Category: Curriculum

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Online Elementary Technology Class – MYTEK LAB Review

In a world where technology is an integral part of our daily lives, ensuring our children have a solid foundation in computer technology is crucial. As a homeschooling parent, I’ve always been on the lookout for educational opportunities that not only equip my child with essential skills but also make learning an engaging and enjoyable experience. That’s why I was so excited to be offered to learn more about MYTEK Labs and their online technology courses.

I received complimentary access and compensation for this review, but my opinions are entirely honest and unbiased.

In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing my thoughts and experiences with this innovative course, tailored for students in grades 3-5. MYTEK LAB’s Computer Technology course promises to provide a comprehensive understanding of various technology areas, including programming, creative applications, web design, and general technology concepts.

With its elementary-level approach, it aims to set the stage for a future where technology is not just a tool but a realm of exploration and innovation.

In this review I am focusing on the introductory elementary course, MYTEK LAB offers other courses for older age levels and higher level concepts.

All MYTEK LAB Courses

Why We Love MYTEK LAB

Course Flexibility

I feel that technology is such an important skill to teach our kids and having resources like MYTEK LAB are so value. The flexibility of course options my MYTEK LAB makes it super easy to add into our homeschool week.

I love having the option of having scheduled weekly online courses that are taught and led by an instructor. If you miss a class, or need extra practice, the courses are recorded and available to rewatch.

The weekly courses provide an interactive and engaging experience with the instructor and other students.

If you can’t commit to a weekly course, MYTEK LAB also offers a Flex Pace option.

Flex Pace is a highly adaptable course alternative designed to cater to students’ varying schedules. This learning approach involves weekly recorded videos and lesson releases, allowing students the convenience to engage with the course content according to their own timelines. Given the rapid and frequent evolution of technology, the potential for outdated material is a concern for learners. However, Flex Pace proactively addresses this issue by continuously updating our content, ensuring that all students have access to the most current material and instructional modules. Recordings will be released each Monday.

By releasing the recordings on a weekly basis, we ensure that students consistently benefit from up-to-date technology education that encompasses the latest advancements. Through the Flex Pace, do not have to follow assignment deadlines, allowing students additional time to work on their assignments. Flex Pace empowers students to pursue their education at their own pace, without needing to participate in a specific live class schedule.

Need more flexibility? You can pick when you start the course! Register today and start when you want to.

Jacky Souder, Co-Owner/Vice President MYTEK LAB, INC

Variety of Skills Taught

The world of technology spans so many different areas and skills. I enjoy the introduction approach to multiple skills in the Elementary Computer Technology course.

In this course my daughter was introduced to multiple topics in technology and learned a variety of skills such as:

  • 2D Game Art
  • Programming
  • 3D Modeling for Games
  • VR Development
  • Web Design
  • Robotics
  • 3D Printing
  • & More!

The MYTEK LAB Elementary Computer Technology course not only introduces students to these skills but also fosters creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability. It’s a comprehensive foundation that empowers young minds to explore, innovate, and prepare for a future where technology plays an ever-expanding role.

MYTEK LAB Course Experience

The online portal for both students and parents is extremely easy to use! My 3rd grader is able to access her courses with limited help and is provided great instruction during her course. She loves the interactive projects and the live help from her instructor!

The lessons start with a video portion with the instructor teaching concepts and providing interactive examples of the topic and project they are working on.

The classes last around 1 hour. The instructor explains the assignment that needs to be completed prior to the next class. In the live sessions your child can ask for assistance if they need any.

As this is a year long course, the students work on a project for a weeks building on one concept at a time. In the first few weeks of course my daughter learned skills to build a game. The build on skills week after week and have all the tools they need to succeed!

Easy Access to Technology Applications

I’ve used other online technology courses before and sometimes they can be a bit daunting with all the additional application requirements you have to download for your child to learn.

With MYTEK LAB, they have all the applications imbedded in the course and it is beyond easy for your students to access them! During the video lessons your child is walked through how to access and use the applications. This makes this course top notch and so user friendly!

Add MYTEK LAB To Your Homeschool

This is a great program to introduce technology to your kids and add to your homeschool! Best past- all the hard work is done for you and can be a pretty independent course.

New families can contact Jacky (Mrs. MYTEK) at jsouders@myteklab.com for a discounted monthly rate of $15 dollars off of the monthly rate. Normally $49 a month, discounted down to $34 a month.

Learn More About MYTEK LAB here
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Our Homeschool Week Using Sonlight’s Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum

As a homeschool mom to three children, choosing a curriculum can be a daunting experience. With my youngest, I was ready to take a different route and try a literature-based approach using Sonlight! Sonlight is a trusted resource offering a comprehensive and engaging curriculum designed to inspire young minds.

