Category: Geography

Africa, African History, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, History, S.T.E.A.M

Teni & Tayo Africa in a Box Review!

Little Learner and Mom

We received Africa In A Box from Teni & Tayo for our honest review!

Normally I start my reviews off with an opener, but for this one, I just have just dive right in for this review. When I tell you I was impressed with Africa In A Box from Teni & Tayo I couldn’t wait to write this review!!!

Africa In A Box is exactly what you get with an interactive history stem box for ages 5+. We felt like we were given front-row seats to the motherland with Mrs. Omobola as our guide. My son was instantly captivated, and his Nintendo Switch was kicked to the curb very quickly. Once he saw me place the box on the table and saw all the goodies he was ready!

Our mission is to help close the representation gap in the products made for kids while creating fun and engaging products that any child can enjoy.

Mrs. Omobola- creator

Our topic of the month was the Ndebele Tribe of South Africa/Zimbabwe. Included in our inspired by Africa box was everything thing we needed to build our authentic home. We received:

  • Detailed written and picture instructions.
  • Markers and pencil
  • Glue
  • Wooden panel with building hardware
  • Battery pack and batteries
  • Wires and LED bulb
  • Twine

Let’s talk about this video it was awesome we watched it twice. We learned about the Ndebele tribe in South Africa and some parts of Zimbabwe. We learned about the language, history, geography, and culture. My son was in awe of the beauty of the countries and people mentioned in the video.

He asked me… Mom why don’t they show how beautiful Africa really is on the news and tv?”

Jai – age 10

As parents, we have always taught our son about the beautiful continent of Africa and let him know he is a descendant of mighty kings and queens. To have a box like Africa In A Box just solidifies everything he has been learning since he was a toddler.

The hands-on STEM activity is wonderful. The instructor walks the children through building the structure. Mrs. Omobola has a natural rapport with the children. I like that she spoke to the children with respect, positivity, and encouragement. Also included in the box is an informational reader about the lesson the kids would be learning.

In the video, the children learn the importance of giving back because they tell the children for every box they receive a certain percentage of the purchase goes to help those in need in Africa and the African diaspora. I love that they are teaching this value because it is so important that children learn to give back.

After finishing his box he started playing with his Black Panther Lego mini figure. His house was the highlight of the day. He found a special place for it in his room. He asked us to get him another box because he enjoyed this one so much!

My son is 10, and he had no problem assembling the project on his own. When he got stuck with the wiring he just went back and rewatched the video and paused where he needed to adjust. My son isn’t big on decorating projects like this but he fully decorated his project and turned on some South African music on Alexa and spent the afternoon coloring. He also spent the evening telling his dad about his project and attempting to do the Ndebele clicking pronunciation.

Africa In A Box is available as a monthly subscription or bundle discount. At the time of this review, the company is offering free shipping on their box subscriptions. The cost starts at $38.99 and they are mailed by the 15th of the month. There is a pop-up on their website where you can save 10% off your first box. We plan to subscribe so we can get the upcoming box on Empress Taytu Betul of Ethiopia. I highly recommend Africa In A Box from Teni & Tayo .

Until the Next Time,

Mom and Jai

Family, Geography, History, Homeschool, Unit Study

Celebrate States: Colorado Review !

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received!

Looking for a great way to explore the United States without leaving your home? Have you been interested in visiting a state and would like to get a glimpse of that state before leaving your home? If you answered yes to those questions then Celebrate States is a great way to bring a monthly state to your home.

Celebrate States is a monthly box subscription that features a new state every month. You will get a chance to learn about the history, geography, landmarks, and some of the local favorites.

We received the Colorado box for the month of March. Inside our guide we received:

🗺Colorado travel Guide and map.

🍬Sweet and savory treats from local shops.

🧼Lovely artisan scented soap.

🌲Beautifully crafted Aspen candle holder from the Rocky Mountains.

After going through the Celebrate States box we decided to dig deeper into some of the things he found of interest from the included travel guide. We watched a PBS documentary about the Rocky Mountains. The PBS documentary was very informative we learned about the:

  • Sicangu Lakota Oyate
  • San Luis Valley
  • Indian Boarding Schools
  • Gold Rush
  • Black in Denver Art Exhibit
  • Homesteading
  • The Railway
  • Natural Resources

We enjoyed the Colorado box it allowed us to have a connection to the state. The Celebrate States is a wonderful way to explore the United States with your family. This will make a great complement to homeschool geography lessons.

As you can tell we took the box and ran with it. It was nice to give my son a peek into the beautiful state of Colorado. This is a great addition to our study this upcoming year. I am going to reach out to the company and ask if we can get the Georgia box.

Until the next time,

Mom and J

Education, Family, Games and Apps, Geography, Homeschool

SimplyFun: Dish Em Out and Eagle Chase Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received!

