TOS Crew Review: Nature Friend Magazine

When I was knee high to a grasshopper, I remember the thrill of receiving those Highlight magazines that were all the rage back (seems they are still around too) in the 70s. I particularly enjoyed being the first one (and I had stiff competition with 3 brothers) to doodle up the drawing area, and circle all the hidden pictures I could find on the search pages. So when I opened the Nature Friend Magazines I received to review-my mind instantly floated back to those carefree days; as several pages from the magazines parallel each other by sharing the same child enticing ideas. But I believe that is where the similarities end (well outside of them both being magazines which are written for children), and the beauty of the Nature Friend Magazine reigns supreme.



This is the creme de la creme of magazines about all things natural.  Each volume is laced with beautiful photography, stylish and eye-catching layouts, information and facts that pique ones interest to continue a study on the featured subjects. I am especially excited to see sections that give great photography tips and helpful advise to improve any budding photographer's skills.  I like how there are activities right in the magazine to draw a child into the content, which ultimately helps ignite the wonder and awe about God's creation.  I love the fact that this magazine is unabashedly Christian. No skipping over, or having to to explain the Evolutionary statements you will find in many other magazines.



When I started on our homeschool journey-I was blessed to find the Charlotte Mason method, and even more pleased that it suited us rather nicely. Not that I incorporate all the ideas; but one aspect I really love is the study of nature. Nature Friend Magazine lends itself nicely as a resource to motivate and encourage my children in our exploration of the very things the Creator places about us that point to His supremacy and existence. And in accordance to Charlotte's thoughts on living books-this one certainly qualifies. OK, it isn't a book, but it still meets the guidelines to make it a "living" document.







The Study Guide [this has an additional charge and is NOT included unless you choose to receive this option] is a fantastic addition that offers even more information and activities which complement the subjects covered in the issue. If you take your nature study seriously, and need an additional boost of help-this is great option. I am actually putting this on our Christmas list this year.  I am sure my nature loving dad will bless the kids with a subscription to this high quality magazine (and you better believe I am including the study guide-it is just too valuable a component to miss out on).






and

as the younger children will need someone to read to them and help with some of the activities.

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Nature Friend Magazine Homepage

$36.00 for 1 year subscription
$68.00 for 2 year subscription


Study Guide Information
$24.00 additional fee to reg. subscription for 12 issues-
but depending on how many remaining issues you have left in your subscription, you can change the data to reflect the needed guides (ex: have 5 issues left in sub, then only purchase 5 study guides)...

Sample Issue $5.00

Stop by our TOS Crew Homepage to read more reviews on this and many other great homeschool products.

**Nature Friend Magazine provided me with the 2 free copies of The Nature Friend Magazines [Sept. and Oct. issues] in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services

When I first learned that we'd be reviewing something from Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services-I was a bit confused. Was it a place to obtain tests, to see if your child is in need of some special attention in certain areas, or what? After a wee bit of investigation, I had my answers. EDUDPS provides just what I thought it did, and more!

They offer 3 different diagnostic tests, 2 guides on learning issues (Dyslexia and Attentional Difficulties), grade placement screening, and 4 different (well 2 are co-related) curricular programs to aid you in educating your child(ren). I was in the batch that was fortunate to receive all of the eBooks noted below. Problem is, I simply do not have enough time to thoroughly investigate each of them, during our review period. So, I chose the eBook that spoke to me the most; and then briefly investigated the others-so that I could give a brief description of them. So please be aware-the Quick Review icons near the bottom are only for the Write with the Best Volume 2 eBook. I simply cannot give the others a rating yet, and won't until we use them.

To make it easier, I will cover the 3 we peeked at; then wrap it up with the Write with the Best Vol. 2 (which is what we focused on).


First in our lineup is the Roots and Fruits Guide. This is designed to slowly add some 1700+ words to your child's vocabulary before they graduate. This encompasses all grades, K-12; so it truly is a great investment (eBook: $14.98, pages w/o binding: $17.48, pages with comb-binding: $19.98), considering it can be used for the entire expanse of your child's education. What I instantly liked about this (and it will be the second one I dive into with the kiddos) is that the vocabulary workload suggestion of 15 minutes per day, is right on target.  I can give my 2nd grader one word or so, per week to study upon. Then we will move along in a nice, non-overbearing manner- increasing as his skills do-over the years. For my teenager-I can have her work on 2 or more per week; so she is able to pack away several vocabulary words before she takes her ACT test This is geared more to hit upon the majority of the SAT vocabulary words-but you'll definitely find many of the same ones used in the ACT, and other aptitude tests-so it is a win/win learning opportunity. I also like a lot of the suggested activities with which to teach these words. It isn't just a fill out a worksheet or drill the word into your head approach-it uses more tactile and visual cues to sink these babies into their ole memory cells, and that always gets a thumbs up from me.

