Category: Homeschool

Education, Grammar, Homeschool, Language Arts, Writing

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW): Fix it Grammar Levels 2 and 3

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received!

When I was in school I didn’t love grammar, but since I have been homeschooling my son I have learned to love it. I am not the best at it but I am relearning along the way with him. We were sent Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse for grades 3-5th and Level 3 Robin Hood for grades 6-8th.

It was such a coincidence that I was getting ready to start my son on the older version of Level 2 Robin Hood when Institute for Excellence in Writing released the new books. I like the old books but I LOVE the new books. The redesign of the new books is super exciting. I love how the company added another book to the Fix-It Grammar lineup. The new Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse is a perfect bridge from Nose Tree.

We are very familiar with Institute for Excellence in Writing we have used Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level A Basic and the original Level 1 Nose Tree. I have really liked using both of the above mention products so I was really excited when I was asked to review the newly released Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood.

The new revised edition upgrades still feature the read it, mark it, fix it patterns which can be done in any order. The revised also includes:

  • Table of Contents
  • Proofreading chart
  • Scope and sequence charts
  • Weekly Vocabulary chart
  • List of Grammar Fixes
  • Indiviual daily pages
  • Writing space

My son has a strong grammar foundation and I was looking for a program that I could add as a complement to our current spine grammar curricula and Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse are perfect. Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood is 30 weeks of comprehensive incremental grammar lessons. There is a detailed scope and sequence on the Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse product detail page under the samples tab. Students will cover lessons that cover:

  • Parts of Speech
  • Captialization
  • Commas
  • Clauses
  • Homophones
  • Stylistic Techniques and much more.

The Level 3 Robin Hood also covers the same items of targeted grammar and mechanics. It reviews the concepts of the previous level while adding:

  • Additonal Comma Rules
  • Various phrasel/ Clause Concstructions
  • Quotations
  • Indefinite/ Demostrative/ Reflexive Pronouns
  • Much more

You can also find a sample of the scope and sequence of Level 3 Robin Hood on the product detail page under the samples tab. We haven’t started working in Level 3 Robin Hood as of yet because we started in Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse. We did however start working on the older version because that was originally the next level after the older version of Nose Tree. The company inserted the new Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse so now Level 3 Robin Hood is the 3rd book in the series. The insertion of a new level 2 is a great bridge between level 1 and level 3. I did feel like the old level 2 of Robin Hood was really heavy coming from Nose Tree.

I started my son in the Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse because we are working on a rigorous grammar curriculum and I wanted to use Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse as a way to lighten his load 3 days a week. We are currently on week 7 and he has really enjoyed working the lessons. At the beginning of each weekly lesson I sit down with him and go over the grammar instruction and for the rest of the week, he works on the lessons independently. Students only have to complete 4 days of lessons. So how do lessons go:

  1. Students learns or reviews grammar concept at the beginning of the week
  2. Check the bold vocabulary word (learn defination)
  3. Search for the grammar concepts in passage and correct puncuation
  4. Rewrite passage with corrections

The new design of the Fixt Grammar Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood is perfect because all of his work can be completed in the student book. Each day has its own page, unlike the old version where each sentence from the passage was to be completed on one page on a small line.

How We Do a Lessons

At the top of the lesson page, students have a list of what grammar concepts they need to search for and how they should identify them. I put little highlighted dots next to each one and I tell my son to check off each one he has found. The very top line of the rewrite area my son uses that for his vocabulary word definition. The Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse has primary lines for writing and Level 3 Robin Hood has regular lines with plenty of room for those students that like to write large.

Both of the levels include a downloadable vocabulary list that you can download and retrieve from your files on IEW. We also received the new Fix-It Grammar Cards I LOVE THESE!!!! You have no idea how much I love these cards we use them across our spine grammar curriculum. It is so hard to find grammar cards that are high quality and comprehensive. The great part is that the Fix-It Grammar Cards can use alongside all 6 levels of Fix-it Grammar books.

Looking to check out the other levels of Fix-It Grammar check out the other squad’s reviews by clicking the banner below and if you are curious out Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level A Basic review click this link here. Institute for Excellence in Writing Structure and Style for Students series is a great complement to Fix It Grammar levels. Be sure to be on the lookout for our upcoming review of Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan.

Until the next time,

Mom and J

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Education, Homeschool, Math

Educo Learning Center Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew!

