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FBI Unit Study + Experiment 1 {Forensic Science-Fingerprints}

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I can’t wait until the first of the year to start sharing with you what we have been doing on our newest unit study.

I knew when the boys decided to study about the FBI that it was going to be a longer study because of how many sub-topics we had listed. It has taken us more like 6 weeks instead of the normal 4 weeks pace that I try to stick with. Taking fingerprints was a pretty easy experiment to tie in with this study.

Prior to fingerprinting, the Bertillon system of measuring offenders was used in identifying criminals. Mr. Senior 2013 likes anything pertaining to learning about civil or criminal law so this topic made for a nice day or two to spend reading about it.

It wasn’t until July 1, 1924 that the FBI begin to manage fingerprint files for the nation under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover.  Prior to that time it took as long as 20 to 30 minutes to measure an offender.  Interesting enough you could see where persons of the same race and similar build were being convicted of crimes they did not commit.

It makes me wonder what offender would sit or stand still long enough to be  measured, let alone get on a stool and kick one foot back.

Gradually, the FBI expanded their knowledge to include being able to detect latent fingerprints by laser. Latent fingerprints are prints left at the scene of a crime which can’t be seen to the visible eye. The Bureau goes from using a very antiquated system like the Bertillon system to using state of the art lasers to detect marks. Once they utilized technology they didn’t stop using it. So we started gathering what books and magazines we have at home to continue studying about law enforcement and technology too.

We pulled out some of these magazines that we love. How it Works is a British magazine that has so many facts, beautiful illustrations and tons of information in each one. Do you use any of these?  Pricey, but we love these magazines and they are keepers around our house as we collect them. The one about robots has facts in it about self destructing memory sticks and an explanation about how handcuffs work. Chain, keyhole, ratchet and pawl are all parts of a handcuff.

source

Then we couldn’t wait any longer and had to go ahead and get started on something hands-on. I always grab my basic “go to books” that have been with me for years.

These books,  How the _____ Works are made by Readers Digest. I know, crazy, but they have been timeless while I have schooled and still have experiments we haven’t done yet.

In How the Body Works is an experiment on making fingerprints that my oldest boys did when they were Tiny’s age, so we knew right where it was. Tying in a spy or detective element makes it even better. So the objective to this experiment wasn’t just to study the types of fingerprints but to see who “moved the glass”.

Understanding the three main patterns called whorl {spirals}, arches and loops and the percentage of people in the world who have them makes for a great math assignment for your older kids.

……{Arch}…………………. Loop………………………….Whorl……………..

In the prints encountered approximately 25% – 35% are whorls,  5% -10% are arches and 65% – 70% are loops. If you had a co-op group or even in your own family, do the percentages. Obviously the more kids you have the longer it will take to figure out the percentage. It makes for a fun way to apply some math skills

After reviewing all of that, Tiny gathered all the supplies for our fingerprints.

  • sheet of colored paper
  • wide double-sided tape
  • talcum powder
  • magnifying lens
  • soft graphite pencil
  • spoon
  • felt-tip pen
  • glass
  • ruler
  • scissors
  • soft brush {uhmm clear throat here. Yes that is another one of my make up brushes that bit the dust.}
  • craft knife

While I do encourage all of you to have a high school senior set up and lead your experiment, I know

it is not always possible to have one on hand. I am telling you I have soaked up every minute we have had this year as I sit back and let him run things. Now that we are almost  to 2013, I have such mixed emotions about his pending graduation. I can’t go sappy on you now though, he is not graduated yet.

After adding the double sided tape to your grid on the paper, mix the powder and some scraped graphite, Senior style.

Then get everybody’s finger prints on the top grid after they take a dip in the graphite. (Walk away. Enjoy a cup of coffee, blog, go exercise, go read as your Senior has this one under control.)

After all the fingerprints are taken, label which prints belong to whom. Then have your youngest sleuth leave the room so you can determine who will be the offender and pick up/move the glass. Have your criminal move the glass so that his fingerprints only are on the glass. You usually have to wait some time until the oil returns back to your skin, or you can cheat like we did and add some oil to your fingertips.

Crazy kid. My sleuth leaves the room and comes back with his best sleuthing outfit. A must have to solve this crime. Tell me he is not soaking this up as he walks back into the room.

Of course the more sleuthing paraphernalia you have the better.

Use the mix of powder and graphite for the dusting powder.

Identify the prints and match to your premade grid.

Find your offending party.

