VocabularySpellingCity Review

We seem to tackle spelling a little different each year.  In the past we have used leveled spelling lists and this year we are mainly using dictation, but for the past couple years we have also used VocabularySpellingCity.  

VocabularySpellingCity is an award winning website for K-12 that focuses on Vocabulary, Spelling, Writing, and Language Arts.  We received their Premium Membership for this review.

Features Include: 

* Over 50,000 words and 60,000 customizable sentences and definitions
* A real person who says each word and sentence
* Home pages for teachers and parents to save lists
* Teacher Training Videos
* Printable handwriting worksheets
* Teaching resources with lists and lesson plans
* Games to play online or to print
* A forum and newsletters

The BEST part about VocabularySpellingCity is that you can use the basic features of their site for FREE!! You simply start by entering your words.

Of course, becoming a premium member has its benefits, which you can see below.

I received a one-year Premium Membership and here is how we have been using it.

Funny Bunny is an excellent speller, so instead of using a spelling and vocabulary list for her grade {which I knew she would have no trouble with} I have made my own lists using her science and history vocabulary words. I cannot begin to tell you how this has helped her, and it is so much more fun for her than writing definitions or using flash cards.

Once I have added a student, I can either find a pre-made list or create my own. There are thousands of ready-to-use word lists by subject and/or grade level. Here is just a peek at what you can find.

The Premium Membership lets me keep track of her progress and I can even organize all of her word lists by type. For instance, I have all science word lists in the science folder.

Below you can see that I can view her grades and assignments that she has completed and not yet done. I can also print off all her grades for my records.

My Thoughts: We are loving VocabularySpellingCity! I like that I can use it how I want. I can use their lists, make my own, make short lists, long lists, and add as few or as many activities to each assignment. It is really up to me. It's great that it keeps track of everything and as a reward Funny Bunny can play spelling or vocabulary games. 

Edited on 3-11-14:  VocabularySpellingCity is still our favorite spelling and vocabulary program!

Thoughts of a 10-Year Old: I like VocabularySpellingCity and all of its activities.  The activities are all split into sections based on what their purpose is. 

1. Teach. The teach category consists of two activities: Spelling TeachMe and FlashCards. (FlashCards is for premium members only, so if you aren't a premium member, you cannot use this activity.)

2. Spelling. There are a lot of games in the Spelling category, like HangMouse, Missing Letter, and Test-N-Teach. These are to go over the spelling before the a test.

3. Writing. The only activities in writing are premium - Sentence Writing Practice and Paragraph Writing Practice. These are very similar, and I usually use them as games. The object is to write sentences or paragraphs with all of the vocabulary words. 

4. Vocabulary. Once again, none of these activities can be used without premium membership. The Vocabulary activities include: MatchIt Definitions, WhichWord Sentences, and my favorite of the WHOLE game, Word-o-Rama!! This funny penguin with the toupee talks you through the game show as you answer questions. If you get the answer correct, the penguin says quirky things like, "Thaaaaaat's right!" or "Points for you!"

5. Language Arts. This interesting category has a few activities like Read-A-Word and Alphabetize, and some premium activities are Parts of Speech and Crossword. These help children with their language arts skills.

6. Tests. It's what all of the fun stuff leads up to...the dreaded...spelling and vocabulary tests! Actually, these tests aren't so bad. There's no pressure or time limit, and SpellingTestMe and VocabularyTestMe are not so bad.

And the best part?  The games, of course!  After you've completed an assignment, you can play a game!

I really enjoy VocabularySpelling City and hope you will, too!     

Find Out More: You can find out more online at VocabularySpellingCity. The cost of their Premium Membership is just $29.99 a year and is for up to five students. Up to 25 students in a classroom or co-op can use it for just $49.99. They also have a free app for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

My Crewmates are also talking about VocabularySpellingCity, so you can check out what they think about it HERE.

©2010-2013 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

PeopleKeys Review

I had the opportunity to review a different kind of product through PeopleKeys.  PeopleKeys provides assessments that help organizations and families better understand potential employees and/or other individuals.

PeopleKeys offers a multitude of products, but I was able to review their DISC Profile: The Children's Profile. 

The Children’s Profile, developed for children ages 9-13, introduces the DISC Personality Style concept, gives an overview of each of the styles, and identifies a child’s unique Personality style. 

 I received one, simple 25 page booklet in the mail with everything I needed to complete and score her DISC Profile. 

It was recommended that hubby and I complete the DISC Personality Profile before Funny Bunny so we have a better understanding of the test, and also find areas where we are similar and different to her style.