Over the last few weeks, we have reviewed Educo Learning Center. Educo Learning Center is an online math platform for grades 1st-8th grade. Educo Learning Center our family received a one-year subscription for up to three students and a corresponding physical workbook for each student registered.

Educo Learning Center provides a comprehensive common core math program. The program provides students with questions that correspond with the workbook. If your student isn’t familiar with common core math, there may be a little of a learning curve for your student. We received the 5th-grade level and my student is familiar with many of the concepts but the concepts were taught differently. The 5th grade level of Educo Learning Center covers:

  • Real Numbers Systems and Operations on Numbers
  • Factors, Multiples, Exponents and Fractions
  • Decimals
  • Measurement
  • Ratio, Rates, Percents and Financial Literacy
  • Basic Geometery and Geometric Measurments
  • Patterns and Symmetry
  • Data Handling

During our review period, we worked on Chapter 6 Basic Geometry and Geometric Measurements. We choose this section is because this is the section we are currently working on in our math curriculum. This section was a great supplement to our math curriculum because it took our current lesson to a more in-depth learning lesson. Educo Learning Center gave us deeper instruction in two dimension shapes, triangles and quadrilaterals.

Educo Learning Center math workbook offers over 3000’s questions, with illustrations, tutorials, reviews, and critical thinking questions. The Educo Learning Center is a printed version of the online program. The online program provides great practice of what is covered in the workbook. The online tracks your student’s progress and times the students as they move through the practice.

One of the things I wish the program offered was the ability to toggle between grade levels. It would have been nice to be able to use the 6th grade online as well as toggle through the 4th grade just as a review for some concepts. I do believe the book and online are on grade level, but I do think there needs to be some flexibility in the toggling between grades. I think because I did see some concepts that are taught in unfamiliar presentations it would be to the benefit to look at other grade levels. The parent dashboard only allows you to see your student’s activity. There is no way to assign assignments or adjust grade levels. Educo Learning Center does have a brief orientation video, but I did find it hard to follow. My son and I both ran into some technical issues while working on the platform.

Educo Learning Center does require that your computer meet their software requirements. When logging your system is run through their diagnostic to check for compatibility. We were not able to use Educo Learning Center on our mobile devices, which was disappointing.

Overall I think Educo Learning Center may be a helpful resource for parents who are looking for more common core math practice. My son prefers the workbook so we will add it to our resources. The company does offer a trial for parents to try out before purchasing. Be sure to check out the other Crew’s reviews of Educo Learning Center by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EducoLC
Twitter: https://twitter.com/educoLC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educolearningcenter/

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.

Education, Family, Homeschool, Writing

Typesy Review !

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received.

Did you take typing or keyboarding in high school? Well, I did and it was BORING!!!! I suffered through a semester of typing on an old-school electric typewriter. Fast forward a few years and now have your own kiddos and technology is forever changing. Kids spend more time on tablets and computers, the need for learning how to properly type is important skill students need. The Melanated Gold Review Squad was given Typesy Homeschool accounts for up to 5 students to review.

About Typesy

Typesy is an interactive online typing program that combines curriculum-based lessons to improve students typing and overall academics. The program includes the Typesy kid’s curriculum for students K-10. Students will learn to type across ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies passages no more gibberish we all knew.

Typesy program provides:

  • Over 4,000 lessons
  • 3D Animated Story Based Teaching
  • Fun Games
  • Tracking
  • Parent Dashboard
  • Student Logins

How We Used Typsey

Using Typesy this last few weeks has been my son’s first introduction to typing. Now he does use a computer on a regular basis but his typing skills need some work. Typsey 2.0 Curriculum 4th- 5th grade starts students off with the basics of learning the home row keys combing ELA skills such as similes metaphors and narratives. Parents can print out the helpful guide to use along with students’ homeschool ELA lessons. Students build confidence as they practice with gentle encouragement and practice from the program.

My son enjoyed playing the games and learning the proper way to place his hands on the keyboard. He also has told me he noticed it easier for him to find the letters now that he is practicing his typing. I personally like that I can import his spelling words into Typesy word bank. Typsey also teaches students computer basics, web skills, google suite, career skills, vocabulary, and much more.

Typesy Homeschool is more than just a typing program, the additional programs and lessons are of huge value for homeschoolers. The program is affordable and can be useful for the whole family. I found myself testing my own typing skills and realized I was a little rusty on WPM.

