Category: Homeschool

Education, Family, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, Homeschool Socialization

Homeschool socialization isn’t a problem for our homeschool with so many options.

Little Learner and Mom

We received Kaipod Learning for our honest paid review.

One of the misconception of homeschooling is the lack of socialization. Let me just tell you that my sons social calendar stays full. Homeschooling is a popular choice for many parents who want more control over their child’s education. One of the concerns that some parents have about homeschooling is the issue of socialization. However, there are many ways that homeschooled children can still experience socialization.

Homeschool Co-Op Groups

One option is to enroll in homeschool co-op groups. These groups consist of other homeschooling families who come together to provide educational and social opportunities for their children. Co-op groups can offer classes, field trips, and other activities that allow kids to interact with their peers.

Local Libraries and Meet Up Groups

Not ready for a homeschool -co-op group and wants to something more flexible? Look into your local libararies and local Facebook and meet up homeschool groups. We have paid visit to a few of our local library homeschool weekly homeschool hangouts that have been great for meeting new people. I belong to several Facebook homeschool groups that plan events for kids and parents.

Field Trips and Online Classes

We have been taking advantage of many of the museums, skating rink, bowling, jump centers and other businesses homeschool days. Many businesses who don’t get a lot of traffic during the school year gladly open their facilities to homeschoolers for homeschool days and offer discounts.

My son has taken so many online classes for homeschoolers and made many friends from all over the world. One of our best homeschool friends live in Japan the boys are always getting together for some Minecraft and game time. Online classes are also growing in popularity several of the leading online class platforms are adding tons of homeschool classes of sorts of variety.

Learning Pods

Homeschooling parents are increasingly turning to learning pods as a way to provide their children with social interaction and academic support. There are several benefits to using learning pods for homeschoolers.

Here recently there has been this new movement of “Learning pods” that is also a great way to increase socialization.Learning pods are small, in-person groups of students who learn together under the guidance of a tutor or a parent. One such program is Kaipod Learning which has several learning pods across many states. Kaipod Learning offers parents with students in 3rd -12th grade a place to learn and choose the curriculum they prefer. Students work at thier own pace while enjoying a community of their own peers. Kaipod Learning offers 2 day, 3 day, and 5 day option. Students arrive at 8:30 and the day ends at 3:30, students set their attendance that works for them. I was able to find one in our area and we are possibly considering it for next school year 2 days a week. Kaipod Learning is a wonderful alternative if you looking for a way to socialize your student and homeschool at the same time.

Firstly, learning pods allow homeschoolers to socialize with their peers in a safe environment. Socialization is a critical aspect of childhood development, and learning pods offer a structured way for children to interact with others within their age group. This is especially important during the current pandemic, where many children are experiencing social isolation.

Secondly, learning pods provide personalized attention to each child’s learning needs. With smaller class sizes, tutors or parents can cater to each child’s learning style and pace. This ensures that children receive individualized attention which can help them excel academically.

Lastly, learning pods can be cost-effective for homeschooling families. By pooling resources and sharing the cost of a tutor or a parent, learning pods can provide high-quality education at a lower cost than traditional homeschooling.

Homeschooled children can also participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports teams or community organizations. These activities provide an opportunity for kids to meet and interact with other children who share similar interests.

In addition, homeschooling allows children to spend more time with their families and develop close relationships with their siblings. This can help them develop strong social skills and the ability to communicate effectively with others.

Overall, while socialization is a valid concern for homeschooling families, there are many ways for homeschooled children to interact with others and develop important social skills.

6th Grade, Geography, Homeschool, homeschool curriculum, Middle School, Reviews

Why teaching geography skills in middle school is important!

Little Learner and Mom

Teaching geography skills in middle school is crucial for several reasons. For one, it helps students better understand the world around them. Geography is not just about memorizing capital cities and countries; it’s about understanding how physical and human factors shape the environment. By studying geography, students can learn about different cultures, climates, and ecosystems, which will broaden their perspectives and help them become more empathetic and informed global citizens. One way I found this year to teach geography to my sixth grader is using Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography grade 6 .

