Category: Homeschool

5th Grade, Coding, Games and Apps, Homeschool, Math, Reviews, S.T.E.A.M

Let’s Start Coding: Base Kit 2 Review!

Little Learner and Mom

I received Let’s Start Coding Base Kit from Timberdoodle Co. in exchange for my fair and honest review.

We love technology in our home, and lately, my son has really gotten into coding. He has tried several online programs and has taken online classes for coding. I like having him code things that allow him to be hands-on and interactive. With the fast growth of technology, it is really important that students are exposed to coding early. I am very grateful that many companies like Timbersdoodle Co understand this importance and are including resources such as Let’s Start Coding Base Kit in their curriculum kits.

We were given the opportunity to try out Let’s Start Coding Base Kit which is included in the Timberdoodle Co 2022 Fifth-Grade Curriculum Kit. My son has really enjoyed the Let’s Start Coding Base Kit, he really likes having the storage kit that provides easy access and convenient storage. Even though my son has experience in coding the Let’s Start Coding Base Kit did an excellent job reviewing concepts and introducing new ones.

The Let’s Start Coding Base Kit includes:

  • Storage tackle storage box
  • 12 pieces of electronics including a mini speaker, LED lights, and makers board
  • 50 + Projects
  • Coding Reference Cards

Let’s Start Coding Base Kit is free to install directly on your computer. The process was easy to install and my son was coding away in 5 mins. The project board for the Base Kit has informative videos that I highly recommend you have your student review before getting started. The get started videos cover a wealth of information for the student, just in case they run into problems. After looking over the first set of videos students will jump right into the coding project.

How it works

Let’s Start Coding Base Kit is a beginner’s program for students 8+, so keep this in mind if you have a student who is an advanced coder they may jump right to the challenging part of the project in which they can change the code around. The initial code for the project is already given to the students all they have to do is properly insert the parts needed for the code. I really like that the student has a visual so they are sure they using the correct parts and inserting the correctly. My son is a visual learner and he really appreciated this assistance. The students connect the parts and run the code, but once they have successfully run the code, students looking for more of a challenge can move onto the checklist. I also like the reference cards that are included the cards teach the student the proper coding language and definitions.

My son did an estimate of ten codes during the review process and also explored the challenge checklist. He said the Let’s Start Coding Base Kit is easy to use and he liked how the website gave him a lot more ideas for coding. We plan to use the Let’s Start Coding Base Kit over the holiday for extra coding practice. I personally like how he could independently set up the program and run it. My son keeps his Let’s Start Coding Base Kit on his desk for easy access.

If you are looking to check out Let’s Start Coding Base Kit be sure to click the banner below and don’t forget that Let’s Start Coding Base Kit is included in the Timberdoodle Co 2022 Fifth-Grade Curriculum Kit.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

6th Grade, Education, Family, Homeschool, Middle School Math

Brilliant: Premium Subscription!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Ok so I am in the 40+ club and I try to keep my brain sharp by working on logic games and puzzles. So when presented with the opportunity to review Brilliant Premium Subscription I thought this would be perfect for me. Well, I was wrong…my husband who was laying beside me became curious about what I was doing and took over.

Brilliant is a digital way to bring STEM to your family designed to provide daily math courses in areas of

  • Mathematical Fundamentals
  • Pre-Algebra
  • Geometry Fundamentals
  • Geometry 1
  • Algebra 1
  • Algebra 2

Brilliant is designed to help your student think logically in areas of math, science, and computer science. The program is for students in grades 6th – Adult. What is unique about Brilliant is students will move along a learning path as they work on areas of interest. My student is a rising 6th grader, but he really enjoys working at Brilliant. I think what caught his attention was one exercise with balance beam math, he instantly recognized the concept and enjoyed reviewing this in a digital form. I really enjoy the logical parts of Brilliant my husband and I take turns solving them. I also like how Brilliant will send you emails of new challenges and reminders to log in.

