Archives for 2015

True Heroes History iPad App – Pssst!! Another Sweet Giveaway. Giveaway Closed.

August 26, 2015 | 71 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This Giveaway is Now Closed. Thank you for scooting by and please visit my other links and stick around! The winners are listed at the bottom.

I was given a free download of True Heroes History App and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Your experience may vary. When I do accept a review it’s because I am excited to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here.

When I heard history and interactive, I was excited about Tiny using True Heroes 1781 History iPad App by Jolly Books.

I say it often, but I always want you to know that I don’t accept all the numerous requests for reviews that I get. I have to get giddy and it has to be something you or I will want to take a closer look at.

Okay, it doesn’t hurt either when I can giveaway some sweet things to you too.
So for the last couple of weeks, Tiny has been playing True Heroes 1781 History App and the first thing that caught my eye was the year. Tiny, not so much, but that is the beauty of interactive play.

Through the years, I have tried numerous ways of gently introducing key or significant dates to my sons without resorting to humdrum put you to sleep memorization.

Right away, I recognized 1781 as a key year or turning point in the American Revolution. Picture association with a key date helps a visual learner or even history hater to at least be aware of that time period.

History Mystery Interactive iPad App

As home educators we know we have to teach dates, but committing key dates to our child’s memory, not so easy.

Though the app says it is for K-6, you know how I feel about history. It is a content subject and grades can be subjective.

One of the gems that I really liked about the app as we went through it was that the focus was not just on George Washington, but it starts off with stepping back in time and experiencing things that people of that time period experienced.

There is a lot of play time before you even get to the story of George Washington. At first, we were looking too quickly to get to the part about George Washington.

But I had to catch myself thinking that way because really the sequence of events follows the way I think history should be taught, which is to get the full flavor of life at that time period through a character’s eyes.First, you step back in time to a village complete with barn, a colonial house, store, print shoppe (yes, I loved how they used time period spelling), a tailor and an inn to name a few.

You start off by collecting water, building a fire, planting seeds, gathering your crops and buying a basket.
Too, I loved the word list definition game because the game not only piques interest for that time period, but it gives a list of words like dishonest, thoughtful and brave to build moral virtues.

I really want to let you know something right now that is a little off the path of what I am talking about because it is important to me and that is the developers are indie app developers.

This stirred me to support them because they can weave things like teaching moral character and values into their apps, something that would probably not be important to a great big huge company.

After playing a game about defining character building words, Tiny used items from the inventory or saddle bag to buy a basket. But first, some math is involved like fractions.

Learning about planting and storing crops in the cellar is a fun part about learning about everyday life. Buy a shovel head and it turns dry corn into corn for the chicken.

Benefits to an Older Child

One thing the game touts that also had me hooked was intuitive reasoning.

In other words, not all actions have specific directions and laid out directions. They have to deduce some of the actions through interactive play.

I feel this is a great tool to use for an older child as he investigates and reasons out what he needs to do next.

Too, the facts he gathers along the way through hands-on play feeds a budding history buff who may be allergic (okay, okay) to books.
I find too that even though girls love this type of play, boys really benefit from the media center.

Did I tell you that Tiny couldn’t resist showing me when he was shooting bottles at a shooting range?

However, there are some things that I feel may be a bit above a Kindergartner’s head.

The visual layout of doing day to day activities will appeal to the very young, but one part we noticed is where you hear a chicken cluck.

The child knows then to go the barn and is told that chickens need dry corn.

He is then asked, “How will a chicken eat corn that way?”

A child has to deduce that he has to go the store, buy a shovel head and when it’s in his inventory/saddle bag, he has to tap on it and the corn turns into feed.

That part, I feel is above the way a Kindergartner would reason to find the answer.

Help from an older sibling or mom would help him to get past that part. Then again, some Kindergartners have the patience of Job and might be able to find out quicker by tapping on all the items.

Canning, preserving and even recipes are some of the nifty little things that your child will also learn about. Cutting vegetables are just too cute when you cut them to put them in jars.

There is even an element of mystery to find out who is “Q”.

Of course, I don’t want to spoil all the surprises like at the museum or at the end.

History That Sparks a Love for Auditory Learners

There is one part that though we were pleasantly surprised at toward the end when it got to the part about George Washington.