With a little cheating “help” {oil on the offending party’s fingertips} so that we could do the experiment all at one time, it made for a morning of learning about forensics fun. My older boys want to do this with iodine fuming too.

I’ll be sharing our second hands on activity soon. Have you tried an easy or not so easy version of fingerprint matching before?

You know my obsession with quotes too. I love this one about fingerprints, such a terrific science lesson we had about them.

I love old books. They tell you stories about their use. You can see where the fingerprints touched the pages as they held the book open. You can see how long they lingered on each page by the finger stains.

~Jack Bowman~

Hugs and love ya,

 

 

Review of The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Finding pleasure and delight in penning thoughts is my premier goal for my sons in a writing curriculum. So during the last few weeks, I have been absolutely thrilled that The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School by Writing with Sharon Watson has been our writing mentor because it has surpassed my expectations.

I was apprehensive at first when I chose to review The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School because Mr. Awesome would rather tell a lively story with a few of his close friends gathered around than to write about it.

Because I do not want to extinguish his love for a well told story, it has been almost impossible to find a writing curriculum that fosters in him a desire to balance his story telling skills with the skills vital for nonfiction writing.

Exploring options in writing curriculum that do not use a matter-of-fact approach to teaching nonfiction writing is a second goal.

If you are looking for a writing curriculum that abandons the lack luster approach to teaching nonfiction writing then The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School by Sharon Watson is a great tool.

From my homeschool teacher’s view, I am inspired by all the evaluation forms, samples and step-by-step instructions. However, more endearing to me was hearing the constant chuckles from Mr. Awesome when he used the curriculum.

One of the most appealing features of this writing program is the witty remarks found throughout the student workbook. For example, in the first page or two of the book there are self-checking boxes to aid your teen in identifying his writing self.

A couple of the descriptions are: I would rather walk across a burning desert at high noon with buzzards circling overhead while I drag a bone-dry water bottle than write anything whatsoever and You gotta be kidding. Checking this box is enough writing for me for one day.

Mixing in the right amount of humor but not turning writing into a comical event makes The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School stand apart from the many homeschool writing curricula I have used from Kindergarten till now.

Showing how humor can be an effective teacher, it sets the bar for other homeschool writing programs.

{crazy kid}

Did I mention too that you do not have to have a DVD to inspire laughter and create a fondness for writing? 

The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School has a teacher’s guide and student workbook, but it is not DVD based.  Simple and clear to understand, the student workbook is a refreshing change to learn about how to write. 

An unexpected remark from Mr. Awesome was that when using the DVD based program that we presently have, he has to constantly refresh his memory on where he is at in the program. The pick up and go style used in The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School is another unique feature.

I have learned through this experience with Mr. Awesome that some changes in the homeschool world to create DVD based writing programs are not always good. DVD based learning can be an aid but too it can turn into a crutch for both parent and child.

When I started homeschooling, teaching writing was much more hands-on. I desire to continue that but with the format used by The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School because  it appeals to my son’s strengths.

Because I don’t want to miss one important detail, here is what is included with the format The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School curriculum.

Student Workbook

  • Font and type style are easy to read and beautiful
  • The student is easily able to see the difference between a practice session and instructions because contrasting colors of soft black and soft gray are used
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Over 100 daily lessons
  • Complete instructions for 22 essays and reports with a checklist for each assignment. Examples of some essays and types of assignments are a biography, newspaper writing, devotional, literary analysis and SAT essay. Instructions for assignments are included for all nonfiction writing modes: persuasion, exposition, description, and narration
  • It uses an incremental approach that includes a beginner writer all the way to preparing him for college readiness
  • Plenty of room on the side margins allowed Mr. Awesome to not fret about always having to retrieve an extra sheet of paper for the practice that day
  • A reference section or toolbox that encourages your student to be his own editor, nonfiction evaluation form, a how-to/process writing evaluation form, do and do not list for persuasion and many more
  • It is designed to be used as a college readiness program but it is a solid and rigorous writing program to use in the high school years too
  • There is no guessing as to the meaning of skilled and advanced writing because examples of professional writing are placed throughout
  • Appealing to the visual learner in each of us, icons are used in the student workbook so that the student is clear as to whether he is digging deeper into a topic or if it is time to use the toolbox
  • The book is designed with a tight binding and is 422 pages. Like my other curriculum, I use coil binding on our copies because we prefer for them to lay flat