Both he and I took the test and scored it within just a few minutes.  Then we gave the test to Funny Bunny and she answered the questions with ease and I scored hers as well.  There are just 20 questions and they take about 10 minutes to answer.

Grading was simple.  Answers fell in one of four categories {D.I.S.C}.  We just added them up and found which column(s) had the most answers. 

So what did we find? 

Funny Bunny has an "IS" personality.  I stands for "Influencing" {enjoys talking to people, sharing, being involved, loves people} and S stands for "Steadfast" {kind, patient, friendly, enjoy pleasing others}.

Some things the results pointed out were that we need to work on keeping her focused on completion and avoiding procrastination and also that she is resistant to change.  Those are all spot on!!!

I have an S "Steadfast" personality {like Funny Bunny} and hubby has a "DC" personality "Determined and Conscientious" {totally opposite of us both}!!

Some things we learned, but really knew already, was that she is sensitive in nature and can be easily hurt by hubby's often abrupt communitcation style.  He will also get frustrated when he wants to get something done and she is in la la land.  ;)

Since her and I have a similar style, I have to be careful that she doesn't try to take advantage of me and communication may also be a problem as we both may be trying to please the other.

Even though I knew our styles were somewhat different, I found it very helpful for all three of us to take this test and discuss the results.  It helped Funny Bunny understand why we have trouble communicating sometimes.

Thoughts of a 10-Year Old:  The test was easy to take and helpful for parents to try to figure out their children's personality.

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at PeopleKeys.  The Children's Profile is for ages 9-13 and just $15. 

My Crewmates are also reviewing PeopleKeys, so you can check out what they think HERE.

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©2010-2013 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

Time4Learning Review

Time4Learning provides an interactive, online, and educational experience for children in preschool through high school.  It uses a combination of animated lessons, interactive activities, and reinforcing worksheets to teach Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science. 

Time4Learning includes the following:

* Online curriculum for Pre-K through 12th grade

* Thousands of interactive, animated, and self-paced lessons

* A safe, private, ad-free, online learning environment

* Lesson plans, automated reporting and guides for parents

* Flexibility to start, pause, and cancel your account anytime

It is web based, so there is no software to download or CDs to purchase. Members can access the program 24/7 from anywhere with a computer and an Internet connection.

Here's how it works:

Once a member, both you and your child(ren) will have a login.  You determine the grade level for your child and they will be given access to three years of curriculum (one grade above and one below their level). 

Once logged in, your child can choose between Language Arts, Math, Science, or Social Studies.  Lesson plans are by grade and subject, which you can see below.

You can click here to see the interactive Scope & Sequence Chart.

Once a subject is selected, your child will complete the lessons in order (by following the arrow).  Here is Language Arts for 5th grade. 

Click to enlarge

You can see the arrow is pointing to the first picture, which is Vocabulary Skills.  Once clicked, your child would be directed to choose a lesson.  Also notice the three grade levels at the top you can select.

Below, you can see Funny Bunny has already completed the first two lessons in the Vocabulary Skills section, so the arrow is pointing to the third.

 Click to enlarge

Below are two samples from the Language Arts section for 5th grade, which is the section Funny Bunny enjoyed the most.  Very educational AND entertaining.  We were laughing together many times! 

Math was actually her next favorite, because it was also fun and entertaining.  Here's a similar screen shot.  Again, it was very interactive with the student.

We both thought Social Studies and Science, however, were pretty dry.  Unless we overlooked it, there were no entertaining and interactive screens.  You just read the information, as you can see below.  Funny Bunny did not like it.  We hope they are planning to update both sections so they are similar to the Math and Language Arts.

Finally, when the parents log in to their account, they can track their child's progress, which is a great feature.

Thoughts of a 10-Year Old:  I really like Time4Learning Language Arts as the characters are silly and the quiz is crazy.  I like Math too because it was interactive. The only thing I didn't like about Math was that when the problems were repeated and I already knew it, I couldn't move on. There should be a button you push that says, "I've got it" if you have got the concept.  But other then that, Math was pretty fun.  But with Social Studies and Science there were no funny characters or silly shows, just pages of text.  Other then those two subjects, I liked it very much. 

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at Time4Learning.  The monthly membership for PreK-8th grade is currently $19.95/mo for the first child and $14.95/mo for each additional child.  For high school it's $30/mo for up to 4 courses.  They offer a 14-day money-back guarantee, and there are no contracts, so you can cancel anytime.  To learn more you can read Hints on Getting Started.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Time4Learning, so you can check out what they think HERE.

