The Starry Night

* This post may contain affiliate links. 

My kiddos love creating art, whether they're drawing a picture, knitting a scarf, or molding a dish. We're all excited anytime we get a review that is art-related. They enjoy the process of creating masterpieces, while I appreciate the skills they are learning.  Sometimes the projects are open-ended and allow the child to freely create. This time though, Kidzaw.com sent us one of their Master Kitz to follow.

These kits are based on pieces of art from famous painters. They contain everything your child (or even you!) needs to recreate the painting. Though the kits make it simple to make a duplicate of the original, there are many opportunities to add a personal touch. In fact, I now own two versions of the 

Master Kitz The Starry Night that are even better than van Gogh's.

Kidzaw.com is an art company that is committed to teaching and training kids in art. Along with a focus on master painters, the materials concentrate on art history and techniques. Add in hands-on learning and messy fun, and you have an engaging tool for a strong art foundation for kids.

The Starry Night kit includes the following materials:

• A sturdy, re-usable art tool box with magnetic closures
• 3 acrylic paints (child friendly)
• 5 oil pastels (child friendly)
• 1 van Gogh roller specially designed to replicate van Gogh’s active stroke
• 1 re-usable Starry Night cyprus stencil
• 1 standard paint roller
• 2 pieces deluxe art paper
• 1 low tack “mesmerizing stars” sticker sheet
• Fun, easy-to-understand van Gogh learning materials
• Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions

The instructions, or inspiration sheet, are easy-to-follow. Each step is numbered and includes a picture with a brief set of directions. The 12 steps cover everything from covering the workspace with newspaper to adding the final colored details.

Because all of the materials arrive in a small box, the papers and stencil are rolled to fit. You need to roll them in the opposite direction to flatten then out before starting your creation. After that, you're ready to add the star stickers and two colors of paint. Next, you remove the stickers, add the stencil,  and apply another coat of paint. Once you remove the stencil, you take a little break to allow the paint to dry. Finally, you use the oil pastels to color in the stars and add details to the rest of the painting. Feel free to admire your masterpiece and show it off to your friends! 

My 3-year-old begged for days to use the painting kit. The first free moment we had, we covered the kitchen table and got to work. As you can see from the pictures above, he did the majority of the project on his own, receiving a little assistance from his older sister for things like taping the paper and squirting the paint. I think those smiles are a good testimony to his feeling about the the kit!

My 10-year-old is the artsiest one in the family. You can find her daily working on one of her many crafts. After helping her little brother paint his picture, she got right to work creating her own Starry Night. To say that she loved it is an understatement. Before she had even completed her work, she told me she wanted to do it again. Within the next few days, she told me at least a dozen times that she wanted another one of the Master Kitz and even chose her favorite from the list.

The mini booklet that is included opens up completely to display the instructions while the other pages are filled with art history. The cover shows a self-portrait of van Gogh and gives a short biography of his life. The inside pages portray a timeline of his paintings, explaining how his style changed over the years and different situations that influenced his work.

My girl and I were in the thrift store a few days after the kids used this kit. As we were browsing through the frames and mirror section, she pointed and said, "Hey, that's van Gogh's Sunflowers." I looked up and sure enough, hanging on the wall was a giant replica of the famous painting. She was able to recognize it from our study. This kit is more than just painting your own version of The Starry Night; it is a thorough overview of Vincent van Gogh and his life's work.

Our family loved the Master Kitz The Starry Night! The materials were easy enough for my little one to use and detailed enough to interest my older one. We have repackaged the remaining supplies into the box to make more masterpieces with the other kids. The kit is a great way to learn about a master artist, art techniques, and art history while putting those skills to practice in your own painting.

We can't wait to see what we'll learn in our next Master Kitz from Kidzaw.com.

You can connect with Kidzaw.com on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

You can check out more art projects by homeschoolers by reading the reviews of this kit on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

* Some of the links in the content above are affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I recommend products or services that I have used personally and all the text and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225.

