Review and Giveaway ~ Skrafty Homeschool Minecraft

Welcome!

It's back to school time, and for homeschool families - that means gathering curriculum, planning and finding new ways to inspire kids in their studies. SKrafty Homeschool Minecraft is the perfect way to add the fun and inspiration you need. This fall, the class line up is spectacular! If you need homeschool math, science, bible, history, language arts or more . . . you are in for a treat. Using some of your favorite homeschool curriculum companies (including Apologia Science, Mystery of History, and A+ Interactive Math) you'll learn to incorporate Minecraft projects into your family homeschool.

See all the new classes SKrafty has to offer HERE

Find out more about the fully monitored SKrafty Minecraft server where it is safe for your family and children - and get whitelisted for FREE right HERE. SKrafty is specially designed and the rules are constructed to encourage good sportsmanship - with no griefing allowed, no bad language or ugly talk, and no sharing of outside links to protect your children. See a full list of rules HERE. What other parents are saying about SKrafty Homeschool Minecraft:

"Since starting Skrafty my son has blossomed. His typing has gotten a lot better. School work is not a chore any more I just give him the list of what needs to be done and he does it. He finds the lessons entertaining and engaging and he loves the activities that go along with them. We are all very grateful for Skrafty." ~ Cheryl J. "My son enjoys playing on Skrafty with other kids and I love that it is a safe, moderated Minecraft server! While playing on Skrafty he has learned creative building, developed critical thinking skills, made friends, and learned to be a team player. The classes have been fun and the reading program has encouraged him to read more than ever. Skrafty has been such a blessing to our family!" ~Julie B.

Special needs learning:

"Skrafty has been a huge blessing to our family! My son with dyslexia is not only learning but enjoying learning!!!! His reading and writing have developed more with Skrafty than any other program we have used. The classes are engaging because they are so hands on and truly turn learning into an adventure. I so highly recommend Skrafty!" ~ Caroline D.

  What we learned: 

My 11 year old son is in love with Minecraft, so naturally he was excited to try out a Skrafty class! He chose Animals and Their Habitats because he loves all animals and thought it would be fun to build them. 

Getting signed up was easy, he already had a minecraft account so we filled out the whitelist form and he was approved quickly. He is pretty new to minecraft on the PC, but there were many kind kids there who helped him when he needed it. 

I felt it was safe for him to chat on the Skrafty server because the forums are moderated, and not just anyone can join. They must be a member. 

I was so amazed by the intricate designs he came up with for his biomes and habitats, his animals were super cute even if they were squarish.  (Its all blocks in minecraft.) He enjoyed being on there and was eager to move to the next lesson once he finished one.

The lessons themselves were not too long, but full of information needed to complete his tasks. Links to youtube videos that have been pre-screened gave him a look at lots of different animals and their natural environment so he had plenty of inspiration to complete his building. 

I am really excited to see Mystery of History as a class option this fall. I bought Volume 1 a month ago and we start with it next week. I am hoping my younger girls will want to build history too! 

I just love Skrafty and so does my son! Learning really can be fun and Skrafty has given us an enjoyable way to supplement our homeschooling. Thanks Skrafty! 

Affordable: Extremely affordable classes (between $6.99 - $32.00) make it easy to add creativity and excitement into your education at home. Sign up HERE for live classes or self-paced classes and begin your journey into the world of homeschool Minecraft with SKrafty.

Giveaway Companies - Multiple Winners!

 

  Check out all the wonderful companies and prizes you can win for your family homeschool: 3 SKrafty Fall Classes - Value up to $32 each Mystery of History Volume 1,2, or 3 & Super Supplemental - Value $150 A+ Interactive Math - Family Package for 3 Students - Value $450 Adventures In ChildRearing - Wildlife Adventures bundle- Value $27.99 We Choose Virtues - Homeschool Kit - Value $98.99 Sidetracked Sarah - Crockpot Freezer Meals 3 pack - Value $8.97 Moore Family Films - ABC Say it With Me - Value $15.99 Not Consumed - Back to School 4 Pack - Value $12.50 Teach Them Diligently - Family Pass to 1 Convention - Value $65 Homeschool Adventure Co. - Philippians in 28 Weeks - Value $18.95 Media Angels - Homeschool Moms Rescue Set - Value $9.99 A Journey Through Learning - Math Lapbook - Value $15.00 Dave Ramsey - Financial Peace Jr. - Value $24.95  

Enter with 1 entry or enter with them all: Click the link below to enter.....

