much in need. ❤

Positive Action Bible Curriculum is on Social Media:

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

Make sure to click on the banner below so you can read all the wonderful experiences other members of the Crew had using these materials.

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I have always been one who loves to learn and who needs to understand. I am always asking why… I have spent parts of my life as a Buddhist other in various denominations..Most in the dark arts, really dark stuff.

Most of my life I couldn’t see. But Jesus, He really is the way and the truth and the life. There is so much more that the Lord has for us. And it isn’t about rules and restrictions or church attendance but about abundant blessings and goodness. Love and peace and joy!

There really isn’t a faith I haven’t been but I can attest that when you have an open heart and an open mind, when you search the scriptures as did the Bereans, the Lord will reveal great things. He Gives us eyes to see and ears to hear. He is wisdom.

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“I have studied the Bible, on and off, through most of my life, and it really does always come down to this.

The second coming of Christ and All of the events unfolding ( some for quite awhile now).

The “Mark of the Beast”, microchips, no cash/just plastic, Marshall Law, TOTAL Government dependency/control.

When we are raising a family, working long hours, some two jobs, lots of things go unnoticed or just get ignored.

No one can comprehend how bad it will be till it is. We have NEVER been told to stay home, quit work and rely on the Government. WE are seeing a lot of “firsts” since January.

Can our minds and bodies handle what’s coming? Not without God

I wonder what doctor they will have on the news explaining the rapture and the disappearance of so many people?

I won’t be here for it (God willing)but it’s a thought.

While the devil is preparing people for the Anti Christ, Jesus is preparing people for the Rapture.

I don’t know when the rapture will take place but I do believe it could be soon.

And I KNOW that I won’t be left behind when that trumpet sounds!

I also believe right now that God is giving us a chance to repent. We need to get the Gospel message out!!! Until the Good Lord Jesus calls me away from this world to go home, I want to make it clear that I believe in Jesus Christ as the one and only True Lord and Savior. There is only 1 Lord, 1 Savior and 1 baptism.

Despite the fact that I am human, and I fail a lot, I believe that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. I believe that He came as a baby, I believe that He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and that He rose from the dead on the third day and He is in Heaven preparing a place for all those who believe and trust Him as their Savior.

He loves us all dearly (far more than we deserve) and forgives our sins when we repent. His Word says John 3:16 “whosoever believeth in Me should not perish but have everlasting life.”

As Jesus gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom, Peter instructed what we must do to get into heaven.

In the book of Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the holy ghost. “

Jesus said in John 3:5″ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

That born of water experience is what Peter said in the book of Acts. The spiritual birth Jesus was talking about is the in filling of His spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues.

Certainly I do not have all the answers but if you are searching I would be glad to walk with you and to share with you all the lord has been teaching me. May the Lord draw you to seek Him. Heaven and Earth shall pass away but His words shall compass away. 💓💓💓💓

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

Reading is a vital skill, in my humble opinion, and so we take the journey of learning to read rather seriously. But not too seriously. We want to have fun too! For that reason my girls were SO excited to receive a one year subscription to Reading Eggs from Blake eLearning Inc.

Reading Eggs is packed full of fun things for ages two to thirteen!  There is Mathseeds, Reading Eggs, Reading Eggs Junior, Fast Phonics and Reading Eggspress. Each section is packed full of fun games and videos that help our kids learn those basic skills and then strengthen their skills as they go along.

The program ensures that they have mastery of each topic by providing simple quizzes as they go along. There are even placement tests so you can make sure to start your kiddos in the right place. We actually used these with my one daughter (9). My other girl (5) wanted to start at the very beginning and I personally see no problem with that. My younger son (10) has this and mostly uses it for reading and spelling practice. Almost forgot to mention, they do have an app so this can be great for those times when you are on the go.

With my youngest daughter, we started with Reading Eggs but then she saw her older sister working on Fast Phonics and so that quickly became a part of her routine. She also used MathSeeds (we completed the placement test for this one – I love that it wasn’t timed so she didn’t have to rush) and she just loved the characters and the songs – Did I mention that she just loves to sing?

My older girl (9) is mostly using this to strengthen her reading skills as she still struggles a bit here and there. I was glad to see that she was eager to use both Math Seeds and the Fast Phonics – there is something about it that she just finds so cute – plus she really likes the shorter lessons and how she can do as little or as much as she wants each day. Being able to customize your abominable snowman and his home is definitely a bonus too!