Things That Make Me Smile 7/27/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week, the family had good reports at the dentist, the kids enjoyed playing in the rain, Nicholas accidentally gave me a pretty impressive black eye, and the little ones helped me bake peanut butter chocolate chip muffins. What made you Smile this week?

1. Alyssa: "My favorite thing after reading is going to the library to get more books."

2. Nicholas, stalling bedtime, coming back for a third hug: "I could hug you forever!"

3. Zac: "I really want to be an explorer when I grow up, but there are 2 reasons why I don't want to. One, because it can be very dangerous, and I might get really hurt. Two, because I would travel all over the place and be gone all the time, and I wouldn't see you a lot. Other than that though, I really want to be an explorer and find a snow leopard.

4. Nicholas, while driving, seeing a wedding party getting pictures taken: "Look! Pwincesses! I see pwincesses!"

5. Some of the artwork Tyler drew one day.

6. Zac: "I can’t wait until tomorrow! One, it’s Sunday so we get to go to church. Two, I get to do more devotions! I already did two and then read today’s again to Tyler."

7. Alyssa: "Mom, you need to keep having babies until you get another baby girl."

8. Me, in the van: "Why are you taking off your sock: "

Nicholas: "Because I found it on my foot."

9. Me: "You’re going to run out of undies in your drawer. Why do you change your undies all the time?"

Nicholas, because I do a lot of online shopping: "Because mailboxes always bring me more undies."

10. Zac, about Luke 11:43: "Mom, I just found some of my favorite words in the Bible! I love this story."

11. Me: "We need to wash your hands."

Nicholas: "Can I just wash them on my pants?"

In case you missed it, I posted a bonus list earlier this week to work on catching up with my Smiles! Click the link for more laughs.   

Things That Make Me Smile 7/20/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

It's a bonus list this week as I'm working to catch up on late Smiles!

This week, we got some painting done both inside and out in our back porch, Alyssa made a loaf of golden white bread, and we had game schooling day. We also went geocaching and picnicking at a new park. At our first cache, Zac was standing on a decaying log that apparently had a wasp nest inside. The wasps defended their home by attacking our family. There was a total of 16 stings for 5 of us with Zac receiving 7 of them. We abandoned our adventure and limped back to the van, stopped for slurpees, and spent the evening playing UNO together instead. It was a scary situation for the kids, but they were brave and had good attitudes afterwards. 

1. Zac, sincerely, after the wasp incident: "This was my first time getting stung, and I think it may have been too big of a first experience."

2. Jake: "Sadly, Dad doesn't think any of the wasps were radioactive, so I'm not going to wake up in the morning with super wasp powers."

3.

4. Zac got up in the night because of the pain in his finger from one of his stings. We put a paste on his finger, read information about wasp stings, and ate some chocolate chip cookies that I had made earlier that day.
Zac, in the morning: "I think it was your cookies that made my finger feel better, Mom."

5. Nicholas, about his food, pointing to the microwave: "I want to freeze it like Zachy did."

6. Jake, teasing: "It's a free country! I shouldn't have to do that."

Me: "There's the door. Bye."

Jake: "Wait, what?"

Me: "Well, if it's a free country and you don't want to do what I say, you're free to leave."

Jake: "But, it's your job to take care of me."

Me: "And it's your job to obey."

Jake, still teasing: "But it's my job to explain to you why I shouldn't have to do it."

Me: "And it's my job to explain to you why you're wrong."

7.

8. Me: "You look like Daddy."

Nicholas: "Daddy look like bald."

9. Nicholas: "Jakey, what are you doing?"

Jake: "Shining my shoes."

Nicholas: "I want you shine my foots." {gets his shoes and starts rubbing them with his blanket}

10. Nicholas: "You are a crazy boy."

Me: "No, you are a crazy boy."
Nicholas, reprimanding: "Mama, are you arguing?"

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 7/13/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week, Alyssa was away at junior camp with our church. The boys filled their days with bubble blowing, slip-n-slide splashing, birthday party going, and extra rambunctious-crazy-wrestling-bouncing-boy-fun.