I have always been curious about SimplyFun Games for our homeschool, so we were given the opportunity to check out Dish Em Out and Eagle Chase I was excited to be a part of this review.

About SimplyFun

The company was launched in 2004, their unique educational games are designed to help students master skills through play. The games promote character building, educational skill development, cooperative play opportunities, and fun. With the growing rate of use of screens, SimplyFun brings fun to board games.

SimplyFun games are for kids ages 3 – 12+, and 2-5 players. The games are divided into 4 categories when purchasing:

  • Reading & Language Arts
  • Math & Stem
  • Social Science & Studies
  • Life & Thinking Skills

I really like how SimplyFun games accommodate all children learning and playing needs. When you select a game on the website the company gives you details on how to play, educational standards, skills, special needs, students with autism, and extended play. I know many parents will find this information handy when selecting games and it is also offered as a free download. There are also instructional videos for each of their games, this is a major plus.

Instead of simply teaching kids to play, could we create games that help them thrive?

Simply Fun

Dish ’em Out

Are you a fan of the game Dinner Dash? If so you are going to love playing Dish ’em Out. Dish ’em Out is a fast-paced game of logic and critical thinking skills. Your student is given the opportunity to run a breakfast diner, but the catch is you have to use your critical thinking skills to make sure you select the correct items to cook in enough time per each turn because some items have a faster cook time. The gameplay was super easy and my son enjoyed playing as if we were in a real diner cooking. I noticed my son spent time carefully deciding on what items to cook first, but also learned from his mistakes when he picked the wrong items and had to discard them and lose points.

Dish ’em Out is for 2-5 players ages 8 & up the game is all about strategy in order to gain the most points. Gameplay is about 30 mins but I can see it going 45 mins when you are first learning to play. I did use the videos on the SimplyFun website to learn to play. The cost of Dish ’em Out is in heavy rotation for family game night and when we just need a brain break from homeschool lessons.

Eagle Chase

Eagle Chase is a United States geography and history game, players will travel across the country learning about the states. Sound easy right? Well, it is not that easy some of the geographical/historical facts students may be familiar with and some you and your kids may not know. I again used the video on the SimplyFun website to learn to play. The objective of the game is to chase the wooden eagle around the board to win points. You have to play your location cards and chase cards as you move on your turns. You also earn points on locations you visit in your hand. The Chase cards can work to your advantage depending on what you choose to do. My son LOVED Eagle Chase because he really loves history and geography and let me just tell you we played this game every day for 2 weeks straight. I won 2 games and he won the rest.

Eagle Chase replaced our US geography lessons for 2 weeks and I welcomed it. The game is still in rotation we are averaging 2 plays a week. Eagle Chase is for 2-5 players ages 10 up with 30 mins of gameplay. He has learned more US geography/history these last few weeks than he has learned in an entire school year. He has always known his state’s locations but sometimes would get a few confused when looking at the map now he knows all 50 locations and flies around the Eagle Chase board with his token.

My overall impression of the company is very positive, they come across as family-friendly, dedicated, and provide quality products. The gameboards are beautifully designed and durable game pieces. I appreciate that they have games for older students and the game prices are reasonable. My goal is to try to purchase 1-2 games a month to use in our upcoming school year. Some of the games I am looking to purchase are Word Bits, Cash Out, Vinculum, Eye to Eye Bundle, and a few more on my wish list.

If you are looking for some educational games that your student will enjoy I highly recommend SimplyFun Games and the games mentioned in this review. At the time of this review Dish ‘em Out is $34.99 and Eagle Chase is $39.99 a great investment for your homeschool or home!

Until the next time,

Mom and J

Critical Thinking and Logic, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, History, Homeschool

Curiosity Chronicles: Volume 2 Early Modern History Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received!

We love history in our home and focus on the gentle truth of history. We have several history curriculums we pull from and I always check actual true history that is secular. The gracious creators of the Curiosity Chronicles sent us their latest release Early Modern History Volume 2 to review.

We are no strangers to Curiosity Chronicles history curriculum; we actually own the Ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern Vol 1 curriculums. My son has really enjoyed the lessons we have done and I haven’t found any questionable text. Ted and Mona have been long-time friends of ours as we have journeyed our way through history over the years. Curiosity Chronicles is a multi-sensory history curriculum that works for students with different learning styles.

We believe everyone has a place at the table when it comes to telling history.

Curiosity Chronicles

Curiosity Chronicles is not your typical history of the curriculum. Students learn history through snapshots of historical time periods and global events. The curriculum follows Mona Ted through history through dialogues. The students are introduced to the characters then they begin to engage in historical conversations and take your students on adventures learning about artistic, cultural, scientific, and political perspectives in history.

