It's Been A While!

It's been a while since I last blogged. I decided to keep this blog up so those searching for products that I have reviewed in the past are able to find them and not come across a broken link.

With that being said, I will blog every once in a while to keep updates on what is going on in our homeschool.

We recently started our 2019-2020 homeschool year. We have a 12th grader, 11th grader, 9th grader, and a 3rd grader. Things have been going great so far. Tomorrow we will end week three. My oldest is still working his job, going to soccer practice, and learning to fit his academics into his schedule. My 11th grader wanted to challenge himself this year by taking Pre-Calculus. He is doing well so far with the Teaching Textbooks Pre-Calculus program. My 9th and 3rd grade girls are going to be going to a co-op this year and they are excited to be able to do classes outside of the house. We start classes next Friday (August 23) and we are all looking forward to this new adventure.

CTCMath ~ Review

I reviewed CTCMath a few years ago and used it with my daughter for several years for an elementary math. When it came up for review this time, I wanted to review it myself to see how the high school subjects worked. I also thought it would help me to help my son who is taking Algebra II right now. This time I am reviewing CTCMath’s Single Membership for myself and homeschoolers get 60%off + 6 bonus months.

CTCMath is an Australian based company that offers an online, video based math curriculum. It is self-paced so your child can go as fast or as slow as they want to go. The curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade is a full curriculum. There are diagnostic tests that can be taken before or after to find out where your child needs more help.

Each lesson consists of a short video that goes over the concept taught for that lesson.After watching the video, the student completes an online worksheet and answers the questions. The program keeps track of the right and wrong answers and gives the student a grade at the end of the lesson. If the student doesn’t pass the lesson they are able to go back and redo the lesson until they understand it enough to pass.



Some of the high school level work is not completed online and needs the worksheet to be printed or use a pencil and paper and copy the problems down. On some of the lessons, at the high school level, the student completes the worksheet, grades using the answer key, and enters their own grade.

The parent dashboard shows what tasks you have given to the student and if they have completed them. It also shows the activity of the student, awards given to the student, and weekly reports about what the lessons the student finished during the week. Also from the parent dashboard, you are able to download checklists for the different levels to keep track of when the lesson was completed and what grade the student received, export the data from your student, and browse the lessons where you can see the video, questions, worksheet, and answers. When browsing the lessons it also gives a direct url to that lesson.

When you sign up, either the single membership or the family membership, you are given access to all levels of the program.

I am not that great at math. I started out going through the Algebra II and was having a difficult time. So, I went back to the Algebra I for a while and went through a few of the lessons and did great (go me!). I do really like this curriculum. This program is a great tool for anyone that wants to learn or re-learn math. I did also look over some of the elementary math and found that it was engaging and would be a great curriculum to use if you are looking for a math program that is online. My younger son is actually wanting to re-take Algebra I because he said he does not understand it at all from what he learned last year with a different curriculum. I think I am going to let him go through the Algebra I course and see how he does and hope he learns something.

CTCMath offers a free trial where you can view the first lesson for each topic. And don't forget that until November 15, 2017, homeschoolers receive a 60% discount + 6 bonus months.

Planning and Organization

Planning and Organization:
I do a little planning during our summer break to get ready for the new school year. This past summer, I planned out all 170 days of my boy's lessons. I wrote down all of their assignments to be done each day in a spiral notebook. I was going to do my oldest daughter's lessons but ran out of time. I will probably get hers finished in a few weeks. Since I have so many teacher's books, it is just so much simpler to write everything down at the beginning so I don't have to drag them out each week to write everything down. I also don't date the assignments, just write lesson 1, lesson 2, etc. So if we take a field trip, the lessons don't get off. The kids can just pick up with the next lesson.

A few years ago I wrote this Homeschool Organization post. I try to keep all the quizzes and tests and papers that are needed for the year in a plastic container in file folders. Then I can just pull them out as needed.

Record Keeping:
The only record I have kept prior to my oldest reaching 9th grade is an attendance record (required by the state).

Last year, I only had one student to keep grades for, so I did it on a printable grade keeper form I found. It was sometimes difficult to keep up with especially at the end of each quarter and semester. I did manage to get the right grades and make up a transcript at the end of the year, but I would suggest being super organized if you go with the paper method.

This year I have two students I need to keep records for, so I downloaded the free version of Homeschool Tracker. This program makes it easy to keep track of their grades. I give them the test or quiz and grade it right away. I then enter the grade into the tracker program and I have it readily available. The Homeschool Tracker also keeps track of attendance. At the end of the year, I am able to print the grades and the attendance to keep on file.

Be sure to check out the post on the Homeschool Review Crew blog about planning and record keeping.

Our Must Have School Supplies

**This post may contain affiliate links**

Today I am joining the Homeschool Review Crew as we share our favorite school supplies. What are some of your must have school supplies for your homeschool?

You will find some of our must have school supplies in the list below.