As my oldest feels led she will venture into Reading Eggspress where she could search the books and find ones that she was interested in reading. There would be a little quiz at the end of each book she could complete too (although most often she chose not to). Some of the books she could have read to her, others she would read herself or with my assistance. Either way this was a great way to explore so many different books.

The more we read the better we get; for those who are just learning, or struggling to be confident readers, a program like this can be a real blessing. The program is so easy going, there is no rush, there are no timers – Our kids can work at the speed they are comfortable with and if/when they need to take a break they can do so without losing their progress. I like that a lot; especially for my youngest daughter. This is a fun introduction to letters and sounds and numbers – Each lesson is filled with fun characters and songs; lessons that are just right in length. I know my little ones, they really look forward to all the fun that comes in each lesson and they ask to do this. Every day. That really tells you a thing or two. 🙂

I encourage you to click the banner below too so you can read about how other members of the Crew used this program and read their thoughts. I definitely do recommend this program especially for little ones who are eager to read.

Reading Eggs on Social Media:

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

We believe very much in the value of math; at the same time I acknowledge that I myself have always struggled in this area. Having a daughter who is certain she is going to be a veterinarian or other animal caregiver, I am sure math will be of great value and necessity. Since she seems to prefer workbooks over online materials I was pretty happy to get my hands on ThemeVille Math, which has 5 levels to choose from. We received Worktext Level 4. This included the Math Solutions book for this review as well as online lesson videos to supplement learning as needed.

Themeville Math believes in helping our kiddos to “See the themes behind the details.” Isn’t that a great aspiration? The worktext is both workbook and textbook; what is nice about this is how it is all in one place.

There are visuals as you complete each day’s lesson. With plenty of visual aids (manipulatives are an option too, although not included for his review) there are plenty of opportunities for practicing the lesson before moving on to the next thing. This does align with Common Core; very basic, no fluff, no cartoons but still visually appealing to my girl, without being distracting.

In total there are 586 pages in this book; there is an appendix in the back with a grade sheet, unit rulers (cut and laminate to use) and a list of manipulatives recommended. Even if you don’t purchase these with the books, certainly they do offer a list of materials that are very helpful, in my opinion. Play money, for example, or fraction circles and tiles. I know manipulatives have always made a big difference in how my kids “get” math.

The following topics are included:

       Fractions, Mixed numbers
       Addition/Subtraction of fractions
       Factors, Prime numbers
       Comparison/Rounding of numbers
       Long division
       Decimals – Tenths, Hundredths
       Addition/Subtraction of decimals
       Big numbers
       Multiplication/Division by 10 or 100
       Time calculations
       Word problems
       Area/Perimeter

With 126 daily lessons as well as ten tests included in this book, this is a very thorough program. Open the book and get started with daily lessons and daily reviews (pre-lessons). Daily lessons include both previously learned material, to continue enforcing it, and new material as one concept slowly builds upon the next.

There are also instructional videos, just in case. For the videos you just need to create an account on their website; then you can access the videos that go along with the level you are working on. For the times when its hard to understand the concept, these are very helpful. The instructor shows step by step, for one or two problems and they range in length with maybe an average of 6-10 minutes.

If you are looking for something that is low maintenance, where you can get started with exactly what you have, then this may be what you are looking for. Super easy to use – with or without the manipulatives – with mastery and spiral formats that guarantee your kids are learning! If you aren’t sure where to begin you can even complete their placement test. That way  you know exactly where to start.

Check out Themeville Math on Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/themevillemath

Be sure to read the reviews other members of the Crew wrote about their experience with the various levels offered by Themeville Math.

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

My daughter just turned nine and announced that she is going to work with animals when she gets older. She wants to help out at a local shelter now but for so many reasons she must wait. In the meantime, why not find some great materials to use so she can prepare in other ways? So I was pretty excited to have the chance to review 4th Grade Entire School Year Curriculum from Homeschool Easy  This is a curriculum designed to be used over 32 weeks or 8 months.

We received our materials through an email which provided a link to all the materials we would need. As we worked through each week’s lessons I could print out what we needed. It really is comprehensive too. The materials we received covered reading, math, spelling, writing, history, science. grammar. This really is everything that you need. Also included was a link to Britannia Kids and various You Tube videos to help further their understanding.

I know my kids love when we are studying something and are able to see visuals related to the topic. Consider this “back to the basics” for home education! Plus, at a time when things are so confused, I love their American History and American patriotism teachings.

