Brinkman Adventures: Season 3 Review

My son and I love listening to the Brinkman Adventures! Recently, as part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I had the opportunity to review Brinkman Adventures: Season 3 with my son. I received the physical CD set for this review. My son was so excited when our package came in the mail! He said, "Alright, I love the Brinkman Adventures! When can we start listening to this one?" We enjoyed listening to the Brinkman Adventures for fun in our homeschool!

The Brinkman Adventures were created by Ian Bultman. He conceived the idea on hot, summer day in July sitting in a hotel room as he was praying and reading his Bible. He was reading in Luke 8:16-18 when the idea came to him.

"No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.  Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have." -Luke 8:16-18

The first season of the Brinkman Adventures was released nationally on Memorial Day weekend, May 26, 2012.


Brinkman Adventures: Season 3 contains four CD's with episodes 25-36. It's 5+ hours of adventures! From the Brinkman Adventures website:

"The family returns for another exciting season of missionary stories and family adventures.  From dangerous terrorists and a Taliban jail to threatening wolves and hypothermia, new challenges push our characters to the limit of endurance and force them to face their deepest fears.  Travel the globe from Ecuador to Kashmir and from Africa to Alaska as you listen to these amazing stories and discover God's wonderful truths!"

Disc 1:

1. God's Mule
2. Mountain Mover
3. The Silent Ambassador

Disc 2:

1. Translating Trouble
2. Man-Up
3. Acorns & Oaks

Disc 3:

1. A Saint's Story, Pt. 1
2. A Saint's Story, Pt. 2
3. Untouched

Disc 4:

1. Busy Bees and a Bullhorn
2. Missionary Tourist, Pt. 1
3. Missionary Tourist, Pt. 2

These four CD's come packaged in a sturdy plastic case with a full color picture of one of the adventures you'll hear in Season 3 in the package sleeve. All of the stories are actual powerful missionary stories brought to life by the Brinkman family adventures. They will strengthen your family's faith as they have our family's faith.

My son and I enjoyed listening to each story and had a fruitful time of discussion on many spiritual topics that were weaved as lessons throughout Season 3 of the Brinkman Adventures.

If you're wanting to fill your child's heart with the importance of the Great Commission Jesus left for us all before leaving this world, then use the stories of real missionaries found in the Brinkman Adventures. They're sure to be a big hit in your home as they are in mine!


You can discover even more at the Brinkman Adventure website. Learn about what happened in each story as you go behind the scenes; meet actual missionaries; and watch behind the scenes videos! 

You can connect with the Brinkman Adventures on Facebook.

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Standard Deviants Accelerate Review

I love using online learning options in our homeschool as a way to put something exciting and different into our daily homeschool routine. Recently as part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was selected to participate in a review of Standard Deviants Accelerate which offers online learning in these Homeschool Courses for your kids in grades 3-12:

• Arithmetic (grades 3+)
• Fundamental Math (grades 4+)
• Earth Science (grades 6+)
• Nutrition (grades 6+)
• Biology (grades 7+)
• Algebra (grades 7+)
• Chemistry (grades 9+)
• English Comp (grades 9+)
• U.S. History (grades 9+)
• AP Biology (grades 11+)
• AP Chemistry (grades 11+)
• AP U.S. History & Politics (grades 11+)
• AP English Comp (grades 11+)

Standard Deviants has been offering top notch educational videos for over 20 years in core subjects. They have taken their newest online educational videos and coupled them with lots of activities to create Standard Deviants Accelerate, the perfect curriculum supplement for your homeschool!

How We Used Standard Deviants Accelerate

I used a couple of the Homeschool Courses offered in Standard Deviants Accelerate in our homeschool with my son. Since he is delayed in math, I chose to focus on the Arithmetic and Fundamental Mathematics modules.

The Arithmetic module contains lessons on the following math concepts:

• Whole Numbers and the Number Line
• Addition and Subtraction
• Multiplying Whole Numbers and Word Problems
• Dividing Whole Numbers
• Understanding Decimals
• Understanding Fractions
• Lines, Shapes, and Sizes
• Measurement
• Patterns and Graphs
• Subject Review

There are 2-3 lessons for your student to complete under each concepts. Instructions are clearly noted at the top of the screen for each lesson.