1. Ticonderoga Pencils ~ These are the best pencils ever. They sharpen good and write well. They are also long lasting. I ordered a large pack last year and we still have plenty pencils left for this year.

2. Pencil Sharpener ~ A good pencil needs a good sharpener. I reviewed the Classroom Friendly Supply sharpener in 2014 and we are still using it and it is still working great. You can order directly from the site or this one like it from Amazon is also nice.

3. Laminator ~ I have a laminator like the one on the left. I have had it for several years and it is still working great. They have an updated version and I am sure it still works the same as the one I have. The laminators sometimes go on sale on Amazon, but if you don't want to wait for a sale, there are several other brands to choose from.


4. Spiral notebooks ~ I use these to write down my oldest three's work for the day. I got the idea a few years ago from this blog post. I also have them write their answers down in a spiral notebook which makes it easier to check it.

5. Art Supplies ~ My girls love creating, coloring, and painting. We always have a supply of crayons, colored pencils, and watercolor paints on hand. We also keep paper and different coloring books on hand. Recently, our favorite paints are the paint stix from Kwik Stix. You can read my review about them here and here.

Curriculum Choices 2017-2018 School Year

This week, I am joining my fellow crew mates over at the Homeschool Review Crew blog for a back to homeschool blog hop. Today we will be discussing the different curriculum we use in our homeschool.

This year my oldest son is in 10th grade. 

He will be using the following for his studies:

• Science ~ Apologia Advanced Biology
• Literature ~ Hewitt Homeschooling Lightning Literature (American Literature: Mid-Late 19th Century)
• Grammar ~ Easy Grammar Grade 10
• Bible ~ The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study (He is working the 2nd half of the Old Testament)
• History ~ Abeka World History
• Math ~ Abeka Algebra 2
• Typing ~ Typing Instructor (It is a little childish, but he is already learning so much. We will move on to a more adult version when he get's through this basic kid's version)

My youngest son is in 9th grade this year.

He will be using the following:

• Literature ~ Hewitt Homeschooling Lightning Literature (American Literature: Mid-Late 19th Century)
• Math ~ Teaching Textbooks Geometry
• Grammar ~ Easy Grammar Grade 10
• Science ~ Apologia Biology
• Health (2nd Semester) ~ Abeka Health
• World Geography (1st Semester) ~ Abeka World Geography
• Spanish ~ Duolingo (for right now)
• Bible ~ The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study (he is doing the 1st half of the Old Testament)

My oldest daughter is in 7th grade this year.

She will be using the following:

• Science ~ Abeka 7th Grade Science
• History ~ Abeka History of the World
• Grammar ~ Easy Grammar 7th Grade
• Math ~ Teaching Textbooks Math 7

For literature she will be using the following:

• Memoria Press Anne of Green Gables
• Progeny Press Shiloh
• Progeny Press Little House in the Big Woods

My youngest daughter is in 1st grade this year.

She will be using Abeka for everything except science. We are using Apologia Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day for science.

Mid Quarter School Update

We have been schooling for almost 8 weeks now, which means we are actually almost to the end of our first quarter and exams! I cannot believe how fast the time is flying. My two boys who are taking high school classes are doing great with their classes. My two girls are also doing great. 

We took some time to go to the lake last week and it was great to have a day off and enjoy the last of the summer. Next week, we are meeting my mom at Lake Waccamaw and I plan to take school pictures. 

Some upcoming filed trips we would like to take are a trip to the zoo, a trip to the aquarium, and a trip to the fair. 

It's always nice to get started early and be able to take breaks/ days off when needed. I look forward to having a great rest of the school year.

Free Printables For Your Homeschool

I have several free printables listed throughout the blog, but I thought it would be best to get them all in one location. 

Click on the pictures for the links to the freebies.

Week In Review

This week has been wonderful. The weather has started to warm up and the flowers are blooming. The kids have been finishing their school work earlier, so they have time to get outside and play.

This week, my boys had an opportunity to participate in a homeschool pine wood derby race. They placed 1st and 2nd in their age group.

Some other things we have been working on this week ~

We are getting to the last of our lessons and plan to be done for the year on April 15. We start our school year in July and have a laid back approach during the year. Taking days off whenever we feel we need it and field trips on pretty days.

Working on a few review items that will post in the next couple of weeks (movie review, times table review, and a writing review) Be sure to watch for those to post during the end of March and in April.

We have had a great week with learning and fun. Looking forward to a great summer break soon.

I am linking up over at Home to 4 Kiddos this week.

Our Homeschool Week

After being sick with some type of flu last week, we were able to get a full week of work in this week. We did take Wednesday off for my youngest daughter's birthday. She wanted pizza for her birthday at a special place where they have a carousel horse that children can sit on.

After eating pizza, the kids wanted to go to a place to hike and play. When we got there, we soon discovered that the hiking trails were flooded. We were able to walk about 1/8 mile on one of the trails.

