Visual Learning Systems- Schoolhouse Crew Review

I am so excited to share this review with you!  And trust me when I say that it is a big deal, but because quite frankly, science is not always my favorite subject to teach.  Three cheers for a company that has changed my mind!

For the past 6 weeks, we have been blessed to review an online science program by Visual Learning Systems (VLS) called Digital Science Online: Elementary Edition (Grades K-5) and Digital Science Online: Secondary Edition (Grades 6-12).   VLS is an online program for ages K-12, and based on series of videos covering all aspects of Science.  Yes, Earth, Life, and Physical Science are all covered as well as Health and Biology, in hundreds of videos.   When you access a level, you then choose which area you would like to study, (physical, earth or life) and then which sub category under that.  The sky is the limit with hundreds of videos available.  Don't see a subject you are looking for?  No problem!  There is a search button for each level that will help you locate a specific subject quickly.
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A little about the videos-

• For ease, the videos are grouped according to level- Primary, Elementary, and Middle/High School.
• Primary videos are about 10-11 minutes in length.  Elementary last about  14-15 minutes and the Middle/High School levels are about 20 minutes.
• Each video is broken down into shorter segments, so that you can watch them like "chapters."
• The videos are narrated by a female in a clear and easy to listen to voice.
• Each video begins with an overview, teaches a concept, reviews, and then ends with a video quiz.
• Throughout the videos are areas that allow you to pause the video to answer questions that are presented, or discuss a concept.
• The videos are mostly live action, but there are also animated sections as well, like how the digestive system works.
• In case it matters to you, this program does meet state science standards as well as Next Generation Science Standards.

When you are done with a video, you have only just begun!  On the side menu of each video are several other options.  One of those options is a student activity tab.  Here you will find numerous worksheets you can print off.  Worksheets include pre and post tests, experiments and other hands on materials, and activity worksheets like fill in the blank and puzzles.

A little about the worksheets-

• Just like the videos, the worksheets are age specific.  Worksheets for younger levels have larger writing and fewer questions.  Tests are the same.
• You will find more than several worksheets per video to print off.
• Activities encourage reading comprehension, writing skills and listening comprehension, as well as creativity.
• Other tabs on each side bar include animations of each video and still pictures.  I would assume these would get used more in a public school setting, but we did look at them in a few cases.
• Worksheet answer keys, as well as full teacher guides are available in a separate teacher's account.

So, how did we use this program?
We are currently in the middle of  2nd grade science so I went into this review thinking this would be "just" an extra fun bonus program.  Plans change, right?  (oh, the glory of homeschooling!)  As soon as we watched ONE of the videos we were hooked!  For the first two weeks, we chose a video to watch one day and then picked several corresponding worksheets to do the following day as a review. We did not do the pre tests, but we did choose to do the post tests to see how much CJ was comprehending.  He scored 100% every time!  Because we had just finished studying animals we used those two weeks to watch as many animal based videos as we could, both at the primary AND secondary levels.
After two weeks, I decided I should move on with our full time curriculum so we changed things up a bit.  You will be surprised at what happened.  Instead of doing less with Visual Learning Systems, we ended up doing more.  After our regularly scheduled science EACH day, we would use the search button to find videos on what we had just learned.  My son and I would sit together and watch the video, with his 7th grade brother even joining us occasionally.  After that I printed out the post test and at least one other worksheet to do.  Yes, it added more work for him. No, not ONCE did he ever complain.  I stand amazed!

What did we think?
We clearly love Visual Learning System's online program.  It is a perfect fit for our son who loves to use the computer in his school day.  While he is not an auditory learner per se, the reinforcement that he is getting each day with a different mode of teaching is helping to solidify the information he is learning,  The videos, of course, just make it more fun.  I would highly recommend this program if you have auditory or visual learners, for sure!

While we found that yes, you can see and hear a difference in the first two levels, CJ, as a 2nd grader had no trouble or preference watching either level.  He did however prefer the worksheets for the primary level, due often to less writing  requirements.  He IS a 7 year old boy, remember!

The activities have made it fun as well.  Our third week we began a unit on the human body and he loved the assignment of tracing his body and drawing in the organs he had learned about that day.  Since we already had a set of x-rays, it was a perfect tie in to our other science.  If your child likes hands on activities, you will find lots to choose from to keep them busy!

For those of you who do not love worksheets, not to worry,  They are comprehensive, but not too much to take up tons of time.  You also of course, can choose not to use any of them if so you desire. The videos can stand alone.  The advantage, of course, to using the worksheets offered is that I believe, you could use this as a complete science program, particularly at the two lower levels.  We did watch a few of the highschool level videos but did not do any of those worksheets, for obvious reasons.