There is no need to feel overwhelmed with all of this great material. Not only do they provide a detailed document to give you direction as to how to get started but all of the files are neatly organized by topic and month, in some cases by week. It is super easy to go into each folder and print out the worksheets that are needed.

Great artistic opportunities in the lessons!

My daughter is a new and struggling reader so one of our focuses this year was on reading. Good books, together. And was I ever so thrilled to see o many excellent titles that were listed here for use. Just a share a few with you:

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Hank the Cowdog The Case of the Wandering Goats by John R. Erickson
• The BFG by Roald Dahl
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
• The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

We have quite a few of the books listed here and being that my daughter is a lover of all things animals, we jumped around a bit because, she really wanted to read the animal stories most of all. Definitely helps her to work when she is invested in things. There are also worksheets that cover vocabulary, ensuring that our children are reading and understanding. They also include grammar and writing which we enjoyed practicing writing sentences and using different topics to creatively write sometimes about what she would like to do when she is grown (she wants to care for lots of animals) or a book report or autobiography. I love that this gives a general idea as to how many words per sentence and how many sentences for a paragraph are appropriate for this grade. My daughter loves to tell more than write so it helps if I can tell her how much to write. One day I do believe she will share many great stories in some form. For now I just want to encourage her storytelling nature however I can. This has fun ways for doing that.

My girl has such fun spelling words! So we had lots of fun with the spelling portion of this program. We actually used each lesson as though she was in a spelling bee. We have a local homeschool one but she hasn’t wanted to participate. Yet. Now that she has a feel for it though, she may be all over that next year. Each week you have a list of twenty words and sentences they are used in to study – there are also flashcards you can print out to quiz with. This can be so fun to do – even getting siblings involved – a little competition can really encourage my kids.

Who doesn’t love science? Since my girl is such an animal lover and a flower power girl, this is always an area she is excited to spend time in. A combination of videos, worksheets and experiments this allows our kids to learn and then explore for themselves. We had a blast with Geology Kitchen and Bill Nye the Science Guy (he isn’t creation but here is a learning opportunity too) From magnets to volcanos, electricity and disasters on Earth there are lots of great ways for our kids to learn.

History is so important to me. I know for younger kids it can be hard to really understand and relate to history and for that I am grateful for resources that help tell history in a way that engages kids. I was surprised how familiar my daughter was with a lot of what was covered in the first few weeks. I guess she was paying attention when her older brother was working. One of my daughter’s favorite things was the selection of topics for review i each section. For example, in New England colonies there were student choices for research such as help from Indians, using wood from forests and fishing. In another bow hunting was a topic – my daughter loves when she can go out and shoot – and due to momma’s love of reggae she really loved learning about Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean Islands. This is a wonderful way to encourage curiosity in our kids.

There are so many great things within this complete yet simple program. At the age and stage my girl is in, right now my focus is not on academics so much as on loving learning so materials like this are great to find. The process in gentle, encouraging and like I said before, they offer lots of ideas to encourage our kids to look and explore beyond what is on the pages here. When our children are younger, we want to put before them a feast of lovely things for them to dive into. I definitely consider this program to be a lovely and gentle feast.

Fun ways to learn with Geology Kitchen!

Learn more about Homeschool Easy on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Homeschool-Easy-458781528008166/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HomeschoolE

Don’t miss reviews that other members of the Crew wrote about the grade levels they used with Homeschool Easy If you are looking for some that is easy to use, affordable and that will provide a good foundation for higher studies, definitely check this out.

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“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

We cannot truly have His wisdom if we do not have His Spirit.

Revelation and understanding come from God alone.

It saddens me how so many spend such time reading and yet do not have understanding.

I remember reading the Bible now and then when I was younger (before Jesus changed my life) and I couldn’t really make sense of it all. It seemed silly, foolish.

But then He filled me with His Spirit and now – it is foolish to the world but He shows me the greater things within this book. He reveals truths that are timeless and powerful.

Without Him, I would never have the wisdom I have today. It may be foolishness to others but it is priceless to me.

When we find one who does not understand we need to be wise, we need to pray for God to reveal truth to them. We cannot change hearts and minds. Only He can.

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

When I say worksheets, typically I hear a lot of groaning around here. For whatever reason, worksheets have never really been a welcome addition to our home learning. However, we had the chance to review Super Teacher Worksheets, and recalling how much I appreciated it when I used it a few years ago, I was not about to say no to this one. We received a full 1-year membership, with unlimited downloads. That may not sound so exciting right now, but wait until I show you some of the fun stuff we have been doing on here.