We are familiar with Evan Moor Publishers workbooks they have been staples in our home since my son was in pre-school. They are valuable resources that are trusted by homeschoolers and educators. Timberdoodle Co. recognizes these reliable resources and includes them in their homeschool kits.

Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography grade 6 is an excellent resource for students who want to improve their geography knowledge. The book is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of the world around them, including the physical features, cultures, and economies of different countries.

The book is divided into several interesting and engaging units, each of which covers a different aspect of geography. For example, one unit focuses on the physical geography of the United States, including its rivers, mountains, and deserts. Another unit explores the different cultures and traditions of countries worldwide, from Japan to Mexico to South Africa.

Throughout the book, students are encouraged to think critically and analytically about the information they are learning. They are challenged to make connections between different concepts and to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. With plenty of maps, charts, and diagrams to help illustrate key concepts, students are sure to stay engaged and interested throughout their study of geography with Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners. Inside the book, you will find a QR code to access the free teaching guide resources. This code provides you with extension activities and background information.

Furthermore, geography skills are increasingly important in today’s interconnected world. As countries become more interconnected through trade, travel, and technology, it’s important for young people to understand how different regions of the world are connected. By learning about geography, students can develop a better understanding of global issues such as climate change, migration, and resource scarcity.

Finally, studying geography can also help students develop important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. These skills are useful not only in geography but also in other subjects and in life in general. In short, teaching geography skills in middle school is an important part of preparing students for a diverse and complex world. Using Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography grade 6 will help your student to learn and love geography in a fun way.

I highly recommend Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography grade 6 as a great way to add geography to your homeschool. Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography grade 6 is included in Timberdoodle Co. sixth grade 2023 homeschool kits.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

6th Grade, Geography, History, Homeschool, homeschool curriculum, Middle School, Social Studies

Discover! Social Studies 6 Timberdoodle Review!

Little Learner and Mom

We received for Discover! Social Studies 6 for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

Hopefully, you have had a chance to read our review on Discover! Science 6, but if you haven’t, please check it out. We love history and my son loves to read and research history. I think because my son is a young 6/7th grader of 10 years old he still appreciates having informative and colorful curricula. Discover! Social Studies 6 is a non-religious wonderfully diverse social studies curriculum.

So before I start this review let me put it out there we are history nerds and very critical about social studies and history curriculum. I expose my son to gentle truth history, we don’t do fluff at home. Discover! Social Studies 6 provides a rich spine for ancient civilization history.

Discover! Social Studies 6 is designed as talking points into an ancient civilization. The program is designed with homeschoolers in mind, allowing parents and students to go deeper into each topic area. The curriculum includes two student books and an instructor guide.  Semester A book covers the topic of early civilization, ancient Egypt, Israel, India, and China. Semester B covers ancient Greece, Rome, Mesoamerica, and Africa. There are 10 chapters for the entire school year, a total of 76 lessons. Discover Social Studies 6 includes:

  • Lesson Objective
  • Explore and Read
  • Practice

Discover! Social Studies 6 has suggestions for each learning style, extension activities, and writing sections. I highly recommend using the instructor’s guide which also includes the answer key. The instructor guide provides helpful insight into each lesson and guides through to help your student.

What I like about Discover! Social Studies 6 is that it is colorful and the lessons are quick and to the point. For my student Discover! Social Studies 6  is an excellent review for him and a supplement to his current history curriculum. The lessons will not overwhelm your student and most students can navigate them on their own. I really like the vocabulary sections in each lesson. Students will use the vocabulary words on the first page of the lesson, find them throughout the lesson, and mark down the pages. 

Discover! Social Studies 6 not only provides history lessons, but students will also learn geography and map skills.  It also makes suggestions for online research. With a combination of illustrations and real-world photos, this isn’t your typical middle school history textbook. My son really likes Discover! Social Studies 6 he uses the textbook 2-3 times a week. 