A note to you- Visual Learning Systems is not presented from a Christian point of view.  I think I heard one reference (in 6 weeks worth of usage) about the age of fossils that I did not agree with, coming from a young earth perspective. While at this time, that would not deter me from using this program, you should be aware of that if it would bother you.

Would I change anything?
The only thing I think homeschooling moms would LOVE is if there was a checklist of sorts so you can easily see which of the videos you had already viewed.  We are type A bunch of gals you know! There is a catalog you can access which will show you all of the videos available for each of the levels.

Where do we go from here?
Continuing on, just like the past few weeks!  I am so thrilled to have been introduced to this amazing online Science program.  Already I have seen my son's knowledge grow by leaps and bounds, and my anxiety in teaching science diminish.  Can you believe it- science is actually fun!

Visual Learning Systems has a free preview you can sign up for to see what you think.  The homeschool edition can be purchased for $99.00.

WriteShop- TOS Crew Review

Do you teach writing in your house?  For us it is a subject that, in the past, I have pushed off until middle school and beyond.  Other subjects took precedence and quite frankly, I just did not enjoy teaching it.

Last year I was introduced to WriteShop and all of that changed.  Actually, I had the privilege to review WriteShop Junior Level D for my older son and liked it so much, I went back and bought Level A for my then 6 year-old.  We used it last year and loved it. 

For the past few months I have been reviewing  WriteShop Primary: Book B Set for 1st and 2nd graders, as well as reluctant 3rd graders and guess what?  Love it as well!  The set includes the Teacher's Guide as well as an Activity Set Worksheet Pack.

WriteShop is a unit style writing program for grades K-6th grade.  Beginning with Level A and continuing on through Level E, it teaches writing in a fun and non-threatening way.  Using a combination of parent-led writing and moving on to student-led writing, WriteShop engages kids with writing prompts, a fun worksheet per unit, and additional activities and game ideas.

Dividing each unit in to 8 "days," WriteShop provides lesson plans for a 3 day a week, covering one lesson every three weeks, or 4 day a week schedule, covering a lesson every two weeks.  There is a schedule that allows you to complete a lesson in one week, but it is recommended only for very fast paced or motivated 3rd or 4th graders.

Here's how the days break down -

Activity 1- Introduction of the unit theme and the worksheet

Activity 2- Reading of a picture book and pre-writing activities

Activity 3- Brainstorming and organizing ideas

Activity 4- Creating a story using the skills learned

Activity 5- Editing and Revising

Activity 6- Guided writing practice

Activity 7- Publishing your project

Activity 8- Evaluating your child's work and a "want to do more" day which provides additional ideas and projects

Themes for Level B include:

Writing a letter

Standard Spelling

Acrostics

Poems and Nursery Rhymes

Fairy Tales

In the News

Humor

Problem and Solution

Character and Setting

Story Organizers

How we used WriteShop Primary: Book B  We have been using WriteShop Level B for our newly turned 7 year old, who will be beginning 2nd grade in August.  We chose to do four lessons a week, covering a unit every two weeks.  This gives us Fridays off, or just provides a built-in extra few days in case we decide we need more time to write.  That has happened! 

What we think -  As I mentioned earlier, we really do love WriteShop.  I love the friendly approach that makes writing fun.  No extra fluff here! Writing is the goal, and you do a lot of it.  Each day begins with guided writing, where the teacher does most of the writing.  When we start off the week and I am doing the writing for CJ, he is relaxed and able to just concentrate on his work.  By me writing for him, his ideas flow! Sometimes extensively!  He also likes the brainstorming days, again because I am writing for him and he is free to be creative without being bound to what he can spell or how fast he can write.  We ease into him writing his story by the end of the first week and by the end of the second he is doing his stories all on his own.  

One of the other things I really like about WriteShop is that has a scripted example on several days of what should take place.  While our conversations never look quite like theirs, it is often a big help to me just to get us started.  In addition, within the teacher's guide there is information on creating a writing center and an extensive section on teaching the lessons.  If this is your first time teaching WriteShop, this is a MUST READ section.  It has many helpful hints that you will need to know.  Also tucked into the pages of the teacher's guide are "parents say..." sections - little quotes and ideas from other parents who have used the program and variations they have used with success.  If any advanced preparation is required on your part, that information is in a highlighted box at the beginning of each lesson.

Two of the things that CJ likes best is the worksheets, which says a lot, and the creative ideas.  Making word families on flowers is more fun that just making a list!  Another technique we have used a lot is making a word bank before he writes.

front of worksheets

back of worksheets

Writing his Acrostic on a pillowcase was just more fun!  He looks forward to project days the most.

When we used the program last year he enjoyed the publishing part of the week the best.  This year I have found that that is not as big of a deal, but if you have a kid that loves to share their work with other family members, ideas like making a holiday party favor with your child's poem or making a basket of "story loaves" will be sure to bring them joy.

