TOS Crew Review: Beyond Five in a Row Volume 3

I have been using the Five in a Row unit curriculum for years now. It started innocently enough, I went looking for a program that would entice my struggling student and happened across it. She was not the least bit interested in learning to read, nor cared much for anything I had already purchased, tried and tossed aside. As soon as I understood the concept of FIAR, and then began my epic "rowing" experience; I realized I found a real "keeper" for sure.

Most homeschoolers are aware of Five in a Row, but some may never have had the opportunity to "row" across the Homeschool Bay with it. Basically, it is designed as a simple unit program wherein you have a selection of books from which to choose from. By simple, I mean that you do not spend every waking hour running from pillar to post to collect the needed materials. After deciding which one you'd like to study, you read the book once a day for five days (if you so choose to do; some we read 5x a day others just a couple during the week), and then add in extra studies such as art, math, science activities, and literature discussion.



They offer Before Five in a Row, which I purchased for my son when he turned four. We loved the story selections and it was just enough to keep his attention, but not be complete overkill to the point of him loathing having to do "school". It was a great introduction to reading wholesome stories while still snuggling up close on the couch with my son. When he outgrew (he still begs to be read the story, The Red Carpet) we bumped him up to our collection of the elementary level Five in a Row books. There are 3 volumes dedicated to your 4-8 (I say actually 5 and up) year old child, with the fourth book (aimed for your 7-8 year old) now available in units in digital format. The beauty of the program is that you do not have to follow any set order, you decide which book you want to read out of any of the guides. They are all independent units, so mix and match all you want. For the upper age range (7-8 years) I do add a math program, Bible, additional literature selections of historical subjects and a few other miscellaneous areas to beef it up, but it could stand alone for the most part-just depends on how much time you have and want to spend on it.




I have been eyeing the Beyond Five in a Row since the time my daughter hit the Beyond's suggested age range (8-12 years), but since I already had several other things on my shelves, I chose to forgo it. But oh, how I pondered it over the years hence. Well, not anymore, as I am now the proud owner of the third book in the Beyond series.

What a delight to finally work my way through this next level of FIAR. What makes this different from the previous selections is that each volume covers four chapter books (2 fiction and 2 non-fiction)each. These are designed to take the student through one book per semester. There is plenty to keep the student busy too: History and Science, Language Arts, Writing and Discussion, Internet Connections, Fine Arts, Human Relationships and more. This is definitely meaty, and much more thorough than the younger grades assignments/discussions. They do mention that you will need to add math, grammar/spelling/handwriting to your child's subject plans, and I do suggest adding more Bible lessons (FYI: they do have a Character Study Supplement as well), and perhaps a bit more history; if you prefer to have it covered a tad more in depth, or simply want to ripple off the original subject to enhance it.



We are currently working our way through the classic, A Cricket in Times Square by George Seldon. We can then move on to any one of the other three choices in this volume: Neil Armstrong-Young Flyer, The Saturdays or Marie Curie-And the Discovery of Radium. Since my student is a boy who loves adventure this is a great choice to start with. For those whose student is of the female persuasion, Volume 2 would be your best bet, as it covers Sarah Plain and Tall and the book Skylark, as well as Helen Keller and the Story of George Washington Carver. The first volume offers up the classics, The Boxcar Children, Homer Price, Thomas Edison and Betsy Ross.

Overall, these are fantastic if you have children who truly enjoy learning through adorable and classic stories, as well as hands on activities. It is not your typical unit study approach, because it feels less stressful than others we have tried. It is definitely one that will stay on our shelves for years to come (after all, I am only a few years shy of having grand babies to teach) and I look forward to continuing our "rowing" through the Beyond FIAR volumes.




to

depending on what level you are using

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Five in a Row Home Page

Digital FIAR homepage

Beyond Five in a Row information page. Each $24.95

Five in a Row Series
for ages 4-8 $35 each with new spiral binding, the 3rd book still is available in the reg. binding for $25

Before Five in a Row for ages 2-4 $24.95

Additional goodies to go along with your unit studies:
"Lapbooks" or as they call them: Fold-and-Learns