Teacher’s Guide

  • Major writing assignments are listed in the beginning to help you plan and to guide your teen if they need assistance
  • Objectives are clearly stated. If you have to record keep in your state, I find this section a handy reference. If you are new to teaching writing, study this section and learn right alongside your teen
  • How to give grades is one area parents of high school teens struggle with. Explaining how to earn an A, B,C, D or F are sections that are extremely practical and useful
  • Included are writing prompts called 14 minute power surges. It is like having another whole curriculum built into this program because it can be used aside from the program. Writing prompts are listed from September to May with four weeks for each month
  • A lot of teacher guides are practically useless, but with the details and extras found in this teacher’s guides you don’t want to miss it

One more feature dear to my heart is the fact this writing program is written by a homeschool mom. The longer I homeschool, the more I value my homeschool roots.

When I review programs where an author has produced a curriculum to gain a market in the homeschool world then he quickly moves to becoming a homeschooler, it is quite obvious. That is not the case with this program.

Sharon Watson has homeschooled all of her children for 18 years and has taught high school composition, fiction writing, and literature to local homeschool students. Though, not all features of a program where the author has recently turned homeschooler is a deal breaker for me, politically correct writing prompts and essays designed to evoke independent thinking from the Creator are.

Again, you will not find that in this curriculum. Ms. Watson’s curriculum reflects a Christian worldview but her Christian-based content is sprinkled ever so lightly that I feel a secular homeschooler would not be offended. It certainly has a lot of flexibility in topic choices if you choose to substitute another one.

I declare my obvious prejudice for curriculum written by homeschoolers for homeschoolers.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, but more so because Mr. Awesome has decided to switch from his present DVD based workshops to using it as his writing coach.

Writing is an art and The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School  has given him the impetus to challenge himself further.

When you have tasted excellence such as  The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School it is hard to not become queasy at other mediocre writing curriculum. Thank you Sharon Watson!

I am so pleased with this product that I am using the younger level writing book, Jump In: A Workbook for Reluctant and Eager Writers (student workbook only) with Tiny.

Product Name: The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School

Price: Student Workbook $39.98 Teacher’s Guide $14.98

Grades/Ages to use it for:  Highschool. The Teacher’s Guide states: Students in classrooms and co-ops will most likely finish this course in one year. Students in homeschools can use this course for two years if they pause the lesson for the week it takes to research and write their essays.

You’ll love these other posts;

Hugs and love ya,

Review of Supercharged Science – Grades K – 8

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If reviews ended up being about homeschool confessions then this would be one. I am the first to admit that I am a hands-on teacher. So turning over the teaching reins to somebody else, even in the form of videos didn’t interest me, or so I thought.

I had heard of Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH before, but I didn’t really understand the e-science program until now. I think what really piqued my interest in wanting to take a gander at reviewing the Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH was the way it is laid out. It utilizes a unit study or theme approach and when I heard that I just had to give it a look. The program touted too that learning isn’t based on an age or grade level but on the child’s intrinsic value. I couldn’t agree more because science textbooks would have us believe that science know how needs to be canned and boxed by grade level.

I think, in public school, is where my science aversion started because of tiresome textbooks. Science programs would have you believe that it has to be austere or rigid in order to learn. And, that unless you are just reading tons and tons of snoring boring pages you will not get it. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Though I love to read, I am a visual and hands-on learner too and the textbooks did not satisfy my desire to learn about science. My phobia of science is not a virtue that I want my sons to follow. So I have spent my homeschool journey poring over programs that were both rigorous and hands-on while keeping it dynamic and fun.

supercharged science

So I don’t  want to make you wait for my eat humble pie confession very long so I will say right now that Supercharged Science has to be one of the best science programs we have ever used. I feel it is important to tell you why though and I will in a minute.

Getting the whole picture of why my first impression of Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH was not exactly favorable may help you to understand this confession session. First, I was under the impression that the Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH was a video only program.  Like you, I homeschool my kids because I want to be a hands-on teacher. It is equally important to me that I understand what concepts my kids are learning.  I can’t help but to vision this picture in my mind about kids perched on a chair with eyes glued to the computer watching videos. It always reminded me of mummy learning and not mommy teaching.

Second, what usually follows my video only thinking is that there are no lesson plans, vocabulary or quizzes that are printable. Now, you know I got off the public school treadmill a long while back and I am not interested in repeating what we left behind, but I do want tools so that I can expand on what my kids are learning.  Sometimes I even prefer to make my own printables or lapbooks, you know that. What I am saying is that having printable lesson plans and tools is equally important to me.