It switches from an interactive game to an audio story telling mode.

From the time George Washington was born to being the first president, the audio story telling mode is a nice plus if you have an auditory learner like I do.

Tiny really liked sitting back and having the story read to him.

Don’t forget, I have a free American Revolution unit study and lapbook that would fit so well with this app.

Mystery, intrigue, fun in everyday mundane life and absorbing facts about the first president, this sweet little find of an app is a great compliment to any unit study about colonial life, the American Revolution or George Washington and the best part is that you can use it with all of your kids.

Guess what? I love that my sponsors love you and want you to try it out.

So today, I am giving away 3 of these apps. You have a chance to win, so don’t think you won’t win because I have to give them to somebody.

Would you like it?

Look at the details below and don’t forget to connect with Jolly Books because they have another app about Pocahontas coming out soon!

Yippeeeee! Giveaway Details – Easy Rules – 3 Winners

Begins: August 26, 2015. Ends: September 2, 2015 @ 8:00 a.m. CST

Just comment here on my blog.

3 winners will be selected using random org and will be notified afterwards.

Also, because you can’t be a once a month email reader, if a winner does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another winner.

1. Open to any resident because this is a download. You will not be shipped anything.

2. You have to be a blog follower. You can comment twice.

Comment in your first comment letting me how many kids you have that will enjoy this and in your second comment, let me know what you want me to blog more about this next school year. That’s it. Keep it easy, I like easy and uncomplicated.

Go Down to the Bottom of this Post and leave your comment where it says LEAVE A REPLY.

Let’s get this party started!! Hope You Win.

Connect with Jolly Books

Do you want to know when the Pocahontas app is ready? I do. Sign up for their newsletter at the very bottom of the page.
Pssst! They even have free Colonial life lesson plans on their new blog! Give them some love and follow to get the latest.
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Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Jollybooksfun/posts

Congratulations to the Winners!

Winner 1. Christina Baxter Winner 2. Kasha Winner 3: Amy s

Company Name: Jolly Books
Website: Jolly Books
Product Name: True Heroes 1781 George Washington App
Grades: K-6
Type of Format: iPad app
Price: $2.99

Hugs and love ya,

All product information is correct and accurate as of the date of this review.

Linking up @ these awesome places:
A Little Bird Told Me|Mommy Solutions|A Little R&R|

2016 New Year New Goals Form – Free 7 Step Homeschool Planner

August 25, 2015 | 7 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

It may seem insane, but last year when I looked for this form to put in my planners, updating it got away from me with the move overseas.

This year, I had it on my to-do list to get a 2016 New Year New Goals Form done really early so that I would have time to not only add it to my planner, but to reflect on it before the end of the year.

Curriculum Pages for Planner

Besides, I can’t make goals spur of the moment or without having time to really think about. Call me slow, but on some things I just am, or is that quick now? okay, okay.

The reasons I originally created it are still some of the same ones this year:

I need more general goals.
One to three general goals make it doable instead of a whole long list that I really can’t reach.
I wanted a place to also put what I want to do less of. Sometimes I hyper focus on accomplishing instead of letting go. Do you ever do that? Letting go of what I can’t control is a great stress reliever and reminder that I am just human.
I wanted something that I could put both in my homeschool planner and my blog planner.

Creating it early gives me time to ponder on goal setting.

I feel too like I can get a jump on the new year because the end of the year is always busy for me. I figured you may still be putting your curriculum planner together and may want to stick this in a place or two.

Grab it below.

2016 New Year New Goals Printable @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Don’t forget! If you want to start building your homeschool planner, I take you step by step with OVER 300+ free downloads and options.

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

What do you think? Can you use this form early?

Hugs and love ya,

Linking up @ these awesome places:

3 Tips from the Pros Before You Become a Homeschool Educator!

August 24, 2015 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’ve read dozens of articles on what makes a great public school teacher.

The articles usually tout some facts about high ratio of student to teacher, classroom burnout, building some kind of strong network for the teachers and otherwise taking measures to retain good teachers for some long period of time. Does this sound familiar to you too?

Is Homeschooling Really ALL About the Children?

As homeschool teachers do we have different needs? How do we measure up as teachers? What makes a great or exceptional homeschool teacher?