1. Nicholas, eating a plum: "I call dis a yum ball!"

2. Alyssa, first thing after waking up the day she left for camp, since Leighton was at work: "I miss Dad already."

3. 

4. Nicholas, after Alyssa left for junior camp: "Mom, we need Lyssa! There are tigers at the camp!"

5. Tyler: "Mommy, I love you."

Me: "I love you, Ty-Ty."

Tyler: "I don't know how many times I say I love you to you."

Me: "Neither do I, but I like it."

Tyler: "I say it all the time, because I like you."

6. Zac's note for Nicholas.

7. Leighton designed and built a new table and benches for our kitchen. It fits our space so much better. I love it for many reasons, but most of all because he made it for me. I wrote a silly poem about our old one. Even though I am glad it's gone, I appreciated having it all those years.

8. Tyler: "What is that?"
Me: "Spinach noodles."
Nicholas, shocked: "No, those are carbs!"
Me: "It's ok. Just Daddy and I are not eating a lot of carbs right now."
Nicholas: "Oh. Can I have some carbs, please?"

9. I quickly spread Babybel cheese on crackers and broke some of them.
Nicholas, frustrated, pointing: "Mom, why did you do that? And that and that and that?"
Me, sarcastically: "I'm sorry I didn't spread that up to your standards."
Nicholas, agreeing: "I'm sorry too."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 7/6/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week we spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors--roasting marshmallows over the fire, geocaching at the park, picnics on the grass, and playing in the yard. What made you Smile?


1. Nicholas and I were cuddling on the couch and practicing animal sounds.

Me: "Hmm, what next?"

Nicholas: "A pwincess!"

Me: "Ooh, good one. What does a princess say?"

Nicholas: "I love you, Dad."

2. Leighton and I spent the day alone canoeing to celebrate our 15th anniversary.

3. Nicholas, singing: "Dear, Jesus, I love you. Dear, Jesus, I love you. Dear, Jesus, I love you!"

4. Nicholas, lying across my legs: "Can you give me a back assage?"

5. Nicholas, eating a marshmallow: "So squishy! It looks like a trampoline."

6. The kids set up a free lemonade stand on the 4th of July to celebrate Independence Day with our neighbors. Because it was incredibly hot outside, many people stopped for a cool drink and were very generous with their donations. It was a memorable lesson in benevolence, kindness, and doing good.

7. Zac's chant to attract attention for the lemonade stand. 

8. Nicholas was in a daze after he woke up.   

Me: "What's wrong?"

Nicholas: "I am afleepy again."

What made you Smile this week?

St. Bartholomew's Eve

Heirloom Audio produces some of the best audio dramas we have ever heard and reviewed. Our schooling is literature-based, so we're often reading quality writings together that teach life lessons and new vocabulary. We are drawn to living books that bring the stories to life and teach valuable lessons. Instead of sitting and writing facts in a workbook, we choose to learn history through these stories. For those times though when I can't sit and read to the kiddos, we like to utilize audio books and incorporate them into our schooling and daily life.

This time, we traveled to France in St. Bartholomew's Eve.  

Heirloom Audio has converted multiple historical adventure novels by G.A. Henty into theater-quality audio dramas. Our main curriculum lists many Henty books in the reading list, because they are known for their deep history, rich literature, and exciting plots. So far, my kiddos aren't drawn to the novels themselves, but they are truly captivated by these adaptations. If you close your eyes, you feel as if you're there in the story. The powerful music, the talented actors, the realistic sound effects--they all make the story come to life. You hear pistols firing, horse hooves clomping, swords clanking, money jingling, crickets chirping, and arrows whizzing through the air and you feel as if you are there as one of the characters of the story. The narrator, Brian Blessed, has a rich, powerful voice that makes the drama exciting to listen to. We were immediately pulled into the plot.