In this blog post, I invite you to join us on a week-long journey through our homeschooling experience, as we delve into the enriching activities, captivating stories, and valuable lessons that make up our Sonlight Pre-Kindergarten adventure. Get ready to take a glimpse into our homeschooling adventure with Sonlight’s Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum!

I was provided with Sonlight’s Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum free of charge, and I also received compensation for the time and effort I put into writing this product review. My aim is to provide you with an honest and unbiased evaluation of this curriculum, based on our actual experience using it in our homeschooling journey.

What is Sonlight?

Sonlight Homeschool Curriculum is a popular program for homeschooling families. It’s known for using a literature-based approach, emphasizing reading and books across various subjects and grade levels.

They offer flexible curriculum packages that include materials for subjects like history, literature, and science, with Christian values integrated for families who share that perspective.

Sonlight provides detailed instructor guides, assessment tools, and a supportive community for homeschooling families.

I’ve reviewed Sonlight previously, if you want to read more information about Sonlight check out this blog post: Sonlight Pre-K Homeschool Curriculum Review

What is included in the Sonlight Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum?

Sonlight makes homeschooling easy, packaging together everything you need for your entire homeschool year! The Sonlight Homeschool Curriculum package includes an Instructor’s Guide that helps you plan lessons and activities four days a week.

It also provides developmentally appropriate hands-on activities related to the stories, enhancing daily learning experiences. The literature component for Pre-K focuses on fiction titles and introduces children to more than 1,000 Spanish words, transitioning from picture book enjoyment to gentle teaching. History and science topics are introduced, with missionary biographies and engaging science books.

The package also includes art and poetry books. For Grade K Readers/Language Arts, there are readers and an Instructor’s Guide to teach alphabet and letter sounds, phonics, vocabulary, creative expression, and writing mechanics.

The curriculum offers hands-on materials and activities, including math beads, sensory letters and numbers, and workbooks to reinforce motor, visual, auditory, and comprehension skills.

Our Homeschool Week with Sonlight

Our Sonlight Pre-K curriculum is split up into 4 days a week for 36 weeks. Each week is planned out in detail for you! You will rotate through different literature and educational resources throughout the weeks.

One of my favorite things using Sonlight’s curriculum is the instructor guides. This guide plans out every week and every day- which makes homeschooling that much easier!

Using our instructors guide for the week I know how each of our days will go. There is the overall weekly layout and then you get additional pages of detailed directions for each day’s activities.

We are working through week 24 in our pre-kindergarten curriculum this week! We are continuing reading through different books and practicing different skills. Each week your child learns Language Arts, Art, Bible, Science, Math, and Practical Life Skills

Learning Through Literature

One of the main elements of Sonlight is the literature. We start each day reading through many stories.

This week we are continuing to read chapters from our Milly Molly Mandy storybook.

Each day this week we are reading a chapter. My kids love these stories and the chapters are short enough to keep their attention.

We have been exposed to so many amazing books by using this curriculum!

Science Lessons

This week we are using the book, What’s Under the Sea to learn our science lessons. Each day we focus on a different topic, normally only 1-2 pages of information and pictures.

We learned about Deep-sea Fish, Whales, and Coral Reefs.

Every couple weeks we switch to a different book about various topics in science. My son is so intrigued learning about science with all the amazing books.

I think he is going to be very prepared for his future school years with all the topics he is getting exposed to.

Art History Lessons

On Monday, we discussed seasons while looking in our art book and beautiful art pieces showcasing the different seasons.

This art book covers so many things besides art and always leads to great discussions and rabbit holes for us to expand on.

I like to show the different works of art to all my kids, you can never be to old to learn about different art.

Each week we get excited to learn and see something new.

Daily Bible Study

We spend time each day learning about the bible. We have a weekly bible verse to mezmorize. This weeks verse was:

“Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.” Proverbs 12:18

We read three different stories from our 101 Favorite Stories from the Bible book.

I always include all my children for these bible verses and stories, its always a nice additional to our morning time together.

Learn More about Sonlight Here

Enter to Win – Sonlight Giveaway

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Sonlight is hosting a giveaway to win a new Discover & Do Science Experiment Kit. Enter here for your chance to win!

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Supplemental Online Homeschool Learning – Elephango Review

I was provided free access to Elephango in exchange for sharing my honest review

As a busy homeschool mom, I am always looking for resources that assist me and supplement our homeschool lessons. I am excited to share this online homeschool learning program, Elephango, and how you can incorporate these lessons in your homeschool.

What is Elephango Online Learning

Elephango is an online platform that offers pre-made lesson plans on thousands of topics for all grades K-12! If you looking to incorporate unique lessons that are driven by interest for your kids- Elephango is the perfect resource.