Super Teacher Worksheets contains over 16,000 printable resources for teaching ranging for a variety of grades. Just a few of the topics include math, geography, writing, comprehension, science. There are also printable math games, phonics mini-books, printable bingo and board games, task cards, and lots more. As you can see this is about so much more than just boring worksheets.  The individual membership is only $24.95 per year. So affordable and easy to use! Just log in and then download and print to your hearts content. For my family of four, this is an amazing deal. And with so many different things to choose from, we mommas can relax knowing that our kids are learning something new.

We tend to be a little crazy, sometime radical, unschooling and so that challenges me to try to keep track of what we are doing each day. I want to encourage and inspire my kids; my goal is for them to find a follow the things that really light them up. Still, there is some planning that needs to be done. And so I really appreciate their teaching tools section. Call me “plan challenged” but it’s probably the hardest thing for me to do each year.  Their monthly printable pages are exciting and fun! My hockey goalie cannot wait to get to January so he can enjoy that one. It is a great way to get my kids involved in planning and then in sticking to the plan. 🙂

My oldest son is almost 15 but we have been trying to strengthen his math skills, as well as his understanding of history, economics, government. With these worksheets, we were able to encourage him to explore and invest a bit more time in these areas. With it being an election year too and trying to get him interested in understanding the inner workings of all of it, he also explored the branches of government. As our kids get older, I do feel like this is one of those areas we really need to pay attention to so that our kids understand the way it is designed, why and how to be a part of “we the people.”

My girls are 5 and 8 and both of them love to color and write. As you can imagine we dug right in to the reading and writing section. They love animals, science and anything that they can add splashes of color to. As my youngest learns to read, it is fun for her to color and write her own little book for each letter. What fun and what a great way to build confidence!

I cannot forget to mention their Chapter book Literacy Units. With my 8 year old daughter and my 10 year old son we do a lot of reading together. A chapter a day helps them to learn and enjoy reading a variety of books. These were such a fun ad welcome edition seeing as Flat Stanley, Geronimo Stilton and the Magic Treehouse are some of their favorites! I was so tickled to find Bunnicula in there too. One of my favorite books when I was their age.

These are so great for helping to really understand and enjoy the book on They have comprehension questions, bookmarks, literature circle materials (I have been considering trying this with a couple local home educators myself) Really appreciate all of tis because, I feel better when we are going over vocabulary and digging in a bit more to details in the story. My son loves knowing words like putrid, ghastly, frantic…Oh is he ever adding to his vocabulary as we work through this while we read.

These are great for developing conversation abilities too – My daughter prefers to talk about, instead of write, responses to questions on these. What fun we can have discussing why you would want to raise a pig and then kill it. Or what it means to be near sighted. And then when she has trouble sleeping and what she tries while she is lying in bed on sleepless nights.

You sure can learn a lot about your kiddos when you work through some of these things. I love exploring and remembering some of those classic stories from my youth, like Charlotte’s Web, that my children are so fond of too!

There is just so much you can do with this! I was truly impressed and, again, we aren’t really worksheet people.  If you want to create your own there is even a generator tool so that you can create your own custom word searches, crosswords, word scrambles, and math worksheets. Such great variety for such a reasonable price too! This is one of those things that I do believe every home educator should have in their toolbox.

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Don’t take my word for it though; click on the banner below and read reviews from the other Crew Members who have been using this with their families. So many fun ways to use this with almost every age and stage our kids are in.

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

Every time I have the chance to use materials from Home School in the Woods I get so excited because I know that everything we are using is going to be so amazing and full of stuff that will light my kids up for history! We have reviewed a number of these since we have been blessed to be a part of the Review Crew; this time around my youngest son chose which one we would enjoy. **Drumroll Please** For this review we are sharing our experience thus far with the Time Travelers: The Civil War history study. Living in a time when so many are so very divided, this certainly seems like a great time to explore this important time in our country’s history, in more depth.

The Civil War contains 25 lessons which are recommended to be completed over 5-10 weeks. Covered within are topics including: medical practices, weaponry, secession, specific battles, women of the war and so much more that all really brings to life this time when our country was so at war within! This is recommended for grades: 3-8 but my high schooler always enjoys these along with his brother and sisters. With so many opportunities to experience this time in history, every age in our home, from five to fourteen, is learning and exploring.

I remember the very first time we received one of these – it was so exciting and overwhelming – there are so many pieces to every one of these. Never fear though, when you are not sure what to do, there is a wonderful material included that helps you to see it all broken down. Then you don’t stress so much about all of the individual pages that come in the files for download.