When we got back to the main area of the park, the kids played and dug for fossils. It turned out to be a good day even though the trails were flooded.

Our Week

This week started with my oldest son turning 14 on Monday! He wanted to go to Zaxby's for his birthday lunch. Overnight, we were hit with freezing rain. They had just brined the roads (we live in Eastern NC) on Friday, so once the temperatures got above freezing, the roads cleared up quickly.

Since, the weather cleared up, it was turning out to be a beautiful day. We went to downtown New Bern (NC) and walked around looking at all the bears from the tricentennial celebration back in 2010. We ended up at the History Center.

When we were through watching the video and looking at some of the things inside of the History Center, we decided to walk along the river back to our car. We saw many different kinds of birds: seagulls, ducks, pelicans, and cormorant.

The rest of the week was filled with book work and working on review items. One of those items is from Grapevine Studies. My youngest was so excited to be able to have her own review item (most of the items I get are for older kids). She is having so much fun with the drawings and doing a lot better than I though she would. Here is a sneak peek:

SchoolhouseTeachers.com ~ Review

*This post does contain affiliate links.*

Over the past month, I have been using and browsing the website SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Since the last time I did a review on this website in December 2012, so much has changed. There is such an abundance of great courses, planners, and resources. This site offers a Yearly Membership to homeschoolers who are wanting online classes, supplemental items, or just wanting some encouragement through the many articles.

There is so much information on this site, I'm not sure where to even begin to tell you about it all!

Let's start with the new members hub. This is the place to go to find out what SchoolhouseTeachers has to offer. Now that you have a basic overview of the site, you want to think about what courses you want your child to take.

How old is your child? SchoolhouseTeachers offers courses for preschoolers all the way up to adults. You can access the courses by subject or by grade level to find what you are looking for.

What next? Want to meet the teachers before picking out a course? You can find a list of the teachers here. After you have picked out a course or multiple courses for your child, you can then head over to the checklist page and download some checklists for the course(s) your child is working on.

Do you want to see a course I found for my children to take? As I have been browsing and clicking over the last month, I stumbled upon an excellent family fitness and nutrition course. I have been looking for something that I can do with my children and a course that includes all four of my children and I know I have found that in this course.

This course is taught by Bethany Learn who is the founder and CEO of Fit2B Studio. This course looks simple enough for my four old while also keeping my almost fourteen year old from being bored. During the 1st week, the physical activities it says to do are simply playing freeze (keeping your body still while using certain muscles) and throwing objects at a target. I like that this course also incorporates the Bible into the lessons. Also, these lessons are short and don't take much time, but it will get us moving.

How will I use this course in our homeschool day? I will do this course with my children in the afternoon. Most days we have our core subjects finished by lunch and I want my kids to be active during the afternoon instead of just sitting around watching television or playing on their tablets.

Some other courses I found that are of interest to me and my children are as follows:
~ Apologetics: Creation vs Evolution (my 8th grader wants to take this)
~Dinosaurs and the Bible (my 7th and 8th graders picked this one)
~Elementary Art (my 5th grade daughter loves art)
~American History for Beginners (for my four year old who will be entering K5 soon)

Those are just a few that we picked together and are looking forward to starting these courses soon.

What else does the site offer? Free printables, certificates, planners, record keeping, and e-books. You can also download monthly menus for dinner ideas. You also get access to over 10,000 streaming videos through RightNow Media.

I love this website and all that it has to offer. I love reading through all the different courses, resources, articles, and e-books. This is a great website that you can use for all your subjects or to use a few as supplemental material.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com is offering a great deal for all of my readers - a 50% discount on a 1 year subscription! Check the image below for the coupon code which expires at the end of the month. Don't miss out! A Yearly Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers is $139. If you would rather pay monthly, the cost is $12.95 per month.



















Be sure to follow SchoolhouseTeachers on social media at the following places:

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Also, check out what the other crew members thought of this website by clicking the image below.

Classroom Friendly Supplies ~ Review

**I was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own.**

I was given the opportunity to review Classroom Friendly Supplies brand new sharpener color -- purple! My favorite color is purple, so I was excited to receive the sharpener to review.

I actually reviewed a sharpener last year. You can read my review here. For this post, I am going to tell you how easy it is to use this sharpener and how great the color purple is.

Isn't it pretty? Okay, for this review, I chose to test this sharpener against an old school pencil sharpener that my parents had in their house. I used Ticonderoga pencils for the test.

Up first....Old school metal sharpener

It still sharpens pencils nicely..in my opinion.

Now let's see how sharp the Classroom Friendly sharpener sharpens.























Wow! That is great. Maybe you need to see a comparison photo. Can you guess which is which?






















The Classroom Friendly sharpener is very easy to use as you can see demonstrated in the video below:



My kids and I love our purple sharpener. You can get one at their site. There are also more helpful photos and videos found here.

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