Students learn history from a global perspective. History is never dull when using Curiosity Chronicles kids will engage in meaningful conversation with you and want to learn more. What I like about Curiosity Chronicles is that the lesson is actual snapshots of history topics. I have found that a vast majority of the snapshots in the text are never mentioned in other elementary history curriculums. I am also pleased the company includes so much diversity in the characters, illustrations, and subject matter.

Early Modern History Volume 2 picks up right where Early Modern Vol 1 leaves off and starts the conversations between Ted and Mona discussing Catherine the Great of Russia. Early Modern History Volume 2 has 36 chapters that are divided into 18 sections. Students will study history snapshots from 1550- 1850, with topics such as the Haitian Revolutionary War, Empires in Africa, Bolivarian Revolution, American Revolution, and much more. We received hard and digital copies of Early Modern History Volume 2 curriculum package.

The complete Early Modern History Volume 2 includes:

  • Snapshots of Early Modern History Vol. 2 text
  • Softcover Insrutctor and Student Guide
  • Audiobook Snapshots of Early Modern Vol. 2
  • Digital Ted’s Timeline Kit: Early Modern Vol. 2

In both Vol 1 and Vol 2 we see Ted and Mona’s friends Arthur and Lily in the cultural corners at the end of select chapters as they highlight important artists, writers, scientists, and musicians.

Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Volume 2 is truly a fun-filled comprehensive curriculum. Students will complete written lessons, mapwork, coloring pages, puzzles, STEM activities, and my son’s favorite Minecraft challenges. Lessons can be done family-style and the company is adding extension activities soon for older students. There are sections in the snapshot that invite students to research more on the historical topic they are studying. Early Modern History Volume 2 breaks important historical events down the curriculum is designed to with the children and not at them. My son enjoys curriculums that he feels are a part of the discussion.

Students will learn to discuss complex ideas, develop critical thinking skills, engage in hands-on learning, and find tangential learning!

Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Volume 2 comes with a Teds Timeline kit. The Timeline kit comes with templates and pictures for your student to construct a wall timeline (color or black and white) or notebook timeline. We have a history timeline notebook so we will be using this instead of the templates provided. For this review I let my son decide on what area of time he wanted to learn about and he choose Section 31 Empires of Africa Chapter 61 Shaka forges the Zulu. He listened to the audiobook snapshot during breakfast and later during the day we went through the Snapshots of Early Modern History Volume 2 text. We talked about the Zulu, Swazis, Basotho, Xhosa, Boers, and Southern Africa. Through our study, we discussed the different biomes of Africa and the migration of the great people of Africa across the continent. We were introduced to the great Zulu warrior Shaka and his military. My son was intrigued by this chapter he started researching EVERYTHING about the Zulu people. He went to work on his assignments and his Minecraft challenges. He really enjoyed this sneak peek into our history lesson for the Fall, not sure I am going to be able to keep this one on the shelf until September.

I highly recommend Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Volume 2 as well as all of the other history curriculums published by Curiosity Chronicles. The history is easy to follow and interactive.

1st Grade, 2nd Grade Curriculum, 3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Art, Charlotte Mason, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, History, Homeschool, Math, Reviews, Science

The Schoolnest History Notebook and Timeline Review!

Little Learner and Mom
The Schoolnest

Last year when my son and I were studying voting rights I remember the frustration I had writing down the timeline of the sequence of events on our board. I wanted him to have a visual keepsake of this important historical time period. So on our little whiteboard, I squeezed as much as I could and left it up there for a week as we studied. When it came time to erase it I took a picture of it and went on a hunt to find a way to record things for our history. What I was finding I wasn’t happy with so our timeline would have to live on my phone in the meantime. Then it happened The Schoolnest published a History Timeline notebook.

About The Schoolnest

Megan is a Michigan homeschool mom of 2 littles who is bringing love for learning through art, nature, creativity, and reading. Her approach to education is respecting the beauty of childhood and play. You can’t help but notice how she embraces Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, and Montessori philosophies in her homeschool. Her website is full of beautifully crafted simple journals, notebooks, and homeschool resources. She also writes a wonderful blog that is full of helpful ideas for parenting, homeschooling, art, and mindfulness. All are welcome on The Schoolnest website and blog, I found several diverse blog posts and literature recommendations.

I was so happy when Megan the founder of The Schoolnest launched her rainbow notebooks, from the first glance on her Instagram I knew I had to have them all. I purchased several of the notebooks for our school year then she published her History Timeline and it blew me away because it was exactly what I needed.