I recommend Typesy Homeschool, gone are the days of those weird typing gibberish. Students can learn while they practice typing. Typesy Homeschool extended learning resources stand out above other typing programs. If you would like to learn more about Typesy Homeschool check out the other Melanated Gold Review Squad reviews by clicking the banner below.

Education, Family, Games and Apps, Homeschool, Unit Study

The Waldock Way Human Body Unit Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received!

One of my favorite homeschool mom influencers is Jessica from The Waldock Way. I have always been a fan of her Instagram and YouTube. We have used all of her unit studies and they are in constant rotation in our home. To date, our favorite has been Traveling the World with a strong runner-up Holidays Around the World. My son stalks her YouTube channel for her Amazon Hauls.

Quite natural I am a member of The Waldock Way Community Facebook group, but then it happened the rumors started she has possibly had a new unit in the works that would debut sometime early 2022. Then it happened she announced the new unit would be Human Body which dropped on February 28th during her annual Spring Sale.

So it was an honor to be one of the first people to get an exclusive first look at this amazing unit study! So let me begin this review with OMGOSH!! Human Body Unit is a full package deal it covers EVERYTHING! I mean I saw lessons on cells, tissue types, scientist study, mazes, puzzles, diagrams, human body idioms, and play-doh mats. This is truly an extraordinary unit study.

The Human Body Unit includes:

  • 13 Family Lessons
  • Comprehensive Resource Guide
  • 9 Human Body System
  • Anatomy
  • Health & Nutrition
  • Review Pages
  • Writing Themes
  • Interactive Activities and much more!

The Human Body Unit is beautifully illustrated by Jessica’s husband. Excellent attention to detail in the illustration as well diversity in skin tones (much appreciated ). One of the things I love about how the Human Body Unit is laid out is that you can go at your own pace and order. My plan is to use the Human Body Unit over a period of time. We will begin with her Health and Nutrition and Five Senses.

The Hunan Body Unit is easy to follow and very relaxed. I was able to locate all of her suggested books at my local library. The unit is written in such a way that you can use almost any human body books you may have on hand.

Okay let me put in a side note the Human Body Unit is a unit study, just like her other products. Nowhere on her website or in her materials does she claim that her unit studies are curriculums. Jessica does what she does best create unit studies that are meant to engage your student in an exploration of learning through literature, game schooling, crafts, adventures, resources, and hands-on activities.

The Waldock Way is nonsectarian. None of our products promote any specific view, so that they can be enjoyed by all homeschoolers.

-Jessica

For copyright reasons I am not sharing many pictures from the actual Human Body Unit but you can see a full walkthrough of the Human Body Unit on The Waldock Way YouTube as well as follow The Waldock Way on Instagram.

So I know what you think how much? Right now at the time of this review the unit is on sale for $19 but regularly priced at $28. I highly recommend the Human Body Unit and I can’t wait to dive into it.

If you are interested in reading more about The Waldock Way products be sure to check out the Melanated Gold Squads reviews by clicking the banner below.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

Education, Family, Homeschool

SchoolhouseTeachers.com: Ultimate Membership Review!

Little Learner and Mom

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew!

If you are a new homeschooler and in search of a homeschool curriculum that is low cost the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com may be your one-stop-shop. The Crew members were given an Ultimate Membership years subscription to review.

We have been using the Ultimate Membership for the last 3 years as a great resource for our homeschool. I love all the variety of materials that are at your fingertips, over the last few years I have used their certificate, monthly recipe menus, printable calendars, and their scope sequences. Ultimate Membership has just been one of the members that I have come to count on when I need extra practice items for my son.


Along with all the great memberships the Ultimate Membership has all kinds of great virtual events such as the upcoming science fair. If you remember those science fairs when you were younger it is nice to be able to pass this experience to your students. Students will have the opportunity to enter their project on their grade level along with other students all over the country.

The Ultimate Membership has these great curriculum boxes, we have taken advantage of using these comprehensive curriculum boxes because they are all you need for your student’s academic year. The best part is if you are a big family your membership covers all the students in your home. If you are looking for a PreK curriculum, the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com will have those PreK curriculum boxes and parenting boxes coming soon.

