Showing posts with label online. Show all posts
Showing posts with label online. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Reading Eggs

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.


My kids have enjoyed using Reading Eggs from Blake eLearning Inc in the past and were thrilled to be able to review it again. We've tried many online learning sites over the years, but this has always been their favorite.

Reading Eggs is an online program that teaches kids to read in a fun, engaging way. The program focuses on a core curriculum of skills and strategies by incorporating both activities and games. Because it is an extension of what students learn in school, it encourages sustained reading success and gives students the confidence to read. These quality literacy products are used successfully all over the world.



When you sign into your Reading Eggs account, you'll be taken to your family dashboard. If you have more than one student using it (up to 4), you can choose which profile you want from there. The dashboard also gives important stats like the student's estimated reading level, how many phonics skills and sight words he knows, his progress, how many books he's read, quizzes, lessons, and more. You can easily change between students and the various other programs and levels included in a subscription (Junior, Eggspress, Fast Phonics, and Mathseeds) by clicking the images on the dashboard.



The lessons, which are designed for ages 3-7, are divided into maps with the first one being for absolute beginning readers and the last one is geared to help early readers gain confidence. Your child should take the placement test so the program can determine where he needs to work.

The lessons are animated and incorporate a variety of options for teaching. There are songs, books, videos, and many games. The games--which teach letters, blending, word families and more,--include things like adding hair to monsters, squirting sauce on eggs, catching frogs on lily pads, hopping penguins to blocks of ice, adding stamps to letters, and so much more. These silly games keep my kiddos interested in learning.



Most of my kids are strong readers now, so I am thankful for the other programs that are offered, such as Reading Eggpress for ages 7-13 and Mathseeds for ages 3-9. Each program utilizes the same philosophy for teaching in an age-appropriate format.

A new learning option is the Fast Phonics section. This world, set in snow-capped mountains and surrounded by yetis, helps early elementary students or those older who might be struggling with reading to fully grasp phonics. This program includes powerful visual memory aids, colorful decodable books, and systematic phonics instruction as it takes the student through 20 fun-filled levels.



As the students progress through the lessons in the various programs, they earn rewards (golden eggs, acorns, coins, etc. depending on the program) to purchase various items. They can choose clothing for their avatar, furniture for their house, pets, background scenes, trading cards, and more. This is always a favorite with my kids! They love saving their rewards to add to their scenes.

A new variation to the rewards is the addition of monthly themes. Each month there is a whole new set of things that can be purchased based on a particular theme. For instance July was a Medieval theme that included options for a torch sconce, a stone fireplace, a wooden dining table, hanging coat of arms, and more. August was space-themed and offered an astro table and chairs, a hover bed, a Saturn plant, a transporter, and more. There are also costume options for your avatar such as a queen, princess, bard, aliens, and robots. Each reward is limited to that month only for buying, but is kept forever once purchased. My kids are already eyeing some things to buy for this month's party theme.



There really is so much included with a Blake eLearning Inc subscription, and they're adding new features all the time. A couple more new ones are the Mental Minute in the Mathseeds section which builds fact fluency in one-minute drills and the new Android app which allows you to take your learning on the go. There are also tons of online homeschooling resources which include over 500 printable worksheets and lesson plans and emailed progress reports. It's easy to see why the program has won dozens of awards.

We have a relaxed schedule in the summer months and though I don't require a lot of traditional school learning, I had no problems getting my kids to work through the programs. In fact, they often asked me if they could do Reading Eggs. They each have their favorite activities.



"I like bouncing the balls and racing and the yetis. And I like learning my letters."

"I like all of it! My favorite thing is to buy stuff for my guy."


"I like the Driving Test, because it's fun."

"My favorite part is the Library because it has books I can read.
I also like writing for the Story Contest." (And was even shortlisted for the weekly top five stories.)




And then my teenager even told me what he thought of it.


"I don't like Reading Eggs, because my siblings are always hogging the computer."