Brilliant exercises take about 10-15 mins to complete, if your student needs to break from the course the progress is saved until they are ready to work again. Students can toggle between math exercises, logic, science, and computer science fundamentals. There are over 60 + courses in the Brilliant Premium Subscription which is such a great variety of STEM learning opportunities that your homeschool is covered when using the Premium Subscription. Brilliant is downloaded to all of our Apple devices and we all are working on learning paths. My husband and I are in steady competition over who can complete the new challenges first. Our son has sometimes beaten us to challenges, but it is okay because I love the benefits we are getting from Brilliant.

If you would like to read more fabulous reviews on Brilliant Premium Subscription be sure to check out the Crew’s reviews by clicking the banner below.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brilliantorg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brilliantorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brilliantorg
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrilliantOrg/

Curriculum, Education, Grammar, Homeschool, Preschool

Reading Eggs Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

We have reviewed Reading Eggs previously with the Crew, but this review is a little bittersweet because this is the last year my son will be able to use the online program. I am so sad that my son will be moving on to middle school, but Reading Eggs has prepared him for his next journey in homeschooling.

Reading Eggs has been at the start of our home-learning journey since my son was 3 years old. When we first started the company only had the Reading Eggs and Eggpress. Since then, the company has added, Reading Eggs Junior for 2-4 years to help jumpstart your little learner’s journey to reading with the use of interactive games and stories. Fast Phonics ages 5-10 years helps develop those phonics skills through 20 fun-filled interactive games. Reading Eggs not only features Mathseeds for ages 3-9 but is an award-winning online math program that helps teach your students the foundations of math and problem-solving.

Reading Eggs is an excellent program because it indeed grows with your student through early and lower levels of elementary. No matter what level your student starts with Reading Eggs easy placement test or through the parent dashboard you will find the confidence they will meet your student where they are at. The parent dashboard is comprehensive and gives you full control over your student’s learning path. The parent dashboard also includes a wonderful parent user guide, lesson overviews, a pacing guide, worksheets, and much more. As I am writing this review, I am rethinking what I said early that this may be our last year of Reading Eggs that they also have activity sheets in Spanish those sheets will be a great way to review my son’s Spanish!!! The parent dashboard also allows you to manually change your student’s learning path and or reassign the placement test.

How we used Reading Eggs

So my son is doing a hybrid 5th and 6th grade this year, we used Reading Eggs Eggpress during this review period. Reading Eggs Eggpress is for students ages 7-13, once students complete the original Reading Eggs they move on to Eggpress. Reading Eggpress helps students to learn literary terms, spelling, reading comprehension, and grammar. Eggpress brings that same interactive experience, but at a higher level of learning. Through games and positive reinforcement, students will work on 200 lessons with 220 comprehensive lessons completed with an assessment test. What I really like about Eggpress is that I can adjust my son’s level whenever I would like, but this year I didn’t adjust his year I am letting him rework Eggpress from the very beginning and letting the program adjust for him. I am looking for holes he may have so I can reinforce and review those skills. Reading Eggs Eggpress encourages your students to work on the lessons by giving them targets to hit and earn rewards. The English skills area is phenomenal it not only reinforces grammar it works on spelling. The library section in Eggpress has a nice selection of books on different subjects. My son loves the science section of books, and he is running through the books. Eggpress is definitely for the older kiddos and it just works so well for us and where we are in our homeschooling. I really love the new addition of the journal to Reading Eggs it is great that Reading Eggs is also adding social-emotional learning and mindfulness to the platform.

If you are looking for an online reading program for your family for children ages 2-13, I highly recommend Reading Eggs. Reading Eggs is one of the most trusted learning platforms among homeschooled families. The Crew members have all loved Reading Eggs, so check out the other crew member’s reviews by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readingeggsUSCA/community/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/readingeggs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingeggs/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/readingeggs/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/readingeggs

6th Grade, 7th Grade, Curriculum, Education, Homeschool, Middle School Math

TabletClass Math: Pre-Algebra Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

As we move through our current school year my mind is always focused on the future of upper-level math for my son. We are pretty much set for this school year for math curriculums, but I have been wondering if we are on the right track for Algebra. I was given the opportunity to review TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra.

TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra is an online math curriculum with pre-recorded lectures. There is a student and parent portal, student portal is where your student will do their coursework. I really do like the parental portal it gives you an in-depth understanding of the curriculum along with answer keys. Once the student completes the course student you can print out a certificate. The parent portal is easy to use and gives you a pacing guide which I really love because it shows you the different levels of pacing from slower, average, and accelerated. Having this pacing guide will allow you to use TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra as it best works for your family.

TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra is a little long and reminds me of a traditional classroom lecture. Mr. Zimmerman opens the class by him teaching the lesson on a whiteboard, I really like this method of teaching because it encourages students to take notes. We are working on taking notes in our other curriculums and I am always on my son about taking accurate notes in his current math curriculum. I like how Mr. Zimmerman uses highlighting as he teaches the lessons, my son loves to highlight. I had my son watch a few of the videos and asked him what he thought of this teaching style, and if would it be something he would like to try, and he did point out to me that lessons are long, but he likes how Mr. Zimmerman writes great notes and teaches slowly each of the steps. I totally agree with his observations, and for this reason, I will pull this out when we are really struggling with a concept.

Parent Portal

How to Complete a Lesson

Students will take notes from the instruction video, I highly recommend you encourage your student to do this. After they watch the instruction video students will then work on the example problems, which are available to print out or students can work in a notebook. Once the student completes the first set of examples problems, they can go to the video that is marked for that section of problems and check their answers or correct the problems they didn’t get correct. I love this self-correcting option because Mr. Zimmerman walks them through the steps of each problem and your student can see what they did wrong and make the adjustments accordingly.

Student Portal

There are sixteen chapters in TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra currently out of those sixteen chapters I can honestly say that my son has had exposure to each of the topics covered. Now I said exposure not mastery, so with that being said will start from chapter one. One of the things I really enjoyed was Mr. Zimmerman’s tone of voice/pace, visual aids, and bits of humor in the lessons. I felt like he was having a conversation with the students rather than talking at them and rushing through the concept. My son watched the first video and instantly caught on to the concept being explained and didn’t feel overwhelmed.

What I found different about TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra is they really concentrate on those pre-algebra concepts that I remember in 8th and 9th grade. If your students don’t have the proper foundation for basic elementary skills, you will know right away once you start TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra. My son is almost 10 years old and works at a 6th-grade math level he had no problem looking over the topics we previewed, so I highly recommend you make sure your student has basic and early middle school math skills nailed.

Overall Review

I really like TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra it gives me that old-school way of learning upper-level math. Notetaking is a huge plus in my opinion because it is setting your student up for success with math and independent learning. The self-correcting alongside Mr. Zimmerman is also a plus because it not only helps your student to see their errors but also allows the parent to help students. The self-correcting also helps support your student with the organization. I don’t know how many times I have to tell my student to show his work in his current curriculum and have to explain why he needs to make this a habit. Mr. Zimmerman wants your student to show their work so they can review and better understand.

We will defiantly be using TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra once we finish our last 10 lessons in our current math curriculum to bridge the gap until we start our new curriculum in January. I would love to fit it into our rotation now, but I want us to finish these last 10 lessons first. I highly recommend this curriculum if you are looking for pre-algebra support. TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra also works well for those independent learners and for those families looking to help transition their students to independent learning. TabletClass Math Pre-Algebra tests and exams are also a big plus for me. I know some homeschoolers aren’t big on tests and exams, but I do like to have something that reflects that my student understands what he has been learning and use these results to help me with lesson plans and for his portfolio.