One of the biggest struggles some homeschoolers have is when their students reach the high school level. No worries the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com has you covered because they also have comprehensive 9-12 grade curriculum boxes that cover:

  • Math
  • Literature
  • Writing
  • Spelling
  • Science
  • Art
  • History Classical and Art

Each topic comes with a curriculum guide to help you over 36 weeks of study. Students also have elective options they can include in their curriculum and they look great on a transcript. Speaking of transcripts Ultimate Membership members receive a free silver membership to AppleCore, but those members who purchase a 1-year membership to Ultimate Membership, are upgraded to gold receive and free membership to Applecore. The gold Applecore membership helps with building transcripts and recordkeeping.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com wants to help you plan for a successful and enriching year ahead. If you are concerned about what your child should be learning for the year, members may check out the Scope and Sequence to make sure he is on track. Need help with recordkeeping? Applecore is also available with membership giving you access to reporting cards, transcripts, and more. Joining the SchoolhouseTeachers.com community means your entire family has access to over 400 courses, a print subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, and FREE access to World Book Online, Total College Success, and RightNow Media. Pay only $90 today and lock in your next nine months of homeschool curriculum. Use code: FRESHSTART23 at checkout to gain access to these essential homeschooling tools and so much more today.

Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a great membership for families there are so many wonderful resources available. The Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com is reasonably priced and worth every penny don’t forget to Use code: FRESHSTART23 . Be sure to check out the other Crew’s review of the Ultimate Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com by clicking the banner below.

Updated: January 11, 2023

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SchoolhouseTeachers/ https://www.facebook.com/SchoolhouseTeachers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOSMag/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tosmagazine/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tosmag/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7i0BRyoTPYT3chTcj52UmA

4th Grade, 5th Grade, Homeschool, Math

Math Mammoth Skills Review Workbook Grade 4 and 5th Grade Complete Curriculum Review!

Little Learner and Mom

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew!

If you are a homeschool mom at some point you have heard, glanced, or even used Math Mammoth. At the time of this review, we are using Math Mammoth Complete Curriculum Grade 4 as a supplement to our math curriculum. When the crew was given the opportunity to review the recently updated editions of Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 and Complete Curriculum Grade 5 I thought they would be a perfect opportunity to add on to our math curricula resources for the summer and upcoming school year.

About Math Mammoth

Math Mammoth provides parents with full curriculums and supplemental text for grades 1st- 8th grade. There are some items for high schoolers. The company was founded by Maria Miller in 2003, her goal was to write math books exclusively for homeschoolers but since launching her math books have won numerous awards and have been flung not only in homes but at school as well.

Math Mammoth is a mastery curriculum that focuses on conceptual learning. Students will build confidence in math skills and mental math.

Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4

I received the digital of both the Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 and Complete Curriculum Grade 5 . Both digitals are available as a hard copy from the company. I am pretty sure I will purchase the hard copy of the Complete Curriculum Grade 5 for the fall. The Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 I printed and binder myself so we could use it alongside the Math Mammoth we are currently using.

Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 is a wonderful review book for those parents who have worked with Math Mammoth Grade 4 Curriculum. We are currently using Math Mammoth Grade 4 Curriculum to help supplement our math, but as of lately we have been using it more often. What I like about the Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 is that it offers an extra practice review of skills students have already worked on.

My plan when I first received Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 was to use it as a summer review, but I have found myself pulling it out review skills before moving on to the next sets of skills in our Math Mammoth Grade 4 worktext.

It is very helpful that in the Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 packet you receive the answer key as well the spiraling guide. The spiraling guide references the Math Mammoth Grade 4 curriculum and I can easily locate where in the curriculum I need to turn to for extra reviewing. Even if you are not a Math Mammoth user and just need some extra skills practice for grade 4 this review book is on grade level and above. The skills review is helpful for those parents who want to make sure their kids have fully mastered skills in Math Mammoth Grade 4 Curriculum.

Complete Curriculum Grade 5

We also received Complete Curriculum Grade 5. Just like the Complete Curriculum Grade 4, we are currently using, grade 5 is proving to be everything a family will need for 5th-grade math. We received the digital download, but I will purchase the hard copy this fall. I did look over the Complete Curriculum Grade 5 to help me prepare for our upcoming school year and I was very happy to see the excellent rigor it will cover.

  • Decimals
  • Higher level multiplication and division
  • Fractions + – x /
  • Graphing and Statistics
  • Problem Solving

Complete Curriculum Grade 5 comes with everything you need for 5th-grade math. You receive review sheets (not to be confused with the review skills book), tests, cutouts, reference resources, and video links. Math Mammoth creator also has free YouTube videos of lessons. Complete Curriculum Grade 5 is to implement any follow. It provides just enough practice for those students who are easily frustrated by lengthy assignments and if want extra practice the Complete Curriculum Grade 5 includes those also. Lessons are laid out where the student is presented with the skill, mental math, spiral review then practice.