You'll notice in the picture above that there are tabs listed at the top of the page.

The Video tab contains the teaching video and written transcript of the lesson. The entire lesson can be watched on the video which is great for a mom who doesn't feel strong teaching math to her kids.

The Vocab tab contains the vocabulary words from the lesson. The math vocabulary word definition is listed as well as a sound icon where the student can hear the word and definition.

Next is the Diagram tab where a math puzzle, etc. is given for your student to work.

The Quiz tab has the lesson's quiz for your student to complete. I love that these quizes are automatically graded for me! If your student misses a question, the correct answer is given in a video. There is a "see video" button that your student will press in order to see the correct answer and how to arrive at the correct answer.

The final tab is the Written Answer tab. Here a question is given relating to the theme of the lesson. Also listed under that main question is a couple of other writing prompt questions that you can have your student answer in written form. You can get a notebook for your student to keep these questions and answers in. 

The lessons are presented in both written and video format. You are given the option to print out the full transcript of the lesson too.

The setup I've described above is the same setup for Fundamental Mathematics. Lessons included in this math module were:

• Beyond Multiplication and Division
• Working with Fractions and Decimals
• Measurements and Ratios
• Angles, Polygons, and Circles
• Coordinate Geometry
• Gathering and Understanding Data
• Problem Solving Skills
• Subject Review

The young adults that are used in the video lessons do a great job at presenting the lesson in a fun and engaging way. I love that we can go at our own pace too.

If you're looking for an online learning option for your homeschool to help out with teaching subjects that you don't feel comfortable teaching, then you need to check out Standard Deviants Accelerate.


You can follow Standard Deviants Accelerate on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+
• Pinterest

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The Ultimate Homeschool Planner from Apologia

Apologia Educational Ministries is the number one publisher of creation-based science and Bible curriculum. In addition to Science and Bible, Apologia has learning resources for Language Arts, Geography, History, Civics and Preschool. Apologia also has planners, devotionals, and more to use in your homeschool.


As part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I recently had the opportunity to do a review of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner - Blue Cover. It is a lovely planner created by Debra Bell, a best selling author of homeschooling books. This homeschool planner comes in three different color options: orange, yellow, and blue. This 52-week homeschool planner can be used for up to 6 children.

I received The Ultimate Homeschool Planner in the color of blue. I love it!

Here's all that you will enjoy in this homeschool planner as specified on the Apologia website:

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner for Moms includes:

• Sturdy construction with convenient pockets and coated covers.
• Six years of calendars for long-term planning
• One-Year Planning Grid for the year ahead
• Student Goal Setter pages to identify academic and character goals for each child
• Family Priorities page to help you keep life in perspective
• Resource List pages to track resources for up to six children
• Two-page planning grid for each month
• Special Notes for scheduling exceptions that break your routine
• Wide margins to record prayers and answers to prayers
• Scriptures for meditating on God’s faithfulness
• Exclusive Lord’s Day feature for making God’s Word a central part of your plan
• Maximum flexibility to organize for up to six children by day or subject
• Memorable Moments and Evidences of Grace pages for recounting God’s activity in your life and home school
• Pages to record grades for up to six children and six subjects
• Reading List pages for up to six children
• Field Trip and Outside Activities logHigh School Planning Grid with a sample plan
• Year-End Review pages for reflection and next year’s planning

- See more at: http://www.apologia.com/planners/433-the-ultimate-homeschool-planner-blue-cover.html#sthash.N8EqQW46.dpuf

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner for Moms includes:

• Sturdy construction with convenient pockets and coated covers.
• Six years of calendars for long-term planning
• One-Year Planning Grid for the year ahead
• Student Goal Setter pages to identify academic and character goals for each child
• Family Priorities page to help you keep life in perspective
• Resource List pages to track resources for up to six children
• Two-page planning grid for each month
• Special Notes for scheduling exceptions that break your routine
• Wide margins to record prayers and answers to prayers
• Scriptures for meditating on God’s faithfulness
• Exclusive Lord’s Day feature for making God’s Word a central part of your plan
• Maximum flexibility to organize for up to six children by day or subject
• Memorable Moments and Evidences of Grace pages for recounting God’s activity in your life and home school
• Pages to record grades for up to six children and six subjects
• Reading List pages for up to six children
• Field Trip and Outside Activities logHigh School Planning Grid with a sample plan
• Year-End Review pages for reflection and next year’s planning

- See more at: http://www.apologia.com/planners/433-the-ultimate-homeschool-planner-blue-cover.html#sthash.N8EqQW46.dpuf

"The Ultimate Homeschool Planner for Moms includes:

• Sturdy construction with convenient pockets and coated covers.
• Six years of calendars for long-term planning
• One-Year Planning Grid for the year ahead
• Student Goal Setter pages to identify academic and character goals for each child
• Family Priorities page to help you keep life in perspective
• Resource List pages to track resources for up to six children
• Two-page planning grid for each month
• Special Notes for scheduling exceptions that break your routine
• Wide margins to record prayers and answers to prayers
• Scriptures for meditating on God’s faithfulness
• Exclusive Lord’s Day feature for making God’s Word a central part of your plan
• Maximum flexibility to organize for up to six children by day or subject
• Memorable Moments and Evidences of Grace pages for recounting God’s activity in your life and home school
• Pages to record grades for up to six children and six subjects
• Reading List pages for up to six children
• Field Trip and Outside Activities log
• High School Planning Grid with a sample plan 
• Year-End Review pages for reflection and next year’s planning"

I enjoyed using the exclusive Lord's Day feature to start my day off right as my son's homeschool teacher. Setting my thoughts and heart in God's Word first thing each morning enables me to be the teacher my son needs for me to be and that God wants me to be. The Scriptures on God's faithfulness are encouraging to me as a homeschool mom on days that are tough.

I love planning our homeschool one month at a time in my Ultimate Homeschool Planner. I feel so organized and our homeschool is running smoothly since I've been using it. The pockets are nice to hold the worksheets that my son will use each day.

The name Ultimate Homeschool Planner fits perfectly as this is the ONLY planner you will need! It will be your go-to homeschool planner year after year.


You can connect with Apologia Educational Ministries on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google+

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Institute for Excellence in Writing Review

Institute for Excellence in Writing offers excellent resources for homeschooling parents to use with their kids in the four areas of language arts: listening, speaking, writing and reading.



I'm excited to bring to you today this review for the Institute for Excellence in Writing Resource Set which includes the Timeline of Classics, Teaching with Games Set, and A Word Write Now.

IEW Resource Set Products

The Timeline of Classics: Historical Context for the Good and Great Books is a chronological index of the classics in world literature. I received the spiral bound version for this review, but it is also available for purchase as a PDF file. This resource will be a wonderful addition to your homeschool as it fits perfectly with many curriculum choices and teaching styles. It is suitable for all ages.

You will find inside a chronological listing of writings, biographies, plays, recordings and films that reveal a panoramic view of our world's history. All of this information is formatted as a spreadsheet with the following column listings: description/time period, title of resource, author and approximate age/ability level.

I love the fact that you can actually use this resource as a world history/literature study guide throughout your homeschooling years beginning at Elementary and ending at High School! Hours of research and planning have already been completed for you!


The timeline is divided into the following time periods of world history:

• Ancients (5000 BC - AD 400)
• Preflood and Postflood Civilizations
• Egypt (3000 - 2000 BC)
• Greece (3000 - 431 BC)
• Rome (509 BC - AD 476)
• Dark Ages (Europe, c. 300-900)
• Middle Ages (AD 400 - 1450)
• Vikings (Scandinavia, Europe, 793-1066)
• European Military Expansion (1000-1450)
• Crusades (1095 - c. 1250)
• Renaissance Period in Italy (1300-1500)
• Renaissance and Reformation (1450-1850)
• European Exploration and Colonization (1400-1600)
• Protestant Reformation (15th century, Europe)
• Elizabethan Period (United Kingdom, 1558-1603)
• The New World (1607-1860s)
• Age of Enlightenment (18th century, Europe)
• Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries)
• Westward Expansion (America, c. 1841)
• The Modern World (1850-present)
• American Civil War (1861-1865)
• Progressive Era (United States, 1880s-1920s)
• Machine Age (1900-1945)
• The Post-Modern Era (1939 WWII-present)
• Cold War Period (1945-1991)
• Atomic Age (after 1945)
• Space Age (after 1957)
• Information Age (1970+)

My son loves history, so we had a great time going through the different time periods and making our selections.

