Kids Can Publish Website

Mel's Thoughts:
Five Star Publications recently introduced us to a website called Kids Can Publish University.  This site was basically started to get kids even more interested in writing and illustrating, and simply, in creating; they would have the opportunity to see their writing or drawings come to life, in published form, via monthly contests.  First through ninth graders are welcome to submit their manuscripts for the contests.  

This website is not only a great tool for kids, but it's a wonderful resource to teachers, as well.  With workshops, helpful hints, info on grant writing, etc., it's a very handy website.  Kids Can Publish is also an avenue by which a teacher can have authors of children's books come to speak to her class.   Also available is a section that helps give the teacher ideas for writing assignments/projects for her students.  

The best thing about the contests is that they are free.  So, this is a writing project that could be a monthly project for your child or your student.  They don't have to just write stories, though; they can write poems, nonfiction pieces, editorials, or articles; budding artists can submit cartoon drawings, illustrations, photography, drawings, etc.  

You can learn more by just browsing around Kids Can Publish University.


Melissa J's Thoughts

I, as an adult, dream of being published, so what a thrill for kids, that they have the potential to be published. Kids Can Publish University is a website that offers that potential to children. I was surprised to see that there was no fee to use this service, put out my
Five Star Publications. The only action required, is for kids to submit their piece, via the submission page (parents, don't worry. You must sign the permission slip for them to do this!)  Pieces are then chosen on a monthly basis for publishing in a contest style choosing. Anything from creative writing to pictures can be submitted. 

I can see a positive to this site and a negative. Negative first. Not being chosen could devastate a child. To do this on a "only the very best entries" are published, could be rough after awhile on a child who's entries are not chosen. 

The positive is, this could really be used as a tool to encourage your child's creativity. It can also teach them perseverance, even in the face of rejection. And what's more, if something does end up being published, what an awesome motivator for your child to continue broadening their talents and abilities!

Timberdoodle: Upturn Game

Mel's Thoughts:
Timberdoodle is an amazing company that is just full of great educational toys, games, and homeschooling materials.  We recently received the game of Upturn in the mail.  It's a game for ages 6+ (or as soon as they can recognize double-digit numbers), and you can play with 2-4 players.  The sturdy box it comes in is very nice with storage dividers inside and a drawstring bag to hold all your number tiles. 


As we were setting it up to play, it almost reminded me of Rummikub in a way.  I very faintly remember playing that with our neighbor, whose house I used to clean, as a teenager.  Dan, Jacob, and I were able to play, and we each got one standing tray to organize our number tiles on.  We each got seven number tiles.  Included with the number tiles were arrow tiles, numbered penalty tiles, twin tiles, skip player tiles, and jokers. We picked a number tile from the bag and laid it on the table, and then whoever went first got to pick the direction we'd be going at first, up or down (number-wise).  For example, if that first tile was a 35, then Jacob might go first and place a 41 tile down, stating that we were going up.  Then, as we went along we could change the direction of the game, we could skip players, or we could stack tiles up on the other player's rack with our penalty tiles.  The twin tiles were my favorite, because if you got a twin tile, say 99, and the last tile laid down was a 45, you could lay down anything between that 45 and 99 because of that twin marker, all in one turn.  When you got down to one tile, you had to yell out, "Upturn!"; if you didn't, you would be penalized by having to pick up 3 more tiles to add to your rack.  Whoever got rid of all their tiles first, won the game!  Jacob actually won our first game....  I know this may be totally confusing until you actually play the game, but just know that we had a lot of fun with it.  Games are nice, with our family, because they are something we can sit down with and be in the moment together.  Even Jaden sat there with his coloring book and was content to just be with us.


It's actually a great game that I may use some in math with Jacob and even Jaden later on because it would help give practice on greater than/less than concepts, recognizing double-digit numbers, etc.  It has a great mental/strategic aspect to the whole game.  You can find Upturn on Timberdoodle for $25.


Melissa J's Thoughts

If you had told me a week ago, that I thought $25 was worth a game that involved numbers, I would have thought you were nuts! But Upturn is definitely worth the purchase price. For a person who hates numbers, I sure enjoyed the game. My husband, who hates games, even commented, "This is kind of addictive. . ."

We did find it a bit difficult to get into the groove in the first two games, just because different tiles have different signs on them and we had to keep looking at the directions to see what they meant. But by the third game, we were on a roll and I was disappointed it ended so quickly. 

Although the game doesn't use advanced math skills it still helps kids use their numbers-knowledge to figure out which numbers fit into the ascending and descending series that are going on.  