Overall, I have no hesitancy in highly recommending WriteShop for your beginner writers.  It is a good, solid writing program that I think will give your student a head start with writing.  We will continue to use it through each level!


Prices- 
WriteShop Primary: Book B Set-$35.95

You can find WriteShop here-
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeshop 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/writeshop
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/writeshop/boards/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kimkautzer 
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Writeshop/ 

TOS CREW Review- Supercharged Science

 

Recently we were given the opportunity to review Supercharged Science  e-science program for grades K-8th, though it does have high school levels as well!  Developed by engineer and scientist Aurora Lipper, Supercharged Science is all about adding fun and excitement to your science program. 

 

I am not a science kind of mom and just reading about experiments makes me weary!  There are supplies to gather, safety to think about and failed opportunities lingering in the back of my mind.  Nice, huh?  So I have to tell you that this review was a stretch for me, but I so desire to have my kids like science and to actually get to see and do some fun experiments that I took a leap of faith.  Supercharged Science far exceeded my expectations.





About Supercharged Science-
Once you are logged into the e-science portion of Supercharged Science, you are free to choose from the various units available.  When you join you will be given access to the first 7 units and then will have two additional units opened each month.  If there is a specific unit you really want to access you can email Aurora and she will open the unit for you.  Customer service is one of their strong points!  There are Units on Chemistry, Biology, Light, Matter and even Math just to name a few.  After selecting a unit, you will have a side menu to choose from that includes the lesson reading, which also has a print friendly button, and then the experiments.  Included in the reading pages are discussion question as well as the answers.  Each unit has multiple experiments you can watch and chose to try.  There are over 1000 experiments total on the site so you will have plenty to pick from.  Supply lists for each experiment are printable as well making it easy for you to shop for any supplies you may need.  Some experiments are easy to do with things you are likely to have on hand, while more advanced ones will require more speciality items.

Here is the best part in my opinion- you can WATCH the experiments.  Each and every one of them!  That may sound trivial to you, but trust me, there have been many an experiment that we have been directed to do in a science book that did NOT turn out like it said it would.  I am convinced that if we had been able to SEE what they were talking about we would have had a better chance of being successful.  There is nothing more frustrating as having an epic fail on an experiment.  After watching the experiment, then you are ready to try it yourself.  Or not.  There were some that I felt were safe enough for us to try, but there are just some that I prefer to watch someone who knows what they are doing do it.   Either way, my kids have gotten to see some neat things, which is more than I can say previously when their wimpy mom read an experiment and said no way!  Yes, I am a chicken, and yes, I prefer to let Aurora do some of the more advanced experiments without me.  If you have a question or just want to make a comment on the experiment you tried you can post on the website and Aurora will answer you back!

 

Our experiences-

There is no doubt in my mind that you can use Supercharged Science as your primary science program and stay busy for a very long time!  Each unit has enough reading material and experiments to keep you busy for several weeks depending on how many of the experiments you chose to try.  I allowed my 5th grader to chose a unit to start with.  Wouldn't you know he would chose Unit 9- Light Waves!  I printed off the reading pages, a hefty 33 pages, and we spent the week reading all about  light waves, photons and lasers.  The following week we set to work on experiments.  We tried things like playing with lasers and seeing why a pencil looks like it bends in a glass of water.  My son's favorite experiment by far was focusing the sun's light to burn a leaf.  We watched Aurora do the activity first, then went outside to try our luck.  Even the five year old joined in the fun!

 

The second unit we choose, with a little more guidance from mom was unit 3 on Matter.    While this unit I thought was a little more challenging as far as the reading went, we still enjoyed it and learned that there are actually more than three states of matter and got to see a new one we learned about by microwaving a grape!  Plasma is ionized gas and can be seen as a bright light when you zap a sliced grape in the microwave.  Very cool!

 



Simple Hovercraft

One of the areas on the website that we really liked and found to be less time intensive was the tab Simple Experiments and Videos.  Here is where we found experiments with a little background material and a simple set of instructions.  We enjoyed trying the simple hovercraft, catapults, and disappearing beakers.  I love this area because there are just some days when our energy is low and time is at a premium, but the kids still need a science lesson.  While you may not be able to base an entire lesson on those experiments without a little effort, you can keep kids happy by filling in with them occasionally.   Often times Aurora will send out a quick email with a experiment link and my boys have learned to watch for those emails with excitement.  One of their favorite- heating up Ivory soap in the microwave to see what happens when water molecules are heated up.