 I honestly do not know too many folks who couldn't use a bit of career guidance and assistance when it comes to figuring out their high school student's plan.
The Complete Career, College and High School Guide for Homeschoolers (eBook: $34.95, Soft bound book: $39.95) is an excellent resource for families who have children who will soon be entering, or are currently in high school, or are still trying to figure out their major in college (or possibly beyond). Seriously-can anyone say, "I dunno what I wanna be when I grow up?" I know a lot of adults who claim this as their mantra. Packed with surveys, assessments and a personality profile, the student will use those results to choose careers that match their needs. It is also designed to assist them with their high school planning, transcripts, tips on the ACT/SAT tests, and more. I see there are a lot of different types of careers discussed as well. I think this is a great place to start if you have children who will be, or are in Jr./Sr.high school. I almost chose this one to start with-but because I have gone through the motions two times already, I feel pretty confident with this area of "counseling". I decided to put this on hold until next semester for my daughter, but am looking forward to going through it with her soon.

These last two products are the co-relating curriculum I mentioned before. I tend to favor the Charlotte Mason method of dictation, narration and just good ole basics for teaching younger kids how to express themselves. Realizing that more formal skills will also need to be covered at some point (especially due to the more competitive business world we live in) I tend to "save" all the heavier stuff  for the higher grades. The series is designed to teach grades 3rd through 12th, and can be started at any time during those years.

Be sure to visit our TOS Crew Homepage, because several of my mates chose to focus on the Write with the Best Volume 1 Guide, (eBook: $19.95, printed pages w/o binder: $22.45, printed pages with 3-Ring binder: $24.95) which I did not. Basically, this level jump starts the elementary-aged child into the wonderful world of writing. I see the chapters consist of such things as Writing Descriptive Paragraphs, Describing Objects, Places and Character, Writing a Dialogue, Short Story, Fable, Friendly Letter, Rhyming Verse, Ballard or Narrative Poem, with additional guides, check lists, grading information, and the Student's "How to Write Guide". The Write with the Best Volume 1 Guide is designed to address the needs of children in grades 3-12 (all though, from glancing through it; I would say that unless your older child has had no writing experience, this is a better fit for the 3-7th grade), and can also be used for covering particular areas your student is struggling with or to introduce those areas they have had no prior exposure to.

The Write with the Best Volume 2 Guide (eBook: $24.95, pages w/o binder: $27.45, pages with 3-Ring binder: $29.95)-written for students in grade 6-12.  This guide addresses the following: Writing Poetry, Business Letters, Note Taking, Essays, Literary Critique, Book Reviews, Newspaper Articles, Speech, and Dramatic Monologue. It also includes the student's "How to Write Guide", additional literary passages (for extra work), an answer key for the student's work, a grading guide and more. The pages are non-cluttered visually (just text); which makes for easy printing, and is better for keeping the child focused on the task at hand. If your student thrives on extra goodies, it may not be a good fit. For my daughter-it is perfect because it is to the point, with clear instructions on what is expected work for her to accomplish each day. The discussed passages are included in the study, so there is no running around to find it. So far we have covered the Poetry, Business Letter and are starting the Note Taking sections. What I like is that I can pretty much just give her a list telling her what I want her to do, and she can take it from there. Not to say, that I never helped her with any of it-because at times a wee bit of discussion helped her out; but for the most part this is a self-sufficient study. The layout and design is reminiscent of the school books that taught our grandparents the ins and outs of scholarly subjects, which I prefer for Jr./Sr. high students. My daughter likes that the assignments are bite-sized nibblets which prevent her from becoming overwhelmed; and that makes for a teen who is willing to actually push through and finish the book.  So all in all-I am pleased with the Write with the Best Volume 2, and  and recommend it to other families with students in the upper grades.



Write with the Best Volume 2 Rating (only) listed below:







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PRINTER ALERT!