As is typical with the other Heirloom Audio dramas, this one also begins with Mr. George introducing the story to a couple of boys. It begins in 1567 as the Huguenots were being persecuted. It follows the life of a young Philip as he left the safety of England for the danger of France to help "break the bonds of Tyranny, to achieve our God-given right to worship Him according to our beliefs." Through many battles, he helped the Huguenots attack and capture their enemies. He made sure to pray to God before his battles and prayed specifically that he and the others would don each piece of the armor of God. He protected the prince in the heat of battle, captured leaders and officials in Toulouse, nearly died, and was dubbed a knight. He used his wisdom from God to set up a signal system that gave them an extra two hours to prepare for impending danger, to create an unconventional plan that involved cows to drive an enemy army away, and to remove Xs from doors to protect fellow Believers. It was not all victory, though. They felt that all hope was lost while trapped in a castle and sang a moving hymn and later were in Paris when a massacre was in progress. He and those close to him experience death, loss, and suffered from "wound no one could see." Through it all, he continued with his duty to protect others and "fought for not only his own rights, but the rights of those for generations to come." Along with the non-stop action and exciting adventures, there are plenty of morals and Biblical truths taught along the way. 

While you can learn much simply by listening to the story, you can take your study deeper by joining the Live the Adventure Club. As a member, you'll have access to bonus content about St. Bartholomew's Eve along with many more features. There is a community forum, daily motivational quotes and stories, hundreds of articles about parenting and historical learning, a collection of rare textbooks from the 1700-1800s, and hundreds of fun activities. By signing up now, you can even get this audio drama for free (just pay shipping and handling)! The Live the Adventure Club makes history exciting.

St. Bartholomew's Eve provides 2 1/2 hours worth of historical learning. The production is ideal for ages 6+, but even my little ones enjoy listening. There are some elements that are more difficult for the young ones to understand, but this is an ideal way to introduce them to new topics. It's never to early to enjoy quality literature. We are thankful to add this story to our collection and await the next exciting adventure from Heirloom Audio. 

You can connect with Heirloom Audio on the following social media sites:

Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Instagram

You can read more reviews of this audio drama on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Underground Rising

We review all sorts of resources and manipulatives for school. I believe in having many options to keep my little ones learning. But our foundation, the basis of our education is literature. Whether it's fun picture books or engaging fiction or historical biographies, you can be sure there is a fair amount being read in our home every day. While I do believe in the importance of the written word, there are times when it is not feasible to sit down and read a novel. It's times like these that we love to turn on an audio book.

The Brinkman Adventures has combined two of our favorite things--audio books and missionary stories--to make a truly entertaining and educational production. My kids fell in love with these stories a few years ago and have listened to dozens of the episodes. They were thrilled to receive the  digital version of Season 6: Underground Rising to add to our collection.

The Brinkman Adventures is an audio drama series and radio show. It's not like a typical audio book that we utilize often as it is not converted from a book, but the episodes weave true missionary stories into the family's adventures to make it a hybrid of sorts. The series was born from a vision to "inspire future missionaries." By combining realistic sound effects, original music, and exciting dialogue, the stories are "movies for the ears." Though the Brinkmans are a fictional family, they are based on and voiced by Ian and Amy Bultman and their 10 children. The drama follows the family across the globe as they hear stories of hiding from the Gestapo in the hole in the floor, eating paper with secret messages, escaping from jail, meeting a prince, experiencing a near-death situation, witnessing a divine healing,  being attacked by a tiger, and the retreating of hundreds of soldiers. They witness to many, see hearts changed, experience heartache, and experience joy.  

You'll find these episodes in season 6:

• Episode 55: Dutch Underground Part 1
• Episode 56: Dutch Underground Part 2
• Episode 57: Twice Born Fly
• Episode 58: I Wonder Why?
• Episode 59: Free Burma Rangers Part 1
• Episode 60: Free Burma Rangers Part 2

You can take the learning to a deeper level passed simply listening to the series. There is an entire section on their site that is filled with the stories behind the stories. You can learn more about metamorphosis, how rove beetles cause rashes, what happens during an allergic reaction, ranger training, and even learn much family history and translate foreign words. There is also a ton more information about the real events and how the writers used things in their own lives for inspiration. There are many pictures and videos that enhance the learning, as well. I, personally, have spent much time soaking up these missionary stories.  