Be sure to check out the other crew member’s reviews of TabletClass Math by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tabletclassmath
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tabletclassacademy/tabletclass-math/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tabletclass

Curriculum, Education, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, Teaching Resources

Super Teacher Worksheets

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

For the last few weeks, I have enjoyed planning our new homeschool year using Super Teacher Worksheets. We received a 1-year membership to Super Teacher Worksheets, the membership has been a valuable resource for planning.

I am not a huge worksheet homeschooler, I prefer more of a literature-based, hands-on activity style of learning. Now I am not saying my son doesn’t have written lessons, because does have his fair share, I just prefer not to give him busy work. The great thing about Super Teacher Worksheets is that their resources aren’t busy work and I can print what I need and go.

Super Teacher Worksheets is not just a website for printing worksheets, there are resources that include games, a worksheet generator, writing prompts, flashcards, puzzles, and much more. Super Teacher Worksheets for students in grades PreK- 5th grade. I did notice reading comprehension resources for 6th grade as well as math resources for Algebra and Pre-Algebra. Super Teacher Worksheets include resources for the following subjects:

  • Math
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reading & Writing
  • Phonics & Early Literacy
  • Grammar
  • Spelling, Science, Social Studies
  • Chapter Books
  • Teacher Resources

We have reviewed Super Teacher Worksheets previously with the Homeschool Review Crew, so I know my way around the website pretty well. If you are new to the website you will find it easy to navigate and you will come to appreciate the File Cabinet feature that helps you keep your saved resources organized. One of the features I am loving this year is the Worksheet Generator.

Super Teacher Worksheets worksheet generator has been my go-to for planning this year. Our spine curriculum this year is literature and research-based. My son is really enjoying all the hands-on activities, but there are a few things I would like to add to it such as some written activities for his vocabulary words, and extra resources on the topics he is studying about. The worksheet generator has been fabulous for creating my own crossword puzzles, word searches, ABC order, and quiz generator. The worksheet generator alone is worth the value of having a membership to Super Teacher Worksheets. I do like that the worksheet generator adjusts to the student’s grade level as far as the layout.

The other area I am really enjoying is the science resources, my son loves all things science. We are currently studying frogs and wetlands. I was dreading having to pin through the internet to find grade-appropriate materials to add to his lesson, but having the Super Teacher Worksheets saved me from hours of searching. The resources I found on frogs and the wetlands were exactly what was I looking for and my son was pleased with the content.

At the time of this review, Super Teacher Worksheets is $24.95 for a 1-year membership. The cost of this yearly membership is a super value and will fit most budgets. There are so many resources you will certainly find something of great use. For this mama, I am going to be using the worksheet generator a ton. If you would like to learn more about what the Crew has to say about Super Teacher Worksheets be sure to click the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superteacherworksheets/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperTeacherWks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superteacher_worksheets/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/superteacherwks/

4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, Language Arts, Literature Base, Unit Study

Progeny Press: Farmer Boy Study Guide Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

We have never read any of the Laura Ingall book series, I know how could we be a homeschool family and never read any of her books? It’s simple for us my son and I didn’t find the books relatable as an African -Latino family. When the crew was given an opportunity to review Progeny Press Farmer Boy Study Guide 4-6 grade, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to check out the series.

Farmer Boy is the second book in The Little House series, the story follows the adventures of 9-year-old Almanzo Wilder as he works on his family’s farm. As the book moves through the different seasons we learn about the chores of a farmer boy and Almanzo’s many adventures in farm life.

We have previously reviewed two other Progeny Press study guides and have found them to be comprehensive literature guides. We received the pdf and answer key, you will need to purchase the book or you can use the audio. Farmer Boy Study Guide follows the same flow as the previous guides providing the student with:

  • Instructor Notes
  • Book Synopsis
  • Author & Historical Background

Students start the study guide with activity ideas for pre-reading the book. These activities can include reports, giving an informative speech, map work, and much more. The goal is to get your student’s mindest prepared for the book as it whisks them away to the Wilder farm at the turn of the century.

