Wordless Wednesday Friends

Kwik Stix Giveaway #kwikstix #pencilgrip

I've always supported my kids in all of their hobbies. I try to encourage them and teach them as much as I can so they can reach their full potential in whatever they set out to do. Alaina loves to create things. She loves to color, draw, paint, and papier mache if it makes a mess and she is working with her hands she is all for it. That is one reason we love the Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint sticks from The Pencil Grip. Now they have a new set of paint stix that are Super Quick Drying.

Alaina has been using Quik Stix for several years. They allow her to paint without making a mess. When we go on a long car ride the first thing she packs in her bag is her drawing tablet and a package of Kwik Stix. She has so many sets now that she has to choose which ones she is packing to save room in her bag. I'm pretty sure the next trip we take she will want to take the Super Quick Drying set to make painting on the go even easier.

~~~Giveaway~~~

I have a set of the new Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint, Super Quick Drying, 12 Pack (TPG-602) to giveaway. Just enter the Rafflecopter below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Kwik Stix has offered me a set of the new Super Quick Drying Paint Sticks for myself and to giveaway to one of my readers in exchange for my blog post. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received.  

Amber's first 14er #hiking #14er

Amber loves to hike in the mountains. She has hiked in Colorado, Montana, and Canada. Last week she hiked her first 14er. Mt Elbert is the second tallest point in the United States and is in CO. 

Amber and her friends made it the to the top at 14,433 feet!!

No-Nonsense Algebra Review #hsreviews #NoNonsenseAlgebra #Algebra #MathEssentials

Amber is very good with practical math. She can figure fractions and percents easily, but when it comes to Algebra she struggled. Although she has completed Algebra I there were some concepts she struggled with. I wanted her to go back and see if we could get those concepts to make sense to her now so I have been having her complete some lessons in the No-Nonsense Algebra book from Math Essentials.

No-Nonsense Algebra is a 275-page softcover book that is divided into ten chapters and includes a corresponding video lesson for each lesson. This book is part of the Mastering Essential Math Skills Series. This is a complete Algebra course or it can be used to review certain topics alone. Each self-contained lesson has five key parts:

1. An introduction and explanation of each topic that is easy to understand.
2. A Helpful Hints section that includes tips and shortcuts. 
3. Examples
4. Written exercises 
5. A chapter review. 

The chapters vary in length and they all have a chapter review and a note from the teacher. These notes are helpful hints and tips to get the most out of your study time. This course was written by Richard W. Fisher and he suggests the student write out each example step-by-step. He wants the student to be fully involved and have a deeper understanding. Each lesson is short and to the point. Amber gets frustrated when things are over explained and she thought these lessons are a good length.  

The back of the book contains a final review, a ten-page glossary of terms, a list of important formulas, important symbols, and charts of the multiplication table, commonly used prime numbers, squares and square roots, and fraction/decimal equivalents. The answer key is also in the back of the book. 

The online video lessons are taught by Richard W. Fisher as well. He explains what is going on and the problems are worked on a marker board. 

Richard graduated San Jose University in 1971 with a B.A. in mathematics and he has been teaching math or developing math materials ever since. As a teacher one-half of his sixth-grade students would bypass seventh-grade and move directly to eighth-grade algebra. 

Amber struggled with graphing inequalities and the Geometry concepts that are taught in Algebra I. I had her go through Chapter 5: Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities and Chapter 8: Radical Expressions and Geometry. She didn't complete each lesson as it was intended. She read the introduction and helpful hints and followed Richard's tip about writing down each example step-by-step. The topics she had been struggling with the most she worked some of those problems. She said writing down the example problems were a big help and she loves all the tips that were included in the book. She actually flipped through and read some that were in the other chapters. She also liked how the lessons are short and to the point. She said she likes this guy because he isn't too wordy. Math doesn't come very easy for her younger sisters either so I will have them use this book along with their regular curriculum because they aren't much for change when it comes to math. 

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Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek Review #hsreviews #greek #greeknstuff

If you enjoy learning Greek roots or if you want to study God's word in Greek you may want to check out Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek - Level 3 Set from Greek 'n' Stuff. 
Greek 'n' Stuff was founded by Karen Mohs. Karen homeschooled for over 12 years and shares her love of teaching in the workbooks she now creates. She offers not only Greek for all ages but Latin and bible studies as well. 
Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek is recommended for children in the 4th grade to adults that are just beginning to learn Kione Greek. Kione Greek is not what is spoken today, but it is what was spoken when the new testament was written. We received the Level 3 Workbook, Level 3 "Full Text" Answer Key, and the Pronunciation CD for Levels 3-4. You may also purchase the answer key by itself, quizzes and exams, flashcards on a ring, sheet music for the alphabet song, or a Bible Copybook- The Gospel of John for the program.
Level 3 reviews the alphabet that is taught in Levels One and Two. The students will learn to construct simple sentences with the special endings, work on vocabulary, and learn singular and plural forms. The workbook contains 180 pages plus flash card pages that can be cut out for practice. There are 36 lessons with an extensive appendix covering the alphabet, vowels, punctuation, word order, tenses, bible copy work, and more.  Each lesson in Level 3 includes five worksheets one for each day. If you have an older student they may want to work at a faster pace. The first two lessons are alphabet review and cover three letters for each day. Each letter of the alphabet has its name, what sound it makes, three lines for writing practice, and a box that shows how to make the Greek letter. Lessons 3 & 4 cover vocabulary and include the Greek word, the meaning of the word, how it sounds, and an activity using the words. In Lesson 5 we start working with nouns, verbs, and gradually advances to reading more Greek. 