We've listened to this audio while doing chores and for downtime in the house. Each episode is 25 minutes, so they're perfect for squeezing in some audio time. My kids laughed at the silly antics of a monkey and when Charlie swallowed the fly. These amazing accounts are entertaining, for sure, but what makes them even more inspiring is that they are based on modern-day missionary heroes.

The Brinkman Adventures has been a big hit with the whole family. I appreciate that the kids are entertained with wholesome stories, but even more than that, I love that they're learning that there are still true heroes around the globe and that God is still using regular people to change the hearts of a sinful world.

You can connect with the Brinkman Adventures on Facebook and listen to samples of each episode on their website. 

You can read more reviews of these adventures on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Things That Make Me Smile 6/29/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Monday! I'm still working on catching up on Smile lists, so it's been fun remembering the laughs we had a few month ago. But what about you? Did you have a funny situation or quote recently? We'd love to laugh with you!

1. Nicholas was eating slices of pepperoni and then found salami in the refrigerator. "Is this the daddy one?"

2. Zac, to me: "Good night, my Beautiful."

3. The kids love playing with the animals on my brother's farm.

4. The kids were all having a sleep over in the same room. They were supposed to be sleeping because it was late, but there was a lot of giggling and talking still going on. As I walked closer to the room, I could hear them all singing:

"I'm all wrapped up. I'm all tied up. I'm all tangled up in Jesus. I'm all wrapped up. I'm all tied up. I'm all tangled up in God."

5. Nicholas was telling me the best friends of each family member.

Me: "Who is your friend?"
Nicholas: "I don't have a fwiend."
Me: "Can Mama be your friend?"
Nicholas: "No! You are not a kid!"

6. Nicholas, hugging my neck and kissing my cheek: "I love you. You a sweet boy."

7. Picnic dinner and geocaching fun at the park.

8. Nicholas: "One, two, free, five, six, seben, eight, nine, ten!"

Me: "Good job! But what happened to four?"

Nicholas: "We don't need four."

What made you Smile this week?

Case Makers Academy

Have you ever wanted to be a detective? If so, this review is for you! My kids love mystery books. They enjoy gathering clues and trying to solve the case before the end of the story. It always makes me proud when they come running up to me shouting that they figured it out. They're paying attention to details and strengthening their critical thinking skills. But what if they could be learning so much more? 

Forensic Faith for Kids builds on those skills in popular mystery novels, but adds an even more important aspect. This book from David C Cook  and Case Makers Academy not only teaches investigative skills, but encourages kids--and adults alike--to apply them to Christianity.

J. Warner Wallace, the author of the book, is a real-life detective. He has been featured on multiple news networks and other crime-related television shows for his cold-case-solving abilities. He hasn't always been an advocate for Christianity though. In fact, he was once an atheist. He applied what he had learned as a detective to his investigation of the Bible. After finding overwhelming evidence, he was convinced that Jesus is the Son of God and started using his knowledge to persuade others.

J. Warner, along with his wife, Susie, have written a series of books that teaches kids investigation skills and how to use them to become better Christians. After proving that Jesus is God and that He created the universe, this third book teaches kids how to share the Truth of God with others and to be strong witnesses for Him.

Forensic Faith for Kids tells the story of a group of friends that are learning investigation skills as part of the Junior Detective Academy at the police department. In the beginning of the book, a few of the boys found a puppy with no owner in sight. During that time, some of the girls were surprised when a boy denied that Jesus is God and wondered how they could help him. The two mysteries weave together throughout the book as the group of friends gather clues and learn important details. The detective in charge of the Academy guides the kids, mentors them, and encourages them when the task feels daunting. Though he is there for direction, he never takes control of the cases. In the end, the kids solve both mysteries on their own using the skills that they had learned.

Because the authors want kids to become immersed in the story and put the various methods into practice, they wrote the book in present tense and second person format and made the reader a character. You are there to solve the mysteries. You are there to pick up clues. You are there to be an active participant in the story. It's not my favorite writing style, but it makes complete sense with the purpose of this book.