Elephango has lesson plans ranging a wide variety of topics such as:

  • Core Subjects – English, Language Arts, Math & Science
  • Social Studies- World History, American History, Geography
  • College & Career Readiness
  • Life Skills
  • Reading – Book Lesson Plan Chapter by Chapter
  • Technology
  • and so much more……check out sample lessons here
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Lesson Plans with Elephango

Each lesson from Elephango varies, including interactive activities, print outs, additional websites to reference, assessments, and educational videos.

Each lesson provides step by step instructions how to navigate through the lesson.

The lessons will include recommend grade level as well as the learning style and personality style that will take best to these lessons

I enjoy that there is always a supplies list included with each lesson so you can plan accordingly.

You can even print the lessons for offline planning!

Where to Start with Elephango

If you are wondering where to start with Elephango’s 1000’s of lessons- they put together a JumpStart plan for each grade level. This pieces lessons together to create a learning plan to get your child started.

In the jumpstart program there are specific grade level badges that include multiple lessons to complete before your child gets rewarded with the badge.

Create Learning Independence With Elephango

Elephango is decided to build independent learning for students. A great feature to build on that independence is the safe search extension.

The Elephango Chrome extension–creates a safe search Google landing page where kids can search both Elephango and Google in safety.

Spark curiosity and make learning fun with Elephango’s Google Chrome extension. Discover fun facts and interesting new topics. Access thousands of lessons and activities. Search all of Elephango instantly. -Expand your search results using Google Safe Search.

Elephango and Google work together to give you search results that are filtered and tailored based upon the interests you’ve set in Elephango, so you see what fits you first. As your search results expand past Elephango, Google Safe Search blocks unsafe or inappropriate results.

Learn your Child’s Learning Style and Personality with Assessments

Something I really enjoyed with my membership to Elephango, is the provided learning assessments that you and your children can take.

These 3 learning assessments teach you and educate you about the induvial learning style, learning environment, and the learning personality descriptor for each person taking the assessments.

I took the assessments and thought they matched up really well! This really helps us as homeschool parents adapt our homeschool lessons to the individual needs of our kids.

Elephango offers lessons categorized by these learning styles as well!

My Final Thoughts on Elephango

Elephango is a great tool to add to your homeschool toolbelt. This opens the door to incorporate interest led lessons for your kids and have 1000’s of pre-planned lessons ready to go!

Having this resource eases my mind knowing I have a huge collection of lessons ready to go. If I want to go deeper into a specific topic, I just search and pull together some of the lesson plans.

Try Elephango and add this resource to your homeschool journey!

Get 33% OFF – Use Code 33off1yearblog12

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Self-Paced Online Entrepreneurship Homeschool Class

Do you have a child full of ideas and ready to start a business? Nurture that drive in your young entrepreneurs with this new exciting course!

I received this course free of charge to share my honest thoughts and opinion, and I received compensation for my time.

If you’re like me and you want to help your kids develop some super cool skills, I’ve got something awesome to share. I recently discovered an incredible course that’s all about teaching kids the ins and outs of starting and running their own business. And guess what? It’s not your typical boring stuff – they learn all this by pretending to own a band! How cool is that?

This brand new course is from Mr.D Math, you can check out the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship Self-Paced Course here.

We have used various courses from Mr.D Math and love the easy and flexibility of the self-paced online courses! Interested in learning about Mr.D’s American Sign Language Course– Check out my review on that here.

The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship Course

The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship course is recommended for grades 7 and up which would be perfect for the middle school and high school years as an elective course or college prep course.

This course is set up as an online self-paced course, your student will access the course via an online portal and complete the lessons on their own time.

Just because this is a self-paced course, you will have a course instructor that you can reach out to for question and assistance with the course.

What to Expect in this Entrepreneurship Course

This course guides you through essential skills for starting and running your own business. You become a band owner (choose your type of band) and learn by making decisions for it. Dive into the entrepreneur’s journey – from innovation and branding to funding, earning, growing market share, and even selling your business.

This online self-paced course is divided into 6 modules. The topics in each module is included below:

Module 1: Innovating the Startup

  • Making decisions and thinking differently
  • Making trade offs to unlock value for others
  • Finding problems and solving them through innovation
  • Identifying and improving on interests
  • Practicing your new entrepreneurship skills by starting a band

Module 2: Branding the Startup

  • Building awareness and trust with a brand
  • Building your personal brand
  • Practicing by branding The Band

Module 3: Funding the Startup

  • Identifying capital needs
  • Raising capital
  • Financial starting point for The Band

Module 4: Status Check Through Storytelling

  • Storytelling in business
  • Understanding the balance sheet
  • Understanding the income statement

Module 5: Building Value

  • Selling more things
  • Selling “stuff” and not just services
  • Setting financial goals

Module 6: Now What?