Teaching with Games Set is a fantastic way to get some fun in your child's daily learning! There are 25 game ideas for you to choose from. The recorded workshop gives you ideas on how to adapt the games to any subject in your homeschool. You can use these for any grade level too. There are two DVDS and one CD-ROM. DVD One has a running time of 70 minutes and DVD Two has a running time of 60 minutes.

We had a great time using the Wheel of Fortune game idea for my son's spelling words each week. It was a fun way for him to practice his spelling words.  We used the Pictionary game idea for things we were learning about in History.

Everything you need such as game instructions and a few printables are included.




A Word Write Now is a thematic thesaurus divided into organized word lists for character qualities and behavior traits. IEW has also divided the word lists even more by parts of speech. Each category of words are color coded by nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs. There's even a section for students to add their own words. It's 100 pages in full color and is spiral bound.

There are four sections of A Word Write Now:

1. Section A: Character Traits
2. Section B: Descriptive Words
3. Section C: Words for Movement and the Senses
4. Section D: Appendix

This is a great tool that's easy for my son to use. He has had trouble in the past with coming up with a variety of words for his writing assignments. A Word Write Now has been a welcome addition to our homeschool!  





We have thoroughly enjoyed using these learning resources from IEW! They'll make a great addition to your homeschool too!

You can connect with the Institute for Excellence in Writing on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Vimeo
• Twitter
• YouTube
• IEW Blog
• Google+
• Instagram

You can read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew simply by clicking on the image below.

Koru Naturals Review

Koru Naturals has been bringing the beauty of New Zealand to the United States since 2002 through their line of products that highlight natural substances. Their symbol is the koru, a Maori name given to the newborn, unfurling fern which symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace. Koru Naturals has a no animal testing policy and requires that all of their suppliers certify that their products are not tested on animals. 


I've reviewed Koru Natural products in the past with the Schoolhouse Review Crew, so when the opportunity came again to participate in another review of selected products, I eagerly signed up to be a part of this review. I received the following products for my review of Koru Naturals: Skin Clear Cream, Manuka Honey Propolis Soap, Emu Oil Shampoo and Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner. I'm excited to share with you today my experience of using these all natural products!

My Experience with Products from Koru Naturals

So when my package arrived from Koru Naturals I quickly opened it and began perusing each product container and opening up everything so I could smell each one. Here is a picture of each product. I love the product packaging and appreciate the careful attention given to even this small, but important aspect of the products of Koru Naturals.

Skin Clear Creme is ideal for acne-prone skinned, which I don't have, but it was a nice moisturizer for my face and neck area. I applied Skin Clear Creme to my face and neck in the morning and again at night. The results have been nice, moisturized skin that is soft to the touch.

Manuka Honey Propolis Soap comes in packaging so cute that I didn't want to open it! But you know I did and let me tell you, I love this all natural soap! It lathered up so beautifully and very quickly too I should add. It smells so good! Made with Manuka honey from the bee hive and Propolis, both of which are known for their natural intense moisturizing and skin protective qualities, I highly recommend this nourishing soap! My skin feels so smooth and soft after using Manuka Honey Propolis Soap.