Complete Curriculum Grade 5
Grade 5 Worktext A
Grade 5 Worktext B

The cost of Complete Curriculum Grade 5 ($39.50 for download) and Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 ($8.45 for download) are both very reasonably priced. I highly recommend Math Mammoth if you are looking for a simple complete math curriculum. Math Mammoth Skills Review Grade 4 and Complete Curriculum Grade 5 are great math curricula, be sure to check out the other Crew’s reviews on Math Mammoth by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MathMammoth/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mathmammoth1

4th Grade, 5th Grade, Curriculum, Education, Homeschool, Language Arts, Math

The Critical Thinking Co: Mathematical Reasoning E and Language Smarts Level E!

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary Product Received!

We have been long-term users and reviewers of The Critical Thinking Co. My son’s first math book was Mathematical Reasoning Beginning 1 and his first logic book was Building Thinking Skills Beginning 1 we developed a love for this company’s products over the years. I was really excited when granted an opportunity to review the Mathematical Reasoning Level E and Language Smarts Level E.

About Critical Thinking Co.

Just to give you a little background on The Critical Thinking Co. it was established in 1958 and its mission has been to supply learning resources that are fun and have students work to their highest abilities. All of their resources integrate logic and critical thinking skills.

“If we teach children everything we know, their knowledge is limited to ours. If we teach children to think, their knowledge is limitless.”

– Michael Baker, President

Mathematical Reasoning Level E

Mathematical Reasoning Level E arrived just in time when we were doing a complete overhaul of our math curriculum choices. My son was not struggling with math concepts he was disliking his current math curriculum layout and busywork approach. I looked over the Mathematical Reasoning Level E with him and the first thing he said was “It has color!”. Then he noticed how the book didn’t look like your typical math text. Mathematical Reasoning Level E uses vibrant colors, and festive illustrations to teach math. There isn’t a lot of wording it’s straight to the point then kids practice the skills. The text is 384 pages of slowly spiraled concepts that include easy-to-follow explanations, charts, and examples.

“This book emphasizes problem-solving and computation to build for success in higher-level math and math assessments.”

The Critical Thinking Co.

Each page is an adventure in learning 4th-grade math. Mathematical Reasoning Level E is a comprehensive full math curriculum that can be used as a supplement or a full curriculum. Mathematical Reasoning Level E teaches all the concepts for 4th-grade math and also includes concepts that aren’t presented until 5th-grade math. What I like about Mathematical Reasoning Level E is that it provides my son with just the right amount of rigor while promoting mathematical reasoning.

Mathematical Reasoning Level E is available on hardcover or ebook. The Mathematical Reasoning series has books for Toddler- 6th grade. Keep in mind from my experience with the grade-level books they will cover those grade-level concepts as well as introduce the next grade. Mathematical Reasoning Level E is a full curriculum this isn’t a workbook. We are using the book as a full curriculum alongside our RightStart Level E this is a perfect pairing. We love Mathematical Reasoning Level E so much that I went ahead and picked up Mathematical Reasoning Level F.

Mathematical Reasoning Level E (4th grade) and Mathematical Level F (5th grade)

Language Smarts Level E

I was pleasantly surprised by the Language Smarts Level E, I had no idea this textbook was so comprehensive. We have been using the Word Roots Beginning and the Reading Detective Grades 3- 4 this year we love these 2 texts and now we are enjoying Language Smarts Level E. The Language Smarts Level E is a fantastic language arts textbook it provides 400 pages of rigorous, vibrant, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. Students will also learn skills meant for 5th grade which means you can stretch this book into your student’s 5th-grade year. Language Smarts Level E can be used as a supplement or a full curriculum.

The textbook also has easy explanations and provides students a fair amount of practice. What I really enjoy is the simplicity of the lessons, my son didn’t feel overwhelmed and he could do lessons independently.

I highly recommend The Critical Thinking Co. Mathematical Reasoning Level E and Language Smarts Level E comprehensive full curriculum textbooks. They are both available as physical and ebook. I also highly recommend any resources from The Critical Thinking Co. This is one company that will be a permanent fixture in our homeschool. The website provides excellent sample pages and details of all of their books. You will find your student loving these vibrant funny pages that engage them to think critically and logically.

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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

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