History Notebook and History Timeline

The History Timeline notebook is one the most unique books I have seen. The notebook gives you the ability to track history from:

  • Prehistory
  • Ancient
  • Middle Ages
  • Early Modern
  • Modern Times

What I feel like is a great family heirloom in History Timeline, is the beginning pages called “My History” I love these pages because we can record our family history and document things we felt were important to us during a year. The paper quality is excellent there are 115 pages and there are blank pages at the end. The entire is book is grid paper except for the dates, there is also B.C.E-C.E also included. There is plenty of space to write and post pictures, drawings, and clippings for creativity. The grid paper is excellent for writing and helping students contain their writings neatly. What I like about this timeline notebook is that it is just that a notebook. I can keep everything contained neatly in one spot and it is easy to flip through and we can use this 1 notebook over a long period of time.

The History Notebook is great for notebooking. We have used ours to notebook our unit study of Mesoamerica and currently, we are working on Ancient China. We study so much history in our home and notebooking has allowed him to have fun with notebooking. In the history notebook, there are 100 pages on the left page is 1/3 blank and the rest of the page is a grid. On the right side, the bottom is lined and the top is blank. There is a blank table of contents page and a study reference page. Kids can draw, color, cut and paste, make notes, and be creative. We have added pictures and written notes in our history notebook and added notebook printables. The paper quality is excellent, writes, glues, and colors smoothly.

Rainbow Notebooks

If you are looking to explore the other notebooks in The Schoolnest collection you will not be disappointed. So far we have collected:

  • Science
  • Vocabulary
  • Spelling
  • Mathematics
  • Commonplace
  • Project Planner
  • Reading Journal
  • 4th Grade

All of the notebooks come in 12 vibrant rainbow colors, 8.5 x 11, matte softcover, and superior binding. The Schoolnest notebooks are inexpensive ($8) and can be purchased from Amazon. If you are in the market for a planner The Schoolnest has you covered she has a Homeschool Lesson Planning Notebook, you can check out a review of this great planner on Brittany Olga Youtube and Home Life with Quin 5 Instagram (Planner and Reading Journal) and check out Mama Sweet Baby (Spelling Notebook).

The Schoolnest notebooks are a must-have for your homeschool if you haven’t checked them out I highly recommend you do. We love our notebooks and I am looking forward to seeing any new books The Schoolnest publishes.

Blessings,

Mom and J

Website | Instagram | Blog |

3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, Art, Charlotte Mason, Critical Thinking and Logic, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, History, Homeschool, Language Arts, Literature Base, Math, Read Alouds, Reviews, S.T.E.A.M, Science, Writing

The Learn & Live: Mesoamerica Review

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received from The Learn & Live Letter!

This post contains affiliate links at no extra charge to you the reader.

As a homeschool mom, I have always been stuck on what part of history to teach in our home and how. There are so many wonderful curricula you can choose from, but if you are looking for true gentle history the choices tend to narrow down immensely. We enjoy unit study learning in our home and at times we just want to step away from traditional textbook history and have fun. I was really happy when The Learn & Live Letter ladies reached out to me to check out their November Mesoamerica unit.

About The Learn & Live Letter

The Learn & Live Letter was created by two homeschool moms who wanted to bring the joy of play-based learning to their children. They created their own homeschools around the philosophy of interested-led and hands-on learning. Cynthia and Justine enlisted the help of several well-known highly qualified contributors in the education and homeschool community to help create monthly themed 4-week play-based learning units. Each unit covers science, history, geography, art, music, math, reading, and writing. The Learn & Live Letter also embraces the Charlotte Mason approach, you won’t find worksheets or busy work in these monthly themed units. If you are wondering about the diversity of The Learn & Live Letter team you will not be disappointed.

Because learning comes naturally to your child’s development. They learn with and by the world around them—and, as parents and caretakers, all we have to do is open that door.

The Learn & Live Letter

The Learn & Live Letter units are designed for the homeschool parent, while non-homeschool families can benefit from this wonderful program, the design is for that homeschool parent. There are 3 levels to choose from level 1 (3 to 5 ), Level 2 (5 to 7), and level 3 (7 to 12). Families can choose to do a monthly subscription or a yearly subscription. The yearly subscription would guarantee you 36 weeks of lessons. Each level is different and provides age-appropriate activities. The units come to you via email and you click the link that will take you to your levels monthly instruction pages. The company also provides you a schedule of when you will receive the next unit’s email which is always a week before the upcoming month. There is also scope and sequence you can look at which is great for pacing and lining up your lessons. The company is still growing so the 2022 lineup is still building.

November Mesoamerica Unit

Mesoamerica Unit !

Our unit to review for you is the Level 3 November Mesoamerica unit. The Mesoamerica unit took us on a journey to Mexico and South America. Each week comes with its own supply list, resources, and embedded links. Everything you need is in your weekly guide you can add to it if you like, but you are fine with just the items they list. We studied about the Mayans, Aztecs, and Olmecs. The Mesoamerica unit captured my son’s interest he was intrigued to learn about these wonderful ancient Indigenous tribes’ culture, history, and contributions to civilization. For 2 weeks he was stuck on learning about the Olmecs and I let him stay in this history as long as he liked. We created terra cotta pottery, tried to play the Mayan game Ulama which gave us all quite a workout, and we built the Temple of Kukulkan out of legos.