I didn't get a chance to try this out with actual kids, since we had to cancel our game night because of illness, but I already have plans to take it to my in-laws for Christmas to play with my nephews. In fact, I think my mother-in-law will even enjoy it!  

I was so impressed with the tile pieces we used too. I need to add that.  They are sturdy, heavy duty game pieces that I would guess are indestructible to even the most active, mischievous child. 


Timberdoodle is impressing me more and more, with every review I do. Their products are amazing and high quality. Not only that, they teach children through the action of play. As a mother, who encourages both play and education, I appreciate this mix. I love the fact that my child can have a good time, all while learning how to use her educational knowledge. Thank you Timberdoodle for providing such amazing teaching tools for our children!


 


(Disclosure: We were provided with this product, free of charge, by Timberdoodle, in association with MamaBuzz.)

TOS Crew: ABC Teach

Mel participated in this review with the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Homeschooling sometimes involves stepping back and taking time to just review over concepts that are just not clicking.  Sometimes this takes a bit of creativity on my part as the Mom, and that can be one of the hardest things, is just finding a way to help make it click in their brains.  Recently, we were given the opportunity to review ABC Teach with the Crew. 




ABC Teach is full of worksheets and resources that can easily be printed off and used along with our daily lessons.  They have over 6,000 printables on their free side, and they have over 30,000 printables on their paid side.  That was a lot of resources at my fingertips.  

I bet you can guess which part I went into first.....yep, the math printables.  I was able to generate worksheets for Jacob to review his addition/subtraction facts.  I was even able to print off a quick game for us to play in math, Math Star.  We both enjoyed this game, and it just gave us some "fun" math time.   Now, not only can you just automatically print off a ready-made worksheet, but you can use the ABC tools to create your own version of a worksheet, and there are video tutorials on the site to help you do that.

ABC Teach doesn't just offer math worksheets, though.  They have many different categories that you can choose from for your printable needs, whether it be worksheets, clipart, games, or even teaching helps/resources.  Here are a few of the categories on their site for paid members:

• Art and Music
• Book Units
• Border Papers
• Clipart
• Graphic Organizers
• Handwriting
• Holiday/Seasonal
• Homeschooling and Parent Resources
• Language Arts
• Languages/ESL
• Math
• Montessori Materials
• Shape Books
• Social Studies
• Think Green, Teach Green

...and there are many more categories.

Their free side also has many resources, including some of the following:

• Reading Comprehension
• Subjects, like Math, Phonics, Word Walls, Writing, Art, etc.
• Holidays, Months, & Seasons
• Homeschoolers & Parents
• Flashcards
• Fun Activities
• Think Green, Teach Green

...and many, many more.

The worksheets come for all ages, Pre-K/Elementary Education/Middle School/Junior High.  A one-year membership is $40, and you can watch a video that will take you through what you would receive.  In my opinion, if your child needs the extra help with his subjects, or even if you just want to have these resources at your fingertips when you need them, then this is a wonderful site to join; but for myself and my family, even though $40 is relatively inexpensive, I would rather try to use their free resources and try to find other free online resources when possible, since it's important for us to really budget out what we spend on our homeschooling needs each year.

To read more reviews, check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this free resource by ABC Teach, in association with the TOS Homeschool Crew.)      

Copper Bookmarks From Five Star Publications

Mel's Thoughts:
Have you ever been in the middle of a book that you just couldn't put down, and then one of the kids started screaming that the baby was playing in the toilet?!  You had to run quick, but you had no bookmark, so you quickly just threw whatever you had at your fingertips, be it a tissue, money, or even a pencil, in the book to hold your place.  Yeah, sometimes we don't want to just go and buy bookmarks because either they will get lost, or the kids will inevitably rip them up, so why spend the money?  I've even found myself using old church bulletins or business cards just because I couldn't find a bookmark. 

We recently had the opportunity to review these little beauties for Five Star Pulications.  They are copper bookmarks with Swarovski crystals and pearls, and I myself received the angel bookmark.  They come in an angel, a paw print for animal lovers, or a star.  They are very small and petite.  I love my angel, because it's just so cute.  The bookmark fits quite nicely into my book and doesn't fall out, because the curve (like a candycane) holds the bookmark in place, snugly, over the book binding.  The angel is free to dangle around....and it's just adorable.  It's quite stylish. 

Would I recommend it for kids?  Well, I would recommend it for older children, but probably not for mine yet.  Since it is made out of copper, the edges are sharper than what I feel comfortable handing my boys right now, at their particular ages.  To be honest, I'd rather keep it intact right now too, and with my youngest, that might not happen.  He's the type who takes all the wheels off of all his cars.  I can definitely feel that it is a bookmark that I will keep around for a good long time, though.