We average two to three lessons a week because my son loves history, but two lessons a week is more than enough to get you through a school year. There are chapter reviews every five to seven lessons.

I highly recommend Discover! Social Studies 6 if you are looking for a simple but comprehensive social studies/history curriculum. Discover! Social Studies 6 is included in the 2023 Nonreligious 2023 Sixth-Grade Curriculum Kit. Don’t forget to check out our previous review of Discover! Science 6.

Until Next Time,

Mom and J

Art, Homeschool, Online classes

Sparketh Online Art Lessons for Kids and Teens

Little Learner and Mom

We received Sparketh’s for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

Online art classes for kids have become increasingly popular in recent years. Sparketh online art lessons provide children with the opportunity to explore their creativity and develop their artistic skills from the comfort of their own homes. With various lessons available, children can learn everything from basic drawing and painting techniques to more advanced skills like sculpture and digital art.

Sparketh’s self-paced art lessons are a great addition to any homeschool curriculum. Not only do they offer flexibility in terms of scheduling, but they also allow students to work at their own pace and explore their creativity.

When choosing self-paced art classes for your homeschool, it’s essential to consider the level of instruction provided as well as the materials needed. The materials for the lessons we completed were basic art supplies. All of the Sparketh provide a list of required materials for the lessons. Sparketh online art lessons offer video tutorials and step-by-step instructions, making it easy for students to follow along and learn new techniques. My son was able to do the lessons unassisted, but I like doing art with him so we did them together.

Sparketh offers 1000+ video lessons for kids as young as 6-18. There are lessons for sculpting, watercolors, cooking, drawing, and so much more. The video lessons started with an introduction that included our list of supplies. The video lessons are short and will hold your student’s attention. As you work through the lessons you work through a checklist to help you complete each lesson instruction.

Sparketh online art lessons are taught by professional artists who can provide valuable guidance. We were super excited when we noticed that many of the instructors were from Kennesaw State University a local college to us. I love that my son was learning from student artists, I feel it made lessons more relatable. The instructors were well-spoken and did the lessons at a steady pace. We can pause instructions and work then restart the lesson. In addition, there are lessons available for children/teens of all ages and skill levels, making it easy to find a lesson that is right for your child.

For this review, we completed two lessons and I have a few more scheduled this month and next. We did a study on ancient Africa in our history curriculum and we decided to do the elephant silhouette. For our music studies, we studied the Harlem Renaissance and we did the Harlem Renaissance portrait. Students can also submit their completed works to Sparketh gallery.

Overall, Sparketh self-paced art lessons were a fun and engaging way for my homeschooled student to explore his creativity and develop his artistic skills. With Sparketh instructors, students can learn new techniques and create beautiful works of art at their own pace. Sparketh is reasonably priced and offers monthly and yearly plan options. One parent account includes two student accounts, which is a great value for homeschoolers.

If you are like me art tends to take the back burner in our homeschool, but I really enjoyed Sparketh and I have marked off some favorite lessons I would like us to try. My son also liked the platform he said it had a lot of different lessons that work well for him. I highly recommend that you check out Sparketh online art classes for kids and teens.

Coding, Computer Technology, Curriculum, Education, Flex-paced, Games and Apps, Homeschool, Kids and Technology, Online classes, S.T.E.A.M, self-paced

Technology Education with MyTek Lab

Little Learner and Mom

We received MyTek Lab for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

In today’s digital age, children are being exposed to technology earlier than ever. They must learn how to use technology responsibly and safely. Parents can encourage their children to explore technology by providing them with age-appropriate devices and software and monitoring their use.

One way to teach kids about technology is through educational games and apps. These can help children learn basic skills such as reading, writing, and math, as well as more advanced skills like coding and problem-solving. Parents can also enroll their children in technology classes or camps like MyTek Lab to further develop their skills.