Both of those things I had all wrong about Supercharged Science. It had enough printable .pdfs to make the organized lesson planning teacher part of me happy downloading while the boys could watch any video or topic of their choice. For example, though I wanted to start on an easier topic,  Mr. Awesome and Tiny chose Unit 7 or Astrophysics. I promptly downloaded all 73 pages of the pdf and reviewed it. That is just a standard I set for myself as a teacher because I want to know what they will be learning.  The difference between Supercharged Science and other video based ones I have used before is that Supercharged Science recognizes that some parents want to be involved. As homeschool parents we don’t want to be on the sidelines but in the middle of the lesson planning. The only way to do that is to see how these concepts are being built on by being able to both print the information when desired and to watch alongside our children. I was warming up quickly to Supercharged Science.

The Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH is not a video only mummy watching process either because I determine when and how long my kids watch. I can still have our 1:1 time that I cherish so highly while using the engaging and exciting Aurora Lipper to teach us all.

There is no doubt you could get easily overwhelmed on the site but that is because you see the heart of Aurora Lipper written all over it. I don’t know about you but I will take an enthusiastic teacher who obviously loves the subjects she teaches over a bit of having to swim through a lot of content.  This is a curriculum that you definitely have to start with the Getting Started section. It may sound like that is so basic but it went a long way in me understanding how to get the full benefit of the e-science program.

Don’t just read what she says either, but watch her video as she expresses best how to use the site. Doing that we were able to pick a couple of the easy “hook me onto science” projects like the flying contraption and microwaving soap. The emphasis that science is about doing and not just reading is thinking that I agree with.

Because I have to organize things and because I know I didn’t fully understand the flexibility of this program, I made this simple chart so that you can see the many options of this program.

supercharged science

Glance above at this How to Use Supercharged Science Chart and you will see that you can use it any way you want to. For Unit 7, we started by literally jumping right into it.  We chose a topic and instantly began viewing the videos. Mr. Awesome couldn’t wait to learn about time travel and both Tiny and Mr. Awesome were ready to get started after they completed a few hands-on activities.

The first option above was the part that I did not understand that was offered by the e-science program. For me, there are moments in science when I want the boys to ponder what the Creator has done. I want to discuss with them and have them dwell on their Bible based beliefs before I give them the answer or before they watch a video. Choosing the first option gives me the flexibility to decide when that is important to me.

It’s relative to mention right now too that Supercharged Science does not profess to be secular or Christian which I too happen to appreciate. From the website: (Note: We focus on how to build the robot, take data and measurements, work a microscope, launch the rocket, why a laser works…basically sticking to the physics of what’s going on and how to build the projects. The e-Science program does not cover creation nor evolution so all families may participate.)

It covers K-12th grade Physical Science, Chemistry, Life Science, and Biology. The beauty to this program is that it takes all the work out of lesson planning unless you want to lesson plan. The themes referred to as “Study Units” range in topic from mechanics, motion, energy, sound, astrophysics to life science, chemistry and biology.  There are over 900 experiments to choose from and enough to keep us busy for hours as we pore over science topics.

supercharged science

I know exactly what I want from a science program and that is key to determining if this will work for you. If you are not sure what you want from a program then all of them will be similar. I know hands-on is key for me like I mentioned in the beginning but also I want rigorous standards. So it is a bonus that Supercharged Science meets and even exceeds some state’s standards and is aligned with the National Standards for Science. Not to be overlooked by any means is the engaging attitude of Aurora Lipper as she leads the lessons. She is not like any science teacher I ever had in school. Both Mr. Awesome and Tiny find her witty, entertaining and likable. Did I mention she use to work at NASA and teach at a university? She is not like any professor I knew either.

Supercharged Science Activities - 1

Not only do the units range in variety from topics about life science to  energy and robotics but there are over 1000 videos. So one secret I have been keeping from you are all these pictures of hands-on projects we have been doing. The boys have been so thoroughly captivated by all of the hands-on projects in this program and we have not been doing much else.  I do think this why I am behind on finishing my Home Management Binder but I don’t mind. The boys have literally been jumping from project to project and I have been letting them do so because of their curiosity and thirst for these topics.