Ha! He was being sarcastic, but I think that explains just how much my kids enjoy using the program.


If you would like your kids to work through the learning path to strengthen their reading and math skills, you can try a free 30-day trial to Reading Eggs. I must warn you though, your kids might start "hogging the computer," too!



You can connect with Reading Eggs and Blake eLearning Inc on the following social media sites:


If you'd like to see how other homeschoolers used these programs, you can read more reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.



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Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Math Shed & Spelling Shed

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 focus on literature and hands-on learning for our schooling, but we do incorporate some fun online learning supplements at times. My kids were happy to review Math Shed and Spelling Shed to sharpen their skills.

The two programs are part of the EdShed (Educational Shed) company, which is comprised of several educational products and brands. The company is run by teachers for teachers and instill these values in their products: quality, educational impact, affordability, and hassle-free. Their resources focus on the core of education by helping students have a strong foundation with reading and math skills.


Math Shed is an online game that makes drilling facts fun. The student can choose addition and subtraction, number bonds (filling in the missing number from an addition or subtraction equation, i.e. 7 + __ = 10), multiplication and division, powers of 10, and more. Each category has various subtopics in it, such as adding up to 4 digits, numbers bonds up to 100, many combinations for multiplication and division, and powers of 10 up to 1,000. From there, each exercise has the option of easy, medium, or hard.

The full results are listed at the end of the round.


Spelling Shed covers both spelling and vocabulary in a fun, game format. You can create your own custom lists or choose to allow the program to pull from their hub of over 4,000 words.

The lists are broken into groups: Stage 1 & 2, Stage 3, Stage 4 & 5, and more lists. Within those levels are easy, medium, hard, and extreme which change the game play. For instance, level easy shows the student the word and then lists only the necessary letters to put in order. The extreme level says the word aloud and gives a screen full of letter options for the student to choose.


Spelling Shed includes a few bonus games, Bee Keeper (hangman) and Missing Words (fill-in-the-blank.) There is also an additional game, Buzz Words, which is similar to Boggle and allows the student to make any word from any list as long as the letters are available. Again, the games offer different difficulty levels.

A full PDF spelling curriculum for K-5 is also included in a membership.


Like many online learning sites, the learner has the option to create an avatar. My kids always love this part! It's amazing how something so simple brings so much joy. As they play the games, they earn "honey pots" which they can use to purchase items for their character such as additional shirts, backgrounds, and accessories.

As they complete levels, they also accumulate other awards: stars (total score from the past week), medals (highest score), and trophies (highest score). Each award, including the honey pot earning balance is easily visible at the top of the student's game landing page.

The honey pot earnings accrue for both programs together, but the other awards are specific to each one.


A one-year subscription to each program comes with the following perks:

  • Math or Spelling skills practice
  • Up to 5 child licenses
  • Full access to the online web game
  • Scheduling and tracking assignments
  • Data reporting
If you want access to both programs, you will save 15% off the price.


My kids (ages 8, 10, 12) have been using the games as supplemental learning. These simple exercises are good for light summer education activities.

Here's what my kids think of the programs:


"I like them. My favorite thing is the Buzz Words game. I always play on the hard level!"


"They're pretty cool. There were some words that I didn't know how
to spell before, like merriment. Now I do."


"I like earning the honey pots so I can change my character. I also like that
I get to pick what I practice."



Math Shed and Spelling Shed are easy-to-use programs for students to sharpen basic skills in a simple, fun way.


You can connect with Math Shed and Spelling Shed on the following social media sites:



You can read more reviews of these online learning programs on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.


Spelling Shed & Math Shed {Education Shed Reviews}
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Let's Go Geography

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 had so much fun traveling the world with Let's Go Geography a couple years ago that we couldn't wait to review it again! This trip, we're visiting 28 more countries with this homeschool geography curriculum. So, pack your bags and join us as we venture to learn more about the people and world around us in Let's Go Geography, Year 2. 