Also, if you are like me, perhaps you allow your kids to explore the pages that catch their eyes most. We try to follow the plans that are given but I admit, we tend to take our time, leisurely experiencing whatever we are studying – I know in this one weapons and battlefields really came to life as we went beyond the pages here, to see and explore even more. And my girls? Well, they were entranced by the women of the war – the fancy dresses they wore and also the service that so many provided – a wonderful example of how we are to live and love others.

There is no doubt that this is more than enough for my kids to learn all about the Civil War. If you have any doubt, there is even a scope and sequence you can review so you can see how thorough this really is! I mean this covers so much more (I think) than any regular history course I have come across. Especially considering the multitude of hands on projects that are strewn within these lessons, our kids don’t just read about it but get to experience some of it for themselves.

My girls loved all of the recipes that were scattered throughout; especially the Sausage and Apples. I should have taken a picture. My older daughter also loved all the copy work.

She has been working on cursive and it was a great time for her to get out her gel pens and practice her writing while also learning some valuable lessons from long ago.

Something really cool to come across was their Underground Railroad lesson. We have a local church that has maintained one of the routes and they provide tours for free. Now we did this, we also explored the heritage museum across the way to learn even more about this. Turns out both Joshua Glover and Caroline Quarrels made it to Canada via the Underground Railroad in Racine. Reading and seeing the routes here, it was really a great way to tie it together for real.

We also have a handful of resources we will be exploring later on; the handy list includes lots of movies and books, audio and music too! I am sure it will be great fun as we work through the timeline figures, the battles and various routes that were traveled, seeing these things on the screen and reading both real life and fictional accounts of this time.

So many amazing opportunities to learn and grow; they say those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it. With the crazy things going on in the world today, it is so very necessary for our children to know the history and see the great value it has for them today.

This great country has been through so much yet because of the love of God and the dedication of the great men and women who serve in the armed forces, we have the freedom that we do. We need to honor it and protect it as the gift that it is. When we arm ourselves with truth and wisdom we are then able to walk forward in the way the Lord would have us to go. Learn it, understand it and then go forward better today than the day before.

One last note, with the election coming up, now is a great time to get your hands on the U.S. Elections Lap-Pak to help your children learn about the establishment of the country’s government, the many aspects involved in presidential campaigns and how a U.S. president is chosen. With lots of hands on activities this will help grow the understanding of this important process.

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One of my favorite dancers, Mikhail Baryshnikov, I remember seeing his story when I was younger. It was so sad and so inspiring. So eye opening too.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mikhail-baryshnikov-defects-cold-war-dancer

I recall being so perplexed about how one country could have so much control over their people and how it could be so terrible that someone was willing to die for their freedom.

This story hits my heart today as I see how this country is being taken over.

In the beginning we complied – the information wasn’t consistent – they had their excuses to cover up why – yet as time passed, it was clear this was not a threat and so the big guns came out.

Many chose to compromise and wear the mask for the time so things could get back to normal.

Compromise. It only shows them how much they can take. Once they know they can there is no end.

I think of the many who fight for this once great country so our children do not have to live in fear and control – So they can be free to choose the way they would go.

Yet we have forgotten – too long we have taken for granted – we have allowed the government to take over education, healthcare, retirement…Is there no end to what we will allow? From the cradle to the grave.

This is not the America I love. It saddens me. It angers me.

“I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see.”

How I pray for God to open eyes, for people to see and hear truth.

We are so deceived. We are so lost.

Now is the time to stand in the liberty we have in Christ Jesus.

The church needs to get out from under the thumb of the government.

Separation of church and state was meant to protect church from state.

We cannot see revival – we will not see lost found – as long as we are entertaining these spirits and sitting in the lap of “father government”.

It is past time for the real church to rise UP! If God is for me who can be against me?

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

I have a couple kids around here who just love science! They are always trying to figure out what that is – why it is designed the way it is – how does it function? So many questions! While I have a great appreciation for science myself, I also admit I struggle with teaching it in a way that I feel my children understand. My older ones especially, I want to have a strong understanding of science – creation itself too. So I was super duper excited for the chance to complete the Experience Biology: Upper Level course from Journey Homeschool Academy. We have accesss to this course for a full year. An excellent way to slowly complete this very thorough program in a way that helps my son grow as he learns. With a boy who is eager to do some dissections, this mama definitely needs help and this is surely it! 🙂

Not familiar with this program ? Journey Homeschool Academy provides families with Christian based science courses for elementary though high schools.  There are lots of videos to help our children at whatever stage they are in, to gain an understanding of science as God designed things. . While we chose the Biology course, they do also have an astronomy course that looks amazing too!