  • Staying and growing the business
  • Selling and going

Throughout the course the student can expect to work through video lessons with assignments, homework and assessments. The instructor of the course will provide feedback on items submitted by the student.

Prepare your Homeschool Student for College

Another great benefit of using the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship Course from Mr.D Math is preparing your older students for future college courses. The setup of these self-paced courses is very similar to some college courses I’ve taken.

These courses teach kids to be responsible without a teacher or parent harping over them.

The student will be responsible for completing the course material and taking the knowledge they learn to complete assignments and take assessments. They will also receive a grade for the assessments.

This is the perfect way to introduce more independent courses that they may take in the college years.

Why I Love This Self-Paced Entrepreneurship Course

I know how important it is for our kids to learn stuff that’ll really help them in life. This Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship course is a game-changer because it makes learning about business exciting and hands-on. I mean, who knew starting a band could teach so much, right?

Moms, if you’re looking for a super fun way to teach your kids about business and creativity, this course is a must-try. It’s like giving them a backstage pass to the world of entrepreneurship. So, let’s rock their education with something they’ll actually love and use for life!

Learn More about the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship Course
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Homeschooling with Purpose – Teaching Generosity

As parents and educators, we understand the responsibility we have in shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation. Homeschooling allows us the freedom to choose educational resources that align with our family values and principles.

The Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum presents an extraordinary opportunity to cultivate generosity and build life-long character skills. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key features, benefits, and personal experiences of using this curriculum.

Join us as we explore how this curriculum empowers children to be generous with their thoughts, words, time, influence, attention, money, and belongings, while making the learning process engaging, enjoyable, and meaningful for the whole family.

This blog post was sponsored by Generous Family. I received this product free of charge to share my honest thoughts and opinions.

Teaching Generosity in Your Homeschool

Homeschooling is all about purpose and intentionality. That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce you to the Generous Family’s Homeschool Curriculum Kit from Generous Family. This incredible resource is designed to teach kids the vital life skill of generosity.

With the Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum Kit, your little ones will not only gain academic knowledge but also develop a heart of kindness and giving. Join us on this meaningful journey as we nurture compassionate and thoughtful individuals through homeschooling!

The Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum Kit was created for the whole family ages 5-18. It teaches kids to be generous with their thoughts, words, time, influence, attention, money, and belongings. The curriculum is 26 weeks long but only takes 10 minutes per day. This is a biblical perspective curriculum.

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Teaching Generosity in Your Homeschool

Using the Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum Kit, you will instill valuable lessons to your kids daily. These lessons include practical day to day applications.

Get ready to take your kids on a road trip through all the ways to teach generosity! The Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum Kit guides you and your children through 7 ways to add generosity into your day to day lives.

During this 26 week program you will teach your children the following ways to be generous:

  1. Generous with our Thoughts
  2. Generous with our Words
  3. Generous with Time
  4. Generous with Influence
  5. Generous with Attention
  6. Generous with Money
  7. Generous with Belongings

They will learn with real life stories and put the newly taught skills into practice, having real-world goals to work toward.

CHECK OUT THE GENEROUS STUDENTS HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM KIT

Daily Lessons to Teach Values, Kindness, and Compassion

Planned to only take 10 minutes per day, this is the perfect additional to your daily homeschool rhythm. Gather the entire family to discuss and learn about generosity.

Teaching values, kindness, and compassion isn’t just a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process that requires consistency and dedication. By incorporating daily lessons into your homeschool routine, you create a nurturing environment that fosters positive character development in your children. These short but meaningful interactions will help instill lifelong principles and mold them into empathetic and compassionate individuals.

The beauty of these daily lessons lies in their simplicity and brevity. With only 10 minutes a day, you can effortlessly integrate these activities into your busy homeschool schedule without feeling overwhelmed.

These short bursts of focused learning are perfect for keeping everyone engaged and enthusiastic, ensuring that your family members eagerly look forward to this special time together.

Perfect Addition to your Morning Basket

This Generous Students Homeschool Curriculum Kit is the perfect addition to your daily homeschool morning basket. These daily lessons is the opportunity they provide for strengthening family bonds.

The whole family can join in on these lessons making them perfect for your morning basket time.

Coming together as a unit to discuss and learn about generosity creates a sense of togetherness and mutual understanding among family members. Everyone can share their thoughts, perspectives, and personal experiences, leading to engaging conversations that enrich the learning experience.

What to Expect From Generous Students

Adding these quick and meaningful daily lessons into our daily homeschool rhythm was seamless. We start each week with some journal thoughts and great discussion topics.

Throughout the week we learn practical, real-life applications for applying generosity. We can discuss and challenge ourselves with goals of generosity.