Let's Go Geography is a K-5th grade curriculum that gives you a taste of traveling the world. Carol Henderson, creator of the company and veteran homeschooler, couldn't find a curriculum that was just right for her large co-op geography class. She wanted to teach a new country every week using activities that the kids would love. She decided to write her own lessons and activities, pulling information from around the web, refining and tweaking until Let's Go Geography was born. It has since grown into a three-year program.


Year 2, just like the other years, focuses on countries from each continent. The lessons were written to be completed in roughly an hour once a week, but there are plenty of suggestions for lengthening your trip. There are activities, crafts, songs, videos, journaling, books, online content, globe skills, photos, and more. A subscription gives you immediate access to all lessons along with additional resources and free materials.

Each lesson is divided into 6 sections:
  • Map It -- a printable map of the country/region that lists many things to find and explore (cities, bodies of water, neighboring countries, etc.) and also teaches map skills and terms
  • The Flag -- mini flag to be cut, colored, and glued to either a page in the travel journal or a personal passport while teaching symbolism, colors, and history
  • The Music -- cultural music such as national anthems, traditional fold music, and dance
  • Let's Explore -- various facts about the country (landscape, people, places, animals, occupations, and more)with links to videos for further study; also includes more online facts, library books, a printable journal page for notebooking, and a photo album of pictures
  • Create -- printable coloring page relating to something in the study along with directions, tips, and any needed printable for a featured craft
  • Printables -- all the printable needed for the lesson


The beginning of each lesson includes a printable itinerary with boxes to check as you complete the assignments. After that is a detailed list of things you need for the trip: library books, craft supplies, and a travel journal (3-ring binder to keep and organize the printables and information for each country). Carol emphasizes that this curriculum is to be adapted to best suit each family's needs, ages, and abilities. She also stresses that you shouldn't feel obligated to do every single activity that's offered, since the goal is to familiarize the student with the country, not overwhelm him. 

The lesson format is incredibly easy to follow and includes the links for videos and other content directly in the lesson where they're needed. It's easy to scroll through the lessons in order without having to jump around to find what you need. There are also photographs, maps, and graphics throughout the pages, making them visually appealing, as well.


I've been traveling these countries the past many weeks with my kids ages 11, 10, 7, and 5. We are studying one country a week, but dividing each lesson into 2 days. The first day, we cover the first 3 chapters. We start by finding the country on our globe and then discussing the Map It topics. From there we move to The Flag and The Music. Instead of making individual travel journals for each of the kids, I chose to make a combined one for the family since it worked so well the last time we used this curriculum. The kids take turns coloring the flags and marking the maps.

Day 2 is Let's Explore and Create. We watch all the videos together and stop them often to discuss different aspects. This is probably my favorite part! The videos vary in quality, but that also means it keeps it interesting because the content is so different. One thing that I appreciate is that they stream from SafeYouTube. Even though the curriculum was designed to have the teacher present during the lessons, this added step of caution is reassuring in clean content for my little ones. After the videos, we move to the craft and coloring page. Some of my kids are craftier than others and some of the crafts and pages aren't as appealing to all of them. I let them choose which ones they'd like to create. On the other hand, the crafts are my daughter's favorite part. There are so many aspects of this program that it's easy to pick and choose what to use and still get a good understanding of each country.


Our family continues to love this curriculum! It incorporates the perfect blend of learning styles as it touches enough aspects of each country to whet a child's appetite and give him a familiarity with the countries and offers additional learning for deeper study.

One thing that we've done differently with our Year 2 study is utilizing the suggested library books. We pick out a few books and use them throughout the week. I have them available for the kids to flip through on their own and then read portions with them, as well. Another thing we've added is creating a recipe from the featured country each week. This week we are studying Mexico, so we made churritos and Mexican hot chocolate. The kids are loving this part! The churritos are bound to be a repeat recipe, but it was a unanimous decision to stick with the traditional American drink. It's fun to try new things though! And it's neat to see what people in other parts of the world eat. 