The last thing I need to talk about is one slight rub about this program. I received 18 emails in the 5 weeks I reviewed this program. Each email is filled with nuggets of information I want to glean for the benefit of my kids. However, with the other emails I need to read for homeschooling in addition to those, many of them got overlooked. Now, I have created a special file in my inbox and just move them over in there as they come in to save and read later. I know that I would appreciate a newsletter maybe once or twice a month regularly that can be anticipated and planned instead of many emails scattered each week. If new members signed up, they could access the archives as an added membership bonus in case they joined in between emails.

It is no doubt Aurora Lipper is one of the best science teachers my boys have had and her talent shows in her emails. The communication emails could be such a treasure trove if they were all bundle up as science reading tips on a regular basis.

It has been hard to label my metamorphosis about this product into anything other than a mini story.  Summing this all up, this is what I heart about Supercharged Science.

  • At every step of the process, I can adapt the Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH to how I want to use it.
  • I do not have to give up the teaching reins but use Supercharged Science as a superior tutor.
  • I do not have to give up the time I spend 1:1 nurturing my children, but add to their love of science by using engaging and well thought out topics to ignite their passion for it.

supercharged science

  • As Not Technical Tina, I cringe when Mr. Awesome and Tiny said they wanted to make the Hydraulic Pneumatic Earth Mover. However, Supercharged Science took us step by step through the process in the video. We could watch and pause the video and come back anytime. We probably have the most colorful hydraulic pneumatic earth mover ever but my sons won’t ever forget it.
  • I appreciate that we don’t have to keep pace or in sync with any lesson plans. We determine which unit we start on and decide how long to stay and when to move on. We can spend as much or as little time on each topic.
  • All lesson materials are there for me as the organizer so I can print off contently in my curriculum planner and plan. In addition, there is a material lists that can be printed off for each unit.
  • One of the best parts we are finding too is that so many of the experiments can be done with simple things you have around the house. For example, when making the hydraulic pneumatic earth mover, we used diet coke lids as wheels. Dad had clear tubing from our bathtub business and the one thing I had to pick up were syringes from the pharmacy. Everything else we had among the junk stuff in our home.
  • I appreciate the fact evolution or creation is not addressed because I have always preferred adding our own Bible based views.
  • The program can be used by ALL the children in your home without paying extra. What a deal. Whether you have 3 or 6 kids, it can be used for all ages.
  • Even homeschool moms need substitute teachers once in awhile.  With Supercharged Science I can let the kids watch the videos, do the hands-on experiments while I take a teaching break.
  • Last but certainly, not least with over 900 experiments to choose from and with study units still coming like Bonus Advanced Astronomy, Earth Science and Advanced Robotics Lab, Supercharged Science will keep science both fun and captivating for my boys.

Thank you to Supercharged Science and to Aurora and Al Lipper. My family was completely immersed in this review and it is our privilege to be part of this wonderful e-science program. All of your hard work and dedication to the children and to science is obvious once you enter the warm and inviting doors of your website.

{Remember to go to the bottom to click the graphic to try a sampling of the e-science program.}

Product Name: Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH

Website:Supercharged Science  –Online Homeschool e-Science Program SH

Price:$37.00 per month for the K-8 or $57.00 per month for K -12. {Note: During the first month of e-Science K-8 and e-Science 9-12, members get access to the first 7 units, plus additional sections like “The Scientific Method”. In addition, if there is a later unit or two that someone wants to access early, they can just drop us an email and we’ll give them free access to it immediately. This way, if someone is working on a certain topic, they are never made to wait months to have access to it.}

Ages: My review was for K-8, but the program includes K-12.

Type of Product: Online video curriculum for K-12 graders BUT LOTS of pdf downloads and teacher’s notes for the teacher in you.

Free things you’ll love:  Get Your FREE Homeschool Science Guide With Over 30 Fun Activities!

Customer Service: My email with download arrived promptly as promised and I had a log in problem that was corrected immediately. Customer service was prompt and excellent.

Religious Perspective: From the website: (Note: The e-Science program does not cover creation nor evolution so all families may participate.  The focus of the program is on how to launch the rocket, build the robot, use a microscope, take measurements and data, etc.)

iPad or iPhone: Not available yet, but they are working on it.

Technical Requirements: The e-Science program works well on a variety of computer and browser platforms. E-Science supports the following operating systems with the latest available versions of the indicated browsers: Windows Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10Mozilla Firefox 10.0 or higher, Macintosh OS X Safari 3.0, 4.0, 5.0Google Chrome OS Google Chrome

Hugs and love ya,

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

 

 

ARTistic Pursuits, Middle School 6-8: Book One -The Elements of Art and Composition. {New} 3rd Edition.