During each weekly lesson, you will also read and learn about a generosity hero. These people give us examples of what they did to be considered a hero. These quick, but meaningful stories open the door for more research and also create role models your child might not have known about before this program.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GENEROUS STUDENTS

Get $20 Off Your Generous Students Homeschool Kit

Ready to add this thoughtful program into your homeschool? Use code GIVE20 for $20 off the kit here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GENEROUS STUDENTS

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Homeschooling Resource for Struggling Readers: BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd

In the homeschool community, it’s often common to hear stories of kids who absolutely love to read and do so all the time. However, this stereotype can be challenging for parents whose children struggle with reading.

Discover how BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd, an online resource designed for struggling readers with dyslexia, ADHD, or autism, can provide valuable support and make a significant impact on your child’s reading journey.

I was provided free access to BuddyBooks in exchange for my honest review

BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd is an online resource specifically designed to provide valuable support for struggling readers. With a focus on individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, or autism, BuddyBooks ensures that their reading experience is both enjoyable and productive.

BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd offers a wide range of engaging books and specially curated materials, making it an invaluable tool for enhancing reading skills. If you’re looking for a resource that can have a positive impact on your child’s reading abilities, look no further than BuddyBooks.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

BuddyBook’s Library and Book Selections

In BuddyBooks‘ library, you can assign your child a book that suits their reading level and interests. However, it’s important to note that the library has fewer selections for children without a qualified learning disability diagnosis.

For children with a qualified learning disability, BuddyBooks allows you to connect a BookShare account, giving them access to a vast library of popular titles.

BuddyBooks does plan to include more book options in the future for children who do not qualify for Bookshare accounts.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

Learning Disability Diagnostics

If you suspect your child may have a learning disability BuddyBooks offers a money-back guarantee on the cost of NeuroLearning screening for parents who purchase BuddyBooks.

If the tested child is not eligible for Bookshare, BuddyBooks will refund the $50 for the screening. If the child is eligible, the child would have access to the entire Bookshare library at no cost until the child is 18.

Bookshare books can be accessed from within BuddyBooks by entering the Bookshare username & password into BuddyBooks. Bookshare books are also available using Bookshare’s web browser reading app, but that does not provide any of the features of BuddyBooks.

Learn More about BuddyBooks and the NeuroLearning Screening App

BuddyBooks Active Independent Practice

BuddyBooks‘ unique BuddyReading™ method offers an interactive and engaging online reading program. Your child will read with a computer partner, taking turns reading passages.

This approach helps children feel comfortable practicing and improves their self-confidence.

Additionally, BuddyBooks uses a multisensory approach that caters to different learning styles, breaking up long paragraphs into short chunks to alleviate reading fatigue and improve reading stamina.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle
BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

During my daughter’s experience with the BuddyReading system, I was amazed at how engaged she remained. This unique approach provides accurate reporting, including recordings of your child’s reading.

The alternating approach between the child and the computer partner keeps the child engaged while lessening the overall reading burden.

This method is particularly beneficial for students who prefer audiobooks over physical books.

BuddyBooks Parent Reporting and Resources

With BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd, we have access to a range of helpful reporting features and resources that allow us to actively support our child’s progress.

One of the great features offered by BuddyBooks is the Reading Time Tracking Calendar. This calendar helps us keep track of our child’s reading habits and monitor their progress over time. By seeing how much time they dedicate to reading each day, we can ensure consistency and identify any patterns that may impact their reading skills.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

Another valuable reporting feature provided by BuddyBooks is the fluency and words per minute reporting. These metrics give us insights into our child’s reading speed and proficiency. We can track improvements in their fluency and pinpoint areas where they may need extra practice or support.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

But what truly sets BuddyBooks apart is the ability to review and listen to our child’s reading sessions. By accessing recordings of their reading, we can identify any challenges they may be facing, such as mispronunciations or word skipping. This gives us a clear understanding of the specific areas where they need our guidance and support.

BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle

My Overall Thoughts of BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd

BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd is a valuable resource for parents of struggling readers in the homeschooling community. With its wide range of engaging books, support for learning disabilities, and unique BuddyReading™ method, BuddyBooks offers an effective and enjoyable way to enhance reading skills.

By utilizing their multisensory approach and providing accurate reporting, BuddyBooks ensures that children with dyslexia, ADHD, or autism can make significant progress in their reading journey.

Whether your child has a qualified learning disability or not, BuddyBooks is committed to providing accessible and beneficial resources. Say goodbye to discouragement and isolation, and say hello to a brighter reading future with BuddyBooks by ObjectiveEd.