If you're looking for a way to teach your elementary child about the countries of the world, Let's Go Geography is a fantastic choice! It works well for a variety of ages, offers a great selection of materials, and is enjoyed by our whole family.

Head over to Let's Go Geography to get your passport ready and prepare to travel the world!




You can connect with Let's Go Geography on the following social media sites:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube


You can read more reviews of Let's Go Geography on the Homeschool Review Crew blog and see the fun other homeschool families are having as they travel the world from the comfort of their homes.

Geography for Kids - Year 2 {Let's Go Geography Reviews}
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Thursday, January 9, 2020

SchoolhouseTeachers.com

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.



It's appropriate that we're starting a new year with the Homechool Review Crew with a review of another branch of The Old Schoolhouse® Company. SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a complete online curriculum for preschool through 12th grade. We received the Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership to use with our family.

The Old Schoolhouse® Company began nearly 20 years ago when its owner, Gena Suarez, started selling used curriculum. From there, she started a newsletter which eventually evolved into the top trade magazine for homeschoolers, weekly newsletters with wisdom and encouragement, a blog packed with articles, forums filled with tips and a place to ask questions, SchoolhouseTeachers which is the curriculum side of the company, and, of course, the Homeschool Review Crew where I have the opportunity to review many curricula and resources.


We have had experience with SchoolhouseTeachers for many years. Because the site offers a huge variety of subjects, I always check there first when I'm looking for something to supplement our learning. For instance, my son used it to learn guitar, my daughter completed lessons on drawing, the whole family enjoyed watching Drive Thru History, and more.

Most recently, my oldest has been using the site for his Algebra 2 course. The class has 36 weeks of lessons with everything accessible online. There is a suggested lesson plan; the Algebra 2 text book with lesson reading, practice problems, homework, and unit tests; and a solution manual. All of the components are PDF files, so you can choose to print the materials or download and use on the computer.


While we could print everything, it wouldn't be practical as there are well over 1,000 pages. My son uses the PDFs on the computer and then records his answers in a notebook. He has no problems using the materials and can easily find his way through the site.

One feature that is helpful is the option to create bookmarks. I can bookmark any courses so they all appear in one place for my kids. For instance, if I chose to use SchoolhouseTeachers for our full education, I could bookmark each class for my kids and put it in their specified collection. That way, they don't have to try to remember each course, and I can see them all at a glance, as well.


Finding classes for your students is a simple process. You can search either by grade or by subject. All the core classes are offered along with many other electives and arts. Many home economics classes, web-based learning, photography, architecture, money management, fitness and nutrition, devotionals, and more. The subtopics are alphabetized within each main category. With 463 online courses, there is something for everyone.

There are also more than 450 videos included in a membership. Of course, most of the videos supplement the academic classes, but there are plenty that appeal to adults, too. Marriage, missions and persecution, and parenting are included along with apologetics, foreign languages, history, math, various electives, holidays, science, kids entertainment, and more.


I appreciate the ease of the Algebra 2 course and how much money I'm saving by not having to purchase textbooks and answer keys. Looking through the options again, I can't wait to get my other kids started on new courses and see where our learning takes us!


If you're looking to create a full custom education, supplement a few classes, or even just for some fun learning, SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a fantastic resource for homeschoolers.

Now through the end of this month, you can purchase an Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership for only $99 with code ONLY99. Lock in that rate now and gain access to every subject for every grade for every student in your home.
   

You can connect with SchoohouseTeachers.com and The Old Schoolhouse on the following social media sites:


You can see more of the classes offered on SchoolhouseTeachers.com by reading the reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Online Homeschooling For the Whole Family {SchoolhouseTeachers.com Reviews}
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Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Online Times Alive



Memorizing multiplication facts is something every student needs to do, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. We were able to review a six-month Online Times Alive subscription from City Creek Press, Inc. that teaches the "times tables the fun way."