The Answer Key contains all the Worktext pages with the correct answer plus it has a recommended schedule of lessons. It includes further explanations, teacher tips, and indicates when to take the quizzes and exams.
The Pronunciation CD is for Level 3 and Level 4. The first track is the alphabet song and the vocabulary words are pronounced starting in Lesson 3. There is also an appendix which includes the Greek alphabet, articles, and other words that are learned. I have been using this course with Alaina. She is twelve and only knew a few letters of the Greek alphabet before starting the program. She has been following the recommended worksheet per day right now because technically she is still on summer break. She has learned all the alphabet and vocabulary words from the first four lessons and is really starting to enjoy this course now that she is getting further into it. The worksheets include matching, writing, fill in the blank, drawing, and more. The flashcards are very important to help the student remember what has been taught. We love that each worksheet has a box to check if Alaina practiced her flashcards. That little box is a huge help during the summer time when we aren't on a regular school schedule. 
There isn't really anything to prepare before hand. I read the first couple of pages in the Answer Key to get a feel for what is going on and Alaina just got to work. Each worksheet has all the instructions and the only other thing is creating the flashcards. 
We found a Greek lexicon at a local thrift store a few years ago and we can't wait to learn enough Greek to be able to use that. 

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Morgan's Photography

Morgan is currently in Utah. She does as much hiking there as she possibly can and of course, takes some amazing pictures while she does it. She always posts her pictures on Instagram and The World of Travel Photography noticed them and asked her to write an article on Bryce Canyon National Park.

I love that my kids want to make the most out of their hobbies and can share them with everyone else. Make sure you stop over and read her article and check out her Instagram page. You'll love it there!

The World of Travel Photography

A Photography Adventure: Bryce Canyon National Park by Morgan McClanahan

Morgan Paige Photography Instagram

Morgan Paige Photography

The Reign of TerrorReview #hsreviews #HeirloomAudio #InTheReignOfTerror #LiveTheAdventure #BringingHentyBack #AudioAdventures

Heirloom Audio Productions does an excellent job of dramatizing The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty. My girls were having trouble waiting for the newest one In the Reign of Terror to add to our collection.  In the Reign of Terror takes us to the French Revolution. We are taken back to France by a heroic 16-year old Harry. While he is saving a Christian family of French aristocrats he comes in contact with many people and by listening to his conversations we learn that the French Revolution was very different from the American War for Independence. The American War for Independence was based on the laws of nature and of nature's God whereas the French Revolution was about the glorification of human reason and the rejection of Christianity. The armed thugs were out for only themselves caused a lot of innocent people to be killed in a Reign of Terror.
G.A. Henty had a way of making history rememberable through his story telling. Heirloom Audio uses well-known people, music, and sound effects to take us back to history. The accents of the characters and the sound effects draw you into the story and make you feel like you are actually there. I know every time we receive a new audio theater from Heirloom Audio my kids will be on a time traveling adventure for a couple of hours. If I want to save the story for an upcoming car trip I have to hide it from my girls or they will beg me to let them listen to it right away. I wanted to keep this one for our trip, but the girls had other plans. They stopped what they were doing to listen right away and we have listened to it in the car again. Those 2 1/2 hours in the car went by fast & no one uttered a sound. In the Reign of Terror is recommended for children 6-adult. It is a 2 1/2 hour adventure on two cds. Just like all the other Heirloom Audio Productions this one also has a Study Guide and bonus features. These are available on their brand new Live the Adventure Club site. The bonus features include the option to listen to the drama online, the ebook Study Guide & discussion starter, In the Reign of Terror original e-book with colorful pictures, the official soundtrack, a printable cast poster, inspirational verse poster, desktop wallpaper, and the official script download. 
The Study Guide & Discussion Starter can be downloaded or read online. There are 43 pages in the ebook with one page for each chapter plus a short biography of G.A. Henty, Maximilien Robespierre, and Marie Antoinette. There is also a bible study, more information on the French Revolution, and some historical background information for the Reign of Terror. Each lesson sheet is set up the same way. The disc number, the track number, and the run time of that chapter on the cd is at the top to easily find your place on the disc. There are three sections:

• Listening Well ~ The questions here are to see how well you are listening.
• Thinking Further ~ These questions have you looking up something you heard in the story or to help you draw conclusions from the actions of the character. They are intended to get your children thinking about what is happening. 
• Expand Your Learning ~ This section uses the dictionary to enhance your child's vocabulary and understanding of the story.

There are some really neat new features available if you belong to the Live the Adventure Club. Not only do you have access to everything listed above, but if you choose to listen to the adventure online you can also read along to learn while you listen and stopping after each chapter to complete the seat work. There are quizzes, vocabulary words, and thinking further questions for each chapter that are answered online. 
The Adventure Club also has other things besides what goes with In the Reign of Terror. There is also an education section that offers books, and audio of Constitution and early American and World History. There is parent resources, kids activities, inspiration, and an Old Time Radio Vault.  If you are curious about the Adventure Club you can sign up now for a three month trial for only $1. Not only that, but you will also get access to the digital version of the newest audio adventure Captain Baley's Heir.

Social Media Heirloom Audio In the Reign of Terror The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty Facebook Twitter Google+ Instagram @HeirloomAudioOfficial We listen to Heirloom Audio together as a family and we all enjoy that time together.