Emu Oil Shampoo and Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner are both designed specifically for damaged hair. The Emu Oil Shampoo comes in an 8 fl. oz. bottle, and the Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner comes in a 4 fl. oz. bottle. I have a love/hate relationship with my hair and was excited to try these two all natural hair products. The leave-in conditioner was very nice. The first time I used way too much though and my hair looked greasy. So the next day, I just sprayed small amounts in the palm of my hands and rubbed it through portions of my hair and was able to easily brush through my hair. My hair is long and thick, so I was happy with how the leave-in conditioner worked. You won't get a lot of suds with the shampoo because there are no artificial ingredients in this all natural shampoo. It took some getting used to, but knowing that my hair was getting cleaned and properly cared for was well worth it. Overall, my hair looked and felt healthy after using the Emu Oil Shampoo and Emu Oil Leave-in Conditioner.

You can follow Koru Naturals to keep up with all the natural products they continue to add to their selections on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Pinterest

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FishFlix.com ~ Your One-Stop Source for Christian Movies

FishFlix.com offers quality Christian DVDs that you can enjoy watching with your whole family! As a team member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I recently had the opportunity to select a DVD from FishFlix.com and watch it with my family. I chose Faith of Our Fathers for this review.

Faith of Our Fathers DVD

My 15 year old son is very interested in history, and more specifically, the history of wars. Naturally I chose for my review the Faith of Our Fathers DVD because I knew it would be something that he would enjoy watching since it was about fathers who served together in the Vietnam War.

Here's the movie's description from Fishflix.com:

"With the Vietnam War raging in 1969, two young fathers report for duty.  A man of great faith and a doubtful cynic.  About 25 years later, their sons, Wayne and John Paul played by David A.R. White and Kevin Downes, meet as strangers.  Guided by handwritten letters from their fathers from the battlefield, they embark on an unforgettable journey to The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Along the way, they discover that the devastation of war cannot break the love of two fathers and their sons."

I was interested in watching this movie too because my Dad was a Vietnam veteran. He never talked to me about his experience in the Vietnam War expect for one time in my adult life. He told me his coming home story and I'll never forget it. My Dad suffered from nightmares and PTSD as a result of fighting in the Vietnam War. His sacrifice and service to our country is what makes him my ultimate hero.





The main characters of Faith of Our Fathers are John Paul and Wayne. Their fathers were friends who served and died in the Vietnam War. John Paul finds a letter from his dad as he is going through some of his mom's boxes. Since John Paul doesn't know much about his father, he sets out to find the man mentioned in his father's letters in hopes of learning more about his father. He finds the man's son, Wayne. John Paul is a man of faith, and Wayne is a very angry and cynical man. Together they travel to Washington, DC to visit The Wall. As they make the journey, they read the letters sent home during the war from Wayne's father. It's through these letters that John Paul and Wayne get to know their fathers. They also learn through the letters what faith is all about.

If there are any Duck Dynasty fans out there, Si Robertson has a brief part in this movie! Be ready to laugh and cry while you watch Faith of our Fathers. In case you're wondering, the movie is rated PG-13 for brief war violence.

My Opinion of FishFlix.com

Fishflix.com is an online Christian movie store that has a great variety of movie selections that are safe for your whole family! There's not much available these days on T.V. or in the movie theater for a Christian family. I'm so glad to have FishFlix.com as a resource for family friendly entertainment! If you've never heard of them, I highly recommend heading over to their website and taking a look at all they have to offer! You will not be disappointed! FishFlix.com might even become your one-stop source for Christian movies!

Be sure to follow FishFlix.com on the following social media outlets so you can get their updates:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google+
• YouTube

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Literature Study Guides with a Christian Perspective

Progeny Press offers literature study guides with a Christian perspective for your homeschool. When the Schoolhouse Review Crew recently had the opportunity to review their selection of literature study guides, I chose the Stone Fox downloadable digital study guide for grades 3-5 to use with my son in our homeschool.

Each Progeny Press study guide is designed to help your student enjoy the literature they read by understanding how the story is crafted and helping them think through the ideas and themes presented in the story.

It is recommended that your student has access to a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a Bible while working through their literature study guide. At times, they may also need access to the Internet, a topical Bible or concordance.

You will need to visit your local library to check out the novel book or you can purchase it at your favorite bookstore.