City Creek Press, Inc. has been producing engaging teaching materials since 1992. Judy Liautaud, the creator of the company, was determined to help student learn math facts in a fun and meaningful way. Her unique method, which connects stories and songs to number facts, has been helping students ever since. Not only do they learn the facts faster, but they retain them, too. Now, the company offers 20 original products (including an iOS app that some of my crew mates also reviewed) that make learning fun and memorable for children. 


The Online Times Alive program is based on Judy's book, Times Tables the Fun Way Book for Kids. It teaches all the multiplication facts 0-9 through a combination of stories, movies, songs, and games.

Numbers are personified through the stories in order to make the facts easier to remember. For example, 3 x 8 = 24 is shown as a bat flying through a cave and finds the King of Snakes on a throne. Each multiplication sequence has its own story to trigger recollection.


The facts for 0, 1, 2, 5, and 9 are taught in groups as a whole for each number family, because there are simple tricks to learn them. The other numbers are taught individually since they can be trickier. Each lesson is broken into parts and are displayed on the lesson list with symbols for their types: movie, song, paint, quiz, test. This list will also show which lessons the student has viewed and which he has completed.

The Online Times Alive subscription is valid on one Mac or PC, but keeps track of an unlimited number of students. Progress, scores, times, and date of completion is recorded for each student by clicking the Progress Report button under the lesson list.

I'm not sure why, but the program did not record my kids' data. Even though we signed in with the exact same names each time, nothing was marked. It didn't affect how we used it as my kids could easily remember where they left off.


I had two of my children use the program as a refresher before school started again to combat any summer slide. My 11-year-old has always struggled with math and memorizing multiplication facts. This summer, I insisted she buckle down and learn these pesky tables once and for all. She worked through the lessons in a matter of days. Though she determined it seemed a little too juvenile for her, she never complained. She didn't feel confident that it made much difference, but when I quizzed her just now, she answered each one correctly and with only a slight hesitation. She did also practice flashcards over the summer months, but she said that there are facts that she knows specifically from the Times Alive stories.

My 9-year-old is the opposite of his sister. Math has always come easy to him. It was his favorite subject until just recently when he claimed he no longer liked it. These kids. They always keep us guessing, right? I had him work through program to freshen those facts. I do not notice a difference in his response time nor his remembrance of certain facts. Not every program works for everyone, and that's ok.

 
Online Times Alive makes learning multiplication facts fun by teaching them in a different way than simply drilling number sequences. The stories are kinda silly and random, and while I think it would make it confusing, it seems to help the facts stick in young minds. I'm interested to use the program with my boys who are too little to be learning multiplication in their typical math lessons to see how well it would work for them.

If  learning the times tables the fun way seems like a good fit for your family, you can use coupon code lovetolearn to waive the signup fee and getting started today.




You can connect with City Creek Press, Inc. on the following social media sites:
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram


You can read more reviews of this program also learn about their iOS app to see how it worked in other homeschool families on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Online Times Alive {City Creek Press, Inc. Reviews}

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Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study




I am excited every time we get to review unit studies. I love fully immersing ourselves in a topic and applying its concepts in multiple subject areas. This comprehensive method helps you learn more, retain it longer, and have fun while doing it. 

I was recently introduced to Techie Homeschool Mom who offers many different unit studies. Beth Napoli, the creator of the site, has embraced this technology-prevalent world that we live in. Her enthusiasm for digital learning along with her researching skills inspired her to combine some of the fabulous resources she's found into digital unit studies. Originally, she created these studies as a way to educate her own five girls; now, she's sharing her work with the rest of the internet. She offers studies from artists to inventors to the solar system and more, but it was her Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study that grabbed my attention.

My kids are fascinated by Ancient Egypt--mummies, pyramids, hieroglyphics, all of it. We've studied this time period before, but there's always more that we learn, especially since we've added little ones to our family since then.