Beyond Fold and Learn

FIAR Fold and Learn

Before FIAR Fold and Learns

***Now I am sure your eyes are hurting from all this reading, but I really want to mention a couple last minute helps....
For the FIAR series-they have you use what are called Story Disks to go with each book to teach geography. I went to WalMart and purchased a printed world/continents panel in the material section in this previous post of mine, you can see it in the moving picture box at the bottom of the post-look for it above the desk area-it is blue. I had a friend surge the edges and it now hangs in the classroom. I laminated the disks and then stuck one of those little circle Velcro dots to the back and on the map where it is suppose to go (for the make believe places or ones we really weren't sure on, we made an educated guess). It really is nice to look at and holds up to years of handling.
My other suggestion is that if you find the FIAR to be just what you were looking for-and are looking for the books, try your library when they purge their shelves, used book sites or eBay, but watch it there though-it can get overpriced in a hurry. I truly found that having our own collection is best. I have quite a few of them already, and will continue to build our library of FIAR books. Best of all-we are not bound to the constraints of the library's schedule so that we can savor the stories over and over again.

Be sure to visit the TOS Crew Homepage for more reviews on this and many other fine homeschool products.

**Five in a Row provided me with the free copy of The Beyond Five in a Row-Volume 3 book, in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Cadron Creek: Where the Brook and the River Meet Unit study

I had heard of the Anne of Green Gables study quite a few years back, when a fellow homeschooling mom mentioned that her daughter would be starting it that particular fall. My eldest daughter was at the perfect age to begin the study, but alas-I had already purchased our curriculum for the year; and having just birthed our fourth child that summer-I knew it was not an option for us. I have pondered the Where the Brook and the River Meet many times hence, and yet-never purchased it. Well, after receiving it as a review product I just shake my head in regret. What a shame, as it has proven to be quite worthwhile, and know that my eldest would have truly enjoyed this study. Fortunately, my lovely 14 year old daughter is now able to dip her toes in the gentle river flowing through Anne's Avonlea, as it meanders through the early 20th Century era.




The revised edition offers up more than the discussion the chapters found in Anne of Green Gables by Maud Montgomery, but extends the program to encompass those very things that Ms. Montgomery experienced while growing up on Prince Edward Island, the goings on in her world at the turn of the century, and the beauty of the written word found in popular poetry and literature of the day. The Victorian Age is one of my most favorite historical eras, so this is especially intriguing to me. More over, my daughter has developed the love of the Age, so she too is finding this study to be most exciting as well.

Where the Brook and River Meet guide is divided into nine units (which cover a select set of chapters) that are broken down by activities the student is to complete. In the beginning of the manual, author Margie Gray, has thoughtfully laid out the mechanics of working through the study, how the different activities translate into high school credits, and offers Reading Contracts for Bible, History, Literature and Occupation Education which the student is to sign upon completion of said assignments in order to earn a particular grade. This combination creates a very easy way to track the student's progress, and to then assign a final credit to each subject. This is a one or two year study-depending on the speed of which the student wants to go through it.

Each chapter starts with a book list, a syllabus which notes the cooresponding activities, and a study guide to fill in. Please note: the instructor should inquire, assist and aid the student-but for the most part they can and should be able to work through this on their own. Literature, Bible, Health, Occupational Education, Fine Arts, Grammar/Writing and History are covered. You will need to supply your own programs for Math, Science, Foreign Language (all though she does encourage the study of Latin-you will still need to have a source for it), and other various electives your student may also want to work on during the study.



As a part of our package, we also received the book, Anne's Anthology, compiled and edited by Margie Gray. Since Ms. Montgomery sprinkled in much prose and poetry throughout her novel on Anne Shirley, no study on the series would be complete without such a lovely companion. It only makes sense to include this as well. This is a collection of several of the harder to find Victorian poems that were such a part of that era. Quotes from the Anne of Green Gables novel, with the drawings and photographs all add to it's charm. Also suggested for the study, is the Annotated Anne of Green Gables. This actually contains the novel, and valuable commentaries which cover the era and the book itself. If I had to make a tough financial choice, and could only get one or the other-I would recommend the Annotated Anne, as it is most beneficial and offers up the best bang for your buck. By all means, since this is a year or two long study, my ultimate suggestion would be to buy the Book Pack which contains all three of the resources.