CLICK HERE!!!

Mystery of History, Dave Ramsey, and Moore Family Films are for US winners only. The other prizes are for everyone to enter, even internationally.

Disclaimer ~ We were not compensated for doing this review, we did it in exchange for trying out a class. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving the class at no cost.

Review ~ Junior Analytical Grammar

I have always been a lover of words, of writing and reading them. One of the things I hoped to instill in my own children is this love of  English. So far I have one child that fits this description, my almost 10 year year old, River.

When given the chance to review Junior Analytical Grammar, written for 4th and 5th graders from Analytical Grammar, she couldn't wait to try it out! I love it when I have such a willing guinea pig, especially in a subject that many kids do not enjoy.

The set we received included a Teacher Book and a Student Workbook ($39.95). Both are paperback and spiral bound. The workbook is consumable, so if you have more than one student be sure and get one for each. Additional student workbooks are $19.99.

The lessons are broken down into 11 units. It is recommended not to complete more than one unit per week, and there may be some units you will spend more than a week on. Use it however it works best for your child. It is also recommended that if your child does not seem ready after a few lessons to put it away and try again later. I love that the authors say this, a child who is pushed too soon will only become frustrated and resist.

The 11 Units include.....

Nouns
Articles and Adjectives
Pronouns
Prepositions
Subject and Verb
Adverbs
Patterns 1& 2 (Refers to types of sentences, I didn't know what this was before either!)
Pattern 3
Linking Verbs and Patterns 4 & 5
Helping Verbs
Conjunctions and Compound Situations

How we used Junior Analytical Grammar

I started by reading the short beginning section in the Teacher Book. There is a guide for what to do daily and a brief overview of each Unit where she also shares tips and tricks that may be helpful. I followed her suggested plans so each days lesson was really pretty short.

River would often ask to keep going, so at first we did. She seemed to already know nearly everything and I was afraid this might be too easy for her but then we hit Unit 4 where she began to learn about diagramming sentences. So here is where we slowed down and worked at the pace that wasn't overwhelming for her.

I have to say that little by little we got through that unit and she is still loving the English language! We continued on in the same way, never pushing her but gently working on each new Unit until she understood completely and felt she had "mastered it" before moving on.

What we thought of Junior Analytical Grammar (JAG)

Although my daughter thought it was too easy at first it did become challenging for her. She said she is liking it and has asked to continue with JAG Mechanics when we finish this workbook, which is the next step.

I found it very easy to teach with the Teacher Book, there were some parts that are new to me or I don't remember learning so having the answers was a blessing!

We were both glad the lessons are short and there isn't a crazy amount of writing involved. I think JAG is the perfect prerequisite to the more advanced Analytical Grammar program. You can read reviews about this program also by clicking the banner below.

The one thing I would like to see added is a clear protective sheet on the front and back cover of the Teacher Book. Since this is re-useable it would be great if it were a little more sturdy. My cover page has already started to tear off. I plan to use this at least two more times when my little girls get bigger so Ill probably have it rebound. I wouldn't change the program itself, I think its great the way it is!

Connect with Analytical Grammar via.....

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/analyticalgrammar

Twitter - http://twitter.com/AnalyticalGram

Review ~ Moving Beyond The Page ~ Poetry and The Fifty States ~ Age 9-11

There are two things that get my kids excited about learning every time, stories and hands on projects. Moving Beyond the Page has combined these two so perfectly! Last year after we reviewed  Poppy and Life Cycles, the kids asked me to get them more. We ended up getting the entire set for the 7-9 age group.