This unit study couldn't be simpler to use. There are no additional books you need to collect or resources you need to find. Everything you need for this E-course is only a click away with the exception of hands-on materials for projects. The course list is to the left of the screen. As you finish a lesson, it is automatically checked as completed on the list and the next lesson appears. The phrase Beth uses is "just click," because that is all you do to find the materials for the study.


Here are the main modules of the course:

  • Egyptian Civilization
  • Hieroglyphics
  • Rosetta Stone
  • Egyptian Daily Life
  • Inventions and Technology of Ancient Egypt
  • Ancient Egyptian Clothing
  • Famous Egyptians
  • Pyramids
  • Mummies
  • Final Project

The means of learning varies around websites, articles, videos, and online quizzes and games. There are a few digital tools that you may need to create free accounts for, but everything else is straightforward. We have viewed the Nile River through satellite images, translated hieroglyphics (one of our favorites!), watched papyrus being made, learned dozens of facts about Egyptian life, and more. 


There is also a Book Club portion of the course. A few options are given, though you could choose any book that relates to the period. We decided on the audio of The Cat of Bubastes for our study. While we love family read alouds, listening to the book while driving for a recent vacation was the perfect way to pass time. Henty's writings are rich in vocabulary and filled with history. The story set the scene for deeper Egyptian learning.

As always, our favorite portions were the hands-on activities. There is a list of projects and needed supplies in the Before You Start section, making it easy to be prepared long before you need something. The kids made their own cartouches using foil and enjoyed seeing my cartouche necklace my parents brought back from Egypt years ago. We played Senet multiple times and liked it so much that we've added it to our collection. The best activity overall though has been making a variation of the oldest recorded recipe in the world. The treats are quite similar to homemade Larabars, which we make every so often. We made half of the recipe as directed and the other half without coating the balls in honey because I figured they'd been too sweet. We used the different versions as an experiment. As expected, everyone preferred the honey-less option. We then used the extra dates that we had purchased to make a chocolate and peanut butter variation and rolled them in cocoa powder. So good. Those poor Ancient Egyptians didn't know what they were missing out on by not having chocolate! 


The Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study is geared toward mid-elementary to middle school age to use on their own, but will also appeal to both those younger and older. We chose to use the course as a family study. I read aloud the articles and such and the kids and I watch the videos together. This format encourages deeper learning, too, as conversations always lead to further study. Each module takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete, depending on your style and pace of learning. We work through it usually twice a week. Naturally, some sections take us longer than others, because we find them fascinating. 

We are nearly at the halfway point now with still so much to learn. I've already peeked ahead and saw directions for a Venn Diagram comparing clothing, a slideshow about ancient jewelry, articles about famous people, a video explaining how the pyramids were built, and information explaining amulets. I know the kids are going to be thrilled when we get to the lesson when we mummify a doll. Today though, we're learning about inventions that the ancient people created. The course is completely self-paced with unlimited access forever, so we can take as long as we like soaking up the information. I'm even thinking we will revisit this study again in a few years when the little ones are older. 



Because this is a techie study, online and social sharing is encouraged. Suggestions include creating a Pinterest board for the study projects, answering comments in the Book Club section by posting comments online, and following Techie Homeschool Mom on various sites. We chose not to participate in the social aspect, but discussed the topics and projects among ourselves instead.

We are greatly enjoying learning all about life long ago in the Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study. The course is easy-to-use, filled with fascinating resources and information, and includes varying projects and materials. I'm already trying to decide which study should be next--Famous Artists for my crafty girl or Famous Inventors for my science-minded boys or even the 4th of July for some fun historical summer learning. Techie Homeschool Mom has made fuss-free studies that are perfect for the digital age. 




You can connect with Techie Homeschool Mom on the following social media sites:


Many other families used some of the additional studies found on Techie Homeschool Mom. You can read those reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.