November Mesoamerica Unit

Each monthly 4-week unit has 5 lessons each lesson has 2 – 4 activities. What I did notice is that Lesson 1 of each week usually had 2 activities that focused on geography or history for that week. You do not have to do each activity in each lesson. We average 2-3 activities each lesson, but because we plan to do this unit again I left wiggle room for next year. While we worked on the Mesoamerica unit we discovered there were many other ancient indigenous tribes so we will look into these next year. I highly recommend you bookmark the monthly units link on your iPad or tablet. I also printed out each week. The company also provides you with a skills/activity tracker.

The Learn & Live Letter units provide gentle history if you follow me you know I teach gentle truth history in our home. The Learn & Live Letter provides the conversation starter for you and you are free to take it from there. They do use Honest History magazines in their units which are great history resource. So if you don’t have these you will need to invest in them. I found the supply list to be inexpensive and the majority of the items we already had at home. The book resources I found all of them at our local library and were inexpensive on Amazon. The Usborne Encyclopedia World History book is one of the core books but you can use this book or find a World History book that covers your unit’s topics.

November Mesoamerica Unit

The Learn & Live Letter provides so many hands-on and play-based learning opportunities in their units we had so much fun exploring. My son was super excited about learning history and doing the activities he ask for these lessons first during our homeschool day. We finished our Mesoamerica unit feeling confident and happy about our progress. When I asked him what he thought he said this was one of the best units we have done in a long time. With him being happy and I know that everything is planned for me and he loves it we are now working on Ancient China and Medival Level 3 from The Learn & Live Letter. We purchased a year’s subscription and we are both loving it.

Ancient + Medieval China

The Learn & Live Letter is hassle-free learning we were over all the traditional history lessons. We are doing what we love following our interest and back to enjoying our homeschool day.

Ancient + Medieval China

I highly recommend The Learn & Live Letter you will not be disappointed. It was such a sigh of relief to plan something he will both truly enjoy. Each unit is packed with much you can do and not feel overwhelmed. The Learn & Live Letter has excellent customer service and a wondering FAQ on their website. It is always great when homeschool moms create something that really puts the kids first, Bravo Ladies! For my followers, The Learn & Live Letter has provided my readers 10% off any year subscription, be sure to use my promo code DESHAUN10 at checkout.

Until the Next Time,

Mom!

Ancient + Medieval China

Learn and Live Letter Social Media

Website | Instagram | Facebook| YouTube

3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Charlotte Mason, Critical Thinking and Logic, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, Homeschool, Read Alouds, Reviews

Heritage Mom: Civil Rights Movement

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received!

If you don’t know who the Heritage Mom is I am super excited to be able to tell you about this wonderful blogger, mom, homeschooler, philanthropist, and Charlotte Mason guru. Okay so I had had the pleasure of meeting Amber O’Neal Johnston and once a member of her Heritage Homeschoolers group in Georgia and I can honestly tell you she is one of the sweetest and kindest people I have met during my homeschooling journey.

Civil Rights Heritage Pack

When Heritage Mom offered to have the Squad review 3 of her culture guides, I knew had to be part of this opportunity. Let me keep it real I own about 90 % of her culture guides already and we are still working our way through Amazing Africa. We own Schomburg, Heart and Soul, Harlem Ressianance Stomp, and now the Civil Rights Heritage culture guide. All of the culture guides are excellent, Heritage Mom gives you everything you need to use these guidesto teach African and African American history.

The Civil Rights Movement guide is divided into 10 topics of study starting the journey in the 1950s and ending with Civil Rights today. The guide is meant for grades 4-6 but you can review the suggested living books and materials you can stretch to 2nd grade. Civil Rights Movement is 36 weekly lessons now you can stretch to the entire 36 weeks or you can do more lessons a week. We are averaging 3 lessons a week in Amazing Africa, but after looking through the Civil Rights Movement guide we will spend a little more time on our lessons because is one of my son’s favorite areas of history to study. Anyone who says they were able to unpack any of her culture guides in 8 weeks, I can honestly say they didn’t give these carefully planned guides the respect they deserve.

The Civil Rights Heritage Pack is a survey of the brave men and women who risked their reputation, livelihoods, and often their very lives to press towards what they knew to be right.