This year we were so blessed to review a Language Arts Package: Poetry and a Social Studies Package: The Fifty States. These are just two of the units available in the age 9-11 full year package. With this age level the curriculum is written to the student, so for the most part the child is expected to work independently. We did that as much as possible, but with some things my help was still needed. That's OK with me though.

You can use Moving Beyond the Page as a full year curriculum if you choose, or purchase individual units as your kids have interest. It is very flexible to use, and you have different options for purchasing as well. Online versions and physical copies of the curriculum are available. The literature books can be purchased, or you can borrow from the library. With the full year package, all you need to add is math and you are all set for the year.



Our Poetry unit ($61.86) included.....

The online version of the Poetry lesson plans and downloadable student sheets.

Physical literature books included.....

Love That Dog 
My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States
R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet






The Fifty States ($49.62) unit includes.....

The Fifty States ~ spiral bound book

Smart About the 50 States : A Class Report
Original Sculpey Clay - Terra Cotta
The Scrambled States of America Card Game







These two units can be used independently, but were designed to be used together and the activities compliment each other very well. For instance, while we were learning about the different states and regions of the United States (social studies and science), we were also reading poetry from those places at the same time (literature) and we could see how the authors were inspired by what they saw, things they felt, and experiences they had while in that particular area of the country.

While learning about the Southwest the kids followed links online to learn about clay pottery and adobe homes. We used the Sculpey terra cotta clay included in the package to make our own clay pots, home and other creations. This hands on exploration really gets kids excited about learning and trying new things. They also went on Minecraft and built adobe homes there, complete with a desert scene and animals you would find there. THIS is the kind of learning I LOVE to see in our home!



In the Poetry unit we learned what poetry is, Parts of Speech and Rhymes in Poetry, Geography in Poetry, Haiku and Onomatopoeia, Figurative Language and Voice, Art and Poetry, Robert Frost, Writing About  What You Know, and Inspiration. There are lessons included for spelling, student activity pages to print, and reading and questions pages included.

Originally my 11 year old son was the one excited for this unit, and my 9 year old daughter claimed she had no interest at all in poems. By the end of the first week she was joining in and she surprised me one day by writing a poem herself! She said she felt inspired to write it after going outside and seeing beautiful things that not everyone in the world can see where they live. I was beaming with pride of course!

The final project for Poetry was to have a coffee house type of poetry reading, and make food and drinks and invite people over to hear either poems you like or ones you write yourself. This was what got my daughter really excited, she loves to cook and share with her friends. Our "reading" was very informal and didn't last very long before they had eaten all the food and were off to play outside, but the kids got a taste of culture they hadn't experienced before.

My kids all love maps, so the map work in The Fifty States unit was as fun as it was educational. "It didn't even feel like learning, it was just fun" is what they told me.Other lessons included learning state capitals, the Northeast, the Southwest, the Midwest, the Southwest, the West, Alaska and Hawaii, Relationships Among the States, People and the Environment, Analyzing State Data, and the final project is planning a region road trip.



 The first time we played The Scrambled States of America card game they didn't know many of the facts included on each state card, the Capitol and nickname or where every state was located on the map. After playing a few times though the competition really got rough as they wanted to learn more in order to win. This is a game I like playing with them too! At first I was easy on then and let them win but now they can beat me even when I try to win.





As you can tell we all LOVE Moving Beyond the Page around here! I have to say that I really do prefer having the physical version of the curriculum versus the online. There are many benefits to the online version, such as being able to print as many pages as you want. However the curriculum itself is not printable, so you have to use it online. Once you activate a unit is it only available to use for 3 months. You can re-activate it later for use with a younger sibling for half price. With the physical book you will need a curriculum book for each child as their copyright does not allow you to make copies. But I like having that book in hand to use in our portfolios at the end of the year. The kids like showing off their work too. We do not always work on school while at home where we have internet access. But cost wise you cant beat the online version!

Read more reviews of other units and ages by clicking the banner below. You can connect with Moving Beyond the Page via.....