When I started to homeschool, I read all kinds of books about how to teach and tutor. This was a good thing at first.

Soon though I realized I was relying on them to teach instead of what I was given naturally. The truth of it was I was not a public school teacher. I had no background in teaching as a public school teacher.

What I did learn was that teaching at home is totally different than teaching in a classroom.

How do I know this if I have never taught in a classroom? Because I don’t compete with public school teachers. What I mean by this is that instructing can be the same for any good teacher, however, it’s the method that is different.

Methods for learning at home couldn’t be more opposite than a public school setting.

It’s not my style to bash public school teachers as I care for all people and each deserves dignity.

I will say though that no matter how well-intentioned public school teachers are, the students are not their children. Why is this so paramount? Because love is the strongest motivator in the universe to get the help that your children need.

Too, public school teaching is a relatively new concept. Homeschooling is not. “Home, not the school, was the original educational system,” Raymond and Dorothy Moore wrote in their book Home-Spun Schools.

Contrary to what both public school advocates and even homeschooling families may think, classroom burnout does not have to exist.

We are not trying to be public school teachers modeling our learning environment after a public school setting, using the same teaching tools or teaching to a test. We are at home teaching, living and learning together.

Parents are the most important educators of their children.

3 Tips from the Pros

However well meaning intentions do not necessarily make us superior homeschool teachers either.

What is required to be a good homeschool teacher?

1. Conviction. You don’t have to have a teaching degree to have conviction.

Conviction has been defined as an unshakable belief in something.

Conviction comes from the heart and our conviction is not based purely on emotion but on knowledge.

The knowledge is that Proverbs 22:16 says to “train up a child”. It really is that simple.

Our conviction comes from the fact that we have been given the obligation as parents to train our children. Our emotion or heart moves us to be unshakable in that belief because of our love for our children.

2. Teaching is an Art.

This means we need to continue to strive to develop our methods.

Teaching requires a lot of work and skill. Education has to be relevant to our everyday living.

A child needs to see the direct relation between learning and living practically.

As homeschool teachers we will need to continually read, educate ourselves at conventions and put into practice what we are learning.

Appreciating that each of our children learn differently heightens our attempts to become better teachers. As good teachers we constantly strive to improve our methods and not stick to one plan.

3. Enthusiasm.

Using boring curricula can hamper any progress but worst yet is a boring teacher.

Enthusiasm is contagious. It’s true not every moment in our journey we are just bubbling with enthusiasm so that is why it’s important our children learn to be self motivated.

In order for self motivation to take root, our positive attitude, motivation, and spark towards what we teach is a must. Our children are so very smart and can detect when we are sincere or not about our teaching.

Practice what you teach, model what you want your children to learn, instill values for hard work and practical living, pray for wisdom, love your children for who they are and best of all realize you are qualified to teach.

Hugs to you today,

Am I Doing Enough When Homeschooling?
5 Top Mistakes of New Homeschoolers

Also, Check Out a Few of My Top Resources to Get You on the Path to Experience

Linking up @ these awesome places:
A Little Bird Told Me|Mommy Solutions|A Little R&R|

Do You Need to Know What A Scope and Sequence Is When You Homeschool

August 23, 2015 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Do you need to know what a scope and sequence is when you homeschool? Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter for more tips!

No term seems as daunting to grasp to a new homeschooler than a scope and sequence.

You don’t have to have a teaching degree to understand new terms.

Too, sometimes there is just too much hype in trying to understand new terms and I feel scope and sequence can fall into one of those types of things.

I don’t want to minimize the importance of understanding the term.

But it’s not necessary to completely understand all the details of a scope and sequence before you embark on your new career as home educator.

Do You Need to Know What A Scope and Sequence Is When You Homeschool

A simplified definition of scope and sequence is this:

Scope means the range of knowledge in an area or subject that will be covered and sequence means the order in which that area will be covered. That’s it, simple enough.

If you choose something that is laid out lesson by lesson, which is called a boxed curriculum in the homeschool world, then the publisher has already determined what will be covered in that grade level and when or what days it will be covered.

I would prefer that you focus on how advanced or how much help your child needs instead of worrying right now at which grade level to cover which subjects.

You will have plenty of time to be educated about all the education-ese.

For example, look at the scope and sequence of each grade.