Interested in trying BuddyBooks? Get $100 OFF until July 16th, 2023. Use Code: JQ-GAG

Get$100 OFF BuddyBooks!
BuddyBooks has technology that helps children when they struggle
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Greg Landry’s Online Homeschool Science Courses with Virtual Labs

As a homeschool mom with children advancing to the older grades, I have come to realize the impossibility of single-handedly teaching every subject. We just can’t do it all…..

Luckily, as homeschool families, we have incredible resources available to us, offerings such as Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science Courses and Labs. In this post, we will explore the immense value that science education holds for homeschoolers and how the incorporation of laboratory experiences can greatly enhance their learning journey.

I was provided free access to courses with Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science in exchange for my honest review.

The Value That Science Education Holds for Homeschoolers

Science education holds immense value for homeschoolers, especially as they enter the older grades. It not only equips them with a solid understanding of the natural world but also develops critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a curious mindset.

This is where Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science Courses and Labs come into play, offering a transformative learning experience. These courses provide a well-rounded curriculum, carefully designed to engage students in experiments and laboratory activities.

By immersing themselves in practical applications of scientific concepts, homeschoolers can witness the theories they learn in textbooks come to life.

Learn More about Greg Landry’s Science Courses

Flexible Online Homeschool Science Courses with Greg Landry

Looking for flexible homeschool science courses that fit your family’s busy schedule? Look no further than Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science, also known as College Prep Science.

Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science offers a wide range of self-paced online classes suitable for students from 4th to 12th grade.

What’s more, they even provide self-paced lab options for students in 7th to 12th grade, ensuring a well-rounded science education that meets high school lab requirements. As the only provider of virtual labs specifically tailored for homeschooling families, Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science has garnered rave reviews from students who find these interactive labs engaging and insightful.

During our review, we had the opportunity to explore two self-paced courses aimed at 4th to 7th graders. These courses are part of the Young Science series, one of the five engaging courses offered by Greg Landry. The self-paced nature of the courses allowed my students to work at their own pace, ensuring they remained fully engaged with the video lessons expertly taught by Greg Landry himself.

​Young Scientist Chemistry Online Self-Paced Science Course

This course offers an exciting exploration of various topics that lay the foundation for a solid understanding of chemistry.

Throughout the course, your student will dive into the scientific method, measurement techniques, the periodic table, solutions, mixtures, density, atoms, moles, acids and bases, and chemical reactions. Each topic is carefully crafted to provide an in-depth understanding and foster a love for the subject.

By following a structured curriculum, your student will gain essential knowledge and skills in chemistry. From grasping the scientific method and its application to conducting precise measurements, they will develop a strong scientific foundation. The periodic table will unveil the secrets of elements, while the exploration of solutions, mixtures, and density will provide insights into the behavior of substances. Your student will also delve into the fascinating world of atoms, moles, acids and bases, and chemical reactions, gaining a deeper understanding of how matter interacts and transforms.

Learn More about Greg Landry’s Science Courses

​Young Scientist Earth & Space Online Self-Paced Science Course

Throughout the course, students will learn essential concepts such as maps, soil, rocks, time zones, bodies of water, islands, volcanoes, weather, climate, minerals, the sun’s seasonal positions, the atmosphere, the solar system, and mountains and hills.

Students will learn about maps and develop navigational skills, explore the formation of soil and rocks, and uncover the mysteries of time zones. They will also discover the secrets of bodies of water, islands, and volcanoes, and gain insights into weather patterns and climate. The course will introduce them to minerals and their properties, as well as the sun’s seasonal positions and their impact on seasons.

Students will also embark on an exciting journey through the solar system, discovering fascinating facts about planets and other celestial bodies. Finally, they will explore mountains and hills, learning about the forces that shape Earth’s remarkable landscapes.

Learn More about Greg Landry’s Science Courses

Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science Teaches Study Skills

When it comes to Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science courses, one standout feature that I absolutely love is the comprehensive coverage of basic study skills and essential science topics in the material and beginning sections. Greg Landry goes the extra mile to provide valuable insights into note-taking strategies, test-taking tips, and fundamental science principles. Not only does this preparation benefit students in their current course, but it also sets a strong foundation for future scientific endeavors.

In Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science courses, the inclusion of study skills instruction ensures that students are equipped with effective techniques to maximize their learning experience. From understanding how to take concise and organized notes to mastering strategies for successful test-taking, these skills are invaluable for academic success not only in the current course but also in future educational pursuits.

Additionally, Greg Landry’s focus on reviewing basic science principles in the beginning sections of his courses ensures that students have a solid grasp of fundamental concepts. By refreshing their knowledge of essential scientific principles, students can approach the course with confidence and build upon their existing understanding. This emphasis on foundational science knowledge provides a strong platform for further exploration and learning in subsequent courses.