Facebook – www.facebook.com/movingbeyondthepage

Review ~ Spelling U See ~ Wild Tales ~ Level C

For years now we have used Math U See in our homeschool, so when I heard they were developing a spelling program I was very interested in knowing more about it. Imagine my excitement when we were given the chance to review it!

The new program is called Spelling You See and we were blessed with an advanced PDF copy of Wild Tales - Level C.
Note: The PDF was for review purposes only, real physical books are available for purchase.

We received for review.....
 




Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C)
Instructor’s Handbook $14









Student Pack $30
Which includes 2 Student Workbooks and a package of erasable colored pencils.







My first question was, what makes Spelling You See different from all the other spelling programs out there? I bet you asked this too.

One thing I noted first was that there are no grade levels. I really like this, because one of my children already feels behind because in some subject areas because this child is not where "some person who determines grade levels" thinks my child should be based on age alone. Spelling You See understands that every child is different, learns differently, and has their own way of progressing.

Spelling You See was written for elementary aged children or older children needing remediation.

I chose Level C based on the Readiness Guidelines given on the Spelling You See website. This will help you decide where your child should begin. Wild Tales is divided up into 36 lessons with 5 parts to each lesson. One for each day of the school week. It is very convenient and all laid out for you to use. Lessons 1-7 give detailed directions, after that it comes naturally to you since you have been using it for a while. You can try out a sample lesson here!

Spelling You See has a unique philosophy, consisting of 5 developmental stages of spelling. My kids are in the Skill Development stage (Stage 3) which they say is the longest and most difficult stage. I believe it, and it encourages me to read this page and see where my kids are headed after getting through this level. (Be sure and watch the video on this page.)

 Lessons in this level include a lot of copywork and dictation. Although designed to be short and sweet, 15 minutes or so a day, the writing part was balked at by my kid who hates writing, so it took much longer to get through for this kid. Also because of auditory processing disorders the dictation part was extremely frustrating and ended in tears nearly every day for this child. This child did not mind using the colored pencils to mark the vowel and consonant chunks however and seemed to enjoy the reading part of the lessons. The day where you illustrate the page yourself is this kid's favorite! So I have adjusted the lessons a bit so as not to make this kid hate spelling.

I used this with 3 of my children because they are close in age, the other two were able to complete the copywork and dictation quickly and seemed to enjoy doing it. One especially is VERY proud of her handwriting and loves doing these lessons. 

I was skeptical that their spelling would improve, but I can say it definitely has. One of my girls likes to write little stories and make books. Compared to books she made just a couple of months ago the spelling is much better! 

I plan to continue using Spelling you see as long as the kids are enjoying it!

Connect with Spelling You See via.....

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpellingYouSee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/spellingyousee

Review ~ IXL Math and Language Arts

IXL.com is an online Math practice website for grades Pre-K through 12, but now they also offer Language Arts practice as well for grades 2-4. More grades will be added soon! Since the membership is online there is nothing to download, and the site can be used from anywhere with an internet connection.

Since it near the beginning of the school year IXL has offered us the perfect way to review math skills learned last year in math and also practice a few new ones. I required my 10, 9 and 7 year old to practice for at least 15 minutes each day, but they were welcome to practice longer if they wanted to. The kids can reach goals such as completing so many problems or practicing for a certain amount of time, then they get rewarded with special graphics on their progress board and also with printable certificates if they like that type of thing. All 3 kids were able to use the math section with no assistance from me, even my 2nd grader. She kind of shocked me with all she was able to do, she picks up so much just by being around when I teach the older kids something.

IXL math practice can be used as a supplement to any math program, good to know if not all of your children use the same math curriculum.



Language Arts is a new addition to IXL, right now it is only available for 2nd through 4th grades, but that includes all 3 of my homeschooler's grades so it was perfect timing. My 2nd grader did fine with the activities if someone was available to help her read. She isnt quite fluent enough to fully understand what is being asked of her and then of course to read all the answers by herself. When we helped her though she did great, and wanted to keep going for a lot longer than I wanted to sit most days. My two 4th graders were able to use the Language Arts all by themselves without problems. My son told me he like the LA better than the math, and thats unusual for him.