Literature study guides are available for digital download for the following grades:

• Lower Elementary (Grades K-3)
• Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5)
• Middle School (Grades 5-8)
• High School (Grades 8-12)

You can follow Progeny Press on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Youtube
• Twitter

 

Literature Study Guide for Stone Fox

You will find the following pages included in the literature study guide for Stone Fox:

• Study Guide Authors
• Peer Review Panel
• Note to Instructor (that's you!)
• Synopsis
• About the Novel's Author
• Background Information
• Ideas for Pre-reading Activities
• Breakdown of Chapters
• Chapters 1-2
• Chapters 3-4
• Chapters 5-6
• Chapters 7-8
• Chapters 9-10

• Overview
• Review Puzzle Race
• Essays and Projects
• Ideas for Post-reading Activities
• Related Resources
• Answer Key (located in a separate file)

It's recommended you take 8-12 weeks to complete a study guide doing one page per day. Your student will be able to complete 3 to 4 literature study guides per year going at this suggested pace. The elementary guides will not take as long to complete.

Concerning high school credits, most Christian high schools have given a 1/4 credit for each literature study guide.

Ideas for pre-reading activities include:

• Map Work
• Research

Each chapter of the literature study guide has worksheets that include:

• Vocabulary
• Comprehension Questions
• Thinking About the Story Questions
• Dig Deeper Questions
• Bible Scriptures
• Go Figure (Math word problems)

You can view a sample of this literature study guide on the Progeny Press website.

My Opinion of Progeny Press

I really like the interactive literature study guides from Progeny Press! I love that your student can type their answers into the PDF file and save their work along the way. This is great if you have a boy like mine who doesn't like to write. It's also great that I can go in and check his work when I'm ready, and I can type in my comments about his work and grade it right there in the file! This makes for less paper clutter in our homeschool which is a big plus!

There are some pages that we needed to print in order for my son to complete. The pages you need to print in the study guide are clearly marked with a highlighted notation.

Most of all, I love that the literature study guides from Progeny Press are written from a Christian perspective! Their mission statement is:

"To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the Scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it."

My son loved the story, Stone Fox! This is the story of Willy and Searchlight, a boy and his dog who enter a dog sledding race in hopes to save Grandfather's farm with the prize money from the sledding race. The only problem is Willy is racing against Stone Fox - an Indian who has never lost.

If you are looking for literature study guides with a Christian perspective, I highly recommend Progeny Press for your homeschool!



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ASD Reading - An Online Reading Program for Austism Spectrum Disorder

Reading Kingdom is an online program that teaches your children in the following six areas of Reading:

1. Phonics (Sounds)
2. Sequencing
3. Writing
4. Meaning
5. Grammar
6. Comprehension

For this review, I was given ASD Reading (Autism Spectrum Disorder Reading) to use for a year with my son who is on the autism spectrum with Asperger's Syndrome. This fun and easy to use online reading program teaches students with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) how to read, write, and comprehend.

Based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marion Blank, ASD Reading is unique in that it offers instruction methods that you don't find in other programs.

• It requires no prerequisite skills (even non-verbal children can use this program).
• Graphics, audio, and animation are used extensively in order to reinforce meaning.
• Written and spoken language are linked together so that one mirrors and reinforces the other.
• Instruction is customized so that it adapts to each child's specific needs and skills.
• A child's skills are systematically assessed helping them to overcome difficulties and error patterns.

"ASD Reading is based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marion Blank, a world-renowned literacy and language expert who developed and served as Co-Director of the Columbia University Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program for Autism and Related Disorders."

About ASD Reading

ASD Reading is a completely online reading program. You will need a computer with a mouse or a tablet. You will also need an internet connection.

The lessons are short enough to complete in one session. You also have the option to pause the lesson if needed. Once the lesson is completed, your child has the option to continue on to the next lesson or stop for the day.

At this screen, your child can continue on to the next lesson or stop for the day.

The dashboard enables parents to see each child using the program, the subscription status, when the child last used the program, how many days per week the program was used, their current level within ASD Reading, and the percentage completed on the level they are on.

Throughout the ASD Reading Program, your child can score points that will open up their passport. There are 5 different levels in the program which your child will work through. Stars are placed on the passport as points are earned for their completed work.