Here is a gift guide that Five Star sent along with the bookmarks:
High-end, custom-designed Five Star Copper Bookmarks are made exclusively with quality copper and Swarovski crystals and pearls, making them ideal for avid readers and gift giving. They come in three 3-1/2-inches-tall designs: a serene angel made with a divine crystal and opulent pearl; a paw print, which sports a teal or amethyst crystal; and a crystal-packing star. Retail: $11.95. www.FiveStarPublications.com.

(Disclosure: We were provided with this free product by Five Star Publications.)

TOS Crew: Amazing Bible Timeline

Mel participated in this review with the TOS Crew.

We have been studying ancient history since last January; recently, we studied about Alexander the Great, Cyrus, and Hannibal.  We learned all about some of these central characters in ancient history, and, of course, Jacob was fascinated with their stories; he even plays dress-up now, as a Greek, Trojan, or Roman.  He cracks me up.  Anyway in Bible, we have also been using the Grapevine curriculum off and on, which takes us through Bible stories, chronologically.  So, when we received the Amazing Bible Timeline in the mail, we were excited to check it out.

Basically, the Timeline goes back 6,000 years to the beginning of humankind, with Adam.  It coordinates some of the more major historical events with Biblical events.  It's kind of neat just to sit down and go back through, find a familiar name, and then look to see what else was going on in history, throughout the world, at that time.  Jacob wanted to look for Alexander the Great, and through looking for him, we also found the Trojan War and Cyrus and some other greats that we had studied.  We've been studying about Job in Bible, so he also wanted to look for him, but I honestly couldn't find him....he may be there, but we haven't found him yet. 

I love the idea of coordinating what was going on in the Bible with what else was going on in history at the same time.  Things I don't even think about, I notice now in history.  For example, I didn't know that the Trojan War was around the same time as Gideon's era.  The map colors coordinate and take you down through Shem, Ham, and Japheth's history/descendants, all the way to our present century.  It's a circular timeline, so that you can easily follow around the length of the line, and you can look at different historical topics all in one shot, with the lines that divide the centuries.

Now, the only kick that I did find is that there are a few  references used from the Mormon faith, but, as with any curriculum you use, you have to pick and choose which things you want going into your children's hearts and minds; if you are using this timeline solely as a supplement to help you find when a certain event you're studying occurred, then it would not be as worrisome, in my opinion.  For myself and Jacob right now (with him being so young), we pay more attention to the actual names and events on the calendar, not so much the references, since we are using other curriculum and the Bible for our reference guides.  Honestly, I look forward to having this timeline in the future with Jacob, because I myself struggled with learning dates when I was younger.  I really think that with this visual instrument he can look at and study, it will make it slightly easier to remember.  He can look at the location on the timeline, the coordinating dates on the timeline, and the surrounding events, and those three things will hopefully just reinforce those dates in his studies. 

The Amazing Bible Timeline is available from Bible Charts and Maps, LLC for $29.97.  If you order now, you can also get 2 bonuses for free: The Interactive Maps of the Holy Land and the Digital Amazing Bible Timeline, both worth $14.97 each.  To see a close-up of the timeline, click here. 

To read more reviews, check out the TOS Crew Blog.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this free product by Bible Charts and Maps, LLC, in association with the TOS Crew.)

Giveaway: Kids' Journal From NicoPaperGoods

This week's giveaway is so cute, and it's really unique.  If you have children, and they love to write or keep a journal, then this is the giveaway to enter.  The kids' journal we are giving away comes from Andrea Kohler at NicoPaperGoods.  Andrea has an Etsy store, that is really wonderful to browse around in.

Andrea was born and raised in Switzerland, where she learned the craft of bookbinding, but she is now residing in the Northwest United States.  All of her books and papergoods are handmade, meaning each one is truly unique and special; she is very passionate in her work.  Her journals come in all different kinds and colors, and some even come with a marker or a pencil.  Andrea also has created memory games, that involve matching up faces or automobiles.  She also has weekly planners available for all of you busy women out there. 

This giveaway includes a kids' journal from Andrea's collection.  Many of her journals come with a pocket on the front cover that kids can fit small pencils or other tools they might need for their writing time.  Check out all of her wonderful creations!

We will draw the winner (using a random number generator) for this giveaway on Saturday, October 9, 2009. To enter the giveaway, you can do one or more of the following; just be sure to leave a separate comment on here for each of the steps you've done(the more steps you do below, the more chances you have of winning):

1) Leave us a comment on what you like about this prize or your favorite quality about it.

