Growing Up Wild {Review}

We love reading about missionaries.  It is very exciting to read about how they live, the people they are are sharing the gospel with and how God is using them for His Kingdom. 

Imagine our excitement when we got Growing Up Wild to review for the TOS Crew! 

 

Growing Up Wild is a video series that consists of 15 episodes spread out over 5 DVD's.  Each DVD also includes an activity guide CD ROM for teachers to use along with the DVD's.

The main characters of this DVD series are the Wild Family.  They are a homeschooling missionary family living in Papua, Indonesia.  Most of the show revolves around the four sons, The Wild Brothers. 

We were given 2 DVD's for review:

 

 

Volume 1:
Home Sweet Hut - This episode gave us a glimpse into the home life of the Wild Family.  We got to see their home and how they live.
Supply Trip - Here we got to see how this family in the jungle gets the supplies that they need for everyday life.  It is a lot different then running to the local Walmart, that's for sure!
Sun & Water- We got to see how the Wild family creatively uses the resources around them to have power and running water. 

Volume 4:
Amazing World Around Us - The Wild Brothers explore God's marvelous creatures around them!
Adventures in Culture - This episode gives a very good picture of the Indonesian culture.  The boys learn about war, hunting, red fruit and noise piercing.  Heads up: The boys actually get their noses pierced.
Tribal Calling - The Wild Family shares about how they knew the Lord was calling them to be missionaries to a tribal group. 

 

 

We enjoyed watching the Wild Brothers.  It was a lot of fun and very interesting to see how they live and the adventures they have.  I felt that the Growing Up Wild series gave us a wonderful picture of how missionaries live in the jungle.  It was a very good visual for us to have.  It kind of brought missionaries to life!

Growing Up Wild Volumes 1-5 are available for purchase for $18.99 each.  Currently, you can purchase them as a set for $80.99, which is 15% off the total price if they were purchased separately. 

 

There are lots of other reviews from the TOS Crew about Growing Up Wild.  Check them out!
Disclaimer: We received this product at no charge to us for review purposes only. 

 

IEW's Primary Arts of Language

 

 

 

 

Institute for Excellence in Writing, also know as IEW, is a pretty well known curriculum in the homeschooling world.  They have built a reputation that homeschoolers have grown to know and trust.  We actually got to review their Student Writing Intensive for them a few years ago. 
 

 

This time we received their Primary Arts of Language (PAL), which is a complete language arts program for children in kindergarten through second grade.  PAL is broken down into two separate programs, Primary Arts of Language Reading and Primary Arts of Language Writing.  While they are purchased separately they are meant to be used together. 

 

 

First let's talk about the PAL Reading curriculum.  This program, based on the Blended Sound-Sight System of Learning by Anna Ingham, takes a mixed approach to teaching reading by using both phonics and whole words.  It incorporates Classical, Charlotte Mason and Montessori methods of teaching.  PAL uses poetry to teach phonics and whole words, while using phonetic games and a farm themed sticker board to help reinforce phonetic concepts to build a good foundation for reading.

To teach children how to write each of the letters and help them remember their sound, PAL uses fun little stories for each letter.  My 6 year old knows his letters already but the has a hard time remembering the difference between b and d, the letter stories help to remember which is which.  I think this is my favorite thing about PAL, well this and the poetry!

 

The Phonics Games are AWESOME!!  My boys get to feed bones to a done named mugs and park cars all while learning the letter sounds!  This is also one of our favorite parts of PAL!

 

The PAL Reading Complete Package includes the following:

Primary Arts of Language: Reading Teacher’s Manual

Primary Arts of Language: Reading DVD-ROM - the DVD includes:

• Instructional Video by Jill Pike
• The Four Language Arts MP3 Audio by Andrew Pudewa
• Nurturing Competent Communicators MP3 Audio by Andrew Pudewa
• Poetry as an Integrator MP3 Audio by Anna Ingham
• Intro to the Blended Sound Sight Program MP3 Audio by Anna Ingham
• Primary Arts of Language: Reading Student Book (e-book)

Primary Arts of Language: Phonetic Games

Primary Arts of Language: Phonetic Farm folder with Stickers

The PAL Reading program is available to purchase for $69.00
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Now about the PAL Writing program.  The writing part of the program includes printing, copywork, composition, and spelling.  As, I mentioned earlier, the PAL Reading and Writing curriculum's are meant to be used together.  The only exception would be if your child is already reading independently.

The first 23 lessons teach the children how to properly print each letter, after that they start using copywork for printing fluency.  PAL also includes Story Summaries, Journaling, Style and Composition. 