This meaty program is a unit study; therefore, in order to get the full benefit of it, it will require more work for the homeschool instructor and student alike. If you are new to unit studies, then I suggest taking the slower approach (at first anyway) of stretching out the chapter assignments until the student is more comfortable with how it works. The study also requires a host of various books which are needed to complete it. A list is provided in the Introduction section and in the Planning Guide before each chapter. In addition to these, I would like to see a Master Book List-cataloging each book needed for each chapter/unit, so that I am sure not to miss anything, and/or can find/request them from my local library. I also would like to see a new, updated page reference list, for a current edition of Anne of Green Gables since the study uses the 1987 edition (if you are not using the Annotated Anne), which is becoming difficult to locate. This would avoid time delays from having to scour the newer edition for the specific page referred to in the guide. I should think a PDF file on their website should suffice for both of these suggestions. Other than that, my daughter and I also found that we preferred to continue with our current history studies, and only chose a few of the listed books referring to those historical time frames. I am a proponent for studying history in blocks of time (instead of in snippets) so as to truly develop knowledge and understanding of it. Hence, our decision to opt out of most of the history selections.

Luckily, I already had a large collection of the minor books used within the study and so, did not have to purchase them. If you chose to do the Where the Brook and River Meet study, I suggest ordering the basic book pack, then carefully going through the study to make notation of any additional books you will need (that you do not own or have access to), in order to have them ready and waiting for use. I also recommend that you take time to pre-read the study, as far ahead as time permits, so that you have a better understanding of what the next section will cover.



Overall, if you are a unit study kind of family, this will be a great fit for your high school student (I do not recommend this for children younger than 13-14 years old, due to the work load and reading requirements); and if you have never tried the unit study approach this should be a great way to begin them. Remember, you are not required to do everything, and should tailor it to your student's ability and your family's learning style. Frankly speaking, Anne Shirley (with an "e") is a delightful character which deserves special attention, and the Where the Brook and River Meet is a great way to provide just that.






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Cadron Creek Homepage
Where the Brook and River Meet Study Guide: $65.00
Anne's Anthology: $29.95

Anne's Pack: Study Guide, Annotated Anne of Green Gables and Anne's Anthology- $114.00




Anne's Daily Pack: Consists of Study Guide, Annotated Anne of Green Gables, Anne's Anthology, Writer's Inc., and the Green Gable Letters- $150.00



I have included some helpful links to add to your study



L.M. Montgomery resource link

Prince Edward Island Info

Official PEI site: order or instantly download your free island guide (upper right-hand corner)

Head to our TOS Crew Review Homepage for more information about Cadron Creek's Study Units, and many other fine homeschool products.

**Cadron Creek provided me with the free copy each of Where the Brook and the River Meet Unit Study Guide and Anne's Anthology Book, in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Math Tutor DVDs : Basic Math and Algebra II

Where can you get 6-8 hours worth of tutoring in math, for only $26? That is easy to answer-through a Math Tutor DVD. If you are looking for a way to refresh, instruct or receive some basic tutoring in many areas of math, then this would be a good option for you. Math is usually the subject that makes the homeschool teacher a bit stressed. If you currently have a math program that is working; but your student is still struggling in certain areas or with a particular concept-the Math Tutor could be the solution. These are designed to cover the major themes that usually cause a few tears, gray hairs and a bit of excess tension betwixt student and instructor.

I found that the program was sufficient for those seeking the extra attention some students need. You can select the area of difficulty and focus on that area until mastered; simply by clicking your remote to the proper area. I recommend spending time at their site, to see what is available. They also offer up sample video sessions to get a feel for their program and free on-line tutoring.

We were sent the Basic Math Word Problems and Algebra II DVDs. My 14 year old daughter spent time reviewing the Basic Math one for me, and found it to be decent. She did feel the instructor could be a bit more lively, and a tad less repetitive; as those two issues detracted from the purpose of the series. With some better editing and a bit more spunk, we both feel that these could be more appealing to the struggling student. If you are looking for an economical way to receive the extra attention, these should fit the bill.




The basic math DVD covers word problems for the lower to upper elementary student.
Total DVD Run Time: 8 Hours

Disc 1
Section 1: Adding Whole Numbers
Section 2: Subtracting Whole Numbers
Section 3: Multiplying Whole Numbers
Section 4: Dividing Whole Numbers
Section 5: Adding Decimals
Section 6: Subtracting Decimals
Section 7: Multiplying Decimals
Section 8: Dividing Decimals

Disc 2
Section 9: Adding Fractions
Section 10: Subtracting Fractions
Section 11: Multiplying Fractions
Section 12: Dividing Fractions
Section 13: Percents, Part 1
Section 14: Percents, Part 2
Section 15: Ratio and Proportion***



The Algebra II is designed for your high schooler, but after watching it, the instruction could actually give younger students a good idea of what it is all about-especially those little math whizzes out there.