Cost-effective Solution for Larger Homeschooling Families: Self-Paced Online Science Courses

When it comes to homeschooling larger families, budget-friendly options are always a welcome find. That’s why Greg Landry’s self-paced online science courses are a fantastic choice. Not only do these courses provide excellent educational content, but they also offer a significant cost-saving advantage.

By purchasing any of the self-paced courses, you register your entire family under one course fee. This means that all the students in your family can benefit from the course material, making it an ideal solution for families with multiple children spanning different age levels. The flexibility and accessibility of the courses allow each student to progress at their own pace while sharing the same resources and instructional materials.

Another advantage of Greg Landry’s self-paced online science courses is the extended access they provide. With a course duration of 12 months, your family has ample time to complete the course and revisit the material as needed. This extended access ensures that even if you have children at various grade levels, you can easily navigate through the courses without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

By opting for Greg Landry’s self-paced online science courses, larger homeschooling families can save a substantial amount of money while providing quality education for each of their children. Enjoy the convenience, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness of these courses as you embark on an enriching scientific journey together.

FREEBIES for Homeschool Moms!

Greg Landry is also a veteran homeschool parent and knows how hard homeschool moms work. He has amazing FREEBIES you can access below:

Free Homeschool Mom Strong Magnet or Sticker https://www.collegeprepscience.com/homeschool-mom-strong

Free Sketch Notes, Infographics, Ancestry Wheel & MORE: https://www.collegeprepscience.com/homeschool-science-freebies

Free Homeschool Moms Science Podcast https://www.collegeprepscience.com/podcast

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Sonlight Pre-K Homeschool Curriculum Review

Sonlight is a homeschool curriculum provider that offers a wide range of programs for children of different ages and grades. In this review blog post, we’ll focus specifically on their Pre-K Program. We chose to add the Level K readers to our Pre-K package as well!

We were gifted the Sonlight Pre-K Kit from Sonlight in exchange for our honest review.

The Sonlight Pre-K homeschool curriculum is designed for children aged 4-5 and focuses on developing foundational reading, math, science, and social studies skills. The curriculum comes in a comprehensive package that includes everything you need to teach your child at home, including books, instructor guides, and activity sheets.

Learn More About Sonlight’s Literature Based Curriculum

Fully Planned Out Pre-K Curriculum

Using the fully planned out Instructor guide, you can plan to spend anywhere between 20 mins to 1.5 hours per day, 4x a week. Using the Sonlight Instructor Guide- you can rest assure everything is planned out and nothing is getting missed, just open and go!

Literature Based Pre-K Curriculum

One of the standout features of the Sonlight PreK homeschool curriculum is the emphasis on literature-based learning. The curriculum includes a large selection of classic children’s books that are used as the basis for many of the lessons. This approach to learning is not only engaging for young children but also helps to develop important skills such as listening comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking.

The curriculum also includes hands-on activities and projects that help to reinforce the concepts being taught. These activities are designed to be fun and interactive, making learning an enjoyable experience for both parent and child.

Want to see everything that’s included? Check out this unboxing:

Sonlight Pre-K Covers all Subjects

In terms of the subjects covered, the Sonlight PreK curriculum covers all the basics such as math, science, and social studies. The math lessons focus on developing basic counting and number recognition skills, while the science lessons cover topics such as the human body, animals, and the environment. The social studies lessons introduce children to different cultures and traditions from around the world.

Check out Sonlight’s Pre-K Program Here

Sonlight Teaches Practical Life Skills

As much as we love the traditional school subjects covered in our Sonlight Pre-K program, one of my favorite things is the weekly life skills included. Throughout the year, your child will practice practical life skills like washing dishes, pouring and measuring, watering plants, and much more!

These life sills help build basic foundations for numerous things and are both mine and my sons favorite activities during our weeks.

My Final Thoughts on Sonlight’s Pre-K Program

Overall, the Sonlight Pre-K homeschool curriculum is a well-designed and comprehensive program that provides a great foundation for early learning. The literature-based approach, hands-on activities, and flexibility make it an excellent choice for parents looking to homeschool their young children.

If you are new to homeschooling and have no idea where to start- this is a wonderful option, because it is everything you need.

We are very excited to be adding this curriculum into our homeschool days! We upgraded our program and added the Kindergarten readers and Language arts doing that, we plan to use this both both our Pre-K and Kindergarten year.

Looking for Sales and Special Offers from Sonlight? Click Here!
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Free Homeschool Unit Study: All About Raccoons

This free homeschool unit study comes from my natural curiosity to learn more about one on my favorite animals. These animals often get a bad rap, being called “pests”, I hope you learn how awesome raccoons are and the importance of them in our world.

These lessons can be used across all elementary age levels and can be adjusted for lower and higher grades. Any resources used including books and videos should always be prescreened by the parent, just because it works in my home does not mean it will work in yours. This will be such a fun and engaging addition to your science curriculum.