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©2010-2013 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

K5 Learning Review

Many children, homeschooling or not, struggle with math, reading, and spelling.  I know there are families out there who have switched from program to program, trying to find the right one for their child.  And when each child is different, it can be challenging when one curriculum works for one and not the other. 

K5 Learning is an online reading and math enrichment program for kids in Kindergarten to 5th grade.  They offer students free online assessments in eight key reading and math skills and the results are used to personalize the child’s learning program according to their individual skill set.

During the assessment, an animated character guides the child while they are asked a series of questions in different skill areas and then placed at the appropriate level based on the answers.  K5 customizes its lessons for each reading and math skill evaluated during the assessment, which means your child receives a personalized online learning program.

K5 Reading covers phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary and reading comprehension.  Students are placed according to their skills, not their grade levels, so your child is not stuck learning something that is too hard or too easy for them. 

Funny Bunny mastered phonemic awareness and phonics on her assessment so she was exempt from instruction in those areas.  She scored at a 4th grade level for everything else, so that is where she started.  I personally thought the level she was placed at was a bit low for her ability, but I did not watch her complete the assessment, so I don't know what she missed, and why she missed it. 

Each time she completes an assignment her Performance Report is updated and I can see the type of lesson she worked on, her score, and the date she took it. 

K5 Spelling features adaptive instruction, automatic word generation, a visual interface, and a 150,000+ word database.  Words are generated based on the child’s grade level, past quizzes, and specific goals.  Children first hear a word and can view or listen to a sample sentence.  They can also see a picture of the word or read a definition of it.  K5 remembers every word a child spells or misspells. If a child spells a word correctly the first time, they never see that word again.  If they misspell a word, the same word will be reintroduced on subsequent days until they repeatedly spell it correctly.

I think the K5 Spelling is excellent for visual spellers.

K5 Math covers numbers and operations, geometry, measurement (including time and money), algebraic thinking, and data analysis.  Funny Bunny scored in low 4th grade for all three, which I think is right where she should be.

You can click here to see many more samples of both the Reading and Math lessons.

My Thoughts:  I think K5 Learning is a great online Reading and Math program, especially if your child is a visual learner and enjoys online programs.  The Assessment test is a wonderful tool to use to see your child's strengths and weaknesses and the results are easy to understand.  And if you think your child should be moved up or down a grade, you can request the change.  The one thing I do not particularly like is the cost.  $25 a month is a bit high for us, and we only have one child.  I imagine that families with several children may find the cost of enrolling more than one a bit much.

Thoughts of an 8-Year Old:  I like K5 Learning's characters and fun games.  In the vocabulary lessons, I like the Cool Character Club and the new vocab charts.  The Cool Character Club's characters include Aiko, Winston, and more!  Too bad we can't keep K5 learning, because I really, really like it!

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at K5 Learning.  A monthly subscription for one child is $25 and additional children are $15.  An annual subscription is $199 for one child and $129 for additional children.  You can try it out for free first though, so if you would like to learn more, you can sign up for their no obligation, 14-day free trial, which includes the math and reading assessment.

My Crewmates are also reviewing K5 Learning, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Reading Eggs Review

Reading Eggs is a fun and interactive online reading program for children.  It is designed for beginning or early readers ages 4-8, with an extension for readers ages 7-13 who can tackle early chapter books and beyond, called Reading Eggspress.

Reading Eggs has 120 learn to read lessons and 96 spelling lessons.  Once logged in, your child will come to the following screen.

As you can see, there are many things for them to do.  For the youngest children, the Playroom is a perfect start.  Here 3 and 4 year olds can play matching games, music games, art, puzzles, cook, play dress up, and have stories read to them.

Older children take a placement test and complete lessons.  Every lesson has at least five short parts which include letters, sounds, words, and reading.  After 10 lessons your child will be given a mastery quiz and once it's completed, they get to read a special book online.

As they complete lessons they earn golden eggs, critters to add to their zoo, and games to play.  Golden eggs are like currency and can be exchanged for games and other items.

Maps 1-4 are aimed at 4 - 6 year olds who have little or no reading skills and the maps that follow are for emerging and early readers.

Funny Bunny, who is almost 9, has been playing around with Reading Eggs and enjoys the fun games and zoo critters.  She is way passed the level of the lessons offered though, so she has been working in Reading Eggspress as well.  Reading Eggspress includes 200 comprehension lessons and a library full of more than 600 books!  Once they read a book they take a comprehension quiz.  The higher level the book they read, the more golden eggs they receive.