2) Go check out NicoPaperGoods on Etsy, and browse around a bit.
3) Follow MamaBuzz, over on the right-hand sidebar....or subscribe to it.
4) Tweet about this giveaway over on Twitter!
5) Compose a blog post on your own blog about this giveaway, and make sure to link back to MamaBuzz!

TOS Crew: Studypod

Mel participated in this review with the Crew.

A couple weeks ago, we went out to the mailbox to find another package from the Crew, and when I opened it, I wasn't quite sure what it was at first. After I read over the box, though, I quickly got excited. Have you ever tried to hold a book open, a book that doesn't want to stay open, and write at the same time? Especially for younger kids, it can be a task just writing, let alone having to wrestle that big book open at the same time. That's where the Studypod comes in.

I am loving our new Studypod. Although Jacob has used it for school, I also plan on using it in the kitchen to hold my cookbooks when I'm making that batch of cookies or that apple pie.

The Studypod looks like a plastic book; in fact, it is small enough that I could fit it into my purse or into Jacob's backpack. It's very easy to open up and situate too. You simply swivel the prop rod until you feel it snap in place, then you open up the Studypod itself and slide the locking pin into place, so it can't close. There are two little shelves that you then flip down to rest your book on, and the two wires pop out to hold your pages open for you. Then it just sits on your desktop as you write or read. Inside the Studypod is a little pouch to hold little things like maybe a highlighter or small calculator.

It's such a handy thing to have around. It worked so well for Jacob with any type of copywork because he didn't have to struggle so. I love that we can put it beside the computer for him as well; or if I'm writing an article, I can prop my book on it and be able to type without having to hold a book open in front of me. Plus it stores easily because it's so compact.

The Studypod sells for $19.95 and comes in different colors, including black, blue, and pink.

Right now, for our readers, Studypod is offering a $5 discount if you use this coupon code at checkout: TOSBLOG5.

For more reviews on the Studypod, check out the TOS Crew Blog.

Giveaway! Web Design for Kids DVD

MamaBuzz is having its first giveaway! We are giving away a free copy of the Web Design for Kids DVD to help your kids or even you learn about the world of html. This is a great resource to have at your fingertips, and you have the opportunity to get it for free! To enter this giveaway, you can do one or more of the following; just be sure to leave us a separate comment for each thing you do (the winner will be chosen at random, using a random number generator, on Monday, September 7, 2009:

1) Leave us a comment to let us know what you like about this prize or its best quality for you.
2) Sign up to follow us here at MamaBuzz; or subscribe to our posts.
3) If you are a blogger, apply to be a part of our review team here at MamaBuzz; read all of the guidelines, and become a part of our team and get free products to test out and try with your children and families.
4) Tweet about this giveaway over on Twitter!
5) Blog about this giveaway on your own blog, making sure to link back to MamaBuzz.

To read more about this awesome dvd, you can read Mel's review!

TOS Crew: Quarter Mile Math

Mel participated in this review with the Crew.

Math can sometimes be the dreaded subject around our house, but lately, we've added something fun into the mix to help with review. It's Barnum Software's Quarter Mile Math, that allows Jacob to practice his math concepts on the computer, and it's really been enjoyable for him.

So far, we have been using the addition games quite a bit, as well as the number games, making the smaller or larger number. Basically, Jacob has to answer a set of questions while racing. The faster he answers, the faster his car or horse will go; he is actually racing against other cars or horses.

He loves that he can choose whether to race cars one day or horses the next. Personally, I like the horses for the sound effects.:) If you'd like to see what I'm talking about, there is a video on the Quarter Mile Math website that you can watch, and it only lasts a couple of minutes, but it's very informative. You can also download the Free Demo on their website.

We received the Quarter Mile Math Deluxe Levels 1, 2, and 3 Bundle. This bundle covers many topics, including keyboarding, the alphabet, counting, place value, grouping, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, rounding, fractions, decimals, percents, estimation, equations, and so much more. Here is a complete Topic List. The topics cover from kindergarten age through 9th grade, and they are well-rounded, covering things I would never have thought of, like Morse Code. Level 1 is considered Grades K-3; Level 2 is Grades 4-6; and Level 3 is Grades 6-9. For the Standard version, which is just a one-time purchase, you can buy each level separately, or you can buy them in bundles. If you were to buy Level 1, 2 or 3 separately, your price would be $39.95; to buy the bundles of Level 1 & 2 or Level 2 & 3, it is $64.95; to buy the bundle with all 3 levels, the price is $89.95. Now, the Standard version has limited tracking when it comes to your child's progress, and there are other differences as well. The Deluxe version is the bundle of Levels 1, 2, & 3; the prices are according to how you want to pay: $2.95 per family per month, $19.95 per family per year, or $34.95 per family for two years. You should really look at the Comparison for both products in order to make a more informed decision as to what's best for your family. For myself and my family, I like the Deluxe version because it will track Jacob's progress more thoroughly; and another plus is that if he wants to race against his Pappy up in PA, he can do that.....which would actually be really fun for him. Plus, with financial budgeting, it makes more sense to spend less right now; yes, it costs more in the long run, but at the moment, it would make more sense, budget-wise, to go with the lower payments. Do I think it's worth it? Oh yeah, I do, at least for us, because I know it works with Jacob.