My son is working his way through the Computer Technology introductory course for ages 8-12 offered on Tuesday afternoons. In the Computer Technology course students will learn programming. This class is designed to be easy to understand and fun to follow. They cover a wide range of topics, including computer skills, coding, web design tools, video game design, and so much more.

Mr. and Mrs. MyTek Lab as well as Little MyTek help students learn to navigate the world of computer technology by creating a positive, encouraging environment for learning. What I really like about this course is that the facilitators understand that kids need time to learn all this information and they continue to encourage the kids to keep pushing through and ask questions in the chat. Mr. MyTek walks the students step by step with in-depth explanations and interactive lessons that students can work alongside him as he moves through the lesson.

MyTek Lab offers flex-paced online computer technology classes for kids. These courses are a great way to introduce children to the world of technology.

Flex Pace is a highly adaptable course alternative designed to cater to students’ varying schedules. This learning approach involves weekly recorded videos and lesson releases, allowing students the convenience to engage with the course content according to their own timelines. Given the rapid and frequent evolution of technology, the potential for outdated material is a concern for learners. However, Flex Pace proactively addresses this issue by continuously updating our content, ensuring that all students have access to the most current material and instructional modules. Recordings will be released each Monday.

MyTek Lab

There is a parent and student dashboard, but the majority of the time you really don’t need to log into the parent dashboard. My son is capable of getting himself in and out of the platform on his own. After the first class, he was a pro maneuvering and he was teaching me because I was so confused about just getting him into the class. MyTek Lab in my honest opinion speaks to children, because I was listening to the class during the session and I wasn’t sure if my son understood everything. When I asked him he said he understood everything and that he in fact loved the class.

At the time of the review we are wrapping up week 3 of live classes and so far my son has learned how to create a pixel avatar, program a game, and program character movement. Each week students learn the lesson, practice, and complete assignments. I really like that the classes are both live and flex pace, my son was a little under the weather in week two and did the flex pace option so he could get caught up with the live class.

I like MyTek Lab because the teachers are friendly and they really want us kids to learn about technology. I don’t feel rushed when we are doing the lesson and Mr. Tek Lab explains a lot in a way kids understand.

Jai 10

MyTek Lab also has superior customer service I was having trouble logging in they were swift about helping me troubleshoot. I appreciate that MyTek Lab is a family family-operated business. I can really tell the owners care about their students and have created exceptional courses to keep children advancing in technology. If you are looking for quality computer courses I highly recommend MyTek Lab they offer five classes in which some of the classes are two parts. The classes schedules for live classes are offered at convenient times. The flex-paces classes are a game changer because give your student the flexibility to go at their own pace.

If you would like to try out MyTek Lab, I highly recommend that you do. New families can contact Jacky (Mrs. MYTEK) at jsouders@myteklab.com for a discounted monthly rate of $15 dollars off of the monthly rate.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

Homeschool, Music Appreciation, music production, Online classes, self-paced

Mr. D Math: Self-Paced Digital Music Production Course with Brent Daniels

Little Learner and Mom

We received Mr. D newest course Digital Music Production with Brent Daniel for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

When you are married to a music producer life is different. Being woken up to the sounds and music in the middle of the night is normal. Having in-home listening parties is a weekly event for your small family. My son and his dad speak a musical language I do not know, but I am trying to learn.  I have learned a lot of terminology and software, but I don’t have a connection to music production like they do. At least once or twice a week I hear them bickering over which DAW system is better or how to work on projects. Then there is the butting of heads over the learning process of music production. My son wants the end results right now and my husband needs to learn the basics and background.  Thank goodness for Mr. D newest course Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels it has brought calm to my house.  If you have a student who wants to step into the music arena you have to try this course.

What is Music Production?

Music production is the creation of music. A music producer’s job is to compose various sounds into an entire composition. Then there is the engineering or (mixing ) is making the sound cohesive. The last component is mastering when you take the mixed product and make it commercial quality. I know what you are thinking that is a lot of knowledge and work that goes into music production. Lucky for you Mr. D Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels course has built a fantastic course that takes some producers years to learn.