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

At the beginning of the school year I shared with you how I was determined to add more fine arts to our school day. So when the call when out to review Middle School 6-8, Book One: The Elements of Art and Composition – 3rd Edition by ARTistic Pursuits, I was all over that.  Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Secretly, I would rather pine over studying anything related to history or geography than to teach my kids fine arts.

I have often wondered why I dread teaching art and I think I have figured it out. It is all related to having the right tools. Also, because Mr. Senior 2013 and Mr. Awesome had a private art teacher that was so inspirational when they were younger, I really felt the need to be sure that Tiny gets the best art instruction possible too.

All of this swirled around in my head as I anticipated receiving Middle School 6-8, Book One: The Elements of Art and Composition – 3rd Edition.

My test for ARTistic Pursuits was to see if they could deliver an art teacher in a book. I wanted something that didn’t just tell me to focus on the process and not the product. That may be fine if you are artfully inclined but for the rest of that are artfully challenged we wonder what the process is and where to start.

Tiny wasn’t convinced either if learning about art and drawing was for him. His arms went inside his shirt as I showed him what we were going to attempt. Poor thing, he has his momma’s apptitude for art.  ARTistic Pursuits, I feared met their match with Tiny.

When I got the book, I was first impressed with its appearance. I knew the book was quality because I had seen it before at homeschool conventions. It has comb binding so it lays flat which is always a huge deal to me when teaching. Each page is filled with drawing and sketching examples in pencil as well as color art when I flipped through it.  I was not disappointed. Then did I mention this is a BRAND SPANKING new edition – the 3rd edition? Things started off good and they just got better.

I focused on allowing the book to do the teaching. The getting started section to the students named:What Students Want to Know perked up Tiny. Out came one arm and then

the other arm as the book literally explained in a 1, 2, 3 approach about art. He figured out this may actually be an enjoyable and delightful process, and not the gut wrenching agonizing tortuous event he had conjured up in his head. He went from not wanting to do any lessons in the first week to spending several hours in one day doing multiple lessons.

Right away, I saw in the unit there was a  lesson for geography or history. Oh Yipppee for me. Give me some background so I can connect it to something I know too. For example, Lesson 2 explains about art in India. Some of the other cultures are Japan, China and Europe. I could see this book being used for a geography co-op. Discovering or exploring geography through studying world art would make a wonderful title for your co-op.

Here is a peek at the table of contents. It has 16 units with each unit having 4 lesson plans. You are encouraged to not rush each step as you learn and we didn’t. We savored each step.

Besides having our rapt attention with the background information and learning the elements of art, another favorite part about the book is that it has such a warm conversational tone. The explanations about each element of art are detailed in bite sized pieces but it also inspired Tiny to not compare his work with others. To explore his own creativity is encouraged. There are just enough guidelines to not overwhelm him but to give him  clear instructions on what to expect. That was another concern of mine because of his non-art background. He needed some guidance. Receiving guidance instead of being told to just create this or draw something in your imagination rates this as an A+1 program. He needs models and examples and that is what ARTistic Pursuits did in each lesson. Afterward, the freedom to choose something he loved and then to draw it made for a very happy beginning artist

If you need to assign grades, it comes with an evaluation sheet too. For me, because we had such mental hurdles to overcome and because Tiny has set a standard of near perfection for his art, we didn’t focus on grades. We do need to focus on the process now that we know what it is. Now, it takes even longer to observe and look closely at each object he wants to draw.

I wasn’t sure when I started this review if Tiny would let me share any pictures with you.  However, he is so proud of himself and hand-picked these masterpieces to share with you.

I am so pleased with this book and I just can’t think of anything that needs to be changed. From the way I received the book with shipping care to the timely arrival of it and presentation of the material, I would highly recommend any book in this series. My art teacher in a book is a keeper. Thanks to  ARTtistic Pursuits for this excellent product to serve the homeschool community.

Here are some facts for you in one spot so you can find them easily.

Product Name: Middle School 6-8 Book One: The Elements of Art and Composition

Website: ARTistic Pursuits:The Curriculum for Creativity

List Price: $47.95

Grades/Ages to use it for:  Ages 11 and up.

Type of Product:  Comb-binding book, 92 pages, 68 lessons, 176 illustrations. ISBN: 978-1-939394-06-4, January 1, 2013 3rd Edition

Art Supply Packs:  The art supply packs are a nice plus when you don’t know enough about top notch art supplies to purchase them on your own but you know using the right art materials makes an immense difference in the end product.  ARTistic Pursuits art supply packs come with all the art supplies you need for each book.