And then determine which grade your child fits into and not determine your child’s grade first and then buy that level.

There is a huge difference here.

Are You Making this First-Timer Mistake

The first way of selecting a grade level will set you up for a course that will make your first year more successful and the second way may set you up for a more stressful year.

Assuming your child is ready for the scope and sequence in a grade level because that is his grade level is a common first year mistake I want you to avoid like no other.

Let me say it again and that is don’t buy curriculum based on your child’s current grade level.

There is a time when a scope and sequence will weigh in heavier on your choices for curriculum.

That time is when you decide to play a larger role in lesson planning.

Then, it becomes more important to understand how extensive a subject should be taught in a grade and in what order it should be introduced or mastered by your child.

I encourage you for your summer reading to study and become somewhat familiar with both free online scopes and sequences.

Too become familiar some books that I will share with you at the bottom of this post.

Hear my heart on this.

Key to not getting overwhelmed is to not study all 12 grades.

What insane crazy person does that? I did.

FOURTH GRADE HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

I almost gave up homeschooling in the beginning because I put myself under too much pressure.

Study the grade level your child will be in, the one above and the one below it.

That is enough for now.

That will give you a bigger picture skill wise, to see where your child’s level is compared to a scope and sequence.

I assure you instead of stressing you out, getting familiar with the set of skills a child is generally introduced to in each grade level will do quite the opposite for you in the long run.

It will empower you to be a teacher that is a cut above those that don’t take time to understand the learning process.

Do You Need to Know What a Scope and Sequence Is When You Homeschool

Look at my list below and one last reminder before you jump into some of this not so light reading is that this is just a “map” designed by curriculum providers.

What I don’t want you to take away from the reading is that your child has to cover x in x grade.

Eventually, I will share some posts about some significant milestones to look for in certain grades which is of far more importance than keeping up with each grade level.

Do Homeschoolers Need to Know What is a Scope and Sequence? Click here to grab these AWESOME tips!

Each child, barring any developmental issues will reach each educational milestone at their own time.

Look at these free online scope and sequences:

Christian Light Education. You can view them as free .pdfs. Both elementary and high school.
A Beka Scope and Sequence
Bob Jones Scope and Sequence
Worldbook has been used for homeschoolers for years to get a general starting point and direction.
Montessori Scope and Sequence. Infant to Age 12.
Houghton Mifflin Grades K to 5 and 6 to 8th.
Virginia state standards too. Click on an area like English and you will go to another screen for grade level.

Books to read that I think help through your whole homeschooling journey:

The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home Even though you may or may not follow this homeschool approach, she has great tips for valuable resources in all areas.

Pick and choose what works for you. For example, I used her reading suggestions when teaching my sons to read and write.

Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School

Again look at some of the resources instead of honing in on exactly all that needs to be covered.

What Your Preschooler Needs to Know: Get Ready for Kindergarten (Core Knowledge Series)

What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know

What Your First Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good First-Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series)

What Your Second Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good Second Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series

What Your Third Grader Needs to Know (Revised Edition): Fundamentals of a Good Third-Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series)

What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of A Good Fourth-Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series)

What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know (Core Knowledge Series)

What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know (Revised) (Core Knowledge Series)

Books to Build On: A Grade-by-Grade Resource Guide for Parents and Teachers (Core Knowledge Series)

Slow and Steady Get Me Ready I used this book for my boys when they were babies and again, didn’t get stressed out if my boys were behind some of these things or some of them were easy.

It gave me a heads up about what to expect at each age.

When is Knowledge Power

Too, this series below is the set of books I much more preferred to use along with the ones written above by other homeschoolers.

I did glance at the Core Knowledge Series above and use some from those books.

But I loved the fact that the books below had ideas of how to teach concepts and it also came with an envelope in the back of the book that had a test I could give.

I know, I know, I couldn’t help myself about testing.

I was worried and had to test for a year or two, but after that I realized I was on track.

You will too. So if it gives you comfort, it’s okay to test, just don’t stress over them in the younger years.