My Thoughts:  I know I have only touched on a little of what is included in Reading Eggs.  There are so many different levels of lessons and games I cannot begin to mention them all.  I like how each lesson builds on the one before it and earning prizes is a great motivator for children.

Thoughts of an 8-Year Old:  Reading Eggs is one of my favorite online programs because it is super fun and I can play games.  The tests are fun, the Playroom is silly and the Puzzle Park is cool.  But what I like the most is the Story Factory because you can make your own stories and enter a contest.  It's a fun, fun game!

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at Reading Eggs.  A 12-month subscription is $75 and a 6-month is $49.95.  You can also purchase a $9.95 recurring monthly subscription and cancel any time. And if you add a second or third child at the same time you can receive 50% off their subscription price.  If you are not sure, you can register up to three children for a FREE trial.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Reading Eggs, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Aleks Review

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system.

When I first heard of this program and visited their website, I was not sure what to think.  There are no colorful characters jumping around and no animated games to play.  I was worried that Funny Bunny would not be interested in it.  And to tell you the truth, it looked a bit complicated to me.  But before I give you my assessment, let me tell you a little about it.

ALEKS is available for a variety of subjects and courses in K-12, Higher Education, Continuing Education, Homeschool, and Independent Use.

For homeschoolers, ALEKS can provide instruction and support in math for grades 3-12 and is accessible from any computer with Internet access.  ALEKS includes:

*  Complete Curriculum for Math with Full Course Library
*  No Textbook Required
*  Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
*  Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
*  Master Account - Monitor and Direct Learning Progress
*  Unlimited Online Access - PC & Mac Compatible

Once the student account is set up and they become familiar with the system, an assessment that includes about 30 questions is given.

Following the assessment, the student receives a report in a color-coded pie chart.  Each slice corresponds to a particular area of the course, such as fractions.  The darker portion of each slice represents the topics that the student has mastered and the lighter portion represents what the student has yet to learn.

The Pie describes the student's current knowledge of the subject and makes recommendations for further study.  Each slice of the pie may be opened to produce a list of the concepts on which the student can choose to work.

Above is Funny Bunny's Pie Chart.  This is a great tool because we can clearly see what she has mastered and completed and what she still needs to work on.  For a third-grader, I think she is right where she should be. 

By clicking on a topic suggested in the pie chart, the student goes into the Learning Mode. The Learning Mode provides practice problems and offers explanations of concepts and procedures. Once a student has demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the item is added to the Pie, and new topics become available.

The student will receive immediate feedback in the Learning Mode and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.

And for a little fun, ALEKS offers something called Quick Tables.  Students are tested on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and are awarded games to play as the progress.

All student progress can be monitored in the Master Account.  The blue bar below represents the percent of course material that the student has mastered during the assessment; the green bar shows the percent of new topics the student has mastered in Learning Mode since the last assessment; and the yellow bar represents the percent of topics the student has yet to learn.

You can also edit student accounts, request a new student assessment, view a detailed progress report, track time spent, topics attempted and mastered, and create quizzes. 

My Thoughts:  I think ALEKS is a very comprehensive math program.  Each time Funny Bunny logs in, she is taken directly to her Pie and completes the next piece of her choice.  If she does not understand something right away, she has the option to have the program explain it to her.  When she answers the problems she gets immediate feedback.  I'm surprised that she has not complained about it being boring since most online learning programs she has used have colorful, animated characters and games, but I only have her complete a little each day, so she does not mind it. 

I love the reporting feature and have more information than I will ever need.  I can see what she has worked on, for how long, what she missed, what she completed correctly, and more.  I can give her quizzes and even generate worksheets.

The only thing that would keep me from continuing with this program is the price.  It is pretty steep for just one child, so it would have to fit into your budget, especially if you have a larger family.

Thoughts of an 8-Year Old:  I like ALEKS and use it a little every day for math.  You get a Pie after taking a math test.  Then you pick something like addition or subtraction and then pick something like Adding Double Digits and you do it.  You also have Addition, Subtraction Multiplication, and Division tables.

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at ALEKS.  Sign up for a special two-month FREE Trial to see if it is a good fit for your family.  Subscription to ALEKS for an individual student is $19.99/month, $99.95 for 6 months, or $179.95 for 12 months.  They also offer a family discount program. 

My Crewmates are also reviewing the ALEKS, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the products to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own.