Customer Service: My book arrived in secure shipping order and was received at the time it was promised.

Hugs and love ya,

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

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

Homeschool Review: Lone Star Learning: Science Vocabulary Pictures, Set 1 & Free Notebook Cover

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Curriculum collecting junkie that I am, I thought I knew just about all of the homeschool friendly vendors that hail from my home state, the Lone Star state.

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So I was plain giddy to review Set 1 of the Science Vocabulary Pictures from Lone Star Learning because I had not heard of them. I know this is not suppose to be a review of all the products they have, but you’ll have to take a peek at their other products.  They are so swoon worthy.

Look at this Create-A-Folder. Can you say digital lapbook? I just had to take my time looking at everything on their site while I waited for them to ship me the Science Vocabulary Pictures.

When the vocabulary word cards arrived, the first thing I did was to try to get as many of the Science Vocabulary Pictures, Set 1 cards in a picture for you as I could. There are 40 cards in each set and they are not small either. They are 5.5″ x 8.5″ and in full color.  I am so pleased with the quality of the paper and how durable they are because I know they will hold up after much use.  We could not put them down as we wanted to go over each one and study the pictures.

I think the biggest reason I was so tickled to review these cards was because I wanted to say: FINALLY!

Finally, somebody gets the way that a lot of children learn and that is visually.  I feel teaching vocabulary is not just about writing tons of sentences over and over again as if only using it in a sentence is going to demonstrate mastery of the word and the definition. It makes me think of an example I share a lot in my workshop about teaching a foreign language. If a person does not understand a foreign language, then will showing them more words by flashing them faster in a flashcard set make them learn quicker? Will just displaying a word on a page with the definition make them suddenly “get it”. It’s crazy, but even seasoned veterans do this when we teach our children vocabulary. We write a word on a page along with a definition but provide no visual association. So the point I make in my workshop is that the age old method of learning a foreign language is picture association. I believe that learning vocabulary is like teaching a foreign language. Picture/word association makes the connection for a learner.

Then my praise for this product doesn’t stop here as I recall another struggle in my journey when I taught Mr. Awesome to read. Showing him the “A” flash card, explaining the short a sound and pointing to the “apple” was so much for him to take in. It is like he had too many mental steps to take to get the letter/sound association. Until I switched to alphabet letter people that were “objects or pictures” as one unit, he didn’t make progress.

So what I noticed immediately about the Science Vocabulary Pictures was that the word and definition are “one” in picture form. The word is not on the front and the definition on the back. You can decipher the meaning of the word from the shape or picture form of the word. I was elated and kuddos to Lone Star Learning for promoting products that our children can actually learn from.

I think it’s important for you to know too that the definitions come with the package but they are all on one card size page. It is more like a list or reference tool for you. If you are thinking about your child copying the definition, the text is not real big on that one page.

If you want your children to have the definition strips and work with matching them up to the word, you can purchase them separately like I did. They are shown here above with the vinyl pockets that I did not get.

The definitions come on a page style with 6 strips per page. I appreciate that because then I can decide if I want them laminated or not.  I will show you in a minute though what I did with these sweeties because you know I have to organize and store them.

We started using the cards right away. Because we were studying the Inuit and about the Arctic, the vocabulary cards worked right into our unit study.  The activities we focused on at the beginning was to sort the words and understand their definition in how they related to the Inuit and the Arctic. So Tiny sorted through the cards, grouping them into two piles.

One pile we focused on immediately because it was related to our Inuit and Arctic study and the second pile I saved later because it was not as relevant to our immediate topic.

Another day we focused on including all of the cards to learn but we used them to try to form acrostics as they related to our unit study. He was tickled to get the word I C E from the cards. If you have not worked with your children a lot on teaching vocabulary words or are coming to that in your journey, then check out the free section that is called Conference Handouts . It has several free downloads but the one titled Vocabulary gives you some tips on how to teach vocabulary.

Before I show you how I am storing the Science Vocabulary Pictures, I need to mention to you that because of a shipping mistake we received the Target Vocabulary Set 1 originally instead of the Science Vocabulary Pictures. Though we both know that any vendor is not required to let you keep a product when a mistake is made, Lone Star Learning did let me keep this second set of vocabulary cards.  It is rare when I am speechless but I was because of the generosity of Lone Star Learning. It sets a tone for customer service that means a lot to me if I do business with somebody.