Using Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels

Brent Daniels is a successful music producer with projects with Marvel Studios, Netflix, and Epic Records just to name a few.  Students will have their own platform on the Mr. D Math dashboard, that lists all the lessons and tracks their graded process. Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels provides your student with a deep dive into sixteen lessons on digital music production. Within each lesson, students watch on average 25-35 minute videos. He teaches this course from his personal studio, these are pre-recorded self-paced video lessons. As you journey through lessons your student will want to learn more and get excited.

Mr. Daniel walks students through music production hardware and software, and so much more. He also explains the different career paths for music production and shares snippets of his own projects. There is homework assigned so students can have a hands-on learning experience. The homework assignments allow students to apply what they have learned and explore. Along with videos and homework, students also take quizzes that cover 100% of the lesson’s material.

If you aren’t familiar with a DAW ( Digital Audio Workstation) this is the software that is used to produce music. He mentions several DAW software that work with various operation systems. From the primary DAW to the more complex your student will find something that works for them and their budget. Fortunately for my son, he has experience working with Ableton, FL Studio, Logic Pro, and music production equipment. Remember the earlier mention about the DAW system battle in my house my son prefers Ableton and my husband is a die-hard FL Studio/ Studio One user.  There are included embedded links to Youtube, websites, and other resources for your student. 

The Review

Over the course of the last few weeks, my husband and son took on the course. My husband conveyed to me that he really enjoyed how the course was laid out and presented in a real studio and Mr. Daniels has powerful sounds and visuals. The course gives the viewer the feel they are sitting in the studio or “lab” (producer language).

Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels is not a course for a student who has not shown an interest in music production. The course is for those students who have shown significant interest. He gives the students a complete breakdown of the basics and takes them through to the end of laying down a track using all knowledge they have gained over the course. What we all noticed is this isn’t a course you want to fast forward through because you will miss valuable information. So take your time and enjoy.

I really like this course because it answers questions that I may have about creating music. My dad has taught me a lot and I have a better understanding of what he has been teaching me. It was nice to meet the person that help creat some some the music for Black Panther.

Jai -10

The homework assignments given offer the students the opportunity to try out what they have learned and research. Fortunately for our home, we have an in-house studio so my son has the opportunity to use many of the types of equipment suggested in the course thus far. At the time of this review, my husband and son were finishing up week 6. My husband said this course was a great refresher for him and he did learn about a few programs he didn’t know existed. He further said that it offered our son a fully laid out course that will help him develop his music production skills.

What I wish I had learned earlier is the characteristics of sound such as pitch, timber, and volume that this course teaches. All of these topics are imperative for rising music producers to learn on their journey.

Obscure Shakur -dad

Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels course is also a great referencing course for upcoming music producers. The course will equip students with the knowledge they need to produce music. I feel like this course helped settle some of the frustration my son was having because while he understands how to use the DAW, he now understands the why and the foundation. I also have noticed that it has provided new talking points for him and his dad. He now sees the value behind why he sees his dad going through the steps of putting beats together and as a greater appreciation for the creation process.

Do you need to run out and buy any special music equipment in order to complete this course? I would say no not at this time, but is it helpful to have a USB Midi keyboard which is mentioned in lesson 1.  I wouldn’t suggest investing in music equipment unless you are 100% this is something your student will continue down the path to music production. 

My husband is a self-taught music producer with 20+ years experience, he is very talented and has a gift for music. My son has picked up a lot from his dad and stays in our home studio. My husband has said many times he wished that he could have had a course like this when he was my son’s age to walk him through music production because it could have saved him some time.

We highly recommend Mr. D newest course Digital Music Production with Brent Daniels for students or adults looking to get a feel for music production. This self-paced course is detailed and a wealth of information. We will continue to use this course this year and I know my son will refer to it often and is looking forward to completing the final project.