To me, the tracking feature of this program is one of the best features. It allows me to see how Jacob is progressing or areas where he might need more help. It also allows him to race against himself; his old times are used to race with him, so that he can try to beat them. It's just something fun that we can add to our math load if we have a short lesson or if he needs review. I like the fact that I can feel confident in leaving the room to go do something else while he's playing but learning at the same time.

For my readers, Quarter Mile is offering you a $5 discount on any product, Standard or Deluxe; all you have to do is put the following code into your order form: 7P7A7. The code is good until September 30, 2009.

To read more reviews for Quarter Mile Math, check out The Old Schoolhouse Crew Blog.

TOS Crew: Web Design for Kids

Mel participated in this review with the Crew.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to navigate the world of html, but you felt overwhelmed even trying? I have, especially with blogging, I've wanted to learn more about it for a little while now. I've tried getting books at the library to help me, but most of them are so big and heavy that I can barely lift them up to my desk, let alone fumble through them trying to find the pages I need for help....ok, so I exaggerated a little there, but you get the general idea.:)

Today, though, I was fortunate to have received a dvd for the Crew called Web Design for Kids (...And Curious Grown-Ups!) put out by Click Drag Solutions.

It's full of basic information on how to build a website and how to use html. It's directed toward kids, and I did think about trying it with Jacob, but I'm just not sure he's ready to try this. I think by the middle to end of this school year, he might be ready to tackle something like this, though, and I plan on using it with him to teach him some basic computer skills. I think his own website, secure and guarded, of course, would be a great way for him to keep in touch with his grandparents.

The dvd is about an hour and a half long, and Brian Richardson, the host, takes you through various steps to start your own basic website. He has two kids on the video with him, and they are following along as well.He works on basic html, adding pictures and color to your background, making a marquee screen, etc. I liked how sometimes he would pop up just by himself to give you a shortcut or tip, embellishing on something similar to what you were already doing. For instance, he gave tips on the cosmetic look of your blog and how to match the colors, so that it is completely readable by your readers. He also taught shortcuts, such as using the F5 button to refresh. Just these basic things thrown in can teach your child and you how to basically use a computer.

The most interesting part for me was learning how to code with html. It was very basic, but that is what kids and beginner grown-ups need, to start out. He used the sandwich metaphor, teaching how to sandwich certain things between the vital bits and pieces of code. He also showed what could happen by leaving just one tiny detail out, by having you create real mistakes, then correcting them. There was a helpful game/quiz thrown in to see if we could find the incorrect code. Even the kids who were learning with him would make mistakes, and he would show how to correct them. It was interesting to see all of the different colors that can be used for a blog background; I didn't even know Thistle or Tomato were colors, but I used Thistle for my basic page shown here. He also gave helpful sites or programs you could use to add pictures to your site. At the end of the video, he gave a visual example of how to organize your online files, using a file cabinet and folders as visual objects portraying your computer folders.

All in all, I felt this was a really well-rounded program with really great instruction. Again, I'm not sure my son is quite old enough yet; my main fear was that he might not be able to keep up with it, but then again, he could very well prove me wrong. I was able to sit and watch the dvd on my computer and have Notepad up at the same time, so I could follow along. I would definitely recommend it if you are wanting to learn the basics and just wade into the world of html; it will get you started. It was enjoyable, since I could learn the best by watching and doing at the same time. So, it's very good for visual/kinesthetic learners. The dvd is priced at a reduced, special summer rate for a limited time, of $19.99. Part of the proceeds from your purchase also go to help organizations like the Ronald McDonald House, Children's Miracle Network, The Smile Train, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and the American Foundation for the Blind. You can see a clip from the dvd here, and you can check out actual websites that other kids have made here. The websites are really fun to look at; they would make great inspirations for your own kids' creativity.

For more reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew Blog!

* Books and Products for Jr. Highers *

The Blue Umbrella

Sarah Books: Sarah's Wish

Word of Promise, Next Generation

Redefining Beautiful

Amazing Bible Timeline