I have my own parent account that I can log into to see just what they have been doing, how long they did it,  and how well they did. There is a section that shows me the State Standards for my state, including Common Core. I can compare these to the level of mastery my kids have shown if I want to, but honestly I don't like doing that. It is nice knowing what is expected at each grade level though. I get emails when they have reached a goal, it makes the kids smile really big when I show them the email I got praising the efforts they have made!

In my state we are required at the end of the year to either have a certified teacher review a portfolio or have the kids take standard tests. We choose portfolio, and I can print out reports from IXL showing how my child has made progress during the year along with samples of their written work. This is a nice option that I am really going to use at portfolio time! I have never done standard testing with the kids, but I did as a kid. I can see how practice like IXL provides can help with testing scores. There is a timing feature that can be used or turned off, whichever you prefer. The times stresses my kids so I don't use it, but if I were preparing them for testing I would use that feature since the standard tests are timed.

What we liked about IXL...
*I liked the parent reports, it helped me see areas where each child needed some help and in which areas they were doing just fine.
*I like that it can be used anywhere, so if they have an impromptu sleepover they can get some practice in that day.
*I like that the kids didn't feel pressured to stay in one grade level, they can go to a younger grade and work their way up if needed, or skip ahead as well.
*I liked that except for helping my 2nd grader with Language Arts I did not need to be present as they practiced. This is a blessing on "those days" when nothing is going right and my attention is on other things for a while.
*The kids all said they enjoyed working by themselves and being able to choose what to work on each day.

What we did not like about IXL.....
*The kids were expecting it to be more "game like" but it is really more like bookwork minus the book. They don't enjoy writing on worksheets much so they did prefer IXL over paper.
*My son with a learning disability got frustrated easily by the score going down if he got an answer wrong. He likes to reach those goals, and when it takes too long to get there he just wants to quit. So we wish the points didn't go down, staying the same would be better.
*The State Standards and Common Core stuff is very unimportant to us, but to some it is very important. I want to stress to those using this with their children to NOT be discouraged if your child isn't doing everything on the grade level that they say the child should be doing. Don't be afraid to practice where they need it only, and let them work at their own pace so learning stays fun!

A subscription to IXL is $9.95 for math only, $9.95 for language arts only, or $15.95 a month for both. If you purchase a yearly subscription it is $79.00 for either math or language arts, and $129.00 a year for both subjects. Each additional child is only $2 per month, or $20 per year. - See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/ixl-review/#sthash.t76o1ld2.dpuf

A subscription to IXL is $9.95 for math only, $9.95 for language arts only, or $15.95 a month for both. If you purchase a yearly subscription it is $79.00 for either math or language arts, and $129.00 a year for both subjects. Each additional child is only $2 per month, or $20 per year. - See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/ixl-review/#sthash.D6v1Scj1.dpuf

A subscription to IXL costs $9.95 monthly ($79.00 yearly) for each subject, OR $15.95 a month ($129.00 yearly) for both Math and Language Arts.

These rates are for one child, additional children can be added for $2 each per month or $20.00 each per year.

Reveiw ~ Institute For Excellence In Writing (IEW) TWSS / SWI A

We were so blessed to be chosen to review two wonderful products from Institute For Excellence in Writing. I received Teaching Writing Structure and Style (TWSS), and Student Writing Intensive Level A (SWI-A). This level is for grades 3-5, so two of my children fell into that category.

For years I have heard other homeschool moms rave about how wonderful IEW is, how user friendly it is, and how students begin to love writing while using it. I couldnt wait to try it out ourselves!

The DVD's in both sets are taught by Andrew Pudewa, he is such a gentle teacher and very understanding of the needs of the children he is teaching. I loved his sense of humor and the personal stories he threw in along the way of successes and failures. His tips and advice are truly golden, this man knows his stuff! Watch a great interview with him below.