Heritage Mom

The Civil Rights Movement includes two core books, you need to select one of these books to use with the guide, both reasonably priced. She also includes bonus books and recommends not substituting the core books because those books are impeded throughout the guide. She also has movie suggestions that hyperlinked and inserted disclaimers to prescreen them to make sure they are appropriate for your family. There are additional books used in the lesson plan, they are a nice mixture I love she included picture books and chapter books. Now that my son is reading more chapter books I miss those days of really great picture books. I found all the books listed in the lesson plan at my local library. There are also additional books for older or advanced children but these books are not scheduled in the lesson plans.

The lesson plans are easy to follow, with clickable links that take you to videos and she tells you what book you will be using and pages to read. There are 4 weeks of plans one page. The culture guides are meant to be just that guides, if you are looking for a long-drawn-out lesson plan with tons of writing and worksheets you aren’t going to find it in this guide. Amber O’Neal is a Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschooler and her guides are written in that way of homeschooling. These guides are literature-based and meant to allow you and your student to explore and go down rabbit holes.

Out of respect for her and all her hard work you won’t see pictures of pictures of her hard work in this review. You can literally go on her social media and you will feel the admiration so many people have for these creative works. Each guide of the Heritage Mom packs are filled with so much potential you can stretch these materials for years to come.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, Art, Critical Thinking and Logic, Curriculum, Education, Family, Geography, History, Homeschool, Language Arts, Math, mindfulness, Reviews, S.T.E.A.M

Know Yourself Adventure Series and Dr. Bonyfide Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received from Know Yourself.

I love putting together unit studies, it is just something about gathering all the materials that just makes homeschooling so much fun. My son enjoys our unit studies and he learns so much, but we all know putting together unit studies requires a lot of time and research. Science unit studies are our favorite but it requires a lot of books and external resources. This year I wanted to finally really tackle a solid unit on the human body so while I was researching over the summer I came across the Know Yourself Systems of the Body Adventure Series and that’s when then the fun began.

After browsing the Know Yourself website I realized, that I actually owned one of their Dr. Bonyfide books, but then it happened I previewed the Systems of the Body Adventure Series Book 1 Five Sense and it was a done deal I had to have the entire bundle. I purchased the digital version of the bundle and I was confident I found the answer to my human body unit with just a click of the mouse.

About Know Yourself

The company was created in 2013 by a mom with two girls, she wanted to teach her daughters about the human body and anatomy but have fun doing it. Nancy Howe and her team have created an award-winning books series and have partnered with many companies such as Timberdoodle, Rainbow Resources, and Christian Book just to name a few. If you noticed all 3 of those companies are top-tier and respected homeschool merchants so you know these books have to be quality.

Inspire children to be grounded in the awesomeness of their own self-worth and equip them to make healthy decisions about their minds and bodies. Through a deep sense of self, children are able to better relate to others and contribute to a society with more compassion, love and respect.

Know Yourself

Know Yourself is built on 3 principles as listed on their website:

Self-literacy: A journey to a better self through knowledge of the body and mind that ultimately results in happier, healthier, and less fearful SUPER-AWESOME human beings.

Self-worth: Knowing that your value on this Earth is as great as any other human being on this Earth.

Self-advocacy: Find your voice. Ask questions and speak your truth.

Representation: Acknowledge and represent the diversity of the community that we live in and build appreciation for various human intelligence and learning styles.

The company is committed to providing solid foundations while identifying the need to be inclusive and include all diverse characters so your child will see themselves as they learn.

Dr. Bonyfide Series

Now that you know a little about the company let’s talk about the first set of books f Dr. Bonyfide. There are 4 workbooks in the Dr. Bonyfide :

  • Bones of the Hand, Arm, and Shoulder: Book 1
  • Bones of the Foot, Leg, and Pelvis: Book 2
  • Bones of the Rib Cage and Spine: Book 3
  • Bones of the Head, Face, and Neck: Book 4

In each book, students will explore the human skeletal system using 3D x-ray glasses, puzzles, activities, and readings. All of the books are interactive and feature Dr. Bonyfide and his friends. The Dr. Bonyfide series provide students with real pictures and the anatomically correct names for the skeletal system and provides fun ways to help the students remember the names of the body parts. Just to give you the heads up all the friends your kids will meet in the Dr. Bonyfide series you will see them again in the Systems of the Body Adventure Series.

Systems of the Body Adventure Series

If your student loves graphic novels they are going to love the Systems of the Body Adventure Series. There are 12 workbooks in this fabulous series and your students will meet the Loops Crew. Each one of these books includes a graphic novel storyline complete with a ton of activities and takes you and your student on a worldwide adventure to learn about the body systems.