The PAL Writing Package includes:

Primary Arts of Language: Writing Teacher’s Manual

Primary Arts of Language: Writing DVD-ROM - this DVD includes:

• Instructional Video by Jill Pike
• Reading Comprehension MP3 Audio by Adam Andrews
• Dictation, Narration, and Public Speaking MP3 Audio by Andrew Pudewa
• The Four Language Arts MP3 Audio by Andrew Pudewa
• Primary Arts of Language: Writing Student Books (e-book)
  (Would you rather have us print out your PAL student e-books for you? Click here)

All About Spelling Basic Interactive Kit

All About Spelling Level 1 (Teacher’s Manual and One Student Material Packet) By Marie Rippel

Bonus e-audio downloads:

• Units 1 & 2 in the K–2 Classroom MP3 Audio by Shirley George
• Unit 3 in the K–2 Classroom MP3 Audio by Shirley George
• Preparing the K-2 Writing Environment MP3 Audio by Richelle Palmer

The PAL Writing Program is available for purchase for $89.00.
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Alpha Boy learning how to spell his colors.

I am going to be honest, at first this curriculum looked a bit overwhelming to me.  But after watching the DVD's going over the teacher's manuals it didn't seem as overwhelming to me. 

The TM's are set up so that you can easily follow along.  The lessons are so well laid out and explained that even the newest of homeschoolers will feel like a pro!

I feel that PAL is a very well rounded program.  It has all the bells and whistles that you would hope for in a language arts program.  To me, it is very hands on with lots of fun stories and games to help the children actually enjoy learning.  Yes, there is a little bit of prep for mom in the beginning but after that it is pretty much smooth sailing!

 

 

I am not the only one that loved PAL!  Check out what other TOS Crew members have to say about PAL.

Disclaimer: We received this product at no charge for review purposes only. 

 



Grace & Truth Books -With the Children on Sundays {Review}

We were recently given a copy of With the Children on Sundays by Sylvanus Stall from Grace & Truth Books to review.  Written in 1893, With the Children on Sundays is known as one of the greatest Family Worship books ever written.  This book is full of wonderful stories that speak biblical truths to children in a way that captivates them, while sharing the truths of the gospel and of Christ.   It is great for all ages, but particularly good for children ages 4-10.

There are 52 stories in With the Children on Sundays, some of them include:

• Oyster and Crab- Conscience
• Worm in the Apple - Sin in the Human Heart
• Nuts - God Means that We Must Work
• The Polished Stone - Perfection Through Suffering
• Lanterns - The Best Light for Our Path
• White and Charred Sticks - Good and Bad Company

The children and I are enjoying reading through this book together. The stories are interesting, as well as thought provoking.  We have also delighted the simple illustrations that are speckled through out the book, as well as the discussion questions at the end of each story.  They have really opened doors to some wonderful conversations. 

One of the things that I love about homeschooling is that I have the privilege of picking and choosing what my children read. Whenever I can, I try to incorporate good books that offer character building stories and biblical truths. This is one of those books.  It is a rare gem that we will continue to use over and over!

With the Children on Sundays has been out of print many years and is not being printed by anyone at this time.  Currently, there are only a limited number of copies of it available. You can purchase your copy from Grace & Truth Books for $17.50

 

Other members of the TOS Crew reviewed this book and many others from Grace & Truth.  Check the reviews out here! 

Science & Math Activity Bags {Review}

A few years back I participated in an Activity Bag swap for preschoolers.   I found a swap group online and signed up to do one of the pattern matching activity bags.  It was really simple to do.  I gathered the supplies that I needed and assembled ONE activity bag for 20 different children.  Even after a few years, those bags still get pulled out pretty much on a weekly basis. 

When I found out that we had the opportunity to review for Activity Bags I started jumping up and down!  Literally! 

Activity Bags were created by two homeschool moms, Paula and Sherri, that set out to have fun, educational and independent activities for their preschoolers.  The idea was to have activities ready for younger siblings to do while their older siblings were working on their school.

Activity Bags have since grown, and they now have several Activity Bag books for preschoolers as well as children in K-8th grade.  The books that they currently offer are:

• Preschool Activites in a Bag - eBook 1
• Preschool Activites in a Bag - eBook 2
• (Preschool Activites in a Bag - eBook 3 is in the works)
• Science Experiments in a Bag- eBook 1  Biology, Nature and General Science
• Science Experiments in a Bag - eBook 2 Chemistry, Human Body and General Science
• Science Experiments in a Bag - eBook 3 Chemistry
• Reading Games in a Bag - eBook 1
• Math Games in a Bag - eBook 1
• Travel Activities in a Bag - eBook 1
• Coordinator Book - for those that was interested in hosting swaps

  

     

 

   

 

We were given the Science Activities in a Bag eBooks 1,2,3 and the Math Games in a Bag eBook for this review. 

When Sherri and Paula created the Activity Bag books they created them in a format that makes it very simple for several moms to get together, each take an activity, assemble them and then swap.  But, if you are a homeschooler you know that we are famous for thinking outside of the box, right?! 