I really appreciate this program because right now we are in the process of some rehab inside our house and it’s not pretty and it feels like its never going to end. Suffice to say, books and worksheets will likely get lost amongst all the stuff that is shuffled about while I wait for things to be completed. A program that is all online, with lots of video based teaching, is just what we needed. Teachers Luke and Trish Gilkerson are both teacher and scientist with lots of enthusiasm that makes this topic so much more inviting to our kids of all ages.

The course we are using is designed for high school and so can be used for that credit for biology that is needed. With 35 lessons in all this is more than enough for our older kiddos to really have a strong understanding of this study by the time they are completed. Each lesson is broken down into four units. There are two videos to each lesson which are typically about a half an hour in length. This was a challenge for my son who struggles with focus and attention but we were able to get through the videos chunking them as needed. I will say, this is a very high level course and I admit, I learned quite a bit watching these videos myself, I wish my biology course in high school had been so involved. This program also includes a short memory video, flashcards, copywork, suggested readings, and an activity that corresponds with each lesson.

Included in this course you will find a guidebook, pdf download, to use for note taking as well as defining new vocabulary in each unit. These also include outlines to help students focus on what matters most in the lessons. I think this is great for kids like mine who perhaps are not strong yet in note taking. Initially, my son would try to write it all down, as you can imagine this makes lessons something to be dreaded. Seeing these pages helped him to really focus in on the most important details. There are also quizzes at the end of each unit to ensure they “get it.” Once they complete the quiz a score of 70% or higher, they are able to move on. The corrected quiz shows what questions were incorrect you can research those questions and then retake the exam. My son is definitely not a “test taker” so this was a pretty tough thing for him and we ended up sitting together to complete the test, with me assuring him that the value of this course is not based on the number, even though he does need to show some level of ability before moving forward.

There are also lab instruction videos and worksheets are found in the Student Lab Guide. This is a fabulous resource for our kids who need to get their hands dirty when it comes to learning. My son is one of those kids. If he cannot see the connection for himself, it’s just that much harder for him to see a reason to study.

If my son had his way, I believe he would have spent all of his time in the Lab book alone. Within this we learned all about the microscope, how to use it – For my son, who loves to draw, it was a nice addition that there were notations encouraging them to sketch what they saw. The lab write-ups can be turned in (parents grade them) and while my son did work through these, we were unable at the time, to submit them. There are also lab research questions within this guide that can be pretty neat to follow. I call those rabbit trails- especially when my son gets really interested in one of the topics such as: the difference between three fabrics. Or how about the opportunity to explore the differences and similarities between plant and animal cells.

This also includes quarterly exams – test taking is definitely something we need to work on a bit more – these were really tough times for my son. Seeing as he is both a perfectionist and also struggling due to his ADHD we really tried to make the tests more interactive for now and focus less on the end grade. He was reminded often as we worked through this, the information is what we need to know. So long as we know it, I am content. I have never been a good test taker myself so I definitely understand and sympathize with the anxiety he faces when he is having to take a test. We are working on that too – how to test in a calm and peace full way.

There is also a book for reading assignments, The Riot and the Dance; though it was not included for this review, it is highly recommended and I do wish we would have gotten a copy of it. Perhaps I shall get my hands on one before we are through with this program. I myself always feel like a book is such a benefit to any course online or off. But then, I have a great love of books and I dream of a little library in our home one day, with many beautiful and inspiring books. I imagine this is one of them.

This really is a fabulous program. I am truly in awe how how well put together it is. For both student and teacher this is easy to use and so friendly in it’s layout. I love all of the resources that are provided and while this course has been a struggle in many ways for my son, I feel that there is so much he is still getting out of this. As we progress through this he is learning, slowly, about managing time, note taking, test taking, study skills – So many things I may not have realized we needed to really hone in on. We are pressing on and we will finish what we have started. In a way that encourages him to take the time to appreciate all that we are learning.

Experience Biology has sign up periods throughout the year so that they can be sure to help guide students through their course, such a blessing right? You can sign up to be notified of when registration is open for these. I am looking forward to cotinuing through this course and perhaps in the future using their astronomy one as well because, this is so much more than I remember science being when I was in school. Especially for those who truly love this study of science, these are definitely worthy gems.

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