Homeschool

Who Would Win Mini-Unit Study by The Waldock Way

Little Learner and Mom

There is no secret that we love a good unit study. I have been putting together unit studies since my son was a preschooler and we have loved every last one. Planning a unit study is a lot of work and sometimes this mom just wants it just laid out for me already. Well, we aren’t strangers to Jessica Waldock’s Instagram The Waldock Way, we have loved all her wonderful blog posts, YouTube videos, and homeschool hauls. We are super excited to see she released the Who Would Mini Unit studies that go along with the Who Would Win books.

My son was the first one to run to tell me she had a new release; you see he follows her channel and all her hauls. I can always tell when she has dropped a new haul because my Amazon cart magically gets some extra additions. I am really happy to see this newest release because every summer I plan an elaborate Shark Week unit study and I wasn’t sure about which direction I was going to go in.

We decided to check out the book Who Would Win Hammerhead vs Bull Shark from the library and I grabbed the accompanying unit study from the Waldock Way. What is great about all of The Waldock Way unit studies is that she thinks of everything. The Hammerhead vs Bull Shark unit study included:

  • Required Book
  • Supplement Books about both sharks
  • Informative playlist for both sharks
  • Additional resource links

Along with this perfectly she includes animal profile sheets for your student to complete, geographic locator, comparison, and comparison sheet. She also includes writing prompts for the children so they can write about their predictions and alternative ending to the story. The Who Would Win series has been a long-loved series in our home and my son has read several of the books. The Who Would Win Mini Unit gives students a chance to interact with the story while learning some facts.

Meet the Animals Notebooking Page
Animal Habitat Map Work
Animal Advantage Checklist
Compare & Contrast Worksheet
Alternate Ending Writing
True or False Fact Sorting Game

The Waldock Way

I have always been a fan of the coloring sheets every time we have done any of the Waldock Way units I have always printed extra copies for myself to color and my son. Our entire family has enjoyed her units we especially loved the Who Was the Tuskegee Airmen.

I highly recommend Who Would Mini Unit there are 15+ units you can choose from. Each unit is $5.00 and you can also grab her animal add-on pack that works for all the mini units for $2.50. If you are interested in reading our review on the Human Body Unit you can check it out here.

Take 30% off your entire purchase at The Waldock Way with coupon code: Waldock2023 valid through August 31st, 2023.

Curriculum Resource, Education, Homeschool, homeschool curriculum, Homeschool Family

Elephango a Curriculum Companion!

Little Learner and Mom

We received  Elephango for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

Have you ever wanted a companion to help you lesson plan or just a place you could go when you weren’t sure how to present a lesson or concept? Well, Elephango is my new favorite go-to for my planning and resource management for my homeschool. Elephango is an online supplemental learning platform that offers thousands of resources for parents and students.

The Layout

Elephango provides parents and students with their own dashboards. The parent dashboard allows parents to explore the resources, but at the time of setting things up, you will be able to customize the resources that populate on your homepage. You will find resources for K-12, parenting, and adult learning. You can also choose from these categories:

  • Subject Matter
  • Grade
  • Learning or Personality Style
  • Content-Type
  • Lesson or Time Length

There were several features I found beneficial on the platform. I really like that they had an assessment under the Discover Your Style tab. These assessments allowed both my son and I to answer questions that would tell us our learning and personality styles. I discovered some things about my son that I didn’t know, but it gave me insight into his learning styles. This breakdown was really helpful it will help me pick activities that would work for him and better understand his personality. The other great feature was the state standards list. You select your state and they come up on the screen and within each standard, there are hyperlinked resources to help you teach or assign to your student.

So far, I have favored resources for writing, history, science, and math. My son was working on exponents, and I did a search, and fantastic resources came up. One of the resources I selected had interactive games and a Cyberchase video link. That’s another thing about Elephango they have trusted resources and links for children to access. Parents can rest assured that their students can explore in freedom. We saw a few of our favorite resources and platforms link in activities. I almost forgot that every day when you log in there is a lead resource on your dashboard, it is always something really good and you will also see featured, popular, and new lessons. So here is my confession I solely was using Elephango the last few weeks so I could get the hang of it before I introduced it to my son. I have been having so much fun planning and reading resources I almost forgot I needed to share Elephango. You know it’s kind of like my new BFF and you don’t want to share, but you have to.