The first step in using this set was for me to find some time to watch the first DVD in the Teaching Writing Structure and Style. Alone. I wanted to take notes and really understand how to teach the program and make this as fun as possible for my reluctant little writers. I got that opportunity the following Sunday evening thanks to my wonderful husband.

I learned SO MUCH just from the first DVD. I do not recall learning to write in school, but obviously I did. I had no idea how to teach someone else to write. I felt like I knew where to start and I was excited to start the kids on Student Writing Intensive Level A after watching the DVD's.

Looking back at my own notes, the best tips I took away from Mr. Pudewa were:
1. Don't worry about their handwriting, let them be messy. Save that for the final draft.
2. Don't worry about their spelling, that can be fixed in the editing stage later.
3. Don't expect your kids to know what to write about, give them something to write about. Any subject of interest works just fine.



The first day we used Student Writing Intensive I explained to the kids that this was a whole new way of learning how to write, and that they really needed to give it a try. They reluctantly agreed and sat down to watch it with paper and pencil in hand. I should have taken a picture of their faces just for laughs!

Their first assignment was about sea snakes. This got my little science and animal lovers attention.  As it turns out sea snakes are pretty interesting, so writing down keywords from each sentence didnt seem too hard.

My son (10 years old) has some learning disabilities in language arts so he appreciated it when Mr.Pudewa said it was OK to write short sentences. When he was instructed to combine two sentences using the word "which" my son felt like it was too hard to do. I encouraged him to say the sentence he wanted to write out loud and then write what he said. We had some tears and feelings of being overwhelmed, but after it was all over he actually said it wasnt too bad, and he felt like he could do it easier the next time. What joyful words to hear!

My daughter (8 years old) got through the first assignment pretty easily. She was ready to move on before her brother, but to keep things simple she waited patiently while I worked with him alone. Her only complaint was that she wanted everything she wrote to be perfect, but Mr. Pudewa tells the kids not to erase anything. If they make a mistake, simply draw a line through it and move on. He has them write on every other line so there is room for editing, this drove her nuts. He also told them to write with pen not pencils. I had to encourage her to try these new ideas and see how it worked out in the end. She was pretty pleased with the results.

Just for fun I also let my daughter who just finished first grade (age 7) try it out. She did great at picking out key words and telling me sentences out loud. She was really overwhelmed by trying to write it down however, so I didnt push that. I feel like she will be ready for it in the coming year though.

As their teacher I have really enjoyed using IEW! I felt from the beginning that I was given the knowledge and tools I needed in order to teach them, and this made all the difference in the world for me. I loved having Mr. Pudewa be the teacher, he is just fun to listen to. I highly recommend Teaching Writing Structure and Style for any parent who feels overwhelmed by trying to teach writing. There are many other levels to begin with if Level A is too young for your children. I learned right along with my kids, and that is how we like to learn!

Teaching Writing Structure and Style can be purchased from the Institute For Excellence in Writing website for $169.00. It includes 10 DVD's. Six contain instruction for the teacher, one contains tips and tricks, and the last 3 contain sample student workshops for 3 different age levels. Also included is a seminar workbook with sample lessons, word lists, syllabus and more. Its about 160 pages in a nice 3 ring binder.

Student Writing Intensive Level A can be purchased for $109.00. It includes 4 instructional DVD's for the student and a Structure and Style overview DVD for the parent, a 3 ring binder with dividers and a student packet with about 100 pages full of handouts, notes, and a scope and sequence. If you use this with more than one student they will each need their own set of student materials.

If you plan on purchasing both sets they are available as a bundle for $249.00.

Read about other levels and products from IEW by clicking the banner below!

Review ~ Moving Beyond The Page ~ Age 7-9

For the past few weeks we have been using an interdisciplinary literature based curriculum called Moving Beyond The Page. It is a complete language arts, science, and social studies program, all you need to add is math. We were able to choose one literature unit and either one science or social studies unit for the purpose of this review. I chose age 7-9 so my 7, 8, and 9 year old children could use it together.

Note that if you want to use this with more than one child you will need to purchase additional sets of student sheets for $4.99 each.