The Systems of the Body Adventure Series is a multi-subject workbook, students will learn about art, culture, geography, music, history, food, growth mindset, and much more. Systems of the Body Adventure Series books are:

Our Review

We love both series of workbooks, when the company reached out to partner I was thrilled my son was super thrilled we would receive a complete set. Know Yourself combines my son’s 2 favorite things graphic novels and science therefore he is hooked. I literally have to hide the books from him because he will read them all. The company sent us the last 4 books just in time for this review and he saw book 10 has the Loops Crew traveling to Tenochtitlan he grabbed and ran with it. So I am guessing that this is the book we are doing for this month along with our Mesoamerica unit study.

In the month of October, we decided to Adventure 2: The Skeletal System (Russia), talk about a breath of fresh air. The workbook has everything we need for a complete unit study. I just needed to check the supply list at the beginning of the book and we were ready. The great thing about the Systems of the Body Adventure Series books they are broken into 4 parts, each part tells you exactly what the student will be learning and the estimated time for each part. In all honesty, there is NO WAY you can get through an entire book in 1 month there is way too much information to cover. You want your kids to enjoy what they are learning and take their time. My recommendation is to do 2 parts a month and spend your time immersed in the geography culture of the book. The recipes included are easy to follow and require limited adult supervision. The book also includes the answer key and review section.

Dr. Bonyfide and Systems of the Body Adventure Series gives you everything you need for a human body and anatomy system unit study. The books are for children ages 8 years and up and can be done independently. I personally really like the books and I really want to be a part of the learning alongside him because I am the first to admit that I don’t know a lot of detail about the human body systems.

The books have cut back on my human unit study planning by 95% and it also included things I would have never included in my own study. You can purchase the books individually or by bundle. The Systems of the Body Adventure Series is available as a digital download and you can use them on a device. Reasonable price, great customer service, and fast free shipping. To save on your purchase be sure to include our referral code: DESHAUN .

I highly recommend you check out both Dr. Bonyfide and Systems of the Body Adventure Series, if you would like to see a complete walkthrough of the books check out our Little Learner and Mom Instagram.

Until the Next Time

Mom & J

4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Curriculum, Education, Geography, Language Arts, Science, Writing

Blossom & Root Year 5 Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received through the Melanated Gold Review Squad, in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever encountered a curriculum that just made you feel at peace? I have tried several different curricula over the course of the last 5.5 years and they all seemed to lack a real connection to homeschooling. I always felt something was missing and then I felt rushed and that I had to finish it or I had somehow failed my child. Three years ago a friend of mine told me about Blossom and Root and I was hooked. I am so honored to review Blossom and Root Level 5 Language Arts, Science Wonders of Worlds Beyond, Part One: Oceanography, and Art. I will update this review when Wonders of Worlds Beyond, Part Two: Astronomy and Nature Journal releases. Blossom and Root takes your student on a wonderful journey of learning.

Blossom and Root Level 5 is a digital download that also includes clickable links. I personally printed out the lab and student notebooks. The parent guides I uploaded to my notability app on my iPad for quick access. I combined them and use heavy card stock for the covers and the backing. I used my fast draft option and double-sided printing.

Language Arts

Blossom and Root Level 5 doesn’t disappoint. Level 5 language arts covers 36 weeks of lessons that are literature-based and include areas q writing, poetry, social studies, vocabulary, and geography. The chapter book selections for the weeks are diverse and a mixture of classic books and new releases. I was able to find every one of the books at the library, Thriftbooks, Amazon, and eBay. The poetry section is optional but the books suggested were also easily accessible and reasonably priced and the required book list isn’t ridiculously long. Kristina (creator of Blossom & Root) and her team have thought of everything including a completely optional books list for you and divided them up by weeks (THANK YOU). There is also a general supply list that is very basic you will pretty much have about 80% of the items already in your home. you can find a full scope and sequence on Blossom and Root.

Each week has 5 days of lessons, there are helpful tips to that help you decide the best way to navigate the lessons :

  • Transitional (students who are ready for some independent but not completely)
  • Independent ( students who can work independently and guide themselves)
  • Adult-Led (student still need adult guidance)
Year 5 Language Arts

Science

Blossom & Root Level 5 Science Wonders are Worlds Beyond, Part One: Oceanography and Wonders of Worlds Beyond, Part Two: Astronomy (releases November 1st, 2021). The Blossom and Root Level 5 Science Wonder is a relaxed and hands-on approach. Parents can do the traditional 36 weeks of lessons with the first 24 lessons being Oceans and the second part of the lessons being Astronomy. Parents also have the option to do approach the science wonders with a relaxed schedule and work are their own pace stretch out the lessons as long as you want. Science wonders are meant to be parent-led, prefer this way of learning science because I learn so much and we have great conversations.