The resources will sometimes have activities and a supply list handy for you on the right side. Students can read or have it read to them. Then there is the testing of what they learn with resources where students will answer questions to demonstrate what they have learned. Students can also earn badges as they research and learn, I like this form of positive encouragement.

My son is a huge researcher and I know he is going to love Elephango and the jumpstart badges are going to be perfect for him to help get started with Elephango. I have gradually assigned things for him to do, but I want him to still be free to explore on his own.

Who Would Benefit

  • New and Veteran Homeschoolers
  • Teachers
  • Students and Parents
  • Students who show I high interest in research-based learning

There are resources about homeschooling on Elephango which I think all homeschoolers can benefit from looking at and bookmarking.

Overall thoughts, this is my new homeschool companion, when I saw all the writing resources available, I wanted to hug the screen. Then I started to really go through Elephango and realized I struck gold with this platform, and I couldn’t wait to tell my followers. I have told everyone I talked to they have to try this program out. Google Chrome user Elephango has an extension.

For my followers, Elephango was generous enough to provide an exclusive 3-month free trial by using our special discount code: 3monthfreeblog11

So, if you haven’t guessed it yet I love Elephango! I highly recommend you check out this fabulous all-around curriculum companion and independent learner platform. You will not be disappointed.

Don’t forget to use our special discount code: 3monthfreeblog11 so you can sign up for your 3-month free trial and love on Elephango.

6th Grade, Curriculum, Homeschool, Middle School, Science

Discover! Science Grade 6: Timeberdoodle Co. Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Timberdoodle Co, finally unveiled the highly anticipated new 2023 curriculum kits and secular homeschoolers got a brand-new science offering this year. Science came at the right time for us because my son loves all things science and loves science curricula. The new science is Discover! Science Grade 6 and let me just tell you my rising middle schooler was very happy with Discover! Science Grade 6. Discover! Science is also available in grades 1 through 6 and Timberdoodle Co has them all!

Discover Science 6

Discover! Science Grade 6 is a secular curriculum designed with homeschoolers in mind. A full year’s curriculum is divided into two books with one instructor’s guide. Book 6A has six chapters and 6B has seven chapters. Chapters consist of 6 -10 lesson that includes a chapter review. The instructor guide includes the lesson layout for all the chapters. Each lesson is divided into sections:

  • Lesson Objective
  • Explore (connection to real-world interactive activities)
  • Vocabulary
  • Reading (lecture)
  • Practice
  • Take A Closer Look (experiment)
  • Show What You Know (Q &A about the lessons)

What is unique about Discover! Science Grade 6 is that it is colorful and appeals to all learning styles. The instructor manual offers suggestions for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. There are in-depth but not overwhelming instructions for instructors, along with research suggestions for you to offer your students. The student text is nicely laid out with real-life photos, detailed diagrams, and writing exercises that are not overly excessive. Students’ experiments and lab reports are also included in the lessons.

How we plan to use it!

What I like about Discover! Science Grade 6 is that it’s not overwhelming for those students who may not be science kids. The colorful pages make the lessons more interesting and encourage the students to want to continue to learn. Discover! Science Grade 6 also encourages critical and logical thinking skills. Lesson average 2-3 days a week which is about 150 days of instruction. It is encouraged that students complete 3 pages on the first day and 2 pages on the second day. You can see complete sample pages on Discover! Science Grade 6 Timberdoodle Co landing page. Discover! Science Grade 6 is a part of the 2023 6th grade non-religious curriculum kit.