Each page of the book includes one or more visual extras.

• Pictures -- line art drawings that portray something from the story, can be a tiny square on the page, a large rectangle, or even fill the entire page.
• CSI Assignment -- a quick drill that reinforces a theme from the book, lists Bible verses with blanks to be filled in.
• Detective Definitions -- an explanation of words that are used and how they apply to Christians and in the story 
• A "Tool" for Your Detective Bag -- a tip and challenge to become better detectives 
• Dig Deep -- a gentle reminder to visit the website to enhance the training with the additional resources  

Your detective training continues with the Case Makers Academy. First, there is a collection of videos (the Wallaces are incredibly charming together in the intro clip and there's even a brief cameo of the dog from the story). There is a video to complement each chapter of the story in which the author explains what to expect and details to pay attention to.

There are additional resources for the chapters under each video. The training activity sheets are fun pages. They reinforce skills taught throughout the academy through activities such as word search, dot-to-dot, crossword puzzle, and more. The academy notebook sheets are a way to organize the main pieces of evidence from the story. Fill-in-the-blanks keep the reader engaged without feeling overwhelmed. The adult leader guide is a way to use the book with a small group. It references the full curriculum, includes the important concepts from each chapter, and lists good questions to ask the students.

It was no surprise to me that our family loved this book! We're partial to family read-alouds as it is, but the mystery aspect was a fun addition. My 10-year-old daughter guessed the ending during chapter 3. I wasn't quite convinced myself, but as we continued to read, we could see how her theory was falling into place. Each of us pointed out various details, and before the end, we knew she was right.

My plan was to work through one chapter a day by reading it, watching the video, and completing the pages. However, my kids begged me to continue, and since I'm a sucker for reading, I gave in multiple days. The book itself is 134 pages, so it can easily be read in a day or two on its own. To incorporate the additional training materials though, it's best to take your time.

This is one of my favorite parts of the book:

Once you know what you don't know, you're motivated to learn. Between the test 

and the task is a great opportunity to train.

   

Here's what my kids said about participating in the Case Makers Academy.

I like the puppy. 

My favorite part was solving the mystery.

It was really cool. The end when they solved it was my favorite part!

I like how the two mysteries were solved.

Critical thinking skills are important for everyone to have. I love that this book teaches kids how to think, rather than what to think. The book doesn't give all the answers, but instead teaches the process for the reader to research it for himself. The investigation skills that are taught are beneficial throughout life and especially important when questioning spiritual matters. One of my kids enjoyed Forensic Faith for Kids so much that he's asked multiple times to get the other books in the series. I think we'll be joining the Case Makers Academy again!  

  

You can connect with Case Makers Academy on Facebook.  

You can read more reviews of this book on the Homeschool Review Crew blog. 

   

Things That Make Me Smile 6/22/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Monday! Well, it wasn't a happy Monday here, per se, but Smiling at the funny things my kids say makes any day better. This week back in June, we celebrated Father's Day, took the kids strawberry picking with my mom, and celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. What a great, love-filled week!  

1. Zac, because the rain was coming down hard: "It's really raining hardly."

2. Nicholas, trying to bribe me to rub his back longer: "I'll color you a picture in my class!"

3. Me: "Who do I love?"
Nicholas: "Daddy!"

4.

5. Me: "You need to make sure all this is cleaned up by the time Dad gets home. We're going to Red Robin for dinner tonight."
Nicholas: "Oh, yes! I love red robins! Are there tigers and lions? And monkeys and bears? And--"
Me: "We're not going to the zoo."
Alyssa: "Buddy, it's a restaurant."
Nicholas: "Oh, a restaurant! . . . I see lions?"

6. Zac, with his chest dripping: "Mom, I watered my chest so I can grow chest hair!"

7. Jake, because his baby teeth were gone: "Losing teeth was a big part of my income."

8.

9. This year's Father's Day questionnaires filled out by the kiddos.

10. "Love Is An Open Door" started playing.
Me, singing along: "I love crazy."
Nicholas: "No, you don't."