Please be aware-you can only print these 2 times (due to the security file it comes on)-therefore, you will need to print it in its entirety. I suggest that you check to be sure your ink/paper reserves are fully loaded and that you have time to focus on the printing before starting it. I have highlighted a link below where you can read more about this. I actually was quite frustrated when I first printed the Roots and Fruits eBook. I ran out of ink, and was ill-prepared to start such a task. I have one more printing allowance and will use it wisely this time-getting it done at a local copy shop. I really wanted to be sure to stress this situation to you, to avoid any irritation-station moments.  The best way to avoid the eBook limitation, is to purchase the print copy of the books-the price difference is minimal, and frankly it's the route I would suggest (especially if you have dial up service). If you have any questions regarding the process, do not hesitate to ask, as they are quite helpful at EDUDPS, and strive to make your experience a positive one.

Q and A section

Need to try it out before committing? Well, EDUDPS has 4 free downloads to whet your appetite. And please continue reading down the page-it has vital information regarding the printing policies.





EDUDPS Homepage
All prices are listed next to the description of the books.  Geared for grades K-12. 

Be sure to see what my fellow TOS Mates have to say about this and other great homeschooling products.

**EDUDPS provided me with one free copy each of Roots and Fruits, Write with the Best I and II and The Complete Career, College and High School Guide for Homeschoolers eBooks, in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Growing Healthy Homes-Nutrition 101: Choose Life!

When it comes to nutrition, or deciding the best way of providing healthy meals and snacks-many folks are just plain confused. I mean, when I think back to the nutrition training we received in school-well, it consisted of putting a meat, bread, fruit and vegetable together on one plate. I think we may have discussed the Food Pyramid-yes, I think we did-because I remember thinking that butter, ice cream and chocolate deserved their own level-near the bottom, so we could have a large allotted serving per day. Outside of that, perhaps a few stern warnings about eating too many sweets (rots your teeth), or not over-indulging in the bread (makes ya heavier than a Sumo wrestler) choices-and you were set for a fairly healthy life. Well, that was back in the 80s man-so you have to know; like hair styles and clothing-things have changed! Or have they?

Just turn on the Food TV shows, and for the most part-you will find so many of them using ingredients that are just plain artery clogging, heart-attack inducing and downright fattening! Take a tour with Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives [no offense to Guy, but I wonder what his cholesterol and Triglyceride levels are?] and you will see a slew of food joints serving things that should be banned as toxic waste-and yet, folks pile in, and chow down like pack of wild dogs to a slab of juicy steak!

Let it be said, my husband's German, and my French/Finnish ancestry has not promoted the healthiest of family favorites, nor none-to-lean recipes. I mean those folks love to eat, and the food choices have been a part of our heritage for many, many years! But, through a long and tedious process, our family has had to make changes and rethink the way we eat. Over the past few years (due to food allergies, high blood lipids, and doing some research) we have conscientiously changed or dropped a lot of foods from our diets. So for the most part, making wiser choices is nothing new to our children. Granted, we still manage to "cheat" and eat that not so good stuff here and there, so there is definitely room for improvement. Also, not all of the "How and Whys" concerning all things nutritional, have been passed along to my children. I have to say, in all honesty-I have dropped the cheese ball when it comes to this subject. Thankfully, we were given the Growing Healthy Homes-Nutrition 101: Choose Life! book to review!


This is an all encompassing, Bible-based program, suitable for the entire family. I would have to say-it is better for the Jr/Sr High level. I found that as you progress through it-the material can be a bit over the heads of most younger children...but that should not stop you from using it. There are plenty of activity suggestions for the elementary level students, and that is when you really want to start their training in making wise food choices. The colorful eBook is very well laid out, has excellent high-quality graphics, and it packed with plenty enough information-yet avoids being too overly technical. There are six total Units within the book, with four chapters per section. It covers the Brain and Nervous System, the Digestive System, the Respiratory, Olfactory, Auditory and Visual Systems, the Muscular and Skeletal systems, the Cardiovascular and Immune System, the Endocrine System and Emotions [tell me...who doesn't need more info on the emotions? Especially those families with pre-teens and teenagers!]. There are several extremely informative Appendices and of course, an Activity Guide as well. This is a monster of an eBook, it certainly is not a light-weight. It contains about 448 pages packed with nutritional know how, that any family can benefit from. And, to make it even more enticing-they have several delicious recipes for you to try. For those of us with food allergies, with some simple tweaking, one can still create great tasting and appealing meals-and that is half the battle to eating better.