As the student moves through the study guide the lessons are divided into chapters, some lessons covering more than one chapter. Students will work on vocabulary, literary terms, comprehension questions, projects, and writing. You will see Biblical scriptures reference in some of the activities, but it isn’t overwhelming and can be easily skipped over if that is your preference.

I really do like Progeny Press study guides and the Farmer Boy Study Guide was a welcoming introduction to one of the Little House book series. I like how we can easily use the activities that will work well for us and do some activities orally. The study guide can be done over a period of time or it can be used just as your literature lesson for a month. One of the other things I do like about these study guides is that each study guide works on character-building and moral lessons. Farmer Boy Study Guide is for grades 4-6, so your student can work independently.

There are a few more Progeny Press study guides I plan to pick up over the next few years. I really like how they have organized their guides and it’s not a bunch of busy work. The guides are affordable and are in black and white so they don’t eat up your ink. Be sure to check out the other Crew’s reviews of Progeny Press study guides by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: https://twitter.com/progenypress
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/progenypress/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ProgenyPress

Curriculum, Education, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, Math, Middle School Math

CTCMath Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

I think the CTCMath is one of my favorite reviews to write for the Homeschool School Review Crew! We received a 12-month family membership and we absolutely love CTCMath it is a must-have for our homeschool resources.

CTCMath is an online complete math curriculum for grades K-12 grade. The online math platform comes with:

  • Instructional Videos
  • Customizable Printables
  • Parent Dashboard
  • Task Manager
  • Lesson Tracking and Self Grading
  • Record Keeping
  • Award Certificates
  • Fluency Games

This year we approached CTCMath in a different way, I decided to make the program a part of our weekly math rotation. Previously we used it as a way to supplement when my son needed help with concepts he was learning in his spine curriculum. This year we are starting from the beginning of the 5th-grade concepts and we are going to work our way through all the concepts in order from start to finish. I decided to do it this way this year because I want to pinpoint and find holes. So far he has been progressing very well and we have only hit one hole I am making sure we review this concept and have it reviewed.

Each week I assign my son 3-5 tasks a week and when he finishes those tasks I assign the next set. I decided not to do the diagnostic assessment when we first started because I really wanted to work through the 5th-grade concepts, just in case, the assessment placed him higher because this homeschool year we are focusing on mastery of foundations.

Since I have made CTCMath part of our routine math lessons I am sure to include them in my lesson plan and my son’s checklist. I set the task to expire in 7 days so he has all week to get them completed and I have his pass grade set at 95 percent and 3 attempts. My son likes to spread his task out but he knows to get them done before the week is over.

What I really like about CTCMath is how easy it is to use, the lessons adapt to your students, the instructional videos are clear, and give excellent step-by-step examples. Sometimes I will print out the instructional lesson and place the examples in his math folder so he can reference them back. I really like the flow of CTCMath because it is straight to the point and not boring. If you are looking for a lot of graphics and huge amounts of math gaming CTCMath has very minimal.

CTCMath provides extensive reports of your student’s progress that can be easily printed off and slid into a student portfolio. I also enjoy the 5th-grade checklist you can also print out and track your student’s grades.

CTCMath is an affordable online math curriculum it has won many awards and remains to be one of the Homeschool Review Crew member’s favorite online math programs. It can be used as a supplement or a full math curriculum. Students can do their lesson digitally or they can print it out. Highly adaptable students have access to all grade levels on their dashboards. With individual student logins, this is great for multiple families.

I highly recommend CTCMath for all students it is worth the cost and I really love how it has grown with my son over the years. Be sure to check out the other Crew’s reviews by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctcmath/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CTCMathOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctcmath/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/ctcmath/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ctcmathyoutube

4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Art, Homeschool, Morning Basket

ARTistic Pursuits: Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2

Little Learner and Mom

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew!

The crew was given the opportunity to review ARTistic Pursuits: Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2. It is an excellent opportunity to study again for this great company, we have reviewed several of their other levels they have been a pleasure to have in our home.