What made you Smile this week?

I Know It

My kids get excited every time I tell them we have an online program to review. Whenever they find out it's math-related though, they change to mixed reactions. A couple of my kids love math and a couple, well . . . don't.

We use math skills in every day life, so it's important to have a strong foundation in mathematics, whether or not you enjoy fractions, coordinates, exponents, angles, and conversions. Sometimes a student will need a little extra practice to fully grasp the concepts. That's where I Know It comes in. We received a family membership to help us hone our math skills and gain confidence.  

I Know It is a remedial math site created by the people of SuperTeacherWorksheets.com (which is filled with so many amazing worksheets for every topic). This online resource is both interactive and comprehension for grades kindergarten through 5th. Though there isn't teaching instruction for the lessons, there is the option to allow a quick hint, if the student needs a little help. The program is designed for practice and to complement any full math curriculum.

Setting up our account was super easy. I created profiles for three of my kids by simply adding their names and grades. Each child was able to choose an icon for the profile, as well. And that's it! Now, when a child logs in to his profile, all of the available lessons in his chosen grade is visible.

There are multiple lessons under each topic with more are being added all the time. A student can choose which lesson to practice or the parent/teacher can assign lessons. One feature that I like is that I can assign any lesson from any grade for any child. So while the child himself has access to only his grade, I can assign more difficult lessons (without changing his grade level) or give him additional practice from younger grades.

Since this is designed to be a practice site, I mostly allow my kids choose which lessons they want to work on each day. However, I wanted to test out the process of assigning individual lessons. The process, again, is really easy. My third grader is a math whiz. I wanted to test his skills, just for fun, so I assigned him the order of operations lesson from the Basic Algebra section in fifth grade. I also changed the default amount of 15 problems to 10 since it was so much more advanced than his normal grade level. Once I finalized the process, the assignment showed at the top of his page when he signed in. And that was that. (As for his score? He aced it! I walked him through the steps for the first couple and then he completed the rest with no problems.)   

The questions can be read aloud to struggling readers by clicking on the speaker icon next to the words (it is not shown in my pictures because they were taken in my account and not the kids'). You can choose either a male or female voice or you can choose to disable the feature altogether. In fact, the entire program is very customizable with all of its elements.

Animated characters encourage and reward students along the way. After each correct answer, a character preforms a silly action. A dinosaur might use his tail as a trumpet, an astronaut might run from an alien, or a robot might water a bouquet of flowers in his head. My kids' favorite by far is the robot. They can't wait to see what silly thing he's going to do and often laugh at his actions.

It's all extra practice, so I require my kids to do only one lesson a few times a week. It's not unusual for them to work through multiple lessons a day though. Here's what they had to say about I Know It:

I like the guys. They're funny! And it's fun.

I like the robot. I like all the character actually, but the robot is my favorite.

I like the robot! He's funny.

I Know It is an extremely user-friendly program. Even my first grader can log in and practice his math without assistance. The remedial lessons are short enough to keep interest, long enough to reinforce the concepts, and fun enough to keep the students entertained. I have not heard a single complaint about using the program--and that's a big deal!

If you think this online site would be a help to your child, you can sign up for a free 60-day trial and get started today.

You can connect with I Know It on the following social media sites:

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You can read more reviews of this site on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Things That Make Me Smile 6/15/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

I've been trying to get this list posted for weeks. Have I mentioned life is busy?

This week, Nicholas turned 3 1/2, we made cinnamon and sugar doughnuts, the kids went to science classes taught by a friend of ours with our Parks & Recs program, and we spent a lot of time reading together. 

1. Tyler, coming in the kitchen while I was making dinner: "Mmm, it smells so good! If I don't like this, I'm going to be surprised."

2. Nicholas, while completing our lesson from Bible Study Guide For All Ages: "Mommy, do Jesus have a pirate hat?"

3.

4. Me, leaving church: "I feel like we're forgetting someone. {looks around and counts kids} Oh, I told your dad that I had a dream last night that I had another baby. Maybe that's who I think we're forgetting."

Alyssa: "It was a vision!"