How To Use ASD Reading

The first thing your child will do when starting the ASD Reading Program is take a placement test. They are placed in the reading program at their level according to the results of the placement test. Once the placement test is completed, assignments are generated and ready for your child to use.

Until your child becomes familiar with how the program works, you'll want to supervise them when they are using ASD Reading.

To ensure success with ASD Reading, it is suggested that your child uses the program at least 4 days a week.

My Opinion of ASD Reading

One of the wonderful things about this reading program is the clear instructions given along the way. My son was able to use ASD Reading without my help. Also, I loved the encouraging sounds and phrases spoken that were very motivating for my son. The lessons have colorful pictures that are fun and engaging. It keeps his attention which can be hard to do.

Overall, I am very happy with ASD Reading! I appreciate the progress reports I receive in my email that let me know if my son needs my attention for anything he's struggling with. There is also the dashboard where I can go anytime to get an update on my son's progress within the program and how he is doing.

If you have a child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, I highly recommend taking a look in ASD Reading. You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial. They also have a Scholarship Program for families who cannot afford to pay for the program that will allow you to use it for free with your child. You will need to sign up first for the 30-day trial and use it with your child for a minimum of 4 days per week for 3 weeks, then you can fill out their form for the Scholarship Program that is on their website.


You can connect with Reading Kingdom on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

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YWAM Publishing Review

I was so excited when the opportunity came up to participate in a review for YWAM Publishing with the Schoolhouse Review Crew! For this review I chose Corrie Ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels' Den from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series to read with my son in our homeschool. We also received the Unit Study Curriculum Guide.

Meet YWAM Publishing

YWAM Publishing offers high quality Christian books at discounted prices. The categories included on their website are:

• Hero Biographies
• Hero Series - Bonus Material
• International Adventure Series
• Homeschooling
• Missions
• New Releases
• Upcoming Releases
• Ebook/MP3 Downloads
• YWAM's Top 40
• Christian Living
• Children & Teens
• Music & Worship (Books)
• Music
• Fiction
• Libros En Espanol ~ Spanish
• Books in Other Languages

YWAM Publishing is a non-profit ministry of YWAM (Youth with a Mission), which was founded in 1960. YWAM is a large interdenominational Christian ministry located in nearly 900 locations in over 400 countries! They have a volunteer staff of 17,000 people.

YWAM Publishing began with printing tracks on one small printing press for a mission outreach to the 1970 Munich Olympic Games. They are committed to producing and distributing books that encourage Christians to make a difference in the world. 

Today YWAM Publishing publishes and distributes 150 of their own titles, in addition to over 2,000 books and videos from other sources, to people, churches, and bookstores all over the world. When homeschoolers like you and I purchase products from YWAM Publishing, we are helping children and adults all over the world through the vital missions programs of YWAM. Isn't that amazing?!

Christian Heroes: Then & Now Book Series

Christian Heroes: Then & Now is a book series that shares exciting and inspirational stories of real people who have a heart for missions and have answered God's call to missions.



Corrie ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels' Den is one of the 42 books in the Christian Heroes: Then and Now book series.

The book description given by YWAM Publishing:

Suddenly, Corrie's ordered life was lost in the insanity of war. With bravery and compassion, her family and countless other Dutch citizens risked everything to extend God's hand to those innocents marked for certain execution in a world gone mad.

Corrie ten Boom's life of determination, faith, and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable brutality and hardship is a stunning testimony of the sustaining power of God (1892-1983).

I have always admired the courage and faith of Corrie ten Boom. I'm so glad to be able to read about her life and learn from her Christian example with my son!

Here are the categories included in the Unit Study Curriculum Guide which is now a download on the YWAM Publishing website:

Student Explorations
Essay writing
Creative writing
Hands-on projects
Audio/Visual projects

Social Studies
Reproducible activity pages
Geography
History
Vocabulary
Critical thinking

Bible Study
Scripture memorization
Devotional application
Spiritual concepts

Community Links
Meaningful field trips
Guest speakers
Service projects

Related Themes to Explore
Politics and law
Current events
Life skills
Math
History
Geography
Science

Bibliography of Related Resources
Books
Movies
Documentaries
Magazine articles
Websites

Culminating Event
Project displays
Era music, food, and activities
Oral presentations

How We Used the Book and Unit Study Curriculum Guide

For the remainder of this review, I will be sharing about our experience with Corrie ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels' Den, one of the books available in the Christian Heroes: Then & Now book series; plus the Unit Study Curriculum Guide.