I decided that for our family right now, the best way to use the Activity Bag books was to do the individual experiments and games with out assembling all of them prior to use.  I think that, for us, we will work through the experiments and games one by one and then assemble the Activity Bags for the ones that are our favorites. 

For example one of the experiments that we have done so far is the Dancing Peanuts.  It is from the Science Experiments in a Bag -eBook 2.  In the experiment the kids start with a glass of water and baking soda.  Next they add 5 peanuts, and then vinegar.  The peanuts dance by moving up and down in the glass.  This is one of the experiments that we will make a bag for, because I know it is something that they will want to do over and over again. 

I really like how the Science Activity Bags not only include the experiments, but experiment logs, with observation questions and additional experiment suggestions.  I was happy to see that they also suggest for the children to draw what happens in the experiments. 

 

Each of the Science Experiments in a Bag have 25 experiments in them.  Some of the experiments included are:
 
eBook 1

• Catch a Web - observe intricate patterns of spider webs and draw them.
• Feasting Yeast - see how yeast and sugar can inflate a balloon.
• Fungus Amungus - learn how to grow mold.
• Worm Farm - learn what earth worms do that is good for soil.

eBook 2

• Big Bubbles - kids make their own bubble frame and make some pretty big bubbles too!
• Crayon Creations - see how heat changes a solid to a liquid, and then by cooling the liquid, how it changes back into a solid.
• Siphon It - learn how a siphon works.
• Spinning Around - how heat makes a spiral turn.

eBook 3

• Get Gluey - learn how to make glue from vinegar and milk.
• Lots of Lava - make a volcano with flowing lava.
• Seltzer Rocket - learn what happens when gas builds up.
• Sun Burn - learn how to cut a string by the sun's rays.

The Science Experiments in a Bag eBooks are available for $15.00 each.  You can also purchase the Science in Experiments in a Bag eBook Bundle, which includes ebook 1,2 & 3 for $39.00. 
 

We also got the chance to review the Math Games in a Bag.  This eBook has 32 games in it!  The games are geared for kids in elementary grades.  Some of the games included are:

• Telling Time
• Trickster #1 - find out how all roads lead to 99
• Word Problems
• Place Value - roll the dice and put numbers in the correct place value. 
• Number Writing - practice writing numbers

We were pretty impressed with the games included in this book, although I felt that they were more for the younger elementary grades.  There are lots of activities to help students master things that they are already learning. 

The Math Games in a Bag eBook 1 is available for $15.00.  Here are some sample pages from this  book.

Activity Bags has a short survey on their website to help them better gage the wants and needs of their customers.  If you take just a few minutes to fill this out they will send you a free eBook sampler of the different Activity Bag books available.

I recommend Activity Bags, they are an easy and inexpensive way to incorporate fun, hands on learning activities that can be used independently!

 

 

Check out what other TOS Crew Members have to say about Activity Bags!

Disclaimer:  We received the Activity Bag eBooks mentioned in this review at no cost to us in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Beloved Books - The Sugar Creek Gang Audio Series {Review}

We love the Sugar Creek Gang, but until recently we had only watched the movies.  The kids and I were both pretty excited when we found out that we were going to get to review some of the Sugar Creek Gang audio books! 




Beloved Books sent us Volume 1 of the Sugar Creek Gang series, written by evangelist Paul Hutchens.  Included in this 12 CD set are the following books:

• The Swamp Robber
• The Killer Bear
• The Winter Rescue
• The Lost Campers
• Chicago Adventure
• The Secret Hideout

This wholesome series chronicles the adventures of six young boys. The books are written from a Christian point of view, which I love, love, love!   As we listen to these dramatized stories we are learning Christian values like faith and courage.  I appreciate that amid the stories are hymns, scripture and most importantly the gospel.


All of my children (ages 11, 9, 6, 4), as well as myself, really enjoy listening to these stories.  Even though the stories were written some time ago, it didn't both us at all.  The story lines keep everyone interested and wanting more!  I would like to add that both my boys and girls equally liked the stories.

The Sugar Creek Gang audio series has 6 Volumes in all which covers all 36 books in the series.  Each of the stories is about 2 hours long and the whole series is over 100 hours on 72 CDs.  Each of the volumes are available for $54.95.   You will save $50 if you purchase all 6 sets for $279.70.  These stories are great for all ages and would make fabulous holiday gifts!

If you use the COUPON CODE - SUGARCREEKGANG-20 you will receive 20% OFF your ENTIRE ORDER!!!

If your still not sure that the Sugar Creek Gang audio books are for you, you can listen the first story The Swamp Robber for FREE!


See what other TOS Crew Members have to say about the Sugar Creek Gang Audio Series.

Disclaimer:  We received this audio series at no cost to us in exchange for an honest and fair review of the product.