Heating up Ivory soap

Additional thoughts-
My kids really liked this program!  If I had just looked at the price alone, I probably would have shied away from it, but after using it like we have, I am excited to continue on.  I found the site easy to navigate and I love having such quick access to a real scientist if any questions arise.  Aurora and her team are super at what they do and it is clear that they love it as well!  Keep in mind, this is NOT watered down science.  The readings are challenging at times and an elementary child would have a hard time following along, in my opinion.  But the experiments can be enjoyed by all and surely they are learning something by just watching.  If nothing else, they will begin at an early age to appreciate science.  I wish this had been around when I was young.  Maybe I would have not turned out to be such an experiment chicken!  I encourage you to give it a try!

Pricing-
For the K-8th grade level- $37.00 per month
For High school level- $57.00 per month

As a bonus for our readers, Supercharged Science is giving you access to some free sample activities and projects. This will give you a chance to try out some activities for free to see how they work for your kids. To access this free sample from e-Science, go to: www.superchargedscience.com/savs-opt-tos1.htm" In Addition, if you are on the fence about signing up, take a minute to go to this page and read "What's so great about this program? It has a great chart comparing it to other programs!


   

CREW Review- Song School Spanish

I am so excited to be able to start my TOS CREW year off with this review!  Foreign languages have always been important to our family, but never so much as after we adopted our youngest son from Guatemala.  Now instead of just being a minor interest, we feel a huge responsibility to make the Spanish language a part of our lives.  Easier said than done when you are not bilingual.  I knew I should have paid more attention to my high school Spanish teacher.  Thank goodness for companies like Classical Academic Press.  For the past few years our oldest daughters have used their Spanish for Children with much success and have loved it.  You cannot imagine my excitement when I heard they had a new program out intended for younger children.  

Yes, Classical Academic Press (CAP) has done it again!  This program is amazing and I feel so blessed to have been able to review it.  

    Intended for kindergarten through second grade, Song School Spanish gently introduces young children not only to Spanish vocabulary, but also to basic conversation.  Through catchy songs, rhymes, stories and activities the child gets repeated opportunities to learn about five new words a week as well as phrases to use those words in.  CAP suggests a three day a week lesson plan, broken into very manageable segments for young children.  There are some work pages in the Student Book to write in, along with a few pages of cut outs in the back to be used for the puppet type activities.     In addition, the teacher's manual not only has all the answers for the worksheets, but also has extra pages for review, one for each chapter and two for each review section, and an end of the book review.  These are great for a child who needs a little extra practice or just really enjoys worksheets.   Another resource available is the CAP website you can go to for a fun game as well as free resources.   So how did we use this product? My original intent was to use this three days a week, but let's just say that did not happen.  Instead we did Spanish five days a week!  We have really had fun with this program.  On day one I introduced the new vocabulary and listened to the corresponding songs.  If you have any trouble with pronunciation, there is an audio file that can be downloaded from CAP to help you out.  Bonus!  On day two we would review the words, taking turns saying them, sing the songs again, and do the lessons in the book.  Because CJ is not writing independently, I would read most sections and he would answer out loud.  He was able to do the activities that were matching or drawing a picture with just a little guidance.  I would suspect this would be the case for most kids in Kindergarten, though I have no doubt first and second graders could do the work independently.  On day three we would again review the vocabulary and songs and do the last section for the lesson, Show What You Know, a great summary of all that you learned.  We continued on days four and five singing the songs, using the puppets to make up stories, do the additional activity page in the teacher's guide and did I mention, sing songs?  And sing some more?    That was, of course, one of our favorite parts...the CD.  CJ loves these songs and begs to sing them, even on days we do not do Spanish.  I encourage you to hop over to CAP's site and listen to a few.  Beware, they are catchy.  You WILL wake up some mornings singing them!  The words to each song are included in the children's book as they are introduced, but once we learned them, we put the book aside and we danced!  

  Yes, I know the picture is blurry!  That is because now every time we put in the CD we dance.  And there is just no getting a motion picture with this kiddo that you can see clearly!  

Meet Tortuga!

Because CJ is an active learner, we also used the puppet figures extensively.  We used not only the stories in the book, but also made up our own little conversations and plays.  They even came out when we sang songs...I figure if we can have fun while we learn, he will stick with it longer.  You can probably finish a lesson in about 15 minutes, but we often went 30 or more because of all the things he wanted to add.  Singing and dancing, anyone?   Our bottom line- We loved this curriculum.  I love the blended approach Classical Academic Press takes in teaching a second language.  They call it code switching.  By combining English and Spanish in one sentence, they slowly introduce a child to the new words without overwhelming them all at once.  Using songs and chants on a daily basis further solidifies the new knowledge in a fun, catchy way that makes learning fun, at the same time reaching children with various learning styles.  If you are in the market for a Spanish program for your younger kids, this is the one I recommend!   The details-  We received the student book and CD, which sells for $24.95, as well as the teacher's guide which sells for $24.95 as well.  An additional resource that you may wish to buy is the Spanish Amigo Match game or you can purchase the entire bundle which sells for  $66.95        Adios Amigos!        Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew 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.