We have decided to incorporate this study into our daughter's high school program this year. We are taking our time, working through it at a steady pace. She has been really enjoying it so far; and I have been learning all sorts of new things too! This program is actually one of my favorite products so far! We're all excited about this Nutrition 101: Choose Life! A Family Nutrition and Health Program.

Now I have to say-this baby gets a big PRINTER ALERT! But if you are smart about it, you can just print a Unit off by itself to get you through a few weeks, or take it to a local printing shop and have it done there. I plan on spiral binding mine (when I have the time and $$) but for now, I am printing the Units [in black and white, except for a couple pages that should really be in color] as needed, and any additional sheets from the Appendices, as well. You also have the option of purchasing the printed book, or the Book/CD (ebook) combo.












for Jr/Sr High students and

for Elementary students

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Growing Healthy Homes

CD: $79.95  (this is the ebook I am talking about-it is referred to a CD on their site)
CD with Book: $129.95
Book: $99.95
 If you want to offer this as a class for a co-op/group, be sure to contact them for pricing at:
Co-Op information

I wanted to point out this helpful note from the author:

If the book and CD have the same information, what is the value of having both?
The book provides all of the information from the CD professionally printed and bound in full color. The CD allows you to reprint individual copies of the recipes, shopping lists,charts and any other relevant pages. Many families print single pages and create a folder for each child. Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is a tremendous resource and having it in both formats allows flexibility and saves you time and money.

Be sure to read what my TOS Mates have to say about this and many other fine Homeschool products on our TOS Crew Homepage.

**Growing Healthy Homes provided me with the free copy of Growing Healthy Homes-Nutrition 101: Choose Lift eBook in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: Guardian Angel Publishing

Not being one to turn away an opportunity to have a look-see into children's books-I was delighted to be a part of the group to receive a couple of the eBook versions offered up by Guardian Angel Publishing. The two I received are The Sum of Our Parts:  No Bones About it, by Bill Kirk; and Earthquake by Susan Berger.








The Sum of Our Parts Series: No Bones About It


This one could not have arrived on our computer doorstep, at a more timely moment. Just a few weeks prior to its arrival, our eldest son had broken his collar bone, 2 ribs and his shoulder blade. So when my youngest and I read the part about clavicle being one of the most frequently broken bones in the body-we simply nodded our heads in agreement. In fact, for a moment we felt the book was written just for our family. This one is penned in rhyme, to teach children the names of the main bones in the body. I read it 2 times before I even realized this...that is how subtle it is. But effective, because I found myself saying a lot of the lines without much review. My son (younger one) read through it with me, but on certain pages-asked me to quickly scroll through the picture sections. I found a few drawings that were a bit scary or freakish looking-which rendered this one to the "we won't read it again" [with him] pile. So all though I like the concept of a verse to teach the bone names-the illustrations were gross or too freaky to be able to use with my 8 year old. My high schooler just shrugged her shoulders in regard to it, so it is really a personal issue. The more sensitive the child-the less I recommend this particular book.






Earthquake! [book DVD version coming soon]

The Earthquake eBook proved to be a better fit for our family. Loaded with details, diagrams and drawings of the reason behind them, factoids and terms, and how to prepare for/survive one; this definitely is a great tool to build upon geological science studies, or one on the earth in general. Due to it being in eBook form, it lends itself nicely for printing-so we can add components of it to a lapbook, report or mini notebook on such things. It is a bit advanced in regard to where our studies are right now with the boy; but I recognize the usefulness of it for future reference or as a tag-a-long source to our study, down the road. I see it also has won an Honorable Mention in the Green Book Festival for 2009. Obviously, I am not the only one who thinks this one is a keeper.

All in all, from what I can see, the Guardian Angel Company strives to provide decent books, in quite a variety of subjects and media forms, that will "delight, tweak curiosity, teach and inspire your children!" An admirable goal indeed.





and if you will need to read it to your child(ren)



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Now, even though we were not asked to critique the web design of any of our vendors, I feel that I should mention a few things I noticed as I tried to navigate the site. It is very "busy" and not the most "user friendly" webpage out there. If one pays a visit and their eyes bug out-it isn't a good design. If one becomes frustrated because of all the "busyness" of it, and leave-then you have lost potential customers. I truly hope the GAP folks take the suggestion of revamping their site into a cleaner, easier to navigate site seriously. I would hate to think that they are losing business because their webpage design; especially when they offer families a great alternative of decent children's books VS the multitude of junk that has flooded the market in recent years.