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Friday, February 22, 2019

IXL Learning




Our family benefited from IXL Learning years ago, so I was pleased to receive a full annual membership to all IXL subjects to review again. Our experience had been with the math and language arts materials, but the company has expanded. They have since added science, social studies, and Spanish courses, as well. 

IXL Learning is an online educational website. They strive to create the best educational resources possible and are passionate about using technology for teaching and learning alike. Their products are used by millions of students to practice skills and advance their education. Since its release in 2007, IXL has become the most popular subscription-based learning site for pre-k to high school. With over 7,000 skills, there is something for everyone.


I was able to set up accounts for my kids ages 10, 9, 6, and 4. The process and quick and easy. Each child got to pick an icon to add to their profile, which is always an exciting feature. From there, each student can take a diagnostic test to determine mastered skills or can immediately start practicing.

One aspect of this program that I appreciate is that a student is not locked into a specific grade level, but instead can access all of the content on the site. For instance, two of my boys are proficient at math. I have moved them up for that subject, but kept them at grade level for others. It's easy to adapt the lessons for each student.

Since we're using the site as a supplement to our other materials, I let the kids choose which areas they would like to work. My 10-year-old is already learning Latin, so I was surprised when she immediately was drawn to the Spanish section. She has had very little Spanish instruction and there are no teaching lessons included with this site, yet that hasn't discouraged her from working through this category. After a student answers a question, the site either congratulates him for answering it correctly or explains why it was incorrect. This is what she has been using for instruction. She has been working through a section, looking at the answers, and learning from that. I admit, it's not the most productive way to learn, but she has done all this on her own. I am all for independent learning and am pleased with her drive and excitement.



My 9-year-old loves math and science, so that is where his focus has been. I have him working in two different grades for the subjects, but the site keeps track of that for him. All he has to do is click on the subject and it pulls up where he left off. The skills can be completed in any order. Since learning about animals is his passion, he began in that section. A student can hover over a link to get a glimpse of the skills with preview questions which is helpful when he wants to pick and choose instead of working in order.



I am choosing the daily skills for my 6-year-old. He is very much like his older brother and interested in math and science. Science and social studies are available for grades 2-8, whereas math and language arts cover grades pre-k-high school, I decided to try him at the higher level for science (along with the math I have already explained) since there is no first grade option. After a few skills in language arts, I determined that he needed to move up in that, too. Currently, he is working a grade level higher in all subjects. I like that I can easily alter the questions to meet our needs.

My 4-year-old cannot navigate the site on his own. He does know to click on the blue speaker icon to hear the question read aloud and how to choose his answer. Sometimes though, the submit button is not visible on the screen and the page needs to be scrolled down a little. I have found it easiest and the least frustrating for him if someone sits and works with him, reading the questions, clicking on his answers, and submitting his choice. It's not ideal, but it works.


I can track my kids' progress on the site in my parent profile. The site shows me scores, trouble spots, minutes practiced, questions answered, skills reviewed, and more. In addition to this data, I also receive emails with various achievements, such as hours practiced, skills mastered, and questions answered. There is a link to a PDF that allows me to print a personalized certificate each time.

Those achievements along with many others also are listed in the child's profile. My kids love checking their awards as each time they earn one, they get to unlock a surprise. The awards vary within each subject and grade. They collect things like balloon animals, badges, books, key chains, stuffed animals, nesting dolls, and other virtual prizes.


IXL uses a SmartScore system to measure a students progress toward mastery, instead of focusing on percentage grades. In other words, if he gets an answer correct, he earns a number of points; if he gets one wrong, he loses points. This scoring method encourages a student to keep working until he reaches excellence, though he can end a lesson at any time.

My children are doing well with this learning site. They are challenged with the material and motivated by the awards. I love that they can use the site on their own and that I can customize it to fit individual needs of my kids.

If you're looking for a way to boost your child's academic potential, IXL Learning is a good choice.




You can connect with IXL Learning on the following social media sites:


Be sure to head to the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of this website from other homeschool families.


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