Lesson 1 Scientific Process

We do have a spine curriculum that we love and will use, but because my son really loves science I always add a supplement to our science curriculum. Discover! Science Grade 6 lessons are interactive which will be a great supplement for him, and he can do them on his own. Discover! Science Grade 6 lessons are quick and short for him and will act as an opener to what we are learning. They will also help enhance what he is learning and give him extra practice.

The Middle Schooler

Hey, everyone, it’s me and I am happy to co-author this review with my mom. I love science and I like to research and learn as much science as possible. I helped my mom look over Discover! Science Grade 6 and I really like what we noticed in the lessons. Almost all the lessons match up with my spine curriculum. I like the pictures and the experiments in the book. The experiments give me more things I can do to explore the lessons. I also like that the book has really nice diagrams. I also like that they include talking points for me to think about. As a middle schooler, I think it’s important that books still look like they are fun and not just a bunch of words and things for you to learn.

I also like that in the second book, there are four chapters dedicated to the human body topics. There are also topics in the books that aren’t like typical science books. I think if you are a 6th grader, and you don’t want to do boring science, Discover! Science Grade 6 is a great pick for a middle schooler. I am looking forward to using Discover! Science Grade 6 this school year and I am trying to persuade my mom to let me start it sooner than September

In Closing

We both highly recommend Discover! Science Grade 6, I feel like even if you have no experience with teaching science this curriculum will work for your family. I also think if your student is a visual learner or if you want to change things up Discover! Science Grade 6 would be a great fit. The price point is affordable and experiment supplies cost is minimal. Stay tuned for our upcoming review of Discover! Social Studies 6.

Until the Next Time,

Mom and J

Homeschool

Mideer Colored Pencil Review

Little Learner and Mom

It’s that time of the year and Back to School shopping is amongst us. Rather you are a homeschooler, a traditional schooler, or continuing your education at some point you may have had to buy some sort of coloring utensil. Our friends over at Timberdoodle Co. sent us Mideer 36 pcs Colored Pencils that are available in 2023 Kindergarten Curriculum Kits.

From an early age, I can remember my son despised crayons, I don’t know what it was about crayons that were so off-putting to him. I bought him every type of crayon you could think of he wanted nothing to do with them. Markers he would tolerate, but here comes 4th grade and he finally tells me why I don’t like crayons. I finally found out he didn’t like that they didn’t move across the page smoothly and didn’t like how they looked on the page. I of course was shocked by this revelation, but I totally understood his plight. So, we finally invested in better-quality markers and colored pencils, and he fell in love with coloring and drawing.

Here we are now entering middle school and he still loves using his colored pencils and markers and he loves trying out new colored pencils and testing their quality and texture. Over the summer we have been doing some video game detox which has left us more time to do art and other activities. We have been coloring away using Mideer 36 pcs Colored Pencils and we have been having a great time.

Mideer Colored Pencils

Mideer 36 pcs Colored Pencils come in a beautifully crafted sturdy storage box unsharpened. Inside the box, you will find a color palette for each color. The pencils are triangular and round in shape, to sharpen the pencils I picked up a hand sharpener with a larger pencil insert. We sharpened pencils as we used them because we didn’t want to sharpen them all at once. The vibrant colors offer you and your child a variety of color selections. The color of the pencil is on the opposite tip of the sharpened end. Mideer 36 pcs. Colored Pencils glide across the paper, we tried several different paper textures. The ergonomic grip allows for a comfortable natural fit for young hands. These pencils are not the traditional skinny colored pencils, but they aren’t thick and chunky. The shape of the pencil prevents the pencils from rolling off the surface so no more pencils on the floor and the storage makes for quick clean up.

We used the Mideer 36 pcs. Colored Pencils to color some of his human body anatomy coloring book pages and we also use them to color and outline some of the art projects we did. My son also used them with his science curriculum diagramming. I received no complaints from my color pencils critic, he likes them and is currently holding them, hostage.

So if you are looking for some high-quality art supplies, I would check out Mideer 36 pcs Colored Pencils and while you are there check out the new 2023 Curriculum Kits from Timberdoodle Co.

Until the next time,

Mom and J