This year we shifted our homeschooling focus to a more relaxed Waldorfish curriculum. One of the benefits of this switch is incorporating more into our lesson. Most importantly use more watercolors in our artwork. I personally don’t have a lot of knowledge on water coloring painting so I am learning alongside my son. Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2 is not like typical watercolor instructions your student is using watercolor pencils! If you are not familiar with ARTistic Pursuits they have homeschooled art curricula with 8 eight levels for K-3, upper elementary, and middle school.

Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2 instructions are available on DVD/Blue Ray or digital access through your personal dashboard. You also can purchase the supplies kit to go along with the curriculum. There are 36 lesson illustrated lessons included in the hardcover book and 9 video lessons that are the same as the book. Mrs. Brenda breaks the lesson down in easy-to-follow steps. I really enjoyed the color swatch videos, because I know all watercolors aren’t created equal so it was nice that she went through these swatches with the different types of watercolor pencils. The introduction videos were very helpful in getting used started with watercolor painting because I wasn’t aware of the different colors and how they blend together and create beautiful masterpieces.

We slowly worked our way through lesson one of Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2, we learned about wash and line and hard and soft lines. My son instantly noticed that the amount of pressure you use with your open will determine the light and deepenest of the color when activated. Would you look at that I am using artist lingo…LOL! We practiced our technique a few times a week because we needed a lot of practice before we felt comfortable moving on. The online streaming service is a major plus with this curriculum because it allows you to have a personal lesson in your home at your pace.

Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2 is the second level in the upper elementary series. I really think we need to try out the first level, I was super excited to see the watercolors book and I choose this one to review, but my son said he wants the first one because he wants to learn how to draw like Mrs. Brenda. He always gets excited when a new ARTistic Pursuits book arrives in the mail. Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core 2 is a wonderful curriculum, I love the online streaming and the use of watercolor pencils I don’t feel as intimidated by using watercolors.

If you are a homeschool that is dipping their hands into water coloring I would highly recommend ARTistic Pursuits: Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Art Core. If you are interested in finding out more about ARTistic Pursuits be sure to click the banner below and read the other Crews reviews of ARTistic Pursuits curriculums.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/artisticpursuitsinc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARTisticPursui1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisticpursuitsinc/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk75eIpDhZUqbr1On5xEQJQ

Curriculum, Education, Grammar, Homeschool, Vocabulary

Dynamic Literacy, LLC: Wordbuild Online Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

We are testing family and this year when I noticed right away there was a substantial amount of vocabulary on the exam. For the last 2 years, we have worked on vocabulary-building activities through workbooks and curriculums. I was thrilled when the Crew was offered to review Dynamic Literacy, LLC: Wordbuild Online .

In all honesty, I had never heard of Wordbuild Online until we were presented with the opportunity to review it. At first glance at the website, I was very impressed with the scope and sequence. Wordbuild Online really concentrates on the prefixes and suffixes, Greek, and Latin roots. There are 3 foundation levels reviewing prefixes and suffixes with 25 units per level. After your student masters, these 75 exercises the students will move on to the Elements level which also has 3 levels of 25-36 units of Greek and Latin roots.

The company started all of our Crew accounts at the foundations level and to be honest with you I thought this was a great idea. Having my son started at the beginning was fine with me because I wanted him to take advantage of everything this online platform had to offer. Starting from the beginning also let me know where he was in his knowledge of roots and where I needed to focus our attention. Students are given a placement test at the beginning as well students watch an introductory video about the English language.

Students are recommended to work the 10-15 min lessons 5 days a week. I highly recommend that you do these lessons consecutively. I made this mistake in week one of us using the program and thereafter we worked consistently. Foundations level 1-3 are students 2- 5th grade, but I personally feel students should start at the beginning Wordbuild Online instead of jumping directly to the Greek and Latin roots. Foundations and Elements break the lesson down into 5 different activities. The requirement for

  • Day 1 Affix Square (Foundations)
  • Daty 2 Affix Adder (Foundations )
  • Day 3 Magic Square (Foundations) / Stair Steps (Elements)
  • Day 4 Comprehension Booster (Foundations) / In Other Words (Elements)
  • Day 5 Question Assessment (Foundations) /10 Question Assessment (Elements)

What We Think!