Science Wonders follow these three steps:

  • Step One – Wonder (introduction to the wonder)
  • Step Two – Explore (exploring the topic with activities/ experiments etc..)
  • Step Three – Record (allowing your child to record their journey)

My favorite part of doing this science is the permission “to go off the grid” going off the grid is something we do all the time and enjoy the learning process so much better and I can see the light and excitement in his eyes. My son is always so eager to show with his dad at dinner time everything he has learned for the day and going down a rabbit hole is the best way I know he is really learning and enjoying his journey. Let’s talk books for Worlds Beyond, Part One: Oceanography surprisingly I had 2 of the books listed as recommendations and I need 2 of the spine book Dk Smithsonian Oceans!, which happen to have already been sitting in my amazon cart. Once again the book list for optional books and the spines are easily accessible and when you need them is listed with the corresponding wonder. Each Wonder has an oceanography topic, an optional profile of a scientist or influential person to the topic, and a few have rabbit hole ideas. The Worlds Beyond, Part One: Oceanography parent guide also includes lesson ideas for minimalist, book basket, visual learners. The laboratory guide also includes activities for outdoor learners, table-crowd, and crafts and project families.

Year 5 Part One : Oceanography

Secret Notebook, Geography , Art

The Secret Notebook is a child led project and it is just that a secret. The only part I play in the secret notebook is taking him to the store letting him pick the notebook and printing the Secret Notebook. Even though I have the guide in both of our sections I glimpse over the supplies for each week and just set them out for him on Fridays and he takes over from there I only help when asked. I love this part of Blossom and Root, it gives him such pride to work on something all on his own. The Exploring the States notebook which is optional, but I do recommend is also 36 weeks that students will research important geographic information about the states including map work. Nine Profiles in Art is 36 weeks of 9 artists with a 10th artist as optional. Each artist is studied for 3 weeks, a supply list and optional book list are also included. The student will do a picture studying, exploring the artist, and exploring with art doing a piece of artwork.

Year 5 Secret Notebook, Exploring the States, and Nine Profiles in Art

Last Thoughts

I am looking forward to working our way through Blossom and Root Level 5, I love the relaxed feel of the curriculum. The language arts are perfect for the pace I would like to go and review areas we have already covered in other curricula. Do you need to supplement if you need to absolutely and I love having that option no curriculum has it all? The science is adaptable to use family-style with kids in grades 1st through 6th grade. I don’t feel hurried to get things done using Blossom and Root. Kristina Gardner has done an exceptional job of understanding the homeschooled child and parent. The curriculum is diverse and secular and she has put notes/ tips throughout the pages. Blossom and Root will always have a place in our homeschool, only wish I found her sooner.

Be sure to check out the other Melanated Gold Review Squad reviews of Blossom and Root by clicking the banner below!

Education, Family, Geography, Homeschool, Reviews, Spanish

Underdog Games Trekking The World Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received!

Have you ever wanted to travel around the world? Well, your family will get that opportunity while playing Underdog Games Trekking The World. It was a great honor to be able to try out this fabulous game and go on an exciting adventure right from the comforts of my own home. Trekking The World is for ages 10+, 30-60 mins gameplay, and for 2- 6 players.

Trekking The World

From the moment you unpack this game, you are captivated by its bold and vivid colors. Trekking The World comes with :

  • 1 World Map Board
  • 48 Oversized Destination Cards
  • 5 Trekker Meeples (wooden)
  • 48 Souvenir Cubes (wooden)
  • 1 Custom Bag
  • 5 Suitcase Mats
  • Most Souvenir Tiles
  • 12 Journey Cards
  • 75 Trek Cards
  • 10 Region Bonus Tokens
  • 5 player Aids
  • 1 Score Pad (several sheets)

All of the items for the game can neatly be stored in the convenient box and game piece sorter. The game board and the pieces are made from sturdy cardboard and wood. The games come with complete instructions on how to play. If you don’t want to read through the instructions and need more of a visual approach to gameplay the company provides a step-by-step video link in the box and on the Trekking The World product description on the Underdog Games website.

I am a visual person when learning how to play new games so before we played as a family I watched the video so I knew how to set the board up properly. The video was great because I could stop and play as I needed. After I learned how to set up the board and play the game we set down as a family and watched the video and played. My son loved just exploring the board on the initial set-up. I let him flip through the beautiful “48 Oversized Destination Cards”. I noticed that once we finish playing the game as we were cleaning the game he separated several of the cards and asked if we could look these places up.

Trekking The World gameplay was easy for us once we got the hang of it. We played 3 times over the course of a week. I really loved how we could start the game on any continent then trek across the world. Trekking The World is not just a game for entertainment this game teaches geography, history, and cooperative learning. The game also gives you a great adventure of traveling the world.

I highly recommend this game be added to your homeschool geography gameschooling. If you are new to the gameschooling trend this would be a great way to add a geography game for the entire family.

Be sure to check out the other squad member’s reviews of Trekking The National Parks and Trekking The National Parks Trivia by clicking the banner below.