Guardian Angel Publishing Homepage
Books are geared for children ages 0-12
The paperback versions are a bit higher than I would be willing to pay, unless I really loved it-but the $5 cost is not out of the range of normal. Especially, if I needed the information to print for activities and projects. Since everyone has their own idea as to what is a good "deal", you will have to decide what is right for your family and your budget. You can also print the eBook version to have a hard copy to hold in your hands, but be forewarned-most of the books are full of vivid colors, so it may not be the best financial approach.

eBook version of No Bones About It: $5
Paperback: $10.95 plus $6.95 shipping
CD version of book: $9.95 plus $5.95 shipping

eBook version of Earthquake: $5
Paperback: $11.95 plus $6.95 shipping
CD version of book: $9.95 plus $5.95 shipping

Look for their free eBook downloads, to test drive before you buy!

The TOS Store also carries many of the books published by Guardian Angels as well!

For more reviews on this, and many other fine homeschooling products, visit our TOS Crew Homepage for more information.

**Guardian Angel Publishing provided me with one free copy each of No Bones About It and Earthquake! eBooks, in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.

TOS Crew Review: StudyPod

I know this sounds rather cliche, but really, "Where was this thing when I was going through all those years of study to get my degree? Or where was it when I was hunched over like Quasimodo whilst I was knee deep in some research and needed my information front and center?" That "thing" I am referring to is the Studypod! Yes, now before visions of those giant pods from Cocoon start rolling around in your head-let me explain. This handy little device is actually designed to alleviate neck strain, free up desk space, and allow for quick reference/reading because the book or material is in a nicely angled, in an upright position.



See that lovely lady in the upper left-hand corner of the circle? That is NOT how I looked as I made my way through several activities in the past. No siree, no twinkle in my eye, nor smile on my face! My studying days were plagued with that pinched, sharp ache one gets when their neck muscles have reached their limits from supporting their noggin in a hunched over position. That kind of ache that not even a large dose of pain killers will touch. I guess I just assumed that was how it is suppose to be.

So when this Studypod thing arrived-I was quite skeptical of its ability to make those a thing of the past. I read the directions, played with the fold down trays, moved the wire page holders back and forth; and I even read the little ditty printed on the inside of the holder-all the while wondering. Then I stood back and eyed this "contraption" like I was examining a new creature of sorts. Could this do what it claimed to do? Would anyone in our home even want to try this thing out?



Well, it does what it is designed to do, and it does it well. For my husband, it eliminated the shuffling of papers to uncover what he was trying to read, because it was already positioned right in front of him. For my daughter who has a long, thin desk but big, bulky college texts-it freed up precious space so she could actually take notes, and type on the computer, without trying to balance her book at the same time. It held many workbooks and notes for me, so I could do a quick look-see of the material I was presenting to the children. My high schooler is looking forward to trying it out in her Biology class she starts next week. While the other students (unless of course, they too own too) crane their necks to read through their books; my daughter will be enjoying the benefits of the Studypod. What's more-it folds up into that little book shape, so it will fit nicely into her backpack. Got to love that!



Oh, and they even sent us the very color she had hoped we'd get. Now, if I could make a suggestion for future color choices-I would really love to see a red one. Not a candy apple red, but a nice deepish-red color that would match my home's interior design. Yes, that would be most lovely. In the meantime, I am trying to decide if I should get the blue or pink one...decisions, decisions. As, it would be nice to have a couple around the house; because I really do not want to have to hunt down our Studypod every time I need it (which is quite often).

So, if you couldn't tell by now-we love it. And I think you will too. This sturdy and practical product will make a nice addition to anyone's collection of truly useful things. And it certainly would make a great gift too!





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Studypod Homepage
Studypod comes in 3 colors: pink, blue and black.
Also known at the Bookpod, which is the same product-just in different colors (black, tan and gray)
$19.95 each unit or any two or more: $16.95 and believe me-you'll want more than one! You can combine any of the Study/Bookpod color choices for this.

Especially for my blog readers: Studypod has a webcoupon just for you-get $5 off your order! Simply use the code: TOSBLOGS5.

Head over to our TOS Crew Homepage for more reviews on this and several other great homeschool products.

**Study Pod provided me with a free Study Pod Book Holder book in order to test and use it with my family, so I could write this review.