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.)      

Giveaway: Girlettes!

Here at MamaBuzz, we are all about mamas and their kids.  For our next giveaway, we contacted Tarra Corcoran from Girlettes.  Tarra is a wife and mama to "two hilarious little girls, Lavinia (2 1/2 years) and Olive (8 months)."

Tarra lives on Martha's Vineyard (and no, she did not get to see the President when he and his family were there).  She is a stay at home mom, which entails many things, including being an artist and maid:); and her husband is a caretaker. 

Tarra started making barettes for the simple reason that when her daughter finally started growing hair, nothing would stay in it.  So, she decided to get creative and make her own barettes.  She has had to make them bigger as the months go by and as her daughters grow.  Creating is a form of escape for Tarra; in her own words: "Since my children are always on my mind it just fits that I would be making childreney things.

I've always LOVED art projects and pretending I'm a kid again... Seeing the world through their eyes. Kids are just amazing! In their world, Everything Is Possible... Words to live by."

All of Tarra's barettes are hand-drawn, cut, and sewn.  She uses an array of different felts, as she loves to collect supplies.  She says, "I really enjoy seeing them come to life and go off into the world." 

Tarra has generously offered to give one of our readers two of her barettes, the ladybug

and the butterfly,

both of which are so cute!  If I only had a little girl, I'd be entering this giveaway with as many entries as possible.:)  To enter this giveaway, you can do one or more of the following:

1) Leave us a comment here on MamaBuzz about this prize and what you like about it.

2) Head over to Tarra's blog at Girlettes, and let her know how much you love this giveaway.

3) Become a follower of MamaBuzz, or subscribe to our posts.

4) Tweet about this giveaway over on Twitter!

5) Compose a blog post on your own blog about this giveaway, and be sure to link back to MamaBuzz.

6) If you love this prize, maybe check out Tarra's other creations over on Etsy or on Girlettes, and make a purchase.

7) Become a fan/follower of Tarra on her Facebook page.

We will be drawing the winner from an online random number generator on Tuesday, September 29, 2009; the winner will be announced that morning.  So, hurry up, and enter to win!  You don't want to miss out on this great giveaway brought to you by Girlettes! 

* Thomas Nelson, Read and Share Bible *

* This review was done by Melissa J*



My daughter is not old enough to sit still yet, for family Bible reading time, but she did sit still to watch the Bible Stories on Thomas Nelson's Read and Share DVD Bible- Volume 1. This really pleased me, a mother who is passionate about her children growing up in the Word of God.

The Read and Share Bible contains the following stories:

1. The Beginning - Six Days of Creation

2. Adam and Eve - Sneaky Snake; Out of the Garden

3. The Flood - Noah's Big Boat; Animals Inside; The Dove; The Rainbow

4. Abram - Promised Land; Ambrahm's Visitors; Sarah Laughs: Baby Isaac

5. Isaac and Rebekah - A Wife for Isaac; Water for the Camels; Rebekah

6. Jacob and Esau - The Twins: Sneaky Jacon; Foolish Esau

7. Rachel - A Ladder to Heaven; Rachel; Tricked by Laban

8. Home Again - Jacob Wrestles with God; Jacob and Esau Meet

9. Jesus is Born - Mary's Big Surpirse; Joseph Marries Mary; Sleepy Shepherds: Gifts for Baby Jesus.

10. John the Baptist - Angel's Message; A Baby Named John; John Baptizes Jesus

11. Jesus Tempted by Satan - Stones to Bread Top of the Temple; Kindgoms of the World

12. Jesus Loves Children - Healing a Sick Boy; Bringing a Girl Back to Life; Loaves and Fishes

13. One Lost Sheep - A Son Spends His Money; Eating Pig's Food; Home to Father

The animation is simplistic, yet is well done enough to captivate a small child.

The narration is mixed for me. The male voice does not seem "kid friendly" to me though the female narrator's voice is.

Each story sticks to the Biblical story though some artistic license is used. For example, the animated characters of Noah and his wife are playing checkers on the ark. I do not find this a problem as the stories themselves are completely in line with the actual Bible story.

The only precaution I would offer, is that in the story of Jesus being tempted, Satan is portrayed as an animated figure in a dark brown cloak with just blackness for his face. Smaller children may be frightened by this.

The Read and Share Bible has additional DVD's containing more Bible stories and it is my hope that we can add every one of them to our personal library.