We read a chapter a week in the book. There are comprehension questions provided for each chapter in the Unit Study Curriculum Guide which I use with my son after reading each chapter. I am pleasantly surprised when he can answer most of the questions! He really gets into the book as we read it together.

I also use the Scripture verses provided in the curriculum guide as copywork each week. Once we have finished reading the book, I plan to go to our local library and check out the movie, The Hiding Place, which is a movie suggestion in the curriculum guide based on Corrie ten Boom's life.

There is so much to choose from in the Unit Study Curriculum Guide! I love that and the fact that I'm not tied to doing the same activity every day after we read. It also helps to keep my son's attention and interest.

I'm really looking forward to reading more of the books included in Christian Heroes: Then & Now series with my son. I hope you'll check out this inspirational series about real life Christian heroes and everything else that is offered at YWAM Publishing!

You can connect with YWAM Publishing on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter 
• Pinterest

To read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew, simply click on the image below.

Super Teacher Worksheets Review

Today I'm sharing with you a review of an amazing online worksheets printables resource called Super Teacher Worksheets that will benefit both public school teachers as well as homeschoolers! As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given an Individual Membership for an entire year to use in our homeschool.

Introducing Super Teacher Worksheets

There is an incredible amount of worksheet printables for teachers and homeschool parents to use for children in grades PreK-5th. You'll have access to over 10,000 printable worksheets, activities and games! Math worksheets, grammar worksheets, printable maps, map skills activities, reading comprehension and so much more is available at your fingertips with Super Teacher Worksheets!



This online printable worksheets site has a huge list of homeschool printables in these categories:

• Math
• Reading and Writing
• Phonics and Early Literacy
• Handwriting
• Grammar
• Spelling Lists and Worksheets (Grades 1-5)
• Science
• Social Studies
• Holidays
• Puzzles and Brain Teasers
• Teacher Helpers
• Pre-K and Kindergarten
• Make-Your-Own Worksheets

Printable Reading Books

Fun Math Worksheets

Holiday Fun

Telling Time and Clock Practice

Multiplication and Division Worksheets

Reading Comprehension

How We Used Super Teacher Worksheets

I absolutely love Super Teachers Worksheets! I used the math worksheets and the reading comprehension worksheets with my son in our homeschool as a way to reinforce weaknesses in his learning which is delayed due to his special needs.

I used the worksheet generator to create my own math worksheets for my son so he could practice his subtraction facts. I will be making more worksheets to use as practice for addition, multiplication and division. I love that I can save all of my worksheets that I create and reprint them at any time. This will be a great time-saver for me! Especially if there is a particular worksheet that my son might struggle with and we need to go over again.

The reading comprehension worksheets were very helpful to use with my son to build his comprehension skills.

I'm using the spelling lists in our homeschool as well. You can print off the list of spelling words each week and use the worksheets that go along with them for practice work during the week. I had my son write out the list of spelling words on Monday and quizzed him on Tuesday. Any words he missed on the spelling quiz were assigned to write again on Wednesday and Thursday with the final spelling test on those missed words taking place on Friday.

I love the filing cabinet that I can use to save the worksheets I've used. There is a handy icon at the top of the menu bar that you can simply click on to save the worksheets you find and use on Super Teacher Worksheets.

My Opinion of Super Teacher Worksheets

As I stated earlier in my review, I love using Super Teacher Worksheets! There are so many printable worksheets available with just the click of my mouse. If you're looking for printable worksheets to use in your homeschool, you will definitely want to check out Super Teacher Worksheets! This is a completely online program so you will need a computer or laptop, internet access, and a printer.

You can connect with Super Teachers Worksheets on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest

To read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew, simply click on the image below.