The kids picked Poppy for our literature unit, which included an online version of the Poppy teacher manual and worksheets, the actual novel Poppy by Avi, and an owl pellet dissection kit ($25.91).  They chose Lifecycles for the science unit, which included a spiral bound manual, the books Who Eats What? and What Is A Life Cycle?, and a Green Earth Butterfly Kit ($45.92). MBTP recommends that these two be used together to enhance the learning experience, but you are free to use them independently or with another unit of your choosing.

We used the online version for Poppy and a physical manual for Lifestyles. I much prefer the physical book for our family. I can see how having the units online could be very beneficial for some however. The online version is less expensive, but each unit is only good for 90 days after you activate it. That is plenty of time because each unit is designed to last about 3 weeks. But if I wanted to use it again later with my 4 year old I would have to reactivate it for half price. Obviously if I have a physical book I can re-use it at will and simply order student sheets. And having the book in hand means its more portable for me. We don't always have school in the house, especially in summer.

My Opinions and Thoughts.....

The website stated that MBTP is for all children, especially hands-on, creative and gifted learners. I totally agree with this. I was worried at first that my struggling learner would be overwhelmed by it, and that my advanced child would soar through it. I was surprised to learn that my fears were unfounded and both of them really got into the activities and loved all the hands on stuff, especially the owl pellet dissection!



 We did not get to use the butterfly kit yet because the caterpillars we ordered did not arrive in time, but we will be doing that just as soon as they do!

What we liked about Moving Beyond The Page.....

We are all science fans, so I loved having that working together with the literature unit. As we read Poppy, the activities correlated and made the whole experience much more enjoyable and hands on.

This curriculum really made the kids get involved in research and figuring things out for themselves. They had to imagine more and get creative. I like how the activities made the book come alive in their minds.

The Forum and Idea Share pages from the MBTP website were very helpful and gave some good ideas.

What we did not like about Moving Beyond The Page.....

On days we tried to fit everything in they recommend it seemed to be a bit much for the kids to handle. I broke it down for them and stretched it our further so it wasn't so overwhelming.

The kids cried a few times because they did not enjoy having to write so much. They just wanted to get on with the story. I cant blame them, the story was so interesting! We did a lot of the questions orally instead so we could get back to the book.

I did not care for the online version because I prefer a book in hand, but the printable worksheets were convenient. It was also easy to access online, simply log in and see all of your units on one page. Activate only the units you are using, the rest stay there waiting until you are ready to use them. Each unit is active for 90 days, but if you need more time just email them and they will extend it for you.

Language arts activities included spelling words, vocabulary, reading the novel itself, researching using books or the internet for additional information, drawing maps, etc. It was challenging but the kids were able to do it with a little help and guidance.

Science activities included learning about food chains, life cycles, similarities and differences in plants and animals, reading interesting science books and more.

Just for fun, here is my 4 year olds little "play" she put together about Mr. Ocax (owl) and Poppy (mouse) using the puppets she made.



A full year package for age 7-9 is a full 36 weeks of interdisciplinary curriculum and can be purchased in different ways~

1. Full Year Complete Package
4 parent manuals (science and social studies)
4 student activity books (science and social studies)
All 37 required books
Science Manipulatives~ butterfly habitat, owl pellet dissection kit, human ear model, and thermometer.
$676.53

2. Full Year Package (Online)
Parent Manuals and Student Pages are all online (Must have internet to use)
Required books in physical form
Science Manipulatives
$587.96

3. Full Year Package~Curriculum Only
4 Parent Manuals
4 Student Activity Books
This option is for parents who already own the books or can get them from the library easily. Please note that the books are essential to use the program, and the science manipulatives greatly enhance the learning. You can purchase just the manipulatives.
$371.06

4. Individual Units as needed (prices vary)
For those who want to supplement or use as a summer program.

You can find a whole page of samples here, I encourage you to check these out to see how in depth these units really are.

Other members of The Schoolhouse Review Crew reviewed different units, check out their reviews by clicking the banner below!