This unit is faith neutral leaving it up to the parents to decide which direction to take it.

Additional Resources

There are no required resources. This unit can be used stand alone as it includes informative reading passages. These resources below are not required, just additional add-ons if you want to enhance or extend the lessons. Please pre-screen any recommended resources, just because they work in my home does not meet they will work in yours.

There is a recommended video to watch for each lesson. These really tie together the entire unit.

I created an Amazon page where I included all recommended books, be sure to check out your local library.

Amazon Raccoon Unit Study Resources

Recommended Lesson Video Playlist

Learning Objectives

  • Identify and describe the physical characteristics of raccoons.
  • Explain the importance of animal tracks in identifying animal species.
  • Define mammals and describe their characteristics.
  • Describe the habitat of raccoons and explain its importance to the survival of raccoons.
  • Describe the characteristics of the temperate forest biome and identify its location.
  • Explain the adaptations of nocturnal animals.
  • Describe the lifecycle of raccoons and identify their different stages.
  • Understand the purpose of animal rehabilitation, and describe the basic steps involved in rehabilitating injured or orphaned animals.
  • Compare and contrast raccoons to other animal species using Venn diagrams.
  • Research and create presentation on an animal and their habitat, including information on their physical characteristics, lifecycle, and other interesting facts.

Unit Updates 4/25/2023 – Lesson 1 Updated – Raccoons live up to 15 Years should be 3 years in the wild. Updated unit emailed out to any customers with downloads. You can also repurchase (for FREE) and download the updated unit.

Access FREE Raccoon Unit Study

You can get the FREE homeschool Raccoon unit study clicking on the button below! You will need to add to your cart and check out.

Get my FREE Raccoon Unit!

Do you like Free Homeschool Units? Check out my Free Human Body Unit

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The Newest Online Learning System: Homeschool+ Review

Homeschool+ is a new online learning system that aims to make learning fun and engaging for children aged 4-8. Designed by a team of educators, the platform features a range of interactive games and activities that cover topics such as reading, math, science, and social studies.

I was given complimentary and early access to the Homeschool+ beta version to review and share my honest thoughts.

Fun Fact: The creators of Homeschool+ are the same creators from ABCmouse and Adventure Academy!

Overview of Homeschool+ Online Learning System

We were so excited to try out the beta version of Homeschool+! My son, who is 4, loves learning games and took to this right away! I was able to plan a “schedule” with daily lessons for him to complete. After he completed a lesson I was able to review his progress and see the lessons adapt to his needs.

Some of the subjects you will see on Homeschool+ are:

  • Math
  • Reading
  • Art
  • Science
  • Grammar
  • Geography
  • Spanish
  • Community

We can’t wait to see all Homeschool+ has to offer once this learning system is fully released!

Homeschool+ Unique Adaptive Learning Model

One of the strengths of Homeschool+ is its adaptability. The platform adjusts to the child’s individual skill level, providing appropriate challenges and rewards as they progress. This ensures that each child can learn at their own pace and stay motivated throughout the learning process.

Homeschool+ Daily Lessons

When your child first logs on they will see any lessons you planned out prior, or they will be shown free play options. I love the adaptive Match and Ready Academy sections! Once your child is in a lesson they will interact with the lessons by selecting responses and playing games.

My son really loves the Reading Academy and when familiar stories are read to him like “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”.

Homeschool+ Lesson Planner

I really enjoy the lesson planner option. I am able to add or delete lessons and plan out our homeschool week easily. It’s extremely responsive and flexible- which is a must in our homeschool.

Homeschool+ Progress Tracker

Parents will also appreciate the platform’s tracking and reporting tools, which allow them to monitor their child’s progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed.

This progress tracker is perfect to track learning milestones and if you are required to meet certain standards.

Daily Printable Lesson Plans

Homeschool+ not only offers engaging video lessons and online learning games, but they also offer printable lesson plans and activities you can use with your little ones!

I absolutely loved this option to take a break from the screentime but still have educational resources!

This is an example of a Human Body lesson you would download and print to complete:

Try Homeschool+ Here

Our Favorite Things About Homeschool+

Another noteworthy feature of Homeschool+ is its emphasis on learning through play. The platform is designed to be both educational and enjoyable, with games and activities that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. Children can earn virtual rewards and badges as they complete challenges, adding an extra layer of fun to the learning experience.

My son doesn’t even call this “school-work” he totally views it as fun games he gets to play!

Overall, Homeschool+ is a fantastic online learning game that provides a fun and effective way for young children to learn and grow. Its adaptability, emphasis on play, and tracking tools make it an ideal choice for homeschooling families or anyone looking to supplement their child’s education.