Total DVD Run Time: 6 Hours

Disk 1
Section 1: Graphing Equations
Section 2: The Slope Of A Line
Section 3: Writing Equations Of Lines
Section 4: Graphing Inequalities
Section 5: Solving Systems Of Equations By Graphing
Section 6: Solving Systems Of Equations By Substitution
Section 7: Solving Systems Of Equations By Addition

Disk 2
Section 8: Solving Systems Of Equations In Three Variables
Section 9: Simplifying Radical Expressions.
Section 10: Add/Subtract Radical Expressions.
Section 11: Multiply/Divide Radical Expressions.
Section 12: Solving Equations With Radicals.
Section 13: Fractional Exponents.
Section 14: Solving Polynomial Equations.
Section 15: The Quadratic Formula.***


Since my son is in college now, and has already completed Algebra, I asked him to watch the DVD on the Algebra II. I have decided to post his review, since it sums up what I felt as well. There is a CD you can purchase which contains the problems discussed, in order to actually practice them. The information concerning the additional CD is located at the bottom of the review.

I asked him to watch it and then he sent an email to me:

"My thoughts? Well, he seemed a little nervous being in front of the camera. He moved his hands a lot, which kinda got distracting, and to be honest, a bit annoying. Anyway, as for the lecture? Well, it's good. It's simple for anyone to understand who has taken algebra. It definitely is a good review tool for people to refresh how they do the problems, such as Graphing Equations and so on. It is a good program. I would recommend it to anyone who could use it just as a review tool. I'm not sure I would make it a necessary component of a teaching lesson, it should be there more as a tool just to help understand the material. And like he said at the start of the video, he only covers what is most important, so it wouldn't be a good program to teach an entire book."

That said, I give kudos to the clever packaging and design-it is very eye catching and appealing. Moreover, when I come across a company who backs their claims to help improve test scores or your money back, I take notice. That speaks volumes about their strong belief in their products.






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Math Tutor Home Page

Basic Math Word Problem tutor DVD
$26.99

Algebra II DVD set
$26.99 see the companion CD with worksheets that correlate with the DVD here $24.99

***taken from the Math Tutor DVD site

Don't forget to see what my crew mates had to say-visit our TOS Crew Homepage.

**Math Tutor provided me with the free copy of the Basic Math DVD and the Algebra II DVD , in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Heads Up Now!

I had never heard of the Heads Up! company; so to not only have something useful sent to me-but to be introduced to a whole new cachet of goodies aimed at helping children who need extra help, was a real treat. I have had my share of tears and frustration along this long and windy road of homeschooling. I have been blessed with a couple dyslexic children who required a much longer time frame to learn certain things, and if I had known about Heads Up!, I would have been able to move them through some of it a bit easier with the line readers, as they had trouble staying on the same line while learning to read and when reading small print. I am finding too that I enjoy using them as they help ease eye strain, especially with all the reading I do.




The Top of the Line and the Double Time Frames

If you have a child who struggles with staying focused, or deals with the 'ole wandering eyes problem, then these items are really going to help-at least in my humble opinion! The line readers are a wonderful tool and so darn cheap-I want to give them 3 piggy banks! Even if this isn't an issue in your home-perhaps something else is. The Frames (Lg and Sm), the Top of the Line , Double Time and Reader products will work wonders to help the student stay on the right line while reading; or to isolate and bring the focus to the area on the page they need to be at-say with a math problem.




Readers

We went through our packets (they sent us one of each color) and found a variety of choices-red, green, blue, yellow, pink, orange and white which is available as a Reader only. We then had everyone test to see which color was most soothing to them. We found that we all prefer the blue and pink, and the clear Reader. Now you will have choose your choice when ordering, but for a buck each-you cannot go wrong by ordering a couple (I highly recommend one each) colors in the different sizes . These are sturdy pieces of "transparent colored polycarbonate with a frame printed on" (them), so they should hold up for a long time.