My SON LOVES this program! It is the first thing he does after breakfast, he has been very consistent with the platform. He learning and reviewing so much and enjoying watching himself get better. At first, he was getting a rating score of 2’s and I was concerned maybe we needed to do some review. I just sat back and just observed his work and I realize that Wordbuild Online was presenting these lessons in a different way than he was used to seeing them as pretty basic. Wordbuild Online was teaching him definitions and vocabulary and having him really dissect these words in sentence comprehension. Those few 2’s started turning into 4’s because he had found his rhythm and gotten over the learning curve.

I really like how Wordbuild Online presents the affix, then students define it in their own words using a new word. Then they work on sentence comprehension by using the new word and picking the correct use in the sentence. The students continue to work on many more activities that increase vocabulary, spelling, and review. I love the parent dashboard that is simple and you can reset it if you want your student to rework an affix.

Since using Wordbuild Online the last few weeks our current vocabulary curriculum has taken the backseat because he really prefers this over his book. When it comes time for the Crew to vote for the best vocabulary curriculum for the year we are definitely casting our vote for Wordbuild Online.

Be sure to check out the other Crew reviews of Dynamic Literacy, LLC: Wordbuild Online by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wordbuild/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DynamicLiteracy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordbuild_online/

Curriculum, Education, Homeschool, Math, Middle School Math

Math Essentials: Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Have you ever found that one resource that was your #1 go-to when needing to supplement a subject? Well, Math Essentials is my #1 go-to for all things supplemental for math. When all as fails I know for sure that any of my Math Essentials books in my homeschool arsenal will get the job down. There was no doubt I was completely on board when the Homeschool Review Crew was given the opportunity to review the Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 I was definitely wanting to be a part of this review.

There are 8 chapters in the Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2, this newly revised 3rd edition is designed for middle and high schoolers. The Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 is perfect for my rising 5th grader because we are currently working on middle school math in his spine curriculum. Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 covers:

  • Whole Numbers
  • Fractions
  • Decimals
  • Geometry
  • Percents
  • Integers
  • Charts & Graphs
  • Word Problems

Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 can be used as a full curriculum or as a supplemental. Practice takes an average of 20-30 minutes a day with each lesson with a corresponding video. The company recommends you use the book daily for math success. There are 8 steps to completing lessons:

  • Review Exercises
  • Speed Drills
  • Work through review problems
  • Introduction to new material
  • Helpful hints & sample problems
  • Daily exercises
  • Correct problems

You don’t have to follow this layout, but I will tell you that it will make the lessons go by smoother if do.

How We Use

We use Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 as our daily math warm-ups or we use it on Fridays as our math skills review. The only difference is I work the review exercises on the board. My son and I play this game in which he works on his book and me on the whiteboard and then we check each other’s answers. I purposely sometimes get the answers incorrect so he can check my work and show me he understands the review. Sometimes I let him watch the lesson videos and other times I teach the lesson and then he works on the problems and I check them and help him with any problems he has incorrect. I do also correlate Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 with my son’s spine math curriculum for extra practice.

Final Thoughts

Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 is a great math review book, perfect for prepping for those end-of-the-year assessments and SAT/PSAT prepping. The lessons sequence nicely together so there is no worry about students developing holes in their math. I like that the lessons are short to the point and there are video lessons.

A great amount of problem-solving and logic activities. Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 is available in Spanish and Bilingual. If you are looking for a math supplement for your middle or high school student I encourage you to check out Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 from Math Essentials. If you are interested in checking out Math Essentials Math and Algebra platform code CREW2022 and try for free for 3 months.

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