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I was as equally impressed with the Target Vocabulary Pictures, Set 1 as I am with the Science Vocabulary Pictures. The Target Vocabulary Pictures are math vocabulary words presented visually like the Science Vocabulary Pictures. You know I told you we use Math U See for part of our math program and all of my boys, including my high schoolers, had to play with these math cards when we got them. Both sets of cards lends themselves to games like matching. We took 7 of the cards turned them face down along with the definition and then Tiny tried to see if he could match the definitions. Learning is suppose to be fun, hands-on and interactive and Lone Star Learning makes that possible.

We focused on learning the Science Vocabulary Pictures and their definition since there are 40 in the set and we will be working more with the Target Vocabulary Pictures for math more because they are 57 cards in the set we got. I have a complete unit for both math and science with these two sets.

If I could change some things about this product or should I say the description of the products I think I would focus on using the term visual learner. The website says in several places for their digital products that they help with students of special needs.  Maybe so. However, I feel we live in a very visual world and technology is catching up with that because of how many of us use an iPad in our school and use more online resources than ever before.  I don’t feel we should ever do away with print or paper as I have always said I am a paper girl living in a digital world. But using a term like visual learner to explain their products, instead of focusing on special needs only, encompasses a lot more us who have strong visual modes as part of our learning style. I think it is best to learn through many modes and visual needs to be seen as more than just for special needs.

Also, I had emailed them a question I had about my product and they informed me that they have been doing some website revisions but I feel, it would be easier to navigate the products if they had more uniform product names. I wasn’t sure if that was being worked on or not. Maybe because of my need to organize but I feel the Target Vocabulary Pictures should match in product name to the Science Vocabulary Pictures. Target Vocabulary makes me think of words in general and not math concepts. I may have overlooked the Target Vocabulary Pictures about math just because of the title. A term like Math Vocabulary Pictures makes it easier to remember. Though each math card may not have pictures on them, each word is presented in a visual manner, so the term is pretty consistent with the Science Vocabulary Pictures.

Now if I get to dream of new products on the site, I would wish for sets of cards that would be theme or unit based. I love, love, love the fact that the cards are not grouped by age level or grade but by needs. Would it be a stretch to wish for a “rain forest theme only” set, a “chemistry theme only” set or “plant theme only” set?

Because these two products are keepers in my home and because we will be using all of the cards for a while longer, I needed a place to organize my newest babies. I thought about Avery’s Protect and Store Mini 1 inch binder that is 5.5 by 8.5 inches . You mean not everybody  keeps binder sizes in their heads and dreams about what they can store next in a binder? Weird.

Organization heaven. The math cards fit right into the storage pocket on the left side of the binder. Then, I purchased some Avery sheet protectors and added two Science Vocabulary Pictures to each page, front and back. It is the perfect tool for storing these beauties.

The definition strips I purchased separately fit in the pocket and we can concentrate on the ones we want to learn each day by matching them up, taking them out of the pocket or leaving them in so they can be memorized. LOVE IT!!!

Then I had to make a pretty cover so it matches my school room decor. Would you like a free pretty cover for your notebook? I used the title Science Vocabulary Pictures since our focus is on the science.

Download here a front cover, a binder side insert, and a back cover for your mini notebook.

I hope you love the cover. Here are some quick facts at a glance in one spot about the Science Vocabulary Pictures so you can locate them easily.

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Product Name: Science Vocabulary Pictures, Set 1

Website:  Lone Star Learning

Price: From $29.99

Grades/Ages to use it for:  They are not arranged by grades but by sets. Again, I love this part. Look over each set to determine what your needs are. So you have an idea though about grade level they are intended Grades 3-8.

Type of Product:  Available in 5.5″ x 8.5″ full color, coated cards that show the word and its meaning in picture form. Digital products available too.

Accessories you will love:  Vinyl pockets, Vocabulary Definition Strips, and Vocabulary Spanish Word Strips.

Customer Service: My question emailed to them was answered quickly and thoroughly the next day.  My experience in customer service was excellent.

I already purchased the definition strips and know that I will be purchasing more items from Lone Star Learning. Overall, I was delighted with both of the products I received and would highly recommend them to you if are struggling to teach your children science or math or if you don’t want to begin to struggle. Again, be sure to look over all of their products. I have my wish list going already and I can’t help but say that I am proud to give you a shout out about this vendor from my home state.

Hugs and love ya,

{Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.}