Frames which come in two sizes-4"x4 1/2" and 4"x9"

The Heads Up! company is designed to provide materials that work for those individuals who have ADD/ADHD, Autism, Aspergers, developmental delays, learning disabilities and in our case, Dyslexia. They sell all sorts of books written for families struggling with such things as sensory, speech, fidgeting and attention issues. You really need to get yourself a catalog and stroll through it at your own leisure-as there are some pretty helpful things available.







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Heads Up! Homepage
each frame/reader is $2-$5 each (you choose the color), depending on the size





All right-you are probably asking yourself, just how does one choose a color if you "don't know"? I should think you could find some of the clear colored-transparent plastic things laying about your home, and lay it over a printed page. Or very stealthily perform a "test run" at your local store....simply act natural as you enter the school supply section to locate those report covers they sell...then causally overlay the various colors over a printed page (say by borrowing one of the workbooks or books from the next isle) and see which color seems more appealing. Then carefully return the products to their proper place and continue on with your business. Or you could just make an educated guess...and if I was a betting gal, I would say the blue is the best choice, yellow and pink and green the next best. If all else fails-then find a TOS Reviewer who happens to live in your neck of the woods, and "stop by" for a color choice party. Finally, if you live in the vicinity of the Cincinnati area-attend the Mid-Winter Convention, as Melinda and Scott Boring are speakers there and have a vendors booth just loaded with with them for ya!


See what my TOS crew mates have to say about this product and others at our
TOS Home Page


**Heads Up! provided me with a variety of free Top of the Line, Double Time, and Reader Products [guides for reading one line of print at a time], in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Critical Thinking-Building Thinking Skills: Figural and Verbal

I am sure most of you are familiar with Critical Thinking Press products, as they have been available for 50 years now. Many a homeschooler have called upon these handy worktexts to help build and expound thinking skills in their children. I recommend that you spend some time going through their site to familiarize yourself with the wealth of products they offer for children of all ages, as you may be surprised with all that is available.

I received two workbooks designed for the highschooler in my home. Normally, I tend to stay on the "less is best" fence in regards to workbooks for the children. I lean more toward learning through the many other avenues out there, and well-tend to avoid them whenever possible. I recognize, that with all the busyness that goes on in my home, there are things that slip through the cracks. One of those "things" would be working on good logic building skills. These worktexts are a perfect solution for us. My daughter can work on a few pages here and there; and I can rest easier knowing that these exercises will actually help build solid, logical thinking skills with which she can extend to those lovely ACT/SAT tests, and other school subjects as well. I also realize there are occasions when my student must spend time doing seat work-whether for their benefit or mine. So with such products, these activities will give our teen's brain a good workout, which is a win-win situation for everyone involved.




Building Thinking Skills® provides highly effective verbal and nonverbal reasoning activities to improve your children's vocabulary, reading, writing, math, logic, and figural-spatial skills, as well as their visual and auditory processing. This exceptional series provides a solid foundation for academic excellence and success in any assessment.
The activities are developmentally sequenced. Each skill (for example, classifying) is presented first in the semi-concrete figural-spatial form and then in the abstract verbal form. Children learn to analyze relationships between objects, between words, and between objects and words as they:
Observe, recognize, and describe characteristics.
Distinguish similarities and differences.
Identify and complete sequences, classifications, and analogies.

These processes help children develop superior thinking and communication skills that lead to deeper content learning in all subjects ***



If your child leans toward workbooks and enjoys a good challenge, the Critical Thinking products would make a great addition to your homeschool curriculum.

FYI: The publisher permits you to make copies for extra students in your home or classroom, so you could always buy one book and copy enough pages for the children you need to include. Critical Thinking sells a lot of great workbooks and programs-in fact, I am sure you have heard of some of them. Does the Red Herring Mysteries series sound familiar? How about the Reading Detective or the Editor in Chief series? Well those are also available through them, so be sure to head to their site.








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Critical Thinking Home Page
Building Figural Skills Level 3: $29.99
Building Verbal Skills Level 3: $29.99
Value Pack: both for: $53.99 info here

***quote taken from Critical Thinking Website

Don't forget to see what my fellow crew mates have to say about this and other great homeschool products. Head to our TOS Crew Homepage for more info.

**Critical Thinking Press provided me with the free copy each of The Building Thinking Skills: Figural Skills, level 3 and Verbal Skills, level 3 student workbooks, in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.