How Is My First Grader Doing in School? What to Expect and How to Help
How Is My Second Grader Doing In School? What to Expect and How to Help
How Is My Third Grader Doing in School? What to Expect and How to Help
. . . . My Fourth Grader Doing in School?: What to Expect and How to Help
. . . Is My Fifth Grader Doing in School?: What to Expect and How to Help
How Is My Sixth Grader Doing in School?: What to Expect and How to Help

Try to remember that as you join with the other thousands of homeschoolers who have been down the road for several years now that we too have expressed some of the same feelings of not wanting our child to get behind or wanting to do this “right”.

So instead of following a scope and sequence, just use it as a guide to enlighten yourself about the general educational needs of all children.

But focus on how unique your children are and know that what you will eventually be teaching them through all the years won’t be able to be contained in any set of scope and sequences.

What do you think? Do you feel a little more empowerment from this foundation of knowledge?

Do You Need to Know What a Scope and Sequence Is When You Homeschool. Tips for the Beginner. @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Look at these other helps:

Hugs and love ya,

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How Do I Socialize My Homeschooled Kids? Are We Really Talking About this AGAIN?

August 22, 2015 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Tips for First-Time Homeschoolers

If there is one question we get asked over and over again as homeschoolers, it has to be, “How Do I Socialize My Homeschooled Kids?”.

It is a valid concern because nobody wants children that grow up to be social misfits. Again though, this has to be a topic where your definition of socialization has to be defined.

Start here to zero in on a well-rounded definition of socialization.

Is it interaction with other children their age?
Is it going places or field trips?
Is it being with people?
Is it knowing how to interact with people of different beliefs and cultures?
Is it knowing how to interact with children who are not their age?
Is it knowing how to carry on a conversation with an adult?
Is it knowing how to tolerate the company of younger children that throw temper tantrums?
Is it knowing how to be respectful to any who are not respectful in their speech or conduct toward homeschoolers?

Guess what? Homeschooling is ALL of those things!

Contrary to what some folks feel is homeschooling, the homeschooling environment has all those things I just mentioned.

I feel the bigger question and more important question to ask is this:

WHO IS GOING TO TEACH YOUR CHILD ALL THOSE THINGS?

In life, as my mom always told me somebody is going to inflict their will on your child. Isn’t that what a peer does?

Why then should that peer be somebody who does not care or cares little for your child? Why can’t the parent be the one who models the behavior or sets the pattern? A parent can be a peer.

However, we know kids love being with other kids and we want to nourish friendships.

In the homeschool world, each city or area is different in what they offer as far as activities.

Activities include homeschool football teams, basketball, volleyball, national spelling bees, Bible bees, geography bees, plays, reenactments, co-ops to learn just about any subject or topic under the sun from sewing, baking, cooking, being a responsible babysitter, to legos and robots.

Check out my article Day 6: Homeschool Hangouts & Socialization Situations
Check out my 5 Days series on a Homeschooling Co-op Convert

Adopt your definition of socialization and whatever definition you adopt, be sure the emphasis is on family learning.

Sure, we all could probably go for days and not leave the because we love our homes and set it up for relaxed learning.

However, I have seen homeschoolers focus only on the needs of one or two of their children instead of learning together as a family.

Why is this fine point worthy of mention?

Because it goes straight to the heart of socialization, which is that its the right, responsibility and privilege of the family to foster social skills. The whole homeschool journey should not just revolve around one or two kids because life is not like that.

Parents model social skills by reacting to various scenarios throughout the day and thus model behavior that children will want to follow.

Beginning with the family is a great place to start socializing homeschooled kids!

What about you? Have you over joined too many support groups and need to spend more time together as a family?

Hugs and love ya,

Archives for 2015

This Giveaway is Now Closed. Thank you for scooting by and please visit my other links and stick around! The winners are listed at the bottom.

History Mystery Interactive iPad App

Benefits to an Older Child

History That Sparks a Love for Auditory Learners

Yippeeeee! Giveaway Details – Easy Rules – 3 Winners

Go Down to the Bottom of this Post and leave your comment where it says LEAVE A REPLY.

Let’s get this party started!! Hope You Win.

Connect with Jolly Books

Congratulations to the Winners!

Curriculum Pages for Planner

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Is Homeschooling Really ALL About the Children?

3 Tips from the Pros

Are You Making this First-Timer Mistake

FOURTH GRADE HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Do You Need to Know What a Scope and Sequence Is When You Homeschool

When is Knowledge Power

Tips for First-Time Homeschoolers

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