Me: "It was a girl, too."

Alyssa: "Yes! It definitely was a vision! Another baby!"

5. Jake, making up a joke: "One bird asked another bird if he wanted to go to lunch. The other bird said,  'No.' The first bird said, 'Ok, suet yourself.'"

6. Zac, wrestling with Nicholas, after he was kicked "Never bring a foot to a hand fight."

7. Tyler: "Mom, did you know my first initial looks like the cross?"

8. Half Birthday pancakes

9. Jake was making a cake.
Nicholas: "I help!"
Jake: "Ok, you read the recipe. What does it say?"
Nicholas: "Uhh . . . put lava on it."

10. Nicholas: "You my best fwiend! Because you my mommy!"

11. Nicholas, wearing just a shirt and undies: "I am cold! I need a piece of pants."

12. Tyler, about a coloring book: "This looks like the 1960s! It's all black and white."


What made you Smile this week?

The Captain Sun Adventures

I've explained many times that we focus on reading for the foundation of our education. Much to my kids' dismay though, I do not allow certain types of books for "school," so you can imagine how surprised they were when I handed them a comic book for approved school reading to review. This isn't just a typical comic book though.

The Captain Sun Adventures, by pastor Bryce Morgan, is a collection of  comic books that combine the excitement and adventure of superheroes with the truths of the Bible. Part comic book, part devotional, these books help kids "think of superheroes, not just in terms of fun, but also in terms of faith." Rescue Me! What Superheroes Can Teach Us About the Power of Faith is the first book in the series and is filled with many lessons from the Bible.

The story is like most comic books. It is fast-paced and filled with both narration and dialogue. Pages are filled with frame after frame of bold artwork and visual cues. Not only does this book introduce the main hero (and his secret identity), it also gives a little backstory, addresses a villain, and involves a team of addition superheroes.   

The evil villain Black-Out came to "snuff out the light" in Capital City with his choking darkness. Captain Sun appeared and saved a bus full of children from plummeting into a raging river, fixed a hole in a plane's wing and prevented it from falling to the ground, saved an enemy from sudden death, all while trying to defeat the villain and trying to break free of his overwhelming darkness. He used his incredible strength and speed along with his super nova power and solar fire. Then, he employed the help of the Hero Defense League. Along with the help of Fogbank, Missile Man, Electro Lad, and Landslide, he was able to distract Black-Out long enough to get the help of the city. He convinced the people to join together become a light so bright that they chased away the darkness together.

After each chapter of the story is a newspaper page that acts as the devotional part of the book. These sections take a theme from the story and relate it to a lesson from the Bible. Some examples are as follows:

• Our "origin story" and how God transforms us to our new identity in Christ
• Bad guys, sin, and God's grace
• Superpowers and the power we receive through faith in Christ
• Secret identity and living for God
• Heroes and working together for the cause of Christ

The devotionals also include a fun question like If you could have just one super power, what would it be?, What is something heroic that you could do today?, and How many super villains can you name?. These questions encourage thinking and add a fun aspect to the lesson. There is also Bible verse to compliment the theme.

The end of the book contains a list of questions to think about. The questions are broken into chapters and either relate to the story itself or address themes from the book that can be applied to our Christian lives. There are also fun printable coloring pages on the website that accompany the story.


Here is what my kiddos thought of the book:

I really liked it! The team up was really cool.

I think this is one of my favorite books. I really like it!

I like how it has the newspapers and the Bible verses in them.

Rescue Me! What Superheroes Can Teach Us About the Power of Faith is a cute little book with big lessons. I have 4 boys and 1 girl, and let me tell you, superheroes are a big thing around here. The kids are always pretending that they possess amazing powers. I like how this book merges that excitement with the power of Christ and teach kids to be superheroes for Him. The newspaper devotionals are perfect for little heroes. Kids are drawn to the comic book style and superhero theme, but they'll learn a lot about Christ and our responsibility to live for Him.

You can connect with The Captain Sun Adventures on the following social media sites:

Facebook

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You can read more reviews of this book on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.